Drew Brokenshire connects with a right against Jason Gray in the SFL 40 Main Event
Super Fight League 40 went down on April 25th inside the Emerald Queen Casino's I-5 Showroom with 8 professional MMA bouts taking place in front of a large crowd of Tacoma fight fans. In the main event, both Tacoma's Drew "The Eternal Fire" Brokenshire and Enumclaw's Jason "The Grinder" Gray entered the cage coming off losses at the EQC, and both were looking to get back on the winning track. At the opening bell, Gray quickly closed the distance and took Brokenshire down, dropping in a couple punches before backing out again. The pair circled each other standing, with Gray moving in with a front kick and then an overhand right. Brokenshire connected with a hard right and then took Gray's neck for the guillotine. Gray though was too strong, quickly breaking free and again backing out. Brokenshire closed the distance to strike but Gray was on him for another takedown. Gray this time stayed busy working on top, changing positions and looking for openings to strike. Brokenshire worked himself up to his feet against the cage and landed a knee on the break. Gray moved in a double leg and put Brokenshire on the ground with a thunderous slam to end the round.
In the 2nd, Brokenshire came out at a high pace, landing a straight right followed by a knee to the body. Gray got another takedown and was able to maintain position on Brokenshire against the cage, but was unable to inflict any punishment before Brokenshire worked himself to standing. Brokenshire moved forward with punches and then took hold of Grays neck, gator rolling looking for the choke. Gray powered forward on the ground and put Brokenshire against the cage where the fight stalled and the ref stood them up. Gray shot for another quick takedown, but it was Brokenshire who started firing off elbows from the bottom to end the round.
In the final frame, Gray shot early but Brokenshire sprawled and then countered with a knee. Gray though got another takedown and looked to control Brokenshire on the ground. Brokenshire stayed busy on the bottom, peppering Gray with short punches and elbows that started the blood to flow. Brokenshire got it back to the feet and then came straight forward and timed a beautiful knee that landed flush and dropped Gray hard. Brokenshire moved in for a guillotine finish but the referee, seeing the blood flow from Gray's face, called a timeout to have the doctor check him. The doc gave his OK to continue and on the restart, Gray charged hard for a takedown, pushing Brokenshire against the cage and then getting another big slam. Brokenshire was able to scramble out and as they stood up, Brokenshire grabbed Gray in a Muay Thai clinch and dropped Gray with another big knee, followed but a couple glancing punches before the ref stepped in and stopped it at 2:50 of the 3rd. With the win, Brokenshire goes to 11-3, while Gray falls to 4-2.
In the semi-main event - a 130 lb catchweight bout - Langley BC's Gurdarshan "St Lion" Mangat (aka Gary Mangat) entered the SFL cage with a 6-1 record to take on the 4-0 Hector Lopez fighting out of Yakima MMA. Early on, Mangat caught a Lopez kick and took him to the mat. Lopez defended well from the bottom and Mangat was unable to do any damage before Lopez escaped back to the feet. Mangat caught another Lopez kick and took him again to the ground, this time ending in side control where he used his forearm to grind away on Lopez's face, dropping in a few strikes as well. Lopez went for an armbar but Mangat shook it off and made Lopez suffer with a number of hard punches and then short elbow strikes. Lopez looked to escape but Mangat took his back and sunk the rear naked choke at 3 minutes even in round one.
Oregon native John Heath, fighting out of Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, returned to the Pacific NW to take on Elma WA's Trent Tyler in a 185 lb contest. The first round was a standup affair with the pair beginning by trading hard body kicks and turning up the heat from there. Heath had success with his front kicks early on and then as the round progressed started to found his range with both kicks and punches to Tyler's body. Tyler fired back with legs kicks to set up some flying knees as well as a spinning back fist. Towards the round's end, the pair had some furious exchanges but it was Heath doing the damage with a high kick, a solid left that staggered Tyler, and just before the bell a well-placed kick to Tyler's midsection that dropped Tyler to his knees. In the 2nd, the pair continued their standup battle, trading kicks before a low blow from Heath caused a short timeout. On the restart, a couple solid left hooks from Heath caused Tyler to clinch up against the cage. Heath turned Tyler against the cage and then after a short clinch battle, took Tyler to the canvas with a nice inside leg trip. Once there, Heath postured up and connected with a big left hand that hurt Tyler, and then finished with strikes for the TKO win at 3:19 of the 2nd.
