SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
March - 2015
7
OLD SCHOOL MEETS NEW SCHOOL
AS DON FRYE ATTENDS WFFMMA
Article By: Todd Jackson
For many fight fans in Tucson
Arizona it has been far too
long since The World Fighting
Federation set up shop and
brought a venue to its knees.
As it turns out the wait was
well worth it as the staff of the
WFF returned to T-Town in style
Saturday night and reminded
local MMA fanatics exactly
what they had been missing.
Putting on their first event in
Tucson since last year, a card
stacked with talent was as en-
tertaining as it was explosive.
As they often do Thom Ortiz,
Brandy Pierce, and the athletes
they feature lived up to if not
exceeded expectations for a
packed house that deafened
the ears on more than one oc-
casion.
Sitting cageside and commen-
tating for the WFF was none
other than living MMA legend-
ary icon Don The Predator Frye.
His presence added to an al-
ready electric environment that
only a Tucson MMA crowd can
bring. The athletes competing
really rose to the occasion of
fighting in front of a man who
defined mixed martial arts long
before it was mixed martial
arts.
Serving as the spark plug for a
volatile show Kyler Phillips of
The MMA Lab dominated his
way to an armbar opportunity
in the second round of the first
fight of the evening. Leo Tena
showed heart but was unable
to answer the attack of the
very composed and technical
Phillips.
Later a unique story line un-
folded. As mentioned before
Don Frye was sitting cageside
enjoying the competition. His
MMA fame started as an open
weight tournament competitor
fighting as a firefighter out of
Sierra Vista Arizona on Febru-
ary 16 1996.
In the third fight of the eve-
ning, February 21 2015, Dabin
Hanson made his way to the
blue corner fighting out of Si-
erra Vista Arizona looking to
improve to 2-0 as an amateur.
Nineteen years after Frye won
the UFC 8 tournament Hanson
stepped into the cage of a re-
gional show fighting out of the
same small Arizona town.
The contrast is quite compelling
to say the very least. Well suffice
to say Hanson devastated his
opponent earning a first round
TKO stoppage. During his post
fight interview he turned to
The Predator and spoke directly
to him calling him an inspira-
tion and dedicating his victory
to the legend who was one of
the greatest pioneers this game
has ever known.
It was a special moment which
could never have never been
scripted and could not have
been more perfect.
That was followed up by a light-
ing fast TKO victory by Edwin
Louis who must have had a hot
date back in his hotel room. He
absolutely overwhelmed and
smashed his opponent early in
the first round spending more
time walking out that he spent
ending the fight in devastating
fashion.
Earning Submission of the
Night honors Sam Compton
returned to the WFF cage and
endured an early barrage from
Andre Blake who appeared to
have crushing wrestling early
in the first. Once Blake realized
he could manhandle his oppo-
nent in grappling exchanges
he became more aggressive
which is where Compton really
switched gears.
(Alberto E. Rodriguez)
