Shamrock FC: Fuel - Preview

Four times a year, Shamrock FC visits the River City Casino in St. Louis' south county and each time it brings a little something special.

This venue played host to last year's fight of the year between Lucas Gwaltney and Adam Cella, was home to the pro debut of Joaquin Buckley, and many a show-stopping knock out.

On Saturday, September 11th SFC returns with a card headlined by two title fights with Bellator contracts on the line. The event will also feature a rematch of two 4-0 pros with plenty of history between the two.

For the SFC bantamweight championship, Jordan Howard (read more HERE) will return the River City Casino main card. Howard will face Illinois' Daniel Aguirre (9-3). Aguirre has a sound ground game, earning six submission wins.

Two hard-hitting females will take part in the main event. For the SFC Women's Featherweight championship and a Bellator contract

Pacific's Beckie Gullet (4-1) will be going for her third win in 2015. She has all of her career wins via TKO. Gullet will face vs Alice Yauger a pro boxer who has made the switch to MMA.

Undefeated pros Joaquin Buckley and Kyle Kurtz will square off with someone losing the "0" in their record and the other taking a big step forward towards bigger opportunities.

Buckley defeated Kurtz with a decision loss a year-and-a-half ago when the two were amateurs. The loss left a bitter taste in the mouth of Kurtz and he's wanted a second chance against Buckley ever since. After their fight, Kurtz would go on to win seven of his next nine fights, including his first four pro fights. Kurtz surprised many recently in a fight on June's Bellator 138 card at the Scottrade Center taking out Buckley's teammate Adam Cella. After falling behind in the first round and most of the second, Kurtz scored a come-from-behind, armbar victory in what was easily the biggest stage he's ever fought on.

Buckley appears hungry to put Kurtz away again having already begun a verbal assault on social media. Buckley is a special talent with incredible athleticism and impressive maturity in the cage for someone that just recently reached drinking age.

Kurtz is resilient and tricky with an ever-improving jiu-jitsu game. If he can get Buckley to the ground he will have a shot at the submission win. While his striking isn't as sharp as Cella's, Buckley will have an edge in the stand-up and has proven he's hard to take down Kurtz continues to improve, and this is a much different fighter than when Buckley saw him last. This has plenty on the line and should make for a great contest.

Jordan Dowdy is looking to improve to 3-0 when he takes on submission specialist Mike Gaston from Pedigo Submission Fighting. Gaston won his pro debut in June at River City as he faces a well-rounded Dowdy who seems to improve with every outing.

Gaston is short and stocky at 170 and will have a serious strength advantage over Dowdy who is the quicker and more seasoned in the MMA game. This should be an interesting clash of styles.

With two fighters making their promotional debuts for Shamrock FC, Yohance Flager and Jason Powell will tangle in a fight between two seasoned vets. Powell has been fighting for nearly as along as Flager and it's just now that the two have finally crossed paths. Powell is strong with great technical stand-up whereas Flager is elusive and has tricky submissions.

What better way to mark his return to action than on a big show, Kevin Hahn will lace up the gloves for another go. Hahn will take on multiple Shamrock FC vet Mark Godecker in a battle of two heavyweights. This will no inevitably get the crowd going to kick off the card.

On the amateur side watch out for Cort Wahle and Jonny Cox for the Shamrock FC amateur featherweight title. Wahle is a blue-chip prospect and ever improving under the guidance of MMA guru Jon Menke. He will take on Cox, a rugged Muay Thai fighter.

Also after a SFC amateur belt is Jason Christeson a powerful wrestler who has finished his last two opponents in just under 2 minutes of total cage time. Christeson will take on the former competitive gymnast turned fighter Shaun Scott out of North Broadway BJJ.

Jordan Howard vs Danny Aguirre
(135 title and Bellator Contract)

Beckie Gullet vs Alice Yauger
(125 Title and Bellator Contract)

Joaquin Buckley vs Kyle Kurtz
Jordan Dowdy vs Mike Gaston
Yohance Flager vs Jason Powell
Mark Godecker vs Kevin Hahn

Jason Christeson vs Shaun Scott (185 Title)
Garrett wells vs Montrel James (155 Title)
Cort Wahle vs Jonny Cox (145 Title)
Rachel Stockham vs Jessica Middleton (135 Title)
Patrick Sparks vs Jake Willyard
Lee Burns vs Dusty Chandler
Matt Ray vs Zach Burcham

Shamrock FC: Fuel
Saturday, September 11th
River City Casino - St. Louis, MO

Photo courtesy of Jimmy Range Photography