On May 28th, 2005 Muay Thai returned to Calgary with a vengeance with one of the most exciting events the city
has seen in years. The event was completely sold out with hundreds of people showing up at the door wanting to buy
tickets just for standing room only. IKF World President Mr. Steve Fossum has stated: "As for the event? Well, when some
talk about sellout crowds and standing room only, many question if it's true. However if you were in the house last
night you would have no problem confirming the fact that this was a Standing room only sellout! It was
estimated at between 800 and 1,000 which did not include the many who had to be turned away due to the venue capacity.
This event ran flawless! The executive and the membership of the Calgary Amateur Kickboxing & Muay Thai
Association want to thank everyone for their incredible support and also wants to assure the public that the next
event will be in a bigger venue. The next event is in the planning stages and it will be a knockout, to say the least!
Before going any further, CAKMA would like to thank all of the following:
- The Coaches: All of these individuals were extremely professional, enthusiastic, and a pleasure to work with.
Mr. Daniel Born (Switzerland), Mr. Simon Burgess (USA), Mr. Ricky Anderson (USA), Mr. Muhsin
Corrbrey (USA), Mr. Scott Hicks (USA), Mr. Nelson Burtnick (Canada), Mr. Trevor Smandych
(Canada) and Mr. Mike Miles (Canada).
- The Officials: Dr. Andy Anton, Calgary EMS, Mr. Tim Yorke, Mr. John Braak, Mr.
Brett Herman, Mr. Lyle Cheney, Mr. Tony Hobbs, Mr. Jean Doyon, Mr. Mike Zientek,
Mr. Greg Twentymen, and Mr. Steve Fossum (IKF World President).
- The Sponsors: The Calgary SUN, The Sandman Hotel, Allan, Screamin Demon Motorcycles, Inland Audio Visual,
Mike Miles Muay Thai and Kickboxing, United Graphics, Bushido Tattoo, Calgary Sports Therapy - Dr. Jason Dyck, Dr.
Brian Ruddy, J.F. Mackie & Company, Zeiler Enterprises, Marmot Concrete, Sprung Instant Structures, Coyotes Night
Club, Mike Miles National Kickboxing (NW), Prestige Landscape Maintenance Ltd., Kane's Harley Davidson Motor Cycles,
Dominion Automatic Transmission, Classic Truck Repair, Clean Brite Canada, Cannex Contracting 2000 Inc., Bluebird
Excavating & Demolition Ltd., Martha's Master Cleaners, Dr. John and Mary Cutbill, Destiny Resources, Ace Explosives,
Great Slave Helicopters, GreenGate Garden Centres Ltd., Mr. Terry Svarich, Chianti's Cafe and Restaurant, Little
Caesar's, Security Life and Investments, Milestone Asset Management Ltd., Lakeview Mobile Home and RV Park, The Money
Stop (Grand Prairie), Scenic Acres Husky, PS Graphics, Amre Supply, Azzlo Industries Ltd., IPS, Storcare, Tesla
Exploration, Dr. Helen Kolozetti, Professional Diesel Repair, Stromboli's, Mr. Shaun Byrne, Ms. Heather Kuma, Wire It
Electrical Services, Trane, Mr. Pat Fagan (Lawyer) and L.A. Trucking.
- Finally a big 'thank you' to all the volunteers, the public and the incredible support the event received
from the media in Calgary. Of course, a huge thank you to the athletes for putting on such a great show!
THE CARD
The main event was for the vacant IKF World Lightheavyweight Muay Thai Title. The two principals in the
bout were Calgary, Canada's Scott 'Pitbull' Clark and his opponent, Nenad Grujic from Switzerland. The
venue was filled with electricity as everyone anticipated the main event and the final bout of the evening. When it
was time to fight, the Swiss athlete was announced and he built the tension by taking his time to finally come to the
ring. Clark was then announced and the audience went crazy. The Canadian came out behind his 7 title belts that were
paraded around the ring by his team mates behind the Canadian flag. It was a very impressive display. Once both
athletes were in the ring, the national anthems were played. After the tunes, the two athletes were again reintroduced
and it was time for the athletes Wai Kru's. Both athletes performances were starkly different but equally impressive
as the audience watched spell bound. Once this was over with, it was time for business while the audience held its
collective breath.
As soon as the bell went, the two athletes met in the middle of the ring. There was no feeling out process.
