M-1 CHALLENGE: 2009 Season Pt. 5 (Heavyweights)

The final installment, months and months and months late. This I'll admit was tough to do - really, the best fighters did, for the most part, not regularly compete. Those who did and had some additional successful were guys like Rob Broughton (3-0 but no credible wins, loss during the season to Jessie Gibbs) and Jessie Gibbs (lost entering season to Oleinik, wins over Diptchkov and Grigsby, loss after the season to Dion Staring). While they were more successful, clearly their inability to fight at the world class level left me with no choice but to go with guys who picked their shots for the most part.

1) Shane Del Rosario (3-0, 3KOs): Shane Del Rosario entered the 2009 M-1 season as the most interesting heavyweight prospect in the bunch. An undefeated American with some degree of grappling credibility, Del Rosario easily rolled through his three opponents en route to keeping his record undefeated. Shane finished the year by barely scraping by Brandon Cash after being badly hurt early in the contest.

VS. Dool Hee Lee: A mauling: Del Rosario cuts Lee early with a left hand, and later KOs him with a body punch as Lee tries to get the fight down to the mat.

VS. Maksim Grishin: Another piece of quick work. Grishin is down and out from a right hook in the opening seconds.

VS. Lloyd Marshbanks: Marshbanks being a big wrassler goes for the takedown and is successful for a few moments. Del Rosario does scramble and get at least to his feet, where the clinch takes place. Where at that point, Del Rosario starts throwing knees to the body and that's Marshbanks' cue to fall down and quit.

2) Hae Joon "Hungry" Yang (1-0. 1KO): Korea's most notable heavyweight prospect perhaps ever, Yang is undefeated at 5-0. He's young and has backgrounds in BJJ, wrestling, and striking. Well, everyone in Korea has a TKD background, but you know. Yang came from nowhere to collect a massive win over a borderline top 20 heavyweight. Of course, it borders on fluke, but it counts.

VS. Joaquim Ferreira: Ferreira rushes looking for the takedown, as expected, but Yang is able to prevent such a thing and we get wild trading. Sure enough, Yang sparks Ferriera early in the bout and takes out the only man to beat Junior Dos Santos.

3) Alexey Oleinik (1-0, 1 Submission): A long time gatekeeper in the heavyweight mix, Olenik appeared on YAMMA's only event as an alternate and made it to the semis while collecting the one finish of the tournament. Among other successes and failures - tournament losses to Chris Tuchscherer and Michael Kita, another loss in a "normal" Bodog contest to Chael Sonnen, and wins over Sherman Pendergarst, Baga Agaev, and tons of other people you have never in your life heard of.

VS. Sang Soo Lee: The first is only shown as highlights - Oleinik is on top most of the round and we assume it goes to him. And again in round two the bout is generally highlighted with Oleinik's pawing jab leading to takedown attempts, which are often successful. Even when unsuccessful and leading to submission attempts, Lee never seems to have Oleinik in serious trouble. The end comes midway through the round as Oleinik takes down Lee and applies a ezekiel choke from inside Lee's guard.