Issue 033
January 2008
Total Combat 22
November 24, 2007. Rainton Meadows Arena, Houghton Le Spring. Photos by Ian Malone.
Total Combat is always a great event and seems to grow in popularity each time. A staple on the North East of England MMA scene, their latest event featured a great card with fighters from all over the UK.
The main event was the battle of the Colins. ‘Big’ Colin Robinson was to face local favourite Colin Sexton in what turned out to be a proper battle. Both took turns in taking control of the fight, although Sexton looked to be a little more comfortable in controlling the ring. They clinched and then the war of uppercuts and body shots began. It was just a matter of who could knock the other out first. Sexton threw some huge uppercuts that lifted Robinson off the ground, but the Ulsterman hung in there and was able to finish off the fight with two great uppercuts.
The card had some great fights but most notably the fighter of the night award went to Jack Sexton. He dominated the ring and showed some great skill on his feet and on the ground in his fight Jordan Smith. Definitely one to watch out for in the future, this youngster is probably one of the most talented up-and-coming fighters in the North East.
Semi pro
Donnie Miller def Adam Steele via Submission (Triangle) 2.29 Rd1
Danny Donnelly def Joe Sexton, Decision
Josh Desbrough def Adil Malik via Submission (Rear naked choke) 4.57 Rd1
David Galbraith def Dave Jenkins via
Split Decision
Anth Grecian def Kieron Keigher via Submission (Armbar) 0.45 Rd1
Curtis Low def Leon Sexton via Submission (Armbar) 4.31 Rd2
Ben Ashman def Scott Merrington via Submission (Armbar) 4.59 Rd1
Krissy Alexander def Jordan May via Submission (Guillotine) 4.41 Rd1
Jack Sexton def Jordan Smith via Submission (Armbar) 3.12 Rd1
Nick Osipozak def Colin Fletcher via Submission (Rear naked choke) 1.49 Rd2
Pro fights
Mark Conner def Brian Blewitt via Submission (Rear naked choke) 2.33 Rd2
Sergej Siaucila def Dave Daubney via KO 2.09 Rd1
Jamie Mckenzie def Steve Warris via TKO (Corner Stoppage) 5.00 Rd1
Ross Pearson def Gavin Bradley via KO 2.05 Rd1
Colin Robinson def Colin Sexton via KO 2.55 Rd1
FX3 Fight Night 6
November 24, 2007, Rivermead Centre, Reading. Report & photos by Hywel Teague
Rising lightweight Andre Winner showed poise and class in taking a tough three round decision over capable German veteran Mario Stapel. Winner, a member of the noted Team Rough House in Nottingham, worked a methodical and precise gameplan and soundly beat Stapel in every range, opening a big cut over the right eye with his impressive dirty boxing. Though much of the fight was spent in the clinch, most impressive was Winner’s hand speed – the 26 year old fighter’s jabs and straight rights are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fast. He needs to start racking up some stoppages if he wants to capture the attention of the match makers of major promotions.
‘Big’ Brian Adams pounded out German challenger Sebastian Baron with some vicious hammerfists after an energetic first round took a toll on the foreigner’s cardio. With superior conditioning and a stronger all-round game, the modest Adams did well to avoid the tricky German’s ground game and impose his will. Though he won by stoppage, he felt his performance was so sub-par he actually said he thought the other fighter deserved the win!
Pancrase London, home to UFC fighter Jess Liaudin, had a good showing with Ash Grimshaw KO’ing Billy Harris with a guided missile-like right cross, and first-timer Guy Hennequin stopped Damon Wright with strikes in the first round. In other action German Top Team head honcho Peter Angerer easily submitted an out-of-his-depth Nigel Whitear with an armbar, Fighters Only contributor David Swann slammed and pounded his way out of Jay Gilbey’s armbar.