Grujic came out fast and strong catching Clark with some very hard punches sending the Canadian backwards. Grujic
wanted to stop Clark and he was throwing very heavy leather to do so. At one point it looked like Clark's right eye
was starting to swell from some of the blows that were getting through. During the first round when Clark would try
and clinch and knee, the Swiss athlete seemed to be able to keep the Canadian off at will. But towards the end of the
first round, Clark started catching his foe with some strong clinch work and knees and the audience went crazy.
In round two, Clark picked up the pace and started landing some brutal body punches followed by strong cut kicks
and/or knees (very impressive combination work). Grujic was still throwing heavy shots but the frequency had dipped
due to Clarks' pressure and work ethic. Clark was true to his nickname 'Pitbull' as he was tenacious and unforgiving.
Clark kept delivering some very strong hand combinations followed by cut kicks. When Grujic would move in close,
Clark would deliver good strong knees followed by a lot of uppercuts which connected. Grujic was not able to keep
Clark off of him anymore. A blitz from Clark had the Swiss athlete stunned and as a result, Grujic was given an eight
count. The fight continued and Clark swarmed Grujic with punches, kicks, and knees finally dropping the Swiss athlete
to the canvas. The 'Pitbull' now had the Swiss athlete at his mercy. Grujic did not make it up in time during the
count and Clark won the bout by 1:42 of the second round. "I predicted a knockout and the two styles of these
athletes was not to prove me wrong. Grujic came out heavy and hard in the first round, almost throwing caution to the
wind, while Clark waited for and seized the opportunity when the Swiss athlete made a mistake", said Clark's
coach Mr. Mike Miles.
Clark add's the IKF World Lightheavyweight Muay Thai Title to his resume (presented by Mr. Fossum) and
has matured as a fighter ten fold in the last year. He would definitely fit in with some of the best professional
athletes in the world now. Where to go from here? Clark is looking at the 2005 IFMA World Championships in
Bangkok in August and hopefully he will be making his professional debut in Calgary in autumn.
The semi main event was a 'Grudge' rematch between Calgary's Rayelene 'B.B.' Kellock and New York's
Natalie Fuz. The bout was battled under full Muay Thai rules. These two had battled each other twenty months
before with Kellock winning a split decision.
The fight had Kellock landing consistent low kicks and many roundhouse kicks to the body. But the majority of
Kellock's fight was her trying to land her punch combinations. Fuz would snap out of the way of the punches, and then
go to the clinch. Fuz did not dominate the clinch as she did in the two athlete's encounter but she still had a
slightly higher work rate. This was enough for Fuz to walk away with the split decision on this encounter. This has
now set the two athletes up for the rubber match. Where and when, who knows? But these two will want to set the
record straight. "I felt Fuz won the first bout and Kellock won this bout, regardless they should do it a third
time", laughed, Kellock's coach Mike Miles. "I have had the encounters between these two scored
backwards."
The undercard featured the following results:
- Jesse Miles (Canada) vs. Lucas McDevitt (USA)
Miles was originally set to battle a Swiss athlete. Unfortunately team mate Jason Cutbill's opponent could not
make the event (to short of a time to get a Visa) and finding a suitable replacement was the task at hand. The very
capable and experienced Lucas McDevitt was found. Unfortunately he was too heavy for Cutbill (by two divisions).
Miles volunteered to move up one division and squared off with the American and Cutbill moved up a division to tackle
the Swiss athlete.
The opening round of this bout was incredible. McDevitt threw some very good combinations but Miles looked very
slick. Miles used positioning and kicks to avoid McDevitt's strong blows. A few good right hands got through to Miles
who kept very composed and used positioning so McDevitt could not capitalize. Towards the end of the first round,
Miles landed a strong frontal knee in the clinch that hurt the American but the bell sounded ending the round. The
second round had McDevitt pick up the pace and rushing at Miles, forcing the two to the ropes. He swarmed Miles who
kept composed. In the middle of the round the two fell into a clinch in the middle of the ring, and Miles suddenly
spun and pitched the American off balance. McDevitt regained his balance but while doing so, Miles delivered a
devastating right roundhouse which caught the American on the right eye and dropped him to the canvas. "It was so
fast that I did not see it", said coach Mike Miles. "I had to ask everyone what happened."
