BKFC 27 – Michael “Venom” Page makes his bare knuckle debut against Mike “Platinum” Perry

BKFC make their UK debut on Saturday, August 20th, as they take over London’s Wembley Arena with a massive headline bout, as local hero Michael “Venom” Page takes on former UFC fighter Mike “Platinum” Perry.

Bellator MMA has undoubtedly done BKFC a massive favour by lending “MVP” to BKFC for this event. The knockout artist has considerable drawing power and ticket selling ability, given his brash style and outgoing personality.

Not only this, but by lending Page to BKFC for their London event, they will have undoubtedly made things harder for PFL, as they head to London on Saturday too for their first card in the city, with fans now being forced to pick between the pair.

Style wise, little is known about what Page could bring to the ring on Saturday. The Londoner has never fought without gloves before but has previously boxed with a pro record of 2-0, both wins coming by knockout. “Venom” has also shown one punch knockout power inside the cage, luring opponents onto his sniper like a right cross, sending them to the mat, but MMA and bare knuckle boxing are two very different beasts.

Page will also have to contend with the brazen style of Perry, a fighter who only has forward gears and will try to take the bout into his wheelhouse, bringing Page into a brawl at every possible opportunity.

The American is no slouch, having won his last BKFC bout against Julian “Let Me Bang Bro” Lane (a former TUF contestant) and winning 11 of his 14 MMA bouts by KO.

This is the perfect fight to headline BKFC’s UK debut, a well known home town fighter against a well known American brawler, in what could potentially be a fantastic scrap.

On a slightly sour note, Paige Van Zant, who was scheduled to fight in Saturday’s co-main event, will no longer be on the card.

The former UFC fighter who has recently ventured into bare knuckle boxing and pro wrestling revealed that the decision not to fight wasn’t hers and that she was pulled from the fight with Charisa Sigala earlier this week for undisclosed reasons, stating she was disappointed to not be able to compete.

The rest of the BKFC card looks to have some fun fights, with notable names like Tyler Goodjohn, who made a name for himself in BKB with his aggressive style competing on the undercard, and former Cage Warriors lightweight champion and UFC fighter, Chris Fishgold, also making his first appearance for BKFC.

BKFC 27 can be watched via BKFC’s APP with a monthly subscription for $4.99, allowing fans to watch every fight the promotion puts on.

“I’m no stepping stone” – Bec Connolly

There is no doubt that at the minute, women’s boxing has taken off, long overdue in my book but then again, I guess women’s boxing is not for everyone; however, on 10 April 2021, that changed and for the better.

Rewind to 10 years ago, 27-year-old Bec Connolly walked into Paddy Fitzpatrick’s boxing gym in Swindon, Wiltshire, with no prior boxing experience and asked Paddy if he would train her. He did, however, he also took convincing that she was for real and would train hard, as hard as the men; Paddy never gave her any special treatment; in fact, he was harder on her than the men.

After completing her “apprenticeship” in the amateur ranks, Connolly turned pro in September 2017 and “Lady Luck” was born.

You could be forgiven for just looking at Boxrec and seeing the numbers in the Win, Loss and Draw columns, but then again, any pure boxing fan would delve a little deeper into who the opponents were.

Sharing the ring with the likes of Terri Harper, Rachel Ball and Tasha Jonas, to name just a few on Connolly’s resume, regardless of the result, shows just how determined she is to win a boxing title.

“Some may see me as a journeywoman, but that’s not the case. I find that rude. People only look at the record. They don’t look at the quality of the opponents. I am a contender. I’m also not anyone’s stepping stone.”

For the time being, Connolly is concentrating on campaigning for a fight for the vacant Commonwealth title (super bantamweight/featherweight/super featherweight), which the boxing fans also want to see.

“I’ve been asking for the Ebanie Bridges fight since last year, and that’s the fight I’d still like to have.
“It would be an interesting fight because I wouldn’t have to chase her all night as she comes straight forward like I do—a match made in heaven – in boxing terms. I mean, fans want to see an all-out war in the ring. Bridges bring that, and so do I.”

This brings me back full circle as if you didn’t know 10 April 2021 was the Courtenay vs Bridges fight, which got women’s boxing back on the map, front and centre.

Ken Shamrock launches new Bare-Knuckle Promotion – Valor with a four-person Grand Prix tournament.

Photo Credit: Tracy Lee

The sport of legalised Bare-Knuckle Boxing – British fighter Mark Godbeer is taking part Saturday, 21st, September 2019 live on FITE TV in the UK and PPV in North America.

Born and raised in Bridgwater, Somerset in England, 35-year-old Mark Godbeer had always felt that his ‘hands’ could do the talking – not in the way you’re thinking, but as in a career in combat sports.

Back in 2009, Mark embarked on that career in mixed martial arts.

His first competitive mixed martial arts fight was on a local show in Bath where not only was he the headlined event he won the contest in 2 minutes via TKO.

A year after that fight, Mark got the buzz and had a second fight in which he won again via TKO.

With another four fights that year, Mark won two contests via TKO and two via submission. The two fights Mark had in 2011 were a mixture where he won one via TKO and lost to a TKO himself, his first loss as a pro.

