Fightworld Cup 18 Recap: Shantaram Maharaj claims the bantamweight title with submission over Chris Morris

Scorpion Gym fighter Shantaram Maharaj secured a third-round submission over champion Chris “Kewl Bonez” Morris to take home the Fightworld Cup bantamweight title.

The two headlined the Fightworld Cup 18 event held at the Nerang Police Citizen Youth Club in Nerang, Queensland on Saturday night.

Maharaj pushed the action early but it would be Morris who looked to take the early lead getting a series of takedowns. Maharaj though remained active off his back and never looked in serious danger, constantly found a way to get back to his feet where he landed some short jabs.

He started to come into the fight more in the second round by keeping it standing but both landed some punches with some dirty boxing before Morris secured yet another takedown. This time though he had to defend a triangle choke from Maharaj.

Morris immediately looked for another takedown attempt in the third-round but the takedowns were not coming as easily for Morris. Maharaj defended and momentarily looked to take the back of Morris before the two stood back up. A sloppy takedown attempt from Morris was countered by a guillotine choke, which allowed Maharaj to transition straight to mount. There he unloaded with big punches that forced the champion to turn his back. When he did, Maharaj locked up the rear-naked choke to get the tap at 2:36

An important win for Maharaj who came into the contest with back-to-back losses to locally ranked fighters Reece McLaren and Jacob Mahony. He puts himself right back in the picture in the Australian bantamweight ranks and moves his record to 7-5. After capturing the bantamweight title back in August 2013, Morris has now lost two in a row inside the promotion to go 7-5.

Former Fightworld Cup welterweight champion Dan Pauling returned to the cage after a long lay-off due to injury but ring-rust was not a problem as he submitted veteran fighter Jon Leven in the opening round. 

Pauling attacked early with a anaconda choke however Leven stayed out of danger and landed some solid elbows and short punches from the top. Pauling remained active off his back and was able to lock up a quick armbar. Leven looked to escape but with both arms trapped he was eventually froced to verbally submit. The finish came only 2:50 into the bout as 21 year-old Pauling moved his record to 9-2.

Team Te Huna fighter Ricky Rea secured an impressive first-round submission over former Cage Warriors fighter Damien Brown in a welterweight bout. Brown had Rea on his back and against the cage early but Rea was able to work his way back to his feet where he took the back standing. He quickly got the fight to the ground and opened up on Brown with some punches before securing the rear-naked choke submission to get the tap 3:28 into the fight.

Rea continues his rise up the ranks with the Sydney fighter having previously also defeated Jon Leven, Rick Alchin and Kieran Hewitt. In was another unsuccessful outing for Brown was making his return to the local scene after previously competing in European promotion Cage Warriors. 

Zoie Schreiweis and Kenani Mangakahia put the fights of the night as Mangakahaia coming back to stop her opponent in the third round of their 64-kilogram bout. Schreiweis was in control in the early part of the bout but an armbar from Mangakahia in the final seconds of the first-round came back to haunt her. 

Schreiweis was left grimacing in pain but continued and had a great round in the second pumping out some solid jabs and landing more takedowns. Mangakahia’s conditioning paid off in the third though as she took her opponent down straight into mount. The Shindo New Breed fighter landed some big elbows from the top and ultimately got the stoppage as Schreiweis turned away holding her arm. 

The end came 1:29 into the third round for Mangakahia who moves her professional record to 3-2 with the win.

Fighting out of the new Tristar Brisbane gym, Luke Wright opened up the professional bouts on the card with an impressive first round stoppage over Matt Eland. Wright rocked his opponent and finished it with punches only 40-seconds into the bout. It was a rematch of their battle at Unarmed Combat Unleashed event last year, which was also won by Wright.

On the amateur portion of the card Zan Hansford secured an nice anaconda choke submission over Corey Kendrick, while Anthony Johns dominated Mitch Godfrey on the way to a unanimous decision win. In a women’s bout Alexander Muir had a quick night in the cage, when she stopped Katie Moran via TKO only 23-seconds into the fight.

A-Class Results:

• Shantaram Maharaj def Chris Morris via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 3, 2:36 – Fightworld Cup bantamweight title 
• Dan Pauling def Jon Leven via Verbal Submission (Armbar), Rd 1, 2:50
• Ricky Rea def Damien Brown via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 1, 3:28
• Kenani Mangakahia def Zoie Schreiweis via TKO (Injury), Rd 3, 1:29
• Luke Wright def Matt Eland via TKO (Punches), Rd 1, 0:40

B-Class Results:

• Zac Hansford def Corey Kendrick via Submission (Anaconda Choke), Rd 2, 1:05 
• Anthony Johns def Mitch Godfrey via Decision (Unanimous: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Alexandra Muir def Katie Moran via TKO (Punches), Rd 1, 0:23
• Josh Mullineux def Craigh Callaghan via Submission (Standing D’Arce Choke), Rd 2, 1:12
• Clint Dixon def Nathan Duce via Decision (Unanimous: 29-28, 29-28, 30-27) 

Promotion Awards:

• Sub of the night: Zac Hansford
• KO/TKO of the night: Luke Wright
• Fight of the night: Zoie Schreiweis vs Kenani Mangakahia

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