Razor Muay Thai trained Charlie Bubb came into last night’s Prince Promotions K-1 super-middleweight tournament as the favourite and he proved why, defeating three opponents to walk away with the AU$20,000 prize money.
The event took place at the Grand Star Receptions & Convention Centre in Altona North, Victoria, and was streamed via Fite TV.
Victorian Kyokushin practitioner Nasar Kassab got the tournament started in spectacular fashion, knocking out his opponent Guy Coleman in the first round. Kassab would move on to the semi-finals where he took on Strikeforce trained Jayden Eynaud who got past Michael Badato via decision in their opening round clash.
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On the other side of the bracket, Charlie Bubb and Daniel Barber put on what would end up being the most entertaining fight of the night. Barber left everything out there and gave Bubb a hard-opening round fight. The unanimous decision would go the way of Bubb who progressed to face Sarmad Jahanara who battered and bruised, edged past Cody Jameson via a split decision.
Crowd excitement was building by the time the semi-finals had arrived and it started with a massive knock-out. Jayden Eynaud got the first-round knockdown against Nasar Kassab but by the second round, it looked like Kassab had got his bearing back before a thunderous right-hook against the ropes, flattened Kassab once and for all, sending Eynaud took the final.
The first one didn't quite do the job, but the second one certainly did. Big knock-out from Jayden Eynaud on Saturday's Prince Promotions K1 tournament in Melbourne, Australia. pic.twitter.com/vCQ6KYFL12
— Fight News Australia (@fightnewsaus) March 8, 2021
In the other semi-final, Jahanara returned to face the biggest fight of his short career against Charlie Bubb. The fighter from Orange, New South Wales, made it look easy in there, controlling the round and picking his shots and the leg kicks were starting to take their toll on Jahanara as he wobbled to his corner between rounds. Bubb smelled the victory and unloaded with leg-kicks in the second round to get the TKO stoppage.
It would be Charlie Bubb against Jayden Eynaud in the main event. Both had faced each-other back in 2019 under Muay-Thai rules where Bubb walked away with a knock-out finish. Although he was a Muay-Thai practitioner, Eynaud was hoping to turn the tide under K-1 rules tonight.
Both started passively in the opening round, perhaps taking a bit longer to get back into the rhythm as they stepped in for the third time that evening. It was a close first-round that could marginally go the way of Bubb who was landing the cleaner combinations. By the second-round, Bubb was controlling the ring as Eynaud looked to counter against the ropes. Both had their moments but Bubb was looking the fresher of the two coming into the decisive round.
Bubb landed an early overhand right and Eynaud came back with a counter left of his own but that wouldn’t stop Bubb from coming forward. The two exchanged spinning kicks and continued to exchange heavy fire as the bout came to an end.
The decision was never in doubt with Bubb walking away with the unanimous decision to earn the $20,000 prize money plus an extra $1,000 for a TKO stoppage earlier in the night.
Final:
- Charlie Bubb def. Jayden Eynaud via Decision (Unanimous)
Semi-Finals:
- Jayden Eynaud def. Nasar Kassab via KO, Rd 2
- Charlie Bubb def. Sarmad Jahanara via TKO, Rd 2
Tournament First-Round:
- Nasar Kassab def. Guy Coleman via KO, Rd 1, 2:56
- Jayden Eynaud def. Michael Badato via Decision (Unanimous)
- Charlie Bubb def. Daniel Barber via Decision (Unanimous)
- Sarmad Jahanara def. Cody Jameson via Decision (Split)
Other Results:
- Alex Roberts def. Areta Gilbert via Decision (Unanimous)
- Wilson Lay def. Kaiki Furutani-Burns via TKO, Rd 3, 2:00
- Mateai Mateai def. Dean Edmonds via Decision (Unanimous)
