(PRESS RELEASE) -- NANJING, China – With the four final spots in the 2013 RMB 1,000,000 Super Fight up for grabs, flyweight Zhang MeiXuan delivered his most impressive performance to date in the RUFF 7 MMA H.E.A.T. main event, armbarring opponent Shang ZhiFa at 4:21 of the second round.
Cut quite badly around the eye, Shang ZhiFa continued despite two medical time stoppages to inspect the gash, battling back with his own attack of punches and takedowns. But ultimately it was Zhang MeiXuan’s fight, as he capitalized on a big takedown and ground and pound in the second frame, before converting the armbar.
Winning what was later named the “MMA H.E.A.T. fight of the night,” Zhang qualifies to compete at China’s first MMA national championship event, where he will face Liu PingYuan in the rubber match of their tempestuous rivalry.
“I think [I fought] just okay,” explained Zhang MeiXuan. “The last time I fought Liu PingYuan I didn’t think it was very fair. The next time I fight Liu PingYuan, I will bring my most well-prepared game to give [him] a beating”
In the RUFF 7 co-main event, lightweight Wu HaoTian took out Arthit Hanchana, locking in a deep rear naked choke at 3:04 of the first frame, to punch his ticket to the February 2, 2013 Super Fight.
Fighting with an injured elbow, Wu HaoTian withstood a handful of kicks and punches from Hanchana, even eating a spinning elbow, before wrestling the Thai fighter to the cage perimeter.
Pinned against the wall, Hanchana defended against one takedown attempt before succumbing to a second, giving up his back. Wu HaoTian quickly capitalized, taking the Thai fighter’s neck and forcing the tapout.
With the win, Wu earns a re-match with division leader Rodrigo Caporal in the 70 kg final, as he will attempt to avenge his RUFF 5 KO loss.
“Tonight my elbow was hurt . . . but for the chance to fight in the Super Fight I had to win, and there was no way I couldn’t,” offered Wu HaoTian. “I prepared too much and too well, I’m extremely happy.”
Light heavyweight Zhao ZiLong also qualified for the RMB 1,000,000 Super Fight, TKO-ing Kong HanDong at 2:41 of the second round.
Zhao ZiLong looked sharp from the beginning, stuffing Kong HanDong’s initial takedown attempt, before connecting on a number of stiff jabs and upper cuts that sent Kong to the canvas.
Looking to finish the fight early, Zhao followed Kong to the mat, and took his back. Zhao then sunk in two hooks and went for the rear naked choke, but Kong defended, and escaped before the period came to an end.
The second round played out much like the first, with Zhao ZiLong landing significant punches to the head and Kong giving up his back, turtling as Zhao assaulted with hammer fists.
Referee Jerin Valel repeatedly warned Kong to defend or engage, but with no movement or attempt to fight back from Kong, Valel put an end to the fight.
Zhao, who took RUFF 7 “Knockout of the Night” honors, now advances to face Li JiXiang for the 93 kg title.
“Tonight . . . because of my opponent, I had to use different tactics and methods . . . [and] because I did that, the result was good,” stated Zhao ZiLong. “After my last fight, I had a lot of time to rest and two months to train [for tonight], so my weight was better. Before I had to cut from 98 kilos. I prepared better.”
Wu ChengJie captured the remaining berth in the 2013 Super Fight, earning a unanimous decision win over teammate Yuan ChunBo, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27.
Outpointing his opponent in every round, Wu ChengJie picked his shots, repeatedly knocking Yuan to the ground with jabs to the head and body.
Yuan landed a number of pinpoint kicks to the head, but did little damage, as Wu ChengJie engaged with relentless aggression, controlling the cage and the pace of the fight.
Next up for Wu ChengJie is undefeated featherweight Wang Guan. The two will battle for the RUFF 66 kg MMA national championship belt on February 2, 2013, at Hohhot’s Inner Mongolia Indoor Stadium.
“I’m very excited for the win . . . it was a difficult fight, tricky. [Yuan ChunBo]’s ability on the ground is very excellent. He’s tough,” commented Wu ChengJie. “I’m going to train and prepare very diligently for [the Super Fight]. I will have to bring my best ability in the fight against Wang Guan . . . [Yuan ChunBo] already fought him once, so he can give me some advice where [Wang Guan] is good and where he is less good.”
In the evening’s first contest, flyweight Yang Liang ended a three-fight losing streak, earning “Ducati Submission of the Night” honors for his second round armbar of Zheng JunFeng.
Yang defended well against the takedown in the first round, successfully stuffing two of Zheng’s three attempts, sprawling and connecting a number of punches to the head and leg kicks.
Yang Liang took Zheng down once, late in the first, and then twice more in the second, before passing guard, taking side control, and landing elbows to the head, before securing the armbar at 4:41.
Zhang MeiXuan, Wu HaoTian, Zhao ZiLong, and Wu ChengJie join Liu PingYuan, Rodrigo Caporal, Li JiXiang, Wang Guan, Irshaad Sayed, and Jumabieke Tuerxun as the competitors at the RUFF 2013 RMB 1,000,000 Super Fight, China’s first MMA national championship event.
For more on RUFF, RUFF 7, and the 2013 RMB 1,000,000 Super Fight visit RUFFChina.com
Yang Liang def. Zheng JunFeng via tapout (armbar), R2 4:41
Lü ZhenHong def. Cui LiuCai via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Zhou Wen Jiang def. Zhao EriDeMuTu via tapout (head arm choke) R1 2:32
Sandro da Silva def. Wang QiShan via tapout (strikes) R1 4:28
Zhao ZiLong def. Kong HanDong via TKO (ref stoppage) R2 2:41
Jiang LongYun def. Han Jie via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Wu ChengJie def. Yuan ChunBo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Wu HaoTian def. Arthit Hanchana via tapout (rear naked choke) R1 3:04
Zhang MeiXuan def. Shang ZhiFa via tapout (armbar) R2 4:21