Budweiser’s Winter Heat 2009 Fight Card

Austin Williams is an 18 year old Lowndes High School senior who trains at White Tiger Martial Arts Academy with Jason Davis and Mike Mason.  Austin has long waited for the chance to make his ring debut.  He has competed in several light contact day tournaments and done well in the grappling, kickboxing, and MMA events there.  Watch Williams employ some slick kickboxing and technical grappling in this match.  aniel McCauley is 20 years old.  He stands  5’7  and generally weighs 140 pounds. He instructor is Sensei Bobby Tyler.  He studies an Okinawan karate based form of self-defense called Isgoshin-do (Is Go Shin Doe)  McCauley has been training since  April 2008.  He is comfortable on his feet, but prefers to take his opponent to the mat.  He is enlisted into the United States Army and begins serving his country February 25, 2009. 

Dan McCauley

D

Tony “Ringworm” Ritter v Rickey Devane

Tony “Ringworm” Ritter began training at VMAC several months ago.  A gifted and tall athlete, he has picked up the MMA game quickly.  Rickey DeVane trains with Team Rampage member, Bobby Friend.  With DeVane from a strong striking camp and Ritter’s reach, look for a knockout in this match.

David “Sasquatch” Adams v Elijah “The Tank” Miller

Two Lowndes High School graduates will match up in this amateur super-heavy thriller.  Elijah “The Tank” Miller trains at Hall’s Family Fitness in Lake Park and White Tiger Martial Arts.  This former Wildcat is a heavy hitter with a good ground game.  David “Sasquatch” Adams is 0-1 in Kickboxing and has trained at VMAC for more than a year.  Possessing a tremendous ability to take a punch, and, a tremendous work ethic, he is a force to be reckoned with.  Folks in the front row should watch out as these two titans are definitely going to shake the cage.

Joel “The Machine” Weldon v Bobby Tyler

is a professional fire fighter with the City of Valdosta.  This Valdosta Fireman wanted to throw his hat into the ring before the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission’s required extended medical exams effect him at 38 years of age.  He requested to fight Joel Weldon.  Joel “The Machine” Weldon possesses a wealth of MMA knowledge.  Joel has been an instructor at VMAC for years and wrestled at Lowndes High School during his freshman to senior years.  Joel is known as “The Machine” for his incredible cardio and ability to take a punch.  Look for Weldon to start slow as the “The Machine” warms up.

Bobby Tyler

Bobby H. Tyler is 37 years old.  He stands 5’10′ and weighs 170 lbs.  His instructor is the late Thomas Hardeman.  He practices an Okinawan Karate based form of self-defense called Isgoshin-do (Is Go Shin Doe)  He has been studying martial arts since 1983.  He is trained  in Taekwondo, Okinawa Karate, Bujinkan Taijitsu, and United States Army Combatives.  He holds the rank of Go-Dan (5th Degree Black Belt) in Okinawan Karate.  He is knowledgeable of the ground game but prefers to stay on his feet.  He

 

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS

“The Beast from the Southeast” Shawn Snow v Chris Ward

Chris Ward is (1-0 pro, 6-0 amateur) from Macon, GA, and trains at Rush MMA.  Chris has a background in traditional Tae Kwon Do and is a good striker.  Having expanded his groundwork of late with other Brazilian Jiu Jitsu schools, he is a comfortable grappler.  He gives up an inch or so to his opponent, but, is more thickly muscled.  “The Beast from the Southeast” Shawn Snow went 1-2 as a amateur and improved his pro record to 3-1, stopping all three of his pro opponents submissions and ground and pound.  Both Snow and Ward are tremendous athletes who love to strike and work submissions.  Look for an exciting fight with the fighter who can impose his will over the prevailing.

Josh Rutgers v Dominic Bargger

Grudge matches always make for interesting matchups.  Here we have one.  Several months ago, Josh Rutgers (4-1 pro boxing) defeated Dominic Bargger via TKO.  Bargger cited 1^st fight nerves as the reason for his loss.  Since then, bad blood has brewed between factions, both located in Jacksonville.  With something to prove, Bargger’s management arranged this match for Winter Heat.  His management believes that Bargger is a superior kickboxer and grappler to Rutgers and will handle him easily.  Rutgers is slick and squirrelly on the ground.  If his grappling game is as far advanced over Bargger as his striking (see video), look for Rutgers to win – anyway he wants.

TITLE FIGHTS

Brent “War Machine” Johnson v Eric McClure

Brent “War Machine” Johnson is facing Eric McClure of Jacksonville in our first ever Heat promotion title fight for the Amateur Super Heavyweight strap.  Johnson (0-2) after fighting while sick and then fighting national champion kickboxer (who sandbagged – not giving full disclosure on experience and ability), looks to make a comeback in his hometown.  McClure (1-1) is a bit taller than Johnson but not as heavily muscled.  Both of these fighters possess a loss to Jacob Adams, with Johnson’s match featuring more grappling while McClure’s had more striking.  Watch this match for McClure to work his striking game while Johnson works for the takedown.

Dicky “The Shocker” Willson v Jacob Adams

Dicky “The Shocker” Wilson is (3-1) and will be fighting undefeated Jacob Adams (3-0) for the Heat promotion’s Mid-Heavyweight title belt.  This match will be fought at the catch weight of 220.  The Shocker has won his matches by decision and submissions.  He is giving up weight to Adams who is coming down (all the way from 265 in his last match of August) to meet him.  Adams has won his matches via submission and decision also.  Look for Willson to work his new and improved striking game while Adams utilizes his superior height, weight, and strength.

Brett “Bedtime” Chism v Bernard Rutherford

This main event is going to be a war!  Possessing a similar records, these two professionals are going to give it their all in a quest to earn the Georgia State Light Heavyweight Professional title.  Former Wildcat, Brett “Bedtime” Chism (8-4 pro) recently won the “Fight of the Night” at the MTX Audio event in Las Vegas.  Bernard Rutherford (6-4 pro) is no stranger to pressure and has several main event wins to his fame, and has fought Seth Petruzelli – the man who knocked out Kimbo Slice in 14 seconds (see videos).  Both Rutherford and Chism prefer to keep it standing and are good on their feet, both with knockouts to their credit.  This is going to be an exciting as both seek to drop the other with slick punches.

Brett Kicks