Elite Cage Fighting returned to the Indiana state fairgrounds Saturday night for ECF 22, featuring a packed card and what promised to be two outstanding headline fights. The night saw a little bit of everything, including (full journalistic disclosure ahead) me stepping in as a last minute replacement to be a ringside judge. I also managed to record video of all the fights except for the first one and the last two, and the video links will be listed below each fight .

Fight 1 – Charlie Pingleton (1-0) vs. Jared Tribbett (1-0)
The fight opened with an exchange on their feet. Pingleton landed a couple of big knees that dropped Tribbett, but he didn't finish him off. Tribbett would counter with a good punch, after which Pingleton shot for the takedown. From there though, Tribbett locked in a reverse triangle choke from rear north-south position. Tribbett wins by submission (triangle choke) 1:02 into the first round.

Fight 2 – Chris Pingleton (0-0) vs. Damon Roberts (3-7)
Damon Roberts came into this fight at just 3-7, but having won two out of this last three fights, and his recent strength showed in the first round over his less experienced opponent. Roberts opened the first round with a good leg kick and strike, but Pingleton countered with a big takedown. Roberts kept his cool and pulled guard, and spent the rest of the round trying to set up a triangle or armbar from the guard. Roberts seemed to be on the verge of sinking a triangle choke as the first round ended. Roberts opened the second round with an inside leg kick and pulled half-guard, which quickly backfired. Pingleton gained full mount and rained down some bombs on Roberts until referee Jeff Malott stopped the fight. Pingleton wins by TKO 1:15 into the second round.
Video: Round 1 Round 2

Fight 3 – Blake Pattison (0-0) vs. James Stout (0-0)
The fight began furiously as Pattison landed several devastating illegal strikes to the back of Stout's head within the first 10 seconds, as the ref struggled mightily to pull Pattison off of his opponent. Stout was given five minutes to recover and Pattison was penalized a point. None of that mattered though, as Pattison dominated after the restart, quickly working a takedown to back control, slipping off to the side, and locking in a tight bulldog choke to finish off Stout. Pattison wins by submission (bulldog choke) :42 into the first round.
Video: First part After restart

Fight 4 – Chris Johnson (0-1) vs. Isaac McNeil (2-4)
McNeil pulled guard and looked to lock in an arm triangle choke, but Johnson fought it off. Johnson worked out to half-guard. McNeil tried to slide out from underneath but couldn't. Johnson eventually stands the fight up, and McNeil secured a takedown to side control and rode out the position to the end of the round. In the second, the fight went back to the ground but eventually got restarted by the ref due to inactivity. McNeil got a takedown and worked out of Johnson's half-guard into full mount. Moments later, McNeil forced Johnson to tap out with a paper cutter choke. McNeil wins by submission (paper cutter choke) 2:37 into the second round.
Video: Round 1 Round 2

Fight 5 – Jared Blickenstaff (2-0) vs. Michael Cross (2-2)
This fight was pure one-sided devastation. Blickenstaff quickly got a takedown and absolutely abused Cross with strikes, then locked in a side headlock and continued to torture his defenseless opponent with strikes. Cross can't stand it and taps out. Blickenstaff wins by submission (strikes) :59 into the first round.
Video: Entire fight

Fight 6 – Elias Donker (2-0) vs. Matt Hamm (2-0)
The first two rounds were spent almost entirely on the ground, with Donker largely controlling the action but unable to secure a finishing hold as Hamm showed good ground defense. The third round began similarly, but after a ref restart, Hamm managed to land a leg kick and take Donker down into side control and then full mount, briefly turning the tide of the fight. Donker managed to reverse into Hamm's guard. Hamm tried to set up a triangle but Donker escaped to side control, and worked from that position until the end of the round. Donker wins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-28).
Video: Round 1 Round 2 Round 3

Fight 7 – Tony Alvey (2-1) vs. Caleb Parrish (0-0)
Alvey opened the fight by pushing Parrish into a clinch against the cage. From there Parrish was able to sink in a guillotine. Alvey struggled to fight it off but couldn't and eventually was forced to submit. Parrish wins by submission (guillotine choke) :58 into the first round.
Video: Entire fight

