Last week, Team Russia Red Devil dominated Team USA. Now, the Red Devils’ regional rival, Team Russia Legion, steps into the spotlight, as they face the World Team in Group B action.
As the standings currently look, Russia Legion is tied for second place with Team Spain. The World Team sits at the bottom, just slightly behind Team Japan, with a 1-1 team challenge record and 4-6 in individual fights. For the World Team, a victory could launch them from the basement into second place, while, for Russia Legion, even a clean sweep victory will only nudge them from a tie for second place into a tie for first place with Team Holland. That said, a clean sweep of victories tonight would establish Russia Legion as having the second best overall team challenge (2-1) and individual fight record (10-5) of the entire M-1 Challenge.
As always, announcers Sean Wheelock and Fight Quest’s Jimmy Smith are on-hand to call the matches. This meet originally took place on September 27th of this year at the Harvey Hadden Sports Centre in Nottingham, England.
Lightweight Division: Musa Khamanaev (Team Russia Legion) vs. Wim Deputter (World Team)
This is Khamanaev’s debut in this year’s M-1 Challenge. Deputter’s previous outing was a decision loss to Daisuke Nakamura of Team Japan in a meet that was not televised.
Round Two (joined in progress): According to Jimmy Smith, Khamanaev took round one with a 10-9 score. Deputter shoots in right from the bell. They clinch in the corner, ending up on the ground with Khamanaev in Deputter’s closed guard. Khamanaev ground-and-pounds away, while Deputter works unsuccessfully to get better position. When Khamanaev stands up, Deputter immediately shoots for the leg again . . . and ends up in the same bottom position. Deputter is working to do something with the Russian’s left arm, but keeps getting distracted with short punches. This pattern apparently mirrors the first round. Gegard Mousasi is in Deputter’s corner, but that doesn’t seem to help. Deputter comes close to securing a gogoplata, but loses it. To their credit, both guys are working hard, but it’s just a stalemate of getting the upper hand.
Judges give the match to Musa Khamanaev by majority (split) decision. Team Russia Legion takes the opening bout, 1-0.
Welterweight Division: Sergey Verdesh (Team Russia Legion) vs. Jason Ponet (World Team)
Ponet is 19 years old and was born in French Guiana. He currently lives and trains in France. World Team originally was supposed to be a German contingent, but a dearth of qualified German fighters forced M-1 to piece together a pan-European “World Team,” and as such, Ponet finds himself on this team. Verdesh’s previous M-1 match was over a year ago, submitting to Brian Lo-A-Njoe via second round tapout.
Round Two (joined in progress): Based on the sweat and heavy breathing of these two, the first round must have been a doozey. Yes, a doozey. Verdesh sets things off with combinations. Ponet is fighting southpaw. Jimmy Smith explains that the traditional counterstrategy is to attack with overhand rights, which Verdesh does. Ponet charges in with a Superman punch and gets a takedown, ending up in Verdesh’s guard. Ponet ground-and-pounds with short punches, while Verdesh fights to hold him down. Ponet stuns Verdesh with a few headshots, but otherwise, there’s not a lot of action. This goes all the way to the bell.
Judges give the match to Jason Ponet via unanimous decision. World Team ties it up, 1-1.
Middleweight Division: Sergey Kornev (Team Russia Legion) vs. Rosen Dimitrov (Team World)
Dimitrov is from Bulgaria. He fought earlier this year and submitted an opponent who also was named Dimitrov. The only other place you see something like that is in Korea, when Kim fights Kim. Team Russia Legion appear to be using their B-team for this meet, as neither Kornev, Verdesh, nor Khamanaev have fought in this year’s M-1 Challenge until now.
Round Two (joined in progress): Dimitrov charges in with furious striking combos to the face. Kornev didn’t expect those flurries. He clinches and throws Dimitrov, but both end up falling out of the ring. Kornev lands some shots on Dimitrov’s face and gets top position after Dimitrov tries for a single leg. Dimitrov rolls and gives Kornev his back. They work to their feet, but back to the bottom. Dimitrov gives up the back again, but Kornev isn’t able to capitalize on it. Kornev gets a high full mount and rains down some rights, trapping Dimitrov’s left arm. Dimitrov is so close to losing, but stalls TKO finish when he gives up his back. Kornev continues the assault, and even falls on top of Dimitrov from his own fatigue, at which point the referee finally steps in and halts the match at 2:59 of the second round.
