M-1 Challenge
27-11-2008, 16:02
November 26th M-1 CHALLENGE Nr. 10
Helsinki, Finland
If mother nature wanted to make us aware that we as little human beings are totally dependent on her mood, it was this time, just a couple of days before the 10th M-1 Challenge was due in Helsinki Finland, that she made a thick blanket of snow come down to cover the earth.
Planes were delayed and the roads were a real danger because of glazed frost and even the ferries stayed in the harbors. Because of this up to the night before the fights the truck with equipment was still not in Helsinki, but fortunately, when it arrived, the crew managed to finish the set in time.
http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/5946/m1helsinki01venuevm3.jpg
Despite of this and all the stress that went with it, promoter Petteri Maunu and M-1 Global managed to stage another impressive show.
Marcel Homeijer and Marco Broersen from Holland and Mika Sinkonnen from Finland were referees as well as the judges and Miko Aaltonen and Asse Hokkanen were also Judges. Timekeeper was Marko Mäenpää and the the doctors were Jorma Kivimaki and Samuli Järvinen. Ino Alberga was supervising the officials, Americans Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smit were the expert commentators on the job and the HD TV registration was done by Gerald “Jerry” Millen and Kevin Hewitt. Ring announcer was Earl “O Dog” de Randamie.
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/4917/m1helsinki03bufferac1.jpg
Although the suspense who had to fight their way into the finals was not there because Red Devil and Holland had already secured those places, the fighters from Spain, the World team, Finland and France fought for what they were worth for.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2157/m1helsinki02deskfc3.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8506/m1helsinki46fightnro135ft2.jpg
The event started with a superfight in the lightweight class between
Janne Elonen Kulmala (Finland 59,95kg) vs Nicklas Bergman (Sweden 59,5kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen.
Bergman was mainly in defense in the first round and Kulmala showed some excellent ground skills. The bell of the second round sounded and both circled around each other. Then an exchange of punches happened. Kulmala hit Bergman with a straight punch which made him stagger backward. Another one followed which almost lifted him of the floor and the Finnish lightweight was all over him with punches.
Before he was hit stone cold out, the referee interfered and stopped the fight.
Winner by KO Janne Elonen Kulmala
By now there was not an empty chair to find in the Töölön Kisa Halli where the event took place so it was time that the Challenge began.
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/664/m1helsinki04fightnro011mt2.jpg
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/4267/m1helsinki05fightnro012pq8.jpg
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8683/m1helsinki06fightnro013gl0.jpg
M-1 Challenge Spain vs World Team
Jose Luis Zapater (67,9 kg) vs Juha Pekka Vainikainen (69,8 kg)
Referee: Marco Broersen
Zapater came in with a record of 7 wins 3 losses and Vainikainen with 9 wins and 4 losses.
Juha finished the fight after 1.57 in the first round with a straight right punch to the head.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/1933/m1helsinki07fightnro021ld8.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8484/m1helsinki08fightnro022pp2.jpg
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/2163/m1helsinki09fightnro023jp4.jpg
Jose Beltran Martinez (75,6 kg) vs Jason Ponet (75,6 kg)
Referee: Marcel Homeijer
Beltran had 2 wins and 1 loss, Ponet 3 wins, 1 loss.
Ponet looked like having the advantage when they ended up on the ground and delivered a few effective strikes which drew blood from Beltran’ts nose. Then Beltran tried to go for a kneebar, this did not succeed and then he changed en went for a toehold which made Ponet tap out. After 3.32 sec in the first round.
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8733/m1helsinki10fightnro031uh5.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/6426/m1helsinki11fightnro032jm7.jpg
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/4140/m1helsinki12fightnro033qe4.jpg
Rafael Rodriguez Guttierez (83,0 kg) vs Jordan Radev (83,25 kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen
Rodriguez 13 wins 7 losses faced Radev with 27 wins 3 losses.
Referee stopped the fight after 1.08 minute in the first round because he was convinced that Guttierez was about to pass out on the rear naked choke that Radev applied. “His eyes were rolling so I stopped the fight.”
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6545/m1helsinki13fightnro041xd3.jpg
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8329/m1helsinki14fightnro042np0.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2456/m1helsinki15fightnro043xg9.jpg
Enoc Solves Torres (92,6 kg) vs Valdas Pocevicius (88,4 kg)
Referee: Marco Broersen
Solves had 1 win with no losses, Pocevicius 14 wins, 17 losses and 2 draws. Never the less it was Solves who dominated the whole first round. Standing up as well as on the ground. In the second round it was the same and Solves won by unanimous decision.
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3373/m1helsinki16fightnro051pj0.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8110/m1helsinki17fightnro052ke3.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/4700/m1helsinki18fightnro053qf2.jpg
Rogent Lloret Arredondo (103,1 kg) vs Michael Kitta (104,45 kg)
Referee: Marcel Homeijer
Lloret entered the ring with 2 wins 1 loss, 1 draw and Kitta had 4 wins, 2 losses.
In the prefight interview Rogent told Sean Wheelock that he wanted to fight more aggressive in this match and so he did. After 2.09 minutes in the first round he applied a straight armbar and Kitta tapped out on it.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/1483/m1helsinki19fightnro061ra8.jpg
http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/223/m1helsinki20fightnro062bt1.jpg
http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/8445/m1helsinki21fightnro063bl0.jpg
Spain wins the Challenge with 3 - 2
Helsinki, Finland
If mother nature wanted to make us aware that we as little human beings are totally dependent on her mood, it was this time, just a couple of days before the 10th M-1 Challenge was due in Helsinki Finland, that she made a thick blanket of snow come down to cover the earth.
