North American / Canadian CA2 Qualifier - 1st Leg

Aug 15, 2008 Gladiators: King of the Ring card at Winnipeg Convention Centre

"Dangerous" Dave Zuniga ( pic above ) won the main event, a Muay Thai kickboxing bout, with a TKO of Jose (The Ultimate Dragon) Sulsona, who couldn't answer the second-round bell after taking a vicious left knee to the head at the end of the first.

Zuniga's next test is the biggest of his career, a one-day, eight-fighter tryout for a spot on The Contender Asia reality TV show. That takes place Sept. 20, in Calgary.

'LIKE A MONSTER'

"I barely broke a sweat, I'm happy I didn't get injured, my confidence is up now, and I'm ready to go for September 20th," Zuniga said. "He's not as tough as I thought he'd be. He didn't hit as hard as I thought he would. But I trained like a monster for this one."

Alex Ricci ( representing Eastern Canada ) 

ALEX RICCI
Age: 25 years old
Height: 5 feet 11 inches
Complete Fight Record: 31 Wins, 12 Losses, 1 Draws
Stance: Orthodox
Titles:
CANADIAN MIDDLEWEIGHT MUAY THAI CHAMPION (2006)
CANADIAN WELTERWEIGHT MUAY THAI CHAMPION (1998)
Where From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Team Representing: M-1 Thai Boxing
 

Quote: "I want to push myself to my limits and represent my school, trainers, and country in The Contender - Asia international Muay Thai competition. I also want to assist in the promotion of Muay Thai as an exciting spectator sport both at home and abroad."

A man with years of international Muay Thai fighting experience from living in Thailand, Alex Ricci has been acknowledged as having possibly the purest Muay Thai style of all the competitors in the Canadian Qualifier tournament. After successfully fighting and winning in Thailand, he is now back living and fighting in Canada. Ricci feels he is hungrier than ever to prove he is the best Muay Thai athlete in Canada. Having knocked out American Muay Thai star Chris Romulo in the fourth round, Ricci predicts he will be doing the same against the other athletes he faces in the event.

Jesse Miles ( representing Western Canada and Calgary ) 

Jesse Miles (Lacombe)
Nickname: Smiles
Age: 25 years old
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Complete Fight Record: 33 Wins, 1 Loss, 1 Draw
Stance: Orthodox
Titles:
IFMA EUROPEAN CUP MUAY THAI CHAMPION (2008)
WKL WORLD MUAY THAI CHAMPION (2007)
KING OF THE RING 8 MAN MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION (2006)
IFMA AMATEUR WORLD MUAY THAI CHAMPIONSHIPS - BRONZE MEDAL (2006)
IKF NORTH AMERICAN SUPERMIDDLEWEIGHT MUAY THAI CHAMPION (2005)
IFMA WORLD AMATEUR MUAY THAI CHAMPIONSHIP / 81 KGS. - SILVER MEDAL (2004)
IKF NORTH AMERICAN MIDDLEWEIGHT MUAY THAI CHAMPION (2004) Where From: Calgary, Canada
 

Quote: "Nothing in life worth having is easily obtained."Personable,and disarmingly at ease, Jesse comes by his fight name "Smiles" naturally. His friendly stance,quick with a warm smile and a joke will color your first impression of Jesse "Smiles" Miles. Having set some extremely high goals to achieve, Jesse is well on his way to continued success in many areas of life, the present being to become Canada's best Muay Thai athlete. "Smiles" aside, Miles is a dynamo in the ring and always provides for entertaining action packed bouts.
 

Here are the fight clips of Miles vs Ricci!

Miles VS Ricci Round 1

Miles VS Ricci Round 2
 

Miles VS Ricci Round 3

Miles VS Ricci Final Round
 

Enjoy!

Methink elbows were allowed, though heavily padded as seen on the clip! Ricci made an incredible comeback after going down twice! Miles will probably kick himself silly for not finishing strong after the knockdowns and gotten ko'ed himself in the last round!

FYI - Ricci knocked Jesse Miles out right at the end of the last round. Because of it, Mike Miles is having the KO reviewed because of a “saved by the bell” rule or technicality. If he’s successful, a video of the fight will be decided on the scorecards…and that would make Miles the winner + Canadian rep.

Full Story behind the Alex Ricci / Jesse Miles Controvercy

On October 7th, 2008, the City of Calgary Combative Sports Commission (“the Commission”) met in order to respond to a formal complaint protesting the outcome of a bout between Alex Ricci and Jesse Miles (“the Bout”) held on September 20, 2008 as part of The Contender Asia Canadian Qualifier Super 8 (“the Event”), where Alex Ricci was declared the winner over Jesse Miles.

In accordance with section 52(3) of Bylaw Number 53M2006, the Event was conducted by the Commission in accordance with the rules and regulations set out by the World Muay Thai Council. Prior to the Bout all fighters competing in the Event were advised by the Chief Official that a fighter could be saved by the bell in the final round of a match. The Chief Official’s instructions to the fighters was consistent with Item 15(B)6 of the Rules & Regulations of Muay Thai (“the Muay Thai Rules”). Despite the instructions provided to the fighters prior to the Bout and the applicability of Rule 15(B)6, in the final round of the Bout, Jesse Miles was knocked down by Alex Ricci and was counted out by the referee after the final bell, that signified the end of the match, had already been rung. Pursuant to the Muay Thai Rules, and the instructions provided to the fighters, the ringing of the final bell ended the Bout, and consequently, the referee’s count should have been stopped at the exact time the final bell rang, which would have resulted in allowing Jesse Miles to be ‘saved by the bell’ and the decision determined by going to the score cards

In light of these facts and with the Commission’s approval, the Chairperson, upon reviewing the score cards for all three (3) bouts, has decided to exercise the authority granted to the Chairperson by Item 13.1 of the Muay Thai Rules, in order to overturn the decision of the Bout and to declare Jesse Miles as the winner.