EMMA: European Mixed Martial Arts

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Blurcat Special Report

November, 1997

 

Earlier today, Polish Billionaire Jacek Kasprzyk announced that he would be buying out SIGMA, Signature Martial Arts. SIGMA has been a small European based martial arts company that had been gaining recognition for some time with a wealth of talent, but seemed unable to compete on a grander scale, seeming to hover around Regional popularity. During his press conference, Jacek announced that former American Fighter and fighter Agent turned business man Tyler West would be taking over as President of SIGMA, which would be renamed as part of an image overhaul. West, then took the podium.

 

"Today is a new day for European martial arts. Today, with the power and business prowess of Mr. Kasprzyk we bring to you EMMA, European Mixed Martial Arts, a re-branding of Signature Martial Arts. With this new step, the company will have a 'restart', and we will be doing it hand in hand with EuroNet, where our events will be held LIVE on pay per view. We are also proud to annouce EMMA: Friday Night Fights, LIVE on Euro Cable Sports 4! With these contracts we believe we can bring MMA into an entirely new level, not just in Europe, but across the globe."

 

When asked about current champions, West had this to say.

 

"While SIGMA's Champions are all excellent fights, I regret to say that with the dissolve of that company, so goes it's Champions, however, SIGMA's former champions will all have opportunity to become EMMA's first ever Champions in their respective divisions. EMMA is keeping the six weight classes, Featherweight through Heavyweight. Beginning February 98', EMMA will be holding Grand Prix tournaments in every weight class to crown it's Champions for each weight class. 16 man tournaments for every weight class, and the former Champions of SIGMA will all receive top seeding."

 

When asked about the production and any rules changes, West again had an answer.

 

"SIGMA has been known as a no non-sense style of production. Get in the cage, and fight. That is a reputation that we don't want to shy away from, however it's a very 'amateur mentality', first and foremost is of course the fights themselves. EMMA is committed to pitting the best competition against one another to put on great fights. However, EMMA will add a bit more professionalism to the production. As for the rules, EMMA has adopted a hybrid of MMA rules. All strikes will be deemed legal in EMMA until further notice, however we are keeping the cage, and as before, the referee is there to do just that, not to dictate action and so a referee will not be permitted to stand up or break apart fighters for what they deem as inactivity. We want to keep the sport as pure as possible. The cage, as opposed to ring, is where I believe that MMA is best showcased."

 

When asked about seeding for the tournaments and specifics, West declined answers.

 

"Upcoming cards for the tournaments will be released appropriately. Event dates and venues are still in negotiations, but our goal is to launch EMMA 1 on EuroNet some time in February of 1998. More details of our inaugural event will be released in due time."

 

West thanked the reporters for their time and then ended the press conference as swiftly as it began.

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<p>Jan. 1998</p><p> </p><p>

EMMA releases it's Heavyweight Grand Prix bracket.</p><p> </p><p>

#1 Grzegorz Boniek</p><p>

#16 Iancu Trailescu</p><p> </p><p>

#2 Stratos Popaioannou</p><p>

#15 Kurt McDonald</p><p> </p><p>

#3 Gunnar Nilson</p><p>

#14 Reinhardt Rhett</p><p> </p><p>

#4 Jean-Pierre Richelleau</p><p>

#13 Otto Renner</p><p> </p><p>

#5 Terron Cabal</p><p>

#12 Mugur Boc</p><p> </p><p>

#6 Lefter Oktay</p><p>

#11 Aleksander Ivanov</p><p> </p><p>

#7 Souleymane Ya Konan</p><p>

#10 Stanislaw Lipnicki</p><p> </p><p>

#8 Stjepan Andric</p><p>

#9 Murray Darby</p>

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<p>Jan. 1998</p><p> </p><p>

EMMA releases it's Light Heavyweight Grand Prix</p><p> </p><p>

#1 Niko Soldo</p><p>

#16 Koenraad Belien</p><p> </p><p>

#2 Aleksei Chekhov</p><p>

#15 Matti Kurri</p><p> </p><p>

#3 Nicolai Mickiewicz</p><p>

#14 Rafael van der Moot</p><p> </p><p>

#4 Daniil Skala</p><p>

#13 Nestor Morozov</p><p> </p><p>

#5 Hyun-Shik Lim</p><p>

#12 Jacob Matthaus</p><p> </p><p>

#6 Alekos Karabastsos</p><p>

#11 Andranik Paletilolu</p><p> </p><p>

#7 Dmytro Dargomyzhsky</p><p>

#10 Mantas Andreyev</p><p> </p><p>

#8 Shane Gilchrist</p><p>

#9 Faas Smit</p>

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<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><a href="</p><a href="http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/BrokenOrbital/media/EMMA_zpsb7063961.jpg.html" rel="external nofollow">http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/BrokenOrbital/media/EMMA_zpsb7063961.jpg.html"</a> target="_blank"><img src="<a href="http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y538/BrokenOrbital/EMMA_zpsb7063961.jpg" rel="external nofollow">http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y538/BrokenOrbital/EMMA_zpsb7063961.jpg"</a> border="0" alt=" photo EMMA_zpsb7063961.jpg"/></a><p>

