Top Five Worst Fighters in the Northeast
It takes a lot of guts to step into the ring or cage and test oneself in front of a crowd of strangers. However, it takes just one good look in the mirror to realize you’re not ready for that test, and through the years MMA Journalist has witnessed a select few wade into combat totally unprepared and get clobbered for their ignorance. Here’s a list of the top five worst Northeast fighters in no particular order (note: since the advent of amateur MMA in New Jersey in 2004, most people not ready for prime time get weeded out; sadly, the following had no such league to learn how much their karate sucked):
- Rob Copenhaver - Back in 2003, Copenhaver was the man if a promoter needed a fighter to fill a hole in the card, and no opponent ever complained. It’s hard to say what style Copenhaver represented, as he tended to get beaten up on the feet as much as on the ground. Yet one thing was certain: his full-length Lycra pants meant doom for anyone who dared oppose him. Okay, not really.
- Jon McCaffrey - Along with Bret Perchaluk (see below), McCaffrey has the dubious distinction of being the first mixed martial artist to be banned from pro competition for poor performance. The performance in question? A Ring of Combat 6 13-second TKO loss to Jordan Pergola that was embarrassing for Pergola, the referee, the commission, the fans and innocent bystanders driving by on the New Jersey Turnpike who had no idea why they suddenly felt sick to their stomachs.
- Bret Perchaluk - Granted, Perchaluk squared off against a very tough Jesse Moreng at ROC 6, but his bout last only 50 seconds - and it was so one-sided, even Moreng’s teammate Laura D’Auguste felt bad. Like McCaffrey, Perchaluk was then banned by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. However, from the looks of it, Perchaluk has since gone back to the drawing board and focused on training. If that’s the case, then credit goes to him for learning from his experience and striving to get better.
- Khristian Geraci - Supposedly, Geraci had boxed Golden Gloves and was dangerous with his hands. No one ever saw that, though, as he had very little ground game and kept losing. And losing. And losing. I think his record stands at 2-9-1 now, with his two wins coming via triangle choke after his opponents grew so overconfident they’d lit up pipes and casually starting smoking them from within his guard.
- Felix Rodriguez - A staple at Underground Combat League shows, Rodriguez is a tall and lanky lightweight who can be talked into getting into the ring with anyone. Miraculously, Rodriguez has never been killed, despite facing the likes of light-heavyweight Kaream Ellington and anyone else from any weight class looking to get an easy win.
Related posts:
- Department of Corrections: Bret Perchaluk Edition
- Bouts to Watch at Upcoming New Jersey Pro Shows
- Upcoming Northeast Bouts To Watch Out For
- A Piece of MMA History: Sportfighting’s "Bragging Rights"
- ROC 25 Shaping Up Nicely
Tags: jersey-turnpike, jordan, Rangers
