Friday Night Fights: Hlavacek vs. Clarke Results

Friday Night Fights took place this past weekend in New York, NY. The main event on the evening featured a WBC Muay Thai title fight between current WBC Muay Thai US National Super Middleweight champion Brett Hlavacek and challenger Elijah Clarke.

Hlavacek and Clarke fought five hard rounds, in the end Hlavacek walk away victorious with a unanimous decision. Clarke tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career and is now 4-1. 

In the night's co-main event Justin Greskiewicz scored a stoppage victory over New York fan favorite Joe Sampieri. The stoppage came in the third round after Greskiewicz connected with an uppercut. With the win Greskiewicz walked away with a WBC Muay Thai US National Welterweight Championship.

Results:

Brett Hlavacek def. Elijah Clarke via Unanimous Decision

Justin Greskiewicz def. Joe Sampieri via KO in Rd. 3

Friday Night Fights: Greskiewicz vs. Sampieri set for August 14 in New York

Friday Night Fights will be back in action on August 14th at the Modern in New York. The event will feature the first WBC Muay Thai title fight in New York. In the main event current WBC Muay Thai Welterweight International Champion Justin Greskiewicz will put his title on the line against New York's Joseph Sampieri. This fight will pit two seasoned veterans against each other, both have proven their toughness on several occasions and their willingness to exchange without backing up should lead to an exciting fight for fans.

In the co-main event Brett Hlavacek and Elijah Clarke will fight for the WBC New York State Title. Hlavacek has faced some of the best fighters in the states and continuously found success, he is easily the stiffest test of Clarke's young career. Coming into the fight Clark is 4-0 as a pro and will be looking to continue his early career success, a win over Hlavacek would certainly put America's Muay Thai scene on notice.

Keep checking back here at Muay Thai Authority for more information on Friday Night Fights: Greskiewicz vs. Sampieri as it becomes available.

Brett Hlavacek vs. Stephen Richards set for main event at Friday Night Fights 2014 Season Finale

The Friday Night Fights 2014 Season Finale takes place this upcoming Friday at the Broad Street Ballroom in New York. Two of the East coast's best will be going toe-to-toe in the main event, Brett Hlavacek vs. Stephen Richards will serve as the night's headlining bout. 

This should be a technical fight as both Richards and Hlavacek are known for their technical prowess. Hlavacek has built a name for himself with his strong clinch game while Richards has put people on notice with his excellent boxing skills. The fight between Hlavacek and Richards was originally scheduled a decade ago when Hlavacek was still in his teens, but an injury forced the bout to be cancelled. It was again rumored a few years ago, but once again the fight fell through. Now it seems that nothing can prevent this fight from happening on Friday.

Keep checking back here at Muay Thai Authority for more information on Friday Night Fights: 2014 Season Finale.

Matches to make after Lion Fight 17

Lion Fight 17 took place this past weekend and there were some exciting fights on the night. Malaipet Sasiprapa returned to the winning track with a decision win over Justin Greskiewicz and Jo Nattawut scored a split decision victory over Cosmo Alexandre. Victor Saravia also impressed with a knockout of Andy Singh.

With the exciting event now behind us we play match maker and suggest some fights that would make sense for the winners and some of the losers from Lion Fight 17 that are based in North America. Since Justin Greskiewicz already has his next bout announced against Matt Embree we will not be matching up Greskiewicz.

Malaipet Sasiprapa vs. Jose Palacios
Malaipet has proven that he can still defeat most fighters he faces, however, before Lion Fight throws him in against another fighter the caliber of Fabio Pinca it would be best to give him a stiff test. Palacios would be perfect, the pair fought in 2012 in a bout that Palacios took on short notice. Malaipet won a split decision so it would be interesting to see how he would fare against a prepared Jose Palacios.

Jo Nattawut vs. Shane Campbell
The Atlanta based Nattawut stunned many fans when he defeated Cosmo Alexandre by split decision. After scoring a huge win over Cosmo a solid match up would be against Shane Campbell. Before his recent loss to Enriko Khel under the K-1 banner, Campbell had won seven straight bouts. Having fought for Lion Fight before it would be a great match up, especially when Lion Fight returns to the east coast.

Cosmo Alexandre vs. Chike Lindsay
Despite the loss Cosmo remains one of the best fighters currently based in the United States. He has size and technique that would give all his opponents fits, another Nak Muay that has size and power is Atlanta’s Chike Lindsay. Last year Lindsay proved his toughness when he went five rounds with Yodsanklai. Cosmo vs. Lindsay would be an excellent fight for fans to enjoy.

Brett Hlavacek vs. Stephen Richards
Hlavacek and Richards have been matched up before but the bout has not been able to happen. The match up would be great for both fighters. Richards possesses excellent boxing and it would be interesting to see how Hlavacek’s more traditional Muay Thai style can deal with a savvy veteran like Richards.

Carlos Lopez vs. Gaston Bolanos
Lopez scored a nice win over a veteran like Rami Ibrahim. A fight against the fast rising Gaston Bolanos would be the perfect follow up to his win over Ibrahim. Bolanos brings and explosive style and both fighters in the ring together should provide fireworks for fans. If Lopez wins it’s another solid win on his record and for Bolanos it’s a solid fight for him to take in his young career as a pro.

Rami Ibrahim vs. Adrian Morilla
Ibrahim may only be 32 years old but his body has some mileage on it. The man has been fighting Muay Thai, MMA and Boxing professionally for over a decade. Morilla would be a solid match up for Ibrahim and a nice way for him to get back on track as it doesn’t seem that Ibrahim will be slowing down any time soon. Morilla is a solid fight and although he has come up short in recent fights he still presents a danger to his opponents because of his explosiveness.

