by Merry Callahan
NW Gladiator

PORTLAND, Ore. -- What was expected to be the biggest card ever for the Full Contact Fighting Federation fell into disarray by the end of weigh-ins for Rumble at The Roseland 39 on Saturday. Almost everything that could happen DID happen and, program in shambles, promoter Kevin Keeney’s frustration was palpable by fight time.

 

What should have been an epic night-- capping Real World Fighting’s (aka Reality Combat) incredible recent winning streak -- instead, turned into shock waves that shuddered across the card. The highly anticipated return of Erik Wander (TSN), against Jeremy Haney (Reality Combat) crashed when Haney discovered the fresh date on his blood work. had expired and was scratched from the card.

 

Then the FCFF learned Jason Evola (Reality Combat) was in jail, alledgedly for driving under the influence.

 

“He just forgot… got pulled over,” Reality Combat’s Troy O’Connor shrugged. “We’ve heard this kind of thing happening to other teams. I guess it was just our time.”

 

Crae Bassett (Reality Combat), who missed his fight on the last card due to his opponent’s not making weight, missed weigh-in himself. Those around the team confirmed that Basset was recovering in the hospital after losing consciousness on Friday while trying to cut weight.

 

That left the Real World Fighting team’s Chris Velasquez as their only entry on the Rumble 39 card. He did not disappoint his team’s winning streak by taking out Rob Gibbs (Xtreme Couture) after a very entertaining match-up for the light heavyweight Superfight.

 

Heavyweight Daniel Stewart of Newport did not disappoint either, successfully defending his title against Jeremy Rockholt. Last January, HDNet commentator and MMA Legend Bas Rutten noted Stewart’s beautifully “un-telegraphed strikes” and Stewart also displayed an arsenal of Jiu-jitsu, judo and “everything else,” as described by Stewart’s trainer.

 

Stewart is a Navy reservist and may be deployed soon.

 

The most surprising win of the night came from James Bowers (Armstrong). With Bassett out, Ray Armstrong called in Bowers to face Doug Steinbach (Impact) for the middleweight title.

 

On just six hours notice.

 

Early in the first round,.Steinbach looked like he had Bowers finished, right at the cage. With referee Kelly Whitlock resisting the urge to step in as Steinbach unleashed a barrage, Bowers suddenly exploded into a series of moves that ended with Steinbach at 2:09 of round one.

 

Bowers was so overcome with his lightening reversal and win that he just flung himself prostrate on the mat. His corner  were similarly overcome, hoisting Bowers high, then falling down with him in sheer exultation, while the crowd went wild. Catching them afterwards, on the way to the fighter pit, it was no time to interrupt the celebration. Bowers was composed enough to say a few words praising his crew and the opportunity, the “six hours notice!” victory cry was still on high repeat.

 

In other title matches, Corey Roska (Straight Blast) knocked out Damon Wood (Team Quest) in just 39 seconds to win the bantamweight championship. Welterweight Jay Shaffer (Xtreme Couture) beat Chris Standing (SAGA) in a breath-close a decision between two very popular fighters. Shaffer showed that skills and technique, combined with perseverance, can prevail.

 

In other fights:

125 Dominick Haider d. BJ San Nicolas, split decision
145 Ryan Kribs d. Geno Hair, chokeout, : :40 of Rd. 1
155 Steve Snyder d. Robert Sanchez, chokeout, :56 of Rd. 1
170 Tony Sandbothe d. James Pappoe Jr., TKO 2:29 of Rd. 1
170 Peter Burkes d. Wesley Golden, submission (armbar), 1:15 of Rd. 3
170 Hamilton Ash d. Erik Wander, Verbal Submission - Wander did not answer the bell for the 3rd round.
185 Jason Haigwood d. Kelly Brame, TKO, 2:59 of Rd. 1

