A new champion emerged at the 2022 Orbit Bet-Warrior Sports Championship street fight Mixed Martial Arts(MMA) showpiece at the National Stadium Surulere Lagos on 18 December.
Straight from competing in the kickboxing event of the National Sports Festival in Delta State, 21 year old Ebenezer Iron Fist Vincent left nobody in doubt of his rising talent as he subdued favourite The Benue Boy Victor Dooga who retired injured in the 3rd round to win the 71kg Super 4 title.
As early as 7 O’clock in the morning, fight fans at the open space of the Lagos National Stadium complex had converged on the well adorned cage, anticipating the first action of the event tagged WSC8.
The championship fired off with the first semi final of the Super 4, featuring Jeffrey Skullcobra John and The Iron Fist Vincent who scored a split decision win over his opponent to progress to the final.
The second semi final witnessed a referee stop contest with The Benue Boy Dooga raining down multiple hammer fists on his hapless opponent Oke Emmanuel whose irresponsive action prompted the cage arbiter Cletus Okegbe to wave off the fight.
Mr Farouq Musodig Tunde the Business Development Director of Orbit Bet Nigeria explained that the aim of the championship was to unearth combat sports talents from the grassroots who have the potential to represent the nation in international competitions:
“As a brand we are driven by exploits of Nigeria born MMA champions like Israel Last Stylebender Adesanya and Kamaru Usman The Nigerian Nightmare who have continued to inspire home grown talents to take up the sports.
“As a form of corporate social responsibility, the brand is poised to contribute to the positive development of the youths in the country by way of sports.”
The atmosphere at the championship developed into a frenzy as the ladies took to the cage.
Nigerian champion in judo, Terlumun Doose, representing Spirit Of The Warrior MMA kept the charged crowd spellbound with multiple Kumi kata and Kake on her opponent Miracle Favour of Hero’s Gym.
An eventual armbar lock in the 3rd and final round earned Doose a submission win in the women’s 57kg weight class and a 2-0 MMA record in a career that promises greater things to come.
Another fighter from the Spirit Of The Warrior MMA Ebere ‘White Tiger ‘ Stanford survived a kick to the groin to score a split decision victory over the much experienced Mua Thai specialist Sodiq Mohammed in a one off bout.
As a bonus, an exhibition bout in the 57kg weight class saw rising talent Egbuche Joshua beating Gideon Ajah in an entertaining kickboxing contest.
The 2022 WSC8 street fight tournament is a prelude to an international MMA event tagged Lagos Fight Night; Battle of Gladiators, which comes up on 28 January 2023 from 7pm at the Muson Centre, Onikan.
Discover more from Radio Nigeria Lagos
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