Victor Saravia vs. Jason Andrada
Saravia has impressed in his two pro fights. He knocked out Anthony Castrejon and Andy Singh, both fighters that had their sights set on Jason Andrada. Coming off the first loss of his career it would be the perfect match up to take place. If Saravia scores a win over Andrada then he will be sitting pretty on top of the division, if Andrada defeats the hot prospect then he continues to be considered the top dog in the division by most.

Pedro Gonzalez vs. Sheldon Gaines
Gonzalez has run through Nick Chasteen and Tim Amorim with his aggressive style. A veteran like Gaines who is used to being in tough gritty fights would be a solid match up for Gonzalez. Lion Fight has a fighter in Gonzalez that comes in and goes for broke each and every round. They can definitely have him turn into a fan favorite because of his fighting style if they give him the right match ups. Gaines is the perfect match up at the moment, a seasoned veteran that has some more experience than Gonzalez’s first two opponents.

Lion Fight 17 Results and Recap

Lion Fight 17 took place last night at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Lion Fight’s second trip to the east coast featured a re-match between Malaipet Sasiprapa vs. Justin Greskiewicz in the main event. 

Malaipet immediately took the fight to Greskiewicz, knocking down the Philadelphian with a perfectly timed right hand in the first round. Grewkiewicz was able to recover and fight through the round, although in the second it was all Malaipet once again. Moving into the third round Malaipet was in full control and hit some nice sweeps, but Greskiewicz showed he still had fuel left in the tank as he scored with a nice flurry. In the fourth and fifth rounds Malaipet seemed to slow down and Greskiewicz began to increase his output, but it was too little too late as Malaipet once again defeated Greskiewicz by unanimous decision.

In the co-main event Cosmo Alexandre took on Jo Nattawut and it was a chess match between them. The fight started off slow as both fighters seemed to be defensive minded but near the end of the third round things started to pick up. Alexnadre and Nattawut both used a full offensive arsenal and it made scoring this fight difficult. When the fight was done it could have gone to either fighter or even a draw, but the judges decided that Nattawut was the winner and he was awarded a split decision.

Brett Hlavacek and Cyrus Washington met in another re-match. Hlavacek came out and took control early in the bout and scored a knockdown of Washington in the second round. Hlavacek seemed to fade near the end of the third a bit and Washington tried to rally late but it wasn’t enough as Hlavacek was awarded the majority decision win.

In what was probably the most impressive performance of the night Victor Saravia improved his pro record to 2-0 with a KO win over Andy Singh. He came out and took the fight to Singh early and was in full control. In the fourth round a head kick from Saravia knocked Singh down and then after the count a flurry from Saravia ended Singh’s night. The official end came at 1:42 of the fourth round.

The two other pro fights on the night were Rami Ibrahim vs. Carlos Lopez and Tim Amorim vs. Pedro Gonzalez. Ibrahim and Lopez went back and forth and in the end It was Lopez’s effective elbow strikes that were the difference maker as the judges gave him a unanimous decision win. Gonzalez for the second time in a row scored a stoppage win over one of North America’s up and coming fighters. He took the fight early to Amorim and he couldn’t handle the aggressive style that Gonzalez brought. The bout was stopped by the referee in the fourth round.

Results: 

Malaipet Sasiprapa def. Justin Greskiewicz via Unanimous Decision 

Jo Nattawut def. Cosmo Alexandre via Split Decision

Brett Hlavacek def. Cyrus Washington via Majority Decision

Carlos Lopez def. Rami Ibrahim via Unanimous Decision

Victor Saravia def. Andy Singh via KO at 1:42 in Rd. 4

Pedro Gonzalez def. Tim Amorim via (T)KO (Referee Stoppage) at 1:43 in Rd. 4

Lion Fight 17 Predictions

Lion Fight 17 takes place tomorrow at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, CT. The event will feature some of the best talent on the East Coast as well as some internationally recognized talent like Cosmo Alexandre and Malaipet Sasiprapa. The main event will feature a re-match between Malaipet and Justin Greskiewicz and the co-main event will feature a bout between Cosmo Alexandre and Jo Nattawat.

It's time to break down all the action for the six pro fights on the Lion Fight card. Nathan Aripez breaks down the fights for you and gives you his picks on who he thinks will end up victorious on the night.

Malaipet Sasiprapa vs. Justin Greskiewicz
When Malaipet and Greskiewicz first fought back in 2012 many thought that Malaipet’s career had stalled out. He was 1-3-1 in his last five fights and 5-4-1 in his previous 10. Greskiewicz on the other hand was entering the fight with a 3-fight win streak on the line. When it was over Malaipet had won a clear cut unanimous decision and all three judges awarded him every single round. This time around Malaipet is trying to snap a two fight losing streak and Greskiewicz will be looking to string together back to back wins as well as avenging the first loss.

Having lost his last two Malaipet should be entering this fight with intentions of proving to everyone he still has what it takes to make another run at a Lion Fight title. Physically he should be the stronger fighter, especially in the clinch. Greskiewicz is going to have to press the action while avoiding getting locked up in the clinch with Malaipet, he will need to press forward land a few punches and move. Malaipet has a tendency to gas in the later rounds so Greskiewicz needs to be able to keep pace early in the fight and in the later rounds he needs to try to take over when Malaipet seems tired. For Malaipet he needs to come out and establish dominance early in the fight by landing a few sweeps and beating Greskiewicz in the clinch. If he can avoid gassing in the later rounds there is no reason that the result this time around should be any different than in their first fight.