Tony Reyes, training out of Combat Sport & Fitness in Enumclaw by way of Guam, stopped AKA's Victor Barajas via 1st round rear naked choke in the 145 lb division. Early on, Barajas fired a body kick that Reyes caught, taking the fight to the mat. From the bottom, Barajas was able to score with elbow strikes and short punches. Reyes though postured up and dropped down a huge elbow followed by heavy left hand that opened up a cut next to Barajas' eye. Barajas tried using his legs to push Reyes away, but Reyes stayed heavy and landed a series of punishing shots. Barajas then tried to hip out, but Reyes pushed him against the cage and dropped down some more big bombs before flattening him out and sinking the choke at 4:02 of the first.
Two undefeated welterweights in United Training Center's Corey Watson and Kent WA's Artiom Cula had an entertaining battle in the longest fight of the night. In the first round, Watson went hard for a standing guillotine and then took it to the mat. Cula defended, eventually popping his head out, and spent the rest of the round in top position, scoring with regular elbows and punches. Watson on his part went for submission finishes - side choke, triangle, guillotine, d'arce - at every opportunity from the bottom. In the 2nd, Watson slipped on the mat and when he went to stand up, Cula took hold of his neck and went for a guillotine finish. Watson escaped and spent the rest of the round working mostly in Cula's guard and dropping down hard punches and elbows. Cula was constantly moving in trying to escape or hit a submission but was unable to break the position. In the final stanza, Cula came out landing a hard body kick and then a straight left hand. Watson feigned a shot but then answered back with a straight left of his own. Cula dropped down and took Watson to the mat. Watson went briefly for a guillotine and then when Cula went to pass his guard, Watson grabble Cula's arm and worked hard for the kimura finish, finally achieving the submission at 2:53 of round 3. Watson moves to 2-0 as a pro, while Cula falls to 2-1.
In the women's 125 lb division, Mamba MMA's Susy Watson of Abbotsford BC scored a first round RNC victory over debuting Ciara Irvine of Eugene OR. The pair traded punches on the start before Watson clinched up with Irvine against the cage and got the takedown. Watson, sitting astride Irvine against the cage, cleverly trapped Irvine's right arm between her back and the cage, and then proceeded to connect with a series of short strikes to Irvine's exposed midsection and head. Irvine was able to break free and walk up the cage, but Watson took her down again. Irvine again tried getting back to her feet but Watson took her back and finished the rear naked choke standing against the cage at 3:29 of the first. Watson has won two straight and is now 2-2 as a professional.
In the 170 lb division, Warrior Camp's Jake Jokela moved to 2-0 with a first round rear naked choke of Ivan Salaverry MMA's Mike Ross. At the opening bell, Jokela moved forward to engage with Ross, but Ross slipped under Jokela's punches and took him to the canvas. Ross put Jokela in a crucifix and scored with short strikes to Jokela's face. Jokela nearly escaped in a scramble but Ross remained on top in Jokela's guard. Ross briefly went for a arm triangle before looking to pass guard. Jokela used the opportunity to scramble again, and this time was able to get Ross under him, taking his back and eventually sinking the rear naked choke at 3:44 of the first round.
Opening the SFL 40 card in the 145 lb division were two fighters from Oregon, both looking for their first pro victory. Justin Mark, fighting out of Impact JJ in Beaverton OR, executed an early takedown on Salem OR's Shane Sargent. Once on the ground, Mark worked for an arm triangle and it looked as if he might be successful in the attempt. But he suddenly gave up the submission and instead quickly took Sargent's back and sunk a super-deep rear naked choke that Sargent tapped to at 58 seconds in. Justin Mark is now to 1-2 as a pro with the win.
