Five Rounds with Emma

Season One.. Episode Eight.. Female UFC Fighter Rosi Sexton

Before making history as the UFC’s first ever female fight to happen in Europe and UK. I caught up with UK MMA pioneer and Cambridge graduate Dr Rosi Sexton ahead of UFC® MANCHESTER back in September 2013.

EB. You’re a pioneer for women’s UKMMA, starting your professional career back in 2002.Was it ever in your own thoughts that one day women would be in the UFC and you would be here in the UFC representing the UK now?

RS. I always thought it would happen one day. I think early on I hoped it would happen in time for me, but as the time went on I kind of gave up hope it was going to happen to me a few years ago as it wasn’t looking very likely, then the first women’s fight came around very quick, it happened very fast with the Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche fight and a lot of opportunities opened up and took me by surprise it wasn’t something I anticipated, but embraced it.

EB. Having said that if the UFC were an option back in your earlier career, would you have also taken the opportunity back then?

RS. I’m in a better position now and the division is better on a whole as it’s a lot more competitive, to be honest it happened just at the right time.

EB. How close were you to throwing in the towel and hanging up this side of your career before being signed to UFC?

RS. You have to remember no Professional athlete goes on forever and I didn’t actually say I had retired from the sport; I had reached a stage where I had done most of what I wanted too, and also it was getting difficult to justify the financial terms that go hand in hand with the sport, along with being a single parent to my son, I guess you can say I was just waiting for a bigger opportunity whatever that may have been, and for me, thankfully it was the UFC.

EB. Can you talk me through your feelings, emotions and pressures of being the UK’s sole Female representative in the UFC; fighting in the UK on October 26^th in Manchester which is also the UFC’s first ever female fight to happen in Europe and UK in your home town?

RS. Very excited as it is huge. It will be the first women’s UFC fight in Europe, and I will be fighting in my home town for the first time in my whole fighting career. There will be pressure, but I feel it will be a kind of good pressure and I will rise to the occasion.

EB. How easy has it been to get back into training on the back of your loss to Alexis Davis? Can you talk me through the fight and your own opinion of your performance?

RS. It was a good fight, very competitive, good performance. I could have done better and some things cost me the fight. A lot of people were expecting me to get beaten before I went into the fight, no one was talking about me before the fight, they were all talking about Ronda Rousey and how Alexis Davies would walk right through me, but she didn’t. I think she did win it, but it was really close, I was pleased with what I did, not satisfied, pleased. If I could do again I would.

EB. It is no secret this is not your usual fighting weight division, but when an opportunity such as the UFC comes knocking on your door (when you have been a UK MMA pioneer in the sport for just over 10 years, you’re not going to turn it down) – How are you finding the higher weight division?

RS. Good question, 125lb is my best weight class, 135lb I would say I am a bit on the small side but I will give any 135lber a good run for their money in this division , win or lose they will know they have been in a fight when faced against me. Jessica Andrade is a good fight and we have similar styles, I belong in this weight class, I am strong at this weight, I can hang with the other girls; other girls are bigger, that maybe a factor, it depends on the individual, I have upped my game slightly as I cannot rely solely to power through in this weight division.

There are some good fun fights for me in this division, having just recently fought and in my own opinion held my own against the worlds ranked #4 or #5, I belong in this weight class and of course on the flip side I am enjoying being able to eat more. (Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream).

EB. How is your training camp going for this fight? Are you implementing anything new into your training schedule or is it a case of drilling everything you know?

RS. Going real well, had a good week, feeling sharp, have great training partners in flyweights, bantamweights at Next Generation. I’m currently training with a World class Olympic Judo athlete Sophie Cox, who is very solid and has dangerous throws. I am very fortunate in that I also have Laura Howarth helping me out, who has a great striking background. Come October 26^th you will see a better version of me.

EB. Now that the sport is evolving and there are more females, how has this helped you and is helping you in your current training as I’ve seen you’ve got the likes of Laura Howarth and Sophie Cox training with you? It must be nice to mix things up and have females involved in a training camp?

RS. It is important to have men, having always trained a lot with men, women are also important, they are different in a whole other way, which is also a whole other question as they really go at you, it is great to have a mix, you can judge where you are at with the females as in size and strength; both females are great to work with as previously mentioned, Sophie is a World class Olympian and Laura comes from a great striking background with a great future ahead of her.

EB. What are your thoughts on the current season of TUF18 with it being a mixed household?

