MMA
Hits Meadowbrook
Generally known as a premiere concert venue, Meadowbrook Music Theatre played host on Saturday to its first-ever mixed-martial arts (MMA) caged fight. Joseph Donofrio of Donofrio Entertainment, the promoter for the event, last year promoted the first-ever Pro-Am boxing show at the outdoor venue, located on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester Hills. The evening’s 11-amateur bouts – professional MMA events are not yet legal in Michigan, despite legislation that approved them more than six months ago – were mostly exciting and well received by the crowd. Four fewer bouts took place than expected and the heavyweight match between Brenden Murphy and A.J. Huron was a sleeper, which the crowd correctly showed their disdain by booing loudly, but Donofrio’s third foray into caged fighting appeared well received. The ringside physician rushed into the cage in the third fight to care for a downed Ian Lobdell after the referee stopped his contest with Jerry North in the first round. The doctor made his second appearance in the fifth fight as well after heavyweight Taron Brown choked out his opponent, Cory Farmer, at just :17 in the first round, after lifting his opponent off his feet from behind in a tremendous show of strength. Unarmed Combat Commission chair Al Low was in attendance as were boxing notables Mary Jo Sanders (with trainer Jimmy Mallo) and Emanuel Steward. Boxing referee Frank Garza served as one of the judges. Results: Cory Krings
over Josh Colquite by submission. Lightweight
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