Contender Asia II showcases Malaysia

More of Scot Duncan's magic


Putrajaya-Just wait till you see this in action on film!!!!!



Muaythai at KLCC-
Architectural wonders-
The organic and inorganic

Ali to fight Daddy Cool in Evolution 17, Australia

Saturday the 29th of August is the date fight fans have been looking forward to all year. Evolution 17 brings with it a hard-hitting, action packed card as usual. The best of the best, champions from Australia and across the world.

For one night the Sleeman Centre in Chandler will emulate the battleground of the Coliseum in ancient Rome where our gladiators will fight for reputation, honour and respect. A combination of world champion Muay Thai fighters, glamorous ringside models, a bumping sound system, lighting and visual displays and thousands of fans screaming to back their favorite fighters will ensure the aura of Evolution continues.

The feature at Evolution 17 is a Super 8 Tournament. Eight fighters, the winner must win 3 fights in one night. There are guaranteed to be some wars with three current/former WMC World Title holders in John Wayne Parr, Eugene ‘Boom Boom’ Ekkelboom, and Cosmo Alexander taking on veteran brawlers like the Preacher and Dzhabar. The skill and technique of Soren Eminent-air NTG will always be a great contest against proven up-and-comer Eli ‘Mad Dog’ Madigan should they face off against each other for a second time.
What many fans have come to associate the sport with is the Hollywood style entrance of the pimp himself, Daddy Kool who will be coming out fighting against a highly ranked international opponent(Mohd Ali Yaakub). As if that action is not enough, promoters have also organized guaranteed battles of will and determination in Statti v Sarracino and Thor v Cedric.. This will surely keep the atmosphere charged.

Australian Pro Ranking

Junior Lightweight 57.1 - 58.9kg

1. Dane Beauchamp, QLD aka Daddy Cool

2. Chris White, WA

3. Luke Aram, WA

4. Dimitri Iliev, AM NSW title holder

5. Kevin Lay, QLD

Ismail Ramli to fight in Z1

Our Malaysian Tiger, Ismail Ramli, will be participating in Z1 whereby 24 Z-1 challengers will be fighting at the Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim in Alor Star on 2nd , 3rd and 4th October 2009. The winning 12 will continue their journey to Langkawi Island for the semi-finals.

Hamdan Mokhtar, The Malaysian Tigers vs Zariman of Rantu Panjang

First it was Iddie vs Mat Koro of The Malaysian Tigers,this was a draw. And due to Iddie's injuries he was unable to fight Hamdan in Melaka on the 8th of August so it was Hamdan vs Zariman from Rantau Panjang instead. Hamdan knocked Zariman out in the second round.

Ejo's fight at the Queen's Cup, Bangkok

The end of this footage shows the spectator stage collapsing.

The Queens Cup

For more info on the Queens Cup-
click here

Jetstar Magazine

August 2009

The Head Hunter

From the jungles to the ring, this pint-sized Malaysian kickboxer could be Asia’s next Contender

WORDS LUKE CLARK
PHOTOGRAPHY EDWIN TAN/LUMINA

As Bernard Radin steps into the ring, the world goes quiet. He is in a forest of calm and instinct. “There’s nothing, just you and your opponent. You just forget about everything.” Months spent training 30 hours a week have primed him for this. For the next few minutes, he is in a place he describes as his happiest. ‘The Head Hunter’ is back in business.

Fusing the athleticism of karate with the raw power of boxing, muay thai, or Thai kickboxing, is one of the world’s most explosive and physically intense sports — never more so than when it’s practised by a knockout specialist, intent on felling his opponent well before the referee calls time. At five feet seven inches tall, Radin is not physically imposing on first impression. But the intensity of his stare is at first unsettling, fused with a smile that seldom leaves his face. Through body language alone, Radin gives you the impression that he is ready for anything.

