Martin Stapleton defeated Jason Cooledge by unanimous decision in the main event of OMMAC 14: Bring the Pain at the Liverpool Olympia. For three hard rounds, Stapleton pushed the pace but he was unable to put his indomitable opponent away. Southpaw Cooledge has a tendency to lunge in and drop his left hand, but he was able to soak up all the punishment that came his way. Unable to overcome Cooledge’s solid takedown defence, Stapes settled for pushing his man against the fence and roughing him up. Briefly, in the final stanza, the legendary Stapleton energy reserves looked to be flagging, but Cooledge was unable to capitalise.

All the judges saw it in favour of Stapleton and he remains undefeated since returning from his long lay-off. Even though it wasn’t pretty, the man they call 50 Cal was in control throughout.

As Artem Lobov yelled:“The Prospect Killer is Back” at the crowd, the dazed figure of Shay Walsh on the canvas paid testament to his victory cry. For two rounds, Walsh had done everything right. Wary of Lobov’s Wincobank style boxing, he closed the distance, took the SBG man to the floor and put the grind on him. Ten minutes of conservative violence looked to have put the Lancastrian in an impregnable position, then a split second of inspiration turned the contest on its head. In the early exchanges of the final round, Lobov leaned back and let go one of his trademark uppercuts. Walsh stumbled and fell, Lobov swarmed on him and the fight was over.

A fight that shows the cruelty of MMA and reminds us why we love it. Shay Walsh did everything right then ate one shot. Artem Lobov adds another scalp to his impressive collection. Never in a bad fight, the Russian Dubliner is fast becoming the cult hero of UK MMA.

Uche Ihiekwe made short work of David Round. The Kaobon fighter, slapped a guillotine on David Round, went to the ground and waited for the inevitable tap.

Olympia regular Lee Chadwick dropped a series of fearsome elbows from the guard of Stu Tyrie. A cut opened and the doctor decided that the Welshman could not continue.

Gary Kelly and Brian Moore pushed each other to the limit in the fight of the night. Kelly took centre ring early on and and looked sharp, before pushing Moore against the fence to unload spectacular knees in the opening round. In the second, Kelly was unable to convert his take down attempts and it was Moore who found success on the feet later in the round. In the third, Kelly looked for submissions, including a prolonged Rear Naked Choke attempt. Both fighters had their moments, but the judges delivered a majority decision in favour of Kelly.

Next Generation’s Mick Kay scored a TKO win over Brett Healey after 1:17 of the first round.

In amateur action, the ground and pound assault of Darren Till overwhelmed Rich Taylor inside two minutes.

Anthony O’Connor laid the foundations for a 5/5 Kaobon clean sweep with 31 second Arm Triangle win over Lee Threlfall.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

From the hurtbusiness:

Bloody Revolution  

A Journey into UK MMA.

Brought to you by the man behind the hurtbusiness, Bloody Revolution takes you to the heart of the UK MMA scene.

Dedication, skulduggery, bravery, loyalty and stupidity- all are front and centre in this no holds barred examination of the sport we all love.

Paperbacks from Amazon.co.uk   

Kindle editon  Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Wayne Murrie v Shaun Lomas

The main event went the way you’d expect a contest between a good Thai boxer and a good all rounder, but Lomas made Murrie work hard for his submission victory.

Rounds one and two followed the same script; a quick exchange of kicks and punches followed by a Murrie Takedown. Although he gave up his back in both frames, Lomas never looked in serious trouble and bridged himself out of any choke attempts.

It was the same old story in the third, only with a happy ending for Murrie as he finally scored with an armbar.

A useful workout for Wayne Murrie as he attempts to climb back up the rankings. As for Shaun Lomas, this was reminder of how good he could be.

Jack Grant v Josh Collins 

A ferocious encounter with the lads going at it like dogs fighting over a bone. Most of the fight played out on the ground- with Asylum Vale Tudo product Collins working to pass guard while Grant threw up armbar and triangle attempts from his back.

After three gripping rounds, it went to the judges. For me, Collins dictated the shape of the fight with his takedowns, achieved more on the mat and landed plenty of clean shots. The cards that matter delivered a majoity draw. Negotiations for a rematch started before the pair left the cage. Selling tickets for it should not be a problem.

A trio of catalogue models find the decision amusing

A night of quick finishes with plenty of exciting new talent on show. Special mentions to ‘Angry’ Gaz Firm for a display of unbridled brutality, the muscular Mo Abdul Mowa, and the neatly executed Triangle finishes from Rick May and Qas Shafiq.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Qas Shafiq finishes his fight in style

Results

Wayne Murrie def Shaun Lomas R3 Submission (Armbar)

Josh Collins v Jack Grant Majority Draw

Qas Shafiq def Tautvdas Lileikis R1 Submission (Triangle)

Mo Abdul Mowa def Dean Wilson R1 TKO

Jamie Foulding def Mike Persil R1 Submission

Rick May def Josh Dilcock R2 Submission (Triangle)

Gaz Firm def Shakeeb Ali -Corner Stoppage end of R1

David Brookstow def Jason Sudbury R1 Standing Guillotine

Steve Creswell def Peter Green  R2 TKO (K1 bout)

Jamie Foulding def Kevin ? R1 Submission (Strikes)

Brendan Sutcliffe def Jordan Deux R1 Submission (Guillotine)

Andy Ogle and Shay Walsh closed a great night of action at the Olympia with a contender for UK Fight of the Year.

