M-1 challenge 10 photoreport from Finland

**M-1 Challenge** · 27-11-2008, 15:02

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.

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.

[img]http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/4917/m1helsinki03bufferac1.jpg[/img]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

Spain wins the Challenge with 3 - 2

**M-1 Challenge** · 27-11-2008, 15:02

M-1 Fight

Mathias Klockars (59,7 kg) vs Jordi Peute (59,2 kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen
Klockars was the more offensive fighter in all of the three rounds.. Just before the bell at the end of the second round Peute was kicked in the groin but he recovered in the break between round two and three.
Klockars winner by unanimous decision.

M-1 Challenge Finland vs France

Nikko Puhakka (70,0 kg) vs Maktar Gueye (69,0 kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen
Puhakka had 12 wins and 7 losses, Gueye 7 wins 2 losses.
First round went to Puhakka who dominated on the ground, but with just 10 seconds to go the referee made them stand up and that’s where Gueye feels at ease. He delivered a few strong punches that connected real well, but Puhakka managed to stop the flurry of punches by shooting and then the bell sounded.
In the second round Puhakka was constantly trying to land punches while in the guard of Gueye, but he also received a lot of them from the Frenchman who was punching upward, which resulted in a bloody messed up face of the Fin.
The fight ended in a draw and in the extension round Puhakka took the victory.

Janne Tullirinta (75,85 kg) vs Farouk Lakebir (75,45 kg)
Referee: Marco Broersen
Tullirinta with 8 wins and 3 losses had far more experience then Lakebir with his 2 wins 2 losses.
Lakebir initiated a takedown but Tullirinta ended on top. After trading just a few punches Janne gestured to the referee that his opponent was injured and he was right. Lakebir had a dislocated left shoulder.
So, winner by forfeit after 2.23 sec in the first round: Janne Tullirinta.

Lucio Linhares (83,75 kg) vs Karl “Psycho” Amoussou (82,65 kg)
Referee: Marcel Homeijer
Would Linhares with 8 wins 4 losses be outpsyched by Amoussou who had 9 wins 1 loss and 1 draw?
No, he did not, because in a very exiting fight Linhares won by G&P after 4.54 in the first round.

Marcus Vänttinen (92,5kg) vs Christian “Ton Ton” Mpumbo (92,9 kg)
Referee: Mika Sinkkonen
Vänttinen 8 wins no losses, Mpumbo 9 wins 2 losses
After 2.15 minutes in the first round Vänttinen tapped out at a rear naked choke.

Toni Valtonen (104,0 kg) vs Mousa Niangane (94 kg)
Referee: Marco Broersen
Valtonen 15 wins 8 losses against M-1 Challenge novice Niangane who replaced
Niangane was no match for Valtonen. It took the Finnish heavyweight only 2 minutes to finish the fight with an armbar.

Finland won the Challenge meeting with 4 -1

[b]Victor Valimaki (92,6 kg) vs Rodney Glunder (90,85 kg)
Referee: Marcel Homeijer
Vallimaki is a Canadian of Finnish heritage. 17 fights wit 12 wins and 5 defeats.
It took him 2.14 min in the first fight to make Rodney tap out at a rear naked choke.