Night of Champions 2008

Event notes

10/29/08 - CLEVELAND, OH: The North American Allied Fight Series returns to Gray's Armory on Saturday December 6th for one of the showcase Pro/Am events of the year: Night of Champions 2008. This year's event will be highlighted by seven National Amateur Title fights, plus the return of "Smokin" Joe Heiland to NAAFS competition as he takes on UFC reality TV star, “The War Machine” Jon Koppenhaver. After nearly10 months away from the cage, Heiland will look for his 11th straight win as he takes the toughest test of his young career in the War Machine. Koppenhaver, a cast member of Spike TV’s hit reality show, “The Ultimate Fighter” and UFC veteran, will make his NAAFS debut on December 6th when he invades Cleveland for this highly anticipated lightweight bout. Both fighters make the cut to 155 lbs for the first time. In other professional action, rising star Frank “The Tank” Caraballo, who’s coming into this bout after one of the biggest wins of his young career (defeating Paul Compton back in August by first round submission), takes on Evan Delong in a lightweight bout while 2007 NAAFS national amateur middleweight champion Nick “The Savage” Duell will make his pro debut. The National Amatuer Heavyweight title will be decided when number one ranked "Big" John Hawk (5-0) puts his undefeated record on the line against fellow unbeaten warrior and number two ranked Adam Farrell (4-0) of Team DNA. While training with Jungle Fight Team, Hawk has steadily risen to the top of the division, with his most prolific coming at Fight Nite in the Flats IV against Matt Lust. After almost a 2 year abscence, Adam Farrell returned to the NAAFS with a vengeance, picking up wins over both Felix Catheline and Pete Hunter. Now these two heavyweight prospects are set to battle for the right to be called champion. In the National Amateur Light Heavyweight Division, number one ranked Mark Strickland (4-1) looks to make history as the first ever international competitor to win NAAFS gold. However, standing in his way is number two ranked Dane Bonnigson (5-0), who has defeated every opponent put in front of him. The winner will join the likes of Chuck Ellison and Joe "The Giant Killer" Lewis as NAAFS National Amateur Light Heavyweight Champion. A National Amateur Lightweight Champion will be crowned when number one ranked Josh Johnson (8-0) steps in the cage with number two ranked LA Hampton (6-2). Both of these competitors took advantage of the NAAFS open door policy, bursting on the scene against top competition to earn this title opportunity. At Caged Fury 5, Johnson and Hampton defeated Dan Jones and Jeremy Joles respectively. It will be a classic rematch, as number one ranked Eric Noel once again face the challenge of number two ranked Lyle Sansoucie. Noel defeated Sansouice back at NAAFS Rock N Rumble, but Sansoucie rebounded with a win over then-number two ranked Chuck Schilling, thus earning this title opportunity.