We discuss the reality TV show The Contender Asia, a muay thai variation on the original American boxing show, in which Radin is a contestant in the second season. Filmed on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the series is the brainchild of co-producer Mark Burnett, the British guru behind competition-based reality shows like Survivor and The Apprentice. The Contender Asia pits 16 top muay thai fighters against each other, with contestants eliminated weekly, until there are just two standing for the finale. Producers say Radin is the most likely Asian winner in a talent pool that includes the world’s best.

At 37 years old, Radin is also the show’s oldest competitor. Two years ago, he watched the first season of the TV show from his couch. “I was a retired fighter by then. I told my wife, ‘I’ll be in season two’. She looked at me and laughed — but if you want something to happen, it will happen.”

Life did not start out easy for Radin, and he has beaten the odds before. His Iban mother married a German man, whom he has never met, returning to her remote Sarawak village after she became pregnant. At three days old, Bernard was left in the hands of his grandmother, raised in their traditional Borneo longhouse. His childhood was split between hunting, tending to rice paddies, and journeying to school by canoe. Growing up with mixed parentage at the time was not easy, he says, and he was often in fights for looking different from other kids.

By the age of 13, he moved to Ipoh in peninsular Malaysia, to live with his mother. They didn’t see eye to eye, and Radin often slept on the streets.

Then at 14 he tried out the Korean martial art of taekwando, and something in him clicked. He started winning bouts, then national titles and regional medals. Later, he tried Chinese kickboxing, then muay thai.

Through competition, he gained the respect of others, and greater self-confidence. He also met his wife, Surina Adman. The couple now run an academy gymnasium in Perak, two hours from Kuala Lumpur. Proving that a troubled kid from the jungle can compete in the big league is a major motivation for Radin in The Contender Asia. “I really want to show a lot of youngsters that I’m coming from nothing too. Look at what I did.”

Preparing for the show was a hard road. For most visitors, Thailand’s Koh Samui means relaxation. For Radin, it became his training base for six months of private hell. Working with Pedang, a former Thailand muay thai champion, mornings consisted of a 10km run, followed by five rounds of punching bags. In the afternoon came 40 minutes of weights, a five km run and two more hours of training. He repeated this training day six times every week. “For the first two months, it was torture. Every day, I asked ‘why am I doing this? I’m too old’.” Then as training became more bearable, his confidence lifted. “Six months ago, I was happy to be in the show. Three months later, I was shooting for the semi final. Then, as time passed, I realised, damn, I can do this.”

In muay thai, winning means constant problem-solving. If a fighter is short, you use your reach. Or if he’s six feet three inches tall, chop him down.

“When you see a big tree, you don’t look up. You cut down here”, he says, pointing to his legs. “When they fall down, they are a lot shorter than you.” Radin visualises each match, studying the mathematics of his opponent, estimating how many kicks or punches they’ll throw. “It’s like playing chess. You move one step, but you see three or four steps ahead.”

Then it’s time for the knockout kick. To date, Radin has won 32 of 45 fights by knockout. Making a “knock on wood” gesture, he says he’s never been knocked out. He has lost though, five times. Sometimes at night, he sees the faces of the victors. Never mind the cracked ribs, fractured legs, or his perennially busted nose, losing is the feeling he fears most.

Radin feels his Iban heritage most in the ring. He remembers at nine years old, sneaking out to watch the jungle training for kuntau, the Iban martial art and being inspired by the evening stories of his elders, the real head hunters. Now a family man, he says his kids, aged 17, 12 and five years old, consider him a friend. Despite his instinct to protect them, he still wants them to experience a match, at least once: “Part of my culture is, you must have heart. It’s one thing I want to build in my kids. You step in the ring for self-discovery. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, just finish the five rounds.”

Excited about his one last test, Radin expects The Contender Asia atmosphere to be super-charged. “You put 16 tigers in a cage. All cocky, confident guys who think they can win it. How do you think it will feel?” Yet he says training with former muay thai world champions impressed on him how humble and friendly they were.