RS. It’s interesting, I’m not up to date as I’ve been training but what I’ve heard is that it is going well, people are talking about it, the women are great and are serious athletes. The women’s fights are great and this is what needs to be showcased for people who are not familiar with women in the sport.

EB. What can the fans expect to see come October 26^th at The Phones 4U Arena in Manchester?

RS. Exciting, fast paced fight, with fast paced rounds, combining powerful striking, good grappling; from what I see Jessica also has a strong background in Judo with some Jiu Jitsu skills; she is a dangerous fighter and if you’re not ready for her intensity she can catch you out, but I am ready.

EB. How did you get into MMA? I heard that you watched a TV documentary and was hooked from there?

RS. (Laughs) I was watching a TV documentary back in 1999 which had UK Pioneer Leigh Remedios in and now recently retired ex – UFC veteran Ian Freeman, I thought I wanted to do that, little did I know where it would lead to and that I would end up being the first UK female fighter in the UFC.

EB. Besides the fact that you are on the Manchester card, which fights in particular have caught your eye and you are looking forward to watching?

RS. Michael Bisping Vs Mark Munoz, Ross Pearson Vs Melvin Guillard and of course my fellow midget Phil Harris, all the fights have great UK talent on them.

EB. Anyone you would like to Thank?

RS. My team coaches Paul Williams, Danny Rimmer, Steve Campbell, Mike Leng my Nutrition coach, PhD Nutrition, Funky Gums, Ainsley Fry, Global Therapy for keeping me in one piece, Strength and Performance gym, Rev Gear and Next Generation Gym.

Rosi Sexton takes on Jessica Andrade at The Phones 4U Arena in Manchester on 26^th October. Tickets for UFC® MANCHESTER 2013: BISPING vs. MUNOZ are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.phones4uarena.co.uk.

This interview went to print before it was announced Michael Bisping had to withdraw from the event, therefore Lyoto Machida replaced him to face Mark Munoz.

Season One.. Episode seven..Jorge ‘Michelan’ Bezerra

With his BAMMA World Middleweight Title fight against Scott Askham being tomorrow night (September 14th), I managed to catch up with Jorge ‘Michelan’ Bezerra at London Fight Factory for a brief chat about it.

Everyone knows that my greatest weapon is my jiu jitsu I can now show the true value of jiu jitsu ,what I learned from the Master Leo Vieira’

EB: You’re managed by U I Management who manage a whole host of predominantly UK-based fighter’s such as Che Mills, Mark Godbeer and Matt Ewin who are a little more ‘known’ to us here, how did UI Management and yourself first become involved?

JB: A friend of mine, Mauro Chimento who is also managed by U I Management who are affiliated with Checkmat BJJ here where I train in Sao Paulo, mentioned it to me so to cut a long story short I am now managed by U I Management. It is a great pleasure and I am very happy to represent them. It is the start of a great working relationship together.

EB: Growing up in Brazil was not easy for you, yet alone trying to gain a MMA career for yourself. How does it feel for you to be fighting in Europe and gaining more recognition?

JB: Growing up in Brazil I come from a humble family and my childhood was as normal as it could be, with thanks to God as a saviour. I started Jiu jitsu and Karate at a young age then I was introduced to MMA, for which I have never looked back on. It is really good to see that I am finally making my way and name over here in Europe.

EB: You began your professional fighting career as a Welterweight fighter and went to Middleweight in April 2012. What made you decide to move up a weight division?

JB: In Brazil I have fought in almost, all of the divisions, but now I have found the correct division for me that suit’s me a lot better, to my natural height and build. I feel this is the right move for me in this division.

EB: You hold a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Leo Vieira, an impressive record of 18-9, it’s no wonder you’re fighting on BAMMA 13 against Scott Askham for the Middleweight World Title bout. How much do you know about the unbeaten Scott Askham?

JB: Scott Askham is a very dangerous athlete, he has a very strong striking power with his knees and kicks, also some Jiu Jitsu skills but he is standing out too much here in Europe at the minute and we will make this a good fight. I’m the biggest black belt of all time in jiu jitsu, thank God for all these years, I can now show the true value of jiu jitsu I learned from the Master Leo Vieira, my record speaks for itself and it’s the result of good jiu jitsu I learned.

EB: Having had 27 professional career fights to date, you have only seen the third round six times (last time was back in 2009) most of your wins have come by way of submission, 16 to be exact, is it safe to say that the ground game is second nature to you?

