Issue 141

May 2016

It appears sport logistics aren’t quite up to scratch in Russia. M-1 Challenge 65 was delayed by a month because it was booked for the Ice Palace Sports Center at the same time as the some ice hockey. Not just any puck action though: the IIHF World Championships. You’d think bookers would know about a big international event in their national sport’s calendar, but this organization promotes fights in suits of armor, so anything’s possible.

Nagoya, Japan: Two-on-two jiu-jitsu

While Wanderlei Silva waits to return to the ring and continue his MMA career with Rizin FF, the Japanese promotion offered him a chance to ease his way back into action at its third show. ‘The Axe Murderer’ was booked to grab a partner and take on a Kazushi Sakuraba and Hideo Tokoro in a tag-team grappling match. It wouldn’t be a Far East MMA event without some kind of freakish combat idea.

Bangkok, Thailand: Thai-star

Muay Thai legend Saenchai PKSaenchaimuaythaigym is the latest to try and enter the Conor McGregor sweepstakes. The four-division champ – who boasts a 293-52-2 record and is considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world – revealed he was invited by Georges St Pierre to train MMA at Tristar gym in Montreal, and would “definitely win” if he fought ‘The Notorious’.

Denver, Colorado: Senior striker

This must be some kind of record. Sparta Combat League 48 in February featured 68-year-old Ann Perez de Tejada making her amateur MMA debut against Laura Dettman. And we thought Dan Henderson was MMA’s only senior citizen striker! Unfortunately, and predictably, she was brutally finished by TKO from full mount after just 1:24. Hopefully she didn’t break a hip.

Dublin, Ireland: Black market surprise

Rising Finnish UFC prospect Makwan Amirkhani got first-hand experience of the ‘enterprising’ Irish youths when he visited the Emerald Isle to train with Paddy Holohan and co. at SBG Ireland. First he saw them steal from local stores, then try to make a quick buck from the generosity of pro fighters. He recalls: “I was asking Paddy, ‘Is that normal?’ and he was like, ‘In my area, the kids have no soul. They came to me and asked for a signed T-shirt,’ and the next day they were selling it!”

2,395 days

The UFC’s first trip to the Netherlands is set to mark the first time headliner heavyweight Alistair Overeem has fought in his home country since his first-round submission victory over Tony Sylvester in 2009.