Story courtesy of  Ann Dain of coloradofightevents.com
Photo courtesy of Dan Magnie

Sven Bean is not only a top tier MMA promoter, but a savvy businessman as well. Ring of Fire 30: Domination, held at the Broomfield Event Center, Saturday night 9/15, was a prime example. In spite of audience competition with the CU/Florida State football game, the Center was nearly full with an estimated 4,000 fans. There were times during the evening when it seemed that every one of those fans were on their feet shouting for their favored competitor. There was not a dull moment all night!

Our Colorado Fight Events press team of President Dan Magnie and fellow reporters, Bill Chamberlin and Misha Shryer, arrived at the stadium around 5:15 - almost two hours before the opening event. It wasn't long before the lobby was filled with pumped-up fans and pods of leggy, beautiful team Ring Girls. The atmosphere was filled with the static of an exciting Saturday night.

The first fight of the night was a preliminary match between 155 lb. Alfredo Corona and Jason Ramstetter. For the majority of all three rounds, this was a grappling contest held on the mat. In spite of the fans shouting for the referee to "stand 'em up" "stand 'em up", the referee did not move them. It seemed clear to this reporter than the point win went to Ramstetter and that was later confirmed in a unanimous judges' decision.

The next bout was between 140 lb. contestants, Sean Doherty and Miguel Martinez. Martinez at 3-0 was clearly a crowd favorite based on the howls from the fans behind the Press Box. Doherty, with a 5-1 record entered the arena with his entourage to country western favorite: "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy". This was a departure from the background music of heavier metal rock and certainly made Doherty's entrance notable. The comparison between these contenders was dramatic. Martinez is burly where Doherty looks like a teenager - not even the shadow of a beard on his young face; however, his skills far outshine this first impression of possible inexperience.

Even with Martinez taking Doherty to the mat early in the first round, Doherty climbs up his body to regain control even from a submissive position. Martinez connects with several strikes to the head yet Doherty's legs make a spider web of a maze from which Martinez has a difficult time making solid contact. Doherty nearly traps Martinez in an armbar as the audience shouts grow louder. Martinez escapes once but is ultimately trapped again in an armbar that causes Martinez to tap-out 2:35 into the first round.

In a demonstration of common though impressive sportsmanship, the fighters embrace each other with expressions of genuine congratulation.

The bout between Brad Fox and Ralston Baker, two Colorado 170 lb'ers brought the first bloodshed of the evening. Baker attempted several knee strikes and incurred an injury above his right eye from an audible smack to the side of his head from Fox's foot. Baker was ultimately awarded the TKO when Boxing Commissioner, Josef Mason, stopped the contest in the second round due to blows to the head inflicted on Fox.

The next fight that pitted two Denver-ites Jesse Henley and Seth Bregman against each other was pure adrenalin. Bregman is heavily inked and appears ferocious and all-business from the moment he enters the ring. Bregman thinks he has taken down Henley when Henley picks him up and flips him onto his back while proceeding to connect with fists and elbows to Bregman's head as Round 1 comes to an end.

In Round 2, Henley comes out in strong domination over Bregman. Bregman attempts a foot hold on Henley who slips out but gets captured again in what appears to be a certain armbar until 2:11 into the second round, Henley forces a tap-out from Bregman when he is submitted with a rear naked choke.

The contest between Anselmo Martinez of Lubbock, Texas and Kenneth Seegrist of Denver, both 185 lbs, turned out to be the Freddie Kruger event of the evening. When it comes to tough competitions, is it any wonder that this bout was sponsored by The Marines??

During Round 1, both opponents are inflicting damage on each other and as the round draws to a close, Martinez connects a knee to Seegrist's head. In Round 2, neither fighter loses steam as kicks and punches are traded with equal verocity. Seegrist takes several hits to the head and comes back with knee jabs. By the end of the second round, Seegrist has blood dropping from his right cheek. Although Seegrist's team is able to staunch the blood flow between rounds, it restarts with the return-to-action bell of the third round. As the fighters re-engage with added determination, they each draw blood from each other until the mat and their bodies are slippery with blood. The Boxing Commissioner ultimately stopped the fight and had the blood cleaned from both fighters to determine who and where each were injured. The contest was not re-started. The win was ultimately awarded to Seegrist by TKO 1:12 into Round 3.

The award for dramatic entrance of the evening has to be awarded to Brandon Thatch who was fighting Doug Saiez in the 170 lb weight class. Thatch stood just outside the curtains flanking the walkway swinging fiery lanterns in hypnotic arcs as the spotlights played on his 6'2" frame before making the journey to the ring after extinguishing the fires and donning a red fur vest. Doug Saiez is 5'5" and although their weights are identical, it is hard to predetermine who will be the stronger fighter - the tall stringy Thatch or the compact powerful Saiez.