JB: Although predominately, yes I am a BJJ specialist, I train for every aspect in this sport but the ground game is as you would say is second nature to me.

I have trained and workout a lot to be a champion . I have my failures and limitations as do all athletes, but I ‘m trying to evolve in all areas. Everyone knows that the greatest weapon is my jiu jitsu, people avoid falling into my game, so I’m trying to evolve in everything else.

EB: Scott Askham complimented you on your BJJ skills in a recent interview he did and also hinted he would stand and trade with you, this said though, in his last fight with Jack Marshman he also stated he would stand and trade, but this did not happen, do you feel this could just be part of his “Game Plan”?

JB: I am not worried about his Game Plan, I will concentrate on what I have come here to do and that is to put on a great fight for you fans and of course to win the fight by whatever way I can.

EB: How do you feel now that your fight has been moved from the Prelims to the Main Card on BAMMA 13?
JM:I am training for everything for this fight. I am very well prepared and I will embrace the opportunity that BAMMA is giving me to be able to make the main event card, it is a great opportunity, I truly am thankful.

EB: How did you get your nickname ‘Michelan’ and what does it mean?

JB: When I started training with Leo he had some people who loved giving nicknames to people , and I was chubby, so he began to call me by the name ‘Michelan’ I looked the Toy spreading the ‘Michelan’ tyre brand so that nickname stuck with me, and now they call me ‘Michelan’ for more than 10 years.

EB: Being the “away” fighter, what impact if any does that have on you?

JB: I don’t feel it has an impact on me as such, it just makes for a more interesting fight, one person always has to come out to be the not so favourite one I guess.

EB: What can BAMMA fans expect to see on Saturday 14th September?

JB: All the fans, whether they are supporting me or Askham, can expect a very busy, full night of action, I like my fights to be fast paced and ready from the off, I will give a great show come fight night.

EB: Is there anyone you would like to thank?

JB: Yes I would like to thank my many Sponsors, Paul Sutherland and Dan Richards for they’re giving me the greatest strength.

5 Quick fun Questions

If you could change 1 rule in MMA what would it be?
I would have Pride rules back, because those rules do not favour anyone, the time of the pride days was so much better.

Favourite Food?

I love Japanese food, and Italian

Walk Out Music?

I ‘m evangelical, and like to hear praises to Christ.
Favourite UK Fighter?

Paul Daley

If you held a dinner party and could invite 3 guests past or present, who would it be and why?

You may call me crazy, Call God the Creator of the universe and our lives , Jesus Christ, who gave his own life for love , and the Holy Spirit. I would gather all 3 and be very Blessed… Jesus Christ loves you!

Season One.. Episode six.. Lew Long

Ahead of his bout on Cage Warriors 59, I caught up with Lew Long, and here is what we talked about.

EB: Your last fight for Cage Warriors was at The Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, against Mark Glover, which was great to watch, we got to see a different Lew, more focused and not getting drawn into Mark’s own game plan that night, what was your own personal highlight from that fight?

LL: Probably my head movement, I felt like something out of the Matrix!

EB: In your last fight with Mark Glover you said

“I can take a fight anywhere, but I knew he wanted to stand, so I decided to showcase what I’ve been working on.”

Was this in reference, to you working with ‘The Locket Man’ Gary Locket?

LL: I’ve always been a striker, Glover gave me the freedom of me not having to worry about defending the take down so I can use what Gary has worked on.

EB: This is will be your third outing under the Cage Warriors promotion and also your third time fighting on home soil. Do you consider yourself pretty lucky to be still having the home crowd advantage?

LL: Almost all my other fights have been fought in Wales, I love fighting in Wales, what fighter does not like having a home advantage!

EB: You will be facing Tommy Maguire on September 14^th at The Motorpoint arena, Cardiff for Cage Warriors 59. Would you say this is your hardest fight to date?

LL: Don’t know, haven’t fought him yet, but if i win it would be my biggest scalp, if that’s what you mean!

EB: Is there anything different that you are implementing into this training camp for Tommy Maguire or are you just training like you usually would?

LL: My BJJ coach Rob Tylor just got his black belt, that’s the only thing that has changed really. Congrats Rob.

EB: Coming from a Judo and Wrestling background, do you feel this puts in a good position to showcase your ground skills with Tommy Maguire?