Ultimately though, each new challenge is personal for Radin. “When fighting in the ring, it’s not about the opponent. I fight my fear, and my ego.” And when the time is right, he knocks them out.

The Contender Asia screens from early December, at 9pm on AXN Asia. www.contenderasia2.com

Ready to rumble

Former champion Stephen Fox is presenter of The Contender Asia.

Is this season more global in focus?
Yes, contestants from five continents were selected through regional qualifiers, which is a new addition. The quality of the fighters is much higher, and the boys are very well matched. This time we’ll bring in two celebrity trainers, and showcase the host destination a lot more.

Has muay thai changed since you were fighting?
It was a totally different league, the sport was not as popular outside of Thailand. Now it’s a recognised world sport, and is in the SEA Games and the World Martial Arts Games. There’s much bigger competition.

What’s the best way to get involved in the sport competitively?
Our sport has fully recognised national federations, whose websites list the recommended gyms. In Singapore alone, there are over 40 recognised muay thai gyms.

Radin and Faizal

Meet our Malaysian Contenders

Bernard Radin

Faizal Ramli

Contender Asia II brings Hollywood to Malaysia-Scot Duncan, Emmy winner magic

These pictures don't need any accompanying words. Just one SPECTACULAR.

Next post-our Malaysian fighters

Queen’s Cup Muaythai Competition 2009

Our Malaysian Tigers fighters, Ali & Ejo participated in the recent Queen’s Cup Muaythai Competition held in Honour of Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand’s 77th birthday- where both of our fighters won their respective fights held on Wednesday, the 12th of August 2009 at Sanum Luang Night Bazaar (Bangkok).

Ejo

Ejo won his fight with an early KO in the first round with a left leg kick to his opponent's jaw .

Ali

Ali knocked out his opponent from Iran in the 2nd round with a strong knee to the stomach. Ali made history being the first person, a Malaysian Muaythai fighter, to qualify for the Thai King’s Cup 2009! Congratulations!

We will update you guys with more photos soon.

Check out the newly updated Contender Asia 2 Website

contenderasia2.com

Mohd Azwan Omar is back at WMC Gym Malaysia

This photo was taken in March

Mohd Azwan Omar or better known as Bob, our heavy weight is back. Though now he is about 10 kg lighter. Bob has been in Koh Samui for 2 months training, losing weight and getting fight experience. About 1 of those 2 months Bob spent in Samui without his team mates, this was a good for Bob though he was very homesick calling his mates up 3x a day but I'm sure he'll now agree the experience was worth the sacrifice and I'm sure he was well taken care of at WMC Gym Lamai.
Bob fought 2 times at Petchbuncha Stadium in Chaweng against Thai opponents and won.
Welcome home Bob and good luck in your next fight.

Supremacy 7-Perth Western Australia

Ismail Ramli lost tonight to Luke Aram but according to our team in Australia, Mail fought a very good fight. Much better than his fight against Azizi last month. Mail didn't step back from the second round onwards. This is really great that he is improving so much and so rapidly, he is only 18 years old and is the youngest Malaysian Tiger! We are very happy with his performance and look forward to seeing him excell in the future. Good job Mail.

Kudin did not fare so well against Chris White. Chris White dominated the fight from the start beating Kudin by points. This match up was supposed to be Ali vs Chris but Ali was out cause he is recovering from an injury.

Contender Asia 2-Official Website

Soon you will be able to check out the latest news and goings on of the Contender Asia 2 on the official website-contenderasia2.com

Contender Asia 2 Fighters- Malaipet

Name- Mongkhon Wiwasuk (Malaipet Sasiprapa)
Nickname- The Diamond
Place of Birth-Surin Thailand
Date of Birth-21 December 1981
Height-170cm
Weight-70kg
Weight Class-Middleweight
Style-Fighters style rather than boxers style
Fighting Trademarks-Powerful kicks

