Team USA had an impressive day at day 2 of the 2017 IMMAF World Championships being held in Manama, Bahrain.
The day started off with 125 lb UMMAF National Champion Sean Stebbins facing off against Sanan Safarli from Azerbaijan. The contest was the most technical fight of the tournament thus far and ended with Stebbins winning a 3 round unanimous decision. Up next for Stebbins is Giacomo Santora of Italy. 135 lb UMMAF National Champion Chase Boutwell‘s IMMAF Tournament came to close today after he was defeated in a 3 round unanimous decision by defending 2017 IMMAF Asian Open Champion Olzhas Moldagaliyev of Kazakstan. As the youngest UMMAF National Champion in the UMMAF’s history, you can expect to see Boutwell on the radar once again very soon. Next up was Former UMMAF National Champion and 2016 IMMAF World Silver Medalist David Evans. In a stark contrast to his first fight of the tournament, Evans gave no quarter to Boma Terrance of France, shooting take downs and letting his hands fly with an aggressiveness that gives notice to everyone in the tournament that he is a force to be reckoned with. Evans will now face Bekzat Zhassiya of Kazakstan in the next round. In the 155 lb weight division, US National Champion Quitin Thomas won a 3 round, dominating unanimous decision over Ethan Thomas from Austrailia. Thomas now faces a stiff challenge from Canada’s John Nguyen in action tomorrow. UMMAF National Champion and IMMAF veteran Benjamin Bennett of Alaska scored a walk off knockout against Pat Hamer of New Zealand. Both Bennett and Hammer came out swinging before Bennett shot in for a double leg take down which was rebuffed by Hamer. Content to stay on his feet, Hamer began throwing heavy shots which mostly glanced off the gloves of Bennett. Bennett returned the favor by landing a solid right hand straight to Hamer’s chin, dropping him against the cage. Recognizing Hamer was finished, Bennett didn’t pursue, leaving the referee to stop the fight and attend to Hamer. Bennett will continue his march toward IMMAF Gold tomorrow by facing Oskar Biller of Sweden. In the 185 lb division, UMMAF National Champion Darian Weeks grinded out a 3 round unanimous decision against Jussi Pirttikangas of Finland. Darians blue collar fighting style has served him well over the tournament with constant movement and a willingness to take the action to the ground. He faces off against Joseph Luciano from Australia tomorrow. Still to compete is Team USA member Fotini Kandris, as she looks to a semi-final match against Chamia Chabbi of Finland.
You can view all of the fights as they happen by downloading the Bahrain TV app onto your mobile device. The action starts at 6 a.m EST , 3 a.m PST, 4 a.m Phoenix on Wednesday morning, 11/15/17.
The Bahrain TV (Ministry of Information and Affairs) app is downloadable from iTunes and Google Play. You can also follow https://www.mynextmatch.com/tournament/44/details/fixture for live results, as well as our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAMMAKIF/?ref=hl.
Written by Ryan Brueggeman