LL: Depends if he can take me down; Judo and wrestling techniques are usually fought from standing and the clinch, so if he can’t take me down I highly doubt that you will see my ground skills.

EB: What can the fans expect to see on the night?

LL: Twelve+ fantastic fights, Featherweight Title Fight, Four man bantamweight tournament to decide the new champion and myself of course.

EB: Anyone you would like to thank?

LL: No, I always forget someone and they always complain, they can f**k off this time.

5 Quick questions

If you could change 1 rule in MMA what would it be?

I’d love to be able to head butt.

Favourite International Fighter

Chael Sonnen

Walk out music

Depends how I feel on the day

Favourite Food

Chinese

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

Two is company three is a crowd, I eat alone!

Photo Credit (c) Huw Fairclough

Here’s to 2014……

It’s a New Year and with every New Year comes a new start – or so they say!

Well for me I will be seeing what it is this year has install for me, I mean I didnt extactly plan for any of last year, so i’m just going to go with the flow, and ‘what will be will be’!

I still have ‘Season One Interviews’ for you all to be catching up on, there are another five more to be uploaded from last year, that much I am sure about, the rest is ‘a work in progress’.

Happy New Year

Last post for 2013 – A lot of Thank You’s and some pictures :)

It’s been a challenging year for me but I wouldn’t change it for one second, after all I got to do what so many of you still want to do and I have achieved all of it in the six months that I started this harsh challenge – which fell into my lap purely by coincidence (you will have to refer back to my very first blog read about that one)!

I will however give a big shout out to the person who got me started not only in writing my own blog but who introduced me to what I currently do, and that is Jonathan Millard, for whom I am forever grateful to.

What alot of people, more than likely do not know about me, is that I have been in the ‘combat sport industry’ for just over 20 years now, so I have legitmately worked my way up the ladder – although, it’s fine for you to believe whatever you choose to believe, I personally don’t give a shit, again those that really know me, know that also!

I got to cover local grass root shows, which to me I have always been a great fan of and will always take time out of my schedule to go cover them as much as I can, I covered Pain Pit 3 times, Ultimate Impact, Into The Cage, Neilson Promotions White Collar Boxing then I also covered Cage Warriors, BAMMA and UFC Manchester, not bad even if I do say so myself!

Then a great event happend for UKMMA – The UKMMA Expo in Manchester and I got to be part of the only Media Team that had Access All Areas and when I say that, I truly mean that; not like all the other Media people that came in, the team I was with we were set up in the ‘Green Room’ with all our equipment and at one point their was one great surreal moment that I for one will never ever forget 🙂

It was a great run event by Darren Sherlock and Paul Crossley and of course Darren’s wife Michelle, all timed perefectly for when Michael Bisping would be in the UK, Manchester as it happens (his own town) and just after being announced he would be facing Mark Munoz, here also in Manchester in October (unfortuntaly due to Michael needing eye surgery he was forced to withdraw from the bout and Lyoto Machida replaced him)!

There were UFC athletes, Guest athletes, Guest speakers, Seminars to train with some of the Guest athletes and stalls for the MMA community to come together and show there products of to the public; also there was the stall for SAFE MMA – for which I personally went over to Izzy Carnwath and spoke to her to see SAFE MMA was all about, how promotions could get involved and WHY they should. I had such a better understanding afterwards.

Here is mine and Izzy’s SAFE MMA interview we also talk BAMMA 13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGFMXpvdHE

There was also a big NoGi BJJ competiton on, running throughout the Sunday which was awesome and six females took part amongst the hundreds of men.

At the show I managed to Video Interview (yes that was a very first for me) The Legend Ian ‘The Machine’ Freeman straight after his MMA Seminar – let me tell you know this guy is 100% gentleman when talking to him, Ian made my first video interview effortless (well I thought) 🙂

Here is mine and Ian’s interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLO5WYrGcCM

I would however like to say a very big thank you to all the athlete’s I have worked with (so far) without you giving up your time I would not of had your stories/journeys to write about and some very memorable moments to say the least, so in list of when they were interviewed here they all are:

Leigh Remedios

Alexei Roberts

Mario Saeed

War Machine

‘Rowdy’ Bec Hyatt

Ian ‘The Machine’ Freeman

Hector Lombard

Colin ‘Freakshow’ Fletcher

Bryony Tyrell

Aaron ‘Smackwell’ Blackwell

Jack ‘The Hammer’ Marshman

Lew Long

Jorge ‘Michelan’ Bezerra

Rosi Sexton

Faisel Ghazghazi

Mark ‘The hand of’ Godbeer

Lauren Murphy

And of course it would not be me, if I did not add in afew pictures of me with some of the athletes I had met 🙂

Have a great New Year.

