Pictured above: Swedish European Champions Cornelia Holm, Daniel Schälander, Renato Vidovic, Serdar Altas Finals of the 2016 Swedish Amateur MMA Championships concluded with the ‘Battle of Botnia’ taking place in the city of Umeå on December 9th & 10th with a total of 44 bouts in the space of two days. IMMAF 2016 World and European Open champion Cornelia Holm capped off a hugely successful year with triumph in the National Women’s Bantamweight division as she bested Jenny Lundberg via a Unanimous Decision. Holm finished 2016 undefeated with a 7-0 record for the year. Men’s Flyweight competitor Serdar Altas continued his own run of top form. The 2015 World Silver medallist bounced back from defeated at the 2016 Worlds to earn Gold at last month’s European Open, besting Irish submission specialist David Fogarty, before ending the year with victory in the Swedish Nationals, defeating runner up Denis Ryden. Also, the breakthrough year of Men’s Featherweight standout Daniel Schälander finished strongly; in his first IMMAF competition Schälander made it to the third round of the 2016 World Championships before being eliminated by eventual Silver medallist Nathan Kelly via a Unanimous Decision. The Swede progressed to establish himself as one of Amateur MMA’s top new prospects by earning Gold at the European Open before clinching the Swedish National title to boot. Men’s Bantamweight Renato Vidovic earned National Championship Gold following his first IMMAF triumph as the 2016 European Open Gold medal winner, having previously earned Bronze at the inaugural European Open Championships in 2015. In addition, 2016 IMMAF Africa Open champion Tobias Harila bounced back from defeat in the third round of this year’s European Open to defeat fellow National finalist Axel Gruvaeus in the Men’s Lightweight division. Former IMMAF World and European Open Silver medalist Anja Saxmark was awarded first place in the Women’s Flyweight division due to cancellation of the anticipated final against reigning IMMAF World champion and top pound-for-pound fighter Gabriella Ringblom who is medically suspended following a TKO loss to Hungarian Alexandra Kovacs in the 125lb final of the 2016 European Open. Africa Open Light-Heavyweight victor Robin Enontekiö finished the year with Bronze in the National Championships as the top position was clinched by Anton Turkalj, establishing a potential new face in the National team lineup. Success in the Swedish Nationals serves as a nomination for advancement to the Swedish MMA Federation (SMMAF) National Team for 2017 IMMAF international championship events. Gold medallists secure themselves the first ranked position for an invite to the national team lineup, followed by Silver, Bronze, and so on. Swedish National Championships medal results below: MMA Class A (Amateur MMA) Results WOMEN MMA Class A Straw Weight 52.2 KG Gold: Fannie Redman Pancrase Shootfighting Silver: Anna Astvik Pancrase Shootfighting MMA Flyweight Class A-56.7 kg Gold: Anja Saxmark Gladius MMA Silver: Gabriella Ringblom Pancrase Shootfighting MMA Class A Bantamweight -61.2 kg Gold: Cornelia Holm GBGMMA Silver: Jenny Lundberg Nacka Dojo MEN MMA Flyweight Class A-56.7 kg Gold: Serdar Atlas Hilti Fight Center Uppsala Silver: Dennis Ryden Coliseum Skovde MMA Class A Bantamweight -61.2 kg Gold: Renato Vidovic Gladius MMA Silver: Temur Malick Perry’s Fitness MMA Class A Featherweight -65.8 kg Gold: Daniel Schälander Allstar Martial Arts Association Silver: Right Salih Djurgårdens IF Bronze: Tobias Bohlin Sandviken Fight Club MMA Class A Lightweight -70.3 kg Gold: Tobias Harila Vasteras Fight Club Silver: Axel Gruvaeus Martial Arts Center Linkoping Bronze: Elvin Hoxha Nacka Dojo Bronze: David Schneider GBGMMA MMA Class A Welterweight -77.1 kg Gold: Oscar Karlström Biller Nova MMA Silver: Moein Ahmadi Stockholm MMA Bronze: Axel Karlsson Gladius MMA Bronze: Anton Bagher Edlund Allstars Racing Association MMA Class A Middleweight -83.9 kg Gold: Khaled Laallam Concrete JiuJitsu Tyreso Silver: Aaron Kennedy Pancrase Bronze: Heytham Rahbi Gladius MMA Bronze: Daniel Karlsson Gladius MMA MMA A-Class Light Heavyweight -93.0 kg Gold: Anton Turkalj GBGMMA Silver: Christoffer Hillsjö GBGMMA Bronze: Robin Larsson Nova MMA Bronze: Robin Enontekiö Epic Fight Club MMA Class A Heavyweight -120.2 kg Gold: Anton Andersson Gladius MMA Silver: Jonnie Andersson Martial Arts Center Linkoping For further details including Class B results and National gym medal table visit SMMAF.se By IMMAF.org lead writer and website manager, Jorden Curran]]>
