There is something to be said about a fighting promotion giving professional mixed martial arts combatants a chance to resurrect their careers, including a onetime prominent champion who just turned 50 and hadn’t fought in four years, another with a past history of biting and scratching opponents and punching a referee, a third who participated in a male porno movies well back in his past even though he is straight, and some noteworthy women just looking for some quality opponents.
The Resurrection Fighting Alliance is a promotion that has been created for the individuals looking for a second, third or any other number of chances to find their way back into the limelight, get discovered by a more prominent promotion or simply to keep doing what they love.
The RFA had its second-ever card Friday night in Kearney, Neb., at the 4,500-seat Viaero Event Center, which was also the site of the inaugural card back in December. Those in attendance were treated to a whopping 19 fights, including a few of the amateur variety, while the final 12 fights, all of them professional, were streamed live on Sherdog and ran for almost four hours. It was like watching a minor-league baseball or hockey game, featuring a collection of veterans whose best days had passed and some up-and-comers.
Maurice Smith, the UFC champion back in the days when it had everything-goes rules, returned to the cage for the first time in four years and at the ripe old age of 50. He scored a knockout victory at 2:05 in the third and final round with a kick to the head of Jorge Cordoba, a real-life Rocky.
Cordoba, who at 5-foot-9 gave away four inches in height to Smith and considerable experience, basically looked like target practice for most of the fight with his hands held low and his feet stationary. While certainly game -- prior to the third round he stood up and smiled as if he had been proud just to make it that far in the fight -- Cordoba started flinching in the second round at the mere threat of a strike. Cordoba’s face had been cut up badly from numerous blows, and he had been backtracking near the fence prior to the decisive blow that put him to sleep.
Fighting for the first time at 205, Smith showed he still had back class -- to use a horse-racing term -- but it’s not like he faced anyone of importance. Cordoba called the fight a chance of a lifetime, but judging from the reaction of the amped-up announcers you would have sworn that Smith had just beaten Jon Jones for the UFC light-heavyweight title.
It would be foolish to think Smith deserves another shot in the UFC. His day has come and gone, but maybe there should be a "Legends Division" for the fighters who simply can’t compete at the elite level but still have value. Maybe that’s what the RFA is creating.
The main event featured another light-heavyweight tilt, this one between Gilbert Yvel and Houston Alexander, both of whom had stints in the UFC. Yvel’s history includes punching and kicking a referee during a fight, biting an opponent and thumbing another in the eye. But after knocking out Alexander with a straight right at 3:59 of the first round, Yvel bowed to his opponent and showed class by sitting beside him while medical staff administered help. Presumably he knows the RFA is his last chance to redeem himself.
Maybe that’s what makes the RFA so unique -- at least different from the various other fight promotions. It is for fighters who want or need a second or third chance for whatever reason. Dakota Cochrane, who had recently tried out for The Ultimate Fighter 15 but was defeated in his first fight, once participated in gay pornography because he had fallen on tough financial times. It is something he is trying to put behind him, but it was mentioned before his TUF debut and during his latest fight, which he lost.
The card also featured two veteran women with significant backgrounds: newly-signed Tara LaRosa, looking to find opponents to fight at the 125-pound level, which is lacking talent; and Elaina Maxwell, a 145-pounder without many that match her class. Her only worthy competitor may be Cris (Cyborg) Santos, currently sitting out a one-year suspension that started last December for testing positive for a steroid following her third defence of her Strikeforce bantamweight title.
It wouldn’t be surprising if somewhere down the line Cyborg surfaces in the RFA. She certainly needs a way to resurrect her career.
The Resurrection Fighting Alliance is a promotion that has been created for the individuals looking for a second, third or any other number of chances to find their way back into the limelight, get discovered by a more prominent promotion or simply to keep doing what they love.
The RFA had its second-ever card Friday night in Kearney, Neb., at the 4,500-seat Viaero Event Center, which was also the site of the inaugural card back in December. Those in attendance were treated to a whopping 19 fights, including a few of the amateur variety, while the final 12 fights, all of them professional, were streamed live on Sherdog and ran for almost four hours. It was like watching a minor-league baseball or hockey game, featuring a collection of veterans whose best days had passed and some up-and-comers.
Maurice Smith, the UFC champion back in the days when it had everything-goes rules, returned to the cage for the first time in four years and at the ripe old age of 50. He scored a knockout victory at 2:05 in the third and final round with a kick to the head of Jorge Cordoba, a real-life Rocky.
Cordoba, who at 5-foot-9 gave away four inches in height to Smith and considerable experience, basically looked like target practice for most of the fight with his hands held low and his feet stationary. While certainly game -- prior to the third round he stood up and smiled as if he had been proud just to make it that far in the fight -- Cordoba started flinching in the second round at the mere threat of a strike. Cordoba’s face had been cut up badly from numerous blows, and he had been backtracking near the fence prior to the decisive blow that put him to sleep.
Fighting for the first time at 205, Smith showed he still had back class -- to use a horse-racing term -- but it’s not like he faced anyone of importance. Cordoba called the fight a chance of a lifetime, but judging from the reaction of the amped-up announcers you would have sworn that Smith had just beaten Jon Jones for the UFC light-heavyweight title.
