The UTMA 19 tournament has taken clear shape. All matchups and the event lineup are officially confirmed, guaranteeing what is arguably the biggest martial arts evening in Lithuanian history.
The UTMA 19 tournament will take place at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas on September 26.
Fast-selling tickets are distributed by kakava.lt, and the live PPV broadcast can be purchased at UTMA.lt.
In the main event of the evening under kickboxing rules, in the weight category up to 94 kg, Sergej Maslobojev (4-0, UTMA) will face Dominykas Dirkstys (13-2, UTMA).
“Without a doubt, this is the biggest fight in Lithuanian history. We can see for ourselves how long this matchup has been growing, how its build-up has been maturing. I believe that right now, this encounter is the most interesting to the people and generates the greatest interest in the country’s history,” stated UTMA head Viktoras Gecas.
As a reminder, a rehydration clause was included in the contract. This is a special rule applied in combat sports, which means that a fighter who cuts weight down to the permitted weight category limit is only allowed to rehydrate their body up to a certain limit before the start of the fight. During the medical weigh-ins taking place the day before the bout, the fighters will have to weigh up to 94 kg. However, S. Maslobojevas will have to weigh in one more time – on September 26, a secondary weigh-in will take place, during which S. Maslobojevas cannot be heavier than 100 kg.
Eimantas Stanionis Returns
The co-main event of the tournament will mark Eimantas Stanionis’s return to the professional ring and to Lithuania after a one-year break.
E. Stanionis (16-1, professional boxing) will meet the talented 24-year-old South African boxer Kaine Fourie (13-2-2, professional boxing) in Kaunas.
This will be a professional 10-round boxing match, which will take place in the weight category up to 150 lbs (68.08 kg).
“This time we were looking for an opponent not just based on rankings, but also on their style. We really wanted a fighter who wants to brawl. In the fight with Jabulani, we saw that he was more of a punch-absorbing, counter-attacking fighter. Now, we were looking for a brawler who would seek contact himself. It seems we have found exactly that – we will see how he looks in the ring. We are truly expecting a great fight,” commented UTMA head V. Gecas.
Spectators at UTMA 19 Will Be Treated to Two Title Fights and the Start of an 8-Man Tournament
For the first time in the organization’s history, Martynas Danius (2-1, UTMA) and Khyzer Hayat (2-0, UTMA) will fight for the UTMA 67 kg kickboxing championship belt. Meanwhile, the UTMA 63.5 kg kickboxing champion Dovydas Levickis (6-2, UTMA) will defend his throne for the first time against Modestas Žmuidina (1-0, UTMA).
Another highlight will be the quarterfinal bouts of a special tournament for the UTMA 81 kg kickboxing championship belt and a 50,000 euro prize.
“We chose the 8-man format because we have a lot of fighters in the 81 kg category. Things certainly won’t end with the 8-man tournament. We want to have as many fights as possible during this tournament, so fighters can get ranked and continue to determine who the best in this category are.
We want to encourage the youth and other fighters to work hard, so they understand that prizes of this size, like 50,000 euros, are possible in this tournament. We will continue doing this and developing it in the future. It is very nice to see everyone so motivated; I personally cannot wait to see this tournament, who will be the champion, and who will be number one in the 81 kg rankings,” stated V. Gecas.
The 81 kg 8-man tournament bouts will begin at UTMA 19 with the quarterfinal matchups. The semifinals will take place at UTMA 20 on October 24 at “Arena Vilnius”, and the grand finale of the tournament will be held at UTMA 21 on November 28 at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas.
On the right side of the tournament bracket, Oskaras Buinickas (0-2-2, UTMA) and organizational debutant Rodrigo Mineiro (0-0, UTMA) will meet in the quarterfinal, while the second fight on the right side of the bracket will take place between Deividas Jemeljanovas (3-1, UTMA) and Arnoldas Misiūnas (3-3-2, UTMA).
Meanwhile, on the left side of the tournament bracket, Tomas Banskis (4-0, UTMA) will fight Savvas Kagkelidis (0-0, UTMA), who is finally making his organizational debut, and the second fight on the left side of the bracket will feature Isa Gocmen (1-1, UTMA) against Ričardas Kulis (1-0, UTMA).
In total, 15 bouts will take place at the UTMA 19 event, starting at 18:00. By the way, viewers will be able to watch the first three “Early Prelims” fights of the tournament for free on the UTMA YouTube platform, after which all the action will move to the UTMA PPV platform.
Fast-selling tickets are distributed by kakava.lt, and the live PPV broadcast can be purchased at UTMA.lt.
