Saturday night in Shooto Holland: "Holland vs the World," fighters from various nations battled hard for a possible spot in Shooto Japan. Also billed as "The Road to Tokyo", the event provided the audience with displays of some stunning groundwork, heavy knockouts and some ruthless ground and pound. The pre-show consisted of some amateur Shooto bouts that gave the upcoming fighters from local Dutch gyms as well as foreign gyms to get some ring experience. There was also one amateur bout during the intermission. Although the size of the event was very small in comparison to an event like 2 Hot 2 Handle, the quality of the fighters and fights was top notch. The fighters all came in with the intention of scoring the KO or the submission and thereby made it very exciting for the audience. To top things off there were quite a few mixed martial arts celebrities present such as Gilbert Yvel, Heath Herring, Alistair Overeem and Alexandre Franca Nogueira.

Amateur Shooto results:

1. (-91 kg) Patrick Decaro (Team Frota, Switzerland) def. Bram van Koppen (Tatsujin Dojo, Holland) by Armbar at 1:21 in R2

2. (-65 kg) Minh Ho (Physical Ede, Holland) def. Arjan van der Helm (van Asdonk, Holland) by forearm choke at 1:45 in R1

3. (-76 kg) Iwan Nussardo (Team Frota, Switzerland) def. Arno Verbraak (VC de Groot, Holland) by decision at 3:00 in R2

4. (-70 kg) Vincent Latoel (Tatsujin Dojo, Holland) def. Hendrik Blokhuis (Physical Ede, Holland) by Ankle Lock at 1:27 in R1

5. (-76 kg) Cees van Dijk (Physical Ede, Holland) def. Daniel Leck (Power Academy, Germany) by Armbar at 1:54 in R1

6. (-76 kg) Cees van Dijk (Physical Ede, Holland) def. Fransisco Solaro (Tatsujin Dojo, Holland) by Armbar at 0:50 in R2

Professional Shooto results:

1. (-76 kg) Matthieu Lawalata def. Jan Overduin by KO at 2:30 in R1

Matthieu Lawalata from Physical Ede and Jan Overduin from Sportschool Verstegen are both young upcoming Dutch fighters. The fight started out with a short feeling out process which led to a clinch and takedown from Lawalata. On the ground both fighters exchanged some shots but eventually due to lack of action the referree stood the fighters back up. When the action resumed Overduin landed a good knee but Lawalata replied with a flurry of shots that knocked Overduin out cold.

2. (-65 kg) Augusto Frota def. Eric Waardenburg by Stoppage due to mount strikes at 1:52 in R2

After both of his fighters had won their fights in the amateur pre-show, it was time for Swiss fighter Augusto Frota of Frota Gym to step up and prove his worth in professional Shooto. His opponent Eric Waardenburg from Belgium was making his Shooto debut. In the first round, after a brief feel out Waardenburg charged in but Frota managed to reverse and get the takedown. The fighters were briefly in Waardenburg’s guard but stood back up. However Frota immediately scored another takedown and worked his way to sidemount and then mount. He tried to get Waardenburg’s back but was reversed. After a short time in Frota’s guard, the fighters stood up and exchanged some strikes. Waardenburg attempted a flurry but was taken down by Frota. Frota worked to sidemount but then the round ended. In the second round both fighters started out with some strike flurries. Frota got the takedown momentarily but stood back up. Waardenburg replied with a flurry but Frota took him down and landed in mount. From there Frota unloaded a barrage of strikes that forced the referree to stop the fight.

3. (-76 kg) Zoubai Bounianemine drew Mauk van den Bijlaard at 5:00 in R2

The French Quoniam Gym has been bringing fighters to Holland for quite a few years. Quoniam Gym fighter Zoubai Bounianemine is already a veteran of Shooto Holland having won his fight in his previous appearance against Metin ’Pislik’ Yakut. The Tatsujin Dojo fighter van den Bijlaard is also a veteran of Shooto Holland and some smaller shows in Holland. The fight started out with some strike exchanges and then a clinch from which van den Bijlaard scored a takedown. Bounianemine immediately worked for an ankle lock and it looked to be secured but van den Bijlaard defended well and landed some punches. Both fighters stood back up and exchanged a few shots before entering a clinch. After some knees by van den Bijlaard, Bounianemine took him down and threw some good punches. However van den Bijlaard defended well and worked his way back to guard. Bounianemine picked up van den Bijlaard and slammed him twice and also landed a few more good punches. The round ended with Bounianemine in van den Bijlaard’s guard. In the second round, Bounianemine immediately scored a takedown off of a low kick from van den Bijlaard. After a few short punch flurries Bounianemine started to throw some heavy knees to the midsection of van den Bijlaard which clearly did some damage. Unfortunately one of the knees landed on the head of van den Bijlaard and the referee paused the fight to give van den Bijlaard a chance to recover and also issued a warning to Bounianemine. When the fight resumed the time had almost run out. The fighters got in a clinch and exchanged some knees before the bell rang. The judges ruled the fight a draw because Bounianemine lost a point for the foul. I feel however that regardless of the foul Bounianemine was the better fighter and should have still gotten the win.

4. (-76 kg) Sauli Heilemo def. Mario Stapel by Side Choke at 4:31 in R1

In the technical battle of the night, Team Scandinavia fighter Sauli Heilemo from Norway took on Power Academy fighter Mario Stapel from Germany. Right off the bat Heilemo shot in and scored the takedown. He immediately passed the guard and went for Stapel’s back but Stapel defended well and worked Heilemo back into his gaurd. From that position, both men exchanged some punches. Heilemo again passed the guard only to be put back in shortly after by Stapel. Stapel went for an omo plata but Heilemo defended perfectly and got back into sidemount. After a brief struggle Heilemo got Stapel’s back and as Stapel tried to reverse, Heilemo sunk in a side choke that forced the tap.

