LAKEPORT, Calif., Sept. 10 — Gladiator Challenge invaded the Konocti Vista Casino near Clear Lake on Saturday with a sold out crowd of 2,000 insane MMA fans. The card saw a host of talent from across the state, which did not leave a single fight in the judges’ hands. Submissions came fast but knockouts kept the fans out of their seats for much if the day.

In the co-main event Nor-Cal Fighting Alliance phenom Tyson Griffin challenged undefeated bantamweight champion Urijah Faber (Pictures) from the Capitol City Fighting Alliance.

Seconds into round one Griffin and Faber collided heads, which left the champion with cut similar to the one seen in the Ertl-Danzig bout. Faber's long hair masked the severity of the cut, until blood began to flow onto Griffin from Faber’s position with a guillotine choke.

Referee Herb Dean (Pictures) stood the fighters up, at which time the doctor felt the fight could continue. They restarted the fight in the same position and finished the round with a display of ground work that had every fan out of their seat. The two fighters would reverse each other at will and the submission attempts kept coming.

The second round started with a bang as the challenger landed a huge right hand that send Faber to the mat, and kept him stunned throughout. Faber attempted many submissions but was never quite there, as Griffin pounded him at every turn.

The third round started much like the second with Griffin landing an overhand right that sent Faber to the mat for the last time in this bout. Dean called the fight at five seconds into round three, thus crowning Tyson Griffin the new Gladiator Challenge bantamweight champion.

The first fight of the main event featured NoCal vs. SoCal in a match-up when defending lightweight champion Nick Ertl (Pictures) faced challenger Mac Danzig (Pictures).

Early in the first round both fighters had trouble taking their opponent down, but once they hit the ground, rapid-fire submission attempts by both fighters never slowed until Danzig opened a nasty two-inch gash on the top of the champion’s head.

The fighters covered in blood, Dean halted the bout to get a look at the cut at the 4:14 mark of the first round. The doctor needed only seconds to decide to end the fight, crowning Danzig the new champion.

Look for rematches in both of these title fights to bring even more fireworks between athletes with this much heart.



Full Results:
Phil Garcia def. Nick Jack TKO 0:43 R1
John Martinez def. Randy Hickman submission R2
Brandon Gentry def. Gigo Jara submission (rear-naked choke) 3:30 R1
Seth Walker def. Tommy Gios verbal submission R1
Shawn Bias def. AJ Fonseca submission (rear-naked choke) R1
Doug Arevalo def. Tony Vera KO 0:17 R1
Eric Hayes def. Francis Milds submission (Kimura) R1
Nick Farrcelo def. Scott Ernisse submission (choke) R1
Ryan Perez def. Brandon Smith submission (rear-naked choke) R1
Jared Rollins def. Brian Fontz TKO 0:36 R1
Mac Danzig (Pictures) def. Nick Ertl (Pictures) TKO (doctor stoppage) 4:14 R1
Tim Percy def. Rocky Batastini (Pictures) submission (key lock) R1
Tyson Griffin def. Urijah Faber (Pictures) TKO 0:05 R3