Freedom Fight: Canada vs USA Report
More Team USA vs. Canada
Marten Holdenried Jul 11, 2005
In match six of the ticket, Todd Gouwenberg of Team Canada
stood across from Lavar "Big" Johnson for Team USA. Johnson
initiated the aggression, but was answered immediately by
Gouwenberg with good defense and a well-timed left jab. Gouwenberg
worked Johnson’s right leg and delivered several high knees inside
the clinch.
Johnson attempted a leg hook takedown but missed. After several underhook attempts by Johnson, Gouwenberg missed a combo, which is answered with a pound to the chest of Gouwenberg that I felt in my seat a good 10 feet away.
From the clinch Gouwenberg broke out and into a great combo,
however he is unable to connect with the final uppercut and the
fight rings over in a clinch.
True to form Johnson moves in first to begin round two. Working behind an effective jab, Gouwenberg nearly sunk in a reverse guillotine but changed tactics and worked the right leg. Both fighters worked hard on the inside of the clinch until Gouwenberg landed another of his thunderous chest strikes and moved to a headlock on Johnson. Lavar twisted free and landed a left jab cutting Gouwenberg's left cheek. The bell sounds, interrupting Gouwenberg's last combo of the round.
Johnson finishes with a flurry of combos followed up by a right cross and Gouwenberg fell back to the mat. The bout is called by knockout at 2:53 in the third round in favor of "Big" Lavar Johnson.
Stephan Potvin and Tyrone Roberts began their fight by feeling out the other’s vibe, as Potvin went for the right leg kick and landed it. Potvin began to work the leg, and just missed a jumping right cross. In the clinch Potvin worked knees with some success, but the Native Warrior is not won over so easily.
Roberts landed a strong left hook to the chest of Potvin. The Rude Boy answered with a spinning back kick. Roberts shared his favorite right cross, to which Potvin replied with right leg kick. At 2:43 Potvin attempted another spinning back kick, which is caught and gets Roberts the takedown to side mount.
After much grappling, the two are stood up. Potvin wasted no time in taking Roberts down to the full mount. Both work to attack and defend, and Potvin finished the round with two right strikes to the ribs of Roberts.
The second round rings in with Roberts getting a clinch on the heels of his flurry of combos. In the clinch, things change as Potvin delivered a series of eight big knees followed by rights and lefts and a few elbows for added spice. Roberts turned Potvin around, put his back to the ropes and started to work the kidneys.
Potvin sent more knees towards Roberts' chest. Eventually the two are torn apart and the fight continues. At 3:20 of the second, Potvin launches a devastating axe kick that finds its mark on the forehead of Roberts. The large laceration produced by this strike proved too much for Roberts and after a few more exchanges the fight was called by Roberts own corner, giving Potvin an additional win by TKO to apply to his record.
John Fitch took on Jeff Joslin. Fitch started out with leg-work and combos, ending in a clinch on the ropes. Joslin lost his footing in the first 50 seconds and Fitch took advantage but ended up landing himself in full guard, the victim of a serious ground-and-pound. This round saw strikes, trips and falls but most entertaining was the close as Fitch delivered a right cross just before the bell, sending Joslin to the mat.
Round two was even better with both fighters showing due respect to one another as they circled. Joslin dropped a beautiful right cross on Fitch, to which Fitch replied with quick leg-work. One minute into the round, Joslin was bleeding badly from the nose, but he fought on as if it is nothing was wrong.
Joslin took Fitch down, but the move is reversed and Joslin ended up in full guard, converted quickly to half guard. At 2:20 of the round both fighters are brought to their feet once again and Joslin wastes no time in working Fitch on the ropes with a series of big knees. The two are separated once again by the ref and begin again. A series of fast exchanges, attempted trips and takedowns ended finally with Joslin taking Fitch down to the sound of the bell.
Round three was no less entertaining. Joslin landed a well placed uppercut that appeared to initially have little affect. Fitch attempted a takedown but in the middle of the fray, the ref called a stop to investigate some heavy bleeding from the mouth of Fitch. Once back to it, both fighters circled, wary of the other.
Joslin almost got a choke in, but Fitch twisted out and wound up underneath a side mount. The two are once again stood up. Fitch missed an uppercut, which Joslin answered with a right cross dead on target to the jaw. Fitch charged and achieves half mount and the final bell sounds. The judges make their call and the result is 29-28 for Joslin, 29-28 twice for the winner Jon Fitch.
