We're Back With Another LineStar Weekly Knockout!

Written by LineStar contributor, combat sports enthusiast, and practitioner, Chris Guy.

Instagram: @therealsethgeko & Twitter: @DadHallOfFamer

Main Card

Mateusz Gamrot (+240) vs Arman Tsarukyan (-280)

Gamrot: DK: $7.1k | Tsarukyan: DK:$9.1k

Been spendin’ most our lives livin’ in a grappler’s paradise. This is a grappling banger. Last week’s card featured two of the best lightweights you've never heard of, Damir Ismagulov and Guram Kutateladze. Add Mateusz Gamrot and Arman Tsarukyan to that list. I got to thinking: The NBA has been discussing an in-season tournament to award a playoff position; the UFC should do a random four-man lightweight tourney with Damir Ismagulov, Guram Kutateladze, Mateusz Gamrot, and Arman Tsarukyan. The winner gets an immediate title shot. Since Ismagulov beat Kutateladze last week, he’d get the winner of this matchup.

Anywho, Arman Tsarukyan’s last name sounds like a Streetfighter move, like if a Hadouken and Shoryuken met up for a nightcap after making it rain in the club. The Tsarukyan: back+down+forward+punch.

Other than the guy who KO'd Islam Makhachev with a spinning back-kick, Arman Tsarukyan gave Makhachev his toughest fight back in 2019. One of the UFC’s biggest problems for several years has been finding people willing to fight Makhachev. Not only did Tsarukyan agree to the fight, he debuted against Makhachev and was highly competitive. Tsarukyan has made it clear that one of his goals is to fight Islam again, and likely the rematch would be for the belt.

Tsarukyan’s takedowns are incredible, and he hides his level changes behind heavy power punches. Amran will throw his right as he’s changing levels and shooting a double leg. Working single-leg takedowns is an art form that even high-level wrestlers struggle with in MMA. Not Tsarukyan; single-legs are a specialty for him with many variations to finish.

Both fighters are world-class wrestler/grapplers, which means the key to this fight will be the stand-up. It’s almost a guarantee when two elite grapplers face off, they'll stand and kickbox for the entirety, subconsciously acknowledging a grappling stalemate. On the feet, Tsarukyan is a high-level wrestler striker who is good at putting together short, basic, heavy combinations. Arman lacks the advanced dynamic techniques, the wrinkles, if you will, on the feet that his grappling has. But his power can earn anyone’s respect.

As will be the case with Gamrot, the constant threat of takedowns turns opponents into MK Ultra patients, anxious and paranoid. They see takedowns everywhere they go, hiding around every corner. They sprawl and grab underhooks at the Sprouts olive bar when someone leans over, reaching for the blue cheese-stuffed green olives. After hours, during sexy time, they shrimp, stuff the head, and get back to their feet. The takedown threat disrupts their whole lives, and they get caught with a bomb on their feet and lose anyways.

Tsarukyan is 18-2 and 5-1 in the UFC. Twelve of his career wins came by form of finish, seven TKO/KO’s and five subs. Arman can score a TKO/KO finish standing or on the mat; in his last two bouts, he has one of each. He’s coming off delivering a beating of Joel Alvarez that could serve as a Joker origin story. Tsarukyan carved up Alvarez from the top position with elbows like a Beverly Hills surgeon. Backstage after the fight, Alvarez was like Jack Nicholson when the surgeon unwraps the Joker’s face, and the Joker screams for the mirror and starts laughing maniacally.

Whoever can establish the top position more frequently will win this fight. Tsarukyan’s average takedown per fifteen minutes is three and a half; he once scored ten against Matt Frevola. When the fight is standing, Tsarukyan needs to pressure and force Gamrot backward and dictate the grappling on his terms.

Mateusz Gamrot thinks three and a half takedowns per fifteen minutes is cute. He averages almost six. Mateusz Gamrot can go takedown for takedown with anyone in the UFC. His wrestling skills are in the realm of Makhachev and Tsarukyan. Gamrot has some of the quickest level changes and double-leg shots you’ll see in MMA. If he lays a finger on you, you’re going down. He’s especially handy with the low ankle pick, which he can initiate from outside the pocket, covering a lot of distance with his shot. The ankle pick is especially tricky to defend because there’s a mental aspect on behalf of the defender. When someone grabs your ankle, your first thought is, “There’s no way this guy is taking me down with this bullshit. I’ll just pull my leg out—“ And then you’re on your ass.

