CAGE CONTENDER XII : DUBLIN : 25 FEB 2012

Gunnar Nelson talks to The Fight Lounge about his return to the sport in Feb at Cage Contender:

We revealed the news last week that Gunnar Nelson would be returning to action in February at Cage Contender in Ireland. The Icelandic prospect visited The Fight Lounge to answer a few questions.

Regarded by many fans and fellow fighters as the brightest prospect Europe has to offer, Gunnar Nelson has left jaws wide open with his outstanding displays of grappling in past bouts.

Now, after sixteen months since defeating Eugene Fadiora at BAMMA 4, Nelson is set to return, as the undefeated mixed martial artist is booked to headline Cage Contender 12 –

Read Gunnars full interview here

So we have all worked out that spelling isn't our strong point, it looks like it's just as well that we don't need to be able to spell to put together ****ing awesome fight cards

Note to self: must start proof reading the posters

Ian Whelan wrote: »

Any update on this? I assume it will be tough to get someone to fight Nelson now, i.e. with only 5 weeks notice.

We are waiting on contracts arriving back before we announce

WELTERWEIGHT

Gunnar Nelson v Alexander "Iron Capture" Butenko

Plastikman_eire wrote: »

Not gonna be a fun night for Butenko. Moving up in weight and fighting a guy who's better than you in your strongest area.

Details on Butenko:

Russia and the former Soviet republics are known for cranking out top notch upperweight fighters, especially in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Names like Fedor Emelianenko, Sergei Kharitonov, Mamed Khalidov, and Alexander Shlemenko top the more popular names from this part of the world.

Another name under the prospect radar is Alexander Butenko, a rising welterweight prospect from Ukraine.

Alexander Butenko is currently on a sick run. He has won 10 out of his last 11 fights in which he's dropped only one decision, that going to Magomed Saadulaev, who is 13-1.


Butenko started his fighting career in Kharkov, Ukraine. In 2004 he fought in the Tactical Combat Tournament and took first place. He then competed in Combat Sambo in Russia and had some success and was invited to participate in mixed martial arts.

Butenko is an M-1 veteran, going 4-0 in M-1 competition, and is a five fight veteran of the Professional Fighting Championships (Russia).

Alexander "Iron Capture" Boutenko is a cousin of Alexey Oleinik, a champion competitor in many sambo tournaments and mixed martial arts events. Butenko trained under the instruction of Oleynik at the Honour Academy and the highly regarded Red Devil Sports Club in St. Petersburg, Russia. Butenko has trained with such notable fighters as Igor Vovchanchin, and brothers Aleksander and Fedor Emelianenko.

Butenko holds a black belt in jiu-jitsu and possesses numerous victories in Combat Sambo. He also holds the rank of master of sports in the "international class" in Combat Sambo and was promoted to the rank of black belt in Combat Sambo by Alexey Oleinik. Alexander Butenko is currently the #9 ranked welterweight fighter in the Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine) by Mixfight.ru.

Alexander Butenko carries on the distinctive gritty, yet technical fighting style the so characterizes the Russian fighting tradition.

Credit: Fighjerk.com

Looney Tunes wrote: »

I'm going to work hard on recovering and getting back into the place I love the most!

Catherine

We are looking forward to you making a full recovery and making your promotion début.

The most important thing for Cage Contender is the safety of our athletes, it's the athletes who put on the show when all is said and done. Here's hoping to see you fit and in the octagon soon.

Just a reminder to Pro fighters and their coaches. If we don't have your clear bloods certs you will NOT be able to fight, we are still waiting for a few certs and the latest we will accept them is 2 weeks before the event. The is absolutely no reason this should be left to the last minute.

It would be better for fighters to get them done ASAP, if you don't have the clear cert it means that promoters will not be able to use you as a stand in at short notice. This is not just Cage Contender, most Irish promotions agreed on this as did most clubs and refs.

Xlami wrote: »

Wow got my tickets on Groupon today. €12 unbelievable price.

We done the same deal for the last Dublin event as well. They are a standing only ticket, there would be no way on gods earth I would stand through a full show at any price, but they seem popular enough