Anton’s winning streak extends to 9 in Cage 16

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Anton accomplished yet another impressive victory over the Brazilian Thiago Meller on October 8th, 2011 at the CAGE 16 event, where Anton remains the reigning champion in his weight class. The top level and fast match up lasted a full three rounds in which Anton successfully defended the Brazilian’s guillotine submission attempts three times. Thiago’s guillotines have caused a number of high level contenders to lose.

The fight was dominated by Anton’s highly successful stand-up game to which Meller was subjected in the second and third round. No one can questions Meller’s heart and durability in being able to withstand Anton’s considerable stand-up advantage.

Anton comments on the match itself followed: “The hard work done for this game paid off again with another victory for me. The match was a great success! Meller is experienced and tough and was a great yard-stick to measure my current standing at this stage of my career. The fight was again a lot of fun and the support received at Barona Arena was great. However, for me to be 100% happy with the result I should have left the second round with a K.O. This is my ninth win in a row and as such I am in a good place to continue my career path aiming for the international MMA elite.”

Cage vol. 16 1st Defense preview

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Source: http://beatingsfromthenorth.blogspot.com/2011/10/cage-16-1st-defence-preview.html

“Cage Lightweight title bout: Anton Kuivanen (15-4-0) vs Thiago Meller (17-4-0), Brazil

Finnish Lightweight star and hometown hero Anton Kuivanen defends his Cage belt against the dangerous Thiago “Minu” Meller from Brazil.

The main event of the night features once again hometown hero Anton Kuivanen who is the biggest draw in Finnish MMA and thus a vital fighter also for the Cage promotion. The young Finn is known for his flashy striking and entertaining fighting style. American Top Team’s Kuivanen has a great record of 15-4, but it’s getting even better all the time. He’s 11-1 in his last twelve with the only loss coming in the hands of Bendy Casimir in a fight that Kuivanen was clearly winning before getting caught in a knee bar. Since that loss the rapidly improving Finn has won all his fights in a dominating fashion and is currently riding a eight fight win streak that includes wins over top ranked Euro lightweights like Ivan Buchinger (16-2) and Tim Radcliffe (11-4). Kuivanen’s highly versatile and explosive striking is still his main weapon of choice but during the last couple of years he has managed to take his wrestling and ground game to another level also.

Like Kuivanen, also the Brazilian veteran Thiago “Minu” Meller is far from a one trick pony. Most of his wins have become via submission but Meller is competent on the feet too and has a record of 15-1 in Muay Thai. Meller has snatched eight of his eleven submission wins by guillotine choke. He hunts for his opponents head in the clinch, locks in the arm in guillotine, drops down on his back and applies the choke perfectly leaving his opponents no choice but to tap out. On the feet Meller’s best weapon are the vicious kicks he throws, thanks to his Muay Thai background. Meller is a gutsy and iron chinned fighter who has never been knocked out and submitted just once. His four career losses have become in the hands of top level talent like current UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo and UFC lightweight contender Rafael Dos Anjos.”