Prediction: Malaipet by decision

Cosmo Alexandre vs. Jo Nattawat
Cosmo and Jo Nattawat both step into this bout on short notice. Cosmo has fought for Lion Fight on several occasions and always puts on a technical performance. Nattawat although a technical fighter will not be as physically strong as Cosmo and that will be the difference maker. Both fighters will fight a technical bout and you will see a full Muay Thai display. When they clinch Cosmo should be the stronger fighter and that is where he will separate himself in the fight. Cosmo has always been one of those fighters that can be aggressive; however, he needs to face a fighter that approaches him aggressively for fans to see him get aggressive. If Nattawat decides to try and press the action on Cosmo fans will definitely be in for a treat.

In the end this will be another technical a fair that will feature great technique by both fighters involved. Fans of Muay Thai should be able to appreciate the display of technique that takes place. Cosmo will use his technique and strength to out point Nattawat in the bout.

Prediction: Cosmo Alexandre by decision

Rami Ibrahim vs. Carlos Lopez
Ibrahim vs. Lopez will be an interesting matchup featuring a solid veteran in Ibrahim and a young up and comer in Lopez. Ibrahim has shown he has excellent boxing in the ring and it has proven to be the difference maker for him on several occasions. Lopez will come out looking to add a name like Ibrahim’s to his belt and his youth should serve him well in being able to keep a high pace, but in the end Ibrahim will be too savvy and his experience and grit will carry him to victory.

Prediction: Rami Ibrahim by decision

Victor Saravia vs. Andy Singh
This fight has the potential to be the fight of the night; Singh is a master technician while Saravia is a fire cracker who can end anyone’s night in the blink of an eye. Singh is a strong technical fighter and will use his teep to keep Saravia from trying to inside and land of his power punches. If Singh can stick and move it will be a long night for Saravia.

To win Saravia needs to get inside on Singh and land some big punches and make him feel his power. If Saravia can get inside and turn this into a dirty fight it will be a huge plus for him. This fight is actually one of the toughest if not the toughest on the card to predict, but going on gut feeling I would have to say Saravia is going to land one of his big punches.

Prediction: Saravia by (T)KO

Cyrus Washington vs. Brett Hlavacek
Washington and Hlavacek just fought a little over a month ago and this fight will probably mirror their first. Both fighters are technical and both have the ability to finish the fight, but this will end being a technical affair. If this fight were to change it would be because Hlavacek was sloppy and he got hit with one of Washington’s explosive kicks and was knocked out. I don’t see that happening, Hlavacek is a very cerebral fighter and he is going to grind down Washington for five rounds to take home the win.

Prediction: Brett Hlavacek by decision

Pedro Gonzalez vs. Tim Amorim
This is going to be interesting fight; Amorim has long been one of Muay Thai’s young prospects and made a successful pro debut at Lion Fight 15. Gonzalez also made his pro debut at Lion Fight 15 winning a short notice fight over Nick Chasteen. Gonzalez has an aggressive style that is more MMA than Muay Thai, but the kid can fight and is tough. Amorim is a more traditional Muay Thai fighter and this will definitely be a battle of styles. Expect Gonzalez to come out aggressive, but Amorim will have the technique to stifle his aggression. As the fight wears on Amorim will be able to take control of the fight and in the end the judges will favor him.

Prediction: Tim Amorim by decision

Nathan's Prediction Tracker:
2014 Record: 5-2
Career Record: 37-20
Last Event (Lion Fight 15): 3-2

Brett Hlavacek talks upcoming re-match with Cyrus Washington at Lion Fight 17

Brett Hlavacek will make his Lion Fight debut this Friday at Lion Fight 17. The New York based fighter is one of the top super middleweights in the East Coast. Knowing the fight will be broadcast to Muay Thai fans all over the United States, Hlavacek is ready to put on a show for fight fans as he faces a similar foe in Cyrus Washington. The pair fought a little over a month ago under The Warriors Cup promotion in New Jersey.

Brett was kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions for Muay Thai Authority about his upcoming fight, enjoy.

MTA: You are fighting on Lion Fight 17 against Cyrus Washington, how is training going for the fight?

Brett: Training has been going great I have been trying to stay as active as I can right now and it's paying off. I fought I n April, May, and recently in June for a WBC national title. When I'm this busy I spend less time on getting back in shape and on weight and more on my technique and skill.

MTA: You had a last minute opponent switch and are now fighting Cyrus Washington. Were you disappointed you were fighting Cyrus again after recently beating him?

Brett: I was a little disappointed but these things happen and I just want to get on there and I'm excited to work with Lion Fight finally.

MTA: Having fought Cyrus once already, does it make it easier to train to fight him?

Brett: Not only did I already fight him but it was only 4 weeks ago so I remember the fight and how it was. Every fight is different so I will be ready for whatever adjustments he will try and make this time around.

MTA: You won the first time so do you plan on switching anything up in this rematch or just doing what you did the first fight to get the win?

Brett: I'm not gonna switch too much up. I'm just gonna do what I did last time but do it better.

MTA: What do you think is Cyrus's greatest strength in the ring?

Brett: At times he can be explosive and fast with his kicks. If you relax while fighting him you will pay.

MTA: This fight will be aired on AXS TV, is knowing this will be in front of a live TV audience add some pressure?

Brett: There will be a little pressure but I feel it's a good thing. I think for the most part everybody feels the pressure and nerves before the fight. It's how you deal with that stuff that makes the fighter.