5. (-83 kg) Siyar Bahadurzahda def. Hubert Veenendaal by Triangle Choke at 2:28 in R1

The fight started out with both men circling each other. Bahadurzahda initiated the action by scoring a takedown from the clinch. On the ground he immediately attempted an ankle lock but Veenendaal defended well and got out. After struggling for positions, Bahadurzahda got on top in a north-south position and went for an armbar. Veenendaal defended well and managed to get in a few punches. However Bahadurzahda transitioned to a triangle choke that forced Veenendaal to tap.

6. (-70 kg) Metin ’Pislik’ Yakut def. Marc Duncan by Guillotine Choke at 4:13 in R1

The experienced Metin Yakut has over 20 mixed martial arts fights and an equally extensive kickboxing record. At 21 years of age he still has a long way to go. Marc Duncan is one of Martijn de Jong’s top students and is known for his technical ground game. The fight started with Duncan attempting a spinning high kick. Yakut evaded the kick and went for the clinch. Duncan got the takedown and immediately passed to side mount. After landing a few punches he moved to the mount. From the mount he unleashed some punches with Yakut just covering up. Yakut managed to regain guard and from there attempted a guillotine choke. Duncan managed to escape and after a struggle Yakut got on top and threw some punches. Duncan caught Yakut’s arm and went for an armbar but Yakut escaped and stood out of the guard. From the Ali-Inoki position Yakut jumped over Duncan’s guard but Duncan caught one of Yakut’s feet and attempted a heel hook. Yakut defended and worked his way to sidemount where he landed some hard punches to Duncan’s head. Duncan forced his way out and got the takedown, but Yakut sunk in the guillotine and forced the tap. It was a very good fight from both men and Duncan immediately requested a rematch after the fight. Yakut accepted and the venue for the rematch will be announced soon.

7. (-91 kg) Kassim Hannan def. Evert Fyeet by Armbar at 1:44 in R1

After a brief feeling out process, Frenchman Hannan went for the takedown. Fyeet initially defended well and forced a clinch. However from the clinch Hannan tripped Fyeet and got sidemount and then mount. From mount he just softened Fyeet up with some punches to the head. He grabbed an arm and went for the armbar. Fyeet briefly struggled and tried to pull his arm out. Hannan however finished it off by throwing some hammerfists at Fyeet’s head and then extending the arm. Another very good performance by the French team.

8. (-70 kg) Daniel Weichel def. ’Dudu’ Guimaraes by KO (Flying Knee) at 2:50 in R1

This fight ended in a very freaky KO similar to the legendary KO of Francisco Bueno by Igor Vovchanchyn. Right at the start, the World Fight Center fighter Guimaraes got the takedown off a slam and landed in Weichel’s guard. Both fighters exchanged a few punches but eventually due to lack of action the fight was restarted standing. Then out of nowhere Weichel came in with a huge flying knee that knocked Guimaraes out cold. A very concerned crowd gathered around the knocked out Guimaraes. Eventually Guimaraes was able to get up and was walked out of the ring by his cornerman and coach Alexandre Franca Nogueira. An impressive performance by the German fighter Daniel Weichel from Power Academy.

9. (-76 kg) Roemer Trompert def. Olivier Duniac by TKO (Duniac could not answer bell for R2) at 5:00 in R1

French fighter Olivier Duniac from Quoniam Gym was a late replacement for Brazilian Toniko Junior of World Fight Center. The fight started out with Trompert landing a spinning kick to Duniac’s body. The fighters tied up and Trompert got the takedown. From Duniac’s guard, Trompert threw some good punches. Duniac attempted an armbar but Trompert escaped and got mount. From mount he landed some good punches before Duniac managed to bridge out. Trompert replied with a heel hook attempt but Duniac escaped and got in Trompert’s guard. Duniac threw some punches but the referree eventually stood up the fighters due to lack of action. Trompert came in with a perfect spinning kick that landed on Duniac’s head and knocked him down to the mat. Trompert followed up by jumping in mount but the bell rang preventing him from finishing it off. Duniac did not come out for the second round because of the damage he suffered in the first round.

10. (-110 kg) Murad Chunkayev def. Mika Ilmen by TKO (Corner threw towel between R1 and R2) at 5:00 in R1

In the main event and definitely most exciting fight of the night, Murad Chunkayev put on a ground and pound clinic against the larger Mika Ilmen from Finland. Right off the bat, both fighters started with some heavy slugging. After eating a strong punch, Chunkayev shot in and scored a perfect double leg takedown, slamming his opponent to the mat. From Ilmen’s guard, Chunkayev landed a mixture of hammerfists to the face, body punches and head punches. He also stood up from the guard and went for a heavy flying punch to the face of his opponent before landing back in the guard. Again he continued with barrages of headshots. Once his opponent was rocked, Chunkayev passed the guard and got mount. The punishment continued as Chunkayev threw punch after punch to Ilmen’s head. Ilmen bridged and got half guard. The action slowed a bit in the half gaurd position and shortly after the bell rang. Ilmen’s corner threw in the towel between the rounds because of the punishment he suffered. Exactly six months after his impressive win over Andrey Semenov at 2 Hot 2 Handle, Golden Glory fighter Murad Chunkayev comes back and puts on an even more amazing demonstration.

-Chaitu Satbhai