Having had been signed to now-defunct promotion BAMMA, Mark had more than his fair share of success winning all four of those contests and even winning the prestigious BAMMA World Title Belt.

After his success with BAMMA, Mark got called up to the UFC in 2016, which was an achievement and all hard work had paid off.

It was in the UFC (2017) that Mark had never gone the full three rounds and it was left in the judge’s hand to score the fight – they scored it in favour of Mark winning via unanimous decision.

After amassing a record of 13 wins (9 of those coming by way of TKO) and four losses, Mark decided to hang up his 4oz gloves. However, that retirement was short-lived as Mark signed to ACA – Absolute Championship Akhat (formerly known as ACB – Absolute Championship Berkut), which has also given himself another new goal to reach.

“My MMA contract with ACA is still active, and I can talk to my management (Duello Sports Management) they respect what I have to say “ stated Mark “They’ve been really good to me as they knew at that in my point in my career that I wanted to get as many fights in as possible and explore different adventures”

March 20^th, 2019 will always be a date that Mark fondly recalls, as he was asked by the British Bare Knuckle Company who had been trying to contact him to fight one of their best guys at BKB16 at The O2 in London, which was also his BKB official debut event.

Mark won that contest against Mickey Parker who was 4-1 in BKB at the time and won the British Title, after that the offers came flooded in.

BKFC David Feldman who held the first legal promotion with it being sanctioned and commissioned since 1889 in June 2018 in Cheyenne, Wyoming had so many offers from people that he was inundated with prospects “someone reached out to me to fight in the heavyweight tournament that Valor was running” said Mark “They told me who was competing, and I was like they are all veterans of the sport, and I’m at the point of my career that I’m also a veteran, so yeah I said f**k let’s do this”.

“It has given me back the fire in my belly. I love to box, and I love the rawness of BKB and the bare-knuckle.”

There is a total miss conception of Bare Knuckle Boxing, and that is where the hands of the fighters get wrapped all around the knuckles, which defeats the object of ‘Bare Knuckle Boxing’, some promotions still use this route; however Mark is keen to put us straight “They are completely bare, the only thing we have wrapped is our wrists so we can punch harder and then say an inch to two inches to your knuckles so that they are complete bare.

“The British version and Valor do not cover knuckles anymore.”

Having decided to have his training camp out in Thailand at Phuket Top Team with Boyd Clarke, for the last five weeks was mainly due to ‘boxing politics’ back in the UK with his very good friend Marley Swindells, Mark felt right at home with Phuket Top Team “I felt that I fitted in straight away with them, having no egos, and I knew most of them from being on the circuit anyway – it was a no brainer.” He said.

“I’ve been out here for five weeks with Marley training my a** off, and now we are here we are all ready to go.”

The event will be the first inaugural promotion promoted by UFC Hall of Famer, four-time Heavyweight World Champion and WWE Legend Ken Shamrock.

“With the four-match tournament it is the first of many I believe on Ken Shamrocks Valor Bare Knuckle show, having selected four big heavyweights, we are all just going to battle it out for two fights all in one night.” Stated Mark “We will have our first fight, then, later on, we find out who we will be matched with for our 2^nd fight and see who will become the First Heavyweight Valor Bare Knuckle Champion.”

With Bare Knuckle Boxing taking off all over the world for the past year, or so fans want to see two people go tow to tow in the middle of the ring, once the beer starts flowing, people do like to see a good old fashioned fistfight. Also, mutual respect is shown to each other after they have ‘beaten’ the ‘s**’t’ out of the other fighter after their contest regardless of the result. Two guys/girls have had the b*lls to step into the ring regardless and give their all to their opponent and the fans for a fight they will enjoy.

Lastly, I would like to thank Marley Swindells for helping me get ready for this incredible journey, Phuket Top Team for welcoming me, Booster Fight gear as my sponsor and my management team Duello Sports Management.

“When I win Cage Warriors gold the UFC have got to see that my age is not a factor” – Scott Clist

This interview was conducted back in June 2016 and featured in the July/August issue of MMA Uncaged Magazine.

“Age is just a number. I will be in the UFC by the end of the year”

London, 2002 and the UFC held its first event outside of the United States for UFC 38. ‘Brawl at the Hall’ was held inside the iconic Royal Albert Hall. Headlined by UFC Hall of Fame veteran Matt Hughes and Carlos Newton. Also on the main card was a 36-year-old Ian Freeman who faced and beat a 23-year-old Frank Mir by TKO, proving that ‘age is just a number’.

Fast forward to April 15, 2016, when European Promotion Cage Warriors returned home to London and held its 75^th event. Making his debut for the promotion was 38-year-old Scott ‘The Priest’ Clist facing 25-year-old Brad ‘The Crazy Kid’ Wheeler. Clist was the heavy underdog and after weathering an early storm where it looked like Wheeler was going to submit him in the opening minutes, Clist gained control of the fight (with 30 seconds to go) landing a head kick followed by a right hook which knocked Wheeler to the canvas against the cage and began to unleash a barrage of punches (16) only for the klaxon to sound the end of the round.