MTA: You are known for having a strong clinch game, is that something you focus on a lot in training or is it just an aspect of your fight style that evolved to another level as you progressed in the sport?

Brett: I feel like I'm more of a kicker but at our gym we constantly work on clinching and it has shown in some of my fights in the past. If I feel like that is where my best fight will be then I'm going to work the clinch in the fight.

MTA: You have dabbled in kickboxing, which do you prefer full rules Muay Thai or Kickboxing rules?

Brett: Muay Thai is what I love to do and what I will continue to do. That's not to say that I won't take anymore kickboxing fights though. Glory was a whole new challenge for me. You really have to approach it as a completely different sport. Some people think you just can't clinch and elbow but also you have to take into account that the length of the fights and the scoring is different.

MTA: Not looking past Cyrus Washington, but is there anyone in particular you would like to fight after him?

Brett: Nobody in particular, I have been fighting between super middleweight and light heavyweight these last couple months so whoever is ranked ahead of me. I definitely want to start testing myself against more international competition.

MTA: How excited were you when you got the call from Lion Fight?

Brett: Very excited, fighting for them this year was one of my goals so it's awesome to finally be able to get a shot.

MTA: You have a slew of tattoos, how many do you have exactly and when did you start getting them? Any more plans for future tattoos?

Brett: I don't really have a number but a good deal of my body is covered. As soon as I was 18 I started getting them. I got a majority of my work done in my early 20's and have since slowed down. I plan on getting more done I just need to find the time. It takes time for the tattoo to heal so that means I'm out of the gym which means I'm not training or teaching then.

MTA: How long have you been training Muay Thai and how did you get involved in the sport? 

Brett: I have been involved with Muay Thai for about 15 years or so. I got started at a very young age and was getting in fights when I was 12 or so. Back then there were not that many fights going on and also not that many teenagers fighting so I would only fight a couple times a year. I was doing TKD at the time and wanted something with a little more contact and I came across a Muay Thai seminar with Vut Kamnark and that was it I was in.

Lion Fight 17 fight card change, Mr. Knock vs. James out Alexandre vs. Nattawat in

Lion Fight 17 has had a few changes over the last few days. Initially Thepnimit “Mr. Knock” Sitmonchai vs. Dean James was set as the main event, but an injury to James and visa issues for Thepnimit have scratched the bout from the fight card. The co-main event of Justin Greskiewicz vs. Malaipet Sasiprapa has now been bumped up to main event status. A new co-main event featuring Cosmo Alexandre vs. Jo Nattawat has been added to the event.
Another change that has taken place is Victor Monfort will no longer be fighting against Brett Hlavacek and has been replaced by Cyrus Washington. The fight between Washington and Hlavacek will serve as a re-match of their WBC National Title Fight earlier this year.
Lion Fight 17 will take place August 1st from Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard, CT. The event will also air live on AXS TV.
Full Fight Card:
Malaipet Sasiprapa vs. Justin Greskiewicz
Cosmo Alexandre vs. Jo Nattawat
Rami Ibrahim vs. Carlos Lopez
Victor Saravia vs. Andy Singh
Cyrus Washington vs. Brett Hlavacek
Pedro Gonzalez vs. Tim Amorim

Fight card set for Lion Fight 17

The fight card for Lion Fight 17 is set. The promotions second trip to the east coast on August 1st will feature a main event bout between Thepnimit "Mr, Knock" Sitmonchai and Dean James.. The co-main event will feature a re-match between Malaipet Sasiprapa and Justin Greskiewicz. The remainder of the card will feature some east coast stand outs such as Rami Ibrahim, Andy Singh and Brett Hlavacek.

Thepnimit will be making his American debut , known for his knockout prowess fans will definitely be in for a treat. James will be looking to collect another huge win over a Thai fighter this year, in March he defeated Rungravee Sasiprapa by (T)KO. 

Malaipet and Greskiewicz fought at Lion Fight 6 in 2012. Their first fight was a majority decision win for Malaipet. The fight was the second win for Malaipet during his recent six fight win streak, although recently he has lost his last two. Greskiewicz will be looking to build upon his recent victory over Jose Palacios.

Lion Fight 17 will take place August 1st at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, CT.

 Fight Card:
Thepnimit “Mr. Knock” Sitmonchai vs. Dean James
Malaipet Sasiprapa vs. Justin Greskiewicz
Rami Ibrahim vs. Carlos Lopez
Victor Saravia vs. Andy Singh
Victor Monfort vs. Brett Hlavacek
Pedro Gonzalez vs. Tim Amorim  

The Warriors Cup XX Results: Kornpet and Hlavacek victorious

The Warriors Cup XX took place this past weekend in Branchburg, NJ and featured two pro bouts. The main event saw Kornpet Petchrachapat take home a split decision over Eddie Martinez. It was a worthy effort by Martinez who was able to keep pace with Kornpet despite not having nearly as many fights as the Thai veteran.

In the co-main event Brett Hlavacek and Cyrus Washington met in a WBC Muay Thai National Super Middleweight title bout. Hlavacek has now scored back to back wins over two well respected North American Nak Muays in Alex Berrios and Cyrus Washington. 

Results:

Kornpet Petchrachapat def. Eddie Martinez via Split Decision

Brett Hlavacek def. Cyrus Washington via Unanimous Decision

The Warriors Cup XX set for June 14th with Cyrus Washington vs. Brett Hlavacek main event

The Warriors Cup returns on June 14th in Branchburg, NJ with The Warriors Cup XX. The event will take place at the Branchburg Sports Plex and will feature a main event bout between Cyrus Washington and Brett Hlavacek. The co-main event will feature a bout between Eddie Martinez and Kornpet Petchrachapat.

