It's the start of the 2009 NBL Supergrands and SportMartialArts.com is here the entire week to cover it all! December 26, 2009 was the start of competition with a special World Team Challenge. It wasn't promoted much so only four teams showed up for this unique event. The rules were regular NBL point sparring rules but the line-ups were quite different. Each team was required to provide three junior boy fighters of different weight classes and three adult male fighters of any weight. As an option, each team could send out an adult female fighter and a junior female fighter but if the other team did not have female fighters to match up, then those fights would not happen. At a minimum, each team had six fights and the cumulative scores would determine the winner.
Two teams from the United States (GOP and All Stars) and teams from Mexico and Canada showed up at noon on the 26th for the debut of the event. The USA teams had to fight off first and it was a nail biter. The kids fought valiantly and put GOP ahead by five points after the first three rounds on the back of a great fight between Dan del Valle and Leon Jefferson.
Chris Gallio was back after a three year absence to start Team GOP off as he faced Iceman Jack Felton. This was a great match and ended in a 5-5 tie which meant GOP kept their lead. In the second round, Willie Hicks of Team All Stars started with a point and shot to the groin of 240 pound Brandon Bertsch. After that, it was all power for Bertsch as he clobbered Hicks with a couple shots. In the end, the match ended 7-6 in favor of Hicks but GOP was still ahead by four.
It came down to the final round with Bryan Young of GOP facing the formidable Raymond Daniels of Team All Stars. Daniels was used to pressure situations - in fact, he thrives on them. Young, who actually trains with Daniels periodcally was the best match up as he knows some of Daniels' secrets. The fight started strong for Young as he scored first with a great reverse punch and answered all of Daniels' techniques. However, Daniels began to pull ahead and as time ran down, Daniels tied it up to go into overtime. In the sudden victory overtime, it would be Daniels with the quick hands who would put Team All Stars into the finals.
In the Mexico versus Canada match up, Mexico's first two juniors were underbelts and, though they fought hard, Mexico was down by quite a bit going into the Miguel Soto versus Eric Krill fight. It was there that Mexico started a comeback that lasted through the adult fights. Appearances by Cody Diesbourg - back after a looong absence and Travis Dunnigan gave Canada its backbone but it was not enough on this day as Mexico came out the winner. Mexico will face All Star on the stage tonight.
In the evening, it was time for junior teams, self-defense and breaking. The Schumann's teams with the number one seeds went to stage for the junior boys and junior girls teams. Facing them for the junior girls is Team Straight Up which went into overtime against Team Kumite and came out the victor. The boys had a huge turnout and the fights were quite energetic. In the end, Team GOP led by Leon Jefferson ended up going to the stage.
Adult breaking was quite the scene as competitors from Armstrong's troup came ready to try for another world title. Despite some strong breaks by Phil Adkinson, it was young Michael Spizzuco with the win as he broke three baseball bats to top off his routine and ended up breaking his hand in the process as well.
Sunday competition brings the men's three man team sparring eliminations, youth point sparring and some of the youth and adult traditional competition as well. The finals for youth and adult team sparring is tonight!
