Glenn Sparv became the inaugural Full Metal Dojo middleweight champion but the man from Finland had to do it the hard way. Mehdi Bagheri looked to be winning the fight at Insanity Nightclub in Bangkok, Thailand until a second round knee to the face knocked him out on Saturday night.
It was an emphatic finish but Sparv had struggled in the early exchanges. The Iranian was advertised as being a wrestler but repeatedly tagged his more experienced opponent with straight punches to the head and body.
Early in the second stanza Bagheri decided to put his wrestling skills to work with a double leg takedown. He had both hands firmly locked around his opponent’s waist but had to switch strategy after a series of elbows to the side of the head.
With the strikes Sparv created an opening to reverse position and started to throw elbows from inside Bagheri’s guard. The Iranian used the cage to stand up but no sooner had they separated than he found himself on the receiving end of a kick to the face.
The strike crumpled Bagheri and Sparv walked away with his arms aloft. Afterwards he was awarded a ceremonial samurai sword for becoming the first FMD 185lbs champion and his record swells to 19-5 while Bagheri falls to 4-1.
There was something of an upset in the co-main event. Having fought for Invicta FC and Pancrase, Loma Lookbonmee was being touted as a potential future UFC star but saw her bandwagon halted by a first round armbar from Thai submission specialist Suwanan Boonsorn.
Boonsorn showed no respect for her opponent’s Muay Thai credentials, coming out of the blocks with a head kick. When Loma tried to catch a kick she ended up giving up her back and from there ‘Amp’ was ruthless.
She flattened Loma out and swiftly transitioned from a rear naked choke attempt to an armbar with the tap following shortly. Boonsorn becomes the first ever FMD atomweight champion and improved to 2-1 while Loma drops to 2–1.
Full Metal Dojo 16, Bangkok, November 3rd
Glenn Sparv def. Mehdi Bagheri by KO (Knee) at 2:52 of R2 (Wins Inaugural FMD Middleweight Title)
Suwanan Boonsorn def. Loma Lookboonmee by Submission (Armbar) at 2:06 of R1 (Wins Inaugural FMD Atomweight Title)
Javier Trujillo def. Vinod Greywal by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:24 of R1
Aung Kyaw Kyaw def. Jaktan Tangjan by TKO (Retirement) at 5:00 of R2
Long La def. Chinnakit Manolai by TKO at 0:22 of R1
O Kay Gyi def. Visarut Numnoi by TKO at 2:59 of R1
Stan Tskitishvili def. Azreel Izzat by TKO at 0:55 of R1 (Amateur)
Sirirot Silchaitan def. Bryson Dean Collins by TKO at 1:56 of R2 (Amateur)