Washington will attempt to defend his WBC Muay Thai Super Middleweight National Title against Hlavacek. Washington who is known for his ability to dazzle fans with spectacular knockouts with have to deal with Hlavacek's clinch heavy attack. Hlavacek will be coming off a huge win over Alex Berrios under the Friday Night Fights banner and defeating Washington for the WBC National Title would be a great follow up for the Phil Nurse product.

Martinez will look to follow up his win over Villi Bello, also under the Friday Night Fights banner by taking on Muay Thai veteran Kornpet. Now permanently located in California, Kornpet has been training and teaching at Boxing Works with Bryan Popejoy. A win over a seasoned veteran such as Kornpet would be huge for Martinez.

Pro Fight Card:

Cyrus Washington vs. Brett Hlavacek

Eddie Martinez vs. Kornpet Petchrachapat

Friday Night Fights: Berrios vs. Hlavacek Results

Friday Night Fights was back this past weekend and the main event featured of a bout between two of the the United States finest Nak Muay. Florida's Alex Berrios and New York's Brett Hlavacek battled for five rounds. Early on it seemed Berrios was in firm control of the fight with Hlavacek. In the third round Hlavacek came out swinging heavy and was able to gain back some ground. The final two rounds were a little bit slower paced and when it came time to the judges decision it wasn't clear who would take it. The judges official decision awarded Hlavacek a unanimous decision win.

In the night's only other pro fight Michael Stevens out pointed Brian Wright by unanimous decision. Stevens was a step ahead of Wright throughout the fight and did a good job keeping good form and technique to earn the win.

Results:

Brett Hlavacek def. Alex Berrios via Unanimous Decision

Michael Stevens def. Brian Wright via Unanimous Decision

Brett Hlavacek talks upcoming fight with Alex Berrios at Friday Night Fights

Brett Hlavacek will meet Alex Berrios at this weekend's Friday Night Fights event in New York. Hlavacek vs. Berrios will serve as the main event. A win over Berrios would be a great for Brett's resume and would help continue him climb up the super middleweight rankings. 

Brett is known for his strong clinch and has proven he can end a fight with one strike. It should be an interesting match up with Berrios as they have both proven to be very cerebral fighters.

We were able to catch up with Brett and talk about his upcoming bout with Alex Berrios.
 

MTA: Big fight against Alex Berrios coming up, how is the training camp going? 

Brett: Training is going great! Can't wait to get some work in on April 4th.

MTA: Anything different being done this training camp as opposed to others? 

Brett: Nothing to new and crazy. This fight is at a higher weight so we are making adjustments. It's fun to get back in the gym and work clinching,elbows,and all the fun stuff that comes with Muay Thai. It's fun to be able to fight under Glory rules and Muay Thai. If keeps it fun and fresh.

MTA: How familiar are you with Alex and what strengths do you think he brings to the fight? 

Brett: I've only seen a couple fights of his on the internet but I know he is a solid fighter who has been fighting for some time now. He def brings a good Thai style which will make this fight very enjoyable for me.

MTA: If you had yo pick your biggest strength in the ring what would it be? 

Brett: I think my strength is that I'm comfortable wherever the fight goes. I can clinch,kick,and now I've been really working on my boxing. I'm really trying not to be a one trick pony. 

MTA: Can we get a prediction for the fight? 

Brett: I fell like both of us are in the same place in our career. We both need a win like this to get to the next step in our careers. It's going to be a dog fight. 

MTA: You have been fighting kickboxing rules lately. What do you prefer Muay Thai or Kickboxing rules and why? 

Brett: I grew up fighting Muay Thai and I will always prefer Thai rules over anything else. That's not to say I don't enjoy kickboxing though. Kickboxing gets me out of my comfort zone and forces me to work on my boxing and become a better fighter.

MTA: If you could have any match up in the world who would you fight and why?

Brett:  Right now my focus is on Alex. If I win this fight it's on to the international stage where I think I belong. I broke into the WBC world rankings this year and plan on cracking the top ten this year. So anybody ranked above me is on my list.

MTA: Thanks for the time Brett. Any words for your supporters? 

Brett: I want to thank everybody who is out supporting me. New York has a great Muay Thai scene and I'm lucky to be a part of it. Also a big thank you to my trainers,family,and wife Kim for all the much needed help.

Alex Berrios talks upcoming fight with Brett Hlavacek for Friday Night Fights

Alex Berrios and Brett Hlavacek will meet in the main event of this weekend's Friday Night Fights event. Berrios and Hlavacek are two of North America's best Super Middleweight/Light Heavyweight fighters. Both fighters are known for their technique and ability to finish fights and it should prove to be an exciting match up.

We were able to catch up with Alex Berrios and talk to him about his upcoming fight, as well as his training and more.

MTA: Big fight against Brett Hlavacek coming up, how is the training camp going?

Alex: Training is going great. Over the last year, training others I have looked at improving my fight training and applied it to this camp. I haven't felt so strong all the way through even the most grueling days.

MTA: Anything different being done this training camp as opposed to others?

Alex: Getting more sleep and nutrition (my girlfriend has been a lifesaver, often shopping preparing healthy meals for me.)

MTA: How familiar are you with Brett and what strengths do you think he brings to the fight?