Full Results:
Guy Hennequin def Damon Wright via TKO 3:45 Rd1
Steve Baggaley def Dion Oakes via Submission (Guillotine) 1:05 Rd1
Gregg Knapp def Simon Gill via Unanimous Decision
Lloyd Clarkson def Adam Greener via TKO (GnP) 3:55 Rd1
Tim Radcliffe def Lee Ambrose via Submission (Triangle choke) 3:21 Rd1
Ashley Grimshaw def Billy Harris via KO 0:46 Rd1
David Swann def Jay Gilbey via TKO (GnP) 2:25 Rd1
Glen Johnson def Kev Simms via TKO (GnP) Rd1
Pete Angerer def Nigel Whitear via Submission (Armbar) 1:11 Rd1
Brian Adams def Sebastian Baron via TKO (GnP) Rd2
Andre Winner def Mario Stapel via Unanimous Decision
Strike and Submit
Oct 28th 2007, Federation Brewery, Gateshead, Report & photos by Hywel Teague
Moving up in weight class can be a dangerous gamble for some but local favourite Peter Irving pulled it off in style to capture growing promotion Strike and Submit’s welterweight title. Though he has flitted between light and welterweight, the punching punk put Welshman Kevin Reed on the canvas and choked him to submission in less than two rounds. Originally slated to face the injured Lee Doski, the fight will take place in February, with Doski certainly keen to recapture the belt he relenquished prior to his pull-out. Whether Irving will stay at 77kgs is open to discussion, as he is usually content to switch depending on the fights available.
Durable Ulsterman Rodney Moore is as tough as they come, and he proved his mettle in a bruising middleweight encounter with Scandinavian fighter Matti Makela. The rangy Swede picked his shots well from the outside and used Thai-style knees to god effect, but the powerful Moore seemed to edge it in the clinch and roughed up his opponent with dirty boxing. On the mat the action was even, with Makela choosing his shots well at the end of the first, yet Moore looked immovable from top in the second and showed good control. The third round saw the two fatigued fighters test each others’ chins, with Makela landing flush yet unable to rock the hard-as-nails and constantly in-it Moore. A close decision could have gone either way but the foreigner nipped it. Moore admitted after he felt this to be the right decision, saying he struggled to find his rhythm in the contest.
Full Results:
Peter Irving def Kevin Reed via Submission (Rear naked choke) 2.30 Rd2
Matti Makela def Rodney Moore via Unanimous Decision
Semi-pro:
Martin Scrafton def Greg Letch via KO
0.08 Rd1
Chris Scott vs. Jamie Austin: Draw
Dave Jenkins def Greg Letch via Submission (Ankle lock) 2.42 Rd1
Rob Mills def Dan Kennedy via TKO
1.41 Rd1
Rob Davison def Chris Smith via Submission (Rear naked choke) 2.08 Rd1
Alex Makhonin def Phil Corr via KO
1.41 Rd1
Lucas Parobiec def Stuart Austin va TKO 2.30 Rd1
Caged Gladiators 5
November 4th, 2007, The Olympia, Liverpool, Report & photos by Jim Page
In what came as a horrific surprise for the packed house the towering Dutchman Stefan ‘Skyscraper’ Struve kept his composure off his back to submit local favourite Tom Blackledge after only two minutes of the first round.
The local fighter started brightly with a heavy right hand before scoring with a lightning-fast takedown. Unfazed, Struve immediately began working his guard before finally trapping his foe in a vice-like triangle to seal his first win on UK soil.
Fighting for the vacant Cage Gladiators welterweight title, Les ‘Hollywood’ Ojugbana squared off with one of the UK’s most prolific fighters, Paul ‘Hands of Stone’ Jenkins. Jenkins banged in some hard low kicks and a series of evil bodyshots in the clinch, but a pair of hard knees to the face from Ojugbana brought him back into the contest, with the result being declared a draw.
