WSOF 4 Results and Analysis: Marlon Moraes Impresses
Another strong installment of WSOF made MMA fans Saturday night, and hopefully yours as well. There were some great new faces to the sport as well as familiar combatants from multiple generations, with the matchmaking to put everyone together and allow them to shine. Let’s look at how the night played out and what we learned from everyone’s performance.
Tyson Griffin vs. Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante:
A stellar pairing of familiar faces to start off the night, Griffin and Cavalcante clashed in a heated affair. This one primarily played out standing, with both men having their moments in the first round, but JZ soon found that Griffin had nothing to hurt him striking and started stalking rather than sparring. Having roughed Griffin up in the second and possibly hurting his right hand, JZ opted for the takedown to start the 3rd, where he eventually forced a ref stoppage due to ground and pound from back control.
The Analysis: Both have some serious miles on the meter at this point, but Griffin seems to be showing it more than JZ at this point. Looking soft around the middle and losing steam late, Griffin looked both undersized and undertrained for this one, and will need to seriously refocus if he’s looking to remain relevant. JZ has traded some ferocity for patience which seems to suit him well enough, though his defense isn’t tight enough to be a slow starter. It’s hard to argue with his powerful striking and heavy top game however, and considering the amount of talent WSOF is picking up at Lightweight, he should stay fairly busy here.
Ray Sefo vs. Dave Huckaba:
A fun fight between two heavies in the twilight of their careers, Sefo and Huckaba showed even the big guys are good for some quality action. Sefo landed horrific leg kicks and monster punches in the pocket, giving Huckaba fits early as he tried to work from the outside with little effect. Huckaba couldn’t find the takedown, but oddly didn’t need it after a missed attack by Sefo. Coming in off the back of a spinning heel kick by Sefo, Huckaba landed a crushing left hook that wobbled Sefo badly, and Huckaba never let up the pressure. Landing every left and right he threw, Huckaba backed an injured Sefo into the cage and forced a stoppage due to the ferocity of the volley, giving Huckaba a hard-won TKO in the 2nd.
The Analysis: Both guys move very well for being in or around forty years old. Sefo still has insane power and fluidity in his striking, and also displayed some reflexes in terms of takedown defense and counter striking. He’ll chew up lesser heavyweights, but won’t make it far, even when he’s his own matchmaker. Huckaba has some nice movement and strike selection for an older fighter, as well as being able to take a hell of a punch. Huckaba has an outside shot against anyone that can’t take him down, but is too limited to be a threat to most top level heavies.
Nick Newell vs. Keon Caldwell:
The big debut of Nick Newell went off with a few hitches, as he faced TUF washout Keon Caldwell. Both men came out hard, with Newell working a series of kick attacks and his unique wrestling game, while Caldwell showed off some serious athleticism and avoided the majority of his opponent’s offense. Caldwell landed a few shots but couldn’t keep off his back against Newell, finding himself locked into a modified guillotine that forced him to tap to the undefeated fighter.
The Analysis: I practically wrote the book on Nick Newell and this fight didn’t show anything new. He’s a dangerous opponent early because you can’t train for him, but a fighter aware of his limitations can make an easy night of it, especially as the fight goes on. Caldwell looks to be a decent fighter, but taking a fight like this makes me think he’s around for a pay check rather than a real career. Newell will have a hard time finding another win in WSOF if they match him reasonably, while Caldwell could have a strong career if he put some more time into the gym.
Marlon Moraes vs. Brandon Hempleman:
A clear fight of the night, Moraes showed his unparalleled technique while Hempleman showed the heart of a lion. Firing off fast kicks and ill-intentioned punches right off the bat, both men started to score, but Moraes drew first blood with a punch the opened Hempleman’s forehead wide open. Another would drop him in the first round, but Moraes was unable to finish and Hempleman would literally limp into the second round. Despite being battered from bell to bell, Hempleman kept looking for the win with low percentage attacks from flying elbows to Imanari style rolling leglock attacks. Three rounds came and went with Moraes picking Hempleman apart systematically and scoring another impressive win under the WSOF banner.
The Analysis: Moraes is a legitimate terror that won’t be in WSOF for long if UFC has anything to say about it. His tight defense and murderous counter striking are his best attributes, but he has all the building blocks to be great in all areas of the fight game. Hempleman impressed the hell out of me, and if anything, actually has a better upside than Moraes. His balance and guts were both on display here, and he has several qualities of a natural fighter, but needs a bit of polish. A bit of offensive wrestling and some better combination work would make Hempleman a terror at Bantamweight and I’m looking forward to seeing him grow in this sport.
Tyrone Spong vs. Angel DeAnda:
A fight many figured would be over quick, and one that DeAnda will wish had been quick in the morning. DeAnda came out with zero fear of his opponent, working his looping punches that found the mark more than a few times early. Spong figured out his opponent’s range quickly though, keeping on the outside and systematically crushing his legs with his muay thai hardened shins, knocking DeAnda’s base to pieces within minutes. Continuously coming forward, DeAnda came up short for the final two rounds as Spong slipped shots and landed his own, simply outclassing DeAnda but never being able to put him away.
The Analysis: Spong looked decent here against a hand-picked opponent, though he ate far too many shots to be comfortable with his performance. While he made it through this fight, DeAnda isn’t a power puncher and the wrong opponent could have derailed Spong’s train in his second fight. DeAnda put forth an outstanding effort considering the opposition, but is in dire need of a weight class change. A decent diet and small weight cut would put him at Middleweight, where few men could hope to hurt him and his punches would have greater effect.
Category: Featured, MMA, Results, World Series of Fighting
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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