185 Donavan Pelaske d. Kyle Strickland, Unanimous Decision
205 Darren Modzelewski d. Brandon Pitts, TKO, 2:35 of Rd. 2

205 Kevin Fox d. Jon Basting, TKO, 1:57 of Rd. 1
HWT Shaun Mierjavadi d. Dale Corzine, KO,  2:15 of Rd. 1

by Merry Callahan
NW Gladiator.com

PORTLAND, Ore. -- From Sandy Boulevard, you will recognize Erik Wander’s gym only by it’s sign competing for prominence with restaurants and insurance agents. Opened in May, Extending Fitness' logo -- two fighters silhouetted inside a circle -- suggests it will surely be about striking and aggression. But rather than a sweaty training room packed with rugged walls and worn equipment, his door opens into a cool and serene space. Just as you may be wrong to judge the gym by its exterior, you might also be wrong to judge the man by the skin.

Wander’s tattoos have brought us here. A giant and fierceskull covers Wander’s entire back, his arms -- like tailored sleeves of a shirt -- are dressed with layered art from shoulder to wrist. And the names Olivia and Victoria adorn his upper pectorals in script, with flourishes. Ex- girlfriends?  The 36-year-old leans back and chuckles. That would be breaking the cardinal rule of tattooing -- avoid future awkward moments, i.e., no girlfriends’ names.

Wander’s face sobers, then softens, and he looks down and points to each tattoo in succession.

“This is my daughter Olivia’s name. She was born 4 years ago. And this is Victoria. She’s nine months, now.” And he looks up and smiles. Wander, very comfortable in his skin, literally, is explaining how his tattoos are about the journey of his life, beginning with his first tattoo.

“I was a runner,” he says, revealing wings on his ankle. “This was my Power Leg. So I put wings on it.”

Then came "Running Man," a stylized stick glyph on his upper right arm.

We ask about the rest and he patiently points to each of the bands that make two sleeves of art, explaining his travels and reasons. One band represented water, another was inspired by shapes of the Maori family tree. There is even a band inspired from a pottery artist in Hawaii. By the time we got around to his back, it was obvious that some old tattoos hid beneath the new, denser final pieces. He shrugs, the corner of his mouth quirks up “Some mistakes” he explains, “when I was younger.” And he doesn’t elaborate.  I look closely and they aren’t bad -- whatever you can still make out of them -- just not the earth, spirit and family-based collection he has assembled on his body.

Because the biggest piece, his entire back, is inspired from a Maori death mask, where the purpose is to offer appreciation of life, by honoring the dead with gifts of precious items and decorations. A self described ‘homebody’ with 25-30 hours of tattooing art already completed, Wander says he has “about 30-40 hours to go.”

At this point you see a theme emerging surrounding his tattoos. A young man searching for  the expression of his physical/spiritual center, where after maturing and studying "Principles of Engagement," finds himself point sparring in a warehouse off 3rd Street near downtown. He volunteers that “a lot of guys did that, just looking for a place to practice their skill.

“There were 50 or 60 people there, surrounding a big mat in the middle, and we’d just go at it!”

Sounds like Jean Claude Van Damme in Lionheart.

His face animates and he shakes his head chuckling, “It was just like that! With people making bets on the sides…”

From studying Tae Kwon Do at the age of 12, to being a runner in high school and after, Wander’s composure and aura of peacefulness indicates he has found his center, now, in where he stands today- a practitioner of Wu Ying Tao, or "The Principles of Engagement," an off shoot of Bruce Lee’s famed Jeet Kune Do, and a teacher. He took time out from his career to establish his gym and make a future for his family. He describes how difficult was the transition from fighter to business man, wearing the many hats required to get a start-up off the ground- “my wife really helps a lot. It was a real different place to be in… it took some adjustment.”

Over the last 10 years, he has seen many changes in MMA. He remembers how a lot of bar fighters filled the cages in the early days. Eventually, real athletes and true martial artists took over and the sport exploded in popularity. Rumble at the Roseland launched it’s first fight card in early 2002 and Wander has been involved ever since.

