This Week in KOs: Fight Nights Global brings it

Another week without the UFC means another week to take a look around the rest of the combat sports landscape. More specifically at the singular moments of conscious-separating violence on display. On these long dark nights when the MMA go…

Another week without the UFC means another week to take a look around the rest of the combat sports landscape. More specifically at the singular moments of conscious-separating violence on display.

On these long dark nights when the MMA gods have left fans without their biggest stars and most popular platforms, there is no better time for quiet contemplation. A few days to reflect on life and purpose, and a sense of inner well being. Or better yet, a chance to scrounge around the couch cushions of the combat sports world to get another violence fix, stat.

This week, Fight Nights Global brought a wealth of action, joined by Top FC, and the usual onslaught of Muay Thai, boxing, and other regional MMA. As always, highlight Twitter are the real stars. Caposa, Jolassanda, and John Hyon Ko provided the bulk of the KOs this week, so give them all a follow, that way you’ll never miss out on a moment’s action.

Fight Nights Global 85

One of Europe’s most ostentatious and over the top organizations (other than KSW) had a hell of a week. FNG put on a thirteen fight card, crowning a new middleweight champion and an interim welterweight champion. But more importantly featuring nine KO/TKOs, eight inside the first round. Oh, and their president was arrested on embezzlement charges… That probably deserves a mention.

Welterweight Aliaskhab Khizriev hit 12-0, shaking off UFC vet Rousimar Palhares to win the interim welterweight belt. Palhares dropped to 19-9 with the loss.

Welterweight Raimond Magomedaliev (5-0) splashed into the limelight with a head kick knockout of former Bellator, WSOF, TUF and Titan FC vet Valdir Araujo (18-9).

Welterweight Zelim Imadaev climbed to 8-0, dropping Ivan Gluhak to 16-9 with a left hook in the midst of a wild exchange.

Lightweight Maksim Schekin (5-2) not only wrecked Gabriel Sabo’s (6-4) world with a right uppercut/right hook combo, but the followup shot had him astral traveling.

Light Heavyweight Vladimir Seliverstov jumped up to 3-1 while trying to do the honorable thing. But the ref wasn’t having it, and Aleksandr Dankov had to go all the way out on his way to 2-3.

Heavyweight Ismail Sagov (1-1) KO’d Eradzh Kholov (2-3) so fast, the cameraman wasn’t even ready.

TOP FC DREAM 5: Korea vs. Japan

The South Korean Organization put on a ten fight card featuring five Japan vs. Korea matchups and six KO/TKO finishes.

Welterweight Hiroki Kishino took his record to an inauspicious 4-8 with a left hook square on the jaw of Sang Won Ji, dropping him to 0-2.

Lightweight Jung Hyuk Jang of North Korea got a debut win, bouncing back from a surprise spinning backfist to put all kinds of hands on Yamato Nishikawa, who dropped to 4-1.

Lightweight Byung-Seok Kim put a wicked left hook on Dong-Hyun Seo in both men’s pro debut.

Other MMA

Lightweight Magomedkamil Malikov’s perfect 1-2 was the beginning of the end for Sado Ucar at M-1 Challenge 90: Kunchenko vs. Butenko. Malkiov moved to 5-0 with the win, dropping Ucar to 10-5.

Bantamweight Nuralez Aydarov (3-0) threw the picture perfect counter knee to KO Oleg Lichkovakha (5-3) at M-1 Challenge 90.

Lightweight Martin van Staden picked up a title belt moving to 19-9, with a pair of right hands and a crushing knee on the jaw of Gavin Hughes. Hughes dropped to 9-1 with his first pro loss, at South Africa’s EFC 68.

Lightweight Dave Mazany (16-7) handed Chris Bright (6-1) his first pro loss as well at EFC 68, with a long left hook and some clubbing GnP.

Middleweight Aidar Abdulrahman moved to 2-1 (maybe) with a wild right hook on Oleksandr Karpov, sending him to 4-3 (?) at Ukraine’s Road to WWFC 11.

Middleweight Andrei Anghel (record ?) picked up as clean a GnP KO as you’ll ever see over Oleg Nagorny at Road to WWFC 11.

Featherweight Dzhambulat Selimkhanov moved to 2-1 over at Akhmat’s WFCA 46, with a slick head kick and a volly of follow up strikes to Bashir Magomedov, who fell to 2-2.

James Mitchell got a debut win behind the kind of left hand that only Alaska FC delivers.

Muay Thai

Daokrajai Nayok Ae Tasala made the absolute best out of a referee restart in MAX Muay Thai, with a killer flying knee.

Satanpop Sor. Bangkru delivered a bombing right hand on Kay Aritit I.A.T. in MAX Muay Thai.

Kwangyung Sasiprapa with a left hook right to the liver in MX Muay Xtreme.

Andronikos Evripidu delivered his own hook to the liver at MX Muay Xtreme for a really funky looking KO.

Boxing

Heavyweight Alexander Povetkin (35-1) delivered THE highlight of the week with his right overhand-to-left-hook KO of David Price (27-5) to retain his WBA and WBO titles.

Middleweight Jason Quigley (14-0) put away Daniel Rosario Cruz (11-4) with a mean left hook to the liver.

That’s it for this week. The best of knockouts from around the combat sports world will return for back-to-back weeks in late April and early May when the UFC once again takes a break from their near-constant series of events. In the meantime, stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for our regular fight week coverage as UFC 223 approaches.