'H2H HEAT 'SHOCKWAVE' - (Calgary,
Alberta, Canada) September 23rd, 2006
Photos courtesy of Dave Bastian..
The UFC and The Calgary Stampeders Football club playing at home is very stiff competition for any type of
promotion to compete with. But, in what was to be another completely sold out card for the promoters (the Calgary
Amateur Kickboxing & Muay Thai Association / CAKMA), the Calgary audience was treated to some great experienced
athletes battling it out and also had a chance to look at some of the skill and desire of athletes making their
fight debut.
Thanks go out to the incredible support the event received from all the sponsors and also all the people who
worked so hard and volunteered so much time to ensure the success of this event. Thank you all!
The Main Event was a 5 round full Muay Thai rules battle between Jason 'The Surgeon' Cutbill (Calgary -
Mike Miles Muay Thai) against Kuniyoshi Yanagawa (Tokyo, Japan - Giseikan Gym). Originally, Team Canada's
representative for this bout was Scott 'The Pitbull' Clark. 1 and 1/2 weeks before the fight while training
on intense pad work, Clark was accidently hit by an elbow which left him cut and unable to fight. Stepping up to the
bat for Team Canada and Clark was fellow team-mate Cutbill. All Cutbill's fight experience has been at 165 lbs. and
under but on this match he stepped up 15 lbs. and 2 weight divisions. Yanagawa usually fights in Japan around 200
lbs. and he really leaned out for this match, dropping about 20 lbs.! The Japanese had considerably more fight
experience than the Canadian and there was a lot of hesitation to see if Cutbill could in fact deal with the weight
gain and the more experienced foe.
Above: Cutbill vs. Yanagawa.
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
As the first round opened Cutbill was very tentative. There were a few probing shots from each athlete to test
the type of reaction they would get. Every time Yanagawa attacked or flinched, Cutbill would retreat hastily. This
made Yanagawa more confident at the beginning of the fight. In the second round, this all changed. Yanagawa was
expecting Cutbill to retreat from every attack and every perceived threat, but this was not to be. Cutbill was to
answer every attack and every fake. A beautiful tiip (front kick) caught Yanagawa in the face. Angered Yanagawa
tried to counter but was to meet some solid opposition. In the third round, the momentum of the fight changed.
Cutbill was now pressing forward and working heavily in the clinch with his knees and elbows. The Japanese athlete
was not being given the breathing time he needed as the Canadian kept the pressure on. Round 4 saw Cutbill pressuring
heavily and forcing Yanagawa backwards. As hard as the Japanese tried to spin or throw Cutbill in the clinch,
Cutbill had adapted his tactics and he stuck to his foe like glue. During the final round a straight right caught
Yanagawa and really shook him. Cutbill kept the pressure on but Yanagawa showed his ring experience and the Canadian
could not finish it. Living up to his nickname, and methodically out striking his opponent, the winner of this
International Prestige Bout by unanimous decision was Jason 'The Surgeon' Cutbill.
There were 2 co semi-main events:
Jesse 'Smiles' Miles (Calgary - Mike Miles Muay Thai) squared off against England's Ian Coe (London -
Minotaur Muay Thai Gym). This full Muay Thai rules match was supposed to have happened in Thailand in June of this
year during a quarter finals bout in the 81 kg. division. A few days before the scheduled Thailand encounter, Miles
had squared off against Iran's Nader Sapipour. The taller and extremely aggressive Iranian had caught Miles
in an illegal back break on the ropes and injured the Canadian's back. With the adrenaline still flowing, Miles came
back with a vicious punch combination and knocked the Iranian athlete out cold. The damage was done and sporting a
bulging disc in his back Miles had to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Coe. Tonight was to be the night
where both athletes wanted to find out the result had they faced each other. Unbeknownst to the crowd, this bout was
on the verge of being postponed as well as Miles had busted up his foot. But with the loss of Scott Clark fighting on
the card, Miles stepped up for the bout, and battled through the injury. This bout was very much a game of Ian Coe
trying to press forward and catch Miles. Miles was to fight a defensive game. Not running, but striking and/or faking
and then angling throughout the fight. He was rarely directly in front of his foe's strikes. Some excellent shots
were delivered by Miles who snapped Coe's head with some very powerful punches. In the clinch Miles was to control
the majority of these by either tossing Coe to the canvas, or by striking and nullifying the English athlete's
kneeing attempts. Coe had come to battle and tried to catch the Canadian but just only on a few occasions did he
actually find his mark. Miles used a smart battle plan by conserving his energy and landing strikes that caused
damage, countering very effectively and controlling the gap. Miles a kicker, hardly kicked at all due to his foot
injury but still won the bout. The winner of the bout by unanimous decision was Jesse Miles. Miles was also
to win the prestigious Roy Lilley Memorial Award as the Best In Town Athlete of the Event.
Above: Miles vs. Coe.
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
The other co semi main event was Sandra 'Heart' Bastian (Calgary - Mike Miles Muay Thai), the Woman's 60
kg. Gold Medalist at the IFMA World Championships in Bangkok. She faced Japan's Junko Koyanagi (Tokyo, Japan -
Ihara Gym). As the bout opened the Japanese girl was to try and deliver her strikes from the outside and then move.
Bastian was to walk through the strikes (though she did get hit with a lot of tiip's) and get inside and completely
over power her foe. During the first round several hard knees were to land in the clinch to the chest of Koyanagi.
They were strong enough to drop the Japanese athlete to the ground. Several right hands gained the respect Bastian
needed and the remainder of the fight was Bastian pursuing Koyanagi. Towards the end of the second round, Bastian
had dropped her foe 5 times during the bout and three times during the round and the referee had no choice but to
follow the rules and end the fight with Sandra Bastian winning by TKO.
