Shamrock FC 318 - Recap

Ty Flores was indomitable.

In the main event of Friday's Shamrock FC 318 at the River City Casino, Flores was on a slippery slope. Defeat appeared to be on the horizon.

Flores faced Nebraska's Erick Murray and from the onset, Murray, a Legacy Fighting Alliance veteran, was non-phased over Flores' four-fight win streak entering the night.

Murray hurt Flores early when he landed a head kick and a big knee from the clinch. Murray was savvy, finding his range, and getting takedown before welcoming Flores back to the feet. He continued to piece up Flores and Murray stuffed a takedown as the pair clinched along the fence. Flores punched his way inside but couldn't finish the takedown. Flores got it to the floor at the 90-second mark and landed some nice elbows.

In the second, Flores went straight to the pressure. He scooped up a takedown almost immediately. Murray laced up his guard before Flores made it to half guard and eventually passed into mount at 3:32. Murray tried to limit posture, but Flores brought the hammerfists and the fight was stopped at 3:07.

"I started off a little bit slow," Flores said. "In the second round, I started off a lot quicker. I hit him with something against the cage and I felt like it stunned him a little bit, so I went in for the takedown and that was all she wrote."

Flores improved to 7-2 while Murray fell to 5-3.

"I'm still pretty fresh," Flores said. "I'm going to get back into the gym, still grinding still working. I have some things to work on."

Flores wasn't the only headline grabber on the night. It was also announced that Shamrock FC signed a long-term contract with River City Casino to continue hosting events there. Also, in September, a main event between two local stalwarts, Sal Woods and Lucas Lopes, will take place. The two have over 70 pro fights between them.

Dustin Lampros continued to barn burn. Lampros improved to 4-0 when he defeated Konner Shewmaker (0-1) at bantamweight. The 19-year-old Shewmaker held on for as long as he could, but Lampros simply overwhelmed, winning by TKO at 1:54 in the first.

At middleweight, Shaun Scott and Derek Holly ended up in a rare majority draw.

In the first, after a feeling out process, Scott latched onto to Holly's neck. After a big slam by Holly, Scott didn't relinquish. Holly displayed nice submission defense and the fight got back to the feet with Scott still latched on. Back on the floor, the fight was stopped for an illegal knee, and Scott deducted a point, which in the end, proved to be the determining factor in the outcome. Scott did a nice job of dodging punches all round, making Holly miss several times.

As the two boxed their way through the early portion of the second round, Holly started to land. He pressed Scott against the fence. Scott landed some elbows before being taken down near the 2:30 mark. The fight was stood up at the 1:50 mark and Scott put on the pressure. Following an odd scramble, Scott peppered some punches on a turtled up Holly.

In under a minute into the third, Holly got a takedown and was tied up in Scott's guard. The two mixed and matched strikes before fight stood up near the 90-second mark. Went for a takedown, Scott nice sprawl. Tried to transition to the back, but Holly slowed the progress by latching onto his leg. Scott shoved his way into mount and reigned down punches and always the entertainer, paused to flex a bicep, before resuming the damage. Despite having just went to the physical limit after 15 minutes of fighting, Scott managed to pull off a signature backflip after the final bell sounded.

After three rounds of a little bit of everything, Dan Busch and Travon Crawford were spent. The two vets of the local scene mixed it up in the highlight fight of the night up to that point. When the scores were read, it was Busch who earned a 30-27, 29-28, 30-27 unanimous decision victory.

In the first, Busch had Crawford's back briefly off a scramble and after a re-start, landed some nice elbows along the cage. Bush circled to Crawford's back, feigned off a hip toss and landed some knees. Busch got the takedown at the 2:00 mark. Crawford made it to top position but stalled out in Busch's guard.

Busch continued to display heavy pressure in round two In a battle of attrition, Busch landed punches, knees, and elbows, all while keeping Crawford pressed against the fence. But Crawford got a sudden spark of life when, while on the feet, took Busch's back late. He scored a nice trip and sank in a worth choke, but Busch was able to hold off.

In the third , Busch got a takedown, delivered some strikes, took Crawford's back, but Crawford dumped him over and was in Busch's guard until the end of the round. Busch goes out with a bang improving to 3-1, in pre-fight interviews he's claimed this is his farewell appearance.

Derik Scott, a finalist on "The Titan Games" defeated Chicago's Calvin Glover in the first round. The 31-year-old Scott, a St. Louis native who now lives in California, showed poise after first body-slamming Glover to the floor. Scott (2-0) methodically worked his way to the back of a turtled up Glover, snuck in a hook and got a rear naked choke at one minute into the round. Both Derik and Shaun Scott celebrated the victory with simultaneous backflips inside the cage.

David Evans was successful in his highly-anticipated pro debut. Evans had put together an immensely successful amateur career on the national level. Evans faced Sergio Robles on Friday night and started the fight boxing his way inside, smothering Robles against the cage before getting the takedown. From half-guard, Evans cinched up Robles' neck, passed guard, and got the head-and-arm choke at 1:45 in the round. Robles dropped to 0-3.

SFC: 318 had an 11-fight undercard, eight of which went the distance.

Max Choriev defeated Peter Keepers by unanimous decision to win the SFC interim 185-pound title. Choriev looked as polished and as powerful as ever in putting the wear and tear on Keepers. A hand injury in the second slowed Choriev, but he still had enough to see it through to the end and find victory.

Ifran Mulabinovic showed a slick submission game in getting a first-round win over Tim Eschenfelder at 1:06 via triangle.

Super heavyweights Austin Blau and Vince Bantu lumbered through three rounds of kickboxing with Bantu getting the better in a unanimous decision win.

Tristan Overig scored a nice armbar submission in the second round over Farmington's Scott Marler. Overig looked in control through the first and early in the second. Marler scored a nice sweep to change momentum midway through the second but Overig transitioned nicely into the finish.

A snafu at the end of the Chuckie Brooks and Jason Brown kickboxing match left the fans scratching their heads. Brooks was announced as the winner by decision and as the fighters were walking out of the cage and post-fight pics were snapped, it was announced that Brown was the winner by unanimous decision, 29-28.

Shanon Robinson was on the wrong end of several long punches from Karen Simoncelli before pulling off a nice submission victory in the first round.

Two youngsters, 22-year-old Tyler Horton, and 19-year-old Bruce Ha met in a kickboxing bout with Ha coming out as the winner via decision.

Kenan Kapic landed a thunderous kick in the first round to finish Dalton Seafler. Kapic already had Seafler over-matched before connecting with a blistering KO kick to the head at the 1:45 mark.

Melissa Lorber threw punches in bunches in getting a unanimous decision win over Liz Goodman in a kickboxing bout.

Peter Lucitt picked up a unanimous decision win over Chris Lorenzo. Lucitt parlayed his slick grappling into a strong first round, where he maintained top and dominant position off a nice ankle pick. In the second round, Lorenzo fired off a nice uppercut before Lucitt nailed the takedown. Lorenzo went for a quick armbar that was defended well and Lucitt grounded out the round inside guard, with the fight being stood up at the 21-second mark. In the third, Lorenzo failed to solve the grappling puzzle and neither were sniffing for submissions and Lucitt went on to victory.

To kick off the undercard, David Frasier won by a unanimous decision over Tyree Davis.

Shamrock FC returns next month to Kansas City with SFC: 319 on June 8 and then off to St. Charles in July. Stay tuned for previews for these and other fights.

Photo courtesy of Mike Hume Photography