Full House with a Full Card Equals Happy Fans
Posted on May 14, 2013
Story and photos by Sandy Hackenmueller
It was beautiful outside Friday night, but the Broad Street Ballroom was packed to the gills nonetheless. Once again, FNFMT served up some of the best matched bouts the city could handle.
A full night was scheduled with 11 fights on the card. Top notch matchmaker Eddie Marini put together fights so evenly matched that eight of them went the distance. The judges had a busy night, delivering decisions that had many people cheering and some shaking their heads.
The first fight of the night ended with a knockout, however. Early fights in an event are usually reserved for amateur bouts that are focused on gaining experience. But the fight between James Guccione and Giuseppe Lacolla looked like anything but!
The pace was fast and the strikes were faster. A very early knockdown by Guccione, followed not too long after by another, had Lacolla looking like this fight might be short after all. Indeed it was, but in Lacolla’s favor, via knockout in the second round. This fight had fans talking “fight of the night” before the fighters were even out of the ring.
Another unique fight of the night was between amateur fighters Allan Stoffel and Missael Sanchez. Both had previously only one fight under their belts…and it was against each other. In an unusual move, their second Muay Thai fight was a rematch. Three rounds in the ring of hard work and dedication, and the decision went the same direction it went the first time – in Sanchez’s favor.
In a highly anticipated New York vs New York battle, Adam Blair Pryde and Srijan Munier doled out a fierce competition. The fight went the distance and it appeared throughout that Srijan was delivering the most punishment. However, Srijan received an accidental headbutt in the final round, which seemed to slow him down. The house was almost brought down by cheers and jeers when the split decision went Pryde’s direction.
The main event was a Full Rules Muay Thai bout. Seasoned fighter Harris Norwood took on Aaron Fisher in the welterweight division. Norwood boasts an impressive 33-11 record, 15 of them by knockout. Fisher holds a record of 7-2, with four of them by knockout – known as a solid fighter with 14 years of fighting and training experience.
The crowd was ready for anything as their hometown fighter Fisher went up against Norwood, known for his unorthodox fighting style. He is an elusive fighter, but Fisher kept pushing the pace under chants from his fans. Neither fighter was able to end this match up with the coveted knockout, and in the end the unanimous decision went to Fisher.
Full Rules Muay Thai is the newest feature to hit the fight scene in NYC this year. But Friday Night Fights isn’t about to stop there…this Friday night, look for MMA to break onto the scene at Terminal 5! Tickets available online now. BE THERE!
Fight to Finish 