In the opening round, Ogle took his opponent’s back, got his hooks in and applied a deep rear naked choke. For the best part of a minute, he squeezed but Walsh miraculously stayed conscious and in the fight. Eventually, Ogle gave it up and opted to close the round by landing clubbing punches.

Ogle also took the second frame; pushing his man up against the fence and scoring multiple takedowns. Shay Walsh came out for the final round knowing he needed a stoppage. The Lancaster and Morecambe MMA man looked serious and landed a few meaty punches early. Sensing danger, Ogle clinched up and took the fight to the canvas but Walsh managed to struggle to his feet. The remainder of the fight was edge of the seat stuff, Shay defied exhaustion to push for glory while Ogle stifled and tied up at every opportunity to hang on to what he’d got. Andy Ogle wins by unanimous decision. Great fighters, great fights.

Andy Ogle had asked fans on the Cage Warriors forum to vote for his ring walk tune and the result of the poll was predictable but still amusing. Ogle went to war with this song ringing out.

Dave Hill and Dave Lee went at it like dogs in a bone dispute. The pair treated the crowd to a high level display of aggressive grappling. Rising star Hill prevailed, snaring Lee in a Triangle four minutes and twenty three seconds in to retain his OMMAC Featherweight title.

In the night’s other title fight, James Doolan was majestic. The Scot is untouchable at the Olympia-now unbeaten in four appearances. On his last visit, he held UFC new boy Vaughan Lee to a draw, despite being clinically dead for two of the three rounds.  This time, he made his defence of the Bantamweight strap look like a walk in the park. With his back to the fence, the Dinky Ninja grabbed Dino Gambatessa ,slapped on a guillotine, wrapped his legs around him, and earned the tap a mere one minute and thirty seven seconds into the contest.

Mick Sinclair made an impressive return to the cage, stopping Tom Maguire in the first round. It was a dynamic display from first to last. The English Bull Terrier was relentless, jumping on his opponent from the off. The end came with Maguire face down on the canvas as Sinclair unleashed accurate punches forcing the ref to intervene.

Mark Glover looked momentarily stunned after taking a few clean shots from Stuart Davies. Sensing victory, Davies steamed in, locking the Kaobon man up in a Thai clinch and unloading brutal knees against the fence. Glover toughed it out and took charge later when the fight hit the ground. He secured  an Arm Triangle that looked set for success before being interrupted by the bell. In the second, the momentum stayed with Glover as he impressed standing before another Arm Triangle drew the submission.

Mike Wilkinson extended his unbeaten record with a unanimous decision win over Brian Moore. On the night, the game SBG Dublin fighter had no answer to Wilkinson’s takedowns.

Ben Murphy stepped up to face Tony Moran on one day’s notice. After tasting the former boxer’s power in the opening seconds, the late replacement wisely decided not to trade with Moran and clinched up. Moran was always in control and scored a TKO win thanks to a stiff right hand that stopped Murphy in his tracks.

Christian Smith was too cute for the dependable Aurilijius Kerpe. The star of Antonio’s Gym tried his usual game plan, taking centre cage and firing out solid one-twos. Smith picked his moments and took him down at will.  The Tap or Snap fighter dominated the third round, dropping some mean elbows from the top, and deservedly got the nod from all three judges.

The fight will be remembered for a farcical incident in the second round when the Olympia smoke machine was set off by mistake.  During the short break in the action, the ring girls frantically waved their round cards to clear the gloom while the
referee yelled technical advice: “Pull the fucking plug out”.

Lee Chadwick submitted Thomas Siaucila with a North/South choke.

In the opener, Chris Hoban took a unanimous decision over Ben Rose.

Joe Frazier was a small heavyweight who made the best of the tools he’d got. His highlight reel shows him getting up again and again to take the shots of the hardest hitting boxer in history. Smokin Joe won the Fight of the Century, but his greatest performance was a defeat. Ahead on the cards in Manilla, his trainer Eddie Futch refused to send his blind and battered boxer out for the final round. uttering the immortal words: “I’m getting you out of there, but no-one will ever forget what you’ve done here today”

I never will.

Coverage as it happens- live from the Olympia in Liverpool.

OMMAC liveblog is sponsored by

“Longtime MMA reporter Mick Bower uses his inimitable style and wit to craft a picture of the British fight scene rarely covered in the mainstream media. From his first hand, insider perspective of the fights, rumours and stories behind the last few years of the sport, Mick cuts straight to the chase and paints an intriguing picture. Bloody Revolution opens the door into the world of MMA and is a thrilling read for both the uninitiated and the hardcore fan.” Fighting Fit Magazine

“If you love MMA this is one of the best books written about it. Highly recommended”Christian O’Connell

“Bower … knows his stuff. When he delves into the history of the sport, he does so succinctly, with verve, and with penetrating insight..He’s also a wonderful story teller. In each of the book’s chapters, Bower makes sure to put you in the audience with him. You can practically see the punters, the birds, and the chavs and taste the beer as he takes in his surroundings”. Bloody Elbow

For further info, extract and vids- go to

www.bloodyrevolution.wordpress.com

1. LW: vYGANTAS bAZATIS vs. Michael Grundy

ANTONIO’S GYM   KAOBON

Two debutants. In the blue corner, Michael Grundy; the best British wrestler ever to enter the cage backed up by UFC stars Paul Sass and Terry Etim and Kaobon godfather Colin Heron. In the red corner- some Lithuanian bloke. Grundy shot, took his man down and immediately assumed side control. After a few meaty whacks, his opponent was slapping the mat for dear life. Michael Grundy wins by tap due to strikes. This could be the start of a big career and hugely significant down the road but tonight, it was a bit of a non event.