Planes were delayed and the roads were a real danger because of glazed frost and even the ferries stayed in the harbors. Because of this up to the night before the fights the truck with equipment was still not in Helsinki, but fortunately, when it arrived, the crew managed to finish the set in time.
http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/5946/m1helsinki01venuevm3.jpg
Despite of this and all the stress that went with it, promoter Petteri Maunu and M-1 Global managed to stage another impressive show.
Marcel Homeijer and Marco Broersen from Holland and Mika Sinkonnen from Finland were referees as well as the judges and Miko Aaltonen and Asse Hokkanen were also Judges. Timekeeper was Marko Mäenpää and the the doctors were Jorma Kivimaki and Samuli Järvinen. Ino Alberga was supervising the officials, Americans Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smit were the expert commentators on the job and the HD TV registration was done by Gerald “Jerry” Millen and Kevin Hewitt. Ring announcer was Earl “O Dog” de Randamie.
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/4917/m1helsinki03bufferac1.jpg
Although the suspense who had to fight their way into the finals was not there because Red Devil and Holland had already secured those places, the fighters from Spain, the World team, Finland and France fought for what they were worth for.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2157/m1helsinki02deskfc3.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8506/m1helsinki46fightnro135ft2.jpg
The event started with a superfight in the lightweight class between
Janne Elonen Kulmala (Finland 59,95kg) vs Nicklas Bergman (Sweden 59,5kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen.
Bergman was mainly in defense in the first round and Kulmala showed some excellent ground skills. The bell of the second round sounded and both circled around each other. Then an exchange of punches happened. Kulmala hit Bergman with a straight punch which made him stagger backward. Another one followed which almost lifted him of the floor and the Finnish lightweight was all over him with punches.
Before he was hit stone cold out, the referee interfered and stopped the fight.
Winner by KO Janne Elonen Kulmala
By now there was not an empty chair to find in the Töölön Kisa Halli where the event took place so it was time that the Challenge began.
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/664/m1helsinki04fightnro011mt2.jpg
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/4267/m1helsinki05fightnro012pq8.jpg
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8683/m1helsinki06fightnro013gl0.jpg
M-1 Challenge Spain vs World Team
Jose Luis Zapater (67,9 kg) vs Juha Pekka Vainikainen (69,8 kg)
Referee: Marco Broersen
Zapater came in with a record of 7 wins 3 losses and Vainikainen with 9 wins and 4 losses.
Juha finished the fight after 1.57 in the first round with a straight right punch to the head.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/1933/m1helsinki07fightnro021ld8.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8484/m1helsinki08fightnro022pp2.jpg
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/2163/m1helsinki09fightnro023jp4.jpg
Jose Beltran Martinez (75,6 kg) vs Jason Ponet (75,6 kg)
Referee: Marcel Homeijer
Beltran had 2 wins and 1 loss, Ponet 3 wins, 1 loss.
Ponet looked like having the advantage when they ended up on the ground and delivered a few effective strikes which drew blood from Beltran’ts nose. Then Beltran tried to go for a kneebar, this did not succeed and then he changed en went for a toehold which made Ponet tap out. After 3.32 sec in the first round.
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8733/m1helsinki10fightnro031uh5.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/6426/m1helsinki11fightnro032jm7.jpg
http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/4140/m1helsinki12fightnro033qe4.jpg
Rafael Rodriguez Guttierez (83,0 kg) vs Jordan Radev (83,25 kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen
Rodriguez 13 wins 7 losses faced Radev with 27 wins 3 losses.
Referee stopped the fight after 1.08 minute in the first round because he was convinced that Guttierez was about to pass out on the rear naked choke that Radev applied. “His eyes were rolling so I stopped the fight.”
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6545/m1helsinki13fightnro041xd3.jpg
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8329/m1helsinki14fightnro042np0.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2456/m1helsinki15fightnro043xg9.jpg
Enoc Solves Torres (92,6 kg) vs Valdas Pocevicius (88,4 kg)
Referee: Marco Broersen
Solves had 1 win with no losses, Pocevicius 14 wins, 17 losses and 2 draws. Never the less it was Solves who dominated the whole first round. Standing up as well as on the ground. In the second round it was the same and Solves won by unanimous decision.
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3373/m1helsinki16fightnro051pj0.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8110/m1helsinki17fightnro052ke3.jpg
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/4700/m1helsinki18fightnro053qf2.jpg
Rogent Lloret Arredondo (103,1 kg) vs Michael Kitta (104,45 kg)
Referee: Marcel Homeijer
Lloret entered the ring with 2 wins 1 loss, 1 draw and Kitta had 4 wins, 2 losses.
In the prefight interview Rogent told Sean Wheelock that he wanted to fight more aggressive in this match and so he did. After 2.09 minutes in the first round he applied a straight armbar and Kitta tapped out on it.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/1483/m1helsinki19fightnro061ra8.jpg
http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/223/m1helsinki20fightnro062bt1.jpg
http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/8445/m1helsinki21fightnro063bl0.jpg
Spain wins the Challenge with 3 - 2