Dennis Warner & In Sync Productions, Inc. & Herbst Gaming Present

World Championship Muay Thai

April 17th Pro Fight Info...Luckys Sports Book to set odds on all pro fights

April 17, 2010

Buffalo Bills Casino

Primm, Nevada

Promo Video: 5.80 MB (.mov file)

Buffalo Bill’s Casino Resort April 17, 2010 Fight Card

- WBC Muaythai USA Middleweight Championship (Five Rds.)

  Craig Buchanan (Champion) vs. Kwame Stephens

  Craig “The Bullet” Buchanan returns to the ring to defend his WBC title against IKF #3 world ranked

  middleweight Kwame “Wicked Ways” Stephens.  This match has been scheduled two times in the last four

  years with both fighters suffering freak injuries to scratch the bout.  Last time was in 2009 and Buchanan

  went on to win the WBC title that Stephens is challenging for.  Now these two veteran muaythai warriors

  will finally meet in what has become a highly anticipated clash for both camps.  Stephens, an ambassador

  of Muaythai has been to Thailand many times as a fighter and coach and his style is traditional with a

  southpaw twist.  Buchanan who has embraced Muaythai as a sport still has more of a western style which

  could surprise Stephens and has tremendous condition.  Stephens will try to keep this contest inside with

  his effective clinch and knee game, but Buchanan has improved in this area and has added lethal elbow

  strikes to his already impressive array of offensive weapons.  Stephens with tremendous power in his left

  hand will hope to slow down Buchanan so he has a stationary target while Buchanan will try to setup a

  spectacular kick to finish the fight.  Either way both fighters are excellent in adapting to the fight in front of

  them, but “The Bullet” has the green belt and takes this title defense very seriously…make him the favorite.

- WBC Muaythai USA Light heavyweight Championship (Five Rds.)

  Shawn Yarborough (Champion) vs. Tom Munro

  Fighters are lining up to take a shot at newly crowned WBC champion Shawn Yarborough.  Ryan “The Lion”

  Madigan, Cici Njokuni, Anthony Nieves, Joe Schilling and Ky Hollenback are all ready to take on

  Yarborough if he wins his first title defense.  In what is one of the more deeper weight divisions for talent in

  the USA, this gold medal IFMA winner and now WBC champion is ready to clean house and then hunt for

  the world title overseas.  Tom Munro is his first obstacle though.  This tough, rough and ready veteran under

  the tutelage of former IKKC World Champion Manu N’toh has been aching for a shot at the big stage.  Now

  fighting in Las Vegas for the WBC title, Munro has been under intense training hoping Yarborough will

  overlook his first title defense opponent and be ripe for an upset.  Munro’s reputation is that of a banger who

  will throw down and get into the fight very early to establish his power with both his hands and legs. 

  Yarborough brings a much more calculated approach to Muaythai changing angles and mixing exceptional

  western boxing skills with a traditional Muaythai offensive approach.  With trainers Kevin Barry (boxing) and

  Kongnapa (Muaythai), Yarborough has been able to blend both trainer’s philosophies into one coherent

  style that has proved hard to beat.

  The newly crowned WBC champion will take what is given to him and try to slowly pick at Munro’s

  defensive liabilities and finish him.  However Munro could take control early and if he can wobble the

  champion….all bets are off…still the champ is favored…

- WBC Muaythai Int’l Women’s Flyweight Championship (Five Rds.)

  Christine Toledo vs. Petra Janssen van Doorn

  This is a match of styles which could prove to be the fight of the night.  Toledo is the matador to Petra’s

  bull. Toledo is a quality counter puncher who has lately has developed a passive offensive approach which

  has not been rewarded by judges in her last handful of fights.  Now fighting for a WBC title, both her weight

  112lbs and the rules of the fight “Full Muaythai” give her no excuses but to show her best against one of

  Europe’s finest fighters.  Petra “Take No Prisoners” Janssen van Doorn only knows one speed and one

  direction that is fast and forward.  Petra will not be intimidated by Toledo’s resume and will take the fight to

  her hoping to see if Christine can withstand the offensive onslaught that Petra will bring into every round.

  Toledo is fighting in her hometown and with this WBC title shot against a highly touted opponent should

  have a raucous crowd to support her in this the most important fight of her career.  Look for wall to wall

  action in this fight with Toledo a slight favorite.

- IKKC Muaythai USA Welterweight Championship (Five Rds.)

  James Martinez vs. Scott Leffler

  Contender Asia representative, James Martinez didn’t get selected as America’s top fighter by the WMC by

  accident. Martinez’s storied career has had both ups and downs, but with a 1^st round KO of Razor Rob

  McCullough on his resume, Martinez has the power in both hands to end a fight with one punch.  Now back

  training in his hometown, Martinez has been able to spar with top class fighters including Mike Justus and

  Terrance James.  Undefeated Scott Leffler is stepping up in class for this fight as he goes for his first pro

  title.  Known as an effective clinch and knee fighter, Leffler had his hands full in his last fight against Joey

  Pagliuso before finally taking a unanimous decision.  Now with three pro fights, Leffler will settle down and

  look for strong low kicks to punish Martinez as he tries to engage and then dominate inside while looking

  for a decisive KO blow.  Both fighters are hungary for this US title and have prepared accordingly.  Give the

  edge to Martinez whose experience could prove the decisive factor in the late rounds.