It was in-between rounds that Wheeler’s corner retired him from the fight as he had taken too much damage, declaring Clist victorious by way of TKO at the end of round one. Proving yet again ‘age is just a number’.

“Age is just a number. I will be in the UFC by the end of the year”

Born and raised in Bridgwater, Somerset but now residing in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, the nightclub manager first started out in the world of Martial Arts at the tender age of 5.

“My dad would get me and my brother to throw punches and box train with him. He would show us how to twist our hips with the punches and lead with a jab” Clist recalls of his fond childhood memories. After briefly flirting with Karate, Clist settled on Kickboxing where he would start his Martial Arts career and held British titles in kickboxing and full contact Tae kwon do.

Clist was first introduced to Mixed Martial Arts by a colleague whilst he was working in Swindon as a barman at the age of 19. A doorman he knew lent him 3 video’s called “UFC” and after watching them decided he wanted to give MMA a try.

“After watching the ‘UFC’ video’s I attended my first MMA class which was also run by the same doorman who gave me the video’s. ‘Oz’, Michael Osbourne at ‘SVT’ Swindon Vale Tudo. Although I really enjoyed the class due to my working schedule at the time I couldn’t commit to it.”

After spending some time training in different Martial Arts and balancing a full time job, Clist found classes run by Tony Childs who was teaching San Shou, JKD, Combat Submission Wrestling and Escrima to add to his Kickboxing and Tae kwon do background.

Finally, after experiencing success in teaching kickboxing, Clist decided it was time to open up his own gym. In March 2008 The Revolution Gym in Trowbridge was born, all the while still competing as an amateur mixed martial artist himself from 2006 – 2009. In 2010 Clist turned pro finishing his first five opponents within two rounds. Although picking up his first pro MMA loss in 2013 to Dan Rushworth, that fight earned him fight of the night honours. Winning his next fight Clist then entered an 8-man tournament.

“I had no emotion in the lead up to the event and was spending a large amount of time teaching instead of focusing on my own training. Ali Maclean tapped my out with a north and south choke 4:34 seconds into the first round. It was the only time I had been stopped as a pro fighter. I was gutted.”

“It was after this fight that I realised I needed to focus on my own training so I shut down my gym and moved over to Dragonslair MMA in Melksham home to UFC athlete Bradley Scott.”

Scott 1 — Photo Credit Adrenalin Fight Night

Now [10-2] as a pro and with the help and guidance of Head Coach Stu Pike at Dragonslair MMA, Clist is currently on a three fight win streak after winning his last fight against Brad Wheeler at Cage Warriors 75 where he was very much the underdog on that card.

“I kept the fight standing for a while and me and Brad traded some shots until I threw a kick and he caught it. Brad got the takedown but I managed to get back to my feet only for brad to get a deep double leg and take me down again, his ju jitsu is sleek and he managed to get my back and sink in the body lock quickly. I went into autopilot and 2 on 1 defence. I had done this so many times in the gym that I was never really worried about getting tapped, I just had to get the lock off. I tried putting pressure on Brad’s ankle but that didn’t work so I had to defend and try to turn into him but like I said Brad’s BJJ is something else and trying to get someone as good as he is off you is not the easiest thing.

“After a few mins spent on the defensive I felt the lock loosen so I stepped over his leg to avoid him getting it locked back in, I turned quickly and we got back to our feet.

“I threw a good uppercut to the body and Brad backed off. I saw my opportunity and threw the head kick followed by the right hook.

I saw brad fall and started throwing down some serious ground and pound. I could hear his corner shouting “10 seconds, hold on Brad”. I kept throwing punches thinking the ref has got to stop it but he didn’t and the buzzer sounded for the end of the round. Brad’s corner retired him in between rounds which gave me a TKO win coming at 5 mins of round one.”

The fight Clist had with Wheeler was originally scheduled for a lightweight bout but got changed to a catch weight bout a few days before. So will we be seeing Clist again in the lightweight division?

“I would like to fight against top 10 opponents. A fight with Chris Fishgold would be interesting and a fight against Andre Ward would make for a great fight. I aim to Keep growing as a fighter and I am in the right place and working with the right people to do that and keep winning. I want to be a successful UFC fighter. I don’t just want to make it into the UFC, I will make it into the UFC and get some good wins.”

With a nickname ‘The Priest’ I did however wonder how it came about.

“My first sponsor gave me that name. I told him he could pick my ring name. He had just watched The Davinci Code on dvd and decided I looked like the psycho killer from the film (blonde hair, white skin) so he said it was great to call me The Priest. I kept it because it caught on after my first fight.”

As with any interview, I ask if Scott has anyone he would like to thank.

“Firstly, my wife and daughter as they put up with me missing time spent with them, being tired from training and weight cutting etc. I would like to thank my coaches Stu Pike, Bradley Scott for making me a better fighter. My boxing and s+c coaches Mark Kent and Smudger at contender gym. My teammates who let me learn and let me be part of their learning. Stu Mourant for making a massive difference and opening doors. My sponsors for helping me with fuelling my body, BadBoy Supplements (kalv Singh) and financially Nacho Cheese, Richard Henley (Heating and plumbing), Darryl Moore (Carpentry) and a massive thank you goes out to all my friends and supporters”.