2. LW: Nathan Thompson vs. Jamie Lee

SOUTH SHIELDS MMA             KAOBON

Lee deserved his unanimous decision victory. On the feet his put in the tidier work and he and took charge on the ground: calmly picking his shots from top position.

3. BW: Mike Persil vs. Colin Rigby 

indy         KAOBON

Mike Persil’s all singing and dancing ring walk to the Theme from S Express entertained the crowd, but after that it was all down hill for the dude in the red corner. Colin Rigby was simply too young, too sharp and too good for him. After a comfortable work out, Rigby ‘s knees and punches sent Persil reeling. Rigby by way of TKO, 2:14 round 1.

Pro

4. BW: Ally McCrae vs. Pietro Menga

DINKY NINJAS 0-0-0   MMA ACADEMY 2-0-0

Menga launches the kick from hell, but he slips. As his right leg gives way, the left crashes into the Scot’s face. Menga scrambles to his feet in panic and looks amazed to see McRae on the deck. He dives down to finish the job but it’s all over already. The most thrilling 19 second fight you’ll see this month.

5. MW: Laivis Urbis vs. Scott Askam

ANTANAS GYM LITHUANIA 2-1-0 MATRIX MMA 2-0-0

The Lithuanian flattered to deceive with a couple of solid leg kicks but crumbled when the Donny lad let the clubbing punches go. Gone in 24 seconds.

6. LHW: Aurijius Kerpe vs. Rob Lloyd 

ANTANAS GYM LITHUANIA 10-15-0 ELITE/WOLFSLAIR 0-3-0

Aurijius Kerpe edged out debutant Rob Lloyd to take a majority decision at the end of an entertaining battle. In the first, the Lithaunian dropped Lloyd and opened up a cut with his trademark short right hook. Lloyd planted his man on the deck in the second and finally secured a rear naked choke. The clock beat him and Kerpe was on his way out when he was saved by the bell. The third saw both men dropping their hands through tiredness and catching each other with hard single shots that they didn’t have the energy to follow up. The vastly experienced Kerpe’s more effective work was enough to get the nod from the judges.

8. LHW: Mark Cummings vs. TONY MORAN

Indy WOLFSLAIR 7-3-0

Former boxer Moran took Cummings down at will during their brief contest. The end came when he took his back and applied a Rear Naked Choke. Although the hooks weren’t in, Cummings gave up the tap immediately.

7. BW: Mark Connor vs. Mike Wooten 

DINKY NINJAS/GRIPHOUSE 5-7-1 MMA ACADEMY 3-0-0

Mike Wooten scored a unanimous decision win over Dinky Ninja Mark Connor. Connor wanted no part of the Scouse mop top on hte feet and repeatedly attempted to take the fight to the ground. On the canvas, the Scot managed to control his man early on but inflicted little damage. When Wooten was on top- the mash was cold and lumpy. The longer the fight went, the more convincing Wooten looked. Connor remained competitive and put up a game performance, but there could only be one result.

9. 73KG: Danny Welsh vs. Lawrence Fitzpatrick

KAOBON 2-0-0

The Kaobon Smashing Machine Fitzpatrick made short work of hisopponent. A quick takedown followed by a controlled pasting forced the ref to call it off at 1:54 of the first.

10. HW Ben Whitehead vs. Adam Parkes

BLACK KNIGHTS 2-0-0       WOLFSLAIR 2-0-0

Adam Parkes systematically took Ben Whitehead apart on his way to a first round TKO win. His punches and kicks were snappier and carried more meat. Short eldows in the clinch opened a cut and takedown followed by a barrage of well chosen elbows and punches on the ground brought proceedings to a close.

OMMAC 11 Live

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Jack Marshman throws every shot like his life depends on it, but there’s so much more to his game than raw power. A neat reversal put him on top of the fearsome Lee Chadwick and the Welshman made maximum use of the position- precisely targeting the smart bombs that ended the fight. On paper, this promised to be a tough test but the unbeaten Marshman sailed through.  Middleweight is becoming a hot division so there are plenty of big domestic fights out there for the 21 year old.

Richie Downes has been a fixture on Olympia cards since the Cage Gladiators days. He lost his debut against Rob Sinclair in August 2007 after pouring all his gas into a guillotine attempt. Since then, he has put in a series of tidy undercard turns. Despite a five fight winning run- he was best remembered for a no contest. Richie’s shin crushing the nuts of Leeroy Barnes at Cage Gladiators 8 redefined the term eye watering for a new generation. Even as I write about it, the memory is causing involuntary teeth grinding and shivering.

