SELECTED PREVIOUS EVENTS 2002

Results

'GAS CITY NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS' - (Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada) November 16th, 2002
Promoters Norbert Urban and Shayne Morgan put together their finest fight card to date on Saturday November 16th, 2002. The event took place at the same time as several other major sports events in the city and the two promoters were still delighted with the 400 + people they had in attendance to cheer on athletes from across Alberta and Saskatchewan.

With good media support heading into the event, the promoters highlighted their top Kickboxing athlete, Jessica Gladstone (Karate-Do - Medicine Hat), vying for a vacant WKA Canadian Lightweight Kickboxing Title. Everyone was there to support Gladstone in what has turned out to be Medicine Hat's first event to feature a female athlete fighting for a title in the her own hometown. For the event, and being closer to the end of the year, it seemed few athletes wanted to take the risk and step into the ring to battle hometown hero Gladstone on her own turf. After a little searching, an opponent finally decided on taking the bout. WKA Canadian Bantamweight Kickboxing Champion Shelley Evans (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) decided she wanted to battle with Gladstone for the title and took the bout on just one week's notice. Having just had a baby less than three months ago and also having just won an WKA Intercontinental Muay Thai title weeks earlier, Evans stepped up to the plate weighing 116 lbs. fully dressed, whereas, Gladstone tipped the scales at 125 lbs. stripped down. Gladstone had advantages in both height and age (being 25 years younger). Evans had the advantage in the experience department having had 5 fights more than Gladstone. The bout was not to disappoint the audience. Both athletes stepped into the ring, and though there was a lot of time measuring each other up with lulls in the action, when it took place, it was fast, furious and with the intentions of knocking each other out. The attacks and counterattacks changed hands from exchange to exchange and from round to round. Heading into the final and fifth round, the two athletes waged war. Though both athletes had scored a lot of scoring shots, none really had hurt the other until the fifith round. Evans landed a heavy right hand which shook Gladstone and wobbled her knees, but Evans did not seem to be able to capitalize on the blow and the bout ended. The result was read by the announcer with Gladstone winning by a split decision. The Medicine Hat fans went crazy with support for their hometown athlete. "Gladstone has persevered through her career and proven she has the dedication and drive to win a national title. She did it tonight", stated opposing coach Mike Miles. Jessica Gladstone is the new WKA Canadian Lightweight Kickboxing Champion.

Other bouts on the card featured the following results:

- Middleweight Brad Wall (PFA - Lethbridge) stepped into the ring against Jon Leicht (Iron Fist - Saskatoon) in a 3 round non title Kickboxing rules match. Leicht comes from a gym full of talent, desire, guts and heart. All of these attributes are part of this athletes make up. Leicht has been on a winning streak and never been defeated. Wall had trouble at times dealing with the very awkward style of Leicht, but Wall never seemed to get flustered. In fact he would score beautiful right hands and counter well with his kicks. Leicht could not seem to land his hands but he did at times put Wall onto his fanny with lead sidekicks which would catch his opponent as he pressed forward. By round three, Leicht looked more tired than Wall who was now full speed ahead pressing the fight. At the end of the bout, Wall won the bout by unanimous decision.

- Superlightheavyweight Rob Loder (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) stepped into the ring against Bob Keleman (Iron Fist - Saskatoon). This bout was fought under Kickboxing rules and was originally scheduled to take place October 19th in Prince Albert when Loder could not get the time off to take the bout. This bout was to showcase two different styles. Keleman, is tall and very strong possessing good power in his hands and is developing his potential in his feet (predictions are he will be a Canadian Champion in 2003). Keleman pressed forward and Loder hit and provided angles never allowing Keleman to 'steamroll' him. Keleman banged in some very hard shots but Loder managed to block them or avoid them. In the second round, Loder landed a heavy cross to Keleman's head who was wobbled and took a standing eight count. However at the end of the count, Keleman was back and ready to rumble for more. This was a very exciting match with Loder being given the decision unanimously.

- Apprentice athlete Jesse Foster (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) stepped into the ring against journeyman Craig Douglas (Cheney's - Red Deer) in one of the two modified Muay Thai bouts that took place on the event. Douglas is very strong and gifted as an athlete but tonight he was to look a little flat in his performance. Both athletes exchanged well on the outside but the fight was to go to Foster on the inside with the clinch and the knee. Foster proved he had a chin because in rounds one and two, Douglas landed two left hooks that connected like bombs. Most athletes would have went down but Foster maintained his composure and battled through the impacts. Foster won the bout by unanimous decision.