In Round 1 the combatants engage in some audible slaps from powerful leg kicks that are met with oohs from the audience. Saiez initially takes Thatch to the mat although nearly immediately Thatch flips him back over to take the advantage. Saiez returns the flip (am I dizzy yet??) as both fighters connect with punches and elbows. Thatch ultimately extracts himself by lifting Saiez' leg with his own until both fighters are on their feet again. The consensus of those of us in the Press Booth is that Thatch dominates the first round.

In Round 2, Thatch quickly takes Saiez to the ground and pounds him with fists to the ribs and head. Saiez loses his ability to unwind from the longer limbs of Thatch as Saiez takes a thrashing. Thatch pounds with his shoulders and arms until the referee finally stops the fight and awards the win to Thatch based on strikes. The fighters embrace in a demonstration of mutual respect 2:33 into the second round.

The next event that pitted Jeff Striley against Jacob Hey was quick and decisive. Both fighters are 145 lbs. and are 5'7" and 5'6" respectively. As the bell rang, there was no hesitation as these opponents go after each other ferociously. Hey not only takes down Triley but picks him up and drops him three more times!! His strikes are so strong that it is clear even from my distance of about 50 feet that the sweat sprays from his head. Striley struggles actively but Hey does not let up. Finally, 3:30 into the first round, Jacob Hey is awarded the win via TKO.

The surprise award of the evening has to be given to the round between Chad Reiner of Omaha, NE and Chilo Gonzales of Aurora, Co. Gonzales looks ferocious with heavily inked shoulders, left arm and chest. Gonzales dominates from the beginning with repeated knees, punches and a takedown. It is clear that it is his intention to end this match quickly. Gonzales lifts Reiner and drops him with a thud to the mat. In a totally unexpected move, Reiner turns the tables and ultimately forces a tap-out from Gonzales following a rear naked choke 2:35 in Round 1.

The cheers from the stands were explosive after a momentary stunned silent reaction as the impact of the unexpected victory was absorbed by all.

There is no doubt that the event many fans were waiting for was the one girl fight on the card between Jaime Cook of Sioux Falls SD and Michelle "the Karate Hottie" Waterson of Aurora. Both girls weighed in a 115 lbs. although Cook is a tall 5'6" against the powerfully compact 5'3" Waterson.

This reporter, admittedly a woman with a motherly streak (and age!) had made it a point to speak with both of these female contestants the night before at the weigh-in. Jaime is slender with a warm smile and gentle demeanor with a sensibly short haircut that would prevent a competitor from grabbing a handful. Michelle, on the other hand, had long Farrah-Fawcett-type-hair, an engaging smile, the assured posture of a model and a strong handshake. By Saturday night, however, her hair was braided flat against her head and out-of-reach and she was all business as she whipped her head into a neck crack as she prepared for her bout.

As Round 1 begins, Waterson makes several attempts to put Cook on the mat but Cook will not have anything of it. Ultimately, Cook struggles Waterson to the mat although neither woman is succombing without a struggle. In a quick move, Waterson is able to submit Cook via an armbar and has her tap-out 1:33 in the first round.

Having made the introduction the night before, I met with both girls again after the fight. It is clear that both of these women will be crossing the path of this MMA reporter again. Look for follow-up stories about both of these young woman in the future.

The heavyweight competition between Shane Carwin (of Greeley) and Rick Slayton (of San Diego CA) was quickly awarded to Carwin via KO only 49 seconds into Round after an aggressive and short bout. Carwin's 265 lbs were too much for Slayton's 214 lbs. However, after learning at the press conference following the fights that Carwin had just been out of the ring for the past year recovering from an injury where his bicep had been torn off of the bone, I was even more impressed by his agility and strength.

The final bout of the evening came between Duane "Bang" Ludwig of Thornton, Co and Mario Stapel of Hessen Germany. Stapel had been recruited from ROF Europe with a two week timeframe to prepare for this match-up following the elimination of Ludwig's original partner due to an injury. Although Stapel had two inches on Ludwig (6'0" to Ludwig's 5'10"), Ludwig knocks out Stapel a mere 1:50 into the first round. Please see the wonderful photograph that was captured by ColoradoFightEvents' Dan Magnie accompanying this article that shows the great mutual respect between these fighters that was exchanged following the match.

At the Press Conference following this event, Super-Promoter Sven Bean explained that the planned bout between Eliot Marshall and Rob McDonald had been cancelled earlier in the evening due to a staph infection in the knee of Marshall that did not clear-up sufficiently before the evenings' events. Both fighters are looking forward to their ultimate match-up at the next Ring of Fire at the Broomfield Events Center currently slated for December 1 st.

It must be work for Bean but turns into magic for ROF fans as they are treated to an incredibly well-matched card of fighters. Exit interviews of the audience did not unearth anyone not fully enthralled with the action. The fascination for this reporter is the great number of fans from both genders. This sport is truly TheNext Nascar.