Results and Recap: Take-On Productions "Muay Thai at the Mecca"

Take-On Productions “Muay Thai at the Mecca” took place yesterday in New York. The night’s main event featured a bout between Ryan Madigan and Rigel Balsamico. The fight didn’t make it out of the first round as Madigan used flurries with his hands to back up Balsamico, whose only offense was to throw kicks as he backed up. Madigan scored two standing eight counts in the first round eventually winning the fight by (T)KO due to punches.

In the night’s co-main event Brian Collette and Marcus Taylor came out swinging. Taylor came out aggressive throwing spinning punches and kicks, but Collette remained calm and connected with a fight ending cross. The action did not stop there, however, Taylor was being heckled by some audience members and he went after them as he was leaving. Security was able to intervene and keep anything serious from happening.

Rigel Balsamico vs. Ryan Madigan set to headline Take-On Productions "Muay Thai at the Mecca" on March 16 in New York

Take-On Productions has announced their next event, “MuayThai at the Mecca”. The event will take place March 16th at the theater in Madison Square Garden. The New York based promotion will be returning to featuring pro fights after two consecutive amateur events.

Headlining the event will be a fight between Philadelphia’s Rigel Balsamico and UFC veteran Ryan Madigan. The pair was previously scheduled to fight under the Friday Night Fights Muay Thai banner in early 2011, but as each fighter stood in their corner ready to start the fight an issue over the knee brace Madigan was wearing arose. The WKA which was sanctioning the event informed Madigan that he could no wear the brace and Madigan refused to fight without it causing the night’s main event to be ruled a no contest. Afterwards Madigan indicated he went over the WKA guidelines on allowed equipment and he thought he was in the clear and that he would not fight without it because of a previous knee injury.

Video: Alex Berrios talks about his TKO win over Rigel Balsamico

Pictures: Friday Night Fights "8-to-1"

Scott Hirano was on hand at Friday Night Fights "8-to-1"event this past Friday in Manhattan, NY. The event featured the return of the Friday Night Fights one night tournament as well as a main event featuring Alex Berrios against Rigel Balsamico.

Results: Friday Night Fights 8-to-1 event recap

New York -- The Night's event began with the eight fighters in the tournament randomly drawing their numbers to see who they would face in the quarter finals of the tournament. One would fight two, three would fight four and so on. The drawing was held in front of the audience at the beginning of the event to show there was nothing predetermined about match-ups for the tournament.

The night's first tournament bout featured Shawn Fagan of Kingston, NY against Diarmaid McGregor of Boston, MA. Fagan was a last minute replacement for Hiro Perrera of Washington D.C. who did not make weight for the tournament. From the start of the fight Fagan pressed the action as he looked to work the body and legs of McGregor. Despite Fagan’s aggression McGregor seemed comfortable counter fighting as he looked to work the head and body of Fagan with some strong punches. The fight was close from start to finish as both fighters connected with solid strikes. Fagan’s aggression seemed like it should have paid dividends as the fight reached the judges scorecard, but they saw things differently as the fight was awarded to Diarmaid McGregor via split decision.

Pictures: A night at the Friday Night Fights weigh-ins

Scott Hirano was on hand at Church Street Boxing Gym in Manhattan, NY to capture some shots of the weigh-ins for Friday Night Fights 8-to-1 event which will take place at the Broad Street Ballroom tonight (July 22nd).

Friday Night Fights brings back the one night tournament for July 22nd event

On Friday July 22nd - Friday Night Fights, returns to the 8 man tournament format with the appropriately named: 8-to-1 Tournament. This will mark the 3rd time that the Friday Night Fights has utilized the tournament format since starting it in 2008.

This July’s tournament, like the original one will be held at 154lbs. In 2009 Friday Night Fights held the tournament at 140lbs and chose not to run the tournament in 2010.

Berrios vs. Balsamico re-scheduled for July 22nd Friday Night Fights event

Originally scheduled for June 10th, the much anticipated bout between young gun Alex Berrios and seasoned veteran Rigel Balsamico has been moved from June 10th to July 22nd.

The July installment of Friday Night Fights will now play host to Berrios vs. Balsamico along with several other high quality bouts. Reasons for the delay of the bout were not available, but at least the bout is happening. It would have been unfortunate for a bout between two talented fighter such as Berrios and Balsamico to be canceled entirely. Kudos to Friday Night Fights for making sure the fight is still happening. There is no word on if the bout will be billed as the main event as of yet but keep checking back at MuayThaiAuthority.com for more information.

Alex Berrios vs. Rigel Balsamico set for June 10th Friday Night Fights main event

Friday Night Fights will return with some great action set for June 10th. Headlining the event will be a fight featuring Alex Berrios from Khanomtom Muay Thai in Tampa, FL against Rigel Balsamico from Cool Hearts Muay Thai in Philadelphia, PA.

Berrios has been out of Muay Thai action since defeating Anthony Nieves in May of 2010. Balsamico was last set to compete against Ryan Madigan earlier this year, but the fight did not happen due to a miscommunication reagrding the type of equipment which could be used in the ring. Madigan pulled out when he as told he could not wear the knee protector he was wearing. 

Keep checking back here at MuayThaiAuthority.com for more information regarding Friday Night Fights June 10th event.

Friday Night Fights "Muay Thai Madness" Fight card for March 4th set

Friday Night Fights is back with some Muay Thai action, after having a successful MMA event in New England the week before. This time they are treating fans to a main event that will feature Ryan Madigan vs. Rigel Balsamico. Balsamico fights out of Cool Heart Muay Thai in Philadelphia, and is by far more experienced that Madigan. Despite the experience gap Madigan is a game fighter, and this bout should provide some fire works.

Balsamico vs. Etzler, and Greskiewicz vs. Blake headline Friday Night Fights NYC on Nov. 5th

Friday Night Fights NYC returns November 5th at the Hall @ St.Pauls. In the night's main event Rigel Balsamico will take on William "BeBe" Etzler. The fight marks Balsamico's return after a three year layoff.

In the night's co-main event Justin Greskiewicz will be taking on Robert Blake. Blake is making a move down from 165lbs, as Greskiewicz looks to take the sour taste of a bad decision that robbed him of an IKKC championship belt in early October against Byoung-Ku Park.

Other bouts on the card feature Andy Zerger vs. Turan Hasanov, as well as Jesse Handler vs. Jimmy Besselmen, and Srijian Munier vs. Tom Ni.

Keep checking back here at MuayThaiAuthority.com as more fights are updated.