Fighters Only

Issue 013

May 2006

Octagon Centre, Sheffield, Feb 19th 2006

Report and photographs by Hywel Teague

The semi-professional ‘feeder’ event CageWarriors Quest is now one of the most popular events for aspiring fighters in the UK. Regularly hosting near-capacity or sell-out events, Quest is a hit with fan and fighters alike. Tickets and VIP tables sell out weeks and months in advance, and fighters clamour to get on the show, eager to prove their skills. As far as developing talent goes, the guys behind Quest are doing a good job. Now in its fifth instalment, Quest has seen a number of fighters rise in stature as they appear in successive events.

One such fighter is Nottingham’s Lee Livingstone. The grappling coach to welterweight stars Paul Daley and Dan Hardy, Livingstone may not be a spring chicken at 34, but he has legit skills and fights with maturity way beyond his MMA record (3-0-0 going into this contest).

His opponent, Paul Cooper of Wakefield, had only one fight under his belt (a decision win at Quest 4 in December 2005), but he too enjoys the benefit of quality training partners- in this case, the retired fighter Andy Cooper, his elder brother and veteran of many UK MMA promotions.

Heading the bill the two obviously wanted to make their mark on both the fans and potential talent scouts. Quest has the potential to spring-board a fighters career into the paid ranks, and a good performance can mean an invite to one of the many pro shows CageWarriors host. Opening with gusto, the two gave little quarter from the off. An evenly matched flurry of activity set the pace of the fight, with Livingstone scoring first with a big double leg takedown (earning some airmiles in the process).

Cooper popped up in no time, and it wasn’t long before he was trying a high amplitude takedown of his own. Grabbing a high crotch from the clinch, his effort was thwarted due to being too close to the fence. The two jostled for position in the clinch until a perfectly timed trip from Livingstone put him in mount. The Team Rough House fighter clung on as Cooper powered his way out, and worked for an armbar from the rear with his slick jiu-jitsu skills. Cooper postured and tried to shake Livingstone off, but found himself trapped in a triangle. He avoided tapping but succumbed to an armbar finish in just over two minutes. That they packed so much activity into such a short space of time gives an indication of how the two went at it.

In the other notable fight of the evening, Will Burke of Manchester showed both skill and tenacity in dispatching the extremely tough Gavin Egan, pounding his way to victory with a second round stoppage. Big and strong, Egan gave Burke much difficulty attacking with guillotines, but the Straight Blast Gym representative managed to control the fight with his superior wrestling ability.