Igor Vovchanchyn vs Dan Bobish Pride 27 Inferno

Igor Vovchanchyn vs Dan Bobish Pride 27 Inferno
Year : 2004

Daniel Emerson Bobish (born January 26, 1970) is a retired American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He was competing in the Super Heavyweight (no limit) division. He is a former King of the Cage Super Heavyweight Champion. Bobish has fought in many MMA organizations including PRIDE Fighting Championships, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Gladiator Challenge and King of the Cage. His fights typically did not go past the first round with the average length of his fights being 2:43

Born in Brooklyn, New York but raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Bobish was an all-state wrestler and played football at Maple Heights High School before competing at Cuyahoga Community College where he was a NCJAA All-American. Later, he started to work as a bouncer at the Beach club, where he gained a reputation of being a strong fighter. He claimed, "I never got beat one-on-one in a fight. Even two-on-one."

Bobish became interested in mixed martial arts by suggestions of friends in the bar where he bounced, The Flats, in which Ultimate Fighting Championships events were commonly ordered. He contacted UFC mainstay Dan Severn, who came from a similar wrestling background, and was recruited to fight in Brazil.

Bobish made his professional debut on October 22, 1996 in Brazil at the Universal Vale Tudo Fighting 4 Heavyweight tournament. He first faced Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mauro Bernardo, whom Bobish defeated in a first-round submission by taking him down and choking him with his forearm. The American would find another wrestler and UFC veteran in the second round, Dave Beneteau, but Bobish controlled the bout with a guillotine choke with several strikes, eventually getting the win by a cut. He then fought yet another wrestler and UFC veteran, fellow NCAA collegiate champion Kevin Randleman from Team Hammer House, for the final. Randleman scored a takedown and mounted him, from where he landed several strikes. Two of the hits dislocated Bobish's jaw, forcing him to give up.

After the defeat, he returned to United States and joined Severn's team full-time, training with him, Don Frye and shootfighting teacher Becky Levi.

Bobish returned at Vale Tudo Fighting 6 tournament, knocking out Ucimar Hypolito. After that the American wrestler controlled most of the bout, taking down and hitting ground and pound on Barreto via his superiority at the clinch. Controversy arose at one point, as Barreto's teammates Wallid Ismail and Murilo Bustamante claimed Bobish had tapped out in an armbar attempt by Barreto, while Hammer House stablemaster Mark Coleman pointed out Carlos was grabbing the ropes to avoid being taken down. In any case, minutes later Bobish started to show fatigue, and when he dove again in Barreto's guard to continue his ground and pound assault, he fell to a triangle choke submission.

After his vale tudo tenure, Bobish debuted in Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1997, he entered the UFC 14 heavyweight tournament, where he was placed against kickboxer and UFC veteran Brian Johnston. Bobish took the wrestler down, folded him against the fence and submitted him to a forearm choke. Bobish advanced round and met another Hammer House fighter, fellow former NCAA Division I champion Mark Kerr, who opened their match with effective leg kicks and a takedown scored. Bobish tried to escape, but Kerr held him down while hitting ground and pound, and ultimately jammed his chin into Bobish's eye to force him to give up.

In 2003 he was then brought to PRIDE Fighting Championships in November, pitted in PRIDE Final Conflict 2003 against renowned UFC and PRIDE veteran Gary Goodridge. However, the bout was short and controversial: having received an eye poke in the first striking exchange, Bobish stopped fighting and told the referee on the belief the match would be stopped for the ring doctor, but it wasn't, and Goodridge capitalized on the distraction to knock Bobish out.

Bobish returned at PRIDE 27 against feared Ukrainian striker Igor Vovchanchyn. At the second round, however, Vovchanchyn controlled an already visibly tired Bobish with punches and knee strikes, and ultimately dropped him and mounted him for his own ground and pound. Devoid of energy, Bobish then submitted verbally.

Bobish then faced another renowned kickboxer in Mark Hunt at PRIDE 28 on October 31, 2004. Bobish scored a takedown and forced Hunt to turtle up, landing hammerfists and knee strikes and at one point even attempting a crossface hold on the kickboxer. However, the tough Hunt absorbed the damage and managed to escape to his feet. With Bobish showing signs of fatigue, Hunt forced him to surrender with an uppercut and a body kick.

Bobish now lives in his hometown of Cleveland and began promoting local fights in 2010 when he founded "Ultimate Cage Battles."

Bobish was once a sparring partner and bodyguard for Mike Tyson.

Bobish is married and has four children.