Team Russia Legion moves ahead with the lead, 2-1.
Light Heavyweight Division: Gadzimurad Omarov (Team Russia Legion) vs. Niels Van Noord (World Team)
Omarov steps in for Besike Gerinava, who represented Russia Legion against Team Spain. The Dutchman Van Noord had one other fight, last year, which he won with a leglock.
Round Three (joined in progress): You read that right, we’re going into a round three overtime, for the first time in the 2008 M-1 Challenge season. Sean Wheelock explains that this is a crucial round for Omarov and Van Noord, as rounds one and two were split. Van Noord has a big height advantage over Omarov. The two are trading punches when Van Noord reaches for a single-leg, but Omarov is able to shift his balance and take him down. Omarov is in half guard, and tries to get full mount. Unsuccessful, he resides to work the body with ground-and-pound shots. Van Noord is barely even trying to escape. With no action, the referee stands them up. Same half-hearted single takedown attempt by Van Noord, same off-balance counter by Omarov. Another stand-up at 1:30 left in the round. Van Noord shoots for another single leg, but Omarov stuffs and flips Van Noord on bottom. Van Noord scrambles to get up, and briefly is in whizzer position, but Omarov keeps him down. Referee stands them up again. Omarov shoots for the first time in this round and takes Van Noord down before the end of the round.
Judges give the match to Gadzimurad Omarov, securing the night’s team challenge, 3-1.
Heavyweight Division: Akmed Sultanov (Team Russia Legion) vs. Sylvester Olesky (World Team)
This is Olesky’s pro debut. Sultanov comes in looking to vindicate himself from his previous outing, a decision loss to Team Spain’s Rogent Lloret.
Round One (joined in progress): Olesky has quite the height advantage to Sultanov. Both are tentative in their shots. Sultanov throws leg kicks, but also goes high. Olesky looks like he doesn’t have much striking experience. Clinch in the corner. Olseky tries to set up a hip toss, but Sultanov stuffs him and gets a full mount. Sultanov works for an armbar, but Olesky pulls himself out the back door just as the round ends.
Round Two: Both men try to mask their fatigue, but the lack of striking betrays their near-empty energy levels. Sultanov throws overhand rights that whiff past Olesky’s face. Olesky is trying to have a good first showing, but he’s suffering Sultanov’s leg kicks, is breathing out of his mouth blatantly, and just generally looks out of his element. Sultanov throws a few more. Sean Wheelock spots a hematoma over Olesky’s left leg and predicts the big Pole to come crashing down at any moment. Sultanov is happy to choose his shots, using a lot of head movement and leg kicks to pick Olesky apart. Fans are starting to get restless and jeer the two combatants. Sultanov barely keeps the pressure on.
Judges give the match to Akmed Sultanov. Team Russia Legion walks away with the final individual match, 4-1.
Best Match**: Sergey Kornev vs. Rosen Dimitrov. There wasn’t a lot of compelling action here, but it was the only one with an actual finish.
Worst Match**: Musa Khamanaev vs. Wim Deputter. The second round was the only one to air, but as announcers Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith mention, this was also a clone of the first round. The two scrapped on the ground for most of the match, but nobody was close to a submission attempt or a finish.
** (based on footage aired)
Team Russia Legion’s team challenge victory is somewhat anti-climactic, as their individual fight record only clarifies their second place status – not enough individual fight wins to tie for first, but just enough to get out of push Team Spain to third place. Conversely, World Team’s sole win of the night simply anchors Team Japan down to share last place.
Next week, Team Korea and Team France meet in America’s heartland of Kansas City, MO, at the first M-1 Challenge event in the U.S.
Mixed Martial Thoughts from the Tan Dynasty 