On September 9^th 2011, Lou Neglia’s 37^th Ring of Combat was held at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City. In his usual fashion Neglia offered fans a night filled with thrilling fights. In addition to the main card, which featured an exhilarating super fight and three championship fights, the explosive undercard did not disappoint fight fans.

The super fight of the night saw a rematch between Chris “The Story” Liguori, who trains at Ricardo Almedia Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and John Salgado, of Fusion MMA. Round one was evenly matched, with both fighters exchanging strikes and scrambling to gain control on the ground. Despite Salgado’s strong take down defense, Liguori was able to take him down in the second round.  Once on top, Ligouri was able to dictate the pace of the remainder of the round. With both fighters exhausted in the final round, they traded punches and kicks in one of the most exciting back and forth fights of the night. Ultimately, it was Liguori, who trains with Frankie Edgar’s Boxing coach Mark Henry, that landed a flush right that knocked out Salgado in the third round.

In the first championship bout of the evening, New Jersey’s own Tom DeBlass won the Ring of Combat Light-Heavyweight Title by TKO-ing Team Bombsquad’s, Mike Stewart. DeBlass, who also trains with Ricardo Almeida and Frankie Edgar, dropped Stewart with a big right hand early on. Stewart quickly recovered and instinctively took DeBlass down. After a back and forth scramble on the mat, both fighters were once again back up to their feet. DeBlass, who has focused intensely on improving his striking, landed a solid left hook that caught Stewart square on the jaw. Stewart dropped to the mat and DeBlass seized the opportunity, pouncing on Stewart and dropping bombs until the fight was called three minutes into the first round.

In a highly anticipated rematch, Al Iaquinta of Team Serra Longo took on Vitor Shaolin Jiu-Jitsu’s Gabe Miglioli for the vacant Lightweight championship.  At ROC XXXVI the two met in what was one of the most thrilling battles in the promotion’s history, with undefeated Iaquinta earning the razor close split decision. Friday night’s victory for Iaquinta was much more convincing. Iaquinta came out on fire, catching Miglioli with a high kick that sent Miglioli into the cage. Iaquinta attacked with some ground and pound and the fight was stopped only 26 seconds into round one, earning Iaquinta the Lightweight Championship.

In the Featherweight Championship title fight, WEC and IFL vet, Deividas Taurosevicious, who once fought the current UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar, defeated Ronnie Rogers, who was fighting for the sixth time in 2011. Rogers, no stranger to the cage, has fought for both Strikeforce and Bellator promotions. After a takedown early in round one by Taurosevicious, most of the first round was spent in a scramble to gain position with a few unsuccessful guillotine attempts by both fighters. In the second round, Taurosevicious had Rogers tied up in a clinch up against the cage and utilized his knees to wear Rogers down. Taurosevicious got another takedown, took Rogers’ back, flattened him out, and got the rear naked choke for the submission victory.

The undercard of this show had some amazing action as well. After feeling each other out briefly, Bellmore’s Kickboxing Academy’s Tom English connected with a right hook that dropped Virginia’s Carlos Oliveira. English jumped on Oliveira and finished the fight with another big right. This was the third fight in 2011 for English and he was able to add another “W” to his record by getting the KO victory.

Shawn “Wing Chun Kid” Obassi came out taunting AMA’s Chris Birchler. Birchler took Obassi down early in the first round, and Birchler easily dominated the rest of the round, including dishing out some vicious ground and pound that left Obassi gassed and probably regretting his earlier antics. Birchler mounted Obassi and the “Wing Chun Kid” turned, giving up his back. Birchler landed a few punches and Obssai was forced to verbally tap, giving Birchler the win by verbal submission due to strikes.

It was a BJJ matchup between submission specialists Casey Manrique, who trains with Marcelo Garcia, and Aung La N Sang of Crazy 88 BJJ. However, Manrique’s ground game was no match for N Sang who maintained a dominant position for all of the first round. Just seconds in to round two, after a quick takedown, N Sang quickly trapped Manrique and finished with some ground and pound and N Sang earned the TKO victory.

Jimmy Jenkins of Team Serra Longo remained undefeated by finishing off Cody Castillo with a beautifully executed standing guillotine at only 24 seconds into round one. This move is reminiscent of the SOTN win at UFC 131 by Jenkins’ Serra Longo teammate, the former ROC champion and up and coming UFC prospect, Chris Weidman. This was definitely an impressive showing for Jenkins and he improves his winning streak to four in a row.

Jenkin‘s teammate, Ed “Truck” Gordon‘s victory over Steve Edwards was not as quick, but still as sweet. In the first round, Edwards, the Black and Blue MMA standout, attempted an armbar. After spinning out though, Truck was able to maintain top position. Truck then used his massive body weight to smother his opponent, pushing him up against the cage and landing some hard blows. Round two saw Truck controlling Edwards until Edwards caught Truck in a Kimura that lasted almost thirty seconds. Truck remained composed, did not tap, and the fight was ended by medical stoppage from Edward’s corner.

