Rumble Time: Rage - preview

Rumble Time returns on January 16th with a card stacked with some of the area's best prospects.

Undefeated Jake Roberts headlines the card and faces his toughest test to date in the form of Mike Sanchez out of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Roberts (2-0) has torn through the local amateur ranks before turning last spring. He's shown no signs of slowing down to kick off his professional record with two first round stoppages.

Fighting out of St. Charles MMA, Roberts has submitted every fighter he has faced, but don't think he is just a tap out specialist, he qualified for the National Golden Gloves tournament a year ago.

Sanchez has 10 fights to his record, although different websites are reporting different numbers, different states have different guidelines for their reporting. While his record isn't necessarily spectacular, Sanchez has faced some tough opponents, and is fighting out of UFC heavyweight Ben Rothwell's gym.

Raymond Gray has become a bit of a mythical figure in the amateur welterweight ranks. He's long been considered one of the best and has amassed over 35 fights in his 6 year long amateur career. He has a hulking presence and smothering clench that has seen the 29 year old out wrestled his opponents to win his fair share of decisions.

Gray didn't pick an easy fight for his pro debut and will has his hands full when he steps into the cage with Adam Osmoe, someone who knows a little bit about wrestling himself having represented Rend Lake College's wrestling program. Osmoe went 4-0 as a amateur with some big victories to his credit including an impressive KO performance against Jason Slattery in May of 2012. Osmore has taken almost a year and a half off from fighting.

Roberts' teammate Travis Draper (1-0) will also be on the card, taking on Adrian Ortega (3-2) in an exciting clash of two explosive featherweights.

Draper impressed many in his return to MMA last summer with a newly lit fire, increased training regiment, and has added lethal punching combinations. Ortega has lights out power as evident of his 50 second KO of Patrick Hastings at XFO 49 in Chicago. This fight will down to who can land the first big shot and put their opponent on the run.

The reigning amateur Spire Heavyweight State Champ Nick Pohlmann will be making his professional debut. Pohlmann was near perfect as an amateur training under the tutelage of Patrick Smith. Pohlmann was instrumental in the training of UFC middleweight Jake Collier and brings a surprising submission game to his credit. His kimura's are nasty and if he gets mount, it's lights out for whomever he's fighting. Pohlmann's only blemish as an ammy was against Travis Edwards, whom he'd would later rectify with a victory in the state championship bout last summer.

Pohlmann takes on Derek Bohi (4-3) out of Kansas City. Bohi will look to rebound from a first round stoppage at Bellator 130 last October. The 6'4, 265 Bohi has never been outside of the first round

Aaron Highfill will look to return to his winning ways. The blue chip prospect out of Woodriver's War Room had a bit of a false start in his professional debut, getting TKO'd early in the first round. Highfill had a near spotless record as an amateur, only being stopped one time by Anthony Livingston in a fight that was eerily similar to his pro debut.

Highfill (0-1) will be taking on the always game Kyle Kurtz, fighting out of Berger's MMA. The two have battled before with Highfill getting his hand raised in the first encounter. Kurtz had Highfill in trouble in the first round of their fight, before Highfill recovered and would eventually TKO Kurtz with a wicked hammerfist. Kurtz has agreed to take on all comers and his record reads like a who's who of local fighters.

A full amateur undercard has yet to be announced.

Jake Roberts vs Mike Sanchez - Main Event
Adam Osmoe vs Raymond Gray
Travis Draper vs Adrian Ortega
Nick Pohlmann vs Derek Bohi
Aaron Highfill vs Kyle Kurtz
Ken Porter vs TBA

Undercard TBA

Rumble Time: Rage
Friday, January 16th
Ameristar Casino, St. Charles, MO