Nice guys finish last

Everyone I talked to over the past week told me Frank Latina is such a nice guy. I even knew this because I have known him - well known of him and seen him - for a long time.

Going into the fight John Franchi was the villian - a guy that had frustrated me during my interview of him on Tuesday night. I was frustrated because Franchi was a man of few words. He also was a tad bit irritating, the way he told me that he only trains and does not work.

Frank Latina has a full time job and works third shift. He sleeps during the day and trains during the night, then works while John Franchi is sleeping.

Latina deserved to win the fight, then again John Franchi never gave him the chance. The fight was one-sided for the 2 minutes and 19 seconds that it lasted.

I came out of this fight knowing one thing, that John Franchi is going to be a force in the 145 pound division. Last night, Franchi was fighting at 155 pounds, 10 pounds above his normal weight.

Brad Imes vs. Roy Nelson

This is the main event of the evening featuring Brad Imes vs. current IFL Heavyweight champion Roy Nelson.

Nelson is a very deceiving fighter as he appears 30 pounds over the weight, but he is supposed to be quick on his feet.

Imes was the runner up on season 2 of the Ultimate Figher . . . he is a Miletich fighter.

Imes is a former college football player who looks more like a member of a biker gang than a fighter. He is one intimidating guy at 6 foot 7. He enters the ring sporting a black cowboy hat, you got to love the Hillbilly Hearththrob. He is my pick to win thefight.

Nelson stuns Imes wiht a hard right sending Imes stumbling backwards. Imes looks visibly shaken and needs to take the fight to the ground.

Imes gets hit by three straight rights from Nelson. He nearly falls out of the ring at one point. This is a fight that you do not want to look away from. Nelson connects with another right. Not a good night so far for the Miletich fighters.

Nelson connects with a right Imes falls to the mat. Nelson gets on top and the fight is stopped via the referee.

Nelson retains his heavyweight belt via TKO in the first round.

Deividas Taurosevicius vs. Ryan Schultz

The attendance at the IFL Mohegan Sun event is 4530.

Deividas Taurosevicius vs. Ryan Schultz for the lightweight championship. Schultz is the current lightweight champion.

The fight starts off with both fighters trading punches in the stand up. Deividas misses a high leg kick which gets the crowd going.

Deividas lands knees to Schultz's inner thighs that looked like they did some damage. Early on Deividas seems to be winning this one. Round 1 would have to go to Deividas.

Deividas lands a strong left hand to open the round then gets Schultz to the head with a long leg kick.

Deividas controls the fight from the guard. He gets Schultz in a half triangle. Schultz lands some hard strikes while in the guard. The 2nd round is too close to call.

Schultz scores a nice takedown to start the 3rd round. Schultz gets Deividas in guillotine choke.

Schultz is dominating the ground game punishing Deividas with strikes. Round three goes to Schultz.

Deividas gets Schultz in a rm bar. It looks pretty tight. Schultz picks up Deividas and drops him escaping the arm bar attempt. He then punishes Deividas with strikes as the fight stays on the ground.

Schultz gets Deividas in the mount and lands some hard strikes . . . Deividas gets out. Schultz then gets Deivdias in a rear naked choke but can secure it before the round ends. Schultz takes round 4.

Schultz in control of the ground game again round 5. Deividas needs to do something quick to win the round.

The fighters receive a standing ovation. Schultz retains the title via a unanimous judges decision 38-37.

Dan Miller vs. Ryan McGivern

Dan Milller vs. Ryan McGivern in a middleweight championship bout.

McGivern is landing some shots on Dan Miller who is know more for his jui jitsu.

Miller lands a take down on McGivern a Miletich fighter. Miller gets McGivern into an ankle lock but McGivern escapes.

Dan Miller then gets McGivern in a kneebar. McGivern taps.

McGivern dominated the standup, once Miller scored the take down he controlled the fight.

Dan Miller wins and is the new IFL Middleweight Champion.

Danillo Villefort vs. Mike Massenzio

A middleweight bout (185 pounds) between Villefort (6-2) and Mike Massenzio (10-1).

Villefort has former Pride fighter Bustamante in his corner.

Villefort misses with a leg kick to start the fight. Villefort is more comfortable on the ground and will not leave the ground position. Massenzio looks more comfortable on his feet. Massenzio get out of Villefort's guard. Villefort then attempts a knee bar, which Massenzio escapes.

