Iroquois Mixed Martial Arts: Helping Bring MMA to Ontario

Christina Sears

searstina@hotmail.com

Iroquois Mixed Martial Arts (IQMMA) successfully put on its second MMA event at the I.L.A Sports Arena on The Six Nations Indian Reserve in Ontario Canada.

In Ontario mixed martial arts is not legal under Section 83, however, the Six Nations was able to put on its second MMA event without any complications or problems.

Hamilton’s own Jeff Joslin was one of the special guest commentators of the night. Joslin feels that the event is one of the “best things” to happen for MMA in this region, and says the sport is going to take off from here.

He predicted that the event would run very smoothly and ensured that the fans would see some great things from the Iroquois Mixed Martial Arts.

Dan “The Beast” Severn was the main fight on the card and he went up against Ian Asham of Winnipeg. Sitting in the crowd you could hear them whispering amongst themselves how long they thought the fight would last.

 Ian Asham, who is just starting his pro MMA career, was faced with his greatest challenge fighting a guy who not only is well known in the MMA world but who also has a record of 83-15-7, with years of fighting experience.

“I thought he would shoot fast and try and take me down. But I never thought he would have hit me with a knee, but that’s MMA right” said Asham, who lost to Severn in the first round due to submission.

 

Asham and Severn will meet each other again in the ring only this time, Asham says he won’t be start struck.

 

Other highlights of the night were in the 155 pound division when Ainsley Robinson stepped into the ring with Andy Hauser who trains out of Dan Severn’s “Danger Zone” in Michigan.

Robinson is a known Canadian wrestler who was a 1996 Olympian and five time Canadian Champion fighting out of Toronto BJJ.

 

In round one Robinson was able to take Hauser down with no complications but wasn’t active enough in Hausers guard on the ground which forced the ref to stand them up. But Hauser came back with some good combination of punches towards the end of the round.

Round two started the way round one ended with Hauser really putting the pressure on with a variety of hard shots and some added high kicks. This time when taken to the ground both fighters were very active on the guard but the ref again stands them up.

 

Only this time Hauser went to take Robinson down, Robinson sprawls hard spinning to the back managing to get a good position and ended the fight at 4:40 of the second round due to referee stoppage.

 

Bryan Edge of Caledonia Ontario was another explosive fighter that brought his “A” game to the ring. Edge experienced multiple partner changes before the event and last minute was thrown into the ring to fight Daryle Pinter of Peterborough, both fighters fighting in the 145 pound division.

 

Edge and Pinter came out strong in the first round, Pinter hitting Edge with some hard shots. On the ground Edge almost submitting Pinter on numberous occasions, but it wasn’t long before the ref stood them up.

Edge was dropped by Pinter in the middle of the first round, but just when the crowd thought it was over Edge came two on the way down grabbing a leg and going for a take down. Edge hit Pinter with a hard punch, putting him in the corner of the ring, and like a machine he delivers a punishment package to Pinter ending the fight by referee stoppage in the first round.

 

But MMA wouldn’t be MMA without some controversy and even in the smallest events controversy always pokes its head around the corner. In the 205 pound division Josh Powell from “Team Iroquois” entered the ring to square off against Chester Post who fights out of “Punishment Post” in Strathroy.

 

In round one it looked like Powell was in huge trouble, taking hard blows to the head. Post managing to drop Powell twice in the first round. But in MMA all it takes is one slip up to turn a fight around and unfortunately in Post’s case that’s what happened.

 

Powell managed to get mount on Post, and began his ground and pound. Although it looked that the punches weren’t doing and damaged and was a desperate attempt for Powell to finish the fight Post didn’t respond, and didn’t defend himself maybe the way he should have resulting in the referee stepping in and ending the fight making Josh Powell the winner in 3:50 of round one.

 

The crowd immediately let out boo’s from every direction of the arena. You could tell Powell wasn’t pleased with the win with the disgusted look he had on his face while leaving the ring. His brother Joel Powell however, came out strong in his fight at 170 pounds. He finished Jon  Irwin of Kingston in 1:45 in the first round winning by referee stoppage also.

 

The Iroquois Mixed Martial Arts will be bringing another event to the Six Nations Reserve at the I.L.A Sports Arena on April 26 2008.

 

    Pictures of Event Here