No one wants to be famous for testicle bursting and OMMAC 10 gave us all a more positive image of the Kaobon product.  From start to finish, his performance was flawless. Dan James spent ten minutes trapped between the fence and a tsunami of violence.  Clinch work like it should be- total control of an opponent facilitating his systematic destruction. Downes relentlessly alternated between elbows and sickening knees to the body and leaking head. Truly awe inspiring stuff which should guarantee Richie Downes a spot up close to the of the bill next time out.

Shay Walsh made the wise of move of getting a bunch of amateur and semi pro experience before joining the pro’s and that strategy is paying off now. With a 7-0 record, he is all business in the cage. Last time, he grinded out a decision over the tough as old boots Pete McGurk. Against Ryan Phelps, he got the job done fast, with a devastatingly efficient display of ground and pound. The Lancastrian never looks ruffled and appears ready to take on the best of British.

In six weeks, Artem Lobov has gone from unknown to break out star. The Dublin based Russian shocked red hot prospect Dave Hill on Cage Warriors at the end of April then repeated the trick on Saturday; finishing Uche Ihiekwe with a third round Triangle. It is impossible not to love Artem. The guy fights hands down, relying on his reflexes and throwing outrageous lead uppercuts and hooks. Aside from his Ingle influenced switch-hitting, he has out grappled two of the UK’s best up and coming fighters. There are obvious flaws in his game- Uche’s leg kicks, teeps and straight punches were causing him severe problems, but he comes through and gets it done. Lobov is putting on bravura performances that demand respect and admiration. In short- if someone makes an Artem Lobov T-shirt; I want one.

“Longtime MMA reporter Mick Bower uses his inimitable style and wit to craft a picture of the British fight scene rarely covered in the mainstream media. From his first hand, insider perspective of the fights, rumours and stories behind the last few years of the sport, Mick cuts straight to the chase and paints an intriguing picture. Bloody Revolution opens the door into the world of MMA and is a thrilling read for both the uninitiated and the hardcore fan.” Fighting Fit Magazine

“If you love MMA this is one of the best books written about it. Highly recommended”Christian O’Connell

“Bower … knows his stuff. When he delves into the history of the sport, he does so succinctly, with verve, and with penetrating insight..He’s also a wonderful story teller. In each of the book’s chapters, Bower makes sure to put you in the audience with him. You can practically see the punters, the birds, and the chavs and taste the beer as he takes in his surroundings”. Bloody Elbow

For further info, extract and vids- go to

www.bloodyrevolution.wordpress.com

Coverage as it happens- live from the Olympia in Liverpool.

OMMAC liveblog is sponsored by

“Longtime MMA reporter Mick Bower uses his inimitable style and wit to craft a picture of the British fight scene rarely covered in the mainstream media. From his first hand, insider perspective of the fights, rumours and stories behind the last few years of the sport, Mick cuts straight to the chase and paints an intriguing picture. Bloody Revolution opens the door into the world of MMA and is a thrilling read for both the uninitiated and the hardcore fan.” Fighting Fit Magazine

“If you love MMA this is one of the best books written about it. Highly recommended”Christian O’Connell

“Bower … knows his stuff. When he delves into the history of the sport, he does so succinctly, with verve, and with penetrating insight..He’s also a wonderful story teller. In each of the book’s chapters, Bower makes sure to put you in the audience with him. You can practically see the punters, the birds, and the chavs and taste the beer as he takes in his surroundings”. Bloody Elbow

For further info, extract and vids- go to

  www.bloodyrevolution.wordpress.com

OMMAC 10 Live

We are live from sun drenched Liverpool. Nice and cool in the Olympia, but a bit foggy due to testing the smoke machine.

A nice looking card tonight. A Wayne Murrie win in the main event would push him closer to the big show and plenty of old faves and up and comers from some of the best camps in the country also feature.

19.35 Slight delay getting started. Dangerous, as it is giving me too much time to think of Britain’s Got Talent and weak English defence gags to put into the fight reports.

19.38

We’re off. The first two fighters make their entrances.

1. WW JACK GRANT VS COLIN FARICKER
FIGHT MINISTRY HULL KAOBON

After a hard clinch exchange, the pair went to the mat. Grant grabbed a leg and earnt the tap with a toe hold.

2. WW DARIUS KUNEVICIUS VS JAMES BURROWS
ANTANAS GYM 1-4-0 QUIGLEYS GYM 0-0-0

36 seconds in, in the first serious action, James Burrows takes the Lithuanian’s back and applies a Rear Naked Choke. Game over.

3. WW STEVE BEHAN VS STEVE DINSDALE
GODS OF WAR 0-2-0 NEXT GENERATION 1-0-0

Steve Dinsdale worked from side control and half guard. Although not too many damaging strike were landed- they started to add up and Behan rolled over for relief. Dinsdale gratefully accepted the Rear Naked Choke to finish the fight in the first round.

