Weekend Rundown: Heleno’s Streak Reaches Seven
Brian Knapp Sep 6, 2010
International Fight League veteran Delson
Heleno defeated Waachiim
Spiritwolf by unanimous decision in the Art of Fighting 9
“Apocalypse” main event on Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Arena
in Jacksonville, Fla.
Heleno, a former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, scored with takedowns in all three rounds and threatened Spiritwolf with an arm-triangle choke in the first. The 32-year-old Brazilian has pieced together an impressive seven-fight winning streak since he suffered back-to-back losses to Jay Hieron and Brad Blackburn inside the IFL.
Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11 qualifier Charles
Blanchard stopped David
Hulett on a first-round technical knockout in the co-headliner.
Victimized by Blanchard’s ground-and-pound, Hulett sustained a cut
above his right and could not continue after round one. Blanchard
has posted five wins in his past six appearances.
Other winners at Art of Fighting 9 included American Top Team’s Jahmal McLennan (unanimous decision against Ronald Jacobs) and Dream veteran Imani Lee (unanimous decision over Terry Blackburn).
Yuji Sakuragi stopped light heavyweight King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura on first-round punches in their non-title main event at Pancrase “Passion Tour 8” on Sunday at the Differ Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The end came 3:55 into round one.
Sakurahi, a sub-.500 journeyman who has not won consecutive bouts in more than four years, dropped Kawamura with a crackling right hook and put away the dazed champion with punches against the ropes after he returned to his feet. The defeat snapped the 29-year-old Kawamura’s modest two-fight winning streak.
Meanwhile, bantamweight King of Pancrase Manabu Inoue retained his title in a majority decision against Tashiro Nishiuchi. Two of the three ringside judges scored it 29-28 in Inoue’s favor; a third ruled it a 29-29 draw. Inoue, who has spent virtually his entire professional career inside Pancrase, has won four fights in a row.
Finally, former flyweight King of Pancrase Mitsuhisa Sunabe knocked out Noboru Tahara with a slam 2:32 into round three of their 125-pound encounter. The victory, Sunabe’s fifth in six bouts, keeps him on track for a rematch with the man who dethroned him, Kiyotaka Shimizu.
Other winners at “Passion Tour 8” included “Windy” Tomomi Sunaba (unanimous decision over Monica Lovato), Sengoku Raiden Championships veteran Masahiro Toryu (third-round knockout against Akihiro Yamazaki) and the well-traveled Daisuke Hanazawa (second-round submission over Eriya Matsuda).
Wheeler, Martinez Shine at Jackson’s MMA Series 2
World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Coty Wheeler stopped Ray Robinson on second-round punches at Jackson’s MMA Series 2 on Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Albuquerque, N.M. Robinson met his demise 1:51 into round two.
Wheeler weakened his foe with leg kicks and finished him with punches against the cage. The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for the 31-year-old New Mexico native, who entered the match on the heels of decision loses to Will Campuzano and Charlie Valencia.
Meanwhile, Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Henry Martinez put away Ruben Gonzales on a third-round technical knockout. Martinez finished his opponent with strikes from the topside crucifix position and bounced back nicely from his first career defeat -- a unanimous decision loss to Wilson Reis at Bellator 2.
Quick Hits
Pride Fighting Championships veteran Pawel Nastula needed less than half a minute to dispatch Yusuke Masuda on strikes in the Fighters Arena Lodz “Nastula vs. Masuda” main event on Friday at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland. The 40-year-old Nastula, who won a gold medal in judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, ended it with strikes 26 seconds into round one. It was just the second victory over Nastula’s professional mixed martial arts career … German featherweight prospect Alan Omer delivered his sixth win in seven appearances, as he submitted Rouven Kurath with a first-round triangle choke at Shooto Switzerland 7 on Saturday at the Volkshaus in Zurich, Switzerland. The end came 3:44 into round one. The 21-year-old Omer has scored nine of his 15 victories by submission … The unbeaten Casey Dyer submitted Andrew Zook with a first-round armbar to win the Total Warrior Challenge bantamweight championship at TWC 7 on Saturday at the Wyndham West in Indianapolis. Zook met his demise 2:49 into round one.