Michael LaDuke had some slick submission attempts in round two against Team Bombsquad’s, Brian Kelleher. However, Kelleher was able to inflict too much damage as the fight went on. Kelleher was able to press LaDuke up against the cage and after a few punches to the face, a cut above LaDuke’s left eye from the previous round opened up and doctors were forced to stop the fight.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu specialist, Matt Ruskin came out throwing a fury of fists and elbows against Eduardo Telles at the opening bell. However, once on the mat, Ruskin locked Telles in a body triangle and continued to land some heavy strikes until Telles, a BJJ black belt under Fabio Gurgel, escaped and maintained top position. Telles then put on his own display of ground and pound until he finished the fight with a textbook armbar in the first round.

Ring of Combat is a showcase for local fight talent and former ROC champions have gone on to fight in promotions such as Bellator, Strikeforce and the UFC. This past Saturday fans were able to witness the crowning of three new ROC Champions; Light-Heavyweight Tom DeBlass,

Lightweight Al Iaquinta and Featherweight Deividas Taurosevicious. If you can’t get down to Atlantic City to enjoy the fights you can always watch them on Gofightlive.com. But with the talent that comes out of the ROC, you never know where you may these see these fighters next. Perhaps on MTV2, Spike, or PPV, or maybe even one day on Fox.

Here are the official results of the bouts:
 

Feature bouts-
3 rounds of 5 minutes, fourth 5 minute round in the event of a draw

145 TITLE
Ronnie Rogers (118-706) Vs. Deividas Taurosevicus (105-898)
Ref Oliver
Judges Sanidad, Tamburrino and Urso
Both fighters weigh 146
Taurosevicus wins via rear naked choke at 3:24 or round two.
Taurosevicus suspended 45 days for laceration healing.

160 SUPERFIGHT
John Salgado (100-280) vs. Chris Liguori (105-585)
Ref Peterson
Judges Sanidad, Tamburrino and Urso
Both fighters weigh 160
Liguori wins via KO punch at 4:12 of round three.
Salgado suspended 60 days for KO.
Salgado suspended indefinite pending CT head scan.


155 TITLE
Gabriel Miglioli (119-464) vs.
Al Iaquinta (105-390)
Ref Peterson
Judges Bilyk, Sinclair and Urso
Miglioli. 156. Iaquinta 154.5
Iaquinta wins via TKO referee stoppage at 0:26 of round one.
Miglioli suspended indefinite pending opthomologist clearance

205 TITLE
Mike Stewart (101-062) vs. Tom DeBlass (106-968)
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Dudley, Tamburrino and Urso
Stewart 202. DeBlass. 205
DeBlass wins via KO punch at 3:07 of round one.
Stewart suspended 60 days for KO.
Stewart suspended indefinite pending CT head scan.

Main Card–
3 rounds of 4 minutes

185
Aung La N Sang (118-847) Vs. Casey Gonzalez (103-392)
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Bilyk, Sanidad and Urso
N Sang. 184.5. Gonzalez. 185
N Sang wins via TKO referee stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 1:03
of round two.
Gonzalez suspended 60 days for TKO.
Gonzalez suspended indefinite pending CT head scan

145
Cody Castillo (100-491) Vs. James Jenkins (100-315)
Ref Oliver
Judges Bilyk, Dudley and Urso
Castillo 142. Jenkins. 145.75
Jenkins wins via standing guillotine at 0:24 of round one.

170
Eduardo Telles (123-780)Vs. Matt Ruskin (123-716)
Ref Peterson
Judges Bilyk, Sanidad and Urso
Telles. 169.75. Ruskin 169.50
Telles wins via armbar at 3:10 of round one.
Telles suspended 45 days for facial laceration
Ruskin suspended 30 days for facial laceration.

130
Michelle Ould (117-651). Vs. Munah Holland (113-946)
Ould. 129. Holland. 130.5
Fight canceled
Ould suspended indefinite pending MRI of lower spine

135
Michael LaDuke (107-028) vs.
Brian Kelleher (100-336)
Ref Oliver
Judges Dudley, Sanidad and Urso
LaDuke. 134.75. Kelleher 136
Kelleher wins via TKO doctor stoppage due to laceration at 3:14 of round
three.
LaDuke suspended 45 days for facial laceration.

205
Steve Edwards (116-852)
Vs. Ed Gordon (115-268)
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Bilyk, Tamburrino and Urso
Edwards 203 Gordon. 202.5
Gordon wins via TKO doctor stoppage in corner at 3:00 of round two.

Preliminary Card-
2 rounds of 4 minutes, third 4 minute round in the event of a draw

260
Shawn Obasi (123-714) Vs.Chris Birchler (119-159)
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Dudley, Sanidad and Tamburrino
Obasi. 227.75 Birchler. 248
Birchler wins via TKO verbal tap due to strikes at 2:47 of round one.

145
Carlos Oliviera (114-152) Vs. Tom English (104-958)
Ref Oliver
Judges Bilyk, Dudley and Tamburrino
Oliviera. 142.50. English 145
English wins via KO punch at 1:59 of round one.