Singapore-based fighters dominate Mixed Martial Arts Championship

Contributed by Fang Ting

Resorts World Sentosa, Friday, September 17, 2010 – Singapore-based fighters Arthur Cesar and Neelan Nordatt-Reece won their respective bouts in Martial Combat 10 at Asia’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts Championship.

They joined teammate Yang Seung Ho, who won Thursday night’s Superfight Championship belt in the winners’ circle.

Cesar, a Brazillian who lives and works in Singapore, is on fantastic form. Coming off four wins this year, he continued his good run against Canadian Robert Sothmann. Cesar had won seven out of his last eight MMA fights going into this contest and was looking to cement his burgeoning reputation with a victory.

After a tentative start, Sothmann threw a low kick and Cesar was able to catch it and took him down. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Cesar was very much in his element in taking the fight to the ground. Despite being unable to secure a submission in round one, Cesar managed a text book double leg take down early in round two.

Sothmann was offering stubborn resistance but Cesar was able to mount him and land a barrage of unanswered punches, leaving the referee little option but to step in and stop the fight.

With eight wins out of nine, Cesar has built an enviable record as good as almost anyone in the world of mixed martial arts, making it clear that he is looking for a title shot after this contest.

“I would like to fight for the title and I think I am ready for a title shot. I am an instructor at Evolve MMA and I was happy to get the win in front of all the fans from Singapore and I am looking forward to fighting for Martial Combat again,” he said.

Cesar joins his Evolve MMA teammate Hordatt-Reece to make it two Martial Combat wins out of two. Neelan, who is a student in Singapore submitted Taiwanese fighter Zhang Jing Zong in impressive style.

Hordatt-Reece, who comes from Canada, was forced to fit his fight training around his education but believes the sacrifices he is making are starting to pay off.

“I am a Business Studies student, it’s my plan B. If the fighting doesn’t work out or if I get injured it gives me something to fall back on. I’m really happy to get my second win for Martial Combat. I’ve got a great team behind me at Evolve MMA here and I am proud to represent Singapore,” he said.

In tonight’s Superfight Championship, the hugely experienced veteran Brian Gassaway of the USA was surprisingly beaten by Shungo Oyama of Japan. The two countries are traditionally fierce rivals, often making for some of the most intensely contested MMA rivalries with patriotic pride at stake.

Gassaway looked confident on his feet, which is hardly a surprise seeing that he has never been knocked out in over 50 MMA fights. Takase landed a hard body show and, smelling blood, moved in for the kill. The fight went to the floor and Takase, a submission specialist, sunk in an inverted triangle choke. Gassaway sank into unconsciousness and the referee leapt in to separate the two fighters with Takase wheeling away in celebration.

The ladies were back in action with exciting American fighter Karina Hallinan up against Chinese Sanda expert Yang Xiao Nan. Yang is known for using her excellent Sanda skills to devastating effect, and she started the fight in confident fashion, landing a crisp combination which rocked Hallinan.

They clinched up against the cage but Yang was able to hip throw Hallinan and land a vicious kick as the American struggled to get to her feet. It was starting to become a one-way traffic but Hallinan showed tremendous tenacity and was eventually rewarded with a take down of her own.