Villefort get Massenzio a knee bar and Massenzio taps out.

Josh Souder vs. Zach George

A Lightweight bout (155 pounds). Hopefully the Souder vs. George fight will be better than the Horwich vs. Guel fight.

The fighters trade blows early . . . Souder gets George in the corner after landing a hard right hand and pummels him with a series of strikes . . . the ref stops the fight. George is visually frustrated after the fight he hangs his head in the corner.

Joey Guel vs. Matt Horwich

HDNet is now broadcasting the fights live. This is the first of the live fights.

Horwich has a long unkempt mohawk with a beard. He does not look like a fighter he looks like he should be touring with Rancid. Both Fighers are wearing white Premier fighter shorts. The fight starts off with the crowd booing as not much is happening as the fighters are in the clinch standing up.

Horwich gets on top of Guel before the rounds end and lands a couple of strikes. The crowd boos.

In the second round Horwich connects with a high left leg kick. Still the fighters fight to a series of boos . . . One guy in the crowd yells "come on for christ sakes your on live tv do something."

Horwich scores a take down and once again starts hitting Guel with a series of weak strikes.

Horwich once again takes control of the third round. Horwich once again gets into top position and hits Guel with a series of weak strikes.

The crowd seems very unimpressed with the fight as Horwich is just doing what he has to do to win. Lackluster . . . the fight goes to the scorecards Horwich should win easily.

Horwich wins the fight unanimously via judge's scorecard 30 to 27.

IFL Mohegan Sun

In the 2nd fight Aaron Stark defeated Lamont Lister via judge's decision 30-27.

Third fight was the most exciting thus far as John Howard fought Nick Calandrino. Calandrino took the first round but the next two rounds were dominated by Howard who damaged Calandrino with strikes.

The fight was stopped in the third round after Calandrino was unable to defend against Howard's strikes. Calandrino was a bloody mess after the fight.

Latina falls to Franchi

Frank Latina entered the ring and was outmatched from the start against Franchi .
Early in the first round Latina gave his back to Franchi who immediately got Latina into a rear naked choke. Latina got out of the choke initially but Franchi still had his back. Franchi got Latina into his clasps and tightened his position. Latina tapped out.

Franchi wins via tap out 2:19 into the first round.

Bas Rutten

I am at the IFL event at the Mohegan Sun Arena covering the Frank Latina vs. John Franchi fight for insidectsports.com.

I met Bas Rutten which was really cool. Bas Rutten is probably my favorite person in MMA. He is a great announcer and he was also a great fighter. I really hope Bas Rutten fights again.

The fight is going to start in 10 minutes I am pretty pumped, hopefully I get a decent photo with my digital camera.

Frank Latina

I have recently been covering a local Connecticut fighter by the name of Frank 'El Soldato' Latina for his upcoming fight versus John Franchi in the International Fight League.

Latina is a guy that I met eight years ago at WOW Fitness in Middletown, Conn.

Frank and I later worked together at a residential program for at-risk youth in Cromwell, Conn.

He trains with Team Dog Pound Full Contact in Southington, Conn under his coach Elias Rivera.

Latina has also had some training sessions in Las Vegas with Xtreme Couture and former professional boxer John Scully in at LA Boxing in Glastonbury, Conn.

Some of Latina's favorite fighters are Randy Couture and Wanderlei Silva.

Latina will be fighting in the IFL event on May 16th at the Mohegan Sun.

His opponent, John Franchi fights out of Cortland, NY for Team Bomb Squad. Franchi is a dangerous opponent knocking out two out of his three opponents since he turned professional.

He has a background in wrestling, kickboxing, Jui Jitsu and boxing. Franchi's favorite fighter is BJ Penn.

For the story I wrote for insidectsports.com, I contacted Tamdan McRory a former member of Team Bomb Squad who now fights in the UFC. Tamdan reported to me that his UFC contract had been extended and he will be fighting later this summer. He could not name his opponent but he said to keep an eye out for it.

McRory said that he is friend of Franchi and the two used to train together.

"He has good stand up, he is an excellent wrester and he is slick off his back," McRory said. "He is a pretty well round fighter you know. He is not going to be a pushover for anybody that is for sure.”

A myspace video I found about Frank:

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=33082190