4. 73Kg EDVARDAS PETRUSIS VS CHRIS STRINGER
ANTANAS GYM 1-3-0 KAOBON 8-8-1

Before the fight, Petrusis had the demenour of a kid who’d been forced into an interview by the jobcentre. As soon as the bell rang, he came to life, windmilling and going for broke. On the ground, he launched a couple of illegal knees to Stringer’s head. Referee Roberts called time and gave him a quick rules lesson. Stringer declined time to recover. Instead, he opted to keep his position and quickly slapped on a Rear Naked Choke. Petrusis tapped hard. Instant justice.

5. WW TAUTVUYDAS LILEIKIS VS CHRIS HOBAN
ANTANAS GYM 1-3-0 ATHERTON 4-4-0

Hoban threw multiple left hands from side control, then transitioned seamlessly to pull of another win by way of North/South choke. Another quickie- clocking in at 84 secs.

6. WW DAI JENKINS VS STE HODGSON
TILLERY COMBAT 0-3-0 NEXT GENERATION 1-1-0

Dai Jenkins looks like Wayne Rooney after a successful hair transplant. The Welshman put on a relentless display of agressive grappling for to take a split decision win over Ste Hodgson. Hodgson took the third and had an argument for owning a share of the first, but Jenkins’ more convincing submission attempts and sustained periods of control meant he deserved to get the verdict.

7. WW ARUNAS KLIMAVICIUS VS NEIL DUTSON
ANTANAS GYM 1-5-0 BLACKLEDGE MMA 0-1-0

Fight put back to after the interval. The Lithuanian had gone heavy on the Thai oil and has been sent for a bath.

8. LW DAN JAMES VS RICHIE DOWNES
SWANSEA PREDATORS 4-3-0 KAOBON 5-1-0

Richie Downes stuck Dan James up against the fence and let him have it. In the clinch, he switched between elbows and knees to bust up his game opponent. After a couple of restarts, James had flashes of hope, but Downes was simply too good on the night. Swansea mauled on Merseyside- it’s a headline you’re probably going to hear a couple of times this coming football season. Dan James; corner pulled their man out at the end of the second to save him from taking further punishment. A good performance from all concerned. Bravery beyond the call of duty from James and pure class from Downes.

Interval

Atmosphere warming up nicely. The pick of the main card is the ARTEM LOBOV VS UCHE IHIEKWE clash. Uche was everyone’s top prospect till he came unstuck last time out. He needs a convincing performance to regain his momentum. Opposing him is the Dublin based Lithuanian who pulled off the UK MMA shock of the decade when he beat Dave Hill at Cage Warriors the other week, With his Naseem Hamed affectations on the feet and a functional ground game- he is not the ideal fight for a youngster with any self doubt. Uche to win, but it’s not a formality.

21.42- We’re back on.

9. MW AURILIUS KERPE VS JOHN GILLIES
ANTANAS GYM 9-13-0 L4 FIGHTCLUB 0-2-0

As you’d expect, both wanted to make this a pure kickboxing bout. Kerpe held centre cage and pushed the pace, but Gillies gave as good as he got and dropped the Lithuuanian with a right hand. The fight was called on a Doctor’s stoppage at the end of the first. In an early exchange, Gillies had sustained foot damage and was unable to go on.

10. FW BRETT HEALY VS DANNY SWEENEY
COVENTRY M.M.A.F.I.A 0-0-0 NEXT GENERATION 2-0-0

Danny Sweeney intertwined his legs behind Brett Healy’s neck and went for a triangle. Over the next few minutes, he struggled to finish his man, supplementing his sub attempt with some nasty elbows. Eventually, enough was enough and the Next Generation fighter secured the sub win.

7. WW ARUNAS KLIMAVICIUS VS NEIL DUTSON
ANTANAS GYM 1-5-0 BLACKLEDGE MMA 0-1-0

Takedown – pass to mount- bash – Armbar- Dutson wins.

11. FW RYAN PHELPS VS SHAY WALSH
TILLERY COMBAT 5-1-0 LANCASTER AND MORCAMBE MMA 6-0-0

Shay Walsh’s level of opposition gets stiffer, but the results remain the same. The unbeaten Lancaster fighter out muscled Phelps early on. Once he was on the hook there was no way out. The end came as Walsh battered his man from back mount. Phelps could do nothing but cover up as body shots followed barrages of punches to either side of the head. Another impressive turn to take him to 7-0 as a pro.

12. LW LOUIS CHAPMAN VS LAWRENCE FITZPATRICK
FIGHT MINISTRY HULL 3-0-0 KAOBON 1-0-0

Louis Chapman impressed early- then he found himself planted in the Kaobon corner.The crowd chanted LOZZA, Terry Etim directed and Fitzpatrick obeyed- unleashing heavy elbows to order. A cut opened, claret flowed freely and the fight was stopped.

13. LHW ROLANDOS CIZUASKAS VS TONY MORAN
ANTANAS GYM 2-2-0 WOLFSLAIR 5-3-0

Tony Moran was poked in the eye- and he was far from happy. After instigating his own time out- he let everyone know that his opponent was going to pay. After the reset- the former pro boxer dropped bombs and had the Lithuanian tapping like he was playing the tom toms. Referee Goddard had to drag the furious Moran off or he’d still be thumping Cizuskas now.

