Ghana champion, King Boyka beats Nigeria champion as Battle of Gladiators lights up MMA in Lagos
King Boyka was more of the aggressor, putting together some striking and grappling clinic to earn the slim win over his Nigerian foe.
By Olusola Adebayo
The Ghana vs Nigeria main card of the Battle of Gladiators MMA championship, put together by the Akalaka Spirit of the Warrior promotion, lived up to its pre-fight hype.
The Ghanaian champion Richard 'King Boyka' Asiedu silenced home fans at Muson Center in Onikan with a hard-fought split decision win over Nigeria's Richard Onem, The Black Panther, in the lightweight category, last Saturday.
King Boyka was more of the aggressor, putting together some striking and grappling clinic to earn the slim win over his Nigerian foe.
In one of the co-main events, the fast-rising sensation Stanford Shaolin Tiger Ebere who represents the Spirit of the Warrior stable fought to an entertaining stalemate with his Ghanaian opponent Jerry Gaza Quansa.
Opara Good luck opened the floodgates of knockouts with a viscous demolition of Abel Emmanuel in the featherweight category while The Working Machine Emmanuel Nworie scored another knockout victory over Daniel Appah in the welterweight division.
The ladies' category, another co-main event, saw national judo champion The Woman King Terlumun Doose of Benue state knocking out her Togolese opponent Cynthia Jibidar in the bantamweight class to improve her young career record to 2-1.
Doose subdued her opponent by unloading some heavy ground and pounding which prompted the cage referee to dive in and saved Jibidar from further punishment.
For her sterling efforts, Doose received $150 from former American MMA champion D'Juan Owens who also rewarded the Nigerian Army paratrooper Uchejim Onyeka Chinaman and Ghana's Edmond Galaxy Akhator with 50 dollars each for their sterling performance of the night.
Improving his record to 5-1, Onyeka edged the fight with a unanimous victory over Akhator after both fighters held the audience spellbound with some masterful performances over three rounds.
In a battle of two debutants, Yahuza Smile Strong Mohammed battered Ephraim Onwunaya to a 2nd round knockout defeat in a middleweight clash just as Christopher Swande picked up another knockout victory over Cornelius Jaw Bone Godspower in a 63.5kg catch-weight class.
For headbutting a grounded opponent in the 3rd round, Daniel Iwuoha was disqualified by the referee and the bout was awarded to Geoffrey Skullcobra John who earned the first win of his career, 1-2.
The audience sprang to their feet in awe when the heavyweight fighters pounded the cage.
Kabiru 'Hawk' Adeniran weighing 108.5kg submitted Utobo 'Cardinal' Arinze in the 2nd round of their bout leaving fight fans wondering about the impacts of his multiple power body slams on his opponent.
The championship opened with two amateur bouts which are in line with the objectives of the sanctioning body, the Nigeria Mixed Martial Arts Federation NMMAF.
In the first bout, Tobiloba Owolabi wrapped up a split decision win over Small Pepper Precious Edwin whose mother received a two-bedroom apartment from Spirit of the Warrior Foundation as a reward for her sterlings efforts in the Akalaka 1 Streetfight early last year in Ahoada Rivers State.
Elsewhere Mary Ayeloh scored a clinical submission win over Adeola Oyesiji in a high-octane women's 52kg class.
The organizer of the championship Dr. Ebere Bernard who doubles as the Director of Youth Development in NMMAF promised a stacked calendar of exciting events this year from his promotion to educate talented fighters at the grassroots.
