New Zealand’s Faith Van Duin (pictured) is the first Storm Damage women’s featherweight champion after submitting countryman Kate Da Silva in the promotion’s one-night tournament final on Saturday night in Canberra, while Andrew Machin and Kevin Ryan claimed the men’s heavyweight and welterweight titles respectively.
Van Duin made short work of her first round opponent in the tournament, stopping hometown favorite Michelle Peruzzi with punches in the opening period. She drew Arlene Blencowe in her second bout and edged out a majority points decision over the accomplished boxer, before submitting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt Kate Da Silva with a triangle choke in the fourth round of the tournament final.
Van Duin, who trains out of the 101 / warrior Muay Thai gym in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, remains undefeated after four professional appearances.
Arlene Blancowe took the wildcard slot against Melbourne’s Maryanne Mullahy — after losing to eventual finalist Kate Da Silva in her first round clash — and unanimously outpointed the Absoulute MMA product, before losing to the new champ in the semifinal.
The co-main event featured a heavyweight rubber match between defending champion Brandon Sosoli, in his first title defense, and Andrew Machin. After the five rounder went the distance, it was Machin who walked away with the belt, with the judges scoring it 49-48, 48-47, 50-45 in favor of the Canberra native. The new heavyweight champ halts a two-fight skid with the win.
Kevin Ryan made it two promotional wins in a row on Saturday night and in the process claimed the vacant welterweight title with a third round rear-naked choke submission of veteran fighter Leo Diaz. Prior to this championship clash, Ryan stopped Sean Godkin with punches at Storm Damage 2.
Storm Damage 3 took place at the Southern Cross Basketball Stadium in Canberra.
Unofficial results via Neil Rooke on Twitter.
Results:
- Faith Van Duin def Kate Da Silva via Submission (Triangle Choke), Rd 4, 1:36 – FW Title
- Andrew Machin def Brandon Sosoli via Dec (Unanimous), 49-48, 48-47, 50-45 – HW Title
- Kevin Ryan def Leo Diaz via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 3, 1:32 – WW Title
- Theo Christakos def David Fowler via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 1
- Faith Van Duin def Arlene Blencowe via Decision (Majority), 30-27, 28-29, 29-28
- Lee Chesterfield def Robert Stanford via Submission (Guillotine), Rd 1, 1:28
- Kate Da Silva def Ginny Connors via Submission (Armbar), rd 1, 1:28
- Jesse Mauger def David Morley via TKO, Rd 1
- Arlene Blencowe def Maryanne Mullahy via Decision (Unanimous) 29-28 x 3
- Richard Kemp-Hay def Adam Corbett via Submission (Standing Guillotine), Rd 1, 0:40
- Faith Van Duin def Michelle Peruzzi via TKO, Rd 1, 2:01
- Bao Ho def Peter Cross via Decision (Unanimous), 29-28 x 3
- Kate Da Silva def. Arlene Blencowe via Submisison (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 2, 2:17
- Chad Price def Mathew Darke via TKO, Rd 1, 0:17
- Ginny Connors def Belinda Sedgwick via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke), Rd 1, 0:33
{module Comment on this Article}
