This Saturday, November 9, 2024 at the Champ-Fleuri gymnasium (Saint-Denis), the first official MMA gala took place in Reunion. In “the cage”, Pei fighters and two Brazilians. Nine fights, five amateurs and four professionals. It was in front of her audience that Samantha Jean-François put her world champion title back on the line. Facing the Brazilian Maristella Nascimento, the sportswoman Péi won the fight, leaving with the GFTC world belt. The organization is already planning to meet on February 8, 2025 at the Stade de l'Est for the GFTC3 (Photos: sly/www.imazpress.com)
Concentrated, ready to chain kicks and punches, armed with their gloves and mouth guards, in front of a large audience and under the eyes of the judges of the FFMAF (French MMA Federation) that the fighters entered the arena, accompanied by their coaches.
– Samantha Jean-François champion –
While the Brazilian anthem and the French anthem sounded, it was with her eyes fixed on victory that Reunion Islander Samantha Jean-François advanced. Facing her, Maristella Nascimento, Brazilian, in the category of less than 52 kilos.
Neither one, nor two, while the format of the fight was five times five minutes, it was in the space of a few seconds that “the goat pepper from Reunion Island” put his opponent to the ground.
Moved to tears, under the gaze of her loved ones, it is with great joy that Samantha Jean-François wins the GFTC world belt by submission.
After having won a victory victory, the fighter declared: “this year was very difficult for me and that did not reflect the passionate person that I am and there, I wanted to prove to the whole world and to Reunion that I I have my place in MMA.”
“At 37, I’m here and I’m going to be here for a very long time,” she adds.
“Tonight there was no other option than to leave with this belt,” says Samantha Jean-François. Listen.
Read also – MMA: in front of her audience, Reunion Islander Samantha Jean-François will put her world belt back on the line
– Expedito Valin s'incline –
At 41, the Reunion Islander Expedito Valin, winner of multiple combat sports fights, came to test himself in MMA for the first time.
Opposed to the Brazilian Alburquérqué Salomao in less than 77 kilos, the one we call the “dragon” of Port lost after several rounds. Look.
But this defeat will not stop the Port. “I have that in my skin, combat sport. Dad and I dreamed of the cage and as long as I could learn and come back to fighting, I would be there to represent Reunion,” he said, motivated.
– Francis Martin, Bruno Lauret winners –
During the professional fights, Francis Martin, from Corvus and BCD CV – muay-thai specialist and fighter in Thailand – faced Giovanni Queta Renemandraf from Team Warrior Sambo. The latter trains in South Africa. Both participated in the under 66 kilo category.
It was an expeditious fight that took place. Barely a few seconds after the start of the first round, it was with a right that Francis Martin brought his opponent to the ground.
Francis Martin, who wanted to send a message to young people. “If you are in difficulty, out of school, I mean I was one of them and today I am here.” “The youth of Reunion Island are capable,” he stressed.
Another fight, that of Bruno Lauret from Team Beaumalais de Saint-Pierre and Éric Rivière from Team Tiger de l'Est in less than 77 kilos.
After a restart, and by decision of the judges, Bruno Lauret is declared the winner by abandonment.
– Ten amateurs in the cage –
Of all the fights, five saw ten amateur fighters compete. For these fights, three rounds of three minutes, unless the athletes manage to knock down their opponent well before.
First in the octagon, Marcel Rato from Team Ematon faces Mickaël Noël from Team Vauban in the under 61 kilo category. It was in the space of two rounds that Marcel Rato was declared the winner by the judges and by submission.
Marcel Rato who, in front of the GFTC (Indian Ocean mixed martial arts organization) camera, said he was satisfied with his fight, especially “as there was someone with a lot of face-to-face experience,” says the winner’s coach.
The second fight pitted Kenny Fontaine of Team MMA 974 against Allan Hang Law of Team Pythagore for the under 66 kilos.
After the judges' decision, Kenny Fontaine was unanimously declared the winner of the fight. If he admits “that this fight was very technical”, for the champion, “it was”, he says.
Third fight, pitting David Benard from Papangue Fight Academy against Pascal Larichesse from Team Warrior Sambo in less than 84 kilos.
It was only after the second round that Pascal Larichesse was declared the winner after “a very clean fight”, according to the commentators. Look.
Penultimate amateur fight, the one between Angelo Strazzula of MMA 974 and Lucas Sellon of Team Pyhtagore in less than 70 kilos. After the judges' decision, Lucas Sellom was declared the winner by TKO after the second round.
The TKO (technical knockout), being decided by the referee when one of the opponents is injured and is unable to continue the fight or when he decides to abandon the fight for any reason.
Finally, for the last amateur fight, Bryan Baillif from Team Gérard Maillot Gym and Anthony Marie-Louise from Team Ematom faced each other. Look.
Unanimously, Anthony Marie-Louise was declared the winner of the fight.
– One fight, many ways to win –
MMA combines both percussion techniques such as kicks, punches, knees and elbows, from English boxing and Muay Thai, but also clinch gripping techniques, throws and of submission, inherited from grappling, itself derived from Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling as well as particular ground and pound techniques.
Namely, there are multiple ways to win a fight. KO/TKOs can be achieved by a single punch, kick, knee strike, ground kick, or other methods that render a fighter unable to fight back.
Submissions occur when a fighter uses something like a choke, armbar, or heel hook. There is also what is called a verbal submission when a fighter screams in pain.
A decision victory occurs when the fight lasts three or five rounds without results. The judges' scores will be tallied to determine a unanimous, tied or even tied winner.
There are several other ways to win an MMA fight. One of them is victory by disqualification. This happens when your opponent does something to be removed from the fight.
A fighter can also win by corner stoppage, when the opponent's coaches “throw in the towel” and call off a fight.
A mixture of different martial arts, MMA is booming all over the world. And if Reunion took time to turn the corner according to some observers, this combat sport is enjoying growing success.
Read also – MMA: the popular combat sport has (also) educational virtues
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News from Reunion, Sport, Saint-Denis, MMA
