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Mellony Geugjes was supposed to be challenging defending Enfusion Live 54kg champion, Iman Barlow in Groningen, Netherlands on Sunday, November 20. However, Geugjes had to unexpectedly withdraw a week prior to her scheduled title shot. The reason being was that she suddenly needed surgery which, she even tried to postpone, to avoid missing out on her opportunity to fight for the Enfusion 54kg championship.

“People know I had an operation. My training I hope I’m gonna start Monday with condition[ing]. In January I’m gonna fight. So, after one and a half week I’m going to pick up the kickboxing training.”

Ilsury Hendrikse has since replaced Geugjes with only a weeks notice to take on “Pretty Killer”. Both Hendrikse and Geugjes have fought each other before three times. The two Dutch female kickboxers have a victory over one another and a draw. Knowing the new title challenger’s ability from first hand experience, Geugjes believes Barlow will have a competitive title defence on her hands come Sunday.

“We even had three fights against each other. We standing like, I won one on broken nose; I broke her nose and then we had a draw. And other fight she won on points so, we even. Ilsury is a tough girl so, she likes to fighting she’s not scared at all. So, I think its going to be a nice fight between the two of them because I know Iman, how she fighting. Ilsury is the Dutch style like me. So, I think we can expect something from ilsury this Sunday yeah, sure.”

On the subject of Iman Barlow’s Thai boxing style of fighting compared to the more common ‘Dutch style’ of kickboxing, Geugjes gave her opinion on the champion’s approach in the ring:

“Its smart, its smart but she kicks a lot and knees a lot. Not so much boxing but maybe because she’s form the Muay Thai side instead of K1. Everyone has is own style so if like it or not you have to fight them anyway. Its not my style, I don’t like it. I don’t like to fight with that kind of waiting with the kicks and knees. I just like to fight with everything. I’m a complete fighter that’s why I also do MMA. If you’re a K1 fighter, be a complete fighter thats what I like.”

Geugjes seemed somewhat open to possibly fighting Barlow in the future, however, she would seem to be more focused on her schedule of fights in the new year, including what should be her next fight on Japenes kickboxing promotion, KRUSH in January 2017. With a good few MMA fights lined-up in 2017, Geugjes admitted that if the right opportunity presented itself with, for example, the UFC or BELLATOR, she wouldn’t hesitate to forsake kickboxing to secure a long term future in MMA instead.

Of the various 72.5kg Enfusion League bouts that were discussed in the full video podcast (above) that will happen this weekend, Geugjes predicted that Tayfun Ozcan will defeat Serginio Kanters and explained why:

“I know them both, actually I’ve trained with Serginio. Tayfun is very strong fighter, very fast and very smart. I think he’s one of the best. My prediction’s going to Tayfun. I think Tayfun is going to win the whole tournament. He’s going to win the whole league. Tayfun, he’s at his strongest now.”

Lion Fight 33 will kickstart this weekend’s action of world class striking in the USA tomorrow. Ilona Wijmans will challenge Antonina Shevchenko for the Lion Fight lightweight championship in what will be Shevchenko’s second title defence. If Wijmans overcomes the defending champion then she would become the second Dutch female to capture a Lion Fight world title after Jorina Baars who, is the current Lion Fight welterweight women’s champion. Geugjes also shared her opinion on who and why she thinks will win between the two of them.

“I know Ilona too, I trained with her. We have a girl now at our gym, Anissa, Anissa Haddaoui. She won from Ilona this year in the WFL. I know she [Wijmans] lost from her sister [Valentina] Shevchenko. Valentina was too smart for Ilona and this is also its Lion Fight so its full Mauy Thai fight. I hope Ilona is gonna win of course but I think Shevchenko is gonna be the smarter fighter. Yeah, because it’s going to be the full Muay Thai rules. Its different to K1.”