Alex: I've watched some of Brett's fights and I got to say that we are a similar match up. I think he brings a good deal of fight knowledge and strategy to the ring.

MTA: If you had to pick your one biggest strength in the ring what would it be?

Alex: Smart fighting. Any knucklehead can run around swinging and kicking. As an engineer I want to bring efficiency and reflexive adaptability to my game. I like to fight deliberately.

MTA: Can we get a prediction for the fight?

Alex: I think you will see two guys who have a tremendous love for the sport and respect for each other having a great time in the ring. It will be a tough hard fight.

MTA: You are fighting at 168lbs now do you like it better than175?

Alex: Actually this fight is the other way around. I'm fighting at 175 according to my contract! haha. Anything between 170-175 suits me well, but as you know I usually fight above and below that.

MTA: If you could have any match up in the world who would you fight and why?

Alex: My dream fight would be to go to Thailand, train, and match up with a fighter (Thai or foreigner.)

MTA: Your day job is engineer, is difficult finding time to train and does anything from being a muay thai fighter help you in your day job?

Alex: I am a morning person, so the hardest part of fight training is finding training partners in the morning. Lucky for me, I rarely have a problem with that. I have more energy and productivity when I'm training hard. I think I get into a mindset of hard work and it permeates all the rest of what I do. I also train in the evening. I find that splitting time to hit pads, bag, conditioning in the morning and sparring clinching in the evening is a common and effective routine for me.

MTA: Thanks for the time Alex. Any words for your supporters?

Alex: Don't miss this fight. Every fight is huge for me and I always take this very seriously. I feel very strong appreciation for all the fight fans who attend and keep the sport thriving. Thanks everyone, especially those brothers and sisters in training!

Alex Berrios vs. Brett Hlavacek set for Friday Night Fights main event

New York's longest running Muay Thai promotion, Friday Night Fights will return on April 4th to the Ball Street Ballroom. The main event on the night will feature a bout between two East Coast stand outs as Alex Berrios takes on Brett Hlavacek. The night's co-main event will feature a bout between Brian Wright and Michael Stevens.

Berrios has long been considered one of the United States best technicians in the ring. His technical prowess along with his knockout power make him a threat to anyone he steps in the ring with. Berrios will be looking to rebound from a decision loss to Stephen Richards in his most recent outing which took place last April.

Hlavacek who is known for his effective clinch has has only tasted defeat once in his professional career. He was the runner up in the Road to Glory Welterweight Tournament in 2013 and has since then made a successful Glory debut.

Fight Card:

Alex Berrios vs. Brett Hlavacek

Brian Wright vs. Michael Stevens

Brett Hlavacek vs. Tarek Rached set for Take-On XXIV

Brett Hlavacek was expected to fight on the December 13th Take-On XXIV fight card at the Resort World Casino in New York, and now his opponent has been confirmed as Tarek Rached. Hlavacek will be looking to build upon his win at Glory 9 where he defeated Paul Marfort while Rached will step into the ring for the first time since his KO loss to Eric Utsch at the Road to Glory tournament back in March. 

Hlavacek is one of the east coast's top fighters and considered one of the strongest clinch fighters in North America. With the bout being full rules, Rached who has more of a kickboxing style and might face some issues trying to keep Hlavacek form turning this into a clinch heavy fight. Rached possesses knockout power, so Hlavacek needs to make sure not leave any opening that Rached could exploit when going for the clinch.

Headlining Take-On XXIV will be about between Cyrus Washington and Travis Lerchen.

Fight Card:

Cyrus Washington vs. Travis Lerchen

Nick Vaughn vs. Marc Seno

Brett Hlavacek vs. TBA

Take-On XXIV set for December 13th in New York

Take-On Productions will return to the Resort World Casino in New York on December 13th with Take-On XXIV. The night's main event will feature Cyrus Washington vs. Travis Lerchen for the vacant WKA Full Rules Title. Also confirmed for the event is a bout between Nick Vaughn and Marc Seno. Brett Hlavacek will also be competing at Take-On XXIV, but his opponent is currently not confirmed.

Washington will be looking to rebound from his loss to Moses Tor Sangtiennoi at Push Kick Promotions "World Stand Off 5". Washington dropped a decision to the Thai fighter in a close fight. Lerchen will be jumping back in the Muay Thai ring after almost two years away from competition. Lerchen typically fights a weight class heavier than Washington so it will be interesting to see if their will be a significant size difference come fight night.

Fight Card:

Cyrus Washington vs. Travis Lerchen

Nick Vaughn vs. Marc Seno

Brett Hlavacek vs. TBA

Updated Super Middleweight Rankings 10/14/2013

Only one change since the last super middleweight rankings update. Previous number two ranked Joseph Valtellini jumps tot he number one spot after his huge win over Karim Ghajii at Glory 11. Valtellini has now won four consecutive fights, three of them under Glory. All three of his wins in Glory have come by (T)KO. 

Former number one Gregory Choplin drops to the number two spot in the rankings after going 1-1 in the last year.

1. Joseph Valtellini (10-1) (@BazookaJoeV)

Since suffering the first loss of his career over a year ago to Gregory Choplin, Valtellini has been on a tear. Now on a four fight win streak with his most recent victory being a very impressive stoppage of Karim Ghajji at Glory 11 it is safe to say that “Bazooka Joe” has arrived. While a re-match with Choplin would be nice it seems like Valtellini has his eyes set on currently Glory #1 Nieky Holzken. Rumors are that Valtellini will be participating in the Glory 4-man tournament in Japan at the end of the year, which could lead to the match up with Holzken.

