“KSPROFL Fight Night 4” — Full Recap

On December 28th, the “Tower” nightclub in Riga became the center of action as Kings of Streets Professional Fighters League (KSPROFL) hosted its fourth fight show. Viewers were treated to an evening featuring 11 back-to-back pairs, including cage boxing, MMA semi-pro fights, and the headline bare-knuckle duel. All fights of the night entailed three rounds each, with two minutes given per round.

The main event saw Latvian Jānis Jodzevičs face Lithuania’s Sergejs Iljins in a bare-knuckle battle. The fight lived up to its billing, with Iljins ultimately claiming his win.

For those who couldn’t attend in person, the event was livestreamed on SlotsFighter. Missed the stream? Relive “KSPROFL Fight Night 4” by watching the full replay of the event!

REMEMBER: Now that you’ve seen the men in action, you can still cast your daily vote for your favorite KSPROFL fighter until 00:00 on 05.01.2025! Your vote not only propels your chosen fighter closer to the €1,000 prize and “King of Streets” title, but also enters you into an exclusive draw for the latest iPhone 16 Pro! Read how to participate in our full article.

3×2 CAGE BOXING

Justs Vītols vs Rihards Jēkabsons

Justs Vītols made his debut under the KSPROFL banner as the underdog of the match. With just three months of boxing training, the newcomer faced a more seasoned Rihards Jēkabsons, who brought in nearly a year of experience and a prior appearance at “KSPROFL Fight Night 3”.

Despite Jēkabsons’ slight edge in experience, which betting experts assumed might tip the scales, the fight was short for him. As the bell rang, Vītols charged forward with a relentless aggression reminiscent of former KSPROFL champion Dans Bukovskis. Jēkabsons, perhaps still haunted by his first-round KO loss in “KSPROFL Fight Night 3”, managed only a single swing — and missed.

The fight was over in a matter of seconds. Vītols delivered a swift and decisive finish, claiming his first victory. In the post-fight interview, Jēkabsons announced it was his last fight.

Rihards Fogelis vs Niks Zeltiņš

Debutant Fogelis faced off against Niks Zeltiņš, a more experienced competitor with a 10 centimeter height advantage and a 13 centimeter reach superiority. The fight had all the ingredients for heat, especially after tensions flared at the weigh-in press conference, where Fogelis shoved Zeltiņš to the ground. 

Fogelis, with only three months of MMA training and no prior competition experience, seemed to draw inspiration from legends like Roy Jones Jr. — he taunted Zeltiņš with bows and exaggerated movements to put on a show despite the odds stacked against him. Zeltiņš, two years younger but with five months of boxing training and a first-round KO victory at “KSPROFL Fight Night 3” remained composed despite the provocation.

The strategy was clear: with clinching allowed, Fogelis sought to close the distance to land strikes, knowing his reach disadvantage made open exchanges unfavorable. Zeltiņš, leveraging his superior range, kept the fight measured, looking to capitalize on his longer arms.

They lasted all three rounds. However, just as the clock ticked down to the final 10 seconds, Fogelis landed a head strike that sent Zeltiņš down. Despite the last-minute knockdown, the judges ultimately awarded Zeltiņš the victory, citing his overall control throughout the earlier rounds.

Renats Tarabanovs vs Edgars Bērziņš

Renats Tarabanovs made his debut at 24 with just three months of boxing training and faced Edgars Bērziņš, a star climbing the KSPROFL circuit. At six years Tarabanovs’ junior, Bērziņš entered the ring with five months of MMA training, a 2-0-0 record, and the confidence of a previous victory at “KSPROFL Fight Night 3”, where he won by points. Notably, Bērziņš had a significant 17 centimeter reach advantage.

The fight quickly switched sides. The opening moments of the first round were controversial — Bērziņš attempted a choke and landed a knee strike. Both actions went unnoticed by the referees but could have led to disqualification under cage boxing terms. 

The first round ended with Tarabanovs experiencing a knockdown just 10 seconds before the bell. The second round was technically over before it started — Bērziņš knocked down the debutant again, and almost immediately. In the post-fight interview, Tarabanovs stated his desire for a rematch.

