ProElite returned to the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii tonight for ProElite 3: “Grove vs Minowa.” The card was headlined by middleweight action with Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove and Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa, and also featured Sara McMann taking on Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano.
The semi-finals of the ProElite Heavyweight Grand Prix also took place on tonight’s card. Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun battled Richard “The Black Eagle” Odoms in one semi-final, while Ryan Martinez faced Cody Griffin in the other. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for ProElite 3’s main card.
Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove vs Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa
Round 1:
Minowa landed a solid leg kick early on, but missed with a looping right hook. Grove scored with a right cross and Minowa resumed kicking at his lead leg. Another right hand and a grazing head kick followed for Grove and Minowa somersaulted to the side. Grove avoided a takedown attempt and landed a kick to the body. Minowa clinched and backed Grove up to the cage. He landed knees to the body and tripped him to the mat. Grove tried to work back to his feet but could not. He eyed a Kimura on Minowa’s right arm, but Minowa broke free and ended the round on top. Close round. 10-9 Grove by a slim margin.
Round 2:
Grove began round two with a pair of lead right hands and a head kick that prompted Minowa to circle away. The fighters exchanged jabs and Grove avoided Minowa’s takedown attempts. Minowa flopped to his back and Grove backed away. Referee Yuji Shimada stood Minowa up and he shot in for a takedown. Grove defended and wound up on top. He secured a Brabo Choke and tried to roll into an Anaconda Choke, but lost the position. Grove took Minowa’s back and trapped him in a body triangle. Minowa defended against rear-naked chokes until the bell. 10-9 Grove.
Round 3:
After a brief exchange of strikes, Grove countered a Minowa takedown attempt by taking his back on the ground. He switched to mount and then returned to back control. Minowa defended against more rear-naked choke attempts, but Grove prevented him from rolling to escape by keeping him in a body triangle. Grove continued to use hammerfists to set up choke attempts, but he could not get his arm under Minowa’s chin. The crowd grew restless as Grove rolled Minowa over to the cage wall. He tried again to sink in the choke, but could not and time ran out. 10-9 Grove.
Winner: Kendall Grove by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 14-9-0, 1 NC.
Sara McMann vs Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano
Round 1:
McMann scored an early takedown and fought free of a guillotine choke attempt. She landed punches from the top as Akano got back to full guard. McMann snuck in more short strikes and Akano looked to counter with her signature armbar. McMann defended and landed two right hands. Both women remained active, but referee Yuji Shimada stood them up. Jabs were exchanged and McMann violently slammed Akano down. She took her back and tried for a rear-naked choke. Akano escaped and time expired with McMann working for an arm-triangle choke. 10-9 McMann.
Round 2:
McMann used her strength to slam Akano down again in round two. She punched from the top for close to two minutes while avoiding Akano’s armbar attempts. The fighters were strangely stood up and McMann landed a right hook and a grazing head kick. Akano latched onto McMann’s right arm and attempted a Kimura as the fighters hit the ground. McMann escaped and moved to back control. Akano spun back into full guard and the fighters were stood up. Akano rushed in, but McMann took her down. McMann landed hammerfists and Akano kicked at McMann’s body before setting up a triangle choke as the round ended. 10-9 McMann.
Round 3:
As in the past rounds, McMann quickly took the smaller Akano to the mat in the final round and she worked from the top with occasional punches while trying to pass Akano’s guard. Akano postured for a triangle choke, but could not lock her left leg behind her right knee and McMann powered out. The fighters were brought back to their feet and McMann landed a flurry before clinching a body lock and slamming Akano to the canvas. From half-guard, McMann scored with hammerfists until Akano fought her way back to full guard. The fight briefly returned to the feet and McMann handily slammed Akano down a final time. 10-9 McMann.
Winner: Sara McMann by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 5-0-0.
ProElite Heavyweight Tournament Semi-Final
Richard “The Black Eagle” Odoms vs Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun
Round 1:
Heun opened the fight with a big takedown and tried to spin into an armbar, but Odoms escaped and punished Heun with punches from the top. He moved to back control and worked for a rear-naked choke, but Heun escaped to his feet. Heun took Odoms down and attempted a rear-naked choke of his own. Odoms turned and got back to full guard. Heun moved to side control and then the back again. He landed punches as Odoms tried to stand. Duelling leglocks followed and Heun stood. He landed hard punches and attempted an inverted heel hook. 10-9 Heun.
Round 2:
Heun clinched in the second round and the fighters traded knees. Heun took Odoms down and quickly moved to mount. He postured up to land punches and Odoms gave up his back. Odoms spun into Heun’s guard and transitioned to back control. He locked on a neck crank and Heun tapped out.
Winner: Richard Odoms by Submission (Neck Crank) at 1:56 of round two. He improves to 7-0-0 and advances to the final of the ProElite Heavyweight Grand Prix.
ProElite Heavyweight Tournament Semi-Final
Ryan Martinez vs Cody Griffin
Round 1:
Leg kicks and jabs were exchanged in the opening two minutes as both fighters appeared to be cautious. Martinez unloaded a quick flurry and Griffin backed up. Martinez began to land body kicks and opened a cut beside Griffin’s right eye with a left hook. Big punches were exchanged in the final minute and Griffin pushed Martinez away. Martinez landed leg kicks late. 10-9 Martinez.
Round 2:
Time was called early in the second round after Griffin was kicked in the groin. Action resumed and Martinez landed kicks to the legs and body. The pace remained measured as Martinez threw occasional kicks and left hands and Griffin looked to be hesitant to commit to anything. Martinez jabbed and Griffin missed with a one-two. Griffin began to taunt and finally landed some punches. Close second round. 10-9 Martinez, barely.
Round 3:
Action was sparse again in the final round as the fighters circled and traded single punches. Martinez landed more leg kicks, but would only commit to one strike at a time. This continued as the round progressed until Martinez finally landed a hard right hand counter that sent Griffin off-balance. Griffin regained his footing and Martinez landed more kicks. Griffin rushed forward with punches late in the round, but most missed and the round ended in a clinch. 10-9 Martinez.
Winner: Ryan Martinez by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 7-1-0 and advances to the final of the ProElite Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Patrick “Durkin” Cummins vs Tasi “The Tyrant” Edwards
Round 1:
Cummins took Edwards down early on and landed punches briefly before moving to side control. Cummins stood and landed a pair of right hands as Edwards looked to set up a triangle choke. Cummins landed a knee to the body as Edwards tried to stand. He took Edwards’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke, but Edwards escaped. Cummins briefly moved to mount, but Edwards kicked him off.
Cummins postured up again and rained down right hands. He prevented Edwards from standing and wrenched on a guillotine choke. When Edwards did not tap, Cummins moved to back control. Edwards rolled and Cummins locked on an arm-triangle choke. This time, Edwards had nowhere to go and tapped out.
Winner: Patrick Cummins by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 4:01 of round one. He improves to 2-0-0.
Brent Schermerhorn vs Kaleo Gambill
Round 1:
Schermerhorn sent Gambill to the mat early on with a succession of punches. Gambill got back to his feet, only to be dropped like a rock by a massive left hand. The fight was immediately stopped.
Winner: Brent Schermerhorn by KO (Punch) at 0:45 of round one. He improves to 5-1-0.