HOOKnSHOOT CROWNS TWO NEW CHAMPIONS

Bodog FIGHT lookout! The Handler is coming!

North America's longest running MMA event (next to the UFC) blasted their way into Evansville, Indiana with another SOLD OUT event. Single fights and an 8-man tournament showcased some of the fastest rising MMA fighters in the game today.

HOOKnSHOOT WELTERWEIGHT TOURNAMENT
Courtney 'The Chocolate Nightmare' Ray KO'd 'Captain' Tom Kirk in 2:49 of Round 1.
Darron Morse heel hooked 'No Sweat' Steve Conely in :49 of Round 1.
Jamie Toney armbarred Brandon Dumas in 1:24 of Round1.
Dan 'The Handler' Hornbuckle armbarred Wayne Bogart in 2:34 of Round 1

*Alternate Fight
Scott Henze TKO'd 'Super' Joe Cooper with a slam/suplex that cracked Cooper's ribs.

155lbs
Steve Davis won via medical stoppage (broken nose) over Chad Talkington in 1:56 of Round 2. Fans were all over this one as two locals laid it all on the line!

TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS
Courtney Ray scored a KNOCKOUT over Darron Morse in 1:01 of Round 1. The two set an UNMATCHED submission pace on the ground with over 6 near-submissions in the first 40 seconds of the fight. Morse, who became a massive local star, congratulated Ray and announced his unofficial retirement from MMA.

Dan Hornbuckle gained a unanimous decision over Jamie Toney in a fast paced war. Toney was never in serious trouble but Hornbuckle's 'ultra aggressive' style got the best of him.

185lbs
Dave Shirley bested Scott Whittmer in 1:30 of Round 1 via ref stoppage. Whittmer controlled the standup but Shirley took advantage of a quick opening on the ground and dropped punches.

155lbs
David Overfield triangled Julian Hoffman in 1:58 of Round 1 in yet another incredibly fast paced battle that showcased two HOT 155lbs fighters.

HOOKnSHOOT 145LBS RISING STAR TITLE MATCH (amateur)
Matt Troyer defeats champion John Turner via knockout/knee in 1:57 of the final round. Turner was on his way to a 30-27 victory when Troyer capitalized on a shot and scored the KO. A rematch will take place in September as these two appear to be two of the hottest up-and-coming commodities on the amateur scene.

HOOKnSHOOT WELTERWEIGHT FINAL
The stage was set with some of the fastest and most dominant finishes in HOOKnSHOOT history!

Dan Hornbuckle quickly gained crowd acceptance with his Forrest Griffin-like qualities and character, while Courtney Ray had scored two BRUTAL knockouts (one of the hometown star).

It was yet another fast paced encounter that popped the crowd to their feet as Ray nearly KO'd Hornbuckle with his patented 'chocolate icing' (the high kick). It looks as though Hornbuckle's arm dislocated during a kimura but he fought through and gained top position and threw bombs. The ref stopped it at 2:49 of Round 1 as DAN 'THE HANDLER' HORNBUCKLE becomes the HnS Champ.

In addition to scoring the 8lbs, $3,200 gold/silver belt and a chunk of cash, 'The Handler' scores an even bigger leap in his career. A BODOG FIGHT CONTRACT!

HnS promoter and Bodog Comissioner/Commentator, Jeff Osborne, strapped on the belt and presented Hornbuckle with a BODOG FIGHT jacket to signify his win and future signing (most likely to debut in June/July).

'He (Hornbuckle) truly has star quality!' said Osborne. 'Only a select few MMA fighters have what Dan has. He posses the look, the pro-wrestling charisma and personality, a style like no other, the lure of the fans and last but not least, the skills. I'm proud to have him as a champion but I'm pretty sure Bodog is going to scoop this guy up for the long-term' said a smiling Osborne.

'Courtney Ray also turned a lot of heads.....I believe that his career got off to a rocky star and he's turned it around at 4-1 in his last five fights...not to mention 4 straight knockouts. Wouldn't mind seeing him get to Bodog as well' said Osborne.

HOOKnSHOOT is on the lookout for pro 155lbs and 185lbs for future Bodog Fight qualifier tournaments as well as amateur 155lbs and other weight divisions for their RISING STAR tournaments. Email hooknshoot@aol.com