You can follow Scott Clist’s journey on the following media sites.

https://www.facebook.com/scott.clist

Twitter

@scottThePriestclist

By Emma Bramford

Conor McGregor: The story so far…

On Saturday, August 20, UFC^® featherweight champion “The Notorious” Conor McGregor will headline what is set to be one of the biggest events in UFC history, as he meets Nate Diaz in a five-round welterweight rematch inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ahead of UFC 202^®: DIAZ vs. McGREGOR 2, we look back at McGregor’s career so far and re-live some of the Irishman’s most memorable moments.

The early days

McGregor began boxing at the age of 12. Training at Crumlin Boxing Gym, he won a variety of amateur boxing titles. At the age of 18, McGregor’s long-time friend, Tom Egan – the first Irish athlete ever to sign with UFC – brought McGregor along to a mixed martial arts class at Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in Dublin. It didn’t take long for SBG owner and head coach, John Kavanagh, to recognise the stopping power that the young Dubliner boasted.

The amateur scene

February 2007 saw McGregor contest his first amateur MMA bout. Finishing his opponent Ciaran Campbell with a striking showcase in the first round, McGregor’s spirited celebration post-fight pointed to the showman he would later go on to become.

Notorious rising

McGregor quickly earned a name for himself as a knockout artist on the professional scene. In March 2008 he made his professional MMA debut in the Cage of Truth organisation. He faced fellow Irishman Gary Morris, who succumbed to strikes from McGregor in the second round.

The Point Depot

McGregor’s second pro bout in May 2008 lasted just one round, as he defeated Mo Taylor via TKO at Cage Rage: Contenders – Ireland vs. Belgium. This would be McGregor’s first outing in The Point Depot (now the 3Arena) in Dublin, which would go on to host all three of UFC’s trips to the Irish capital.

A stumbling block

In June 2008, a loss to Lithuanian Artemj Sitenkov proved to be a serious stumbling block for McGregor. Although he later bounced back with a win over Stephen Bailey six months later, the young Dubliner drifted away from the sport. In response, McGregor’s mother, Mags, took it upon herself to call John Kavanagh to seek his help in encouraging her son to return to the gym. Kavanagh later visited McGregor in his Lucan home and encouraged him to commit to his fighting career.

A new found dedication

In November 2010, and with another win under his belt, McGregor moved up to lightweight to take on fellow surging Irish prospect Joe Duffy. When McGregor was submitted in little more than 30 seconds, many feared that the defeat would trigger another exodus from the sport. But, on the Monday after the loss, McGregor was back in the gym with a new found dedication to training.

A winning streak

The loss to Duffy would trigger a phenomenal 15-fight win streak for McGregor. After defeating Hugh Brady in one round in February 2011, McGregor’s outings against Mike Wood and Paddy Doherty lasted a combined 20 seconds, as he scored two devastatingly fast knockouts.

A warrior in the cage

In June 2011, a second round win over Artur Sowinski saw McGregor signed by the European promotion Cage Warriors, a key moment in the young fighter’s career. He quickly proved to be a stellar addition to the roster.

Falling to featherweight

After a lightweight bout with Aaron Jahnsen was stopped inside one round in September 2011, McGregor announced his intentions for the featherweight division. McGregor elbowed his way to another first-round victory over Steven O’Keefe, which positioned him perfectly for a title shot.

Tears and a title shot

Jiu-jitsu ace Dave Hill was McGregor’s opponent for the vacant Cage Warriors title bout in June 2012. The event took place in The Helix, a venue located inside Dublin City University Campus. The intensity that McGregor displayed at the event’s weigh-in had such an impact on his English opponent that fans claimed Hill began to cry after going nose to nose with ‘The Notorious’.

The lightweight title

McGregor’s popularity spread to new heights following his win over Hill. Cage Warriors wasted no time in booking a New Year’s Eve show, where ‘The Notorious’ was initially slated to defend his title against American Jim Alers. He instead went on to face Ivan Buchinger for the lightweight title on December 31^st, 2012. A crisp left hook ended the show in the first round and sent McGregor’s star on the ascent.

The hype train

When UFC President Dana White visited Trinity College in Dublin to be presented with a gold medal for Honorary Patronage by the Philosophical Society in February 2013, he was inundated with requests from fans for him to sign a young fighter named Conor McGregor.

The world stage

It was revealed that McGregor would face The Ultimate Fighter alumnus Marcus Brimage in his UFC debut on April 6, 2013, in Stockholm, Sweden. A stunning left uppercut separated Brimage from his senses and, with that, a star was born. McGregor’s now infamous call for a bonus after the fight, “Hey Dana, 50 G’s baby!” – endeared him to the sport’s international fan base.

Sitting on the sidelines

In August 2013 McGregor suffered an injury to his knee midway through his bout with young featherweight Max Holloway. Holloway became the only man to last the distance with McGregor. Post-fight, a scan revealed that McGregor had suffered a torn ACL, which would mean eleven months before he could take to the Octagon once again.

