Winter doldrums give way to violent delights on Wednesday, as the AFC returns from it's all too long winter sabbatical. The promotion comes out guns blazing, too, with two title fights set for the Main and Co-Main event. Newly christened InvictaFC bantamweight titlist Lauren Murphy will be slumming it around her former promotion as well, signing autographs and letting the unwashed hoard look at her shiny new World Championship belt. I'll be at the front of the line! Murphy's appearance actually marks a major milestone for the AFC and, more generally, Alaskan MMA as a whole. Murphy is the first Alaskan to win a championship belt for a major, top-shelf promotion. Coming back and touching base with her roots is terrifically exciting, and reminds us all that the Last Frontier, our home, is capable of producing elite-level martial artists. Hasten quickly now, let us break down the fights!
INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Cannonier vs. Lopez
After his shocking knockout of Brian Ryan last year, heavyweight champ Bryc Palmer's stock was high. I, for one, could not wait to see what he would follow up such a spectacular upset with. The clear-cut #1 contender was undefeated Jared 'The Killa Gorilla' Cannonier, Gracie Barra's patiently explosive monster, and the inaugural AK Tuesday Night Fights champion out in Wasilla.
Sadly, the oft-injured Palmer had to pull out of his first defense only a few weeks before fight night. His injury looks to have him sidelined for a while, so the AFC brass decided to put an interim belt on the line.
Challenging Cannonier is a familiar face to AFC fans: journeyman Tony 'Kryptonite' Lopez. Lopez has held belts at three weight classes for King of the Cage, a larger promotion in the Lower 48. The 40 year old Californian holds a 1-1 record in the AFC, catching Brian Ryan in a surprise armbar in 2011, and submitting to Ricky Shivers three months later. While the wily veteran is no doubt winding down his accomplished career, which has included everything except a UFC appearance, he still has gas in the tank and tricks up his sleeve. He has a dozen knockout victories and seventeen more by way of submission.
Local fighter Cannonier is playing the young lion to Lopez's old one. He's a perfect 6-0, all stoppages, and all but one in the first round. He's bested highly touted locals Josh Ofiu and Stephen Waalkes, though not at their peak. Lopez is unquestionably his biggest challenge to date.
"The Killa Gorilla" combines a lethal combination of raw power and cage smarts. While most fighters spend their first few matches learning how to iron out their jitters and keep a level head during the inevitable adrenaline rush, Cannonier as always seemed cool as a cucumber. I don't anticipate him making any foolish mistakes or mental errors in the fight. He will look to calmly stalk his prey and over-power him in close.
Lopez has a huge height and reach advantage. If he plays it smart, he will use jabs and kicks to keep Cannonier out of range. If Cannonier does manage to put him on the ground, Lopez can uncork his slick submission skills he demonstrated against Brian Ryan. He's a tricky riddle to solve, for any fighter.
Perhaps I'm showing hometown favoritism, but I think that Cannonier has the answer to that riddle. He is a compact and powerful heavyweight, with a noticeable weight advantage. You can bet most of that weight is muscle, too. Lopez, meanwhile, is a natural light heavyweight. Most of Lopez's defeats have come by way of decision, which I read to mean he can be held down and bullied by a bigger, stronger wrestler.
Lopez will get his licks in at the beginning of each round, but eventually Cannonier will drag him to the mat and make it dirty. Carefully defending submissions, Cannonier will wear at Lopez with ground'n'pound, getting the TKO in the third round.
BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Eastlick vs. Snow
Anchorage's Zach 'Baby Bear' Eastlick takes on Fairbanks' Darren 'Death Row' Snow in the latest chapter of the rivalry between Alaska's two biggest cities.
Eastlick has been untouchable since earning the belt in 2012. For ten straight rounds he used footwork and combinations to out-box Kyle George and Frank Watts. Like a fuzzy bumblebee, he darts around the cage, utilizing superb in-and-out movement and a bottomless well of stamina. Even if an opponent manages to get his arms around the champion, Eastlick's wrestling base gives him phenomenal takedown defense.
Snow, meanwhile, is coming into this bout on a bit of a down note. Taking a stay-busy fight a weight class above his natural 135 pounds, he dropped a bitter unanimous decision to Juneau's Christian Rotola in November. Snow has a wrestling base as well, but he was controlled for the majority of three rounds just two months ago. Snow has a solid skillset, but he'll need to show more if he wants to topple the AFC bantamweight king.
Snow will bring his awesome nickname (I had to mention it) and try to impose his will. He fights best when he can be a bully. This will prove supremely difficult against a fighter as squirrely and technical as Eastlick. 'The Cub of Chaos' will dodge takedown attempts and counter with volume strikes, roughing up Snow for all five rounds en route to another unanimous decision.
AFC 104 is set to go down at 7:30pm on Wednesday, January 22, at the Sullivan Arena!
Sam Dunham
Anchorage Daily News Bloggers