No dull moments at ‘Demolition!’
Tapia, Condit, Knaub win at Route 66’s first fight card

Ringside report and photos by Chris Cozzone

An estimated 2,500 no-holds-barred fans got their kicks at Route 66 last night—they also got plenty of strikes and chokes when Cordeiro Promotions’ left them little time for boredeom with the six-bout, all-pro “Demolition!” card.

It was the casino’s first fight card at their plush, new venue; and from the near-capacity turnout to the quality of matches, it won’t be their last.

In the main event, Santa Fe’s Jason ‘the Deathtrap” Tapia (3-0) of Santa Fe Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu kept his record clean by dispatching Denver’s Chilo Gonzalez (4-5) with a sound ground-and-pound at 3:46 of the first round.

Tapia’s superiority was evident from the opening bell. Taking Gonzalez to the canvas, he was able to administer ground-and-pound punishment while working for a hold. Gonzalez spent the duration of the bout on his back, trying to fend off elbows and big rights But, at 3:46, Tapia’s aggression proved too much and the referee stopped the contest when Gonzalez received too much punishment.

Gonzalez was a late sub for former UFC fighter Dennis Hallman (39-9-2), the only fighter to twice defeat UFC Welter Champ Matt Hughes.

Condit takes out Tuchii with kick

In the second co-feature, Albuquerque’s Carlos Condit (11-1) of FIT/NHB scored the most impressive win of the night when he landed a kick to the head of Tokyo, Japan’s Masaki Tuchhi that had him down for the count at 4:35 of Round One.

The fight alternated from canvas to standing— but with Condit winning both games. On the matt, Tuchhi was driven intent on an ankle hold, but Condit was able to twist his way out of danger, when he wasn’t reaching across his legs to pop Tuchhi in the mouth. At one point, Tucchi responded by holding up his middle finger.

Condit tried to keep it a stand-up-and-strike bout. With his height and reach advantage, Condit landed several big rights, kicks and knees to Tucchi’s chin—but the grand finale occurred in the last 30 seconds when Condit feinted a jab, and instead of throwing a right, threw a bonecrushing left kick that landed on the side of Tuchhi’s face (see knockout sequence in photos.)

Tuchhi landed with a thud, partially out of the ring, where he was immediately counted out.

Knaub goes distance with Martinez

In the first co-feature, Albuquerque’s Matt Knaub (5-2), of FIT/NHB, went the distance with Freddie “the Spaniard” Martinez, of Santa Fe’s Team Chingaso. Martinez was a replacement for Alex Shounauer of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It was a give-and-take bout that had both fighters dead on their feet by the end of the 2nd.

The stand-and-strike advantage was Knaub’s, but Martinez was game, and intent on trading shots. Several times, Knaub took Martinez down but could not execute a hold, though he came close at the end of the First with a rear naked choke hold. Martinez was able to reverse the action on the ground for a good part of the first round, where he paid Knaub back with elbows and rights.

Both fighters were visibly tired in the second round, and after trading shots on their feet, the game continued on the floor where Knaub assumed control, searching, but not attaining a rear naked choke. In the final 30 seconds, the fighters were on their feet, where they were too exhausted to do little more than circle one another.

At the end of two, all three judges had it for Knaub, who won the decision.

Undercard

In the opening bout, Brian Schall of Albuquerque’s Jackson’s Gaidojutsu took out Phil Garcia of Santa Fe’s Team Chingaso by TKO at :46.

The two exchanged punches in the opening moments—then Garcia shot forward for a takedown. Schall landed a left-right that sailed Garcia to the canvas where the fight resumed, and ended. Schall went to work on Garcia, issuing the ground-and-pound until Garcia tapped out at :46.

In the second bout, Jackson fighter Damacio Page (3-0) had Tokyo's Hyatto Kawabata tapping out at 4:46 of the 2nd with a bar arm choke

The fight was up and down—but with Page in control. The fighter from Jackson’s scored three takedowns, and landed more than enough elbows and knees on the ground to win the round.

On their feet, Kawabata looked to be the better striker, but Page gave him to chance to score. Again, in the 2nd, Kawabata was brought to the ground and battered about until he sunk a bar arm choke to Kawabata’s throat for the tapout at 1:46.

In the final undercard bout, Jackson’s Jerome Martinez (3-0) put a beating on Team Chingaso’s Henry Martinez, prompting the ref to call it off at 2:56 of the 1st.

J. Martinez was winning on his feet, and when the fight went to the floor, he continued his success, maneuvering H. Martinez to his belly where he was pummeled enough for the ref to stop the action at 2:56.

. . . . .

UFC fighter Diego “the Nightmare” Sanchez was around to announce his August 20th bout in Las Vegas; and fights with Albuquerque’s James Martinez and Santa Fe’s Don Ortega fell through.

UFC fighter and 'Ultimate Fighter' champ Diego Sanchez celebrates with Damacio Page.