Emma

PS I’ve kept all my boxing ones out of this one but look out for it next year 🙂

Cage Warriors #63 Weigh-in Results and How to watch

Cage Warriors 63 take place tomorrow night – December 31st (New years eve) – at The Helix, Dublin, Ireland.

Headlining the event is Scotlands Stevie ‘Braveheart’ Ray making his defence of the inaugural lightweight belt against Ivan ‘Buki’ Buchinger,which also happens to be Cage Warriors 150th professional bout for 2013 and what a way to end the year for the promotion.

John ‘The One’ Maguire makes his anticipated debut for the promotion since being released by the UFC after making five appearances for them, he faces Philip ‘The Honey Badger’ Mulpeter.

Jim ‘The Beast’ Alers will be putting his featherweight belt on the line for his second defence when he faces Graham ‘ Afterburner’ Turner.

Full card details:

Main Card 9pm GMT (4pm ET/1pm PT)

Stevie Ray (C) VS Ivan Buchinger CWFC Lightweight Title Bout

John Maguire VS Philip Mulpeter

Jim Alers (C) VS Graham Turner CWFC Featherweight Title Bout

Paul Redmond VS Mateusz Teodorczuk

Karla Benitez VS Aisling Daly

Facebook Prelims 7.30pm GMT (2.30pm ET/ 11.30am PT)

Sean Carter VS Myles Price

Catherine Costigan VS Morgane Delagnau

Kieran Davern VS John Redmond

Amanda English VS Slavka Vitaly

Unstreamed Prelims 6.15pm GMT

Chris Boujard VS Peter Queally

Gavin Kelly VS Dylan Sheehan

Mick Brennan VS Kieran O’Brien

How to watch

Live Streaming

MMAjunkie.com – USA and Canada ONLY

JOE.ie – Ireland ONLY

Sportube.tv – Italy ONLY

CageWarriors.tv – Rest of the world (EXCLUDING THE UK)

Live TV

Premier Sports – United Kingdom

Sentanta Sports – Ireland

Fight Now TV – USA

The Fight Network – Canada, Portugal, Turkey, Angola

Fight Klub – Poland

Sentanta Action – Africa

ESPN International – Brazil, Latin, America, Pacific Rim

WEIGH-IN RESULTS

Mick Brennan 146.1lbs *(145.9lbs) * (Featherweight Bout)

Kieron O’Brien 144lbs (Featherweight Bout)

Gavin Kelly 134.5llbs (Bantamweight Bout)

Dylan Sheehan 134.3lbs (Bantamweight Bout)

Chris Boujard 157.4lbs (Catchweight Bout)

Peter Queally 158.8lbs (Catchweight Bout)

Slavka Vitaly 125.1lbs (Flyweight Bout)

Amanda English 125.4lbs (Flyweight Bout)

John Redmond 169lbs (Welterweight Bout)

Kieran Davern 169.9lbs (Welterweight Bout)

Morgane Delagnau 103.5lbs (Atomweight Bout)

Catherine Costigan 105.5lbs (Atomweight Bout)

Myles Price 155.5lbs (Lightweight Bout)

Sean Carter 155.5lbs (Lightweight Bout)

Karla Benitez 115.6lbs (Strawweight Bout)

Aisling Daly 116lbs (Strawweight Bout)

Paul Redmond 156lbs (Catchweight Bout)

Mateusz Teodorczuk 157.3lbs ** (Catchweight)

Graham Turner 143.7lbs (Featherweight Bout)

Jim Alers 144.9lbs (Featherweight Bout)

John Maguire 162lbs (Catchweight bout)

Philip Mulpeter 160.7lbs (Catchweight bout)

Ivan Buchinger 154.8lbs (Lightweight Bout)

Stevie Ray 154lbs (Lightweight Bout)

** Mateusz Teodorczuk Failed to make weight therfore Paul Redmond will receive 25% of his purse and is now a catchweight bout instead of a Lightweight bout.

* Made weight 2nd attempt

Season One..Episode Five.. Jack ‘The Hammer’ Marshman

On August 31st I sat down with Jack Marshman before he headed off for cornering duties at South Wales prestigious event Pain Pit.

