Muay Thai show at Pala ends with thrilling MMA bout
On Saturday evening, February 23, 2013, Matt Arriola (R) of the Adrenaline Gym in San Bernardino, CA had his arm raised in victory after defeating Brad Guachino in an MMA bout which was part of the WCK Muay Thai show at the Pala Recreation Center in Pala, CA.
WCK Muay Thai, So Cal Extreme Showdown 4
Saturday, February 23
After the future stars of Muay Thai fought their three rounders at the Pala Fitness Center, it was time for the evening’s Main Event featuring a smash mouth MMA contest between Brad “Bad Medicine” Guachino (150.3 lbs.) of the host gym, Pala and trained by Bob Chaney, going up against Matt Arriola (176 lbs.) of the Adrenaline Gym of San Bernardino, CA.
Often times you’ll see a referee for a match like this, hovering close by and ready to break up a clinch or encourage more activity. That wasn’t necessary for this contest. Like the patrons, referee Vichai Supkitpol stood there with his mouth ajar watching this collision of energy. For someone who has witnessed hundreds of MMA, Muay Thai and Boxing bouts, this fight was like nothing I’ve ever witnessed. In terms of the punishment being doled out and how each man kept upping the ante, it was mindboggling.
Just when you figured Guachino was in deep, deep trouble, he’d miraculously break out of a hold or recover from a direct punch to the face and return the favor. Time after time, it was either Arriola on the edge of being knocked out or Guachino nearly blacking out from strangle hold. At times the brutality of this fight reminded you of those staged fights you see in the movies. After a direct hit was absorbed, you wondered how in the world could an individual survive such a blow. Are they human?
Halfway through the second round, Arriola got a hold of Guachino’s arm, pulled back and within seconds had himself an armbar. Unlike the rear-naked choke, this one guaranteed Guachino’s doom. With blood covering his face, Guachino reluctantly tapped out. With all the punches to the face, especially the hammer punches, we later learned Guachino had to be taken to the hospital.
In Bout #1 of the Muay Thai portion, it was a super welterweight contest between 15 year-old, Thor McPhail of the Undisputed Gym in El Cajon, CA taking on 16 year-old Anthony Lomeli of the Adrenaline Gym in San Bernardino, CA.
In Round #1, McPhail, an assistant coach at his gym, was unflappable, so under-control that he spent the majority of the round sizing up his opponent and studying his weaknesses. By doing so, the more active Lomeli took Round #1.
McPhail picked up the pace in Round #2 and started landing the more assertive kicks. One kick forced Lomeli to take a seat on the canvas. His final kick, a kick to the midsection, put the proper punctuation on a close round.
The final round went to McPhail who finished strong with yet another knockdown off a left hook. McPhail ended up getting the win by a split decision.
Bout #2 featured super lightweights, Seargent Kevin Linnersten from the Pilot Built Gym in Oceanside, CA, a U. S. Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton and Renee Sanchez of Chaney Muaythai in Murrieta, CA.
Lennersten, the busier of the two, edged out Sanchez in Round one by way of more and better kicks. Sanchez made amends and took Round #2. With Sanchez being even more active in Round #3, he was able to pull out the close Split Decision victory.
Bout #3, a lightweight contest, featured Jose Rodriguez of Sarkisian Gym in Perris Valley, CA, taking on Jake Vice of Bob Chaney Muy Thai who was making his Muay Thai debut.
In Round #1, Vice came out of the shoots strong and because he was the busier fighter, you have to figure he won the round. For the remainder of the bout Vice came out second best. He had apparently punched himself out in that opening round. From that point, the more accurate boxer, Rodriguez, took control of the wheel. After an 8-count was issued to Vice, he was in survival mode from there on out.
Bout #4 was a cruiserweight bout between Rick Dubay of the Art of Eight Fitness and Training Center in Kearny Mesa, S. D., CA and Michael Wenger of Chaney Muy Thai.
With both men having trained for less than a year, the momentum swings in this contest went back and forth until the third and final round when Dubay started to take control by landing these tight knees to Wenger’s chest and head.
Bout #5, another cruiserweight match-up, featured two veterans, Olean Underwood (2-2) of Art of Eight going up against Nick Wallenga (6-0-1) of Extreme Power of Oceanside, CA.
Wallenga started off strong, especially with his high kicks to edge Underwood in Round #1. That early lead eroded as Underwood kept the pressure on with the straighter and more accurate punches to the head.
Bout #6, a middleweight contest, saw 27 year-old Michael Carmona of Art of Eight, make his Muay Thai debut against Aaron Mazzrillo of USKO.
Carmona got out to an early lead by sending Mazzrillo to the canvas in Round #1. Both men went tit-for-tat in the round two, after each punch came a punch, after each kick, a kick would follow. Round three got sloppy. After Carmona got caught with a hard blow to the head, Mazzrillo let his guard down and got caught with a hard kick. In the end, the judges’ tally had Carmona ahead.
Bout #7, a welterweight bout featured Jun Ferrer of Art of Eight in his Muay Thai debut going up against Edgar Rojas.
Since Rojas was the aggressor and had Ferrer backing up, it appeared he was controlling this match. That’s when the set up happened. Ferrer landed a kick, straight right, kick, overhand right and Rojas went down.
Bout #8 featured Emmanuel Garcia from Chaney Muay Thai going up against Andrew Gabriel of Extreme Power.
In Round, #1, Gabriel was sharp and made Garcia pay for each lazy kick by grabbing a hold of his leg and then landing some heavy blows to Garcia’s head with the free arm. In the pursuing rounds, there was nonstop action. After the decision was awarded to Garcia, several people in the crowd expressed their displeasure believing Gabriel had won.
(l to r, top to bottom) it was Thor McPhail defeating Anthony Lomeli in Bout#1, Renee Sanchez defeating Kevin Linnersten in Bout #2, Jose Rodriguez (L) defeating Jake Vice in Bout #3, Rick Dubay (L) defeating Michael Wenger in Bout #4, Oleaun Underwood (L) defeating Nick Wallenga in Bout #5, Michael Carmona (L) defeating Aaron Mazzrillo in Bout #6, Jun Ferrer (L) defeating Edgar Rojas in Bout #7, and finally Emmanuel Garcia (R) defeating Andrew Gabriel in Bout #8. All photos: Jim Wyatt
Bout #9 had to be turned into an exhibition after Diana Jones (2-0) of Extreme Power’s opponent, Amanda De La Rosa of USKO, became unavailable. Instead of fighting a woman, she went 3-one minute rounds against a guy, Ivan Garcia of the Bob Chaney Muay Thai.
To her credit, the petite Ms. Jones demonstrated she has good technique and moved well. At no time did either fighter throw a really hard blow to the either the face or midsection.
There was no declared winner in Bout #9 which ended up being an exhibition between Diana Jones (L) and Ivan Garcia (R). All photos: Jim Wyatt
