Feitosa Captures K-1 USA Crown
Capturing the Crown
Mike Sloan May 1, 2005
LAS VEGAS, April 30 — Once again Japan's mighty K-1 ventured into
Sin City and, as always, the many combatants electrified the
capacity crowd with thrilling knockouts, wonderful technical
battles and some arduous wars of attrition.
Michael McDonald had to withdraw from the K-1 USA tournament just a few days ago due to an injury suffered while ironing out a few things in his final pre-fight training, but the void left by McDonald was filled without hesitation.
This was the best K-1 event in Las Vegas since last August,
obviously, and the winner of the tournament was one guy who hardly
anybody predicted to win: Glaube Feitosa. The ballroom inside the
Bellagio Resort and Casino was filled to the rim with 4,902 rabid
fans and not one fight let the audience down.
Gary Goodridge and Glaube Feitosa comprised what was a shocking tournament final as not many "experts" predicted that either one of the combatants would make it to the finals, let alone having both of them there. However, both warriors staked their claims as the two dominant forces in the Las Vegas tourney but only one could walk away as the Las Vegas Grand Prix champion.
Goodridge had blown away his previous two opponents in the first round, Sean O'Haire and replacement fighter Scott Lighty. Feitosa struggled in an arduous battle with Dewey Cooper and survived a memorable war with Carter Williams. So with Goodridge being the fresher of the two finalists, most ringsiders expected Goodridge to be in better shape to win it all.
Well, like with every aspect of the fight game, most things that are to be expected often do not bode true. Such was the case tonight in the finals.
Feitosa was able to weather an early storm from Goodridge and once "Big Daddy" slowed down his pace, Feitosa simply seized control of the action. Feitosa crashed several stinging high kicks onto Goodridge's head and leveled him with numerous leg kicks. Goodridge's knees buckled midway through the opening round after he tasted a nasty left knee, but he was able to recover for the time being and fend off the charging Brazilian.
Moments later, Goodridge found himself along the ropes and was quickly the recipient of a vicious front kick to the sternum. Once Goodridge regained his footing Feitosa delivered a crippling left high kick that crashed smack dab onto the right side of Goodridge's dome.
The intense kick sent Goodridge crumbling into the ropes and he was barely able to climb back up to his feet. Once erect, a too-wobbly Goodridge was deemed no longer able to continue from referee Nelson Hamilton, prompting the end to not only a wonderful fight but also a thrilling tournament. The official time of the stoppage came 2:40 of the first round and Feitosa walked away with the coveted K-1 USA Grand Prix trophy.
Such an enormous feat was Feitosa's triumph that not only did he topple three formidable opponents, he did so by hammering out wins by three men who were favored above him. The pre-fight odds had Feitosa as 4-1 favorite to win the whole thing, slotted fourth among the combatants.
The men picked ahead of him were Carter Williams at +130, Dewey Cooper at 2-1 odds and Goodridge at 7-2. So Feitosa can now look forward to an adventure in the Land of the Rising Sun.
In the semifinals, reserve-bout winner Scott Lighty, for the second year in a row, was able to get in some more action as a reserve replacement. First-round winner Mark Selbee was too injured from his previous win, thus allowing Lighty to take his spot. It was a fortunate opportunity for Lighty to get a chance at the K-1 USA title, but his lucky eventually ran out once he stepped into the ring with the murderous-striking Goodridge.
"Big Daddy" charged out of the gates immediately and swarmed Lighty relentlessly. The pace eventually subsided, but Goodridge was able to land a few crippling kicks to Lighty's legs, dropping him twice. The second time Lighty was sent to the canvas, the fight was halted. The official time of the TKO came at 2:55 of the first round, thanks to K-1's two-knockdown rule.
Carter Williams, the betting favorite to the win the entire tourney, was surprisingly stopped in the second round at the hands (feet) of Feitosa. Williams was dominant in the opening round, but the eventual tournament champion was able to crash one of his tricky high kicks onto the head of Williams while along the ropes.
The kick, where Feitosa brought his leg down in a sort of slingshot fashion, landed swiftly behind Williams' right ear, sending the one-time K-1 USA champion to the canvas. Williams, badly woozy, barely was able to bring himself back up to his feet at referee Steve Mazzagatti's count of nine and from there, the end was just around the corner.
