Carelia Fight 1.9.2007 Imatra, Finland

Carelia Fight was arranged for the third time in Imatra, Finland on the 1st of September 2007. The promotion has grown with every show and was this time able to attract around 700 spectators to watch the fights. This was a significant accomplishment, since Imatra is a small city with only around 30 000 inhabitants. Carelia Fight was actually one of the biggest sporting events of the year for this region of Finland.

3×5 min (-73 kg) Jarkko Latomäki vs Aidan Marron

Winner: Marron, submission, (triangle) 1,59 R1 In the main event Jarkko Latomäki faced a game Irish opponent in Aidan Marron. The Belfast-based fighter was known for his good submission game, but Jarkko trusted in his strong ground ’n’ pound and went straight for the takedown after backing up to avoid Aidan’s initial strikes. Latomäki got a successful double-leg takedown and ended up in Aidan’s guard where the Irishman defended well by tying up his opponent. Jarkko was able to sneak in a couple of strikes, but then Aidan slapped on a loose triangle which he then tightened up. In the end Jarkko refused to tap and went unconscious from the choke.

3×5 min (-84 kg) Lucio Linhares vs Matti Mäkelä

Winner: Linhares, submission (RNC) 1,53 R2. BJJ black belt Linhares was able to dominate Matti throughout the fight with his tight positioning on the ground. To Matti’s credit, it can be said that the Swedish up-and-comer was able to wriggle out of a couple very tight submission holds before he succumbed to the Brazilian’s choke in round 2.

2×5 min (-77 kg) Ville Räsänen vs Fredrik Klingsell

Winner: Räsänen, submission (RNC) 3,07 R1 Räsänen was clearly stronger than Klingsell in this welterweight contest. The swede was close to victory however, as he managed to knock the wind out of Räsänen with an upkick from his back in the beginning of the round. Räsänen felt the blow clearly, but he was able to hold his face straight and worked his way to a cross-face RNC after taking down Klingsell a second time and mounting him.

2×5 min (-65 kg) Olli Hartikainen vs Sergei Greicicho

Winner: Greièicho, submission (triangle) 1,45 R2

Greicicho showed a multi-sided MMA game as he proceeded to pepper Hartikainen with high kicks standing and submission attempts on the ground from his back. Sergei even went for a Masakazu Imanari –style flying buttscoot heelhook, but Olli was quick to get his leg out of trouble. Greicicho worked hard the first round, but Olli dominated with his fast takedowns and ground ‘n’ pound. In the second round, Olli put Sergei on his back again, but this time the Lithuanian fighter was able to catch Olli in a triangle for the submission victory.

2×5 min (-77 kg) Jani Ketolainen vs Zoz Touati

Winner: Ketolainen, submission (sidechoke) 1,28 R1 Touati was all standup and Ketolainen was all jiujitsu. Zoz started the round by throwing all but the kitchen sink at the shorter finnish fighter. Ketolainen was able to survive and he managed to grab an incoming knee strike for the takedown. On the ground, Jani worked his way quickly to the mount and finished Zoz with a sidechoke.

2×5 min (-60 kg) Heikki Tiilikka vs Erikas Suslovas

Winner: Tiilikka, submission (armbar) 1,31 R1 Tiilikka did an excellent job in outworking Suslovas who is a Lithuanian fighter with a strong judo background. Erikas rocked Heikki with a good punch to start off the fight and Tiilikka went straight for the takedown. Suslovas was able to defend for quite a while due to his excellent balance, but in the end, Heikki forced his opponent to the ground and jumped straight to backmount. Suslovas was able to drop Heikki off his back, but the Finnish fighter transitioned into a perfect armbar finishing hold while Suslovas tried to wriggle out.

2×5 min (-93 kg) Juha Saarinen vs Magnus Cedenblad

Winner: Saarinen, technical submission (armbar) 2,02 R2 This fight was a true light heavyweight war. Saarinen started out strong with a couple of good takedowns and strong ground ‘n’ pound. Cedenblad was able to nearly catch Saarinen in an armbar, but Juha escaped in the nick of time. Standing, Juha was able to rock Cedenblad with a long unanswered combination of punches. Cedenblad survived by clinching. When the round was over, both fighters were completely gassed. In the second round, Cedenblad got top position and it looked like he would win as Juha was basically dead from fatigue. Against all odds, Juha was able to work an armbar which prompted the referee to stop the fight in favor of Saarinen who earned a hard-fought technical submission victory.

2×5 min (-77 kg) Alpo Kautonen vs Sergej Juskevic

Winner: Jushkevich, submission (triangle) 2,01 R1 Sergei showed in this fight that he has improved markedly. Kautonen got the takedown, but Juskevic slapped a tight triangle on Alpo, which forced him to tap.

2×5 min (-84 kg) Matias Säkkinen vs Mikko Koivumäki

Winner: Koivumäki, TKO (Doctor stoppage) 5,00 R1 Säkkinen fought his pro debut against Mikko Koivumäki from Turku. Mikko looked strong standing up where he displayed good footwork and connected multiple times with his low kicks and straight punches. Säkkinen was able to get the takedown, but Koivumäki was strong in the guard where he beat up Säkkinen from his back using up kicks and bicycle kicks. In the end of the round Mikko worked a triangle choke and was able to reverse his opponent. Mikko continued to punch Säkkinen from the mount where he still held a triangle control. Matias was not able to answer the bell after the rest period was over and Mikko was declared the winner by TKO.

2×5 min (-70 kg) Tuomo Turkia vs O-P Puhakka Winner: Turkia, UD Turkia and Puhakka faced each other a second time after Turkia defeated Puhakka in the opening round of the Finnish amateur MMA Championship. This time was no different as the bigger and stronger Turkia was able to take down and control his smaller opponent for the decision victory.

2×5 min (-71,5 kg) Joni Haahka vs J-P Vainikainen

Winner: Vainikainen, UD Vainikainen dominated Haahka in the first round both standing and on the ground. In the second round, Haahka surprised Vainikainen with a leaping left hook which send J-P to the canvas. Haahka was however unable to capitalize on the opportunity and Vainikainen recovered from the blow. J-P continued to dominate the end of the second round and earned a unanimous decision victory over Haahka.

reported by T.Murdock