14. LW ARTEM LOBOV VS UCHE IHIEKWE
S.B.G DUBLIN 1-1-0 KAOBON 3-1-0

Artem Lobov is the prospect killer. With his bizarre mix of Wincobank boxing and aggressive jits- he Triangled the highly rated Kaobon fighter early in the third. Uche looked to have solved the puzzle in the first- slowing the unorthodox footwork with leg kicks. Lobov hung in there and went for takedowns- rather than being a sign of desperation- these were the key to his success. Ihiekwe looked uncomfortable on his back and Lobov clearly took the second round. When the end came in the third- Uche screamed with disappointment. Back to the drawing board for an undoubtedly talented fighter. As for Artem Lobov- anything can happen when this guy’s in town. 

15. MW JACK MARSHMAN VS LEE CHADWICK
TILLERY COMBAT 6-0-0 HUYTON MMA 10-8-1

Jack Marshman kept calm in a tight spot- that spot being on the canvas underneath legendary Scouse hardman Lee Chadwick. Marshman executed a picture perfect sweep and started to give ‘The Butcher’ some of his own medicine. With nothing coming back- the ref was forced to wave it off. Marshman remains unbeaten and, on this form, a threat to anyone in the UK Middleweight division.

16. LW DANNY WELSH VS CHRIS FISHGOLD
DS PROMOTIONS 2-5-0 NEXT GENERATION 4-0-0

A by the numbers win for Fishgold. As soon as the pair hit the deck it was over. The pass to mount and punches were all leading to the obvious conclusion. Welsh rolled and the Rear Naked Choke followed.

17. WW ALI ARISH VS WAYNE MURRIE
STOCKPORT MMA 11-1-0 KAOBON 12-3-0

Ali Arish stunned the Olympia with a second round one punch KO of Wayne Murrie. Arish had relied on his wrestling- scoring multiple takedowns but never achieving anything further. Murrie wanted to drag him into a fire fight. He finally got his way. Be careful what you wish for. They traded punches. Ali landed a right hand on the button and Murrie was out before he hit the ground. A massive bounceback win for Arish after his recent showing on Cage Warriors.

For more OMMAC 10 coverage- go to:

OMMAC 10- The Fab Four

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While other young upstarts cry off with the cold, OMMAC forge ahead with another hard hitting card.

Up top are two good looking title bouts. Martin Thompson and Neil Wain face off for the British Heavyweight strap. A couple of years ago, Martin Thompson was the consensus UK #1 after consecutive first round wins over Tom Blackledge, Tengiz and Colin Robinson. Followed everywhere by a crew of noisy Cumbrians, ‘The Ox’ was highly touted, but things haven’t quite worked out. His sole outing in the last two years saw him literally lifted of his feet by a single shot from Neil Grove at Ultimate Challenge.

Old Skool Wain made it all the way to the big show after a string of brutal KO wins. After a 90 second pounding at the hands of Shane Carwin at UFC 89, he was cut loose and has since plied his trade in venues ranging from Abu Dhabi to Rotherham.

Both men built their early success on having heavy hands and there could be fireworks. It remains to be seen how the Grove KO has affected Thompson’s confidence. In the past, the takedown followed by ground and pound has been his back up plan and he may decide this is the best policy against a known slugger like Wain. However, the new, improved Neil Wain has more to his game these days and recent outings have shown he is capable of going the distance. The winner of this well balanced contest will have a claim to be the best unsigned UK heavy (although both should be at 205 really).

With the UFC shopping for little British guys to staff their new weight classes, James Doolan and Vaughn Harvey will be hoping to impress. The fight was originally scheduled for early snow casualty Kudegra and Doolan must start as clear favourite as he returns to his happy hunting ground. His last trip to Liverpool saw him TKO the legend that is Leigh Remedios and previously he put in bravura performance before submitting James McGuinness on the final Cage Gladiators show. Between those fights, he dropped a decision to Greg Knapp, showed off some of his killer stand up to beat Hugo Leonardo and fell victim to the sub of the year against Artemij Sitenkovat Bushido Challenge (another show that suffered from terminal frostbite).

Vaughn Harvey snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when he took on Ash Grimshaw for the vacant Cage Gladiators Featherweight belt last year. Now operating at the Bantam, he is sure to be a force to be reckoned with. As well as owning some of the smartest tatts in the biz, the Dragon Boy has class and has only slipped up against the very best. Doolan will need to be on his game to get by Vaughn.

The Olympia has produced a wealth of talent for the big shows and there are plenty of highly tipped lads down the card.                    It should be another cracker.

Further info tickets etc go to: OMMAC website

FULL CARD

BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

Martin Thompson (champ) v Neil Wain

BRITISH BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE

James Doolan (champ) v Vaughn Harvey

lhw Mick Solomons v Fraser Opie

mw John Gillies v Aurijius Kerpe

ww Mike Hughes v Daniel Park

bw Dean Garnett v Nathan Thompson

ww Ste Hodgeson v Steve Behan

lw Uche Ihiekwe v Keiron Malone

lw Danny Sweeney v Dave Straughton

lw Greg Severs v Tim Close

ww Danny Roberts v tbc

bw Pietro Menga v Keith Coady

hw Adam Parkes v Deivydas Banaitais

mw Lee Chadwick v Cathal Pendred

For a full report, visit the main site after the event.

www.hurtbusiness.com

and then

and then

and then

Watson v Reid was a truly epic event; a landmark in UK MMA history. That and the rest of the BAMMA 4 card will be shown on BRAVO on Friday October 1st.