2. Gregory Choplin (56-11)

Since the last update the Miami based Choplin has gone 1-1 with his loss coming at the hands of Yodsanklai Fairtex by (T)KO at Lion Fight 8. What is next for Choplin is currently unknown. Recently a scheduled bout in France against Duochonlek fell through for this past September.

3. Francois Ambang (9-3)

After winning the Road to Glory tournament Ambang was chopped down by Joseph Valtellini leg kicks in his official Glory debut. Despite the setback, Ambang is a dangerous fighter with KO power. His next fight is currently unknown, but it shouldn’t be long before we see this heavy hitter back in the ring.

4. Brett Hlavacek (7-1) (@BrettXThreat)

Hlavacek rebounded from his first career loss in the Road to Glory tournament with a unanimous decision win over Paul Marfort at Glory 9. Hlavacek is one of the east coast’s top up and coming fighters. It should be interesting to see who he fights next, the right fight could really put Hlavacek on the map for fans not familiar with the east coast striking scene.

5. Anthony Nieves (7-3)

Nieves has suffered back to back losses for the first time in his career. He lost a decision to Steve Hall at Bangkok Fight Night GP this past September and lost another decision to Marcus Fisher in the quarterfinals of the Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament this past March. Nieves was set to re-match Hall at Bangkok Fight Night: All Stars, but the event was cancelled. When he will step in the ring again is unknown.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and be active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.   

Matches to make after Glory 9

Glory 9 took place in New York this past weekend and it was filled with excitement from start to finish. Some of North America’s top talents were in action on the night as well as some of the biggest names in the sport of Kickboxing.

Joseph Valtellini continued to prove to fight fans that he is the real deal with another (T)KO stoppage, Wayne Barrett put fight fans on notice, and Randy Blake made a successful Glory debut. There were some great performances from the North American based fighters.

Below are a few match-ups we think would make sense as the next possible fight for the North American winners at Glory 9, as well as some of the fighters that tasted defeat.

Joseph Valtellini vs. Gregory Choplin

Valtellini’s lone loss of his professional and amateur career combined came at the hands of Gregory Choplin at Lion Fight 7. Valtellini has since won three consecutive fights, two by stoppage under the Glory banner. Choplin is no stranger to Kickboxing bouts and it would make a nice match up. Will Valtellini be able to implement his crisp boxing combinations followed up by leg kicks or will Choplin once again use his experience to take home a victory over the younger Valtellini? Either Choplin beats the red hot Valtellini and jumps right into the Glory mix, or Valtellini avenges his lone loss to a highly touted and respected striker.

Wayne Barrett vs. Andrew Kapel

Wayne Barrett surprised many people with his knockout of Mike Lemaire. Unless you knew him you probably weren’t picking him to beat Lemaire, especially considering he only had one pro fight coming into the bout. Now Barrett is in the unique position that he only has two pro fights yet he beat one of the Road to Glory USA champions. Do you throw him into the mix with the top strikers in the world or bring him up accordingly. The best bet here would be to give him a hard nosed veteran of the North American striking scene. Andrew Kapel is as hard nosed as they come, tough durable and likes to get in your face. He dropped a razor thin split decision in the Road to Glory tournament to Lemaire, a bout in which he knocked Lemaire down early in the fight. Kapel would be a good measuring stick for Barrett, if he can beat two of North America’s top cruiserweights it would be a big accomplishment.

Brett Hlavacek vs. Stephen Richards

Hlavacek and Richards were set to fight at the Warriors Cup a few months back, but both fighters ended up pulling out of the match up. Now would be a great time for it to happen. Hlavacek rebounded nicely form his first career defeat by scoring a decision victory over Paul Marfort at Glory 9, and Richards most recently scored a win over highly regarded Alex Berrios. Bother Hlavacek and Richards are both strong fighters who normally impose their will in the ring so it would be interesting to see who would dictate the action in this bout.

Randy Blake vs. Dustin Jacoby

Blake won at Glory 9 against Koichi Pettas in a super fight, while Jacoby defeated Brian Collette in the opening round of the Glory Light Heavyweight Grand Slam and then dropped a decision to Danyo Ilunga in the semi-finals. The pair previously met in the opening round of the Road to Glory Light Heavyweight Tournament, a bout which Jacoby won by third round (T)KO. Blake was the favorite in the tournament and Jacoby surprised many by not only beating Blake but winning the tournament. The first fight was entertaining and there is no reason the second bout wouldn’t be.

Francois Ambang vs. Anthony Nieves

Ambang hung tough against Joseph Valtellini but eventually succumbed to leg kicks in the third round. He was able to land some clean shots on Valtellini, and kept a nice head and body defense for most of the fight, but left his legs open for attack. Valtellini does attack his opponent’s legs more than the average fighter, so it shouldn’t be something Ambang needs to worry about too much, he defended well early but the damage just accumulated. Valtellini was definitely a good measuring stick for Ambang. A fight against another strong North American based fighter should follow for Ambang. Nieves dropped a decision in the opening round of the Road to Glory USA tournament that Ambang won, but would present a strong test for Ambang.

Mike Lemaire vs. Afam Egbochuku

Lemaire went into his fight with Wayne Barrett a heavy favorite, but when it was over he was left face down on the canvas. Lemaire didn’t look good in his previous outing before fighting Barrett despite taking home a victory, and now his performance against Barrett raises some questions. A fight against a fighter like Afam Egbochuku who just happens to be based in San Diego like Lemaire would be a nice little in town rivalry, but would also be a good fight to see how Lemaire rebounds after his first professional loss. Egbochuku has power to test Lemaire’s chin but half the amount of fights.