Gamrot chain wrestles, stringing techniques together while achieving angles to finish the takedowns. For example, he’ll initiate the ankle pick then turn it into a single leg, and then turn the single into a double, turn the corner, and drive the opponent to the mat. However, Gamrot would make a terrible poker player; he has a major tell. He uses both stances but only shoots for takedowns out of the southpaw stance. When he’s in the orthodox stance, he’s committed to kickboxing and is far less likely to shoot.

Gamrot reminds me of a smaller Dan Henderson. He has big power punches and is dangerous on his feet, but he’s not a smooth, polished striker with crisp combinations. He can hang with most strikers and be successful, but not with the elite in the division. If I was to give the nod one way or the other when it comes to the stand-ups, I’d give Tsarukyan the edge in the striking, mostly power-wise.

Gamrot has a crazy 20-1 career record and is 3-1 in the UFC. His only loss came in his debut in a cult classic razor-close scrap against Gurman Kutateladze. His fight-finishing stats are identical to Tsarukyan’s, with seven TKO/KO’s and five subs. Gamrot has won three in a row, all by finish.

There are levels to this ish even at the upper echelons. I think Arman Tsarukyan is slightly better in every category and might be the more physically imposing fighter as well. I make my picks before checking the odds, and I would have guessed Tsarukyan to be around a (-150) favorite. He’s officially the (-265) favorite, making Gamrot a valuable underdog and lower-tier Fantasy roster pick. He will have to hurt Tsarukyan on the feet and take advantage with a fight-ending scramble for the back or mount. Gamrot will need a finish as a decision favors the slightly stronger grappler Tsarukyan.

The pick ‘ems have been strong the last few weeks, but I couldn’t buy a main event dub if I were Cartman in the alley looking to score some medicinal KFC. Last week, Calvin Kattar came up short against the little bulldozer, Josh Emmett. Emmett is now on the short list of the next title challenger. If I can’t win this one… I’ll try again next week. Arman Tsarukyan via decision.

Winner: Arman Tsarukyan | Method: Decision

Neil Magny (+300) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (-400)

Magny: DK: $6.9k | Shavkat: DK: $9.3k

This one’s a crunchy little groove between a twenty-six-fight UFC veteran, and a relative newcomer with championship-level upside. A win would be the launching pad for a title run for Shavkat Rakhmonov, and an upset win for Neil Magny would further cement an undercover Hall of Fame resume.

Shavkat Rakhmonov reminds me of Rory McDonald. The two have an upright, almost robotic style on the feet, resembling cyborgs more than humans. Shavkat also sounds like a guy in a cat costume who dances at bachelorette parties. Dancing Shavkat. Shavkat sounds like the Wilt Chamberlain at the furry convention… Wooo!- Ric Flair voice. IYKYK.

Rakhmonov has solid takedowns and submission grappling; he’s strong in the clinch and uses the cage to secure trips. Throw up the W. Protect Ya Neck at all times against Shavkat. He hunts for guillotines from any position, especially when his back is against the cage. He’ll use the cage to walk up and secure the choke when you least expect it. Shavkat has a heavy top control and uses peppering ground and pound to pass the guard and set up submissions. Like Arman Tsarukyan, Shavkat can finish you with strikes or submissions from the top.

I have to mention Damir Ismagulov again. Shavkat reminds me of a bigger Ismagulov on the feet, very technical sleeper striking. He has an excellent jab and uses basic 1’s and 1-2’s but mixes in highly effective spinning kick techniques. Rakhmonov throws a hybrid spinning wheel/back kick like Justin Gaethje throws leg kicks; it’s a fundamental and highly successful strike for Shavkat.

Peep the stats: Shavkat is 15-0 with all fifteen dubs coming by finish, a one hundred percent finishing rate featuring eight TKO/KO’s and seven subs. Shavkat is 3-0 in the UFC, and all have ended inside of two rounds. Shakat can beat Magny anywhere, but his easiest path to victory will be taking down and controlling Magny. Magny isn’t too long removed from being dominated on the mat by Michael Chiesa, and Shavkat is far better than Chiesa. His Fantasy roster value will be in a submission finish or in a stoppage on the feet if it stays standing.