Gary Kelly demonstrated some fine counter-punching in his bout with the powerful and aggressive Shergul Mohamed. Mercilessly bashing Mohamed’s face with an array of punching combinations, Kelly held control of the bout from the start, heaping punishment onto Mohamed’s badly damaged left eye until his corner had no choice but to pull him out of the fight.
In a bitter Liverpool-versus-Machester encounter, Lee Chadwick and Chris Ram went to war wildly exchanging punches with neither fighter taking a backwards step. Ram also showed some enthusiastic ground and pound as the fight hit the deck; however, it was Chadwick who fared better on the ground, quickly taking his opponent’s back and sinking the rear naked choke.
Full Results:
Chris Payne vs. Richie Downes: NC
Mark Scanlon def Kevin Reid via Submission (Armbar) 3:22 Rd1
Greg Loughran def Daniel Thomas via Unanimous Decision
Lee Chadwick def Chris Ram via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:33 Rd1
Paul Sass def Steve Warris via Submission (Triangle Choke) 2:31 Rd1
Gary Kelly def Shergul Mohamed via TKO (Corner Stoppage) 5.00 Rd2
Kev Axworthy def Paul Tabern via KO (Knee) 0:13 Rd2
Paul Jenkins vs Leslee Ojugbana: Draw
Stefan Struve def Tom Blackledge via Submission (Triangle Choke) 2:14 Rd1
Doncaster Dome, 20th Oct 2007
Ultimate Force 7
Report by Byron Wicker. Photography by Nick Wildman - www.kophoto.co.uk
David Baron showed all his experience to take the honours in his clash with Abdul Mohamed. The two highly ranked lightweights soon ended up against the fence, with Abdul standing over the grounded Frenchman. Abdul piled on the pressure, but was unable to breach Baron’s defences. Baron, who has been in with the world’s best, kept his opponent at bay with strikes from his back. During one of these exchanges, a Baron elbow opened a cut over Abdul’s right eye. The position of the cut forced the doctor to call the fight off.
The rest of the night delivered the usual Ultimate Force mix of thrilling action in front of an appreciative and enthusiastic crowd. Mick Sinclair overcame Ian Jones in a war that went the distance. Sinclair showcased some impressive slams and strikes in the first two rounds. Despite taking some punishment, Jones was never overwhelmed and countered with energy sapping guillotine attempts. After a brutal clinch knee exchange at the start of the third, both fighters were running out of gas. With their hands dropping, the pair both tried to end the contest with spectacular head kicks. None connected and Sinclair deservedly got the nod from the judges.
Doncaster’s Jason Ball dropped Paul Jenkins with a sharp left hand before forcing the tap with a Rear Naked Choke. Another local favourite, Cliff Moore, submitted the very game debutant Lukasz Paropiec. With the pair on the canvas, Moore unleashed countless heavy right hands to Paropiec’s head before he applied the fight-winning choke.
Wayne Murray and Cliff Hall had a hugely entertaining scrap. In just over four hectic minutes, the pair went at it and between them tried every move in the book. The contest ended when Murray gained side control and bombed the resistance out of Hall before gaining the submission by way of rear naked choke.
Full Results:
David Baron def Abdul Mohamed via Doctor’s Stoppage 3:22 Rd1
Mick Sinclair def Ian Jones via Unanimous Decision
Jason Ball def Paul Jenkins via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 2:37 Rd1
Cliff Moore def Lukasz Paropiec via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:19 Rd1
Victor Anulek def Rob Owens via Submission (Guillotine) 2:21 Rd1
Chris Charlton def Gary Savage via TKO (Ground ‘n’ Pound) 0:41 Rd1
Michael Lamb def Scott Askerm via Submission (Guillotine) 3:54 Rd2
Robin Robson def Billy Saul via Submission (Armbar) 3:03 Rd1
Will Burke def Sebastian Grabarak via Submission (Armbar) 3:55 Rd1
Diane Berry def Lisa.Newton via Doctor’s Stoppage 0:52 Rd 1