A night to remember

UFC’s return to Dublin in July 2014 coincided with McGregor’s return to action, and his first main event slot. McGregor’s first-round KO of Brazil’s Diego Brandao finished a perfect 6-0 night for the Irish contingent, at an event which broke viewing records for UFC’s streaming platform, UFC FIGHT PASS.

The toughest of tests

Having been sidelined for almost a year, McGregor went on to face two of his toughest tests to date in Dustin Poirier and Dennis Siver. A first round TKO over Poirier in September 2014 was followed by a second round TKO win over Germany’s Siver in January 2015, as Boston turned green for McGregor’s second trip to the TD Garden. A sold-out crowd erupted with the win, and McGregor made a beeline for champion Jose Aldo, who sat Octagonside.

The World Tour

In March 2015, McGregor joined Aldo for UFC’s very first world press tour. The tour spanned eight cities in five countries, over the course of 12 days in order to promote UFC 189: Aldo vs. McGregor. But, just 12 days out from the event, Aldo was forced to withdraw from the fight citing a rib injury, and McGregor instead went on to defeat late replacement Chad Mendes to secure the interim UFC featherweight title.

Unification

On December 12^th, 2015, McGregor ended the 10-year undefeated reign of champion Jose Aldo within just 13 seconds. UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor broke UFC gate and attendance records at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. McGregor, meanwhile, underlined his status as one of the biggest draws in the history of UFC.

155lbs

McGregor immediately announced his intention to move up to lightweight. But when an injury ruled out a scheduled bout with lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos in February 2016, a polarizing opponent stepped up to the mark.

A whole different ball game

In the absence of his usual relentless weight cut, McGregor was jovial and energized throughout the week leading up to UFC 196, as he prepared to meet Nate Diaz at welterweight. On March 5^th, 2016, the pair faced off in one of the most highly anticipated match-ups in UFC history. Caught on the end of a jab-cross combination by Diaz, McGregor looked for the takedown and was pounced on by the jiu-jitsu black belt. A rear-naked choke from Diaz followed to bring McGregor’s 15-fight win streak to an end.

Losing the battle, winning the war?

On August 20, 2016, Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz will meet once again, as McGregor vows to return to greatness and prove to the world that he is, indeed, the greatest of all time.

Watch UFC 202^®: DIAZ vs. McGREGOR 2 live on BT Sport from 1am BST on the morning of Sunday, August 21^st and catch the Early Prelims from 11:30pm on Saturday 20^th, live on UFC FIGHT PASS.

UFC Press Release

FURY MMA – The Uprising Returns to Studio 338 on May 17th

FURY – The Uprising, returns on May 17th at Studio 338, headlined by Bill Beaumont who faces Dan Edwards in a Pro Welterweight showdown and Krzysztof Wegrynyowski who faces Domanic Dillon in a Featherweight Title Fight showdown.

FURY MMA - The Uprising May 17th, Studio 338, London — FURY MMA – The Uprising May 17th, Studio 338, London

UFC fighter BRAD ‘One punch’ PICKETT will be calling the fights alongside CHRIS ‘ the guru’ HOEKSTRA once again. Doors open at 2pm, fights commence at 3.30pm!

Chris Hoekstra and Brad Pickett commentating at FURY MMA

FURY MMA THE UPRISING

BILL BEAUMONT vs. DAN EDWARDS WW MMA

KRZYSZTOF WEGRYNYOWSKI vs. DOMANIC DILLON FW TITLE FIGHT

DENZIL DUNCANN vs. ANDRE THALICK WW MMA

KARLOS KAMINSKAS vs. SEAN FLYNN WW Semi Pro TITLE

ABDUL SALEH vs. CAMERON ELISE BW MMA

MEHRDAD JAZMANI vs. JAMIE RICHARDSON WW MMA

LUKE LENDRUM vs. DANNY SHERLOCK MW MMA

CHRIS HAY vs. ADAM AMAASINGHE BW MMA

JOEL SALTER vs. JOE ANDERSON FW MMA

LEE DAVIS vs. SENOL KASIM LHW MMA

DAN LANSBURY vs. PADDY SEDGWICK FW K1

FLAVIO FONSECA vs. DEAN FORREST-HOLDEN 73KG MMA

MATT PARSON vs. JAY TOVEE MW MMA

RYAN ZUPPINGER vs. TONY DRISCOLL HW MMA

RICKEL REID vs. JAMES NUTBROWN LHW BOXING

GARETH INGHAM vs. JAMES ALBERTA BW MMA

CRAIG COHEN vs. ANDREW PRESSCOD FW BOXING

HARRY CHURCH vs. RICHARD KEELER WW K1

VINNY CHURCH vs. MATEUSZ PIORKOWSKI LW K1

Fight card subject to change

Tickets are available by going online: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fury-mma-the-uprising-ticket

David Haye Joins the BAMMA Presenting Team on April 25th Live on SPIKE TV

BAMMA, leaders in MMA sports entertainment and the home of European MMA, is proud to announce former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion David “Hayemaker” Haye as the newest addition to the BAMMA presenting team.

