This past weekend, the fighters that take part in the juggernaut of a promotion that is the Muaythai Premier League, traveled to the land of tulips, wooden shoes, giant wheels of cheese, coffee shops that aren’t really known for their coffee, and big & tall people that can kick a lot of ass! Yes, I’m talking about that wonderful freedom loving nation known as the Netherlands. Every time I hear someone talk about the Netherlands, I am reminded of a skit by comedian and Arrested Development star David Cross. Discussing 9/11, he rebuked the claim that the terrorists hated America because of our “freedom” and argued that they hate us rather for our foreign policy choices over the years. He backed up his claim by adding that, “if the terrorists really hated ‘freedom’ then the Netherlands would have been f$@#ing dust!” Not that I want to get in any sort of political discussion but the man does have a point but more important is the point he makes about how awesome Holland is.

I love the Dutch, just as much as I love the Thais, mostly due to both cultures affinity for punching, kicking, kneeing, and elbowing people in the face! But I also love the Dutch because they seem to enjoy all of the finer things in life such as: natural herbal remedies, good cheese, good beer, and of course, one of the world’s favorite pastimes…SOCCER! Yes, soccer! I know where your minds were going so don’t sit there and act like you weren’t thinking what I know, you know, I know you were thinking. Anyway, as you all know I am a huge soccer fan and one of my favorite national squads since I was a kid was the Dutch National Soccer Team. If you are like every other sad sap that has jumped on the recent Barcelona bandwagon, then you know that Barcelona’s coach, Pep Guardiola is a student of Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff, one of the greatest soccer players to ever grace the sport and the mind behind the idea of “Total Football”. Now…I completely went of on a tangent, but the point is the Dutch are awesome people with great talents for both soccer and Muay Thai or BOTH, I mean who can forget the final of the 2010 South Africa World Cup when Holland’s Nigel De Jong flew through the air and delivered a chest cracking flying sidekick to Spain’s Xabi Alonso for what he claimed was an attempt to recover a ball. And while I don’t condone De Jong’s actions, it was an ethereal moment for me as I felt that for a split second, God had descended from heaven and granted me my one wish for a glimpse at what a hybrid of Full Rules Muaythai and Soccer would look like.

So what this diatribe was meant to describe was the excitement surrounding the MPL’s first venture into the Netherlands. Honestly, I have to say that being the nerd that I can be, or am, or whatever…I found it completely hilarious that the MPL decided to stage an event full of face punching, head kicking, and bone smashing Muaythai in The Hague, which as some of you may know is the site of the International Criminal Court. Now that I just wrote it, I don’t even know why I thought it was funny…buzzkill. Anyway, the MPL delivered yet another stacked fight card yesterday featuring some of the best Muaythai fighters in the world. Stepping into the ring again since the MPL’s opening event in Los Angeles were fan favorites Artem Levin, Julie Kitchen, Nathan “Carnage” Corbett, Nieky Holzken, Valentina Shevchenko, and Marco Pique. And just one month removed from their bouts at the MPL in Padova, Italy were American standout Ky Hollenbeck, Mohamed “Mootje” Khamal, and Sandra Bastian. Also as we reported last week, this MPL “Blood & Steel” event in Holland would mark the beginning of top American female fighter Lindsay Scheer’s pro career.

Now while there wasn’t a plethora of KO’s during this edition of the MPL, the action was as always, full throttle. The lone KO of the night belonged to Russia’s Artem “The Lion” Levin who seems to be on somewhat of knockout streak as of late as he has finished he last 3 opponents via KO!

Below are the full results from what was another top notch Muaythai Premier League event:

Aleide Lawant (NED) def Lindsay Scheer (USA) by Split Decision
Mauro Serra (ITA) def. Denis Schneidmiller (GER) by Unanimous Decision
Artem Vakhitov (RUS) def. Jiri Zak (CZE) by Unanimous Decision
Valentina Shevchenko (PER) def. Ilona Wijmans (NED) by Unanimous Decision
Vladimir Moravcik (SVK) def. Yohan Lidon (FRA) by Unanimous Decision
Artem Levin (RUS) def. Roberto Cocco (ITA) by TKO
Julie Kitchen (UK) def. Sandra Bastian (CAN) by Unanimous Decision
Filip Verlinden (BEL) def. Chris Knowles (UK) by Unanimous Decision
Mohamed Khamal (MOR) def. Michael Dicks (UK) by Unanimous Decision
Nieky Holzken (NED) def. Ky Hollenbeck (USA) by Unanimous Decision
Nathan Corbett (AUS) def. Abde Coulibaly (FRA) by Unanimous Decision
Marco Pique (SRM) def. Ali Gunyar (TUR) by Unanimous Decision

Source: http://www.muaythaiislife.com/