Syn 558 - Hate By Design – 30 December 2017
185 superfight - Kalervo Kaunismieli (Synchronicity) Vs Saul Goodman (GAMMA)
To close off 2017 with a bang, a fight on an epic scale was announced. The number one pound for pound fighter on the planet Kalervo Kaunismieli took on the second-ranked fighter in his weight class Saul Goodman. As if the stakes weren’t high enough, these two middleweights were both nominated for the middleweight fighter of the year award and many speculated that this fight would probably be the nail in the coffin for one of them.
These middleweight gladiators were ready to go to war, Saul "Slip The Jab" Goodman has had quite a phenomenal 2017, losing only three fights in an action-packed year. Saul Goodman is a calculated stone cold professional hit man. He may take the scenic route but he always looks to take control of the fight and gives the judges no room for doubt in crowning him the victor. Kalervo Kaunismieli on the other hand may have stumbled a bit in the beginning of the year but the last time he didn’t get his hand raised after a fight was in May and he has since been ruling Synchronicity’s middleweight division with an iron fist. Finishing people left and right has put him on the map and one couldn’t help but wonder if his finishing ability would be the difference maker in this superfight of epic proportions, with global domination hanging in the balance.
As soon as the fight started, it was clear that these middleweight warriors came in with a game plan in mind. Kalervo came in like a house on fire and closed the distance faster than his own shadow. He knows his own strengths and wanted to give his opponent no time to set his pace. It was a smart plan that worked like a charm in the first round but Kalervo was unable to do any real damage in the clinch as Saul Goodman was more tenacious than Kalervo had anticipated. Quite a handful in the clinch and a sniper from a distance, Saul Goodman took control of the fight. Kalervo Kaunismieli tried his hardest but it was clear the tides had turned and the judges could award victory to one man only.
Winner: Saul Goodman by unanimous decision.
UGD 94:Man Vs Puno – 5 January
Underground’s 265 title - Snow Man (c) Vs Kajun Puno
The goat and the snowman.
An Alika Webb fable
Once upon a time when king winter ruled the land, a head strong goat convinced of his own superiority was making his way across the vast snowy plains looking for any to challenge his claims when he came upon a frosty man made out of snow. The goat was intrigued and asked the man of snow if there were any who could oppose him nearby. With great confidence the man of snow replied that there was none but himself that could answer that challenge. “Man has created me in his image and does not man rule all animal kind, oh dear goat?” the man of snow asked with a great smile upon his face. Unimpressed by this claim the goat replied: “That may be so - man of snow - but soon the snow will melt and thou will vanish while I will still roam free upon this world.”
Kajun "Pinoy Savage" Puno’s legacy is notorious to say the least, the self-proclaimed greatest of all time in MMATycoon’s history has made headlines multiple times and he is not shy to let the world know about his accomplishments. A one man demolition crew no matter where the fight takes place, an iron chin combined with fists of mass destruction, kicks of fury and venomous submissions makes defeating Puno a seemingly impossible task for any who would dare undertake such a quest. Undefeated throughout 2017, he is undeniably one of the most accomplished fighters of the moment. But controversy put his claims for the fighter of the year award in jeopardy. Not having fought since August, Puno has been sitting pretty with his undefeated streak never on the line for the rest of the year. Many therefore claimed he didn’t deserve the award. Now the MMATycoon’s GOAT decided to step back in the cage and prove to the world that he can not only talk the talk but that he can also walk the walk.
Defending his title is Snow Man, long considered the second ranked fighter in his weight class. He knew that Puno was the one standing in his way of becoming the number one fighter among the heavyweights and with Puno taking a ride on the backseat for the second half of 2017, he had no way of proving himself the better man. A knockout machine to say the least as only one of his victories has come by the way of a decision, anticipation for this fight was off the charts! Would the champion retain and dethrone the self-proclaimed greatest fighter of all time or would Puno make his claims a reality by separating the sheep from the goat?
There was something in the air that night, fans across the globe were restless of anticipation and the crowd went absolutely bananas when the man of the hour - Kajun Puno himself - walked out to the cage. “Tell everybody I’m on my way” Puno yelled with extreme confidence. That same crowd also gave a standing ovation to the champion who looked flustered on his way to the merciless steel cage. It was a clash of two worlds but one big family as MMA fans around the world came together for this fight of epic proportions despite their preferences for either man.