There will be a drop to Welterweight on the cards in the future, not this year more than likely next year I will be looking at doing that.

EB: We recently got to see you fight in Doncaster, unfortunately the decision did not go your way; firstly looking back did you personally feel that was the right decision? And secondly how was it to be fighting in an outside stadium in our unpredictable British weather?

JM:The decision was definitely a right decision; he won the rounds with his wrestling. I went into the fight thinking he was coming to stand and I was coming to stand, as soon as I landed a straight right on him in the first round and put him down he went for the takedowns for the rest of the rounds, which fair enough he played the game really well I thought, he definitely took the decision, but it’s the type of loss I’d definitely like to avenge because I think my wrestling is much better than I showed. As for fighting outside, I didn’t know if the fight was going to go ahead, two hours before we was told it was going to rain and I wouldn’t of gone out there in the rain to be honest with you, because there was too much at stake as there was no cover for the cage, so you could imagine what would off happened if it had rained, there was no fighter safety with no cover for the cage so it spoilt the show a little bit for me.

I don’t think I could ever bring myself to sit there and not try and finish a fight, that’s not what I am about, that’s not why I do this game; it’s to fight and to see who is the best fighter, not who can give the best ‘cuddles’!

EB: You’re returning to BAMMA 13 on September 14^th to face Ion Pascu, a Romanian fighter who has recently fought on UCMMA 33 and UWC 23, do you know much about Ion?

JM: I know a little bit about him, I know he is from a kickboxing background, he is from Valentino Petrescu gym which is predominantly stand up fighters, I’ve seen a couple of bits of him on video, I’ve not studied him too much, I’m just going to do what I’m going to do, not what he’s going to do, I know his record, he’s got some wins against some guys that are not really rated, and some losses against some really good guys, so a guy like that is hard to judge really, because he’s lost too good guys, but been beaten too good guys, so you don’t really know where he is at level wise, but I’m confident I will be a bit too much for him.

EB: It is safe to say that you are a BAMMA fan favourite, having appeared on BAMMA since show 7 through to 11 and now back at 13, what can the fans expect from you this time around after the great performance at BAMMA 11, how do you top that?

JM: I’ve had a hard time fighting in Birmingham, the Noon fight was Birmingham, I won but I got beat up pretty bad, Watson and Professor X both were real hard fights and I did not come away with those decisions, but I have always had a good scrap there, I have been the distance there, I think you will see the same again but with me definitely coming out on top like it was against Noon.

EB: You train out of arguably one of the best MMA gyms to come out of the valleys in South Wales, Tillery Combat, owned and run by Richard ‘Shaky’ Shore, what do you think makes the gym so respected and having high calibre of fighters such as yourself come out of the gym?

JM: We come from a tough area in Abertillery, high in drugs crime, general crime and no jobs , it seems that naturally it generates tougher fighters, as you are brought up tougher; like me and Martin McDonough used to be nightmares , we always used to be in trouble with the police and if it was not for Shaky, he was the one that got us out of all of that, same as a lot of the boys, same as all the young ones coming through now, the way people are brought up where we are, are tough, so when they jump up into the gym they’ve been fighting since they were kids, so they just learn how to do it properly. I think what sells the gym is the way Shaky trains people, he gets you mentally prepared and it’s like a big family at the gym and that’s on a serious note, we all get along so well it’s such a laugh and that’s what I think makes better fighters, we got a good team behind us, it’s not just one individual fighter, it’s a full team every time we go out.

EB: Is it getting any easier for you fitting in your full time day job as a serving paratrooper in the armed forces, and the training needed for a full fight camp when a fight is upon you?

JM: Recently I have moved back to Wales due to my regiment giving me time off, 3 paras give me a lot of time off now, all I have to do is some bits and bobs at work, as long as I’m representing them and I’m heading to where they want me to be I’m keeping them happy, and I’m training full time so I’m in the best place I’ve ever really been because I’m training full time , fighting regular; I’ve had 3 fights in the last 4months, and I’m hoping to get another 2 in before the end of the year, and next year I will fight every month if I can, as far as fitting in with my job for the next 2years at least I’m on to a winner as I’m in the best place I could ever be really.

EB: How do you feel the weight management is going now? Do you feel you got the right mix of the weight cut spot on or is there still some tweaking to make things go a bit more smoothly for you? (In reference to not making weight in Dec 2012 and having a hard weight cut for Askham fight).