- IKKC Muaythai Middleweight Pro Superfight (Five Rds.)

  Menno Dijkstra vs. Chaz Mulkey

  Thom Harnick protégé Menno Dijkstra comes to America in hopes of challenging WBC International

  champion Malaipet if successful against Mulkey.  Dijkstra who throws every punch, kick, knee and elbow

  with evil intentions has started to dominate his opponents in The Netherlands and now wants a taste of

  overseas competition to see if he can move to the next level.  Dijkstra’s aggressive style will start from the

  opening bell as he will try to overwhelm Mulkey and dictate the pace of the fight.  Mulkey just coming off a

  1^st round KO of the highly touted Bryce Krause, now has more confidence than ever and his reach and

  height could prove to his advantage.  Mulkey has fought only top class fighters here in the USA and now is

  no longer a road warrior, but is fighting in his hometown.  A big win here would catapult him into the world

  stage and fight offers from overseas would ensue along with a WBC title shot.  Still the non-stop Dijkstra is

  a tall order and thus the Dutch fighter is the favorite.

- IKKC Muaythai Heavyweight Pro Superfight (Four Rds.)

  Ismael Londt vs. Kevin Brooks

  Two top class heavyweights clash for the right to take on WBC world champion Shane Del Rosario later

  this summer. Londt comes in undefeated at (11-0) and is purported to be the next great heavyweight to

  come from the Netherlands.  With the complete Muaythai package, Londt seems to be on track to become

  something special, but will now be tested by one of America’s best heavyweights in Kevin Brooks.  Brooks

  is the 2006 World Shotokan champion and has been successful in both MMA and Muaythai.

  Hailing from Atlanta, this standup phenom has taken out all challengers in the East Coast and now is

  looking for both national and international recognition which a win over Londt would bring.  Look for a

  thunderous fight with both fighters damaging there opponent before one succumbs to the other.  These are

  heavyweights so both fighters have the capability of turning their opponents lights out at any time….Don’t

  blink the future of the heavyweight division of Muaythai are ready to bang…Give the undefeated Londt a well

  deserved choice to win this fight. 

- IKKC Muaythai Welterweight Pro Bout (Four Rds.)

  Joey Pagliuso vs. Sean Dizay

  Two flashy Muaythai fighters with similar styles will clash in what will be a highly entertaining bout.  Joey

  Pagliuso is coming off his first defeat as a pro against the undefeated Scott Leffler.  In that bout, Pagliuso

  showed tremendous courage in coming back with effective hands after appearing that he was going to be

  easily dispatched by Leffler.  Dizay on the same card….lost to the taller and younger Shane Oblonsky after

  suffering thru some low blows which stopped any momentum that Dizay was mustering in the middle

  rounds.  Both fighters are similar height and size which should make for an even match.  Pagliuso has had

  trouble maintaining his energy thru his first handful of pro fights, but did much better against Leffler

  mounting offense thru out the fight.  Look for Dizay to wade in early and often and try to wear down

  Pagliuso with hand and feet combinations in the later rounds.  Pagliuso has power in both hands and can

  turn a fight instantly which could setup a high kick finish, but needs to have a full tank and not run out of

  gas in the later rounds. Give Pagliuso the slight edge because of the higher level of opponents…but Dizay

  has great tools and a hometown advantage and fan base.

- IKKC Muaythai Super Middleweight Pro Bout (Four Rds.)

  Jack Thames vs. Mike Ryan

  Two seasoned Muaythai veterans lace them up one more time in a battle that should provide fireworks from

  the first bell.  Jack “Rhino” Thames just bulldozed China’s DongDong Zou by winning in TKO fashion at the

  Las Vegas Hilton this past August.  Now with a victory under his belt…Thames has a renewed the fire of

  desire in his training regimen that will make him a runaway attack train in this bout.  Ryan is another

  veteran who had tremendous success as an amateur and has showed flashes of brilliance as a pro.  With

  great hand speed and movement, Ryan is an elusive target until he gets to confident and sometimes drops

  his hands or stays in front of his opponent to long.  If he does this with Thames, Ryan will taste the ring mat

  with authority.  Thames has been known for vicious and relentless attacks only to run out of gas in the later

  rounds…look for Ryan to try to lead him into deep water of the later rounds and then throw caution to the

  wind when the Rhino’s power has been depleted….But first he must get to the late rounds, and the Rhino

  should be able to force the issue early to test him. Ryan will have to pullout his “All World” attributes to

  sustain this attack and hope that Thames energy will be zapped.  Got to give a big advantage to the Rhino

  in this one as Thames has recent fights, can take punishment and has a slight advantage in power.    

- Press Release from the WCK

- Video Courtesy of the WCK

Subject to change

(3/12/10)