M-1 Challenge Korea Results
The sixth edition of the 2008 M-1 Challenge season took place this past weekend at the Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul, Korea. With competition in this exciting global event rising, the stakes were high as this event saw 2 best-of-five M-1 Challenge team bouts and 3 additional Superfights.
Opening ceremony and parade of fighters
(All Photos courtesy of m1mixfight.com)
This show included a Pool A clash between the host nation Korea and a top USA team. Whilst in Pool B Japan took on the newly formed World Team. This event also included the usual M-1 Challenge glitz and glamour as well as an appearance by the WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko. Below is a brief rundown of what took place
World Team Storm To victory Against Team Japan
Japan came into this series on the back of a narrow 3-2 win over the Russian Legion in their first M-1 Challenge series before being crushed by the surprise package of the tournament back in July on their own soil as the travelling Dutch quintet shocked the Japanese 4-1 with some impressive individual performances. They hoped to get back to winning ways when they faced the newly formed “Team World” who replaced a Germany Team that were thrashed 5-0 earlier this year by Team Holland.
Norman Paraisy (Team World) vs Hidehiko Hasegava (Team Japan)
However once again the experienced Japanese team failed to perform to their ability with only the skilful Lightweight Daisuke Nakamura walking away from the Jangchung Gymnasium with a win when he defeated the highly touted Belgian submission fighter Wim Deputter (18-2) by decision. But in a 5 bout series full of close bouts the World Team ended up 4-1 winners with the young Frenchman Norman Paraisy, the UFC veteran; Jordan Radev, the BJJ star; Bruno Carvalho all won by decision against some good quality Japanese opposition. Whilst the 4-1 win was sealed by the young Dutch Prodigy Stefan Struve, who increased his impressive record to 14-2 with a first round triangle choke victory against Yuji Sakuragi, who slumped to his third straight M-1 Challenge defeat.
Final Result - World Team 4-1 Team Japan
Team USA Relies On Experience To Defeat Team Korea
With both teams tasting defeat to the impressive Finnish outfit earlier this year, both Teams wanted to get some wins on the board, especially as this revamped USA team had just come off a 3-2 loss over a crack French unit in July. However facing an inexperienced Team Korea, the USA was able to take a quick lead thanks to wins by the Cage Force, King of the Cage and Absolute Fighting Championships veteran; David Gardner, and the BodogFIGHT and IFL veteran Jake Ellenberger. These two vastly experience Americans put the Team USA up 2-0 up early on with TKO wins over Kim Jang Yong and Seo Doo Won respectively.
Seo Doo Won Entering the Arena To Fight Jake Ellenberger
However Team Korea bounced back as the previously unbeaten KOTC veterans Brandon Magana and Bryan Harper were defeated on their first trip away from US soil as they were defeated by the relatively unheralded Lim Hyuin Gyu and Na Mu Jin respectively within two rounds.
However the experience came to the USA's rescue once again as the two time BodogFIGHT veteran Jeremiah Constant snapped a 3 bout loss streak to rack-up his 6 submission win out of 7, when he defeated the (1-6-0) Kim Ji Hoon in the final bout of the 5 fight series, which sealed the 3-2 series win for Team USA.
Final Result – USA Team 3-2 Team Korea
Superfights
The three Superfights on show saw the host nation go 3-0, as the Korean Park Won Sik defeated the Dutch star Furdjel de Windt by decision. Whilst the K-1 Hero's and DEEP veteran Heo Min Seok then made it two Superfight wins for Korean fighters when he defeated the previously unbeaten Russian Radmir Gabdullin by decision.
Roman Zentsov vs Lee San Soo In The Main Event
Whilst the third Superfight and main event of the evening saw a mild shock, as the former Pride FC star Roman Zentsov succumbed to a tidy armbar by the Korean Lee Sang Soo in the first round of their Heavyweight Superfight. Lee Sang Soo not only extended his winning streak to three fights with this win but also avenged his 2007 decision loss in the process.
This exciting global event now travels to Nottingham, England on September 27th and sees the return of Team World as they face the Russian Legion. Whilst Team USA will be looking to win another five bout series when they face the formidable Russian Red Devil Team, who are arguably the strongest team in the tournament so far.
For more information go to http://www.cagewarriors.com/m1challenge.htm and to buy your tickets for the UK event go to http://www.cagewarriors.com/event.25.htm
Full Results
World Team def. Team Japan 4-1
- Daisuke Nakamura (Japan) def. Wim de Putter (World) via decision
- Norman Paraisy (World) def. Hidehiko Hasegawa (Japan) via decision
- Jordan Radev (World) def. Yuya Shirai (Japan) via decision
- Bruno Carvalho (World) def. Tatsuya Mizuno (Japan) via decision
- Stefan Struve (World) def. Yuji Sakuragi (Japan) via sub (triangle choke) - R1
Team USA def. Team Korea 3-2
David Gardner (USA) def. Kim Jang Yong (Korea) via KO - R1
- Jake Ellenberger (USA) def. Seo doo Won (Korea) via TKO - R2
- Lim Hyuin Gyu (Korea) def. Brandon Magana (USA) via submission (armbar) - R2
- Na Mu Jin (Korea) def. Bryan Harper (USA) via TKO - R1
- Jeremiah Constant (USA) def. Kim Ji Hoon (Korea) via submission (kimura) - R1
Superfights
- Park Won Sik def. Furdjel de Wind via decision
- Heo Min Seok def. Radmir Gabdullin via decision
- Lee Sang Soo def. Roman Zentsov via submission (armbar) - R1
To see the full report on this M-1 Challenge show go to m1mixfight.com