Heleno, a former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, scored with takedowns in all three rounds and threatened Spiritwolf with an arm-triangle choke in the first. The 32-year-old Brazilian has pieced together an impressive seven-fight winning streak since he suffered back-to-back losses to Jay Hieron and Brad Blackburn inside the IFL.
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Other winners at Art of Fighting 9 included American Top Team’s Jahmal McLennan (unanimous decision against Ronald Jacobs) and Dream veteran Imani Lee (unanimous decision over Terry Blackburn).
Sakuragi Upsets Kawamura in Pancrase
Yuji Sakuragi stopped light heavyweight King of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura on first-round punches in their non-title main event at Pancrase “Passion Tour 8” on Sunday at the Differ Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The end came 3:55 into round one.
Sakurahi, a sub-.500 journeyman who has not won consecutive bouts in more than four years, dropped Kawamura with a crackling right hook and put away the dazed champion with punches against the ropes after he returned to his feet. The defeat snapped the 29-year-old Kawamura’s modest two-fight winning streak.
Meanwhile, bantamweight King of Pancrase Manabu Inoue retained his title in a majority decision against Tashiro Nishiuchi. Two of the three ringside judges scored it 29-28 in Inoue’s favor; a third ruled it a 29-29 draw. Inoue, who has spent virtually his entire professional career inside Pancrase, has won four fights in a row.
Finally, former flyweight King of Pancrase Mitsuhisa Sunabe knocked out Noboru Tahara with a slam 2:32 into round three of their 125-pound encounter. The victory, Sunabe’s fifth in six bouts, keeps him on track for a rematch with the man who dethroned him, Kiyotaka Shimizu.
Other winners at “Passion Tour 8” included “Windy” Tomomi Sunaba (unanimous decision over Monica Lovato), Sengoku Raiden Championships veteran Masahiro Toryu (third-round knockout against Akihiro Yamazaki) and the well-traveled Daisuke Hanazawa (second-round submission over Eriya Matsuda).
Wheeler, Martinez Shine at Jackson’s MMA Series 2
World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Coty Wheeler stopped Ray Robinson on second-round punches at Jackson’s MMA Series 2 on Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Albuquerque, N.M. Robinson met his demise 1:51 into round two.
Wheeler weakened his foe with leg kicks and finished him with punches against the cage. The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for the 31-year-old New Mexico native, who entered the match on the heels of decision loses to Will Campuzano and Charlie Valencia.
Meanwhile, Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Henry Martinez put away Ruben Gonzales on a third-round technical knockout. Martinez finished his opponent with strikes from the topside crucifix position and bounced back nicely from his first career defeat -- a unanimous decision loss to Wilson Reis at Bellator 2.
Quick Hits
Pride Fighting Championships veteran Pawel Nastula needed less than half a minute to dispatch Yusuke Masuda on strikes in the Fighters Arena Lodz “Nastula vs. Masuda” main event on Friday at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland. The 40-year-old Nastula, who won a gold medal in judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, ended it with strikes 26 seconds into round one. It was just the second victory over Nastula’s professional mixed martial arts career … German featherweight prospect Alan Omer delivered his sixth win in seven appearances, as he submitted Rouven Kurath with a first-round triangle choke at Shooto Switzerland 7 on Saturday at the Volkshaus in Zurich, Switzerland. The end came 3:44 into round one. The 21-year-old Omer has scored nine of his 15 victories by submission … The unbeaten Casey Dyer submitted Andrew Zook with a first-round armbar to win the Total Warrior Challenge bantamweight championship at TWC 7 on Saturday at the Wyndham West in Indianapolis. Zook met his demise 2:49 into round one.
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