'ROULETTE RUMBLE' - (Calgary,
Alberta, Canada) February 17th, 2007
Presented by CAKMA and Mike Miles Promotions. Photos courtesy of Dave Bastian.
The Calgary Amateur Kickboxing & MuayThai Association and Mike Miles Promotions hosted Calgary's first
Muay Thai event of the year. The event was co-promoted by the Calgary SUN, CJAY-92 and the brand new
Deerfoot Inn & Casino. The beautiful facility hosted what was to be a great fight night. The event was
completely sold out 10 days before it was to happen. Demand for tickets was intense and as each day came closer to
the actual event, the requests for tickets was outstanding. "I could have easily sold 400 tickets just on the day
of the weigh-in", stated CAKMA President Robin Finley.
The event was sanctioned by the Canadian Muay Thai Council-Amateur, International Federation of
MuayThai Amateur, the World MuayThai Council and the Calgary Boxing & Wrestling Commission.
The event featured three (not four) athletes from South Africa trekking to Canada to get it on with some of
Canada's top Muay Thai talent in full Muay Thai rules competition. Team Canada featured Jesse 'Smiles'
Miles, Phil 'No Fear' Leier, and 'Nasty' Nate Smandych squaring off with Team South Africa's
John Lester Lombard, Jason Malcolm Roberts and Donald Weir. Originally scheduled was a female
bout between the two countries featuring Sandra 'Heart' Bastian battling against South Africa's Sarika
Engela. Unfortunately a few days before departing to Canada, sudden health reasons saw Sarika Engela rushed to
the hospital and have surgery effectively taking her out of the fight (and training for months). A disappointment to
all and unfortunate, but we all wish her a speedy recovery.
Above: Miles vs. Lombard. Miles hard at work
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
The Main Event was for the WKL World Amateur Lightheavyweight Muay Thai Title (under Full Muay
Thai Rules). Contesting for the title was South Africa's John Lester Lombard (Cape Town, South Africa -
Dragon Power Gym / Quentin Chong) and representing Canada was Jesse 'Smiles' Miles (Calgary, Canada - Mike
Miles Muay Thai / Miles). Miles stood 3 1/2 inches shorter than his foe. Both athletes looked in great shape and
ready to give the fights of their lives for the title.
After the ceremonial Wai Kru, both athletes were called to the center of the ring, received their last minute
instructions, and were now ready to see if their fight preparations paid off. The event was held in a smaller ring
(16 by 16 inside the ropes) not allowing much room for repositioning and angling. Would this play favor to the South
African who was going to be moving forward and pressuring the Canadian? Would the smaller ring affect Miles ability
to angle and reposition?
As the bout opened Lombard moved forward with probing shots but could not catch the Canadian. Miles looked very
relaxed and did not really start attempting to strike the South Africa until the middle of the first round. Lombard
delivered a round kick which the Canadian caught and countered a heavy cut kick which put the South African on his
back. Getting up, Lombard continued moving forward when he suddenly smiled and delivered a punch that Miles made
miss and then the Canadian countered with a punishing right hand which bent Lombard over. Miles immediately and
blindingly quick, fell into a clinch and delivered several knees which hurt Lombard. Miles opened up and was really
hurting Lombard with his full arsenal when the bell rang saving the South African from further punishment.
In the middle rounds Miles took his time to deliver teep's, cut kicks and punch combinations which flustered and
hurt Lombard. The South African tried but had difficulty catching the elusive Canadian. Miles mercilessly worked the
cut kick which kept landing on Lombard's left leg, stiffening it up. As Lombard would prepare to block on the
outside Miles would switch it up and bang on the inside.
In the final round, Lombard moved forward but Miles just threw some fast combinations. A straight left got
through and snapped Miles head backwards. But Miles again just picked his shots and exchanged when he wanted to
exchange. Lombard has a great chin and great fighting heart but other than a few times, he just could not catch the
evasive and speedy Canadian. Miles played a very smart fight hitting but not getting hit to win the World Title
unanimously.
Above: WKL World Lightheavyweight Muay Thai Champion: Miles gets
his new hardware strapped on by Ajarn Mike Miles.
Photo taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
The event was originally set up with eight bouts but with the loss of Bastian's encounter with Engela, the event
was now down to seven bouts. The undercard consisted of six bouts and the results are as follows:
- Lindsay Rae (Canada / Miles) vs. Alvaro 'El Matador' Rojas (USA / Perez) / Welterweights
This Full Muay Thai Rules bout was scheduled for 3 rounds of 2 minutes. As both athletes met each other in the
center of the ring for final instructions, Rae was six inches shorter than his foe. As the bout opened Rojas came
forward quickly demonstrating very good fight skills. Rae was very calm and collected in this bout and in the first
round, very smartly took his time, and repositioned always giving him a good advantage. Both athletes delivered some
good knees and elbows, but Rae was a little more successful in landing his shots. Towards the end of the first round,
Rojas took a few shots and was slightly wobbled as he went back to his corner at the end of the round.
In round two Rae came out and took control of the match. Rojas seemed a little frustrating trying to catch Rae
who was repositioning to nullify the American's attacks. Mid way through the round, Rae delivered a flying punch
which dropped the talented Rojas for the count.
