Bitetti Combat 4 makes history in Brazil

By Eduardo Ferreira

Photo Eduardo Ferreira

A historical night. That is the perfect way to describe what happened last Saturday (12) in Maracãnazinho, Rio de Janeiro. More than six thousand people, including sports’ stars as Anderson Silva and Rodrigo “Minotauro”, saw one of the biggest MMA shows ever made in Brazil. All registered by the big and specialized media, who doesn’t missed a thing. To give the event more glamour, the promoter Amaury Bitetti called Renzo Gracie and the famous Big John McCarthy to be the referees. Bitetti Combat 4 had a remarkable card and the main fights were dominated byBrazil, with Pedro Rizzo, Paulo Filho, Murilo Ninja and Ricardo Arona’s victories.

In the main fight, Ricardo Arona came back after two years away from rings. The jiu-jitsu black-belt started with a lot explosion, with two low kicks in Marvin Eastman’s leg, who fell with the second kick. Arona went inside as a bull, trying to work on the ground, getting to Marvin’s back. Arona seem to felt the time away from rings and made a round with less pressure. Motivated by Anderson Silva, Paulo Filho e Rodrigo Minotauro, who were on his corner, Arona came back to the third round decided to putted his game on, and put Eastman down. On the ground, Arona tried a Kimura and submit the American, who defended really well all Tiger’s attempt. In the end, Arona won, with unanimous decision.

PEDRO RIZZO WINS AGAIN

It was all Pedro Rizzo needed. Fight in Brazil, with the family support, friends, crowd and against a top fighter to elevate his moral and show he still may give a lot of joy to his fans. Rizzo faced Jeff Monson, ATT’s black-belt who already fought for UFC’s title and was ADCC’s champion, and came from seven followed victories. It’s true that Rizzo had defeated the American by TKO in 2007, but this fight was different.

Rizzo came from defeats to Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel and needed to win anyway. The Brazilian fought carefully since the beginning, but used his famous low kicks, that already dropped lots of UFC’s giants. Marco Ruas’ athlete, Rizzo stopped every takedown attempt from Monson and kept the fight on his hands to winning by in unanimous decision.

“This victory was important not only because I go up to the tops or because of my career, but for me and my family. I’m Brazilian, a Riode Janeiro native, and to fight in my homeland with my crowd is priceless“, said Rizzo, who haven’t fought in Brazil since 1998, when he knocked Tank Abbott out in Ultimate Brazil.

FILHO MAKES A BAD PERFORMANCE, BUT WINS

After depression problems that resulted on his first defeat on his whole career, Paulo Filho stood up on Dream, when he submitted the striker Melvin Manhoef. After this exciting victory, fans were anxious to see Filho in one more show, this time in Brazil. Once again Paulo wasn’t on his best shape to fight and trusted only on his talent to win. In all three rounds, the black belt tried the clinch, taking Alex Shoenauer to the fence and trying to work on the guard. Paulão actually took Shoenauer down, but couldn’t hold him there. After a slow motion fight, Filho took the decision, being booed by the crowd.

NINJA DEMOLISHES THE BRAZILIAN KILLER

Murilo Ninja was called to replace Rogério Minotauro a few days before the event and the Curitiba native proved he can face any challenge. Coming from two defeats, Ninja needed a victory, but would have a tough challenge, accepting to fight in the light heavyweight division, which he hasn’t fight since 2006. His opponent was the Brazilian Killer, Alex Stiebling, who already defeated six brazilian oponents in a row. Mauricio Shogun’s brother was quick and after shaking Stiebling with punches, hit a hich kick that dropped the American down. On the ground, Ninja punished with punches until judges interruption, in only 45 seconds of fight.

COMPLETE RESULTS:

Bitetti Combat 4

Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro

Saturday, September 12 de 2009

- Alexandre Pulga defeated Luciano Izzy by unanimous decision;

- Cassiano Tytschyo defeated Fausto Black by submission (guillotine choke) on 1min29s of R1;

- Luis Besouro defeated Henrique Chocolate by TKO on 3min49s of R1;

- Glover Teixeira defeated Leonardo Chocolate by submission (guillotine choke) on 3min11s of R3;

- Fábio Maldonado defeated Vítor Miranda by unanimous decision;

- Milton Vieira defeated Luciano Azevedo by split decision;

- Murilo Ninja defeated Alex Stiebling by TKO on 45s of R1;

- Pedro Rizzo defeated Jeff Monson by unanimous decision;

- Paulo Filho defeated Alex Shonawer by unanimous decision;

- Ricardo Arona defeated Marvin Eastman by unanimous decision.