Jungle Fight Back in Brazil
Gleidson Venga Apr 9, 2008
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, April 6 -- Jungle Fight returned Sunday at
the Nogueira brothers' training center for its first show since
December 2006.
The event, which is promoted by Wallid Ismail (Pictures), has revealed stars such as Lyoto Machida (Pictures), Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) and Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures). All six fights on Sunday's card entertained fans, proving Ismail's ability to make a successful show.
In the main event, Leonardo Peçanha started well against Paulo Thiago. He moved well on
the ground and showed the jiu-jitsu specialty that had yielded him
a world title.
However, after holding off Peçanha's initial momentum, Thiago found himself in the fight and began to take advantage on the ground and standing up. Frustrating Peçanha's attempts to react, Thiago dominated the last two rounds for the decision.
The fight between Rodrigo Smurf and Maicon Ribeiro started equally, but Smurf was more effective in the second round, when he worked through positions on the ground and punished his opponent. Tired, Ribeiro could not do anything. He dropped in the third round, sealing the victory for Smurf.
One of the more promising battles had an unexpected ending. Pedro Santos and Rodrigo Ximbica began striking from the outset with strong blows being landed by the two athletes. A kick from Ximbica, however, hit Santos full in the face and opened a cut that forced the doctors to stop the dispute.
The sharp ground style of Alexandre Pulga Pimentel was a decisive factor in his victory over Paulo Eduardo. With a very dangerous guard, Pulga attacked his adversary with various maneuvers that always left him in complicated situations. In the second round, Eduardo failed to resist the offensive game of Pulga and ended up submitted via a triangle.
Marcos Bicudinho started well against Andre de Oliveira, connecting with good strikes standing and passing the initial minutes attacking from the top position on the ground. When the fight went back to feet, Oliveira landed a right hand flush to Bicudinho, who felt the blow and fell, then became the target of a series of punches that forced the ref to stop the fight.
In a very busy bout, Erinaldo Pitbull took advantage standing against Vinicius Lemos, but he kept running into danger on the ground. Lemos tried some attacks to the arm and a leglock. After resisting these attempts, Erinaldo knocked down his opponent in the third round and from there dominated the fight to earn the decision.
"I was very happy with all the fighters because they gave blood in the battles," Ismail said. "They know that regardless of winning or losing, if they make a good fight, they fight again here. This is the cornerstone of Jungle -- everyone gives his heart. The fights were high-level."
The event, which is promoted by Wallid Ismail (Pictures), has revealed stars such as Lyoto Machida (Pictures), Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) and Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures). All six fights on Sunday's card entertained fans, proving Ismail's ability to make a successful show.
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However, after holding off Peçanha's initial momentum, Thiago found himself in the fight and began to take advantage on the ground and standing up. Frustrating Peçanha's attempts to react, Thiago dominated the last two rounds for the decision.
"I congratulate both fighters," said Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira (Pictures). "They had a great fight, very
busy and electrified the public. I liked this fight very much."
The fight between Rodrigo Smurf and Maicon Ribeiro started equally, but Smurf was more effective in the second round, when he worked through positions on the ground and punished his opponent. Tired, Ribeiro could not do anything. He dropped in the third round, sealing the victory for Smurf.
One of the more promising battles had an unexpected ending. Pedro Santos and Rodrigo Ximbica began striking from the outset with strong blows being landed by the two athletes. A kick from Ximbica, however, hit Santos full in the face and opened a cut that forced the doctors to stop the dispute.
The sharp ground style of Alexandre Pulga Pimentel was a decisive factor in his victory over Paulo Eduardo. With a very dangerous guard, Pulga attacked his adversary with various maneuvers that always left him in complicated situations. In the second round, Eduardo failed to resist the offensive game of Pulga and ended up submitted via a triangle.
Marcos Bicudinho started well against Andre de Oliveira, connecting with good strikes standing and passing the initial minutes attacking from the top position on the ground. When the fight went back to feet, Oliveira landed a right hand flush to Bicudinho, who felt the blow and fell, then became the target of a series of punches that forced the ref to stop the fight.
In a very busy bout, Erinaldo Pitbull took advantage standing against Vinicius Lemos, but he kept running into danger on the ground. Lemos tried some attacks to the arm and a leglock. After resisting these attempts, Erinaldo knocked down his opponent in the third round and from there dominated the fight to earn the decision.
"I was very happy with all the fighters because they gave blood in the battles," Ismail said. "They know that regardless of winning or losing, if they make a good fight, they fight again here. This is the cornerstone of Jungle -- everyone gives his heart. The fights were high-level."
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