It would be foolish to think Smith deserves another shot in the UFC. His day has come and gone, but maybe there should be a "Legends Division" for the fighters who simply can’t compete at the elite level but still have value. Maybe that’s what the RFA is creating.
The main event featured another light-heavyweight tilt, this one between Gilbert Yvel and Houston Alexander, both of whom had stints in the UFC. Yvel’s history includes punching and kicking a referee during a fight, biting an opponent and thumbing another in the eye. But after knocking out Alexander with a straight right at 3:59 of the first round, Yvel bowed to his opponent and showed class by sitting beside him while medical staff administered help. Presumably he knows the RFA is his last chance to redeem himself.
Maybe that’s what makes the RFA so unique -- at least different from the various other fight promotions. It is for fighters who want or need a second or third chance for whatever reason. Dakota Cochrane, who had recently tried out for The Ultimate Fighter 15 but was defeated in his first fight, once participated in gay pornography because he had fallen on tough financial times. It is something he is trying to put behind him, but it was mentioned before his TUF debut and during his latest fight, which he lost.
The card also featured two veteran women with significant backgrounds: newly-signed Tara LaRosa, looking to find opponents to fight at the 125-pound level, which is lacking talent; and Elaina Maxwell, a 145-pounder without many that match her class. Her only worthy competitor may be Cris (Cyborg) Santos, currently sitting out a one-year suspension that started last December for testing positive for a steroid following her third defence of her Strikeforce bantamweight title.
It wouldn’t be surprising if somewhere down the line Cyborg surfaces in the RFA. She certainly needs a way to resurrect her career.
There is something to be said about a fighting promotion giving professional mixed martial arts combatants a chance to resurrect their careers, including a onetime prominent champion who just turned 50 and hadn’t fought in four years, another with a past history of biting and scratching opponents and punching a referee, a third who participated in a male porno movies well back in his past even though he is straight, and some noteworthy women just looking for some quality opponents.
The Resurrection Fighting Alliance is a promotion that has been created for the individuals looking for a second, third or any other number of chances to find their way back into the limelight, get discovered by a more prominent promotion or simply to keep doing what they love.
The RFA had its second-ever card Friday night in Kearney, Neb., at the 4,500-seat Viaero Event Center, which was also the site of the inaugural card back in December. Those in attendance were treated to a whopping 19 fights, including a few of the amateur variety, while the final 12 fights, all of them professional, were streamed live on Sherdog and ran for almost four hours. It was like watching a minor-league baseball or hockey game, featuring a collection of veterans whose best days had passed and some up-and-comers.
Maurice Smith, the UFC champion back in the days when it had everything-goes rules, returned to the cage for the first time in four years and at the ripe old age of 50. He scored a knockout victory at 2:05 in the third and final round with a kick to the head of Jorge Cordoba, a real-life Rocky.
Cordoba, who at 5-foot-9 gave away four inches in height to Smith and considerable experience, basically looked like target practice for most of the fight with his hands held low and his feet stationary. While certainly game -- prior to the third round he stood up and smiled as if he had been proud just to make it that far in the fight -- Cordoba started flinching in the second round at the mere threat of a strike. Cordoba’s face had been cut up badly from numerous blows, and he had been backtracking near the fence prior to the decisive blow that put him to sleep.
Fighting for the first time at 205, Smith showed he still had back class -- to use a horse-racing term -- but it’s not like he faced anyone of importance. Cordoba called the fight a chance of a lifetime, but judging from the reaction of the amped-up announcers you would have sworn that Smith had just beaten Jon Jones for the UFC light-heavyweight title.
It would be foolish to think Smith deserves another shot in the UFC. His day has come and gone, but maybe there should be a "Legends Division" for the fighters who simply can’t compete at the elite level but still have value. Maybe that’s what the RFA is creating.
The main event featured another light-heavyweight tilt, this one between Gilbert Yvel and Houston Alexander, both of whom had stints in the UFC. Yvel’s history includes punching and kicking a referee during a fight, biting an opponent and thumbing another in the eye. But after knocking out Alexander with a straight right at 3:59 of the first round, Yvel bowed to his opponent and showed class by sitting beside him while medical staff administered help. Presumably he knows the RFA is his last chance to redeem himself.
Maybe that’s what makes the RFA so unique -- at least different from the various other fight promotions. It is for fighters who want or need a second or third chance for whatever reason. Dakota Cochrane, who had recently tried out for The Ultimate Fighter 15 but was defeated in his first fight, once participated in gay pornography because he had fallen on tough financial times. It is something he is trying to put behind him, but it was mentioned before his TUF debut and during his latest fight, which he lost.
The card also featured two veteran women with significant backgrounds: newly-signed Tara LaRosa, looking to find opponents to fight at the 125-pound level, which is lacking talent; and Elaina Maxwell, a 145-pounder without many that match her class. Her only worthy competitor may be Cris (Cyborg) Santos, currently sitting out a one-year suspension that started last December for testing positive for a steroid following her third defence of her Strikeforce bantamweight title.
Lefko on MMA: A Chance at Redeptionl/
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