Joining the team on a long-term basis, Haye’s first action will be for the live broadcast of BAMMA 20 – airing on Spike TV and across the globe on Saturday April 25th. No stranger to the big fight nights, Haye will help guide viewers through all the adrenaline fuelled action at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, as BAMMA delivers one of its biggest and best events to date.

The former world Heavyweight champion, who has fought some of the world’s best boxers including Wladimir Klitschko, Nikolai Valuev & Dereck Chisora, will bring his own unique insight and perspective on the sport of MMA to BAMMA fans worldwide.

BAMMA CEO David Green said:

“We’re delighted to have ‘The Hayemaker’ on board. He is one of the biggest and best known names in the combat sport world, and having David as part of the team guarantees even more entertainment and excitement for BAMMA fans.”

Talking of his crossover into MMA, Haye had the following to say:

“I’ve been a fan of Martial Arts since I could walk, as my father was a Karate instructor. I’ve followed the growth of MMA since Royce Gracie broke into the scene. It’s a pleasure to be part of the growth of BAMMA and MMA, as it’s a fantastic sport. I hope my years of fight experience at the highest level translates into solid commentary for these amazing MMA events.”

You can follow David Haye on Twitter @MrDavidHaye and of course BAMMA @BAMMA

BAMMA 20 - No More Talk — BAMMA 20 – No More Talk

Here is the Fight card as it stands so far for Saturday, April 25th.

MAIN EVENT

BAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Brett “The Spartan” McDermott Vs. Marcin “Bane” Lazarz

Colin “The Freakshow” Fletcher Vs. Andre Winner

BAMMA Bantamweight Title

Ed Arthur Vs. Alan “The Apprentice” Philpott

BAMMA Flyweight Title

Rany Saadeh (c) Vs. Chris Miah

Regis “The First” Sugden Vs. Ant “Submission Magician” Phillips

Jefferson “Shadow Demon Blaximus” George Vs. Rick Selvarajah

Jack Grant Vs. Warren “Relentless” Kee

“Dirty” Harry Marple vs. Chris Astley

Aiden Lee Vs. Adam Jahovic

Tickets on sale now: Click here

BOXING SUPERSTAR MANNY PACQUIAO BECOMES A SHAREHOLDER IN MMA PROMOTION ONEFC

Victor Cui [CEO of OneFC] and Manny Pacquiao

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has become a shareholder in Asian-based Mixed Martial Art Company One Fighting Championship, [OneFC], it has been reported earlier today.

The eight division world champion boxer, [in which he has ten world titles] already owns several gyms in Asia all equipped to offer MMA classes and training areas, so the next step for the ‘newbie’ in the sport was to become a shareholder.

You can read here where the official story broke and all of it contents in detail.

BAMMA 15 CARD TAKING SHAPE NICELY

BAMMA 15 FIGHT CARD SO FAR

WITH MORE FIGHTS TO BE ANNOUNCED

HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT

OLI THOMPSON VS. GRIZM SELMANI

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT

COLIN FLETCHER VS. TONY HERVEY

BAMMA LONSDALE BRITISH WELTERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT

WAYNE MURRIE VS. LEON EDWARDS

WELTERWEIGHT BOUT

RYAN SCOPE VS. ALI ARISH

FLYWEIGHT BOUT

RANY SAADEH VS. MAHMOOD BESHARATE

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT

DYSON ROBERTS VS. JEFFERSON GEORGE

Tickets are on sale from £25 at http://www.kililive.com/artists/Bamma

BAMMA IS BROADCAST ON 5* IN THE UK, AXS-TV IN THE US, KIX IN ASIA, ABU DHABI TV IN THE MIDDLE EAST,THE FIGHT NETWORK IN CANADA, EXTREME SPORTS CHANNEL IN EUROPE, SETANTA IN AFRICA, SONY IN RUSSIA & TRANSYLVANIA MEDIA IN ROMANIA.

BAMMA is brought to you in Association with:

Lonsdale & Sports Direct – The Official Equipment Partners of BAMMA

Safe MMA – Independent British Medical Organisation

Season One..Episode Three… Bryony Tyrell MMA Fighter and mum of two

Back in July 2013 I caught up with Bryony Tyrell, a 34 year old married mum of two from Southampton, you may also be thinking who? But after this reading this interview, this is one person who will be firmly on the Tip of your Tongue.

EB. Hi Bryony thank you for your time today, I know that you’re a very busy person.

BT. Thank you very much for asking me.

EB. You’re a Nurse, working in Cardiac Intensive care at Southampton General Hospital, and you also do Clinical Research as your job, how do you cope with this really stressful job?

BT. Yes, that’s right I work 30 hours a week, not quite full time, although sometimes it feels like it! It can be stressful but I’m very lucky to work in a fantastic team who help and support each other.

EB. You also hold a Master Degree in Nursing and a Degree in Molecular Cell Biology, do you want to study further and gain more knowledge in this area, or is this enough studying for you?

BT. I’ve only just finished my Masters so I definitely need a break from studying. I would like to do a Phd one day, probably when I’m too old to compete in MMA. I don’t think I could manage doing both.

EB. You have 2 lovely children aged 5 and 2 who live at home with you and your husband in Southampton. What do your family think of your new added career in MMA?