The winner of this international prestige Muay Thai fight between Canada and the USA was Lindsay Rae by
second round TKO.
- 'Nasty' Nate Smandych (Canada / Miles) vs. Donald Weir (South Africa / Chong) / Superlightweights
This bout was scheduled for 5 rounds of 2 minutes under Full Muay Thai Rules (with the elbows padded). After the
Wai Kru ceremony both athletes were ready to rumble. Make no mistake about this fight, Weir came to fight and he
turned this fight into a war (much to the delight of the fans). In the opening round Weir sprinted at Smandych and
he jumped forward like a wild animal who had just cornered its prey. As a result, Smandych became a little too
excited and should have relaxed and used his distancing a little more but this was not to be throughout the fight.
The fight spent a lot of time in the clinch with Smandych landing the better knees while being pinned into the ropes.
In the middle rounds, Weir just wanted to bulldog forward and land a big punch (and he did land some good ones).
Smandych is known for his heart and he took the shots and would come back with some 'nasty' ones of his own.
In the fifth and final round, Smandych kept landing the better shots and was to win the bout by unanimous
decision. Weir has nothing to hang his head about because he came to win and though he did not, he bruised the
Canadian up very well and impressed the audience. Pure desire demonstrated by both athletes during this fight.
- Adam Bronconnier (Calgary / Miles) vs. Keith Geisbrecht (Steinbach / Outhaivong) / Superwelterweights
At the last moment this bout had to be cancelled. As both athletes were just 17 years old, they were not allowed
inside the casino. The room used to hold the event was considered part of the casino and as such both juniors were
not allowed under any circumstances to be within the room or the casino. Very disappointing to the fans and the
athletes. The two will meet up again very soon, possibly in Manitoba. March 17th has been offered to Adam.
The first half of the card featured the following fights and had the following results:
- Phil 'No Fear' Leier (Canada / Miles) vs. Jason Malcolm Roberts (South Africa / Chong) / Welterweights
A great demonstration of Ram Muay exhibited by both athletes was appreciated by the crowd. The two athletes met
in the middle of the ring for final instructions in this Full Muay Thai Rules bout. Leier being slightly taller and
Roberts being slightly stronger in build. Roberts is one of South Africa's favorite athletes as he fights like a
bulldog moving forward and never giving up. Would Leier be able to take the pressure and supply his own? As the bout
opened both athletes probed each other with quick shots. The round was very close with neither athlete really taking
an advantage.
The second round saw both athletes pick up the steam. Both landed many knees but the most telling shots were a
few strong punches from Roberts snapping the head of the Canadian Backwards.
The third and the fourth round of the bout saw Roberts gaining a slight advantage in successful shots but Leier
was not out of the picture. Great heart and desire was demonstrated by both athletes.
The fifth and final round saw Leier make a good attempt to come back but as the round progressed it became a
little more patchy, due to being tired. Roberts would come back and land some good shots. The audience was really
into this fight and Roberts was to take this international prestige bout by a split decision.
- Chase Arkossy (Calgary / Miles) vs. Dave Unrau (Steinbach / Outhaivong) / Lightheavyweights
The first bout of the evening featured two Canadian athletes battling against each other in a Modified Muay Thai
Rules bout. Unrau had been in the ring 2 times before and this was Arkossy's first fight. The first thing to notice
was the significant height advantage of Unrau. Would the smaller and stockier Arkossy be able to handle the
distancing problems?
The first round saw Arkossy catch Unrau cold with three knockdowns and win the fight by TKO. Unrau just did not
have a chance to get started.
- Peter Arbeau (Canada / Miles) vs. Patrick Greene (USA / McDaniels) Lightheavyweight
Arbeau took this bout on short notice. Originally scheduled to fight Greene was Canada's Jason Cutbill
who ended up with an injury. After Cutbill withdrew, an additional two athletes from outside Calgary ended up
pulling from the event (due to a car mishap and health problems). This left the promoters scrambling literally at
the last minute to find an athlete to battle with Greene. Arbeau was game and he finished his medical requirements
just hours before the weigh in. Arbeau fights as a Supermiddleweight so on this fight he had moved up a solid
division.
Both athletes sealed the ring.
As the Full Muay Thai Rules bout opened with Greene demonstrating what would be the prevalent weaponry for the
fight which was his fists. He definitely boxed better than Arbeau and after a full out onslaught by the American,
Arbeau fell into a clinch and found that his knees would be extremely successful defending against the American.
The middle rounds saw Arbeau utilizing the teep and the cut kick to keep Greene at bay.
As the final round started Arbeau picked up steam and kicked at Greene for the majority of the round. A
beautiful elbow finished the fight but Greene stood in there and gave it his best.
The winner by unanimous decision was Arbeau.
The winner of the Best in Town Athlete went to Jesse ' Smiles' Miles.
The winner of the Best Out of Town Athlete went to John Malcolm Roberts.
A good effort with a few learning curves in regards to the promotion by the promoters. Regardless, everyone
walked out happy with the bouts.