Catch Gunnar Nelson’s latest step on the road to world domination. The grappling prodigy is the biggest thing to come out of Iceland since the ash cloud.

Be amazed at the power of John Philips, a likely future opponent for Watson or Reid.

Enjoy a couple of mini classics as Harvey Harra returns to the cage against David Round and the highly tipped Tim Newman takes on the tough as old boots AJ Wenn.

Throw in hip young gunslinger Tom Breese and the explosive KO finish to the Elsdon / Leary fight and you’ve got yourself a show.

You’ve enjoyed the atmosphere of big arena MMA, you’ve read the hurtbusiness report, now catch the movie.

BAMMA 4 on Bravo- worth staying in for (Unless you are within travelling distance of Cage Warriors: Young Guns at the Forum )

Tom Watson and Alex Reid put on one of the most exciting fights in UK MMA history. For five rounds, the pair showed guts and determination beyond the call of duty as they slugged it out. This was more than a fight; it was an event. The crowd went nuts from beginning to end, feeding off the action to produce a truly special atmosphere. Tom deservedly took a unanimous decision, but the big winner was his opponent. Alex Reid had been written off by many (including the hurtbusiness) as a man whose best days were behind him. Alex showed true warrior spirit, never taking a backward step. After being booed on the way in, the crowd gave him a huge ovation after the fight. He made a lot of new fans and changed the minds of those of us who had lost faith.

A killjoy could point out a number of technical flaws in both fighters, but that would be petty. Reid v Watson was the best possible advert for UK MMA. Both of them will be forever associated with this fight and they should be proud. It was an honour to be there. 

John Phillips will be gunning for a shot at the Middleweight title after his TKO win over James Zikic. The Welshman marched forward, unloading bombs from the start. The relentless pressure was too much and the ref waved it off after a minute and a half of the opening round.

Gunnar Nelson is the going to be a world superstar. Once he managed to get Eugene Fadiora to the canvas, the was an air of inevitablity about what followed. The finish came when Nelson caught Fadiora in a body triangle then applied a rear naked choke. Showing unbelievable resilience, Eugene managed to struggle to his feet with the Icelander on his back- but the game was up. The tap gave Nelson his second first round sub win in a row over a top UK prospect. He’s going to be bigger than Bjork.

Simeon Thoresen finished Marco Santi with a rear naked choke after four minutes spent mainly in a standing clinch.

AJ Wenn got back to winning ways with a tidy win over Tim Newman. Newman had the better of the first, testing Wenn’s chin with a hard left hand on the feet and working from side control on the deck. The tide turned in the second.  AJ followed Tim to the ground and snared him in a triangle choke.

Stuart Davies beat Scott Jansen by way of armbar in the first round.

Harvey Harra returned to action in a mini classic against David Round. The opening stanza was pure entertainment. Harra went close with a couple of submission attempts but was Round freed himself each time by slamming his man down on the canvas. The exertions of the first had clearly taken their toll, as both men looked sluggish at the start of the second. The fight soon hit the mat and Harvey slapped on a guillotine that earned an instant tap.

Sam Elsdon went for glory, throwing a big overhand right. It missed and Charlie Leary replied with a fearsome uppercut – right on the button.  Elsdon went down, turtled up and the ref dived in to halt the ground and pound.

Shah Hussain rolled to escape the barrage of elbows. Tom Breese seized the opportunity and scored with a rear naked choke.

Robert Devanne caught Colin Lewis in a standing guillotine to take the opening bout of the night.
 

Ring Walk Tune of the Night

Forget the hoops and theatricals, it has to be: Simeon ‘The Grin’ Thoresen

Best Celebrity Crowd Member

Steve ‘Big Daddy’ Bunce

Best Pundit

Katie Price for her restrained pre-fight comments about both Tom and Alex being champions for stepping into the cage.

Fight of the Night

The main event was Fight of the Year material.

Man of the Night

He took the disparaging comments in the run up to the fight, fashioned them into a solid phallus, lifted his skirt, strapped it on, bent us critics over and mercilessly rammed the point home for 25 thrilling minutes.

The Reidernator is back baby.

www.hurtbusiness.com

Alex Reid v Tom Watson is the most hyped fight in UK MMA history. You already know about the insults, the Keysi, the bananas and all the tabloid nonsense – so hurtbusiness will just concentrate on the fight.

 Disraeli said: “there are lies, damn lies and statistics”, but sometimes the numbers tell you all you need to know. Tom is ranked the European # 8 Middleweight in the respected Ground and Pound rankings and is generally considered the UK #2 behind Bisping.  In December 2008, Cage Gladiators ranked Alex Reid #20 in the UK.  Since then he has won a controversial decision in a UK 1 fight against Jack Mason and fought a close draw against the Big Brother snowman.

