Pereira defends title, Impakt 3 serves as test run for new amateur federation

At first glance, Saturday’s Impakt Fight Night 3 bouts in Longueuil, South of Montreal, looked normal, like the hundreds of other amateur MMA fights contested yearly in Quebec. In fact, they took place under a different set of rules as a test run for a new amateur Federation planning to launch early next year.

The Federation Quebecoise d’Arts Martiaux Mixtes Amateur (FQAMMA), formed by retired pro fighter Stephane Dubé and Impakt promoter Joey Benoit, provided the judges and referee, thus replacing the Federation Quebecoise de Boxe Mixte Amateur (FQBM), which has governed the sport’s amateur level in the province over the last decade.

Stephane Dubé, a retired 8-4 pro fighter, will serve as the new FQAMMA's techincal director.

Deviations from the normally used rules included the addition of knee strikes to the body and legs (standing or on the ground), front kicks to the face, spinning back fists, rounds that lasted three minutes instead of two, and the use of ten, instead of 12 ounce gloves.

With coaches only made aware of the changes the evening of the event, few of the new offensive strikes were put to use. Specifically, without the habit of using knees as a weapon, fighters only put them to use when reminded verbally by their coaches, usually while in the clinch.

10 oz. gloves were used Saturday instead of the normal 12 oz.

According to Dubé and Benoit, a formalized new set of rules will be ready in time for the Federation’s proper launch in January 2012. The FQAMMA, with its alternate rules and organizational structure (rankings, medical tests, recorded fighter records, etc.), plans to run parallel to the existing FQBM, with the eventual goal being to have Amateur MMA (boxe mixte) legally recognized by the provincial government. As of now, it resides in a gray zone. (I’ll have a full article up early next week, as well as an interview with Stephane Dubé, looking at the new Federation, with more details on its plans and the possible ramifications for the province’s amateur scene).

The event was headlined by Mario Pereira defending his Summum Featherweight title against Cornwall, Ontario’s Derek Dexter. Bouncing back from his first loss as an amateur just last week at EFL 3, Pereira took a hard fought unanimous decision win to retain his belt. (more details below).

Samuel Guillet, a 9-6 pro fighter last seen in action in November 2010 at Ringside 9, served as referee for the event’s four amateur MMA bouts.

Speaking post-event, promoter Joey Benoit specified that he’d no longer be putting on amateur events under the name Summum. From here on out, Impakt Fight Night will be used, with the fourth event taking place January 28, 2012, under the auspices of the new FQAMMA.

Amateur MMA Results (weight divisions in bold)
145 – Mario Pereira (H2O MMA) def. Derek Dexter (Cornwall MMA) via unanimous judges’ decision.

Mario Pereira, w/ coach Richard Ho, succesffully defended his Summum Featherweight title.

– Closely contested throughout, Dexter and Pereira spent most of the 1st round on the feet, trading knees to the body (and groin), as well as kicks and punches, with neither fighter able to get the other down to the ground. Dexter finished the opening stanza with a solid right hook. What looked like an accidental head butt had Pereira’s right eye swollen as the second round began.

In the clinch early on, Pereira repeatedly hit Dexter with knees to the body. While Pereira was finally able to get Dexter down, the latter was quickly back on his feet, with the fighters spending most of the round sprawling each others takedown attempts.

Pereira was finally able to take control in the 3rd, holding his own against Dexter on the feet, then attacking with more knees to the body from the clinch. Getting Dexter down , Pereira took Dexter’s back, and worked for a rear-naked. In the fight’s final seconds, Pereira finally flattened Dexter, and almost had the choke, but time ran out.

Awarded a unanimous decision, Pereira improved to 6-1 as an amateur. Also impressive in defeat, the now 6-4 Derek Dexter will be back in Montreal in two weeks’ time to defend his own Featherweight title against Michael Dufort at Victory MMA 4.

155 – Trevor Leroux (Cornwall MMA) def. Miky Houle (Kanreikai) via unanimous judges’ decision.
– Leroux took the 1st round, landing a takedown and controlling Houle from side control, then later full mount. As Houle worked to escape, he was forced to fend off rear-naked choke, kimura, and arm-bar attempts. In the 2nd, Leroux got to side control after being pulled to the ground by Houle, before being swept. Attacking with head punches from side control, Houle was soon after taken down by Leroux when the fight got to the feet. As he attempted to get back up, Houle was caught in a guillotine which he defended until the end of the round. Houle was more successful in the final round, attempting a guillotine, out-landing Leroux on the feet, and completing two takedowns, but it was too little too late in the eyes of the judges.

160 – Peter Grajcar (MMAFA) submits Stéphane Chabot (Team Barbarian) via rear-naked choke at 1:45 of Round 2.
– Grajcar was in control for most of the way, landing a takedown in the opening round and working from Chabot’s guard to occasionally drop punches to the head. After blocking a couple of triangle attempts, Grajcar finished the round on the feet with a knee to the body. Opening the 2nd with another takedown, Grajcar quickly transitioned to full mount. Turning over, Chabot made it to his feet, only to be slammed back down courtesy of a Grajcar bell-to-back suplex. Making his way to Chabot’s back, Grajcar sunk in a rear-naked choke for the win.

130 – Shawn Lalonde (Cornwall MMA) submits Matthew Calabro-Adams (Team Barbarian) via guillotine choke at 2:19 of Round 3.
– After controlling the opening two rounds, landing early takedowns and achieving full mount without being able to finish with his ground-and-pound, Lalonde was the one taken down by Calabro-Adams early in the 3^rd. With Calabro-Adams in his guard, Lalonde eventually sat up and grabbed Calabro-Adams’s neck to sink in the guillotine for the win.

The event opened with ten amateur muay thai bouts, governed by the Quebec Amateur Thai Boxing Federation. 4-1 pro MMA fighter Mustafa Khalil was in action, earning a closely fought split decision over Jonathan Roblin.

Amateur Muay Thai Quick Results
150 – Anthony Haddad (Tristar Gym) def. Martin Matte (Nordik Fight Club) via unanimous judges’ decision.

170 – Kamal Ennis (H2O MMA) def. William Dovert (GAMMA) via split judges’ decision.

190 – Charles E Beaulieu (GAMMA) def. Jocelyn Bolduc (Arts Martiaux Evolution) via unanimous judges’ decision.

125 – Camelia Blanchette Ruest (Dragon Muay Thai) def. Valerie St-Hilaire (Sparmax) via unanimous judges’ decision.

170 – Mustafa Khalil (Ronin MMA) def. Jonathan Roblin (Team Barbarian) via split judges’ decision.

155 – David Lantagne (Vrag Kick-Boxing) def. Frank Le Naveaux (Daosawan) via split judges’ decision.

170 – Guillaume Gilbert (Nordik Fight Club) def. Lucas Cerri (GAMMA) via unanimous judges’ decision.

195 – Kerry Marine (Toronto BJJ) def. Gordon Cusak (Dragon Muay Thai) via KO (punches) at 1:13 of Round 1.

170 – Sylvain Tremblay (Kanreikai FC) def. Pierre-Andre Bersier (Sparmax) via unanimous judges’ decision.