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Live from The Underground in Helsinki, Finland, the Warrior Fight League brings you their third Fight Night, headlined by a pair of dangerous heavyweights. Yeah, yeah, I know, no title fights on this card, but I can honestly say I haven’t been this excited for a WFL card in quite some time. The main event will showcase former champ Kamala Naamahaara against Kakashi “Gaiden” Hatake. Also on the card are some great featherweight and LHW scraps. So let’s get into it:
Preliminary bout #1- Light Heavyweight fight (205 lbs)
Michal Nogueira (5-9) {1-0} versus Slim Thug (2-0) {1-0}
A pair of dangerous strikers meet in our first fight of the evening. Both of these men won their WFL debuts, and they will look to springboard into the title hunt with a win. Nogueira is definitely the more well rounded striker, but Thug has some nasty boxing with great takedown defense. Of his nine losses, eight of Nogueira’s losses have come by KO, which is why I will take Slim Thug by first round KO.
Preliminary bout #2- Light Heavyweight fight (205 lbs)
Fernando Martinez (5-4) {1-2} versus Adonis Stevenson (4-4) {2-3)
When Fernando “The Flash” Martinez entered the WFL, I immediately pegged him as title challenger, and to be honest, he has fell far short of those expectations, but he has a chance to turn things around against fellow grappler Adonis Stevenson. These fighters are extremely similar, each relying on their BJJ to finish opponents. In this one, I see Martinez as having the better submission defense and control, and I see him winning by sub in round 3.
Preliminary bout #3- Middleweight fight (185 lbs)
Luiz Carvalho (4-3) {0-1} versus Very Magnum (6-8) {0-2}
A pair of struggling middleweights look to get a run started here in this matchup. Carvalho entered the WFL with a lot of hype and momentum having won four straight, but he fell short, losing a close decision to Adam Slate. Carvalho is a tricky fighter, holding a purple belt in BJJ, but he actually prefers to stand and strike, winning 3 of his 4 by KO. Magnum on the other hand wants to take this one to the ground against Carvalho, but I think Carvalho will be able to stay standing with his superior wrestling, and I think he takes home a first round KO.
Preliminary bout #4- Middleweight fight (185 lbs)
Ali Babanov (2-0) {0-0} versus #4 Adam Slate (3-1) {2-0}
Adam Slate has done nothing but impressed in his WFL career thus far, as he has won two fights I honestly thought he wasn’t. Slate, however, will have his skills put to the test when he faces Ali Babanov. Babanov is the first superior wrestlet Slate has faced in his career, and I think that may pose some issues for “the Artist”. Babanov also has a much higher tendency to finish fights, which I think is big here against Slate. I say this one is competitive up until round three, when Babanov takes dominant position and finishes the fight by TKO.
Main Card bout #1- Middleweight fight (185 lbs)
#2 Tomas Skalinskas (3-1) {2-1} versus #3 Juhani Jarvela (18-36) {1-1}
A couple of strong middleweights looking to make their run meet here an exciting clash. There is no doubt Skalinskas is the more well rounded fighter, and you could also make an argument he is the more well rounded striker, but Juhani Jarvela possesses some lethal boxing. Jarvela is quite the finisher, 18 KOs in 18 wins, but I think this may be tough against such a well rounded fighter in Skalinskas. Tomas is not only a scary striker, but he also owns a blue belt in BJJ, which he used to submit Curiano Mohadef in his WFL debut. I think Skalinskas repeats this debut, and he submits Jarvela after an entertaining round one.
Main Card bout #2- Featherweight fight (145 lbs)
Suliman Kane (6-8) {1-2} versus Calvin Revengedanger (3-2) {1-0}
We have a classic striker versus grappler matchup in this featherweight clash. I know, Calvin Revengedanger’s record isn’t very impressive, but this 20 year old striker from Helsinki has some true potential. Possessing arguably the best Muay Thai in all of the WFL, Revengedanger can give people fits on the feet. In my opinion, Revengedanger will only have to keep this one on the feet for a minute or two against the glass jawed Kane. However that may be a problem, as Kane possesses strong grappling. This is a tough one to pick, but I will go with Revengedanger by quick KO.
Main Card bout #3- Light Heavyweight fight (205 lbs)
Daniel Carneiro (22-12) {0-0} versus Ricardo Santana (2-0) {1-0}
I must say, out of all the fights on this stacked card, I think I am most looking forward to this scrap, as it may represent either a changing of the guard, or a statement by the veteran Daniel Carneiro. Carneiro enters his WFL debut on an absolute tear, as he is coming off his second title defense in his former promotion, LMMA, and has won an incredible 9 out of 10. Carneiro excels in the BJJ department, but has some strong striking to back it up. Santana, who was pegged as a “future star” by our former writer Tony Rossi, also sports a well rounded game, but “the Cuban Axe” prefers to strike. This is such an evenly matched fight, and I think we are going to have a special one on our hands. I’m going to say Carneiro controls the first two rounds, but Santana makes a shocking comeback and takes out Carneiro by TKO in the third.
Co Main Event- Featherweight fight (145 lbs)
Benny Hill (17-17) {2-3} versus #5 Artair Dostan (10-7-1) {3-3}
Artair Dostan will look to break .500 in the WFL and continue his run at the title when he takes on one of the more popular fighters in the WFL in Benny Hill. When it comes to Dostan, nobody ever questions his talent. He has superb boxing to go along with a rock solid ground game. That ground game will definitely be put to the test against Benny Hill. Hill is a dominant wrestler with good BJJ. However, Hill’s chin has been an issue in the past, and I think Dostan gets this one done by third round TKO.
Main Event- Heavyweight fight (265 lbs)
#1 Kamala Naamahaara (13-6) {4-1} versus Kakashi Hatake (13-14) {0-3}
When Kamala Naamahaara enters a fight with maximum energy, few can stifle his seemingly unstoppable Muay Thai attack. And through the first four fights of his WFL career, overtraining wasn’t a problem for “Apu”. But in his last fight it led to his downfall, and I think it may happen here again, as it appears Naamahaara has once again overtrained. Although he sports a winless WFL record, there is no doubt Kakashi Hatake is still a top flight heavyweight, sporting one of the most well rounded games in the division. Hatake’s gameplan should definitely be centered around his ground game, and I think he executes this gameplan en route to a 2nd round submission over an exhausted Naamahaara.
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