Williams was able to clear his head and bounce back and force his will onto Feitosa, but he was unable to avoid a brutal left axe kick-right knee combo. Once that landed, Williams collapsed in his own corner, prompting the end to an exciting fight. The official time of the two-knockdown ruled TKO was 2:56 of the second round.
Michael McDonald had to withdraw from the K-1 USA tournament just a few days ago due to an injury suffered while ironing out a few things in his final pre-fight training, but the void left by McDonald was filled without hesitation.
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Gary Goodridge and Glaube Feitosa comprised what was a shocking tournament final as not many "experts" predicted that either one of the combatants would make it to the finals, let alone having both of them there. However, both warriors staked their claims as the two dominant forces in the Las Vegas tourney but only one could walk away as the Las Vegas Grand Prix champion.
After a sizzling eight-man tournament, the two lone warriors who
stood upon the gates of K-1 USA greatness were men who weren't
among the top odds makers' picks to win it all in Goodridge and
Feitosa.
Goodridge had blown away his previous two opponents in the first round, Sean O'Haire and replacement fighter Scott Lighty. Feitosa struggled in an arduous battle with Dewey Cooper and survived a memorable war with Carter Williams. So with Goodridge being the fresher of the two finalists, most ringsiders expected Goodridge to be in better shape to win it all.
Well, like with every aspect of the fight game, most things that are to be expected often do not bode true. Such was the case tonight in the finals.
Feitosa was able to weather an early storm from Goodridge and once "Big Daddy" slowed down his pace, Feitosa simply seized control of the action. Feitosa crashed several stinging high kicks onto Goodridge's head and leveled him with numerous leg kicks. Goodridge's knees buckled midway through the opening round after he tasted a nasty left knee, but he was able to recover for the time being and fend off the charging Brazilian.
Moments later, Goodridge found himself along the ropes and was quickly the recipient of a vicious front kick to the sternum. Once Goodridge regained his footing Feitosa delivered a crippling left high kick that crashed smack dab onto the right side of Goodridge's dome.
The intense kick sent Goodridge crumbling into the ropes and he was barely able to climb back up to his feet. Once erect, a too-wobbly Goodridge was deemed no longer able to continue from referee Nelson Hamilton, prompting the end to not only a wonderful fight but also a thrilling tournament. The official time of the stoppage came 2:40 of the first round and Feitosa walked away with the coveted K-1 USA Grand Prix trophy.
Such an enormous feat was Feitosa's triumph that not only did he topple three formidable opponents, he did so by hammering out wins by three men who were favored above him. The pre-fight odds had Feitosa as 4-1 favorite to win the whole thing, slotted fourth among the combatants.
The men picked ahead of him were Carter Williams at +130, Dewey Cooper at 2-1 odds and Goodridge at 7-2. So Feitosa can now look forward to an adventure in the Land of the Rising Sun.
In the semifinals, reserve-bout winner Scott Lighty, for the second year in a row, was able to get in some more action as a reserve replacement. First-round winner Mark Selbee was too injured from his previous win, thus allowing Lighty to take his spot. It was a fortunate opportunity for Lighty to get a chance at the K-1 USA title, but his lucky eventually ran out once he stepped into the ring with the murderous-striking Goodridge.
"Big Daddy" charged out of the gates immediately and swarmed Lighty relentlessly. The pace eventually subsided, but Goodridge was able to land a few crippling kicks to Lighty's legs, dropping him twice. The second time Lighty was sent to the canvas, the fight was halted. The official time of the TKO came at 2:55 of the first round, thanks to K-1's two-knockdown rule.
Carter Williams, the betting favorite to the win the entire tourney, was surprisingly stopped in the second round at the hands (feet) of Feitosa. Williams was dominant in the opening round, but the eventual tournament champion was able to crash one of his tricky high kicks onto the head of Williams while along the ropes.
The kick, where Feitosa brought his leg down in a sort of slingshot fashion, landed swiftly behind Williams' right ear, sending the one-time K-1 USA champion to the canvas. Williams, badly woozy, barely was able to bring himself back up to his feet at referee Steve Mazzagatti's count of nine and from there, the end was just around the corner.
Williams was able to clear his head and bounce back and force his will onto Feitosa, but he was unable to avoid a brutal left axe kick-right knee combo. Once that landed, Williams collapsed in his own corner, prompting the end to an exciting fight. The official time of the two-knockdown ruled TKO was 2:56 of the second round.