For Neil Magny, fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov after fighting Max Griffin, will be like scaling Mt. Everest after climbing the rope ladder at a McDonald’s PlayPlace. May I be struck down by lightning if I’m being hyperbolic… I’m still typing, homies.

Sleeper, Magny has been one his entire career. Underestimated, Magny has been his entire career. An eighty-inch reach doesn’t do you any good if you can’t manage distance on your feet. Neil Magny uses his reach effectively and can avoid taking heavy damage by attacking from outside the pocket. He destroyed one of my favorite fighters, Robbie Lawler, doing just that. Lawler couldn’t get any shots off without eating two or three on the way in.

It isn’t flashy, Neil’s striking, but it’s continual and accurate. He consistently touches the opponent with varying intensities of strikes from peppering to power shots, often punctuated with Maria Sharapova tennis grunts. It’s annoying and frustrating and eventually breaks opponents. Magny’s cardio is old school Diddy and Bad Boy Records; can’t stop, won’t stop. A grinding clinch fight against the cage, a technical position grappling match, or a standup war, Neil Magny can thrive in any scenario.

Where Magny has struggled in his career is on the mat against elite grapplers. He’ll have to win this fight with volume on the feet, death by a thousand jabs. Magny has to establish the center of the cage and refuse to relinquish it by using volume and lateral movement on the outside. If he gives up a takedown, he has to start scrambling before his ass hits the mat. He can’t accept the takedown and ever allow his shoulders to be flat against the mat. Magny will have to risk giving up his back or the mount to get back to his feet at all costs.

For Magny to pull off the upset, he’ll have to stay on his feet and land over one hundred significant strikes. He’ll have to push a heavy pace and stay busy. Early odds have Magny as a big (+300) dog, but if anybody can pull off a massive upset, it’s Neil Magny. But you play to win the game. Dancing Shavkat via rear-naked choke, round two. 

Winner: Shavkat Rakhmonov | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

Josh Parisian (-105) vs. Alan Baudot (-115)

Parisian: DK: $7.8k | Baudot: DK: $8.4k

Someone will be updating their Linkedin profile after this one. Under “Work History,” you won’t find any mention of the UFC after being fired on what will more than likely be their day off. Alan Baudot will go down as the bigger disappointment if he can’t pull off a win. Baudot actually has some skills on the feet and throws heavy bombs; he just hasn’t found the next level of aggression needed to compete at this level. As for Josh Parisian… well, everyone had a friend growing up whose dad looked like Parisian. He looks like a badass Bert Kreischer. There’s that.

The good news about this main card matchup that would better serve as the show’s opener is that you can get (+140) odds on the fight going the distance. Both fighters have solid career finishing rates but have never even come close to finishing a fight in the UFC. The fight ending in a finish is currently (-185), and that’s probably only because of Baudot’s power. Ugly fights like this are often good scraps to bet on. But other than that, this fight will be MMA’s equivalent of a seventh-inning stretch. A perfect time to refresh your libations and put one in the air. Ooh wee!

Alan Baudot can make this a highlight reel KO if he comes out throwing bombs willy-nilly like Oprah giveaways. Baudot is a grimy old school Randy Couture throwback who likes to grab the collar tie and dirty box on the inside. Couture won titles fighting in phone booths using dirty boxing. I don’t know if Baudot has any wrestling, but Parisian has shown a very flimsy ground game from his back, and taking him down would be a path heavily lubricated, offering no resistance. Parisian looks like his parents tucked him in too tight when he’s on his back. In his last bout, Don’Tale Mayes cracked Parisian’s ass from the top position like Parisian burned the carne at the BBQ.

If I were Josh Parisian coming into this bout, I’d do the exact opposite of what I’ve done before every other UFC fight. If I slept in a bed the night before, I’d sleep on the floor. If I took an Uber to the arena, I’d ride a unicycle this time. If I wiped orthodox, I’d switch to southpaw. Anywho, I don’t trust either of these guys further than I could carry their lunch trays. Baudot’s value will be in a finish, but I’ll play the plus money odds of going the distance. Alan Baudot via decision.

Winner: Alan Baudot | Method: Decision

Christos Giagos (+190) vs. Thiago Moises (-240)

Giagos: DK: $7.2k | Moises: DK: $9k

This fight could go one of two ways, much like the main event. It could be a high-level grappling match with slick submission attempts and entertaining scrambles, or the two grappling specialists will relent to standing and banging on the feet for fifteen minutes. The latter would provide for the less entertaining affair.

