M-1 Challenge UK - Event Report

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M-1 Challenge UK - Event Report

Event Title: M-1: Challenge UK
Event Date: 27 September 2008
Event Venue: Harvey Hadden Sports Center
Event Location: Nottingham

Date submitted: 01 October 2008

Submitted by: David Lethaby

In one of the evening's superfights, Matteo Minonzio toppled Wayne Buck. A nasty cut ended proceedings the last time these two met with Minonzio’s hand being raised to prematurely end what looked a good match up. Minonzio entered the ring looking calm and confident, his previous result having a clear effect on his demeanour. Buck entered to what can only be described as a wall of noise from the Nottingham crowd. The stare down was intense this was set to be a cracker! Surprisingly both fighters started cautiously with a period of feints completing the feeling out process. Minonzio upped his aggression and began to push Buck backwards rushing in and throwing shots. In the clinch the Italian started to do some real damage hurting Buck with a series of knees. The local favourite was forced onto his knees where he tapped out. Now began a period of dispute with Buck and his corner claiming he didn’t tap, those on ringside saw the taps however and Minonzio’s hand was rightly raised in an impressive first round win.

UK welterweight Jim Wallhead has been climbing the rankings in recent fights. He took on Brazilian Igor Araujo in another of the night’s super fights. Wallhead looked in control from the start of the fight and despite not landing anything of note on the feet, the Brazilian looked clearly threatened by his hands. This resulted in a quite desperate looking failed shot for a takedown. In the end the Brazilian got his wish the fight hitting the deck after a Wallhead take down landed the British fighter on top. From here Wallhead made short work of Araujo knocking him out with some brutal ground and pound 1:19 into round 1. Another win for Wallhead against solid international opposition.

In other local action Christian Smith dominated Clifford Hall in an entertaining bout. Hall looked lively on his feet during the first round but his inability to defend Smiths take downs looked like it could cost him. Hall survived being mounted in the first only for the fight to pick up a similar pattern in the second round. Smith was able to take down Hall move to mount and score a KO victory with some heavy ground and pound 33 seconds into the second round.

Team World vs Russian Legion

Musa Hamanaev kicked off the M1 challenge event with a win over Belgium Team World member Wim Deputter. In truth the bout was a lacklustre event with lightweight Khamanaev scoring a unanimous decision victory for the Russian Legion after controlling most of the fight on the ground.

The second bout of the series featured French Welter Weight Jason Ponet taking on Team Legion member Sergey Verdesh. The Russian fighter looked eager to keep the fight standing however Ponet was able to win a unanimous decision through take downs and ground control.

In Middleweight action Sergey Kornev secured another Legion victory over Bulgarian Rosen Dimitrov. Both fighters were keen to exchange with Korneev in particular looking very aggressive. After some furious stand up exchanges Korneev secured a take down and moved to mount only to give up the position for an unsuccessful neck crank attempt. He later regained the position however and stopped Dimitrov with a long drawn out assault of ground and pound 2.59 into the first round.

Light Heavyweight Gadzimurad Omarow continued the Legion team’s dominance with a decision victory over Dutchman Niels Van Oord. Omarow secured a number of vital take downs on his way to the victory.

In an entertaining Heavy Weight bout Akhmet Sultanov completed a 4-1 rout for the Russian legion team against Polish fighter Sylwester Olesky. Early on Sultanov looked too much for his Polish opponent landing a serious of brutal leg kicks. A number of big over hands also shook Olesky but he showed great heart to stay in the fight and even began counter punching at the end of the round. Both fighters looked tired for the second but Sultanov was again able to land brutal leg kicks at will moving towards a unanimous decision victory.

Russian Legion defeat Team World 4-1

Team USA vs Red Devils

The first bout of this series featured lightweight American Beau King taking on Mikhail Malutin. To say Beau looked perky on his feet would be an understatement, he opened with a spinning back fist and nice flying kick attempt. It was clear however that Malyutin had the edge on the floor and after one of a couple first round take downs he methodically mounted Beau, moved to his back, flattened him out, and secured a rear naked choke, Beau tapping exactly on the end of round 1.

Erik Oganov continued the Red Devils good start with a majority decision win over Brandon Magana. Both Welterweights seemed to cancel each other out on the feet, a slightly more technical style probably getting Oganov the edge with the judges.

In middleweight action American Team Quest fighter Brian Harper was unable to avoid Dmitry Samoilov's effecting counter punching. Both fighters pushed the pace in round 1 with Samoylov’s counters being the difference. In the second round the action was surprisingly sparse, Harper despite his disappointment clearly didn’t do enough with Samoylov taking the majority decision.

Red Devil fighter Mikhail Zayats put on one of the performances of the night defeating game American John Cornett. The light heavyweight action sprang to life early as Cornett threw a number of big haymakers and overhands that Zayats was grateful to avoid. Towards the end of the round Zayats came alive with a brutal quick fire combination of rights and lefts flooring Cornett through the ring ropes. Cornetts fall through the ropes was fortunate for the fighter as the referee had to step in and move him giving him time to recover. Cornett survived to the second only to be on the receiving end of further brutal combinations, eventually verbally submitting 44 seconds into round two. Cornett showed great heart during the bout and the pointing to his hand afterwards suggests he may have also stopped due to an injury.

The last of the Red Devil vs. USA clashes involved a heavyweight bout between Kiril Sidelikov and James Jack. Sidelnikov is described by many as Fedor Emelianenko's protégé and he didn’t disappoint on the night. Jack looking the larger fighter secured an early take down and looked to control on the floor. The Russian however was able to get back to his feet and deliver a huge right hand hurting Jack. The American appeared to be knocked out but strangely instinct had him grasping onto Sidelnikov’s leg on the ground, the referee rightly stopped the fight. An impressive 1st round stoppage moves Sidelnikov onto 4-2 completing a 5-0 rout for the Red Devils

Red Devils defeat Team USA 5-0

Source: www.nokaut.com