Cage Champs 45 - Event Recap

The reign of "Prince" Christian Camp continues as the featherweight from Springfield was victorious on Saturday night.

The band The Cauliflowers entertained the crowd during the intermission and after the show with a set list that featured songs from Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, and Alice in Chains among others.

Camp and former Spire No. 1, Buddy McGinnis battled to a split decision with Camp edging out "The Hooligan" on the scorecards in a match of two very evenly matched competitors.

Both fighters worked the jab early and often, and stayed out of serious danger.

The third round began as round two ended with Camp being the aggressor and McGinnis staying out of range, landing shots when the opportunity presented itself. Both fighters were bloody and winded by the time the final bell came.

In picking up the victory, Camp wins the Spire Featherweight State Championship, previously owned by Danny Branson.

"I was trying to put him away, but I knew with all the experience he had it was going to be tough," Camp said.

Camp absorbed some stiff punches from McGinnis, but stayed elusive, and kept engaging.

"Definitely stuck to my plan, kept my head moving," Camp said. "The second I stopped he reminded me why I needed to do that. He tagged me. That's the hardest I've ever been hit in a fight."

The win improves Camp to an impressive 5-1 in 2013 and solidifies his position as the region's top amateur featherweight.

"It's an amazing feeling," Camp said. "Fighting a guy with over 30 fights. Definitely gave me a good work."

The co-main event came together the day before the fight with top ranked Spire welterweight Jesse Geringer taking a fight at middleweight on just one day's notice. Geringer matched up with the new face of the Cage Champs promotion, Denver Sells.

Sells is quickly making a name for himself in a serious of high profile fights. In March,Sells stopped Nate Etgeton in the first round. He followed that up with a fight of the year candidate at Cage Champs 43 that saw Sells and Daniel Schaab battling to a decision, with Schaab winning by the narrowest of margins. Sells returned at Cage Champs 44 to defeat Kelly Burch in a match that highlighted the every evolving striking of Sells.

Geringer, out of Berger's MMA, seemingly wanted to avoid the range advantage of Sells and tried to keep the fight in the clinch for most of the fight. Sells avoided the multiple takedowns attempts from Geringer and worked his dirty boxing through the first round.

Geringer eventually got the fight to the ground in round but was unable to take advantage. In the third Sells came out hot throwing a flurry of strikes that hurt Geringer. Sells landed a trip to get Geringer to the mat, jumped on his back and secured the rear naked choke much to the delight of the fans.

The win improved Sells to 3-1 in 2013. Major credit to Geringer who fought valiantly against a much bigger fighter on almost no notice.

Bradley "Broccoli" Wells and Derric Lough fought an entertaining affair with both fighters showing off their arsenal of kicks in the first round before taking the fight to the ground. Wells nearly finished the fight in the third with an inverted triangle, but his opponent Lough managed to survive to send the fight to the judges. Lough got the edge on the scorecards winning by split decision.

Fred "The Demon" Freeman unleashed an arsenal of strikes stopping Justin Yacko early in the first. Derek Clardy stopped Greg Freeman in the first via TKO making the team from Modern Combat Systems 2-0 on the night.

Kory Johnson and Matthew Nall battled to the evening's third split decision in an entertaining fight. Johnson worked the armbar early but was unable to finish. Nall spent time on top in the third giving him the lead in points and ultimately the victory.

Chad Carter defeated Stephen Burpee in a very exciting fight that saw both unafraid to exchange. Carter landed a pair of big slams to highlight the first round. In the second Carter from Berger's MMA landed the takedown and finished with the armbar.

Auston Sutton from the Smith Pit defeated Joseph Everhart in round one via TKO. In a battle of seasoned competitors, "Old School" Craig Dalton got the best of Bart Nelson with an arm triangle in the first.

Stephen Turner wins the KO of the night when he stopped Roy Cain early in the first with a brutal knockout resulting from a slam.

Theo Greenidge and Greg Redding started things off with Redding unable to answer the bell in the second round giving Greenidge the victory