It was a rough night for the home town fighters at Diamondback FC 3 at Adelaide Oval on Sunday night, with the local guys coming out on the losing end of the three headline fights on the pro card. Interstate grapplers Ethan Duniam and Regan Neoh both emerged with submission victories, while Sebastian Temesi calmly fended off a barrage of takedown attempts to emerge victorious by decision against Dan Currie.
Ethan Duniam vs. Anthony Bynoe
In this lightweight match up, 360 Martial Arts’ Duniam opened with a series of kicks and a clean takedown but Bynoe quickly regained his footing, established the clinch and responded with a takedown of his own. It was a stalemate on the ground for a number of minutes, as Bynoe worked in full guard before the referee stood the fighters up. Bynoe successfully fought his way back to the previous position with another takedown, although he did eat an uppercut on the feet in the interim. Despite his inferior position, Duniam remained active on his back, advancing some unlikely submission attempts.
In the second round, Duniam worked unusual angles but was swiftly taken down yet again. Despite substantial top control, Bynoe struggled to inflict much significant damage before being reversed and then caught in a triangle. In a scramble, Duniam used his exquisite bottom game to transition to Bynoe’s back and then pounced with a tight rear-naked choke, silencing the Adelaide Oval crowd.
Regan Neoh vs. Alan Hartley
“The Relentless One” Neoh entered the cage to the refrains of “Jump Around”, his hair bleached yellow and his torso heavily tattooed. Complete Control’s “Happy” Hartley, walked out to the Pharell Williams track with the same title as his menacing nickname. Hartley brought cheers with a successful combination of strikes early and then followed with an impressive sweep, an unsuccessful triangle AND a knee bar soon after. There was more action in three minutes than in some three rounders. Despite Hartley’s concerted early efforts, Neoh only needed one opening to secure the finish, locking on a heel hook and holding it with the determination of a pit bull, earning the tap at 3:50 of the first round. Regan was relieved to have halted a three-fight losing streak with his skillful display.
Sebastian Temesi vs. Dan Currie
Judo champion Sebastian Temesi’s battle against BJJ purple belt Dan Currie lived up to its name as a Super Fight, with the contest one of the few on the card that went the distance. Isohealth’s Currie pushed the pace early, shooting for a series of unsuccessful take downs and eating some piston-like jabs in the process. Currie had some success on the feet, landing a hefty left hook but then the round concluded with yet another Temesi rebuff of the takedown.
In the middle round, Temesi copped an errant finger to the eye, bringing the doctors into the cage. He was given the all clear and persevered, and immediately sprawled in response to one of Currie’s takedown attempts. Frustrated, Currie briefly gave up his back and then side guard after a pair of thwarted double legs. As the round concluded, scarlet dripped from Currie’s nose, evidence of Temesi’s striking prowess.
In the final round, Temesi was clearly ahead on the scorecards, although no fighter had seriously imposed their will upon the other. Currie came out with intent, knowing he had to redress the situation but a fervent takedown attempt was reversed, with Temesi briefly advancing from half-guard to side control before Currie scurried to his feet. After almost fifteen minutes of takedown attempts to no avail, Currie triumphantly executed a powerful throw but this was almost immediately followed by a Temesi trip. Having controlled where the fight took place all fight long, the Dan Kelly cornered Temsesi, an Adelaide expatriate, clearly deserved his decision victory.
Sam Jo Toetu vs. Matthew Dockrill
Toetu, confident in his striking and keeping his hands low, quickly backed Dockrill up against the fence before he was briefly deposited onto the ground by a strong takedown and then full mounted. Toetu, coming off “Fight of the Night” in the previous DFC, has worked upon improving his takedown defence. While he was not able to stuff the takedowns entirely, he was quickly able to recover from the worst of positions, ending the round on his feet.
In the second stanza, Toetu threw a wild overhand and some stiff leg kicks before landing a double leg takedown of his own. After a taste of Dockrill’s guard, he opted to return to the stand up, his face covered in his own blood. This tactic immediately bore fruit, with him sending Dockrill to the ground briefly with a precise exchange before finishing the fight standing with baseball pitch of a punch to the gut, doubling over his game opponent with a power that Dockrill compared post-fight to that of “a Mac Truck”.
Josh Frank vs. Richard Blake
United MMA’s Richard Blake, returning from a crippling and potentially career ending back injury, unfortunately succumbed to Josh Frank’s guillotine after just 20 seconds, which is an impressive method of victory for a boxing veteran in just his second pro MMA fight. Blake dropped limply to the ground after Frank applied an anaconda like squeeze from a standing position. To defeat a wily veteran so definitively is a testament to what Frank can achieve, coming as it did after his first full fight camp. “Red Beard” Frank, mo-hawked like a viking ravager and bearded like Game of Throne’s Tormund should be sending fear through the division with this powerful display.
The two other pro fights on the night saw Ben Sosoli impressively stop Greg Hearne in just 42 seconds and Michael Mannu submit Rainer Fumera with a triangle choke in the opening frame.
Results (Pro):
- Ethan Duniam def. Anthony Bynoe via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 2
- Regan Neoh def. Alan Hartley via Submission (Heel-Hook), Rd 1, 3:50
- Sebastian Temesi def. Dan Currie via Decision (Unanimous)
- Josh Frank def. Richard Blake via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 1, 0:20
- Sam Jo Toetu def. Matthew Dockrill via KO (Body Punch), Rd 2, 2:55
- Benjamin Sosoli def. Greg Hearne via TKO (Punches), Rd 1, 0:42
- Michael Mannu def. Rainer Fumera via Submission (Triangle-Choke), Rd 1, 2:24
Results (Am):
- Jake Chynoweth def. Matt Modistach via KO (Punch), Rd 1, 0:15
- Brad Walley def. Jack Hayes via KO, Rd 1
- Jack Shand def. Tom Hamilton via Decision (Unanimous)
- Anthony Pugliese def. Ramin Aslami via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 1
- Riley Payne def. Kane Selin via TKO
Diamondback Fighting Championship 3