Christos Giagos is 4-3 in the UFC. His three losses came to the Champ, Charles Oliveira, excellent wrestler/bomb-thrower Drakkar Klose, and the headliner Arman Tsarukyan. And his debut was against Charles Oliveira. Giagos’ only finish in the UFC was a D’arce choke against the dangerous striker, Sean Soriano two fights ago.

Giagos is especially slick at taking the back immediately off takedowns. Like Mateusz Gamrot, Giagos chain wrestles, turning singles into doubles and doubles into body locks, but he doesn’t have as many tools on the feet as Thiago Moises does. Also like Mateusz Gamrot, when Giagos switches to southpaw, he’s going to change levels and shoot. When he goes southpaw, it’s like washing your hands only when there’s someone else in the restroom who might witness your depravity, it’s all for show; he’s gonna shoot.

Thiago Moises will have the advantage on the feet. Giagos throws bombs and has seven TKO/KO’s on his record, but he has massive holes in his technique. He stands in place when he strikes, throws himself off balance leaning over his lead foot, reaching for punches, and lacks any kind of lateral footwork. When Giagos gets touched, he reacts by swinging wildly and runs into strikes. If the grappling is a stalemate, and neither fighter can control top position, Giagos will be at a severe power disadvantage.

Thiago Moises has prototypical wrestler striking, complete with big power in his hands and rear-leg round kick. Thiago’s arsenal consists mostly of two basic combinations, the 1-2 (jab-cross) and the 3-2 (cross-hook). There’s not much deviation from those combos; he’s a lot like the first time you ever played Street Fighter and didn’t know which buttons did what or how to do a Hadouken.

But Moises has KO power in both hands, especially in his hooks, and his stand-up style reminds me of Gilbert Burns. Moises also likes to cover-and-return counter, looking to catch the opponent exiting the pocket passively or with his hands down. Moises’s path to victory is keeping the fight standing and throwing his heavy round kicks behind his hands. Moises also has strong wrestling/grappling with six career submissions, but the mat is the only place Giagos can win this fight.

Overall, Moises is 15-6 and 4-4 in the UFC, with a win on the Contender Series. The striking stats aren’t pretty. Both fighters average under three significant strikes landed per minute, but Giagos averages nearly three and a half takedowns per fifteen minutes, while Moises averages one. You can get a decision at (+105) and a finish at (-135). Six of Giagos’ noine career L’s came by a form of finish. But give me plus money, again. Thiago Moises via decision.

Winner: Thiago Moises  | Method: Decision

Nathan Maness (+650) vs Umar Nurmagomedov (-1000)

Maness: DK: $6.7k | Umar: DK: $9.5k

This is General Custer at Little Bighorn. The dinosaurs vs. a meteor. A caveman vs. a saber tooth tiger. The city of Pompeii vs. a volcano. David Carradine vs. a double Windsor. This will likely be a complete trouncing. Shout out to Nate Maness for accepting this fight. This is a win-win situation for Maness, who will lose no footing in his career if he falls to Umar, but has the world to gain if he can pull off the massive upset. By upset, I mean Umar is the (-1200) favorite, and Maness is the (+700) dog. Those are Valentina Shevchenko odds.

In just three UFC bouts, Nathan Maness has proven to be a turd you can’t flush. He’s tough and scrappy and hard to finish. You could say Maness has a little Ruth Langmore in him; you’re gonna have to kill him. In his last bout, Tony Gravely all but shut Nate’s lights off at the buzzer of round one, only to have Maness come storming back in the second and score a KO victory of his own.

Maness’ striking reminds me of Eddie Wineland’s in his prime before he started getting KO’d in the first round of every fight. He has quick hands and carries them low, creating sneaky power. His only hope is to try to find a home for his right hand; he has to risk the L to get the impossible dub.

Umar Nurmagomedov is a distant Peter-in-law to the man known by one name, Khabib. But Umar’s style couldn’t be more different than Khabib’s. You’ve never seen a striker like Umar; he almost exclusively throws kicks, predominantly his right leg from either stance. Umar uses the question mark kick like a jab, and it’s lightning quick. The question mark kick is a low kick feint turned into a high kick in one smooth motion, and the fighter on the other end has no idea if it's going low or high. The only option is to defend high every time because getting kicked in the leg or body is better than getting kicked in the head. Tradeoffs.

