Vyper Fight League’s Vynomous Behavior rocks Lousiville
Once again, John Layfield and the Vyper Fight League delivered a night of outstanding mixed martial arts action to the fans in the mid south. There were judges on hand, but they were given the night off! The fighter’s at the Vyper Fight League decided to take care of business and take the outcomes out of the judges hands.
The first order of business, at Vynomous Behavior, was the crowning of VFL’s first 135lb champion, but before a champion could be named, four gladiators had to fight their way into the championship main event.
The first match up in the 135lb tournament pitted Brandon Shelton vs Brandon Ress. Shelton wasted no time getting after Ress. As soon as the traditional hand tap was completed, Shelton rushed his opponent delivering vicious, repeated knees. Shelton took Ress down quickly and ended the contest at 1:16 of the first round with a beautiful kimura.
Rob Smith and Jason Clack entered the cage next, to earn the chance to face Shelton in the main event of the evening. Smith took a page from JBL’s book and executed an intense belly to belly slam to start the action. Smith smothered Clack on the mat and proved too strong for him. Not to be outdone, Smith matched Shelton’s kimura with one of his own and submitted Jason Clack at 1:19 of round number one.
In a match up of 150lb’ers, Eric Butler decided to follow suit and submitted Morris Gill, by way of guillotine choke, in just a minute and a half of their bout.
The next match up of the evening saw Chris Walker, from Mt. Sterling KY, face off against Ryan Mallory from Greenville. Walker started his attack with a high kick that just barely missed his opponent’s head. After a take down, Walker stood up daring Mallory to stand and exchange strikes. Mallory, however, looked to keep the contest on the ground and refused to give his opponent what he wanted. Walker, seeing that Mallory was not in a hurry to get off the mat, opened up with a barrage of kicks to his opponents lets. Ryan decided he had enough of the kicks and decided to stand with Clay. After jockeying for position, both men returned to the mat. Walker attempted a rear naked choke but Mollory rolled onto his back giving Clay the mount. Clay Walker then simply pressed his forearm across the throat of Mallory until he tapped at 2:10 of the first round.
It was time for the heavyweights to enter the cage and entertain the crowd with hard hitting action and that is exactly what Billy Bob Fuller and Shim Russell did. Billy Bob came out swinging for the fences. He connected on everything he threw but couldn’t put Russell away. Shim just could not seem to get his composure and spent the first half of the round back peddling. Fuller kept pressure on Russell and eventually took him down hard. While on the ground, though, Billy Bob seemed satisfied with just controlling Shim and made no real attempt to end the fight. Coming out for the second round, Shim seemed gassed but surprised Billy Bob with a huge over hand right and dropped Fuller with the follow up punches. As Shim seemed in control and near ending the match, the referee stopped the action to allow Billy Bob to put in his mouthpiece, that had fallen out during Shim’s attack. As the fighters tired, Shim saw an opening and caught Bill Bob in a choke hold. Fuller held out as long as he could but eventually gave up just four seconds away from round number three.
Fast and furious is the only way to describe the opening seconds of the Josh Stogsdill/Jeremiah Loy match up. Both men traded knees and kicks as they chased each other around the cage. As Loy began to slow, Stogsdill seemed to get more intense with the pursuit of his opponent. Josh took control, but in a last ditch effort, Loy throws a haymaker that lands to the side of Stogdill’s face. The punch, that would have dropped most, only infuriated Josh. Josh stalked Jeremiah and caught him with a huge right of his own. TKO. Winner, Josh Stogsdill.
What a difference a month makes! It was time for Johnny Armstrong. The bad boy of Vyper Fight League, who was booed last month for his out of ring antics, was welcomed by this months crowd with a rousing round of applauds. Armstrong’s opponent on this night was the buzz saw Bobby Diller from Paducah, KY. Diller’s strength was apparent from the word “go”. He immediately took Armstrong to the mat with a big time slam. Armstrong, however, looked comfortable on his back and attempted several submissions and arm bars from his guard. The first rounded ended with Johnny actually doing more work from his back than Diller did from top control. To start the second round, the fighters traded blows. In a surprising move, Armstrong immediately pulled guard after connecting with huge right hand. Diller continued to show his strength by muscling out of every submission attempt Johnny threw at him. In the end, it was Diller who pulled off the submission and ended Armstrong’s night with a rear naked choke in the second round.
The next bout took place in the 155lb weight class. Bobby Emmons, from Evansville Indiana, took on Kyle Griffith from Louisville, KY. Kyle got the early take down and seemed determined to keep pushing forward, scooting Emmons around the ring. Griffith game plan backfired, though, when Emmons applied a quick triangle choke ending the fight at 1:10 of round number one.
The match between Jeremy Moran and Phillip Perkins was a true battle of wills. Moran got the early take down but it seemed as if that’s exactly where Perkins wanted to be. Perkins looked comfortable on the ground and attempted a quick heel hook and guillotine. Moran worked short punches in between Perkins’ submission attempts. Perkins finally decided he was ready to bring this match back to his feet. In an attempt to stand up, however, he left himself open and Moran wrapped a guillotine around Perkins neck at and finished the match in the first round.
There was a newcomer to the Vyper’s Pit. Josh Young, a high school and college wrestler from Oldham County, KY came to the Pit for a 185lb match up against an opponent that never showed up. Young, who was determined to fight, stepped in with a 205lb John Cooper, who also found himself without an opponent. Young went straight for the shoot and left his neck accessible to Cooper’s guillotine. Young was helpless in Cooper’s choke and seemed sure to tap. Josh’s will was just too strong. As soon as Young felt Cooper’s grip let up, he pulled his head from the submission hold. Cooper rolled in an attempt to get out of Young’s mount. In textbook fashion, Josh saw his opening and applied a rear naked choke. Winner by rear naked choke at 1:51 of first round, Josh Young.
The welterweight division hosted a bout between Dexter Brothers and Stan Crowder. Dexter overwhelmed Crowder with devastating knees and TKO’d his opponent in a mere :53 of the first round. Dexter Brothers took more time in his post fight interview than he did in his fight. The excited Brothers called out whom ever wins the welterweight championship match that followed.
The first title defense for Thomas Brownfield was next. Brownfield entered the cage and waited for introductions with his trademark, calm, hands folded, stare, showing no emotion. The challenger tonight was Brian Brooks, who made the long drive from Mayfield, KY. The two men met in the middle of the ring battling for position. Brownfield, the smaller of the two, surprised Brooks with a huge take down slam. Unfortunately, for Brownfield, he fell right into a Brian Brooks arm bar. In just :46 of the first, Brian Brooks took the title from the champ.
The final fight of the night was the crowning of the VFL’s first 135lb champion. Rob Smith and Brandon Shelton both returned to the cage looking fresh and rested, but in the opening minute of the match, Shelton looked much to powerful for Smith. Shelton took Smith down hard and worked the short punches from top position. Smith’s only offense came by way of a failed kimura attempt. Shelton stayed busy and finally locked on an anaconda choke and fulfilled his dream of become a champion at 2:14 of the first round.
ATO wants to thank the crew at Vyper Fight League for rolling out the red carpet for us once again. We enjoyed the night of fights and entertainment and look forward to returning to the Pit very soon.
Jeff Hobbs
ATO writer
