World Championships day 2: Dramatic day for Team Sweden

2023 IMMAF World Championships. Photo: Chris Önnerby

Today, four Swede’s entered the cage in the eight-finals at the 2023 IMMAF World Championships in Tirana, Albania.

The World Championships will take place between Monday November 20 to Saturday November 25. Sweden is represented by an interesting National team featuring 10 fighters – three female and seven male – competing in ten weight divisions.

Click “Next” to see the Swedish results for day two (Tuesday)!

Liam Pitts misses weight

Liam Pitts. Photo: Stefan Romare

Junior bantamweight Liam Pitts was scheduled to take on Buzurgmehri Saifullozoda from Team Tajikistan in the eight-finals. However, Pitts missed weight and gave the following statement on Instagram.

“I’m sad to announce that my World Cup journey has come to an end. It’s sad that an organization is run so unprofessionally. They shut down the sauna so that no member of Team Sweden could use it, which is a must when you cut weight. Some barely made weight but I was one of them who didn’t make weight,” Pitts wrote.

Read more: Liam Pitts: “My World Cup journey has come to an end”

Viktor Mangs lost the eight-finals

Viktor Mangs. Photo: Stefan Romare

Surging lightweight Viktor Mangs faced Team Czech Republic’s Jan Masek in the lightweight eight-finals.

The Swede started with a takedown but got caught in a Masek’s tight guillotine and was forced to tap out.

• Jan Masek def. Viktor Mangs via submission (guillotine), round 1

Arsen Tuganov lost via decision

Arsen Tughanov. Photo via IMMAF

Swedish veteran Arsen Tuganov entered the contests to take on Loiq Ikromov from Team Tajikistan in the flyweight eight-finals.

After three rounds of action, all three judges scored the fight in favor of the Tajikistan fighter. He will face Jorge Antonio Lopez Perez from Team Mexico in the semifinals.

• Loiq Ikromov def. Arsen Tuganov via unanimous decision (30-27)

Sebastian Palacio Gomez won via TKO

Photo via Instagram. (@sebastianpalaciogomez)

Sebastian Palacio Gomez took on Nathan Mcgillian from Team Ireland in the welterweight eight-finals. The Swede landed a hard punch and took the fight to the ground.

Palacio Gomez continued the onslaught against the cage and the referee was forced to stop the fight to prevent the Irishman to take further damage.

The Sede will face Patrick Habirora from Team Belgium in the semifinals.

• Sebastian Palacio Gomez def.  Nathan Mcgillian via TKO, round 1

Najib Adams won debut

Najib Adams. Photo Chris Sonnerby

National Team debutant Najib Adams took on Bertie Oakes from Team England in the light heavyweight eight-finals.

After a slow start, the Allstar’s fighter landed a heavy right hand that rocked his opponent. Before the bell he landed another heavy shot but didn’t have time to follow up.

In the second round, the Swede landed a clean hook that eventually ended the fight. Adams will face Dzevad Baltic from Team Serbia in the semifinals.

• Najib Adams def. Bertie Oakes via knockout, round 2

Two opponents missed weight

Sahand Shokohi. Photo: Stefan Romare

Grappling specialist Sahand Shokohi was scheduled to clash with Team Spain’s Alejandro Sanchez Garcia in the bantamweight eight finals.

However, just as yesterday, Shokohi’s opponent unfortunately failed to make weight and the Swede advanced to the quarter-finals.

Bantamweight veteran Millie Eriksson also advanced without fighting, since her opponent left the tournament via walkover.

2023 IMMAF World Championships

Hanna Palmquist. Photo via IMMAF

The 2023 IMMAF World Championships takes place in Tirana, Albania, between Monday November 20 to Saturday November 25.

The championships include tournaments for Seniors and Juniors, and holds six weight divisions for female athletes, from atomweight to lightweight, and ten for male athletes, from strawweight to super heavyweight.

Check out the results below!

World Championships day 1: All four Swedes advances!

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