- In a Lightheavyweight Kickboxing rules bout Kevin Brakefield (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) stepped into the ring against Rob Mein (PFA - Lethbridge). The action see sawed back and forth between these two warriors as the rounds progressed. At the end of the match, the fight was so close it was difficult to predict who won the bout. The decision was split and it was awarded to Calgary's Brakefield.

- In another Lightheavyweight Kickboxing rules bout, Jason Primmer (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) stepped into the ring against Chanty Phon (Karate-Do - Medicine Hat). It had been difficult to find an opponent for Phon and one was found three days heading into the event, Primmer. The Calgary athlete had been in the ring before and took the bout on extremely short notice. Phon had less experience in the ring but had trained to rumble. Primmer took his time in this fight to husband his energy for the length of the bout. Being taller, he waited for Phon to come in and then counter attacked. Phon landed some very strong punches and kicks but Primmer outpointed his opponent in this match. Primmer won the decision unanimously.

- Julio Flores (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) stepped into the ring against Jordan Rhodes (PFA - Lethbridge) in a welterweight Kickboxing rules bout. Rhodes looked to be in fantastic shape. Flores had not been in the ring for some time and was not successful in his last bout so this bout was to be a test for both athletes. Rhodes pressed the fight and had Flores on the ropes. Flores shelled and weathered the storm. Rhodes was to make a mistake and take to the air to deliver a punch and Flores was to counter and force his opponent backwards and score a blow which gave Rhodes a standing eight. The bout continued and the same game played out with Flores managing a second standing eight. Rhodes came back and fought strong and smart after the second count. Flores was having a difficult time landing a third blow. Rhodes was forced to a corner and Flores landed a punch which shook Rhodes. The referee then stopped the bout. "Rhodes has good skill and I really predict big things for him. He needs to stay a little more rooted when he attacks and I think he will do this. Flores really surprised me at how well he covered an weathered the storm. I doubted he would do this but he pleasantly surprised me", said coach Mike Miles.

- In what was to be the bloodiest and hardest fought bout of the evening, Middleweight Darren Snell (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) warred with Jason Lamond (Iron Fist - Saskatoon). These two athletes threw everything but the kitchen sink at each other. The bout was a gruelling test of both athletes resolve. "Man these guys were tough. It was close and I felt that Lamond may have taken the first and second round but Snell was to take the third", said coach Mike Miles. The decision was split for Snell. A rematch of these two would make a great headliner for any event!

- Christina Mack (PFA - Lethbridge) stepped into the ring against Stephanie Marshall (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary). This was a good fight with Marshall countering quite well but with Mack pressing forward throughout the match making her weapons work as one. Going with little effort from punches and kicks back to punches. Mack was to win the bout by unanimous decision.

- In a division where it is almost impossible to find athletes, Superfeatherweight Darren Robson (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) stepped into the ring against Rob Davis (Karate-Do - Medicine Hat). This Kickboxing rules match was to see Robson take a defensive tact in his fight plan with the game Davis using desire and some unorthodox attacks to sometimes play havoc in Robson's game plan. Robson controlled the fight but towards the end of the third, he positioned into a corner trapping the referee. At the same time he took a punch and went down. It was difficult to see if the punch had dropped Robson or if he had tripped over the referee. Regardless Robson was up on his feet ready to continue rumbling. Robson took the bout by unanimous decision.

- In the only other modified Muay Thai rules bout of the evening, Jodie Cuff (National - Edmonton) squared off against Julie Clark (Weenk - Saskatoon). This was an interesting bout to watch with Cuff being a little tighter on the outside but with Clark being stronger on the inside during the clinch. This bout see-sawed back and forth with Clark winning the bout by a split decision.

- Scott Douglas (Cheney's - Red Deer) stepped into the ring against Adam Bambrick (PFA - Lethbridge) in a Kickboxing rules bout. This superwelterweight bout saw the action go from round one to the final bell. Bambrick won the bout by unanimous decision.

- In the first female bout on the card, Kirby MacInnis (Mike Miles Muay Thai - Calgary) used her height, reach and 7 lb. weight advantage to win her bout over Carla Hopkins (Karate- Do - Medicine Hat). This was a good bout with both athletes landing strong punches and kicks on each other.

- The opening bout of the event featured Chris Rolston (National - Edmonton ) against Scott Yeung (Spirit of the Dragon - Regina) in a Kickboxing rules bout. Yeung had come to war and Rolston had to work hard to get a victory in this bout. A great show opener.

Medicine Hat is fast becoming a hotbed for Kickboxing in Alberta and with shows like this one put on by promoters Norbert Urban and Shayne Morgan, it might not be long until they find themselves at the top of the heap!