Fight 8 – Adam Wallace (0-0) vs. Ryan Hancock (0-0)
More total domination in this fight. Hancock worked a takedown to back control, and briefly looked for a rear naked choke. When Wallace rolled over Hancock unloaded major punishment from full mount. Wallace couldn't take anymore and tapped out. Hancock wins by submission (strikes) 1:00 into the first round.
Video: Entire fight

Fight 9 – Josh Stith (1-0) vs. Josh Kinser (0-0)
This was the second fight of the night to go the distance. Stith controlled the first two rounds, which were spent largely on the ground, although Kinser showed some strong ground defense considering it was his first fight. Kinser was finally able to mount some offense in the third round, which was fought very closely. In the end though, Stith was just a little too much. Stith wins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
Video: Round 1 Round 2 Round 3

Fight 10 – Adam Bush (0-0) vs. Adam Fuller (0-1)
Bush charged in and landed some punches, and the fighters clinched against the cage. After an exchange of knees, Bush landed a big punch and got a takedown into Fuller's half-guard. From there Fuller managed to regroup and work for a keylock, finally securing it and forcing Bush to tap. Fuller wins by submission (keylock) 2:32 into the first round.
Video: Entire fight

Fight 11 – Chester York (2-1) vs. Mike Ingle (0-1)
This was the third and final fight to go the distance and implicate my judging duties. Ingle opened the fight with a straight kick and, after a clinch against the cage, pulled York into half-guard. From there Ingle rolled into York's guard, then passed to side control and landed a couple knees and elbows before gaining full mount. From there Ingle landed elbows and punches as York hung on to the end of the round. In the second, the fighters circled and Ingle picked some shots before taking York down and working from side control. After York landed a couple ineffective strikes from the bottom, Ingle gained full mount and landed a couple of elbows before York tied him up and eventually forced a ref restart. York landed a good shot, but Ingle gained another takedown and had secured full mount again by the time the second round ended. York did much better in the third round and was in control until late in the round, when he landed an illegal kick and was penalized a point. Ingle wins by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-26).
Video: Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 3 (after restart)

Fight 12 – Daniel Head (9-0) vs. Jon Miller (1-3)
The first of two outstanding headline fights for this event. Head was making his pro debut after an undefeated amateur career, and looked supremely confident stepping into the cage. Miller came into this fight 0-2 as a professional and 1-3 overall, but this record is deceptive as Miller has fought some outstanding competition. After the opening horn sounded though, it became apparent that Head's confidence was well-founded, as he landed some knees and quickly worked a takedown. From there Head worked to full mount and, when Miller gave up his back, Head locked in a tight body triangle and worked for a rear naked choke. Miller fended off the submission but was unable to escape from Head's patient control. Although the ref eventually restarted the fighters on their feet, Head again was able to gain a takedown and landed some punches and a big elbow from inside Miller's guard, then sat back and tried to secure a leglock as the first round ended. It was more of the same one-sided ground control by Head in the second round, as he continued to dominate. Head eventually gained back control and sunk his hooks looking for a rear naked choke. Head punched his helpless opponent to soften him up, then increased the abuse until Miller could no longer stand it and tapped. Head wins by submission (strikes) 2:19 into the second round. A very impressive win, and Head looks well on his way to great things in the MMA world.

Fight 13 – Dave Shepherd (6-0) vs. Lance Greenberg (5-2)
The second headline fight of the night saw undefeated Dave Shepherd face off against defending ECF welterweight champion Lance Greenberg. The fight opened with some furious exchanges on their feet. After a clinch against the cage, Shepherd worked a takedown into Greenberg's guard. Greenberg looked to set up an armbar but Shepherd countered to side control and then back control. From there Greenberg was unable to fend off a fight-ending rear naked choke. Shepherd wins by submission (rear naked choke) 2:17 into the first round.