Team Russia Red Devil and Team Holland claimed the top spot in their respective groups in this year’s M-1 Challenge, and with their championship finals showdown scheduled to be televised soon, this week, we take a look back at some of the standout moments of 2008’s M-1 Challenge.
Match 1: Heavyweight – Kiril Sidelnikov (Team Russia Red Devil) vs. Martin Szoltysik (Team France)
This match aired before these reviews started being published, but if memory serves correct, this was from the first episode of M-1 Challenge. Szoltysik outweighs Sidelnikov by 35 pounds, and in many ways resembles James Thompson. At the time, Szoltysik and Sidelnikov, whom many call “Baby Fedor,” were relative novices to the MMA game.
Round One: Szoltysik seems to favor Thompson’s attack style, running straight towards Sidelnikov from the bell. But the big Russian jumps out of his range to slow the pace down. Szoltysik swings giant looping overhand rights, but Sidelnikov doesn’t seem fazed. If you didn’t know Sidelnikov’s camp, you’d think that he’s in over his head. Szoltysik chases after him, but Sidelnikov plays stick-and-move until firing an overhand right that drops Szoltysik at 2:25 of round one. Kiril “Baby Fedor” Sidelnikov walks away with the KO win.
Match 2: Middleweight – Gegard Mousasi (Team Holland) vs. Steve Mensing (Team Germany / World Team)
Two thousand eight was Gegard Mousasi’s year, as he went 6-0, fighting on three different continents and surprising many by knocking out Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to win the Dream Middleweight Grand Prix championship. For Mensing, this was his first match since a June 2007 win in the Czech Republic.
Round One: Mensing initiates the exchange with punches, but Mousasi sets the pace with a series of kicks, landing several hard low shots to Mensing’s outside leg. Mousasi takes Mensing down in his own corner, but they’re quickly repositioned in the middle. Mensing tries to shrimp away and escape, but Mousasi gets the full mount and showers lefts and rights down until referee Marco Broersen stops the match at 2:44 of the first round.
Match 3: Lightweight – Daisuke Nakamura (Team Japan) vs. Bogdan Christea (Team Holland)
This was a highly anticipated bout between two fighters who are undefeated in M-1 Challenge action.
Round Two (joined in progress): Nakamura is considered a master of the flying armbar, and as such, he attempts the move early in the round. Christea counters with a heel hook and the two jockey for leglock position. They go back-and-forth for ground control and top position. Christea gets Nakamura’s back, but then gets caught in an armbar. At one point, when the referee calls for a stop in the action, Nakamura walks away, while Christea continues with the attack. But Nakmura counters with yet another flying armbar, triangle choke, and armbar. The two scrap hard and fast to the end of the round.
This proved to be a tremendous match. Judges scored in favor of Nakamura, who successfully kept the submission pressure on Christea.
Match 4: Light Heavyweight – Mikhail Zayats (Team Russia Red Devil) vs. John Cornett (Team USA)
Zayats vs. Cornett was the best match of the meet. They delivered a barnburner of nonstop action that was furious enough to spill out of the ring several times.
Round One: Cornett wastes no time in throwing heavy bombs, but Zayats scores a single-leg takedown. Zayats works some ground-and-pound as Cornett tries to neutralize it with a tight guard. Finally, the ref restarts them standing. Zayats attacks with wild haymakers, but the referee stops them and gives Zayats a verbal warning, perhaps for knees to the groin. By now, he’s intent on getting the overhand right KO. Cornett is cautious about engaging.
Round Two: Right from jump street, these two are swinging for the fences. Zayats drops Cornett and almost finishes him, but the American escapes to his feet. Zayats takes Cornett down, falling out of the ring. Upon getting up, Cornett looks to the referee and verbally submits 44 seconds into the second round. Announcer Sean Wheelock reports that Cornett broke his right hand and has to concede the match.
Match 5: Heavyweight – Jesse Gibbs (Team Holland) vs. Ahkmed Sultanov (Team Russia Legion)
Gibbs vs. Sultanov was the deciding match in a 2-2 tie between Holland and Russia Legion to claim the Group B championship. Gibbs was 3-0 going into this match, while Sultanov was 2-1. Gibbs was also 30 pounds heavier than the Russian heavyweight.
Round One: Gibbs looks like a smaller, wider Antonio Silva without the acromegaly. Sultanov opens with a front kick, which Gibbs answers with a low, then high, kick. They tie up and go to the ground, with Gibbs stepping over to take top position. Sultanov turtles up under Gibbs’ heavy rights before Gibbs rolls through and gets an arm triangle tapout at 1:12 of the first round.
Match 6: Lightweight – Niko Puhakka (Team Finland) vs. Mikhail Malutin (Team Red Devil)
This was a battle between two of the hotter lightweights in M-1 Challenge.
Round Two (joined in progress): Malutin charges in, but Puhakka gets the takedown. Malutin reverses and gets the mount, but they fall into the ropes. Restart in the center of the ring. Puhakka turns away from Malutin, who seizes the opportunity, takes the back, and stays on. Puhakka rolls over several times, but Malutin finally wears him down and sinks in the RNC at 3:32 in the second round.
From there, we go to a series of “Best Knockout” clips, which include clobbering finishes by Hyun-gyu Lim and Mu-jin Na (Team Korea), Janne Tulirinta (Team Finland), Romano de los Reyes (Team Spain), Jason Jones (Team Holland), and Karl “Psycho” Amoussou (Team France).
Superfight: Gilbert Yvel vs. Alexander Timonov
Yvel has a cumulative record of almost 55 fights, and judging from his body ink, possibly as many hours in the tattoo studio. Timonov has five matches and no tattoos. ‘Nuff said.
Round One: Timonov is active and unafraid to engage, but drops to the floor from a right hook. He’s quickly back on his feet, but it’s not long after before Yvel drops him again with another right. The referee stops the match at 0:22 of the first round
Superfight: Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Sang-soo Lee
Lee (16-3) and Emelianenko (13-3) are a bit closer in experience. Emelianenko outweighs Lee by 20 pounds, but Lee has finished larger men.
Round One: Lee does what he can to create an opening in Emelianenko’s armor, but Aleksander keeps Lee at bay by connecting shots to the head and Muay Thai knees. Lee throws combinations and mixes it up, but is unable to land any damaging blows on the Big Russian. Finally, Aleksander drops Lee with a six-shot combination and the referee jumps in at 2:40 of the first round.
Best Match / Worst Match: In a recap show like this, it’s difficult to assign best / worst honors. All these matches had their merits, and were broadcast for various factors. That said, Sidelnikov vs. Szoltysik offered a fun KO finish among heavyweights, Mousasi vs. Mensing and Zayats vs. Cornett had fast-paced back-and-forth action, and Gibbs vs. Sultanov saw a submission victory among heavyweights, which are usually pretty exciting. The superfights were short and provided the finishes that most would have expected.
The next episode of M-1 Challenge will be the championship finals, when Team Holland goes against Team Russia Red Devil.
Mixed Martial Thoughts from the Tan Dynasty 