Artūrs Adamovičs vs Kristers Kaulakans

Adamovičs entered the cage with six months of MMA training and four months of boxing but no prior competitive experience. Kaulakans, on the other hand, brought a year of training, a record of two MMA fights (one loss), and a technical knockout victory at “KSPROFL Fight Night 1”. He is also a member of the KSPROFC roster.

From the outset, Adamovičs surprised the crowd with an unexpectedly polished performance. He maintained a steady rhythm, demonstrated technical precision, and kept his composure under pressure. Kaulakans’ style was more power-driven, which ultimately earned him the win after all three rounds — but not without a little controversy. Viewers in the livestream chat labeled the decision a “robbery”, arguing that the fight should have been ruled a draw at best. Adamovičs, however, displayed sportsmanship in his post-fight interview, acknowledging Kaulakans’ strength and hinting for a rematch.

Daniels Balodis vs Adams Dupats

In one of the most technically refined fights of the evening, Daniels Balodis, a seasoned fighter with a combined nine years of combat sports experience, faced the younger Adams Dupats — LV BET experts’ favorite in the fight. Balodis, 29, entered the ring with an MMA record of 6–3–0 and a boxing record of 1–0–2, while Dupats, just 19 and a member of the Bad Boys Boxing Club, brought a boxing record of 3–2–0 and four years of training.

Dupats showed respectable cage awareness and composure. Unlike the more frenetic energy seen in earlier fights, Dupats read the fight, allowing Balodis to initiate exchanges while capitalizing on his opponent’s miscalculations. Balodis pressed on, but struggled to land anything decisive against Dupats’ defense.

With just 45 seconds left in the first round, Dupats delivered a strike that sent Balodis to the canvas. The impact was delayed by a couple seconds before Balodis fell backward. Despite the knockdown, Balodis managed to keep fighting all three rounds, but Dupats was declared the winner in what could be considered the most technical fight of the night until then.

Tomass Bileskalns vs Elvis Malanka

Tomass Bileskalns, representing the Kartonka Boxing Club with a 2–0–0 record, took on Elvis Malanka, whose experience included a 9–6–0 boxing record and a year of MMA training. Despite Malanka’s broader fight history, this fight was not as easily predictable; both fighters were active and quick on their feet.

The fight’s tempo was set immediately, with neither fighter holding back in scrappy, close-quarters exchanges. Bileskalns sought to neutralize Malanka’s more volume-heavy approach. Malanka relied more on his durability and ring generalship to dictate the flow of engagements.

If the second round was a bit milder, activity returned tenfold in the third and final round. A minute in, Malanka suffered a knockdown that observers and commentators deemed more of a slip than a clean strike. Despite this, Malanka recalibrated and continued — the judges awarded Elvis the victory by unanimous decision. While Bileskalns holds promise in the future, Malanka’s experience won him the present.

3×2 MMA SEMI-PRO

Mikus Semeneņa vs Tomass Niekrašs

The opening fight under MMA semi-pro rules saw Mikus Semeneņa, a relative newcomer with one year of MMA training and no prior competition experience, against Tomass Niekrašs, a more seasoned kickboxer with six years of training and a record of 14–6–0. Despite his extensive kickboxing background, Niekrašs entered the cage with just three months of MMA training and a previous loss in the discipline, making this a classic grappler-versus-striker scenario.

Semeneņa, who held a slight height and reach advantage, wasted no time. Capitalizing on Niekrašs’ lack of grappling experience, Semeneņa took control early, closing the distance and executing a textbook takedown. From there, he transitioned smoothly to a dominant position and landed the decisive strikes with ground control. The fight lasted barely one full round, with Semeneņa securing a technical knockout victory, marking an impressive debut.

Niks Bemberis vs Didzis Kurmēņevs

Niks Bemberis of “Top Ring Latvia” faced Didzis Kurmēņevs, a fighter with a deep freestyle wrestling pedigree. Bemberis, with two years of MMA training and a balanced 3–3–0 record, didn’t seem to fear Kurmēņevs, who brought eight years of freestyle wrestling, two years of boxing, and a more advantageous MMA record of 5–3–0 into the cage.

The opening round showed Kurmēņevs’ grappling early, as he quickly grounded Bemberis and moved into his comfort zone. However, Bemberis displayed impressive adaptability, executing a seamless reversal that flipped Kurmēņevs and shifted momentum. The remainder of the round was a tight exchange of wrestling and clinching, with both fighters jockeying for control but neither gaining a definitive advantage.

