THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON – Edmonton’s Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford sent the crowd home happy with a first round TKO over Halifax’s Ricky Goodall on Saturday in the main event of Aggression MMA 9.
Ford exhibited a strong striking game utilizing front kicks and punches before finishing Goodall, who took the fight on a few week’s notice, with elbows from mount at 3:37.
“I’m learning to take my time and be explosive when I need to be explosive,” said Ford after the fight.
Ford, who trains out of Montreal’s Tristar gym, said he’ll be fighting in Bellator on May 4 in his next fight, at a show rumoured to be in Ontario.
After losing his last three fights, former UFC fighter Victor (The Matrix) Valimaki was impressive in the night’s co-main event. Valimaki outstruck Tim Chemelli and eventually the ref had to step in to save Chemelli from further punishment at 1:21 of the second.
Valimaki was very happy to get his first win since 2009.
“I felt great,” said Valimaki. “It is great to be back. I am back into it 100 per cent.”
With the win, the organization promised Valimaki a title shot at Aggression MMA 10.
Stephen Beaumont kept his record perfect by using a rear naked choke to force Nick Heynen to tapout at 2:57 of round one. Heynen surprised Beaumont with his strength initially before Beaumont settled down and finished him.
“I did not expect him to take me down as quickly as he did,” said Beaumont, who asked for a title shot in his next fight “after five straight wins.”
Like Valimaki, Matt Bagshaw also claimed victory for the first time since 2009 with a submission of the night performance. The Calgary fighter quickly took Greg Welsh to the canvas where he won via heel hook in 38 seconds. Welsh had come into the fight with four consecutive victories.
Earlier, Sheldon Westcott overwhelmed his opponent and tapped Jay Jensen out with a Guillotine in only 26 seconds.
Jared McComb and Chase Degenhardt fought a close standup fight that ended when McComb landed a knee in the third round that cut Degenhardt badly enough that the doctor stopped the fight.
Luke Harris landed a punch to drop Eliot Duff, quickly closed the distance, and submitted his opponent with a rear naked choke in 52 seconds.
Paulo Azambuja steamrolled Adrian Cardinal and won by rear naked choke in 17 seconds.
KB Bhullar outclassed Simon Shirt on the feet and eventually the referee stopped the bout at 4:28 of the first round.
NOTES: Saturday night in Vernon, Qualicum Beach, B.C.’s Andrew Buckland defeated local product Matt Baker by guillotine choke at 2:12 of the third round Saturday to capture the Battlefield Fight League middleweight title in the main event of BFL 13. Buckland’s Impact MMA teammate Graham Spencer of Nanaimo, B.C., also took home a belt in the night’s co-main event, beating Shawn Albrecht by rear naked choke at 2:40 of the fourth round to claim the featherweight championship. Micah Brakefield submitted Ryan Allen by flying triangle at 2:20 of the opening frame to retain his amateur 185-pound title.
