11.10.09 Strikeforce Fight

As you can imagine, I'm very depressed over the loss. I hate losing any time, but losing like that just eats at me. I tried knocking him out anytime I was on my feet, but just kept getting taken down. I should have wrestled A LOT harder. I can't believe I let a guy turn a fight into a wrestling match. It's totally my fault for letting it happen and not wrestling harder and setting my own pace. I was getting back to my feet, but only to be taken down again. I've never fought a 3 round fight and only been punched three times. I feel perfect physically and could fight this weekend if needed. That alone bums me out, as I'd rather have had my ass kicked:-(  I apologize for such a shotty performance...

Here is The Times (nwi.com/mma) play by play:

John Kolosci (171) vs. Shamar Bailey (170)
Show within the show: This is the return to the big stage for Kolosci, a Portage fighter who was a contestant on Season 6 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He’s gone 4-0 in 2009 since quitting his job to pursue his dream of being a full-time fighter. The fight with Bailey was one that was supposed to take place in August, so both fighters have had a little time to prepare for each other. Bailey fights with Integrated Fighting Systems in Indianapolis alongside UFC fighters Chris Lytle, Jake O’Brien and current TUF 10 fighter Matt Mitrione.
Round 1: Big hand for Kolosci — biggest of the night so far — as he’s introduced. And we’re ready to go. The two touch goloves and we’re going. Bailey shoots for a takedown and gets it. Kolosci tries to wall-walk and stays in guard. He gets up briefly, but Bailey gets the fight back down and is in side control. Kolosci battles and postures up, but Bailey gets a quick guilotine on that isn’t tight and Kolosci pops out. Then Kolosci gets a guillotine of his own. Bailey eventually slips it and shortly has another choke on. But Kolosci escapes and is on top. Kolosci sprawls, then the two sepaarate and Kolosci eats one quick shot before the fight goes back to the ground, where he looks for a choke. Bailey is on top and Kolosci looks again for a choke. Again, Kolosci anages to work back to the feet, where he hits three shots to Bailey’s side. Kolosci hits a few punches as tehy separate, but Bailey winds up on top as the round rides out. It’s a fairly close first round, with Kolosci keeping Bailey at bay when he was on top, but The Times has it 10-9 for Bailey.
Round 2: A strike from Bailye and again he gets a takedown with Kolosci working for a neck crank. Kolosci gets up and sinks it in again, but it’s not tight enough. Still, on the ground, though Bailey is on top, Kolosci continues to work for chokes. A scramble on the ground has Bailey on top in side control. Kolosci again manages to work back to his feet. Bailey seems content to just control the fight from on top. But then the fight is stopped as Kolosci eats a knee when he is on the ground — and Bailey has a point taken away. Bailey moves back in and they clinch. Kolosci hits some strikes, but it’s a pretty uneventful second round. The Times has it 10-8 for Kolosci based on Bailey losing the point.
Round 3: Bailey shoots, but Kolosci stuffs it with a sprawl. Bailey tries for a single-leg, but Kolosci keeps him at bay and again looks for a choke. Bailey gets a takedown and Kolosci falls back into guard. Kolosci works strikes from the ground before it goes back to standing. Bailey then gets a single-leg takedown and Kolosci again looks to wall-walk back to standing. Bailey is controlling from the top and not allowing Kolosci to inflict much damage, but he isn’t inflicting any damage on Kolosci, either. He’s earned points with the takedowns and control, but that’s it. Kolosci again gets back to standing and probably needs to swing for the fences as it closes. Bailey gets a takedown as the fight ends. It’s not an exciting fight, and Kolosci waves off water from cornerman Joey Gilbert of Gilbert Grappling as he walks back to his side. The Times has it 10-9 for Bailey in the third and actually has the thing a 28-28 draw based on the second round.
Result: 29-27, 29-27, 29-27 Bailey, unanimous decision.

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