Kajun Puno came to play and didn’t waste any time as he sent the champion packing to the land of confusion with a quick double leg takedown attempt. Against all odds, Snow Man was able to stop the fight from going to the ground but the fight had just started and with the cold steel of the cage digging into his back after the failed takedown attempt, he was already feeling trapped in a cage with a ferocious wild animal. Despite not having thrown a single strike, Puno’s invisible touch had worked its magic. Another day in paradise it was for Puno as he simply picking his shots with seemingly effortless effectiveness.
One minute into the fight and the difference was clear as day, Snow Man was still trying to regain his composure while Kajun Puno had already blasted him with an armada of soul-sucking kicks and unforgiving iron fists. Gasping for air, Snow Man kept fighting the stranger like him that stood before him but it was just one more night for the self-proclaimed greatest of all time, that’s all. You can’t hurry victory without taking some risks but Kajun Puno showed his true colors when he kept battering the wounded champion and Puno didn’t even give him a second to catch his breath.
The second round started and Puno just continued where he left off, he turned it on again as he started raining down pummeling blows upon Snow Man who saw his dreams of becoming the number one in his weight class melting like snow under the burning desert son. Kajun Puno felt the end was near and uncorked a rocket of a right hand and sent the champion sprawling to the ground. There must be some misunderstanding Snow Man thought as he stood right back up. With a crimson stream upon his face it would have been easy to say that there was no way out but with the underground heavyweight title and his own pride in his heart he kept fighting with a groovy kind of love and determination. A couple of strikes from Puno later and the champion threw away all thoughts and hopes of making it out of this round as his world was rocked by a stinging jab. Snow Man tried to run but ran into a stop sign named Kajun Puno as another straight right hand found its target and the champion’s legs fell out from under him. Kajun Puno swarmed the fallen champion with a merciless storm of hellfire and brimstone as he buried the champion’s remains deep into the canvas.
Winner: Kajun Puno by KO (punches) after 1 minute and 38 seconds of round 2.
GAMMA#683 Hoyce v Gunnar 2 – 6 January
135 superfight - Karol Mirowski (GAMMA) Vs Euphegen Doubdtfire (Claymore Elite Combat)
CEC’s bantamweight and featherweight champion "Mister" Euphegen Doubdtfire has been on a tear in 2017 and he looked to keep the good times rolling in 2018 but not if Gamma’s bantamweight champion had something to say about that. Karol "Bearded Midget Man" Mirowski has been undefeated since joining Gamma’s ranks and he intended to keep it that way.
These two cowboys went in guns blazing and the crowd was fired up from the get-go. This was not a chess match ladies and gentlemen, this was a good old fashioned street fight. They weren’t trying to please the judges with some pitter patter strikes, they were trying to take the other man out of the equation by sending him to another plane of existence.
The biggest difference maker in this fight turned out to be the clinch game. Both men are known for their expert striking skills both in close quarters and from afar but only one man took hold of the reigns in the clinch in this fight and that was Euphegen Doubdtfire. The damage done in the clinch accumulated over the course of the fight was an incredible sight to behold in the fifth and final round as Karol Mirowski – now a bloody mess – got rocked with a tight uppercut. He was on spaghetti legs and his consciousness was fading but Gamma’s bantamweight champion showed his home promotion’s crowd the true heart of a champion as he refused to bow down for Euphegen Doubdtfire.
Winner: Euphegen Doubdtfire by unanimous decision.
265 title - Hennan Hoyce (c) Vs Gunnar Steigelmann
Knockout machine Hennan Hoyce has been blasting his way to the top but no one expected him to do the same to Gamma legend "President" Gerbert Bryant. Now he faced another Gamma legend Gunnar Steigelmann in his first title defense. Forty year old Gunnar Steigelmann had seemingly gotten his groove back until he was demolished by superheavyweight champion Charles DaCoca. Would newly crowned champion Hennan Hoyce have the same experience when faced with Gamma’s fighter of the year 2016 or would Gunnar Steigelmann at forty years of age write Gamma history one more time?
Round one was under way and Gunnar Steigelmann immediately let the champion know he meant business as a wild combination of strikes hits nothing but air. A jab from the challenger barely missed its mark and the champion tried to retaliate with a dangerous combination of his own but the challenger was quick on his feet and it looked like he got away just in time. But unfortunately for the challenger he didn’t, one of those strikes had sliced him open and Hennan Hoyce thought that it was the beginning of the end for the challenger. Hennan Hoyce with the speed of a lion rushed the challenger and blasted him with a burning inside leg kick and tried to follow it up with a quick jab but the champion saw danger lurking out of the corner of his eye and got away just in time as a huge counter right hand from the challenger missed him by a hair’s breadth. Hennan Hoyce thought he was now safe once again but he couldn’t have been further from the truth as the living legend Gunnar Steigelmann still had a few more surprises lying in wait. A thundering left hand cracked the champion’s skull with a mighty thud and a cannonball of right hand sent the champion flying which in turn sent the crowd into a frenzy.
