GATINEAU, Quebec, Canada, July 9 — Saturday night the Robert Guertin Arena hosted the first ever Freedom Fight. With nationalistic pride on the line, both Team USA and Canada entered the ring looking conditioned and confident.
Then it was Team Canada's turn, and they entered the ring with the kind of flair you would expect from a team led by captain "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge. Wearing Canada's red and white with pride, Team Canada circled the ring to a screaming, standing crowd. Both teams met and it was apparent to all in attendance that these men not only came to fight, but to win.
The final team fight and main event of the evening saw Joe "El Dirte" Doerksen face off against Art "Pachuco" Santore. The fighters began the first round cautious. It was not long before a series of punches and kicks were exchanged with some success on both sides, ending in Doerksen throwing Santore to the mat, landing him in the side mount, which he successfully worked into full mount.
During this ground-and-pound, Santore received a cut on his left temple. Doerksen continued to pound away on Santore and in an attempt to escape, Santore gave up his back. Doerksen attempted the rear-naked choke, failed, but continued to ride that horse.
Santore eventually escaped and began raining down a storm of blows on the supine Doerksen. As Santore leaned in again to deliver more punishment, Doerksen got a triangle and worked to secure it. Unable to sink it, Doerksen ended up back in the saddle again working for another rear-naked choke, which Santore defended once again successfully landing himself in the half mount, just in time for a little ground-and-pound.
The fighters were stood up, as Doerksen was warned for an illegal kick to a grounded opponent to the disbelief of Santore, who had the upper hand on the ground at this juncture. Doerksen took Santore down into the full mount and immediately got his back, but Santore twisted out into half guard. Doerksen saw the opportunity to secure an armbar but due to proximity to the ropes, both fighters were once again stood up. Doerksen quickly secured a takedown ending in the side mount and the bell sounded.
The second round was no less impressive with Santore starting a gorgeous takedown, which Doerksen completed for him. Santore briefly enjoyed the view of Doerksen's back but Joe twisted out of it and ended in the half guard from which he defended well. While Santore worked Joe's head, Doerksen twisted his hips and broke free.
"El Dirte" finally got his grip and began working on an armbar, but transitioned that into the full mount. The slippery Santore twisted out yet again only to be punished by Doerksen's big elbows. The mount maintained, Doerksen turned Santore and got his back, and immediately tried for the rear-naked choke.
Santore evaded it and got the half guard on Joe. Santore pummeled Joe with three big elbows and some old school ground-and-pound. As Santore is striking, Doerksen gets his feet into the game and kicks Art four times to the face. Santore falls and Doerksen capitalizes, gaining side- then full-mount. Doing some damage with his chest, Doerksen repeatedly drove Santore's head into the mat. Doerksen once again got Santore's back and attempted the rear-naked with little success and the bell sounds the end of round two.
Round three rings in with big Joe Doerksen scoring with multiple left jabs. The two go to the ground and Doerksen gets Santore's back. Unable to find a workable choke, Joe settled for punches. Santore almost reverses things but lands in half guard for his efforts. Doerksen manages a triangle choke and it looks good, however 20 seconds later Santore twists out of it none the worse for wear.
Santore lands in the half mount, and began to return those ground-and-pound punches he received earlier in the match. Doerksen wanted none of it and twisted out, getting the triangle once again and peppering punches into the mix for added measure. Santore broke the triangle and gained reversal to the half guard. Santore battered Doerksen to no avail, as Joe tried to twist out. This continued for some time, however persistence being what it is, Doerksen secured a partial armbar and converted that to a full mount.
Doerksen chest strikes Santore's head a bit more, got his back and once more attempted the rear-naked choke. While attempting to set the choke in, the bell rings ending the third and final round of this absolute battle. The judges saw it unanimously for Doerksen, and from the sound of the crowd, nobody disagreed.
The second-to-last fight of the evening placed James Martinez of Tucumcari, N.M. in front of Richard Crunkilton from Orlando, Fla. This speedy but entertaining match found Martinez firing a front kick straight off the top. Crunkilton slipped and Martinez moved in only to be taken down by the legs into side mount.
Martinez, full of energy early on in this bout, pushed Crunkilton off but Cleat had none of it and reasserted the side control. Martinez twisted out but was taken down again into side mount. At 1:51 the two are stood back up. Crunkilton slammed Martinez over his left hip and regained the ever-popular side mount, which is quickly worked forward into the full mount.
Both fighters working hard, Martinez landed two perfect elbows from the guard only to be ground-and-pound material for a now seemingly possessed Crunkilton. The ground-and-pound continued and a cut opened on right temple of Martinez. As Martinez attempted to twist and escape the hurricane onslaught of Crunkilton's furious ground-and-pound, he gave up his back. Crunkilton took full opportunity and began pounding Martinez. The fight was called 3:31 of the first round.
The much-anticipated three-round scheduled bout between "The Butcher" Bill Mahood and "The Wrecking Machine" Tim McKenzie left the crowd stunned — as well as The Butcher. From the sound of the bell Mahood found himself on the receiving end of a blitzkrieg of hard -hitting punches that sent The Butcher crashing to the canvas.
McKenzie did as any fighter must and went for the finish. The referee called the fight six seconds into the first round by way of knockout to the winner in devastating fashion “The Wrecking Machine" Tim McKenzie.