Tyrone Spong confirmed as final participant for Glory 9 light heavywieght tournament in New York

Tyrone Spong has been rumored to be on the June 22nd Glory 9 card in New York, and today Glory has officially confirmed that Spong will indeed be fighting at Glory 9. Spong will be part of the one night 8-man light heavyweight tournament taking place at Glory 9. 

Spong last competed in Kickboxing at Glory 5 when he knocked out Remy Bonjasky. Spong joins a tournament field that includes Michael Duut, Steve Mckinnon, Mourad Bouzidi, Filip Verlinden, Danyo Ilunga, Brian Collette, and Dustin Jacoby.

Other bouts slated for Glory 9 are Daniel Ghita vs. Brice Guidon, Joseph Valtellini vs. Francois Ambang, and Brett Hlavacek vs. Paul Malfort. All of the action will take place at the Hammerstien Ballroom.

HARD-HITTING SUPERSTAR TYRONE SPONG

ENTERS GLORY 9 NEW YORK

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT KICKBOXING TOURNAMENT

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

FOR HISTORIC, STAR-STUDDED EVENT AT

MANHATTAN’S HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM

ON SATURDAY, JUNE 22

SINGAPORE (May 7, 2013) – Twenty-seven year-old martial arts fighting superstar Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (69-6-1 43 KOs) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Suriname will compete in the one-night, single-elimination GLORY 9 New York tournament featuring a lineup of the world’s top light heavyweight (209 pounds/95 kilograms) kickboxers, at Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center in New York City on Saturday, June 22, Glory Sports International (GSI) announced today.

“We are excited to enter Tyrone into this historic, first GLORY championship series event in the U.S. that will determine who is physically and mentally the top athlete in kickboxing’s light heavyweight division,” said Glory Sports International CEO Andrew Whitaker. 

“Tyrone’s recent performances in the ring have distinguished him as one of the best and most powerful martial arts fighters in the world who can showcase our great sport at its highest level,” continued Whitaker, “so we look forward to seeing him compete against the other superstars who have been enlisted for action in the tournament.”

In his last GLORY start on March 23, Spong, a member of the vaunted Blackzilians fight squad that boasts the likes of fellow martial arts fighting greats Rashad Evans, Alistair Overeem and Vitor Belfort, triggered a changing of the guard in the ring at ExCel Arena in London, England, decimating Remy “The Flying Gentleman” Bonjasky, a three-time champion of the old K-1 series and one of kickboxing’s greatest athletes of all time, with a vicious right hook in the second round (2:02) of their highly-anticipated main event showdown.

The explosive KO marked Spong’s fifth consecutive kickboxing victory.  One fight prior, on June 30, 2012, Spong toppled another icon of the sport and future Hall of Famer, Peter Aerts, scoring a thunderous KO on Aerts in the third round (2:10) of their matchup in Brussels, Belgium.

Since turning professional as a middleweight in 2003 and winning 12 fights that year, Spong, a former protégé of retired heavyweight kickboxing legend Ernesto Hoost, has since climbed his way to the top in four different weight divisions.  He has faced and defeated a host of top-ranked rivals in addition to Bonjasky and Aerts, including Kaoklai Kaennorsing, Ray Sefo and Melvin Manhoef. 

Tickets for GLORY 9 New York, priced from $48 (plus handling fees), are on sale at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

Also slated for battle in the star-studded, eight-man single-elimination tournament, are hard-hitting KO artist Brian Collette (19-1, 16 KOs) of Norfolk, Va.; developmental Road To GLORY USA light heavyweight tournament winner Dustin Jacoby (9-3, 7 KOs) of Arenzville, Illin.; four-time world champion Danyo Ilunga (51-4, 41 KOs) of Germany; Muay Thai sensation Filip Verlinden (40-9-1, 16 KOs) of Belgium; Aerts-protégé Mourad “The Silent Power” Bouzidi (75-20-2, 34 KOs) of Tunisia; world Muay Thai and Karate champion Steve McKinnon (42-5, 29 KOs) of Australia; and Michael Duut (38-3, 17 KOs) of The Netherlands.

The GLORY 9 New York light heavyweight tournament’s quarterfinal stage matchups will be announced soon.

In one of several Superfights also scheduled for the event, heavyweight superstar and former secret service agent Daniel “The Savage Samurai” Ghita (46-9, 35 KOs) of Romania will face Muay Thai champion Brice Guidon (28-8, 13 KOs) of France.

In other Superfight action, hard-hitting “Bazooka” Joseph Valtellini (8-1, 7 KOs) of Toronto, Ontario Canada will square off with fellow rising star Francois Ambang (9-2, 4 KOs) of Mechanicsville, Va. in a welterweight (170 pounds/77 kilograms) matchup. 

Valtellini has earned six of his eight professional career victories in New York.   Ambang emerged the winner of the development, eight-man, developmental Road To GLORY USA tournament, created to identify new talent and potential future champions for GLORY’s championship series, at New York City’s Capitale on March 22.

Phil Nurse protégé Brett Hlavacek (8-1, 3 KOs) of New York, N.Y., the runner-up in the developmental Road To GLORY USA  tournament on March 22, will face three-time Muay Thai titlist Paul Marfort (10-5, 4 KOs) of Orlando, Fla. at welterweight. 

Additional Superfights will be announced soon.

Doors at Hammerstein Ballroom will open at 5 p.m. EST and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.

For more information, visit www.gloryworldseries.com.