Art of War Cage Fighting – AOW 30 results – Small vs. Sizemore
Art of War Cage Fighting officials held their AOW 30 fight card from LIVE! Casino and Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Friday, June 23.
In the main event, Earl Small (5-2) looks to correct the mistakes he made in his Art of War Cage Fighting debut earlier this year and get back on the winning track when he meets Gregory Sizemore (6-7-1).
In the co-main event slot, two-time Art of War Cage Fighting “Fight of the Year” award recipient Matt Turnbull meets Ahsan Abdullah.
The ladies opened up the card as bantamweights Fabiana Jose and Ashley Ikner immediately went after one another like they stole one another’s lunch money. The first and second rounds were fought entirely on the feet and up against the cage. It wasn’t the third and final frame that Ikner got the fight to the ground, took her opponent’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke. Unfortunately for Ikner she was unable to get the tap, but she had an incredibly dominant round and will earn the nod on the judges’ scorecards.
Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
In the second fight of the night, it is not hard to tell that Jerry Valme is the fan favorite as the crowd is electric inside the LIVE! Event Center cheering on their fighter against Aslanbeck (Nart) Gokeh of Carnicella MMA. The entire six-minute back-and-forth brawl was bananas. Shot for shot, these two warriors gave it all they had in this amateur outing. This one too will go to the scorecards. After his unanimous decision victory, Jerry Valme danced like his life depended on it, and the crowd erupted into a “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry” chant as if the late great Jerry Springer were in the house.
Still undefeated
Someone’s “0” has got to go as the ladies, Tori Sadjian (1-0) and Fallon Johnson (2-0) have entered the cage. Johnson gets the back near the end of the first round and forces Sadjian to tap from a deeply sunk rear-naked choke with just four seconds to go. Impressive victory.
Swarr barely breaks a sweat
Ayden Chang immediately tags Josiah Swarr with a jab, and he returns the favor and stuns Chang just seconds into the opening round. Swarr is unloading on his opponent, and Chang doesn’t like it. He swoops in, takes him down, and Swarr takes advantage of being on his back by immediately throwing his legs up and locking in a triangle choke. This fight is over just a minute and a half into the action.
Buggy Choke
In the first advanced amateur bout of the evening, Anis Abdulloev and Spencer Rivas exchanged submission attempts back and forth while throwing every shot they could to try and edge one another on the scorecards…. and that was just the opening round. Abdulloev throws a wheel kick to open up the second frame, and although it echos throughout the arena, it is not enough to put Rivas away. The rest of the round is fought entirely on the ground with strikes now allowed to the head because of the different ruleset. Abdulloev throws his wheel kick again to open the final around, followed by what might have been an open finger punch. As a result the fight is temporarily halted so referee Dan Miragliotta can warn Abdulloev. The fight restarts, goes to the ground, and Rivas capitalizes and puts Abdulloev out with a buggy choke. It appears as if Abdulloev may have suffered a broken arm and is assisted out of the cage.
Hall of Fame
Following the fight, former professional mixed martial artist and owner of Martinez BJJ in nearby Philadelphia, was inducted into the Art of War Hall of Fame. Congratulations Will Martinez!
Fastest KO in AOW title history
Following the intermission, the first of three amateur title bouts was over quicker than it began. Dominic Parker flatlined Patrick Connelly in seconds, busting his open and ending the fight. Big win for the new champ.
And New!!!
In the next bout, defending flyweight champion Brandon Bohannon put his belt on the line against the challenging Eric Gonzalez. Both fighters are extremely quick on their feet, as they should be at this weight. Gonzalez has a beautiful thai clinch knee that he drivers right up the middle. Bohannon is finding his rhythm with the hands, connecting with lefts and rights. This is either fighter’s game going into the third and final round. Gonzalez, elusive as can be, immediately gets the champion’s back in the closing round. He’s working for a rear-naked choke. Bohannon throwing strikes over the back of his head, trying to make something land, but Gonzalez is not letting go. This fight goes to the judges and Bohannon will drop his hardware by way of split decision to the new champion, Eric Gonzalez.
The third and final advanced amateur title bout is for the vacant 175 lb. title. Qaadir Pratt and Daniel Mullan will stand-to-toe in an attempt to take home the gold. Pratt immediately lands a big shot and then swoops Mullan up off his feet and back down to the canvas. After a brief scramble on the ground, Pratt shoots out the back door in an attempt to get back to his feet. Mullan won’t Pratt back up and begins to tee off on the body. Mullan is unloading in the final seconds, but referee Dan Miragliotta gives Pratt a fighting chance and lets it go to the bell. After a brief exchange to open the second, Mullan takes Pratt back down and forces the tap with a triangle choke, claiming the vacant title in the process.
Turnbull taps Abdullah
Matthew Turnbull and Ahsan Abdullah opened up the first up two pro bouts on the card. Turnbull’s striking is as crisp as it has ever been. He’s finding his range, picking his shots, and making Abdullah pay. Turnbull is delivering vicious ground and pound and with just seconds left in the round, transitions to an armbar as he realizes referee Dan Miragliotta isn’t stopping the fight. Abdullah is forced to tap and Big Dan calls a halt to the action at 4:57.
Big ‘Trouble’ In Philly
We move to our final bout of the evening, the middleweight title bout between Earl ‘Trouble’ Small and Gregory Sizemore. Small throws a kick early on and Sizemore lets his opponent go down to the canvas. Small locks in a triangle choke, and Sizemore taps after trying to fight his way out of it. Sizemore is forced to tap and Small will defend the gold in his next outing.
AOW 30 results below
Pro Bouts
Earl Small defeated Gregory Sizemore via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 1:52 – Middleweight title bout
Matthew Turnbull defeated Ahsan Abdullah via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:57
Amateur Bouts
Advanced Amateur Rules – Daniel Mullan defeated Qaadir Pratt via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:21 – 175 lb. title bout
Advanced Amateur Rules – Eric Gonzalez defeated Brandon Bohannon via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) – Flyweight title bout
Advanced Amateur Rules – Dominic Parker defeated Patrick Connelly via TKO – Round 1, 0:11 – Lightweight title bout
Advanced Amateur Rules – Spencer Rivas defeated Anis Abdulloev via submission (buggy choke) – Round 3, 0:31
Josiah Swarr defeated Ayden Chang via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 1:35
Fallon Johnson defeated Tori Sadjian via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:56
Jerry Valme defeated Aslanbeck Goken via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ashley Ikner defeated Fabiana Josa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Antrim Electric sponsored the AOW 30 fight card
