Efrain Escudero fights J.P. Vainikainen for Superior Challenge’s Lightweight Title

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Efrain Escudero from US is planned to fight the Finn Juha-Pekka Vainikainen for Superior Challenge’s lightweight title, at Superior Challenge X on May 3rd at Helsingborg Arena, after Reza Madadi had to cancel his participation after a serious injury.

The former UFC fighter and TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) winner Efrain Escudero (21-8-0) takes on a new opponent only one week before Superior Challenge X on May 3rd after Reza Madadi had to withdraw due to an injury. The Finn Juha -Pekka Vainikainen (22-8-1) replaces Reza in final seconds. J.P. has won two of his last three bouts and he has finished 19 of his 22 wins. The tall Finn fought his last bout for about three weeks ago and is now taking the fight against Efrain with only one weeks notice.

Reza Madadi announced today that he is forced to cancel due to an injury that occurred during a hard sparring for about two weeks ago. He got a low kick just above the right knee at the same time he was moving forward. After the blow, he had difficulty walking but despite it, he has struggled with two training sessions each day, and at the same time tried to rehabilitate the injury, which only kept getting worse. Yesterday the pain was so excruciating that he was forced to see a doctor urgently, who informed him that half of his right thigh muscle is off.

Babak Ashti Aghavali, C.E.O. Superior Group International: - Reza's right leg looks really bad and is distinctly swollen. He limped already two weeks ago. Madadi has competed in Superior Challenge since our first event, and this is the first time that he is forced to withdraw from a bout. As Reza is the current Superior Challenge Lightweight Champion, his title becomes vacant until he is fully recovered, and then he will be able to jump straight in to a title bout against the current titleholder. We wish that Reza’s rehabilitation goes well and that he recovers soon so we can see him back in the cage again. Luckily we managed to find a replacement who is experienced enough and tough enough to jump into a title bout against a dangerous fighter such as Efrain Escudero. Respect to Escudero for taking a new opponent seven days before the event, and especially to the Finn Vainikainen who takes the title shot. It might not be so many people in Sweden who knows about J.P. but he is one of Scandinavia 's most experienced fighters, who I think we will see much of in the future. Experientially, both fighters are almost identical but stylistically totally different. J.P. has a very relaxed and unorthodox fighting style, which can be incredibly interesting against a driven wrestler as Efrain. I am convinced that this will be a very interesting high-quality bout that will surprise a lot of people.

Experience adrenaline full sports entertainment when Europe's largest MMA promotion steps in to Helsingborg Arena with its tenth edition, Superior Challenge X on May 3rd 2014.

Fight Card Superior Challenge X:

Efrain Escudero vs J.P. Vainikainen

Lightweight Title Bout

Matti Mäkelä vs Joachim Christensen Light

Heavyweight Title Bout

Yosef Ali Mohammad vs Christian Golcic

Heavyweight Title Bout

Daniel Acacio vs Alan Carlos

David Bielkheden vs Besam Yousef

Malik Arash Mawlayi vs Aron Jahnsen

Diego Gonzalez vs Frodi Hansen

Abbe Joof vs Hermann Kungu

Simon Sköld vs Salih Kulucan

Bilal Musa vs Craig Derbyshire

Pannie Kianzad vs Annalisa Bucci

Michel Ersoy vs Jorge Landa

Superior Challenge: Superior Challenge is one of the world's largest MMA promotions, which produces high quality, and adrenalin-full sports entertainment for the MMA audience around the world. The organization has many years of experience in MMA and broad knowledge of the industry, and is internationally recognized as one of the world's premier MMA shows. Superior Challenge is among five MMA promotions in the world with top 20 internationally ranked fighters competing at the events. The first event in 2008, broke the record attendance for all MMA events in Scandinavia and since then a total of eight events have been produced, and the record have been broken three times, and the last time was at Superior Challenge 8 on October 6th in a packed Malmö Arena in Sweden. That event is estimated to have had a PR value equivalent to 17 million SEK gross, in Sweden alone. The Live TV broadcast of the show also broke the all time record rating for all Nordic martial arts TV programs. In addition to nationwide TV broadcasts in Sweden, Superior Challenge shows are broadcasted in most parts of the world. Superior Challenge is part of Superior Group International along with Superior Wear, Superior Gear, Superior Productions, and Superior Management. Thus, the organization is one of the world's biggest MMA groups, with operations starting in 2005. Since then the company has invested incredible resources in the Swedish MMA market, which has resulted in the current Swedish MMA market. The organization is also the largest Nordic exporter of MMA athletes, and consequently puts great importance on creating Swedish heroes and MMA athletes.

Some athletes who have competed at the events: Joachim ”Hellboy” Hansen, Thales Leites, Jeremy Horn, Marcus Davis, Rich Clementi, Junie Browning, Daniel Acacio, Alexander Gustafsson, Reza ”Mad Dog” Madadi, Tor Troéng, Papy Abedi, Ilir Latifi, Hamid ”Akira” Corassani, Magnus ”Jycken” Cedenblad, Sami Aziz, David Bielkheden, Carlo Prater, James McSweeney, Danny Mitchell, Jens ”Little Evil” Pulver etc.