This edition highlights unusual moments and notable finishes from recent combat sports events around the world.
A combat sports event featuring a ring surrounded by water with numerous electronic devices nearby. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently, a lot.
At a unique “Weed Boxing” event held in Phuket, Thailand, former ONE FC competitor Ivan Parshikov, who holds a respectable 3-2 record in the ONE organization, celebrated a victory by climbing onto a corner post. This is a fairly common post-fight action.
However, in an attempt to steady himself, he grasped a nearby lighting fixture and immediately received an electric shock. Footage shows him instantly going limp and falling heavily to the canvas. It was a truly alarming incident.
A description of the event noted it was “almost like regular boxing, but before the fight, you have to take a puff, and the ring is set up by a pool, so you can take a dip after the bout.”
While innovation is needed for combat sports to evolve, safety must be paramount. One has to question the setup of “Weed Boxing” and its inherent risks. Beyond being knocked unconscious for a moment, Parshikov also endured a dangerous fall onto the ring apron. He is incredibly fortunate to have avoided serious injury, particularly to his head or neck.
Fortunately, Parshikov appears to be recovering well. He later posted a comment on Instagram, which translated to: “The idea of diving from the ring into the pool was not the most successful one.” A perfectly apt reflection on the situation.
Other Noteworthy Finishes
In addition to bizarre accidents, recent events also delivered spectacular finishes, with flying knees making a prominent appearance.
Former Bellator and RIZIN champion Juan Archuleta made his return to the regional scene with a bang. His recent victory featured a finish that is a strong contender for KO of the Year and one of the cleanest flying knee finishes witnessed recently.
At 37 years old and with 37 professional bouts, Archuleta added another belt to his collection, winning the Borroka Promotions bantamweight title with what might be the best knockout of his career.
Adriano Castro`s finishing effort at 300 Sparta 40 in Lima, Peru, while perhaps not matching Archuleta`s spectacle, was undeniably brutal. This was an execution-style flying knee. Castro had Jose Tavera Rocha in trouble and could have finished with punches, but instead, he sealed the victory decisively with a knee, leaving no doubt about the fight`s conclusion.
Omar Arteaga seemed to reverse the process at Samurai Fight House 22 in Buenos Aires. Rather than setting up a flying knee with punches, he used the flying knee to initiate a finishing sequence culminating in punches. The end result, however, was the same – a conclusive victory.
From Ares FC 32 in Brest, France, Daniel Kolasinki delivered a stunning one-shot KO against Thomas Glot. It was a gorgeous counter punch that instantly incapacitated his opponent, reminiscent of classic cinematic duels where the loss isn`t realized until the impact registers.
Monique Dodson is a name to watch. The 28-year-old made a remarkable professional debut at Fury FC 105, needing just 65 seconds to drop Leilani Hodgens. One-punch KOs are rare in the strawweight division, making Dodson`s debut particularly impressive. With performances like this, a call to a major promotion like the Contender Series seems likely in the near future.
Amateur heavyweight David Puente secured a victory at an event with what appeared to be a wild, almost blind swing that somehow connected effectively. The best punch is often the one the opponent doesn`t see coming, and throwing a strike with no clear expectation of where it will land can certainly be deceptive.
That element of surprise might also apply to a chaotic exchange between Victor Valenzuela and Bruce Whitehead, which also ended with a knee.
Newly Crowned Champions
This period also saw a couple of fighters claim new championship belts: Shane Collins and Bia Mesquita.
The 25-year-old Shane Collins improved his record to 4-0, becoming the A1 Combat featherweight champion by effectively using body strikes to finish Kody Vogels.
At LFA 211 in Salamanca, N.Y., Bia Mesquita secured a bantamweight belt with a dominant performance against Sierra Dinwoodie.
At 34, Mesquita is more experienced than Collins, but given her extensive success in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, she is likely closer to potentially signing with a major promotion like the UFC, especially as potential challengers are sought for existing top fighters.