Titles
Intercontinental Muaythai Champion

Fight Record
Fights157 Wins134 Losses20 KO's38

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Rafi Zouheir

Name- Rafi Zouheir
Place of Birth-Madrid Spain
Date of Birth-23 May 1978
Height-181cm
Weight-72kg
Weight Class-72kg
Style-Muay Thai


Titles
2008 WMC European Champion
2008 WMC Spanish Muay Thai Champion
2008 WMC Superfight Champion

Fight Record
Fights68 Wins56 Losses11 KO's20

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Mohd Faizal Ramli

Name- Mohd Faizal Ramli
Nickname- The Golden Elbow
Place of Birth-Malaysia
Date of Birth-24 October 1989
Height-177cm
Weight-70kg
Weight Class-Middleweight
Style-Counter Fight
Fighting Trademarks-Legs

Titles

Fight Record
Fights38 Wins35 Losses0 KO's

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Jordan Watson

Name- Jordan Watson
Place of Birth-Leeds, England
Date of Birth-2 December 1987
Height-170cm
Weight-68kg
Weight Class-Middleweight
Style-Muaythai

Titles
2008 WMC UK Champion
2009 WMC Super 8 Champion

Fight Record
Fights26 Wins22 Losses3 KO's8

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Paulo Balicha

Name- Paulo Balicha
Place of Birth-Portugal (Swiss Roots)
Date of Birth-17 January 1977
Height-174
Weight-71kg
Weight Class-Middleweight
Style-Muay Thai

Titles
2005-2008 World Champion
European Champion
2008 WMC Mad Champion

Fight Record
Fights100 Wins94 Losses6 KO's37

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Kit Cope

Name- Kit Cope
Nickname- The Prophesy
Place of Birth-USA
Date of Birth-17 March 1977
Height-180cm
Weight-70kg
Weight Class-Middleweight
Style-Fun, He likes to have a really good time and likes to make sure everyone else does too!
Fighting Trademarks-Fast and strong left leg

Titles
USA Muaythai Champion

Fight Record
Fights24 Wins23 Losses1 KO's9

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Bernard Radin

Name-Bernard Radin
Nickname-The Head Hunter
Place of Birth-Sarawak, Malaysia
Date of Birth-5 April 1972
Height-170cm
Weight-71kg
Weight Class-Middleweight
Style-Muay Thai
Fighting Trademarks-Super Kick

Titles
1999/2000 SEA Games Bronze Medalist for Wushu
1999 TaeKwondo World Champion
2007 Malaysian Ultimate Warrior Champion
2008 Winner of WMC King's Cup Superfight

Fight Record
Fights45 Wins40 Losses5 KO's32

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Duane Ludwig

Name- Duane Ludwig
Nickname- Bang
Place of Birth- USA
Date of Birth- 4 August 1978
Height- 175cm
Weight- 70kg
Weight Class- Middleweight
Style- Dutch Style
Fighting Trademarks- His inside game....knees. They are strong and take the fight out of his opponents.

Titles
Kickboxing World Champion

Fight Record
Fights Wins Losses KO's
79 66 13 22

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Cedric Muller

Name- Cedric Muller
Place of Birth- France
Date of Birth- 13 September 1975
Height- 177cm
Weight- 70kg
Weight Class- Middleweight
Style- Defensive
Fighting Trademarks- Middle Kick

Titles
2009 French Champion
2007/08 World Champion Kickboxing
2006 WMC Intercontinental Champion
2000 French Champion
1997 IFMA World Championship Silver Medal

Fight Record
Fights95 Wins73 Losses17 KO's20

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Eli Madigan

Name- Eli Madigan
Nickname- Iron Mike
Place of Birth- Noosa,Australia
Date of Birth- 26 September 1984
Weight- 72.5kg
Weight- Class Middleweight
Style- Muaythai


