Top-class MMA action wowed the crowd again in Amsterdam on Day 2 of the GAMMA World Championships 2021, as the battles to stake a place in tomorrow’s finals intensified.
The 76 matches on the card kept the spectators at Sporthallen Zuid on the edge of their seats throughout, with opening-bout victories going to Kazakh Eljan Gassanov in the men’s 77.1kg category, and India’s Dinesh Naorem in the men’s 56.7kg division and Kishor Kumar in the men’s 52.2kg Striking MMA category.
For the second straight day, the competition was as fast as it was furious, with bouts running concurrently in three rings. In total, almost 400 athletes looked to qualify for the finals.
The line-ups for Sunday’s finals are:
Men
52.2kg
Azerbaijan’s Fatali Talibov, who defeated Georgian Resant Ashirovi in the semi-final, will take on Akhmet Amir from Kazakhstan.
52.2kg Striking MMA
Asian men are dominating the Striking MMA category at the Championships, and the final will see India take on Kazakhstan with Kishor Kumar facing Begzhan Abilkassym for the bragging rights.
56.7kg
Kazakhstan has been showing its class at the event, and we will see one of their athletes in medal contention again when Yernaz Mussabek goes up against German Rasanbek Gadzhiev.
56.7kg Striking MMA
Another Kazakhstan vs India battle. Yermakhan Oryntayev, who claimed victory over Indian Suffix Veinii Thole S in his semi-final, will meet India’s Arsenba Ozukum, who overcame Giorgi Natobaidze from Georgia in the semi-final.
61.2kg
Georgia will have its first crack at a gold medal when Nika Gudushauri – who beat William Prochniewski from the USA and Frank Jankowski from Australia earlier in the competition – takes on Azerbaijan’s Ehtiram Darishov.
61.2kg Striking MMA
Kazakhstan’s Sairan Sagyndykov will square off against Kyrgyzstan’s Dastan Sulaimanov. Sagyndykov defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Aleksandr Kononenko to reach the final, while Sulaimanov beat Adam Neupauer and Azeri Sabuhi Mammadov to take his place in the gold-medal match.
65.8kg
A guaranteed gold for Kazakhstan as Belgizhan Seitenov takes on teammate Koshen Akanov. It will be the 5th fight for Seitenov and 4th for Akanov, a real test of endurance.
65.8kg Striking MMA
India’s Longtsukumba Ao will go toe to toe with Jordan’s Eid Ismael Wasfi Mohammad for the gold medal.
70.3kg
Australia will have a chance to return down under with a gold medal when Kevin Kophamel takes on Kyrgyzstan’s Murtazaali Magomedov. Magomedov beat local favourite Danny Buwalda in the semi-finals.
70.3kg Striking MMA
Anaother Kazakhstan vs Kyrgyzstan battle, with Nurtaza Jumakhanov going up against Iler Uulu Bakhtier.
77.1kg
A battle between Asia and Europe, with Kazakhstan’s Eljan Gassanov facing Marcin Blaziak from Poland.
77.1kg Striking MMA
National bragging rights are up for grabs in Poland as teammates Tomasz Broton and Filip Szostak face each other. Both men have plenty of support in the arena from a boisterous Polish contingent.
83.9kg
Azerbaijan’s Nail Azizov, who battled past French athlete Bastien Petit, Spaniard Giani Sandu and Kyrgyzstan athlete Adis Uulu Taalaibek to reach the final, will take on Italy’s Mehdi Taki.
83.9kg Striking MMA
Titus Tugume, who has made the long trip from Uganda for his one and only bout in Amsterdam, will be hoping it will be a golden reward when he meets Bartlomiej Kopera from Poland, who came through his semi-final against Mawuko Komlan Ayivor from Togo.
93.0kg
Another Kazakhstan athlete going for gold on Sunday is Imran Taisultanov, who will go up against American Colin Robinson.
93kg Striking MMA
Kazakhstan will continue its incredible gold hunt at these World Championships when Kairatbek Zharekeyev takes on Patryk Rogoz of Poland. Both countries have been having an impressive few days in the Dutch capital.
120.2kg
An all-European affair, Giorgi Chochishvili from Georgia faces off against Iwo Baraniewski from Poland.
120.2kg Striking MMA
The Kazakhstan express keeps on rolling, this time with Nursultan Tursynkulov taking on home favourite Valentino Misiedjan in what will surely be one of the noisiest finals. Don’t miss this one!
+120.2kg
It will be a real heavyweight intercontinental contest between Latvia’s Martinsh Bozhevnieks and Lawrence Phillips of the USA.
Women
47.6kg
MMA debutant Victoria Anthony, a highly respected American wrestling star, will square off against India’s Sarita Rathod for a shot at gold.
52.2kg
Team USA star Hannah Rokala, who defeated Spanish opponent Zejna Krantic in the semi-finals, prompting chants of “USA, USA” around the arena, will take to the ring against Songuel Karatorak of Germany. This is likely to be a great contest, with both women stopping their semi-final opponents in the first round.
52.2kg Striking MMA
Kazakhstan will have another shot at gold when Tomiris Zhussupova takes on India’s Devi Surbala Laishram in her one and only fight of these World Championships.
56.7kg
Another European duel on the card. This time it’s France’s Morgane Dehaye taking on Poland’s Karolina Chlobuszewska.
61.2kg
Dutch fans will surely be behind Kelley Hamming, who beat American Laneisha Vinson to reach the final. She will face Sandra Succar from Lebanon for gold.
61.2kg Striking MMA
Slovakian Veronika Smolkova, who battled past Jordan’s Hiasat Remal and Spanish Leovigilda Lozada Gutierrez, will take on Aikorik Kuandykova from Kazakhstan.
65.8kg
Kazakhstan’s Meruyert Ibrayeva, who received a bye in the semi-final round, will go for gold against Danielle Curtis from Australia, after she beat compatriot Mackenzie Vellenoweth in the semi-final.
65.8kg Striking MMA
India’s Indiyana B will clash with Poland’s Joanna Walorska for the title.
72.6kg
Makhabat Orozbekova from Kyrgyzstan heads straight into the gold-medal match after receiving a bye in the semi-final. She faces Spain’s Miriam Ramos Santana, who emerged victorious over Michelle Kittles from the USA in the semi-final.
72.6kg Striking MMA
Samoa’s Inna Leniu will aim for gold against Nourhen Sahraoui from Tunisia.
Sunday promises to provide the fireworks with a day full of mouth-watering head to heads. All the action gets underway from 10:00, and can be viewed live on GAMMA’s Facebook and YouTube channels, while a live blog from our partner insidethegames is also providing additional live coverage. For the full results of the second day of competition click here.
