Total Combat 28 in San Diego
If there’s one thing Southern California is not lacking, it is mixed martial arts fans and aspiring MMA fighters. Total Combat has been the platform for both fans and fighters in San Diego to enjoy and practice the sport of MMA after transitioning from its original home in Tijuana, Mexico. A launch pad for fighters now climbing the ranks in MMA like the UFC’s Jon “War Machine” Koppenhaver and Eddie Sanchez, last night Total Combat held its twenty-eighth card to a packed house at the 4th and B club downtown.
Thierry Sokoudjou coaches Beau King.
Beau King vs. Mark Olsen
Olsen started the fight with a takedown that placed him in King’s guard. King attempted an armbar but Olsen, who was making his professional fight debut, avoided the submission. After a scramble King took Olsen to the mat, where Olsen began experimenting with the rubber guard. As the 3 minute round came to a close, King was sitting back into a straight foot lock on Olsen.
In round two King, coached by another Total Combat graduate Thierry Sokoudjou, lost his footing during an early exchange of strikes and fell backwards. Olsen seized the opening and furiously rained punches down on King until referee Jason Herzog stopped the match.
Jose Rodriguez strikes Paul Almanza just before the fight is called.
Jose Rodriguez vs Paul Almanza
This fight had a cycle that repeated at regular intervals. Rodriguez would quickly outstrike Almanza, who would then unsuccessfully shoot on Rodriguez. The two would then find themselves up against the fence, where Rodriguez would escape, stand, and begin the cycle again. In the second round Rodriguez punished Almanza enough after another poor takedown attempt and referee Cecil Peoples stopped the fight.
David Espinosa taps Jason Henshaw via north-south choke.
David Espinosa vs Jason Henshaw
The only round in this fight opened with Henshaw kicking the side of Espinosa’s face loudly. Espinosa immediately indicated that he had an issue with his eye and the match was halted while a doctor examined it. After a brief consultation, the action began again and Espinosa quickly shot in on Henshaw, picked him up high off the ground, and slammed him to the canvas. Espinosa went to the north-south position on the ground where he immediately san a north-south choke. Henshaw tapped 59 seconds into the match.
Afterwards Espinosa, who previously trained alongside fellow Northern Californian Urijah Faber, stated that his eye was indeed still affected and that he saw three images of Henshaw when the fight renewed. “I just shot for the one in the center”, he joked. Espinosa went on to say that he learned the fight-winning submission just two weeks ago.
Kevin Dunsmoor delivers strikes from Nick Garcia’s guard.
Garcia began this encounter by taking Dunsmoor down and striking down on Dunsmoor from the half guard. To the loud cheer of the fans, Dunsmoor swept Garcia and took his own turn punching Garcia from half guard.
In the second round, Dunsmoor landed a double leg takedown and was forced to defend repeated triangle attempts by Garcia. Garcia eventually managed to escape and reverse Dunsmoor, although his good fortune did not last long and he quickly found himself taken down again by another Dunsmoor double leg. The round ends with Dunsmoor getting the best of Garcia up against the side of the cage.
In the third round, Garcia landed a big slam on Dunsmoor and took Dunsmoor’s back. Dunsmoor escaped however and managed to mount Garcia, where he stayed through the end of the fight. Kevin Dunsmoor ended up winning via unanimous decision.
Joshric Fenwick escaping Rolando Perez’ triangle-armbar attempt.
Rolando Perez vs. Joshric Fenwick
In what turned out to be the fight of the night, Fenwick initiated the action by sprinting across the cage into Perez, who showed great poise in fending off the very physical surprise assault. After a tussle, Perez nearly lands a triangle-armbar combination attack, but Fenwick works out of it and finds himself in Perez’ guard. Fenwick spends the round striking from inside Perez’ guard, but does not cause any major damage.
In round two Fenwick repeatedly tried to take down Perez again, which he only did after Perez stuffed several attempts. In the instances where the fight goes back to the feet Perez has his way with Fenwick, tagging Fenwick with low leg kicks and punches to the jaw. Fenwick senses his disadvantage and takes it back to the ground with a double leg, where he narrowly escapes a deep armbar.
In round three a gassing Fenwick attempted more damage from inside Perez’ guard, who again almost sank an armbar on Fenwick. A point is deducted from Fenwick after referee Jason Herzog observed a head butt against Perez. Stood back up, Perez continues to pepper Fenwick. When time is called, one judge calls the fight for Perez, another for Fenwick, and a third votes for a draw and his wish is granted. We may see this match up again to settle things between the two.
Nicholas opened the fight with a leg kick, which Kohls attempted to return with one of his own. However Nicholas caught Kohl’s striking leg and turned it into a takedown. After a period of perceived inactivity Cecil Peoples stands the fighters back up, and a botched takedown attempt from Kohls results in him fighting from his guard. Peoples stops the match again after a period of no action, and after another awkward exchange of strikes Nicholas mounts Kohls against the cage wall and pounds on Kohls until Peoples deems the encounter a technical knockout.
Some of San Diego’s combat sports elite: The University of Jiu-Jitsu’s Saulo Ribeiro, Xande Ribeiro, and Fabricio “Morango” Camoes.
Beltran, with the new nickname “Mexecutioner” and a newly shaven head, quickly locked up with fellow slugger Friedman and the two found themselves against the fence vying for takedowns. Intermittently the pair would find each other in the center of the ring again and amidst several exchanges of heavy leather, both of Beltran’s hands went off and he ended the evening’s main event when Friedman fell to the ground and referee Jason Herzog stepped in to put an end to the punishment. The crowd went crazy for its hometown heavyweight and Total Combat 28 was in the books.
- Caleb 
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