His co-workers know he's an MMA fighter now and why he comes to work with bruises and black eyes. They also have  felt the surprise when his demeanor does not match his his ferocious fighting style or appearance. He tells a story about brisk comments he received after bending down to talk to a child in a friendly tone.

“I mean, what did he think... I was gonna come out like the monster clown, in the movie?” Wander asks, laughing.

“It was as if he thought that if I was a fighter, I must be scary to kids. The guy was shocked to see me bend down, speak soft and gentle… it was a little kid!

“The downfall [for a fighter] of working with kids is that your skill set stays here.”

Wander holds his palm to the ground.

“You have to take yourself out of that and find some training partners who challenge you, who can take you to the next level.”

His hand jumps towards the ceiling.

Teaching “has actually taught me to slow down, to get back to the basics. Now I can watch the car wreck and tell you how it happened, who did it, whose head went through the windshield.”

His mobile features light again.

“Fighting is fun! You get punched in the face and it kind of wakes you up and you say, ‘Now we can play!’”
 

If you’re across from him in the ring, and that cool, soft gaze, turns onto you -- hard, focused, and tinged with fire -- I doubt you feel the same way.

Wander fights next at Rumble at the Roseland 39 on September 27 at the Roseland Theater.

 

Steve Varlay
By Merry Callahan
NW Gladiator

PORTLAND, Ore. -- It was a wild night at the Rumble at the Roseland and the event earned HDnet’s handle of "the premier amateur championship event in the country."

The featured fight at 145-pounds ended with a major upset. Heavily favored as an up-and-comer Jess Moore (UIMA) has looked nearly unbeatable in his previous matches, but Andreas Correa (Next Level) came all the way from Sweden for the bout. Correa's mixture of Thai boxing and Taekwondo garnered a TKO victory at 2:59 of round three.

The unlucky 13th fight listed on the card (the ninth was skipped) became a real gut clencher. If you blinked, you might have missed Steve Varlay's (Team Quest) kick to the head of Travis Napier (Springfield, OR). Napier went down. And did not get up. The audience went quiet and got to its feet as emergency teams swarmed the cage. After a few tense minutes Kevin Keeney’s voice came over the system and ask for thoughts and prayers to be sent to Napier. All eyes were on Napier's feet- still extended and flexed, until they twitched at the moment he came to. The arena broke out in wild applause. Those standing next to a fighter got a quick run down on autonomic nervous response pattern as Napier was bundled away on a stretcher for further evaluation, per Oregon State Athletic Commission rules. Later, Kenney revealed that Napier was fine -- all his tests came back negative -- and mad that he allowed such a direct hit, irritated at the mandatory 180-day suspension and ready to start training again.

Still, the frightening scene had a lingering effect. The next bout, between heavyweights Santiago Kent (Mid Valley) and Brandon Pitts (Team Quest), ended quickly when Santiago staggered Pitts with a showy punch and referee Kelly Whitlock jumped in quickly. Perhaps too quickly as Pitts looked recovered and ready to fight. While Pitts' camp booed lustily, Pitts began high-energy posturing that further incited the crowd. An iced drink -- Rumble’s most hated drunk-and-unable-to-control-myself audience tool- flew from the balcony and into the ring, aimed at Whitlock. Roseland security flew up into the balcony to eject the drink slinger.

And though the action was unsportsman-like, and disrespectful to the entire contingent of fighters and officials who train with intense dedication to this sport, it was wildly entertaining to witness the ejection of the perpetrator, a buxom, young female, who got ‘woman-handled’ down the stairs by two tough-looking female security guards. She was jerking, struggling and causing a commotion all the way, and security was clearly not amused. Her crew streamed out behind her looking sheepish, angry, shamed, belligerent and everything in between.

In the finale, Jeremy Haney (Reality Combat) dropped Brandon Hunter (Team Quest) by knockout in the first round for the welterweight super fight belt. Haney scored a knockout at 47 seconds to take the title.