BT. Well my son is too young to understand at the moment, but my daughter is starting to follow in my footsteps, which is great. My husband has mixed feelings I think. We met doing Jiu Jitsu so he understands the martial arts side of it but he can’t get his head round wanting to step into a cage and fight for your life (laughs). He is incredibly supportive though!

EB. I also hear you’re a bit of an adrenalin junkie?

BT. Yeah, I love extreme sports! Although, I broke my leg BASE jumping a few years ago, which was a bit of a wake-up call. I’d be devastated if I got injured and couldn’t do Martial Arts. Also, having children makes you a bit more aware of you mortality, not to mention having less money (laughs).

EB. You’re not a stranger to the world of Martial Arts, I hear you hold several belts, in several different Arts can you tell me what belts in which Martial Arts you have, and also how long you have been training in them for?

BT. I’ve been involved in martial arts for 13 years now. I’ve trained in Kickboxing and Kung Fu for 12 years, Japanese Jiu Jitsu for 2 years and Krav Maga for 2 years. I hold a black belt in Kickboxing, second degree black belt in Kung Fu, an orange belt in Jiu Jitsu and I’ve just passed my P3 in Krav Maga. Since starting MMA I have added Wrestling, Muay Thai and BJJ to the mix. Jack of all trades, master of none springs to mind (laughs).

EB. What is the difference between Japanese Jiu Jitsu and what people more commonly associate in MMA Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

BT. I wouldn’t like to generalise because there are so many different styles of Jiu Jitsu but in my experience, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu predominantly involves groundwork. In the Japanese style we practiced a lot more throws and other stand up techniques such as escaping from grab holds, evading strikes and weapon training. Both are brilliant to learn but for MMA I think the BJJ is more beneficial.

EB. What is it about Martial Arts that interested you in the sport?

Martial arts are my passion in life. I love the contrast that they can be beautiful and deadly at the same time. Anyone that practices a martial art to a high level knows that it involves incredible dedication and discipline and also pushes your body and mind to the limits of endurance.

EB. What do you remember about your first ever training session, especially with the move into MMA?

BT. I remember my first MMA lesson very clearly, I’m afraid I was a bit foolhardy and turned up to one of the top MMA gyms in the country thinking I was a bit special because I’d done martial arts. I said I didn’t need a beginner’s lesson and inadvertently ended up in one of the fighter’s sessions, as I walked in I was greeted by the head instructor of the gym who said to me in no uncertain terms….”you’re going to die”, I made it through the lesson (much to his surprise I think) but, realised that I could probably do with going back to the basics (Laughs). We live and learn!

EB. Where are you training now? And what gym do you train out of?

BT. I now train out of Exile Gym in Southampton. Without a doubt the friendliest most fantastic gym I have ever been to. I cannot thank them enough for the incredible support and encouragement they’ve given me over the past year.

EB. You made the decision to go into MMA just over a year ago, how did this come about?

BT. I think the only way to truly know how good you are at fighting is to compete, and that’s where the MMA comes in. Being locked in a cage with another trained fighter who can use pretty much any style or technique against you (with full power) is the ultimate test. I’d always liked the idea of MMA but I wasn’t sure if I was tough enough for it, it wasn’t until I started Krav Maga that I thought I should go for it, Krav Maga is also a form of mixed martial arts but there are no competitions because it is purely based on self defence, MMA is the closest thing to it and also compliments it very well.

EB. You’re part of UFC fighter Rosi Sexton’s mentorship scheme can you tell me what this is about? And how it all came about for you?

BT. Yes, I’m very privileged to be on a mentorship scheme with Rosi, I can’t believe it really. I happened to be following her on facebook and she put up a post about starting the scheme and I applied straight away! She’s given me help and advice with regard to training, nutrition, competing etc… She set up the 2 fights I’ve had so far and I’ve also been lucky enough to train with her on a couple of occasions.

EB. You were due to fight Rebecca Davies on July 20^th, at Merthyr Mayhem in Wales, this would have been your 3^rd fight, was you approached for this fight?

BT. Yes, surprisingly I have been approached for all the fights and I’ve even had to turn some down due to other commitments. I thought it was going to be hard to get match ups but not at all so far.

EB. Your fighting weight is at 55kg, as a female in the sport I personally know how hard it is 1. to train with females, 2. to find females in the sport, 3. find a female in your own weight division, 4. with the same experience as yourself; how did you feel when you knew there was someone who had personally ‘asked’ to fight you?

BT. I must admit I didn’t know that anyone had personally asked to fight me. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not (Laughs) I don’t really mind who I fight, at this stage I just want the experience.

EB. Did you know at the time, that your opponent, who had asked to fight you, was not anywhere near your scheduled fight weight; although bearing in mind, you were 12 weeks out from the set fight date, which in all honesty is before professional athletes start their fight camp?

BT. Yes I did know and I think she took on a huge challenge to try and loose that much weight, it was perhaps a little naive to think she could drop to that weight. Although, I read in an interview she had done, it did state that she fights at 55-60kgs so perhaps that’s her normal weight, I don’t know.