Urban legend says if Umar Nurmagomedov throws hands in a fight, winter will be four weeks longer. It’s a rare occasion that Umar lets his hands go, but it’s incredible watching this guy completely dominate a fight almost exclusively using kicks.

Of course, Umar can wrestle, too. Umar can change levels in a blink and implement his namesake’s trademark wrestling with heavy ground and pound. If he shoots and can lock his hands, you’re gonna have a bad time. Umar is a future champion, the bantamweight’s version of Islam Makhachev, but with more dangerous striking. I’ll put it on wax, barring injuries or any lengthy setbacks that keep him out of the Octagon, Umar Nurmagomedov will be fighting for a title sooner rather than later.

If you’re looking for a way to bet on this fight, you have to bet on one of the extremes. A finish inside a round and a half is (+125), and the fight going the distance is (+150). Is Maness tough enough to stay in the fight for the full fifteen minutes? He’s 14-1 and has only been finished once. But he’s never fought anyone close to Umar. Nurmagomedov has four first-round finishes, including his most recent bout against Brian Kelleher. Umar Nurmagomedov via rear-naked choke, round two.

Winner: Umar Nurmagomedov | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

Chris Curtis (-140) vs Rodolfo Vieira (+115)

Curtis: DK: $8.6k | Vieira: DK: $7.6k

Chris Curtis was once all that stood between me and pick ‘em immortality. I finished UFC 268 with a 13-1 pick ‘em that day, and the only fight I lost was Chris Curtis vs. Phil Hawes. Curtis came in on short notice and was taking a severe ass whoopin’ when out of nowhere, he landed a big left hand that changed the course of history. Curtis then went on to upset Brenden Allen in his second appearance, and it’s hard to imagine two bigger wins in the middleweight division to start a career.

Curtis is a power striker with limited technical ability. When he throws his left hand, he ties his shoe with his right. His right hand drops to the floor every time, but the power he carries in his left hand can end any fight at any moment. The only question for Curtis is, can he keep the fight standing and survive the first five minutes against the world champion Jiu-Jitsu player, Rodolfo Vieira? Curtis will have a big advantage on the feet, especially in the power department, and it will be his fight to lose if he can wait out Vieira and get it to the later rounds.

Against Rodolfo Vieira, your odds to win triple if you can make it out of the first round. The flavor of Fruit Stripe gum lasts longer than Vieira’s gas tank. I can’t imagine having to fill up every five minutes with this kind of inflation.

Vieira is as decorated a Jiu-Jitsu player as there is competing in MMA. He has world championships stacked on top of world championships and made his MMA debut in 2017. Vieira is 8-1 and 3-1 in the UFC. That one loss was to “Fluffy” Hernandez, who weathered an early storm before Vieira gassed out and literally just stood there letting Hernandez punch him in the face. Vieira looked like those Karate mannequin punching bags that are in the shape of an actual human. Same exact style.

But I have to give Vieira credit for coming back and dominating Dustin Stoltzfus in his most recent bout. Vieira showed he could pace himself, but wasn’t under attack for most of the night, either. Chris Curtis will pressure Vieira and won’t allow Vieira to pick a leisurely pace and jab from the outside for fifteen minutes. I don’t know if Vieira’s cardio will hold up when he’s being pressured on the feet if he can’t immediately get Curtis down. But if he does get Curtis down within the first five minutes, it’s probably 80/20 that Vieira will finish the fight with a submission.

The odds favor an early finish at (-170) for it to go less than a round and a half. The odds for it going the distance are (+400). The pick ‘em favorite is Chris Curtis at (-160), making Rodolfo Vieira a very valuable dog. He’s like a massive Charles Oliveira when it comes to taking the back, and he’s finished all eight of his professional wins. Flip a coin on this one. Rodolfo Vieira via rear-naked choke, round one.

Winner: Rodolfo Vieira | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.1

Prelims

Highlighted Matchup

The prelims are a motley crew if I’ve ever seen one. The main card is chock full of bangers, while the prelims look like they’re from Struggle City and are getting their first look at the big city. If it sounds like I’m babbling just for its sake, you’d be correct. The truth is, I don’t know which prelim to highlight. Let’s go with…

Carlos Ulberg (-115) vs Tafon Nchukwi (-105)

Ulberg: DK: $8.3k | Nchukwi: DK: $7.9k

This one could be a banger… or not. Both fighters have the stand-up skills to make any fights they’re in absolute wars but have had problems with their outputs. For Carlos Ulberg, it’s a matter of finding the just-right porridge. In his debut, he came out looking like the second coming of Anderson Silva, throwing flashy hand and kick combinations only to gas out completely after the first round. In his most recent bout, he pushed a Carla Esparza/Rose Namajunas pace and got an uneventful dub. But a dub is a dub.

