Spencer shelved by shoulder injury

Upcoming surgery for torn labrum keeping MFC lightweight champ out of action

By MFC Staff

The Maximum Fighting Championship will be without rising star and lightweight champion Graham “Cracka” Spencer for an extended period due to injury.

Spencer originally suffered the injury in training camp prior to his title fight against Mukai Maromo at MFC 36 – a bout in which the Nanaimo, B.C., product would submit his foe to claim the MFC’s lightweight belt. Spencer (10-1) put the difficulties aside to secure a third-round submission victory, but the pain never went away. In the end, it was discovered the Spencer fought with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

“I couldn’t wrestle for the last month of my camp,” recalled Spencer. “After the fight I went to the doctor and told him about how I was having trouble and he thought I had a bulging disc in my neck so I got a bunch of tests done but nothing was wrong.

“So I got my shoulder x-rayed and it was separated. I did six weeks of rehab for that and tried to go back to training but it still didn’t feel right. Finally I just went and got an MRI and that’s how they found the tear.”

It’s unclear just how long Spencer will be sidelined. First and foremost, he needs to get on the operating table and get surgery to repair the tear.

“I’m very frustrated,” offered Spencer. “The first surgeon I talked to had a two-year waiting list. I’ve got a consult with a different doctor on July 31.

“If I don’t like what he says I’m going to just get it done privately. For now, I’m just working to get enough hours so I can get disability while I’m rehabbing. It doesn’t really bug me too bad unless I wrestle or lift weights but there no way it can hold up to training every day.”

The injury shelves Spencer’s desire to not only defend the lightweight belt but also his attempt to become the MFC’s first double-belt holder with his quest to win the featherweight title as well. Spencer is currently on a five-fight winning streak which includes two wins over Maromo and a decision victory over Shane Nelson at MFC 35.

“It couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” said Spencer, who was training with Team Alpha Male. “I was going to rent a place in Sacramento so I could be training there all the time and my wife could come down when she was available.

“Plus the MFC has been getting me so much recognition. Now I’m going to have to build it all up again.”

‘King’ crowned MFC middleweight champ

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Mutapcic scores leg-kick TKO victory over Henle at MFC 35

Elvis “The King” Mutapcic used a crushing leg kick to chop down Joseph “Leonidas” Henle and capture the MFC world middleweight title at the Maximum Fighting Championship’s MFC 35: Explosive Encounter.

After two even rounds highlighted by crisp striking from both fighters, Mutapcic (12-2) ended the bout at 1:45 of Round 3 live on AXSTV Fights emanating from the Mayfield Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Mutapcic, the native of Bosnia who now makes his home in Des Moines, Iowa, crumpled Henle with a thunderously vicious kick to the right knee and Henle (8-1-1) immediately went down and grabbed his leg in severe pain.

The victory was Mutapcic’s fifth via TKO, and early reports from the dressing room indicated that Henle may have suffered both torn MCL and ACL ligaments.

In the semi-main event, the MFC trumpeted the debut of its featherweight division and Canadian sensation Graham Spencer emerged from underdog status to top dog with a thoroughly dominating effort against Hawaii’s Shane Nelson. Spencer (9-1, 1 NC) was in control from start to finish and cruised to 30-27 scorecards from all three judges to make a triumphant organizational debut against Nelson (15-7), a protégé of legendary star BJ Penn.

MFC 35 ended with a one-strike finish courtesy of Mutapcic’s powerful kick and began with a furious flurry of wild strikes in a light-heavyweight tussle between Jason Kuchera and Paul Grandbois. With both fighters on the verge of exhaustion from brutal exchanges, Grandbois (5-4) put one last assault together and earned the Knockout of the Night by finally stopping Kuchera (5-6) at 1:43 of Round 2. All five of Grandbois’ wins have come by knockout and this was his first under the MFC flag.

The Submission of the Night honor was taken home to Vancouver, B.C. by Sabah Fadai who breezed past home-towner Cody Krahn. Fadai (8-2, 1 NC), the co-winner of the MFC’s 2011 Fight of the Year, secured a triangle choke and coaxed the tapout from Krahn (11-6) just 1:24 into their bout. The win was Fadai’s first under the MFC banner and also his first appearance in the welterweight ranks.

In a battle of rising Canadian heavyweight upstarts, Smealinho Rama showcased his submission skills as well as surprising quickness as he took out Ryan Fortin. Rama (5-0), who fights out of Calgary, Alberta, nearly won in the opening moments with an armbar attempt, and then defended against some ground-and-pound before taking the back of Fortin (6-4) and locking in a rear-naked choke finish at 2:02 of the first round.

Other results from MFC 35:

Derek Parker (5-1-1) def. Jared McComb (4-2-1) – unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

Daniel Swain (7-2) def. Matt Jelly (3-2) – unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

Chase Degenhardt (8-3) def. Chad Sherman (3-4) – TKO, 0:41 Round 2

Garrett Nybakken def. Jesse Veltri – tapout due to armbar, 1:24 Round 1

MFC 36: Reality Check will take place on Friday, February 15 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Tickets go on sale November 1 via the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024 and www.ticketmaster.ca.

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Nelson set for showdown with Spencer

Hawaiian star from Penn camp eager to make featherweight debut at MFC

The Maximum Fighting Championship has officially set the matchup that will launch its new featherweight division.

Hawaiian sensation and BJ Penn training partner “Sugar” Shane Nelson will take on top Canadian prospect Graham Spencer at MFC 35: Explosive Encounter – a bout that will be featured on the AXS TV main card emanating live from the Mayfield Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday, Oct. 25. The Spencer-Nelson fight joins a card topped by a co-main event pitting Elvis “The King” Mutapcic against Joseph “Leonidas” Henle for the MFC world middleweight title.

Nelson (15-6) has signed a multi-fight deal with the MFC, and is ecstatic about making his debut in the 145-pound division after a successful run at lightweight that included a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter – Season 8: Nogueira vs. Mir.”

“I intend on making a statement. I’m not taking Graham lightly but I’m not coming to lose,” said Nelson, who trains out of Hilo, Hawaii.

“I’ve been wanting to come to the MFC for a while and now I’m very glad to get pen to paper and get the deal done.”

Nelson has won three of his last four outings and boasts a career-best eight-fight winning streak highlighted by his biggest wins to date. The 27-year-old southpaw scored a split-decision win over George Roop in late 2008 and followed that up with a 48-second TKO victory over Aaron Riley. Nelson also holds notable victories over Jai Bradney and Kolo Koka.

Nelson is already in training camp alongside the icon Penn and former MFC welterweight champ Pat Healy, and while a specific game plan for Spencer hasn’t been formatted yet, MFC fans can expect all-out action from Nelson.

“I’ve heard that Graham is a grinder but I’ll say right now that he’s going to need a better plan than that to beat me,” offered Nelson. “He’s not going to be able to lay on me and hold me down. It doesn’t matter if I’m on top, on the bottom, or standing, I’m going to hurt him and he’s going to understand that he’s in a fight.

“I’m coming to leave it all on the line, and I’m coming to try and take his head off. I’m going to put on an exciting fight.”

Spencer (8-1, 1 NC) will ride a three-fight winning streak into his organizational debut. The Nanaimo, B.C., product, has earned four victories via submission, including two finishes inside the opening round.

Tickets for MFC 35: Explosive Encounter are available now exclusively through the MFC Ticket Hotline by calling (780) 504-2024.