EB. The fight was agreed at 55kg to start with, but it got changed to u60kg, this is not your normal fighting weight. I can see by you accepting this, you really wanted the fight to go ahead as long as Rebecca could weigh in u60kg on the day, but that was not to be, Rebecca came in over weight and the fight rightly so did not go ahead; how was you feeling at the time?

BT. Yes I did really want to fight because I’d trained hard and I need the experience. The first MMA fight I did was u60kgs as well. After having done that I realised that a few kgs, although it doesn’t sound much, can actually make quite a lot of difference. I was disappointed not to fight but not altogether surprised to be honest. Rebecca has since apologised to me which meant a lot. She’d also had a very difficult time for personal reasons and I admire her for carrying on training under those circumstances. She’s a brave and determined lady.

EB. Had you known how much weight there was for Rebecca to cut, in hindsight would you of still agreed to the fight? having gone through a big training camp yourself, dedication of your training, having your full time job, being a mum, weight cutting yourself and everything else that comes with preparing for a fight?

BT. Yes, I would have agreed to the fight. I love training and I’d like to stay fighting fit as much as possible. I’m lucky I’ve not needed to cut weight yet. If anything I should have been putting weight on. Also, David Nicholas is a great promoter to work with, I would gladly go on the show if he was to invite me back again.

EB. This goes to show, how much females will do to go and still fight, even if their opponent does not make weight as you still wanted the fight to go ahead, are you glad your corner said No to the fight?

BT. I totally stand by my corner’s decision it was quite nice to have the decision taken out of your hands because no fighter wants to turn down a fight they’ve trained for. She was 7 kgs heavier and with rehydration that would have been closer to 10. It wouldn’t have been safe.

EB. What, if anything, have you learned through this experience? Will it make you more wary of more opponents in the future?

BT. Yes, I will be a lot more wary in the future. It wouldn’t matter so much if it was just down the road but at the moment I’m having to travel pretty long distances which involves organisation and expense not just for me but for whoever comes to corner and support me.

EB. It’s just been announced by Cage Warriors that they have around 40 females to sign up, with around 18 of them being confirmed, in a new 4 weight division, which in my opinion is a long time coming; Although you are still an amateur, do you see yourself moving to the pro ranks anytime soon, especially with a organisation like Cage Warriors leading the way forward, who will offer female’s the chance to get regular fights and be evenly matched?

BT. Yes that’s very exciting news! I would love to move up the ranks at some point if I’m good enough. Being signed to Cage Warriors would be a dream come true and I love having a goal like that to work towards.

EB. What is next for you? Do you have another fight lined up at all?

BT. I have 2 Muay Thai interclub fights lined up this month. I’ve also been asked to fight on Extreme Cage Championships in Blackpool next month which is very exciting but not as yet confirmed.

EB. Your fellow team mates Arthur Frost and Benny Carr were both fighting July 27^th on the ShockNAwe card, which both whom won; were you there? If so how was that seeing them in true winning style?

BT. Yes, I couldn’t miss that! They both did fantastically, we were all so proud to be there supporting them. Benny’s fight was deservedly the fight of the night, they’re both superb athletes and destined for great things.

EB. Is there anyone you would like to thank?

BT. First and foremost I’d like to thank all my fantastic instructors, training partners and team mates at Exile Gym and Essential Krav Maga. I’d also like to thank Rosi Sexton for her invaluable insight and help, also my husband for putting up with my ridiculous training schedule and last but not least my amazing brother, Vaughan and sister in law, Lisa, for their unwavering support and for traipsing around the country after me .

5 Quick Questions

What is your fighting Nickname?

At Exile they call me the “Gazelle” because I bounce around and have a silly run apparently (Laughs)

Favourite Fighter ?

I’m going to have to say Rosi Sexton and Joanne Calderwood because they both have such unique skills.

Favourite Film ?

Argh that’s tough I think it’s got to be ‘Last of the Mohicans’.

Favourite Food ?

Definitely cake! Don’t mind what type just any cake.

If you were to hold a dinner party, which 3 guests past or present would you invite and why?

I would invite Gordon Ramsey so he can cook (because I really can’t!), Bruce Lee so he can teach me the one inch punch and Will Ferrell just because he’s brilliant!

After this Interview Bryony Competed in the following events:

August 17th Muay Thai + K1 Interclub

October 12th ECC Banned I Amateur MMA – Won Decision

October 26th Charity Boxing Match – Won

November 16th Mens Health Survival of the Fittest 10k run 30 obstacles – Just for fun!

November 23rd Muay Thai World Series – Lost in a close decision

December 7th Fight Night in aid of Womens Breast Cancer – Amateur MMA – Won RNC Rnd 1

December 8th Grappling Showdown – NoGI BJJ – Gold (Own Weight Division) + Silver (Absolute Division)

I for one know this young lady will be going very far in this sport, watch out for her in 2014 🙂

Photo Credits: Mark Watson, P4P Photography, Muay Thai World Series and Bryony Tyrell

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This interview was conducted back in June 2016 and featured in the July/August issue of MMA Uncaged Magazine.

“Age is just a number. I will be in the UFC by the end of the year”

“Age is just a number. I will be in the UFC by the end of the year”

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