<strong><span style="font-size:24px;"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">EMMA 1</span></span></strong></p><p><strong>

Heavyweight Grand Prix</strong></p><p> </p><p>

EMMA's first ever show kicks off the opening round of the Heavyweight Grand Prix. Over the next year, the top sixteen Heavyweights in Europe will battle to become the first ever EMMA Heavyweight Champion. While some names stick out above others, the entire field is full of excellent Heavyweight talent.</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Stjepan Andric vs. Murray Darby</p><p>

Result: Stjepan Andric wins by TKO (strikes) :24 Round 1</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Souleymane Ya Konan vs. Stanislaw Lipnicki</p><p>

Result: Souleymane Ya Konan wins by Unanimous Decision</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Lefter Oktay vs. Aleksander Ivanov</p><p>

Result: Aleksander Ivanov wins by Unanimous Decision</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Terron Cabal vs. Mugur Boc</p><p>

Result: Terron Cabal wins by Unanimous Decision</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Jean-Pierre Richelleau vs. Otto Renner</p><p>

Result: Jean-Pierre Richelleau wins by KO (punch) 3:03 Round 2</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Gunnar Nilsson vs. Reinhardt Rhett</p><p>

Result: Gunnar Nilsson wins by TKO (strikes) :46 Round 2</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Stratos Papioannou vs. Kurt McDonald</p><p>

Result: Stratos Papioannou wins by Submission (Armbar) 4:40 Round 2</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Heavyweight Grand Prix Round 1</strong></p><p>

Grzegorz Boniek vs. Iancu Trailescu</p><p>

Result: Grzegorz Boniek wins by Submission (Armbar) 2:19 Round 1</p><p>

</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>

(I originally had large recaps of all of the fights written, but they got deleted, so I had to settle with just putting the winner. I plan to do more for the next event.)</p>

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<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><a href="</p><a href="http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/BrokenOrbital/media/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg.html" rel="external nofollow">http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/BrokenOrbital/media/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg.html"</a> target="_blank"><img src="<a href="http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y538/BrokenOrbital/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg" rel="external nofollow">http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y538/BrokenOrbital/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg"</a> border="0" alt=" photo EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg"/></a><p>

<strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">EMMA 1: Heavyweight Grand Prix Recap</span></strong></p><p> </p><p>

Attendance: 3,613 ($180,650)</p><p>

Pay Per View: 131,625 ($789,750)</p><p>

FOTN: Stratos Papioannou vs. Kurt McDonald</p><p>

KOTN: Jean-Pierre Richelleau</p><p>

SOTN: Stratos Papioannou </p><p>

Critical Success: Great</p><p>

Commercial Success: Decent</p><p> </p><p>

In the post fight press conference, President Tyler West was very pleased and excited about the event, but it was Jean-Pierre Richelleau that was a focal point of attention as both Stjepan Andric and Gunnar Nilsson expressed a desire to find him in the tournament. Possibly both feel that after his KO victory that he may be the man to beat?</p></div><p></p><p></p>

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<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><a href="</p><a href="http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/BrokenOrbital/media/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg.html" rel="external nofollow">http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/BrokenOrbital/media/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg.html"</a> target="_blank"><img src="<a href="http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y538/BrokenOrbital/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg" rel="external nofollow">http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y538/BrokenOrbital/EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg"</a> border="0" alt=" photo EMMA_zps76b54c59.jpg"/></a><p> </p><p>

Today EMMA President Tyler West releases that the second EMMA pay per view will indeed be the opening round of the Light Heavyweight Tournament, he also released the next event, the beginning of the Middleweight tournament, and the bracket that goes with it.</p><p> </p><p>

#1 Fjodor Kanchelskis</p><p>

#16 Kramer Mayweather</p><p> </p><p>

#2 Fernando Amaro</p><p>

#15 Stephan de Winter</p><p> </p><p>

#3 Jaromir Grygera</p><p>

#14 Hunter Scribbins</p><p> </p><p>

#4 Uwe Maier</p><p>

#13 Spiridon Domazos</p><p> </p><p>

#5 Casim Yenkini</p><p>

#12 Tore Herlovsen</p><p> </p><p>

#6 Bixente Fontaine</p><p>

#11 Thorbjorn Rekdal</p><p> </p><p>

#7 Ralph Khol</p><p>

#10 Ezio Gnocchi</p><p> </p><p>

#8 Drazen Gabelich</p><p>

#9 Oleg Tariverdiev</p></div><p></p><p></p>