Super Fight Leage theme song:
“Punch kick wow,
Drop em to the matt,
With a bishoo bishoo now.”
Event replay:
Super Fight League: Bob Sapp Vs. James Thompson
Mumbai. India
Xavier Foupa-Pokam beats Joey Guel by TKO (Doctor Stoppage)
Jimmy Ambriz beats Satish Jha by TKO
Lakwinder Sekhon beats Madura Rathnayake by TKO (strikes)
Mohd Shahid beats Mayura Dissanayake by Split Decision
Chaitanya Gavali beats Tiran Thakshala by Unanimous Decision
Travis Bell beats Neil Natasadu by Submission
Sanja Sucevic beats Lena Ovchynnikova by Submission
James Thompson beats Bob Sapp by Submission(Takedown)
Mixed Martial Arts is the world’s fastest growing sport, and the entire world is starting to get into the act. India is now in, with Super Fight League, owned by multimillionaire sports entrepreneur Raj Kundra and Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt. The show is run by former agent Ken Pavia. The New York Badass Phil Baroni is doing the color-commentary, joined by MMA pioneer Jeff Osborne.
Baroni alone is worth the cost of the stream, even if they charged for it, and its free.
The event appropriately enugh features mostly local talent but there are some internationally recongizable names on the card as well. Unfortunately, the two most rrecognizable, James Thompson and Bob Sapp, have a combined 3 wins in their last 20 fights – the lowest level of talent in a notable headliner in memory.
The UFC avoided the freakshow excesses of its principal competitor ever, Pride, and they’re worth bilions while Pride is all gone. It is regrettable that thus far the SFL is going for spectacle over sport, but that may change as the Indian audience comes to learn more about the art.
Headlining the biggest fighters you can find is a mitake. If someone wanted to start an NBA franchise in their home country, and got the idea of using the tallest people they could find regardless of skil, it would be silly. And it is silly here. MMA is a hugely compelling sport, and does not need the trappings of pro wrestling anymore than do soccer or cricket or basketball or any other legitimate sport.
SFL plans to hold seven events in 2012, and intend to have a women’s fight on each card.
The event stated off with a bang, and the day before weigh ins (;45 mark Bob Sapp smacks Bill Mahood in the melon)