In the second round, Kurmēņevs entered with amplified aggression, pressing forward with unrestrained energy but sacrificing precision in the process. His overextension allowed Bemberis to exploit openings, taking Kurmēņevs to the ground and securing a dominant position. Despite Kurmēņevs’ attempts to smother Bemberis’ offense by closing the distance, Bemberis landed consistent strikes from the top position.

With Kurmēņevs visibly fatigued from his defensive efforts, Bemberis kept his opponent pinned and unable to recover. The referee intervened, declaring the fight over and awarding Bemberis a victory by technical knockout.

Domeniks Govoruha vs Raimonds Zeps

In their rematch, Domeniks Govoruha, a fighter with three years of MMA training and 12 fights under his belt, faced Raimonds Zeps, a KSPROFC member. Their first encounter ended in a points victory for Zeps, setting up Govoruha’s shot at redemption. Zeps entered the cage with two years of MMA experience, a 5–4–0 record, and additional victories in boxing and kickboxing.

The fight, however, was over almost as quickly as it began. Just 15 seconds into the first round, Zeps executed a clean takedown, throwing Govoruha to the mat. A grappling exchange ensued, with Zeps locking in a tight triangle choke. Unable to escape the submission, Govoruha was forced to tap out, securing Zeps an emphatic victory.

While the quick finish could have been enough to celebrate, there’s nothing like some drama — Latvia’s newest MMA prospect, Ričards Hauberts, stepped into the cage with a challenge. The 18-year-old, who first caught the public eye in August at BAZARA 0 Fight Club’s debut show, hinted at a potential fight between him and Zeps in 2025. 

Though details remain unclear whether this fight will take place under the KSPROFL banner or not, Hauberts’ confidence and ambition to prove himself have made him a fighter to watch out for in the Latvian combat sports scene — and we’ll be there to watch every second of it!

Edgars Rozenfelds vs Sandris Kondrats

Edgars Rozenfelds, with eight months of MMA training and a decorated boxing background of 10–5–0, stepped into the cage against Sandris Kondrats, a KSPROFC member with five months of MMA experience and two prior losses.

The opening round saw controlled exchanges from both fighters, though Kondrats’ overly wide stance hinted at potential balance issues. To neutralize Rozenfelds’ striking, Kondrats executed an early takedown, holding Edgars on the canvas for most of the round. While effective in stalling Rozenfelds’ offense, the position lacked any decisive damage, and the referee separated them with 15 seconds remaining.

In the second round, Kondrats resumed the grappling approach, attempting another takedown and securing top control. However, the lack of significant activity left the position stagnant until Rozenfelds, relying on sheer physicality, flipped Kondrats over. Rozenfelds’ glove came undone during the transition, prompting him to signal the referee to address the issue while maintaining on top. This brief pause allowed both fighters to regroup. When the fight resumed, Kondrats managed to improve his positioning slightly, but the stalemate continued until the end of the round.

The third round shifted gears; both fighters opted for a much more cautious approach and neither picked to grapple again. Rozenfelds, confident in his earlier performance, used his footwork to keep the fight standing. The judges awarded him the victory.

3×2 BARE-KNUCKLE

Sergejs Iljins vs Jānis Jodzevičs

The headline fight of the evening featured a classic Baltic rivalry, pitting Lithuania’s Sergejs Iljins against Latvia’ Jānis Jodzevičs, nicknamed “The Hooligan”, in a bare-knuckle brawl. Iljins, representing Lithuania’s club “Titanic”, brought five years of boxing experience and a professional record of 20–10–0, alongside a bare-knuckle ledger of 1–1–0. Jodzevičs, known for his occasional disqualifications, entered with six years of boxing training (4–2–1), an undefeated kickboxing record (3–0), and a bare-knuckle record of 0–1–1.

From the outset, Jodzevičs attempted to incorporate MMA maneuvers, which were promptly curtailed by the referee, ensuring adherence to bare-knuckle rules. The first round was measured, with neither fighter inflicting significant damage. The third round escalated, with Jodzevičs shedding first blood. The judges rendered a unanimous decision in favor of Sergejs Iljins, marking another victory in his bare-knuckle career.