Rock N' Rumble 6: Breakdown and Predictions

Rock N' Rumble 6:

The event has been stacked, torn down and rebuilt a number of times but never the less, here we are. Because I am not sure about the amateur card, I am only going to focus on the pros this time around so without further filler, I present to you my Rock N’ Rumble 6 predictions.

135 lbs – Mike Nesto 14-9 (Wand Fight Team) vs Isaiah Chapman 14-1 (Rock Hard MMA):

This fight is a perfect measuring stick for rising prospect Isaiah Chapman. He’s blasted out everyone the NAAFS crew could find and now they went to Vegas and brought back a classic roughneck for him to take on in Mike Nesto.  Nesto is a gamer and has a ton of experience but has struggled against the next level of competition.

My thoughts are that he’ll come up short in this one too.   Chapman is firing on all cylinders right now and has too many attributes at his disposal.  Nesto may threaten early but my guess is that Chapman rolls him mid-way through the 2^nd.

• Isaiah Chapman via TKO Rd.2

Check out the rest after the jump:

185 lbs – Eli Garshnick 14-5 (Cold Steel MMA) vs Ruslan Khaskhanov 10-5 (Strong Style Fight Team):

Khaskhanov is an interesting addition to the strongstyle team.  He’s got a ton of experience fighting in the European circuit including the infamous M-1 Challenge. His opponent is none other than middleweight slugger and good ol’ work horse Eli Grashnick. From what I have seen of Khaskhanov (which isn’t much), he’s a well-rounded Euro style fighter which means he uses his striking as his go-to weapon of choice.  I went with Garshnick last time and even though a lot of people scoffed, I was right, and when a horse is winning you stick with him.  Garshnick is a tough, skilled scrapper and as long as he pulls the trigger, he can take this one.

• Eli Garshnick via submission Rd. 2

170 lbs – Ben Smith 5-0-1 (Xtreme Couture) vs Dave Vandevelde 5-1-1 (Wrestling Factory Cleveland):

Vandevelde (0-1 pro) has his work cut out for him here.  Smith comes from a strong camp and has a considerable advantage in professional experience. Both men have strong amateur backgrounds and are proficient wrestlers.

Vandevelde will have the striking advantage but Smith looks to be the bigger man and the more wrestling centric of the two.  It will come down to who can impose their will on whom.

What the hell I’ll take Vandevelde in the upset. TKO Rd. 2

155 lbs – Torrance Taylor 10-7-1 (Rising Dragon) vs Eric Attard 4-2 (Team Ascension):

This could be the sleeper fight of the night. Taylor is athletic, unorthodox and a little crazy.  Attard is also billed as a striker with solid technique and list of gritty performances. Taylor is something of an NAAFS legend and should have the home field advantage. He’s going to be more explosive than Attard but he will need to proceed with caution because Attard is very slick under fire and has enough pop to end a fight with one shot.

With all things being equal, athleticism and home field advantage is enough to sway me.

• Torrance Taylor via TKO rd. 2

125 lbs – Angela Magana 10-4 (Four Corners) vs Jessica Eye 12-1 (Strong Style Fight Team):

Jessica is a tough girl to beat, especially at home.  Magana will come in guns blazing because she doesn’t have anything to lose and with the momentum of a 3 fight win streak, that could pose some problems for Cleveland’s finest (I mean that literally).  This is a tough fight for Jessica but I think she’ll be able to stay moving and keep Magana on the outside and therefore on the defensive.  Jessica has the ground skills to hang tough should the fight take her there and with that said I think this is her fight to lose.

Magana is light years behind her in the striking department and that means she’ll be forced to close the distance to survive. Sound familiar?

• Jessica Eye via decision