Hoosier Fight Club followed up its historic January event – Indiana’s first sanctioned professional fight card – with an all-amateur card Friday night at the Porter County Expo in Valparaiso.  Paul and Danielle Vale treated MMA fans in “Da Region” to yet another fun-filled night of knockouts, submissions, and all-around exciting fights.

Noel puts the finishing touches to the TKO

In the main event of the evening featuring two heavyweights, after an evenly-matched opening period, Dallas Woods spent the second round working ground-and-pound from inside Aaron Noel’s half guard.  In the third, Woods stuffed Noel’s initial takedown attempt but struggled from there, gassing just a minute into the round.  Noel stuffed a tired takedown attempt by Woods, then began hammering away on his turtled opponent.  From there it was only a matter of time until the ref was forced to intervene, giving Noel the TKO victory 2:06 into the third round.

In the night’s co-main event, LA Boxing’s Jake Rosenbaum took full mount against Matt Baker about 90 seconds into their fight, got separation soon after, and began raining down some punishment.  Baker desperately worked to defend but had no answers.  Baker gave up his back and then got knocked out with several devastating strikes from Rosenbaum.  The end came 2:37 into a very one-sided fight.

Ryan Story notched an impressive first round submission against veteran IBJJA fighter Justin Curtis.  Story deftly neutralized Curtis’s offense, and secured a d’arce choke on a takedown attempt by Curtis.  From there Story wrenched the neck and elicited a quick tap.  The end came 2:05 into the fight, officially from a d’arce choke but more likely by neck crank.

"Submission of the Night"

As impressive as Story’s finish was, submission of the night honors went to Sam Agushi.  Terry House flattened Agushi with a devastating right just seconds into their fight, but Agushi somehow maintained his senses enough to weather the ground assault from House that followed.  House worked knees from side control and appeared to be dictating the action.  Somehow, incredibly, Agushi slipped his leg around House’s head and set up an inverted triangle choke.  House’s tapout wasn’t caught in time and he was put to sleep, giving Agushi a stunning submission victory 1:45 into the fight.

In the evening’s other action:

Kathryn secures full mount

Kathryn Gardiner stifled Katie Fry with good guard work, then rolled Fry into full mount, brutalized her with strikes, and elicited the tapout soon after Fry gave up her back.  Gardiner’s submission victory, due to strikes, came 1:43 into the fight.

Josh Dawson sprawled nicely on Ron Marshall’s double-leg takedown attempt, then quickly took Marshall’s back to finish the fight 2:09 into the first round by a rear naked choke.

Jorge Gonzalez got the better of David Shoemaker for three rounds of action, prevailing in a unanimous 30-27 decision.

Cody Martin prevailed in a split decision over Ryan Embry.

"Fight of the Night" (L) Ralph Nurse (R) Mike White

Ralph Nurse and Mike White staged a thrilling three-round battle in the fight of the night.  White won the first two rounds on the judges’ scorecards, then desperately hung on in the third as Nurse nearly finished the fight with punishment from full mount.  Nurse’s inability to close out the fight in the waning seconds ultimately cost him a unanimous 29-28 decision loss.

Joey Ross showed a lot of heart and grit against Mike Choucalas, surviving a first round in which Ross had several teeth knocked out.  In the second though, Choucalas sprawled on a Ross takedown, then overwhelmed Ross with punches and knees, forcing referee Don Clift to intervene 1:23 into the round.

Mike Mann completely used and abused an overmatched Jon Williams en route to a lopsided TKO victory 1:45 into the fight.

In the opening fight of the night, Alex Miller quickly worked out of Jarred Ewick’s guard, jumped to full mount, and nearly secured a vicious armbar from back mount when Ewick gave up his back.  Ewick’s escape was short-lived, as Miller quickly took mount again and secured a rear naked choke 2:10 into the fight after Ewick rolled.

For great photos of this event, stay tuned to ThruMyEye.com