Carlos Ulberg turned down being on The Bachelor twice. If you turn down every man’s dream to be a cage fighter, you better turn into the Michael Jordan of that ish. Anywho, Ulberg has plenty of skills to be an exciting fighter, and if he decides to go for it against the much slower Tafon Nchukwi, he can put on a real show.

Watching Tafon Nchukwi fight is mind-bending. It’s hard to imagine a guy built like Tafon having such slow hands. You have to get out of the car and push his hands. But he has big power and has no lack of aggression. Defensively, he carries his chin high like a waiter carrying a sizzling plate of fajitas, so the whole restaurant knows you ordered them. Tafon likes to switch stances, but I think he should spend most of his time in the southpaw stance. Ulberg has problems defending his lead shoulder, and the straight left is his kryptonite.

The odds have this as a virtual toss-up. Both guys are tough and will be hard to finish, so I’m looking at this possibly going the distance. The fight going the full fifteen minutes is (+120), pretty solid odds. Don’t let Carlos Ulberg’s eight significant strikes landed per minute fool you. Most of that can be credited to the first round he had in his debut. He went from one hundred forty-six significant strikes landed in under two rounds in his debut to just sixty-six in his second fight that went the distance. Carlos Ulberg via decision. On wax.

Winner: Carlos Ulberg | Method: Decision

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Twenty-Ten-Twen Sleepe

It might be a quiet night in the neighborhood with very few dogs barking. The dog with the most value is Mateusz Gamrot. There's no reason he should be a (+240) dog. Tsarukyan is used to imposing his will with his grappling; what happens if he can't follow that gameplay? It's hard to tell who's grappling is superior right now, but there is definitely the chance it could be Gamrot's.

Although a lite dog, Rodolfo Vieira at (+115), is dripping with value, grab the piso mojado signs. I issue this one caveat: Vieira is working with about five minutes to get Chris Curtis to the ground and submit him, or Vieira will get KO'd in the second or third. Vieira's accomplishments in competitive Jiu-Jitsu are wild; there's no way Curtis can hang with him on the mat when he's fresh.

Pick 'Em

Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (+160) vs. TJ Brown (-200)

Winner: TJ Brown

 Method: Decision

Raulian Paiva (+110) vs. Sergey Morozov (-140)

Winner: Sergey Morozov

 Method: Decision

JP Buys (-125) vs. Cody Durden (+105)

    Winner: Cody Durden

 Method: Decision

Brian Kelleher (+135) vs. Mario Bautista (-165)

    Winner: Mario Bautista

 Method: Decision

Vanessa Demopoulos (+215) vs. Jin Yu Frey (-275)

    Winner: Jin Yu Frey

 Method: Decision

Thanks for reading LineStar Weekly Knockout! We'll be back next Thursday with another one. Until then, good luck and support your local MMA Gym.

About Me

My name is Chris Guy, and I’m an avid combat sports enthusiast and practitioner. I’ve been a fan of MMA since the early 2000s when Limewire was still around, and I downloaded Bas Rutten’s Big Book of Combat. In 2004, I started training Muay Thai at City Boxing in San Diego, CA. I competed as an amateur for many years, and I've also dabbled in Jiu-Jitsu. I follow many different disciplines, such as Combat Ji-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Glory Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA.

I’m equally as enthusiastic about the craft of writing, and in addition to writing about combat sports, I also write short fiction and music. I hope to bring unique prose to sports writing, and along the way, encourage people to not only become Martial Arts fans but to also become Martial Artists themselves.

In the future, you may see me refer to the Thunderdome; it's an ode to the old Mad Max movie and refers to the world-class training facility I built in my one-car garage. It's complete with throw dummies, wrestling mats, heavy bags, and six months' worth of Chef Boyardee cans from when I thought the world was going to end back in March. I hope you enjoy my work, and if you don’t, the Thunderdome has an open door policy.

Check out my Podcast The Whiskey (S)ick Podcast on Apple and Spotify. Parental Advisory Warning