High Fives: A Brutal Bandit, Danish Delight and Japanese Necktie
UFC Fight Night 146 did not have a monopoly on the mixed
martial arts scene during the weekend of March 8-10.
One Championship “Reign of Valor” on Friday at Thuwunna Indoor
Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, featured a violent welterweight title
fight among its emphatic finishes, and Cage
Warriors Fighting Championship 103 on Saturday in Copenhagen,
Denmark, played host to a thrilling clash for the promotion’s
interim welterweight crown, along with a rarely seen
submission.
BRUTAL BANDIT … The One
Championship main event saw Sweden’s Zebaztian
Kadestam defend his welterweight title for the first time
against Kazakhstan’s Georgy
Kichigin. From the get go, the challenger was intent on making
it a grappling-heavy affair, but Kadestamn denied his advances with
strong takedown defense and a patient clinch game. The champion
brutalized Kichigin in the clinch against the cage with a left hand
and a barrage of left elbows to the head late in the second round,
and at the start of Round 3, Kichigin was unable to get off of his
stool, giving Kadestam the victory by technical knockout. “The
Bandit” retained his title with the 10th knockout win of his career
and in doing so improved to 12-4. Michigan dipped to 20-6 in
defeat.
A CHALLENGER EMERGES … In other One Championship action, Filipino strawweight Rene Catalan clashed with Japan’s Yoshitaka Naito. Late in the first round, Naito attempted to force a takedown against the cage but was met with a barrage of left hammerfists to the side of his head. Naito clung to his adversary’s left leg and desperately tried to drag him to the ground, to no avail. Hammerfists continued to rain, and with 28-seconds remaining in Round 1, the referee deemed the discombobulated Naito unfit to continue. In becoming the first person to stop the Japanese pugilist, the 40-year-old Catalan extended his winning streak to six fights and in the process moved to 6-2 with one no-contest. Meanwhile, “Nobita” slipped to 13-3 in defeat.
DANISH DELIGHT … Cage Warriors 103 was headlined by an interim welterweight title fight between Denmark’s own Nicolas Dalby and France’s Alex Lohore. Dalby set a fast pace, utilizing a variety of kick and punch combinations. Early in the third round, the two men were trading punches when Dalby connected with a left hook to the head and staggered the Frenchman. Three further right hands ensued before the referee waved off the contest at the 1:47 mark of Round 3. In seizing the interim welterweight strap by TKO, “Lokomotivo” rose to 17-3-1. The setback pushed Lohore to 17-4.
JAPANESE NECKTIE … The Cage Warriors Fighting Championship event also featured a featherweight encounter that pitted Mads Burnell against Bosnia’s Ahmed Vila. The fight was in its infancy when Burnell found himself in north-south position on top of his kneeling rival. From there, the Dane secured a grip around Vila’s neck and right arm. Having moved to his side, Burnell drove his hips forward and kept tightening the choke until Vila succumbed 50 seconds into Round 1. With the third Japanese necktie submission win of his career, Burnell improved to 11-3. The loss saw Vila slide to 6-2-1 with one no-contest.
This short elbow from Zebaztian Kadestam at the end of R2 seemed to completely take Georgiy Kichigin out of the fight. Didn't answer the bell in R3. Kadestam and still. #ReignOfValor pic.twitter.com/3oHazQyjIO
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 8, 2019
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Alain Ngalani was stretchered out, I assume. Yeesh. Mauro Cerilli landed a couple brutal grounded knees. #ReignOfValor pic.twitter.com/m8b3LtiQHK
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 8, 2019
HEAVYWEIGHT HAMMERING … Italy’s Mauro
Cerilli met Cameroon’s Alain
Ngalani in a heavyweight showcase at “Reign of Valor.” In the
first round, Cerilli picked up and dumped Ngalani to the mat. From
there, he transitioned to north-south top position on his kneeling
opponent. With his weight pressed down on his hapless counterpart,
Cerilli laid into him with heavy knees to the head until the
referee jumped in to wave it off. The official time was 2:30 of
Round One. With his first One Championship win, “The Hammer” upped
his record to 13-3. Meanwhile, Ngalani fell below .500 at 4-5 with
one no-contest.
A CHALLENGER EMERGES … In other One Championship action, Filipino strawweight Rene Catalan clashed with Japan’s Yoshitaka Naito. Late in the first round, Naito attempted to force a takedown against the cage but was met with a barrage of left hammerfists to the side of his head. Naito clung to his adversary’s left leg and desperately tried to drag him to the ground, to no avail. Hammerfists continued to rain, and with 28-seconds remaining in Round 1, the referee deemed the discombobulated Naito unfit to continue. In becoming the first person to stop the Japanese pugilist, the 40-year-old Catalan extended his winning streak to six fights and in the process moved to 6-2 with one no-contest. Meanwhile, “Nobita” slipped to 13-3 in defeat.
Nicolas Dalby does it again in Copenhagen
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) March 9, 2019
A huge left hook to seal the deal #CW103 pic.twitter.com/9iN8cqabBx
DANISH DELIGHT … Cage Warriors 103 was headlined by an interim welterweight title fight between Denmark’s own Nicolas Dalby and France’s Alex Lohore. Dalby set a fast pace, utilizing a variety of kick and punch combinations. Early in the third round, the two men were trading punches when Dalby connected with a left hook to the head and staggered the Frenchman. Three further right hands ensued before the referee waved off the contest at the 1:47 mark of Round 3. In seizing the interim welterweight strap by TKO, “Lokomotivo” rose to 17-3-1. The setback pushed Lohore to 17-4.
Mads Burnell is not on the clock
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) March 9, 2019
He picks up the submission win in less than 60 seconds
Watch live now on @UFCFightPass
https://t.co/NokCpLVsr4
Copenhagen, Denmark pic.twitter.com/6OZASc9EAj
JAPANESE NECKTIE … The Cage Warriors Fighting Championship event also featured a featherweight encounter that pitted Mads Burnell against Bosnia’s Ahmed Vila. The fight was in its infancy when Burnell found himself in north-south position on top of his kneeling rival. From there, the Dane secured a grip around Vila’s neck and right arm. Having moved to his side, Burnell drove his hips forward and kept tightening the choke until Vila succumbed 50 seconds into Round 1. With the third Japanese necktie submission win of his career, Burnell improved to 11-3. The loss saw Vila slide to 6-2-1 with one no-contest.
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