McDevitt could not continue. The kick had shut and injured his eye. The winner by KO in the second round was Jesse
Miles. These two athletes looked like professional athletes. A great win for Miles but the bout was so enjoyable that
watching a few more rounds would have been awesome.
- Jason Cutbill (Canada) vs. Adrian Bachler (Switzerland)
This was a very good fight. Cutbill was facing an athlete as tall as him (rare). Having moved up two division for
this bout on very short notice, Cutbill played the opening of the fight very warily. Cutbill provided a good tight
defense. Bachler seemed to control the fight in the first round, but towards the end of the round Cutbill landed a
devastating right hand that had the Swiss athlete stumbling around the ring while he took an eight count. The
remainder of the rounds were Bachler delivering and landing his low kick while also teeping at Cutbill's lead leg. As
each round progressed Cutbill turned up the pressure while the Swiss athlete seemed to fade in the endurance
department. In the clinch Cutbill proved that his clinching skills and his knees were slightly more effective than
Bachler's. The result of the bout was an unanimous decision for Cutbill. The Swiss athlete provided strong opposition
to Cutbill who now looks forward to his next fight in the USA.
- Phil Leier (Canada) vs. Brian Robertson (USA)
Coming off of three straight losses, the pressure was on Leier to turn things around. Robertson came and gave
Leier a great fight. The initial rounds seemed to go to Robertson but this was over the course of the fight, to
change. In his last few fights, Leier has seemed to fade as each round has progressed. This was not the case during
this fight. Rounds four and five were won by Leier who pressed, out clinched and out scored and outworked Robertson.
Robertson came and gave Leier everything he could handle. This was a very good fight and though Leier won, it was
very close. Robertson was very impressive to say the least.
- Darren Snell (Canada) vs. Brandon Gay (USA)
This was a war from start to finish. Gay rushed forward and pressed throughout the whole fight. Snell did not
seem to be able to get into the bout the way he wanted. Gay was a very busy athlete to say the least. Snell would
land a shot and not follow it up, and as a consequence, Gay would recover and then press forward to the clinch. Snell
won the bout by split decision but the decision easily could have went the other way. Do we hear rematch?
- Misty Sutherland (Canada) vs. Rima Sidhu (USA)
This was a exciting battle. Sutherland was by far the busier of the two athletes but much of her arsenal was
missing scoring cleanly. In the second round, Sutherland took a kick to the throat and signalled to the referee she
needed a moment. As a consequence she was given a standing eight count. Most feel that it was the standing eight
which gave the split decision to the American fighter Sidhu. Both athletes gave it their all.
- Bryan Campbell (Canada) vs. Beau Corbbrey (USA)
The second bout of the evening had these two athletes throwing heavy leather at each other. Campbell was to win
the fight as he turned the pressure up each round. Corbbrey fought back with desire, good skills and determination.
Campbell won the fight by unanimous decision.
- Nate Smandych (Calgary) vs. Fawz Amin (Vancouver)
This opening bout set the tone for the evening. What a great fight it was between these two athletes. Smandych
relied on his kicking skills while Amin relied on his punching skills. During the infighting it became obvious that
Smandych was a Muay Thai fighter because everyone could see the urge to knee (he did not). Amin came and displayed
his great stamina and move and hit tactics. Smandych won the bout by unanimous decision. A great bout to start a
great card!
CAKMA has big plans for its next event including the long awaited return to Calgary by one of Canada's
most respected athletes, Trevor 'T.N.T.' Smandych. An opponent from Thailand is in the mix for this one. Also,
the event tentatively includes professional athletes Jason 'Ironman' Fenton and Phil Petit. Possibly
the professional debut of Scott 'Pitbull' Clark and Rayelene 'B.B.' Kellock.
Oh wait, we forgot. Former 2 time IKF Champion Jason Jillian made sure everyone remembered who he was on
this night. At the return if the nights intermission Jason was introduced to the crowd and brought to the ring. When
there, he called his girlfriend Kristi into the ring with him. Once there, you guessed it. Jason, as every true
gentleman should, went to one knee and asked her to marry him. She said "Yes". He slid the ring on her finger.
Congratulations you two!
Keep watching for more...
***This press release is brought to you by the executive and membership of the Calgary Amateur Kickboxing and
MuayThai Association (CAKMA) a registered not for profit association***
For further information regarding this release or sponsorship opportunities please contact Mr. Robin Finley
Media Relations, Phone: (403) 816-7022, Email: robintf@telus.net
