Hallmann dominates Truscek in Dublin, wins Celtic Gladiator title
Reigning WFC lightweight champion Piotr Hallmann had a successful trip to Dublin, Ireland last weekend. In the main event of Celtic Gladiator 6, he faced former WFC welterweight title-holder Ivica Truscek for the promotion’s vacant 70kg strap.
From the opening bell, Hallmann made it clear that there was only one fighter leaving the cage with the belt. The young Polish star put a lot of pressure on the vastly more experienced Croat with a good combination of solid boxing, kicking and clinch work. Compared to his appearance in the WFC, the incorporation of spectacular high kicks was the most apparent innovation.
Truscek, who has had a caracinous winter with three straight defeats in Russia prior to the Hallmann bout, caught a good day and showed a lot of the strengths that took him to big wins over the likes of Lubomir Guedjev, Jevgeniy Mahteenko and Sergei Churilov inside the WFC ring. He was able to get up from all of Hallmann’s first-round takedowns and landed good shots on the counter.
With his energy fading in the second stanza, the Pole’s superiority became overwhelming. Hallmann took Truscek down with body lock, leg trip combination early in the round and systematically worked for the fight-ending rear-naked choke. Two minutes and three seconds into the second round, an exhausted “Terror” had no other option than to tap out.
With the win, Hallmann improves his professional record to 12-1. He has now won his last eight fights and stopped all of his opponents either by knockout or submission. In addition to the WFC lightweight title, he now also holds the Celtic Gladiator 70kg championship.
You can follow our champion on Twitter @PiotrHallmann and like him on Facebook at PiotrHallmannMMA.