(Ryan LaFlare, 170 Pound Champ)
(Deividas Taurosevicius, 145 Pound Champ)
(Ring of Combat XLIII: Star Studded)
Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat took place on Saturday January 25, 2013 at the Tropicana Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Despite the snow and cold, the arena was sold out, and the packed house enjoyed 11 fights, including two title bouts. Eighty Ring of Combat fighters have moved on to the UFC, and all the fighters fought as though they would be the next to hit the big leagues. In the main event, undefeated Ryan LaFlare returned to action:
Ryan LaFlare is officially back, and he just may be better than ever.
LaFlare, who sat out the last 2½ years due to injuries, defended his welterweight title with a third-round arm bar against Andrew Osborne at Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat XLIII at the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City on Friday night.
It was the seventh straight win — and first time he has ever gone to the third round — for the undefeated resident of Lindenhurst, Long Island.
“Most guys have a little ring rust after having 2½ years off,” Neglia said after presenting LaFlare the belt. “He got better.”
LaFlare said that despite the wrist and knee injuries that sidelined him, the layoff gave him time to improve his technique and approach.
“Before the injuries, I was kind of a one-dimensional fighter in that I wanted to win the fight quickly in any fashion,” said LaFlare, who earned his third submission win. “Now I think I’ve settled in and have started seeing things a little more. I’m looking for different ways to win now.”
He needed every trick to finish a very game Osborne (6-5), who had won three straight entering the fight. Osborne, fighting out of Philadelphia, absorbed punishment from the opening bell, including a number of LaFlare’s straight lefts, knees, and kicks both inside and outside.
In the second round, Osborne got caught in a calf splicer that had him grimacing in pain. He also had little defense for LaFlare’s many takedowns throughout the fight, but managed to escape each time.
Osborne, who had been reduced to throwing looping punches, landed his own takedown late in the second round. But after taking LaFlare down early in the third, the champion locked up an arm bar. The end came at 2:01.
“He kept trucking man, and I have to give it to him,” LaFlare said. “But when you train with some of the best jiu jitsu guys in the world, and you go against someone who doesn’t have as much skill, things open up.”
The other ROC 43 title bout also ended in a submission, as Deividas Taurosevicius defended his featherweight belt with a first-round inverted triangle choke against veteran challenger Frank Caraballo.
Though both men came out swinging early, Taurosevicius landed a takedown, unleashed his ground and pound, and eventually cinched up the rare choke to earn the stoppage at 3:38.
It was the fourth straight submission victory for Taurosevicius, who ran his record to 16-5. Caraballo, who had won six straight, fell to 11-5.
One of the most entertaining fights of the evening pitted undefeated Chris Wade (5-0) against Mike Medrano (10-10). Wade, a kickboxer, escaped a late guillotine attempt by Medrano to take the three-round unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28).
In the other bouts: Ariel Sepulveda (5-6) decisioned Ryan Contaldi (8-7); Frankie Perez (5-0) stayed unbeaten by submitting Alfred Walker (4-3) in the second round; Elias Silverio (6-0) won a close decision over Pat Defranco (2-2); and Andre Harrison (5-0) stopped Ruben Rey (6-5) via strikes in the second.
Joseph Ray, Robert Plotkin, Frank Buenafuente, and Keith Berish all claimed wins in undercard fights.
Here are the official results:
Friday, January 25, 2013
Ring of Combat 43
Tropicana Hotel and Casino showroom
Atlantic City
Bouts-
1
205
2 four minute rounds plus 1 four minute round in the event of a draw
Michael Andrillo vs. Keith Berish
Andrillo 204 Berish 201.5
Ref Miragliotta
Judges DePasquale, Sanidad and Tabora
Berish wins via TKO due to injury at 1:10 of round one.
2
145
2 four minute rounds plus 1 four minute round in the event of a draw
Frank Buenafuente vs. Ashure Elbanna
Buenafuente 144.5 Elbanna 144
Ref Oliver
Judges Agustin, Bilyk and Sanidad
Buenafuente wins via north-south choke at 3:23 of round one.
3
170
2 four minute rounds plus 1 four minute round in the event of a draw
Robert Plotkin vs. Whitney Francois
Plotkin 169 Francois 171
Ref Oliver
Judges Agustin, Bilyk and Tabora
Plotkin wins via triangle at 3:27 of round one.
4
245 Catch
2 four minute rounds plus 1 four minute round in the event of a draw Joseph Ray vs. Gil Isabel
Ray 243.5 Isabel 233
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Agustin, DePasquale and Sanidad
Ray wins majority decision in two rounds, 20-18, 20-18 and 19-19 Agustin.
5
141 Catch
3 rounds of four minutes
Andre Harrison vs. Ruben Ray
Harrison 140 Ray 141
Ref Oliver
Judges Agustin, Bilyk and TaboreÐa
Harrison wins via TKO referee stoppage due to strikes at 2:19 of round two.
6
160 Catch
3 rounds of four minutes
Pat DeFranco vs. Elias Silverio
DeFranco 161 Silverio 159.5
Ref Peterson
Judges Bilyk, DePasquale and Tabora
Silverio wins split decision in three rounds 30-28 Tabora, 29-28 Bilyk and 28-29 DePasquale.
7
155
3 rounds of four minutes
Frankie Perez vs. Alfred Walker
Perez 154 Walker 153
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Agustin, Sanidad and Tabora
Perez wins via head and arm choke at 3:36 of round two.
8
185
3 rounds of four minutes
Ariel Sepulveda vs. Ryan Contaldi
Sepulveda 183.5 Contaldi 186
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Agustin, Bilyk and DePasquale
Sepulveda wins via unanimous decision in three rounds, all three judges 29-28.
9
155
3 rounds of four minutes
Mike Medrano vs. Chris Wade
Medrano 154.5 Wade 155.5
Ref Peterson
Judges Agustin, Sanidad and Tabora
Wade wins unanimous decision in three rounds 30-28 Tabora, 29-28 Sanidad and 30-27 Agustin.
10
145 Championship
3 rounds of 5 minutes plus 1 five minute round in the event of a draw
Deividas Taurosevicus vs. Frank Carabello
Taurosevicius 145 Carabello 143
Ref Peterson
Judges Agustin, DePasquale and Sanidad
Taurosevicius wins via reverse triangle at 3:38 of round one.
11
170 Championship
3 rounds of 5 minutes plus 1 five minute round in the event of a draw
Ryan LaFlare vs. Andrew Osborne
LaFlare 170 Osborne 168
Ref Miragliotta
Judges Bilyk, DePasquale and Tabora
LaFlare wins via tap due to armbar at 2:01 of round three.