Johnson attempted a leg hook takedown but missed. After several underhook attempts by Johnson, Gouwenberg missed a combo, which is answered with a pound to the chest of Gouwenberg that I felt in my seat a good 10 feet away.
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True to form Johnson moves in first to begin round two. Working behind an effective jab, Gouwenberg nearly sunk in a reverse guillotine but changed tactics and worked the right leg. Both fighters worked hard on the inside of the clinch until Gouwenberg landed another of his thunderous chest strikes and moved to a headlock on Johnson. Lavar twisted free and landed a left jab cutting Gouwenberg's left cheek. The bell sounds, interrupting Gouwenberg's last combo of the round.
Like the first two, Lavar
Johnson moved in fast to start round three with a one-two
combination. Gouwenberg moved back, giving full kudos to Johnson's
capabilities, all the while remaining on the receiving end of
several left jabs. Johnson missed a follow through uppercut but
moved right back into left jabs slowly but surely dissecting the
defenses of his opponent.
Johnson finishes with a flurry of combos followed up by a right cross and Gouwenberg fell back to the mat. The bout is called by knockout at 2:53 in the third round in favor of "Big" Lavar Johnson.
Stephan Potvin and Tyrone Roberts began their fight by feeling out the other’s vibe, as Potvin went for the right leg kick and landed it. Potvin began to work the leg, and just missed a jumping right cross. In the clinch Potvin worked knees with some success, but the Native Warrior is not won over so easily.
Roberts landed a strong left hook to the chest of Potvin. The Rude Boy answered with a spinning back kick. Roberts shared his favorite right cross, to which Potvin replied with right leg kick. At 2:43 Potvin attempted another spinning back kick, which is caught and gets Roberts the takedown to side mount.
After much grappling, the two are stood up. Potvin wasted no time in taking Roberts down to the full mount. Both work to attack and defend, and Potvin finished the round with two right strikes to the ribs of Roberts.
The second round rings in with Roberts getting a clinch on the heels of his flurry of combos. In the clinch, things change as Potvin delivered a series of eight big knees followed by rights and lefts and a few elbows for added spice. Roberts turned Potvin around, put his back to the ropes and started to work the kidneys.
Potvin sent more knees towards Roberts' chest. Eventually the two are torn apart and the fight continues. At 3:20 of the second, Potvin launches a devastating axe kick that finds its mark on the forehead of Roberts. The large laceration produced by this strike proved too much for Roberts and after a few more exchanges the fight was called by Roberts own corner, giving Potvin an additional win by TKO to apply to his record.
John Fitch took on Jeff Joslin. Fitch started out with leg-work and combos, ending in a clinch on the ropes. Joslin lost his footing in the first 50 seconds and Fitch took advantage but ended up landing himself in full guard, the victim of a serious ground-and-pound. This round saw strikes, trips and falls but most entertaining was the close as Fitch delivered a right cross just before the bell, sending Joslin to the mat.
Round two was even better with both fighters showing due respect to one another as they circled. Joslin dropped a beautiful right cross on Fitch, to which Fitch replied with quick leg-work. One minute into the round, Joslin was bleeding badly from the nose, but he fought on as if it is nothing was wrong.
Joslin took Fitch down, but the move is reversed and Joslin ended up in full guard, converted quickly to half guard. At 2:20 of the round both fighters are brought to their feet once again and Joslin wastes no time in working Fitch on the ropes with a series of big knees. The two are separated once again by the ref and begin again. A series of fast exchanges, attempted trips and takedowns ended finally with Joslin taking Fitch down to the sound of the bell.
Round three was no less entertaining. Joslin landed a well placed uppercut that appeared to initially have little affect. Fitch attempted a takedown but in the middle of the fray, the ref called a stop to investigate some heavy bleeding from the mouth of Fitch. Once back to it, both fighters circled, wary of the other.
Joslin almost got a choke in, but Fitch twisted out and wound up underneath a side mount. The two are once again stood up. Fitch missed an uppercut, which Joslin answered with a right cross dead on target to the jaw. Fitch charged and achieves half mount and the final bell sounds. The judges make their call and the result is 29-28 for Joslin, 29-28 twice for the winner Jon Fitch.