Alex Reid is a pioneer of the sport in this country and a nice guy.  Plenty of respected figures in the sport have been popping up to say that he shouldn’t be written off, but the stat’s tell another story. Alex has not won an MMA fight against someone with a winning record since 2002. He has not won any of his last seven MMA fights. For all the talk of his heart and warrior spirit, I cannot see a way for Alex to win this fight. If the very best Alex Reid turns up, the guy who slugged it out with Mark Weir way back when, Watson would still hold all the aces. On the feet, Tom has the reach to keep Alex at range and genuine single shot power. Watson has spent the last few years dividing his time between Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque and the Montreal gyms that turned GSP into the best wrestler in MMA. He has struggled at times in his last two fights, but they were against seasoned Americans with wrestling skills that are way beyond anything Alex has ever demonstrated. Watson’s gruelling battles with Taylor and Horwich showcased his submission defence and his supreme cardio- something that will surely be a factor if the fight goes beyond the first minute. Chuck in ring rust, the distractions of celebrity and the incredible pressure Alex must be under and there can only be one result. That is, unless something bizarre happens. Alex has a history of weird endings in his fights: the eye poke vs.’ Professor X, the Lee Murray confusion and the volcanic shin cut against Ninja Rua. Bearing this in mind the hurtbusiness prediction is Tom Watson, TKO Round One or some odd, anti climactic finish with Alex shrugging his shoulders and the arena booing.

The rest of the card features some of the best fights you’ll see in the UK this year. The Welterweight match between Eugene Fadiora and Gunnar Nelson jumps off the page. The commentary team at BAMMA 2 hailed Nelson as the second coming of Jesus Christ- and it looks like they may have been right. The Icelander has the grappling skills to be up there with Jacare, Toquinho and Demian Maia. Eugene is a red hot prospect; unbeaten with a good all round game. This year, the pair have both clocked up wins against ’The Cheesecake Assassin’ Danny Mitchell. Eugene stopped Danny in the third, Gunnar put on a brief jiu jitsu masterclass before finishing him with a rear naked choke in the first. On the feet, you would have to favour Eugene, although Gunnar trains with tough guy Arni Isaksson so he probably has a mean body shot in his locker.

Nelson’s fans have tremendous confidence in his ability. In the run up to their fight last month, Danny Mitchell was a slight favourite over Gunnar in the betting market.  Shortly before the fight, in a move that has already gone down in UK MMA legend, a mystery punter reportedly bet £20,000 pounds on Nelson to win. The book was closed and Gunnar did the biz. Fadiora has an underrated ground game, but very few people on the European scene would be able to live with Nelson on the floor. Gunnar Nelson by sub. He is all he’s cracked up to be. 

John Philips has dynamite in his hands and has been unstoppable at domestic level in recent times, but he may find James Zikic has a little too much for him. ‘The Messenger’ is unlikely to be intimidated by a big hitter, seeing as he has been the distance with the likes of Cyborg and Vitor Belfort. Zikic is a smart fighter who always seems to work out a way to get the win. His experience should see him through against Philips.

Rob Sinclair’s destruction of Daniel Weichel at the last BAMMA let a few more people in on the secret. Rob has been one of the most consistent performers on the UK scene over recent years and has to be fancied to defeat Jani Lax. Lax has fought on decent shows in Europe and Japan but will not be able to deal with Rob Sinclair’s relentless ground and pound. Along with champagne, there will be some mashed Swede at the after party.

STOP PRESS: LAX HAS PULLED OUT DUE TO TRAINING INJURY

The pick of the undercard is Tim Newman v AJ Wenn. ‘Super Human’ Newman has some of the smartest ground skills in the UK Lightweight division. Last time out, he decided to prove a point against Jason Ball. Ball is an accomplished boxer. Tim travelled to his Doncaster backyard and stood up with him. The resulting slugfest was one of the fights of the year. Newman went back to South Wales without his unbeaten record, but had made a statement. In his previous fight, he submitted current Ultimate Fighter cast member Aaron Wilkinson.  AJ has had less success against TUF guys. He lost out to Ross Pearson in the selection fight for season 9 and took Andre Winner’s best shots before dropping a decision to him at Cage Warriors in 2007. That fight showed off Wenn’s toughness. Only fighters with real quality get the best of him. A tough test for Tim Newman, but one I see him passing by way of submission.

As well as this lot you’ve got: submission prodigy Tom Breese, Norwegian glamour boy Simeon Thoresen and Scott Jansen ‘the David Beckham of UKMMA’.

Not to be missed.

Go to BAMMA.net for tickets

Main Event live on Bravo TV

 Full Card

Middleweight Championship: Alex Reid vs Tom Watson

Middleweight: John Philips Vs. James Zikic

Lightweight Championship: Rob Sinclair vs Jani Lax

Welterweight: Eugene Fadiora Vs. Gunnar Nelson

Welterweight: Simeon Thoresen vs Marco Santi

Lightweight: Tim Newman Vs. A J Wenn

Lightweight: Stuart Davies Vs. Scott Jansen

Lightweight: Harvey Harra Vs. David Round

Welterweight: Charlie Leary Vs. Sam Eldson

Welterweight: Tom Breese Vs. Shah Hussain

Middleweight: Robert Devanne Vs. Colin Lewis

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