Ilha Combat Debuts in Northern Brazil
Mar 10, 2008
MARANHAO, Brazil, March 9 -- To overcome the lack of interest among
the Brazilian media for MMA events in the North of the country,
Ilha Combat invited Brazilian Top Team's Angelo Araujo to compete Sunday
in the main event of its inaugural show.
Around 3,100 fans showed up at Castelinho Gymnasium to watch the 10-fight card. Whether those fans came to see a Brazilian with international experience is unclear because they seemed to have their own local favorites too.
Regardless, Araujo forced the monstrous Geronimo Mondragon to tap
out to a rear-naked choke 4:25 into the first round.
Two other Brazilian Top Team fighters came along with Araujo to fight on Maranhao soil. The first, Mauricio Souza, made quick work of former ATT member Paulo Dantas (Pictures). Souza ate an inside low kick and then shot for a good takedown. Quickly he took control on the ground and sunk a heel hook, popping Dantas' knee and causing him to scream in pain while tapping at 1:43 of the first round.
The last student of Bebeo Duarte and Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) to fight on the show had the most intriguing story of them all. Edvan Souza is listed in the Sherdog.com Fight Finder as 0-1. However, this contestant from Piaui state says he has more than 25 fights on his record -- it's impossible to verify the bouts -- including two David-versus-Goliath losses against Wagner da Conceicao Martins (Pictures).
"I know my story begins now, with media and people outside the North/Northeast covering the show," said Souza, who's been nicknamed "Sakuraba" in Brazil. "What I did before is erased. From now on is what I have to write."
Why the Sakuraba nickname? "I used a cartwheel guard pass once, and they started with this," he said with a laugh. "I've never even seen Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) fight."
Souza faced Arthur Tubarao on Sunday and used his powerful hands to corner the adversary. Tubarao tried to answer in the same spot, but Souza landed good low kicks that hurt his foe's leg and dropped him. Referee Artur Mariano halted the fight after Souza unleashed a flurry of punches to finish the bout at 3:00 of the first round.
Wendell Oliveira suplexed Edílson "Moicano" Florencio, flying kneed him and back mounted him to win a majority decision. Florencio almost took the victory in the last round, showing that Oliveira couldn't relax even though the fight seemed to be under control. After three rounds, Oliveira got the nod 30-29, 29-29 and 29-28.
Full results:
Kickboxing
Leonardo Belfort (Delson Thai) def. Marco Aurélio (Shotokay) decision
Beto Silva (Nucleo Combat) def. Leandro (Dojo James Adler) decision
MMA
Handerson (Toca do Samurai) def. Tygro "Urso" Maia (Bull Dog) unanimous decision
Mauricio Souza (BTT) def. Paulo "Guerreiro" Dantas (Fighter Sport) heel hook 1:43 R1
Edvan "Sakuraba" Souza (BTT) def. Arthur Tubarão (Bulldog) TKO (leg injury) 3:00 R1
Junior Killer (Fighter Sport) def. Adilson Ferreira (Maranhao) unanimous decision
Wendell Oliveira (Gracie Fusion) def. Edilson Florencio (Hikari) majority decision
Angelo Araujo (BTT) def. Geronimo Mondragon (Bull Dog) by rear-naked-choke 4:25 R1
Around 3,100 fans showed up at Castelinho Gymnasium to watch the 10-fight card. Whether those fans came to see a Brazilian with international experience is unclear because they seemed to have their own local favorites too.
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Two other Brazilian Top Team fighters came along with Araujo to fight on Maranhao soil. The first, Mauricio Souza, made quick work of former ATT member Paulo Dantas (Pictures). Souza ate an inside low kick and then shot for a good takedown. Quickly he took control on the ground and sunk a heel hook, popping Dantas' knee and causing him to scream in pain while tapping at 1:43 of the first round.
"He was a little arrogant at the weigh-ins, so this motivated me to
go after him with this willpower," Souza said.
The last student of Bebeo Duarte and Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) to fight on the show had the most intriguing story of them all. Edvan Souza is listed in the Sherdog.com Fight Finder as 0-1. However, this contestant from Piaui state says he has more than 25 fights on his record -- it's impossible to verify the bouts -- including two David-versus-Goliath losses against Wagner da Conceicao Martins (Pictures).
"I know my story begins now, with media and people outside the North/Northeast covering the show," said Souza, who's been nicknamed "Sakuraba" in Brazil. "What I did before is erased. From now on is what I have to write."
Why the Sakuraba nickname? "I used a cartwheel guard pass once, and they started with this," he said with a laugh. "I've never even seen Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures) fight."
Souza faced Arthur Tubarao on Sunday and used his powerful hands to corner the adversary. Tubarao tried to answer in the same spot, but Souza landed good low kicks that hurt his foe's leg and dropped him. Referee Artur Mariano halted the fight after Souza unleashed a flurry of punches to finish the bout at 3:00 of the first round.
Wendell Oliveira suplexed Edílson "Moicano" Florencio, flying kneed him and back mounted him to win a majority decision. Florencio almost took the victory in the last round, showing that Oliveira couldn't relax even though the fight seemed to be under control. After three rounds, Oliveira got the nod 30-29, 29-29 and 29-28.
Full results:
Kickboxing
Leonardo Belfort (Delson Thai) def. Marco Aurélio (Shotokay) decision
Beto Silva (Nucleo Combat) def. Leandro (Dojo James Adler) decision
MMA
Handerson (Toca do Samurai) def. Tygro "Urso" Maia (Bull Dog) unanimous decision
Mauricio Souza (BTT) def. Paulo "Guerreiro" Dantas (Fighter Sport) heel hook 1:43 R1
Edvan "Sakuraba" Souza (BTT) def. Arthur Tubarão (Bulldog) TKO (leg injury) 3:00 R1
Junior Killer (Fighter Sport) def. Adilson Ferreira (Maranhao) unanimous decision
Wendell Oliveira (Gracie Fusion) def. Edilson Florencio (Hikari) majority decision
Angelo Araujo (BTT) def. Geronimo Mondragon (Bull Dog) by rear-naked-choke 4:25 R1
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