As soon as the champion hit the canvas, Gunnar Steigelmann was right on top of him. Hennan Hoyce looked like he just got run over by a bullet train, a bloody mess the champion was as he trying to figure out where he was and possibly even what his own name was as Hennan Hoyce was clearly dazed and confused. Gunnar Steigelmann had the champion where he wanted him, a bloody mess ready for slaughter. All the challenger needed to do was finish him off with a few well-timed strikes and the referee would have ended it. But that was not what happened. Gunnar Steigelmann moved with the speed of a tortoise as time slowed down considerably. The rush of Gunnar Steigelmann’s attack faded into oblivion when the fight went to the ground and the champion was able to shake off the cobwebs and when the referee stood them back up again, Hennan Hoyce clearly had a bone to pick with the living legend.
A dangerous right hand flew right past the challenger and Gunnar Steigelmann connected with a nice leg kick. Hennan Hoyce didn’t even consider backing down now as he fired right back with a blasting body kick that nearly folded the challenger in half and followed it up with a cross that landed right on the button. Hennan Hoyce tagged the challenger with a sloppy punch to the gut as if to taunt the living legend, telling him he had nothing left in the tank and Gunnar Steigelmann was now definitely gasping for air. Gunnar Steigelmann tried to suck it up and tried to sneak in a little jab but was countered immediately as Hennan Hoyce smashed him with a pistol of a right hand. Gunnar Steigelmann was quick on his feet as he slipped a stunning straight right hand but he was unable to evade the follow-up body punch. The champion now a maddened fury grit his teeth and threw a big right hand that clipped the challenger and followed it up with a brick of a left hand. Gunnar Steigelmann was seeing nothing but stars and the champion’s corner men were yelling ‘timber!’ as the challenger was just cut down by the champion. Time flies but not when you’re having fun Hennan Hoyce must have thought as he cracked the challenger in mid-flight with another merciless deathblow and the crowd was going absolutely ballistic from the unbelievable display of fighting spirit they had just witnessed.
Winner: Hennan Hoyce by KO (punches) after 3 minutes and 48 seconds in the first round.
GAMMA#684 DaCoca v Bubba – 6 January
185 title - Matt Quin (c) Vs Jutta Hanolla
The resurrection of Gamma has been well-documented and his rise back to fame has been impressive to say the least. Will this fairytale of a comeback story continue when he faces Jutta Hanolla, was the question burning on everyone’s lips. Times have been tough for Jutta Hanolla since making his way to Gamma as he has faced nothing but world-class competition but through hard work and dedication he has finally found back the Jutta Hanolla of old and winning three out of his last four fights has gotten him back into the title picture.
From the second the bell rang these fighters rushed to the battlefield and started swinging for the fences. Both fighters had a game plan in mind, for Matt Quin that was taking the fight to the ground while the challenger wanted nothing more than to bring the fight to the clinch. Jutta Hanolla’s persistence paid off and while the champion tried to squirm his way out of danger, the challenger bombarded him with a tornado of brutal blows until the referee stepped in.
Winner: Jutta Hanolla by TKO (strikes) after 4 minutes and 25 seconds in the first round.
265+ title - Charles DaCoca (c) Vs Bubba Gumption
Gamma’s new superheavyweight force of destruction Charles DaCoca made quite an impact since his promotional debut. Even at the highest level, Charles DaCoca keeps knocking out every opponent he faces. Would Bubba "Shrimpin" Gumption suffer the same fate or would the former superheavyweight champion work his magic and get another magic upset under his belt just as he did against another Gamma poster boy at the time, Gerbert Bryant?
One punch was all the champion was able to muster as the rest of his offence connected with nothing but air. Bubba Gumption on the other hand looked like Anderson Silva taking on Chris Leben, hitting the champion with expert precision, like a sharpshooter he connected with deadly blows. Another major upset for Bubba Gumption as he takes out the champion while making it look as easy as taking candy from a baby.
Winner: Bubba Gumption by KO (punches) after 2 minutes and 20 seconds in the first round.