Titles
WMC Professional Asia Pacific title
WMC Australia Title

Fight Record
Fights37 Wins32 Losses5 KO's19

Contender Asia 2 Fighters- Bakhulule Baai

Name- Bakhulule Baai
Nickname- Sweet Poison
Place of Birth- Johannesburg, South Africa
Date of Birth- January 2 1980
Weight Class- Middle Weight
Fighting Trademarks- Very strong right crochet
Potent body shots and flying knees
Great strength,speed and explosion on hits
Very good fitness
Always fights with his soul and much passion, offering a great show

Titles
2007 South Africa IFMA Champion
2008 South Africa WMC Champion
2008 Muaythai Against Drugs Champion
2009 African Contender Qualifier for Season 2 Champion


Fight Record
Fights34 Wins29 Losses5 KO's6
34 29 5 6

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Marco Pique

‘Marco is a very busy guy, spending many hours in the gym as well as attending university, studying sport and sport physiology, whilst also trying to provide a stable environment for his child.

He sees himself as an all-rounder and doesn’t use or emphasise one technique or area of muaythai over another, believing that this can lead to weakness in your style.

His nickname was created out of necessity, where he dubbed himself ‘the sniper’ to emphasise his ability to lay low in a fight till precisely the right moment – when he pulls out his deadly strike!’

Name- Marco Pique
Nickname- The Sniper
Place of Birth- Paramaribo, Suriname
Date of Birth- 09 January 1980
Height- 182cm
Weight- 70kg
Weight Class- Middleweight
Style- Muay Thai

Titles
2008 WMC Dutch Chanpion
2009 WMC Top Ten

Fight Record
Fights50 Wins35 Losses10 KO’s5

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Artem Levin

Artem is not yet confirmed for Contender Asia II as his participation is still being negotiated


Name- Artem Levin
Place of Birth- Russia
Date of Birth- 8 December 1986
Height- 190cm
Weight- 72.5kg
Weight- Class Middle Weight
Style- Muaythai

Titles
2007 WMC European Champion
2007 WMC Intercontinental Champion
2004/06/07 World Champion
2008 Tafisa World Champion
2003-07 IFMA Champion of Russia
3 Times IFMA Boxer of the Year

Fight Record
Fights89 Wins86 Losses3 KO's20

Contender Asia 2 Fighters-Marcus Oberg

Name- Marcus Oberg
Place of Birth- Sweden
Date of Birth- 18 February 1982
Height- 180cm
Weight- 71kg
Weight Class- Middleweight
Style- Muaythai
Fighting Trademarks- Combos

Titles
2008 IFMA World Championships -Bronze
2008/07 IFMA Champion of Sweden
2008 Rumble of The Kings Champion
2009 WMC Superfight Champion(Win Against Dzhabar Askerov from season 1)


Fight Record
Fights52 Wins26 Losses22 KO's0

Supremacy 7-Western Australia-Kudin & Mail

16/07/09 - Malaysian Tigers Take on the Aussie Wallabies

Western Australia and Perth are in for a special night of Muaythai when two fighters from the IFMA’s Most Improved Team,

FULL STORY-WMC WEBSITE

Kudin and Mail to fight in Supremacy 7 in Western Australia

Kudin-King of Sharks(Raja Jerung) will be fighting Chris "Tiger" White. Kudin will be replacing Ali who is recovering from an injury to his shin. On the other hand Ismail Ramli will be fighting Luke "Pitbull" Aram.





















Kudin/Khuntheb Ismail Ramli
Raja Jerung(King of Sharks) Fights 18, Wins 14, Draws 3, Losses 1
Weight 59kg
Fights 58, Wins 44, Draws 8, Losses 6




Ismail Ramli
59kg
Fights 18, Wins 14, Draws 3, Losses 1












*We will be sure to update you on the results of this fight which takes place this Saturday.

Zeri wins at Langkawi Koro Draws

It the recent fights held in Langkawi over the weekend Zeri won his fight with an early KO in the first round. Koro on the other hand a full went 5 rounds to a no win draw.

Contender Asia II-Will Showcase Malaysia to the World!