M-1 CHALLENGE: 2009 Season Pt. 2 (Welterweights)

The welterweight list was appreciably tougher to do than the Lightweight list. For one, there were 5 guys with 2 or more wins; only one suffered a defeat (Fabio Negao). Unfortunately, there were no real fights among these talents, and so its difficult to really pick out a clear top guy among a number of fighters who spent the year toppling cans. My best efforts for his:

1) DELSON HELENO (1-0): A 1-0 fighter takes the crown for the best M-1 welterweight of the year? Yes. Simple reason; one marquee win beats a bunch of middling wins against poor competition. Heleno snagged the biggest scalp in all the brackets as far as experienced fighters go with a win over Fabio Negao.

VS. FABIO NEGAO, USA East (9/26/09): Round 1 is highlights only: Heleno apparently pushed the fight and may have won, say the announcers.

Heleno's attempts at grappling initially seem to end badly; Negao is in side control after defending a takedown and gettin down Heleno on his own after a subsequent clinch. Heleno escapes and throws wild punches before ending up in the clinch again. He throws the uppercut inside the drops for the takedown. Heleno defends with the guillotine but Heleno pops out and nearly gets Negao's back. he flips over, regains half guard, is able to turn over and stand, and gets slammed down again. Again he rises, again Negao is taken down. The ref does stand them up a short time later, but the round ends with Heleno on top in half guard after another takedown. He wins a majority decision.

2) EDUARDO PAMPLONA (3-0, 1 KO): Pamplona's wins were not necessarily ground breaking, nor did they look stunning to view, more often than not. Do Hyung Kim, Erik Oganov, and Dylan Clay may not represent the best MMA has to offer, but they're still decent journeymen with lots of experience against mid-level opposition in winning efforts. That is more than can be said about many wins of the guys who didn't make this list.

VS. DYLAN CLAY, USA West (2/21/09): Only round 3 is shown in complete. Round 1 is a close round that is complicated by a yellow card to Pamplona. The second round sees Pamplona clearly win, but thanks to the deduction in the first, we end up in this, a third and final round. We get sloppy standup with Clay landing a number of blows and a takedown (however briefly). Pamplona is a tough dude though; he nearly throws Clay, but when Clay blocks it, he simply transitions to the back. Clay flips over and gives up side control, but doesn't last long. The ref saves him after Pamplona traps the arm and throws right hands.

VS. ERIK OGANOV, Russia Imperial (5/9/09): Oganov gets a takedown and controls Pamplona in the first round, so we are told. Pamplona throws arm punches as the majority of his offense while shrugging off Oganov's take down attempts. Pamplona is hurt by a left hook and drops; Oganov lands ground and pound for a big, and really pushes hard for the finish. Pamplona is able to sweep Oganov from full guard and get the mount, though he's bucked off. Pamplona lands a short right standing, pushes Oganov down, and mounts him again. Pamplona lands shots until the end of the round. The decision goes to Pamplona on a majority basis.

VS. DO-HYUNG KIM (7/4/2009): First round is shown in highlights: Kim is cut by Pamplona, but Kim seems more accurate with his shots, say the good people calling this here event. Into round two: A Francisco Damiani reference by the crew! Kim is taken down and hurt by a solid shot by Pamplona, and he moves to half guard. More absorbing of shots by Kim until the ref stands them up; Pamplona walks through offense to land his own shots. That's acceptable with these guys - won't work at the next level. Kim gets the takedown, but the standup is shortly thereafter. Very little ground work is allowed in this fight. Standing again, we have an unintentional headbutt, and this is a wrap. Pamplona wins the decision.

3) MAGOMED SHIKSHABEKOV (5-0, 2 KOs, 3 Subs): Shikshabekov had the most viscerally impressive run in M-1 during the entire year, but in spite of that, I didn't make him my #1. Why? He beat NO ONE that was good. Only the 8-3 Simon Phillips had a winning record, and while Phillips hit big with a KO win against Hidehiko Hasegawa, he dropped his next fight in M-1 prior to even getting Shikshabekov. Like Tulirinta, there's a high ceiling right now. No idea if we'll see him hit it though for a bit.

VS. JASON PONET, World Team (3/28/09): Shikshabekov is a house afire with punches, takes down Ponet, mounts him, and gets the triangle from the top as Ponet tries to posture up.

VS. SVEN HEISING, Germany (5/9/09): Shikshabekov takes down Heising and tries for a farside armbar, but the ropes get in the way. After a restart on the feet, a right hand/takedown combo puts Heising back on the mat. Punches set up a leglock attempt that Heising escapes. After another standup, Heising is tackled down coming into to throw, and gets bounced out with ground and pound.

VS. FATIH DOGAN, Turkey (8/16/09): Shikshabekov catches a kick, drops Dogan with a punch. The ref actually jumps in to stop it but is thrown down, and this continues. Shikshabekov is in mount and just drops bombs until another attempt by the ref is successful. Weird.

VS. SIMON PHILLIPS, Great Britain (9/26/09): Shikshabekov scissors the leg at the start and gets a flying heel hook. The end.

VS. GERSON DOS SANTOS, USA East (12/3/09): Shikshabekov jumps in with the left hook and clinches. Both seemed nervious at the opening, and a lot of energy is expelled. Dos Santos throws down the Russian and tries to pass to the full mount. Shikshabekov keeps him in full guard, and then moves the hips around for the triangle. Dos Santos tries to posture up and out, and Shikshabekov just takes the arm instead for the tap out.