Above: Bastian vs. Koyanagi.
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
The undercard featured the following bouts:
Calgary's Misty Sutherland (Mike Miles Muay Thai) stepped into the ring in a much anticipated bout
against the USA's Melanie Kohler-Edwards (Salt Lake City - Wicked Ways Muay Thai). The bout opened with
Sutherland looking very calm and picking off Kohler-Edwards shots. Sutherland took her time and intercepted with
very effective crosses which landed during many of the American girls attacks. Kohler-Edwards did not dance as much
as was expected and this played to Sutherland's advantage who was methodical in her tactics during this fight. As
the bout progressed Sutherland was to pick up her intensity with combinations forcing the American girl back to the
ropes on the receiving end of some very strong combinations. In round three Sutherland swarmed her opponent with a
relentless attack of punches, kicks, elbows and knees that were scoring and which Kohler-Edwards did not respond to.
As the referee stopped the bout for a standing 8 count given to the American, her coach threw in the towel and the
fight was over. Misty Sutherland was to win the bout by a third round TKO over the game Kohler-Edwards. Sutherland will be
missed during the next 5 months while she schools in Germany
Above: Sutherland vs. Kohler-Edwards.
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
Calgary's Phil 'No Fear' Leier (Mike Miles Muay Thai) squared off against Japan's Yuji Nashiro
(Osaka, Japan - Ihara Gym). Nashiro is the brother of the highly famed Japanese boxer and professional WBA World
Flyweight Boxing Champion, Nobuo Nashiro. This bout was to open explosively and viciously as well. As the
bell rang for round one, Leier went to touch gloves with his foe who ignored the sign of respect and delivered a
succession of very hard and very fast roundhouse kicks. Nashiro seemed to decide he was going to win this fight and
win it quickly. Stunned and rocked by the onslaught Leier was to somewhat settle down and start fighting back.
Towards the end of the first round Nashiro looked to be breathing hard and many were to wonder if in fact he had not
delivered what he had. However in round two he started with the same onslaught. Leier tried to get inside around the
hands but was to take a shot which sent him crashing to the canvas. Beating the count, Leier was to survive until
the bell. In the third round, Nashiro went for the gusto with a heavy onslaught of punches and kicks not letting
Leier out of his corner. Battered and bleeding and unable to defend himself, Leier was disappointed when the referee
had decided enough was enough. Yuji Nashiro was to win this bout by a third round TKO. Nashiro was also to
win the Roy Lilley Memorial Award for the Best Visiting Athlete trophy. Apologies go out to Mr.
Nashiro because as the officials first announced his name as the winner of the award, he was called Mr. Yanagawa.
This was to be rectified for the television and the venue audience.
Above: Leier vs. Nashiro.
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
In his fight debut Calgary's Adam Bronconnier (Mike Miles Muay Thai) stepped into the ring against Shawn
Silver (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan / Aurora Training Center under Mr. Wolfgang Manicke) who had a fight record
of 2 wins and 1 loss. The audience was right into this bout just like these two athletes were ring veteran's,
screaming their vocal support for Bronconnier. Bronconnier was not to disappoint as he stood with the experienced
Silver tooth and nail throughout the duration of the bout. It was obvious Bronconnier wanted to fight Muay Thai
rules (but this was a kickboxing rules bout), by the clinch he adopted on Silver as they came into close range.
Shawn Silver was to win the bout by unanimous decision... but Bronconnier was to earn a ton of fans and respect with
this his debut bout.
Above: Bronconnier vs. Silver.
Photo's above taken by photographer Dave Bastian.
Also making his fight debut was Calgary's Chris Yalbir (Mike Miles Muay Thai) against Kelowna's Jesse
Delaney (Avatar Martial Arts). The Kelowna athlete had fought 3 times under MMA rules and this was apparent with his
style during the progress of the bout. Yalbir remained very clam throughout this encounter and landed the strongest
blows. Funnily enough he threw only a few punches throughout the encounter and when he did they landed very
effectively. "I do not understand why he did not punch more because when he did they landed strong", said
corner man Trevor Smandych. The bout went the distance with Delaney giving a very good showing and accounting of
himself. Yalbir was to walk away with the unanimous decision.
The opening bout was between Calgary's Chris Fair (Mike Miles Muay Thai) and Lethbridge's Mark Deboer
(Progressive Fighting Academy / Brad Wall). The opening of this bout had Fair chasing the younger Deboer around the
ring looking for a knockout. But Deboer kept his head and weathered the storm. He was to catch the Calgarian as he
moved in with several head kicks during the progress of the bout. Several dropped the Calgarian. Fair seemed to give
it his all in the first round and just could not recover for the remainder of the bout. The winner by unanimous
decision was Lethbridge's Mark Deboer. A great weather the storm and the press strategy!
Originally scheduled to battle was also Calgary's Kyle Joyce (Mike Miles Muay Thai) against George
Habib (Calgary / Lion's Den). Unfortunately one athlete could not get his blood work in on time and as a
consequence the bout was scratched from the line up. With or without this bout, the audience was treated to some
great fights and the evening ended up early enough with fans being able to go and do something else before the night
was done!
Up next, the H2H 8 Man Lightheavyweight Muay Thai Tournament on Saturday December 2nd, 2006 which will
also be filmed for television. This event will feature Canada's Scott Clark in a tournament against athletes
from the Orient, and North America. There will be 3 Superfights including Sandra Bastian and Nate Smandych.
Tickets will be on sale starting at the beginning of October. For further information please call CAKMA's Mr.
Robin Finley at (403) 999-9567 or Mike Miles Muay Thai & Kickboxing Ltd. at (403) 244-8424.