JM: I always make the weight cut hard for myself towards the end because I like to cut quite last minute, but I make Middleweight quite easy really, the only time I ever missed weight was the BAMMA fight, to be honest, the it was to do with logistics involved, I turned up to the pre-weigh in 5mins late, and they would not let me step on the scales, and I thought I was on weight, then I had to go to the actual weigh in, I came in 1lb over, being in Wembley they gave me a postcode of a gym to go to, so I could cut the weight, bearing in mind they only give you 1 hour and the gym was 20 mins away I would not of made it there and back in time to be honest with you, so I pulled the car over and started running round the streets to lose the weight, and that is the only time I have missed weight not through anyone’s fault other than mine, I should have been earlier to check the official scales but I thought I was on weight and I felt comfortable; so definitely there will be a drop to Welterweight on the cards in the future, not this year more than likely next year I will be looking at doing that.

EB: Is there anything new in this training camp you have been working on, or is it just improving on everything that there is to improve on?

JM: Just improving, I’ve been working on so much more wrestling, from my takedown defence, if people are going to be happy to take me down and grind out a win and not actually really truly fight me, why shouldn’t I actually do it, so if I look to put someone on their back why shouldn’t I, but to be honest I don’t think I could ever bring myself to sit there and not try and finish a fight, that’s not what I am about, that’s not why I do this game; it’s to fight and to see who is the best fighter, not who can give the best ‘cuddles’!

EB: Anyone you would like to Thank?

JM: All my sponsors, Icon Nutrition, Top Ten, British Military Martial Arts, Vibram, Impact LPA, The Railway Inn, My coaches, Richard Shore, all the boys at Tillery Combat, Martin McDonough, Kris Edwards, Owen Parry, everyone that helps me get ready for my fights.

Quick Questions

If you could change one rule in MMA what would it be?

You could Tickle

Favourite food?

Pizza

If you held a dinner party and invited 3 guests past or present, who would it be and why?

The Banker from Deal or No Deal as he seems like a Top bloke, Gordon Ramsey so he can cook and Frankie Boyle because he is awesome.

Season One.. Episode Four… Aaron ‘Smackwell’ Blackwell

Back in late August I managed to speak with Aaron ‘Smackwell’ Blackwell before his Cage Warriors 59 bout with Kris ‘Evil’ Edwards.

“I’m coming to Wales to devastate Kris Edwards and prove that I deserve to be at the top of the Bantamweight division.”

EB: Last time I saw you, was when you won the Bantamweight Title at Into The Cage on May 18^th, in a dominating 5 round performance against Mike Cutting. How did it feel to win the belt after a 2yr absence from the cage?

AB: It’s always an achievement to win any award, especially after a bit of time out. It felt good, however I prepared incredibly well and I was very confident going into that fight. My view is that all my achievements/awards are part of my path to becoming the champion I believe I am and will be.

EB: You’re facing Kris Edwards on September 14^th at The Motorpoint Arena, for the promotion Cage Warriors. Your first outing was back in 2007 for them, how does it feel to be asked back to take part in this new bantamweight tournament?

AB: It’s a great honour, as Cage Warriors is a great show and over the years has proved it’s one of the top shows in Europe, very well organised with some very professional people involved. I am really excited about the bout against Kris Edwards, as I have got a great team around me and I’ve had a very focused camp. Obviously to be included in the tournament for the Bantamweight title is exciting, however I have a very focused mind set, so my main focus is on beating Kris Edwards first, then I’ll take it from there.

EB: Although you will be going in as a ‘deciding’ reserve, if one of the main four participants is deemed unable to continue, due to injury or not receiving medical clearance, potentially you could be Cage Warriors New Bantamweight Title Belt holder, how do feel about that?

AB: As I said previously, I take one step at a time; however I am very confident in my ability. So let’s see what happens. The fight against Kris Edwards will be a great fight and I am very well prepared, so let’s hope Kris has done his homework and doesn’t feel the pressure of fighting in front of his family and friends. I am coming to Wales to have an exciting fight. I am also fully prepared to fight further bouts if the occasion arises.

EB: Looking through your professional record you have shared the cage with some high profile names at the moment such as Terry Etim, Ronnie Mann and Brad Pickett, even though the end result did not go in your favour do you feel a lot of people will have over looked you for this fight with Kris Edwards?

AB: I imagine they have.

There aren’t many people who have had an apprenticeship like me. They were great experiences and they have made me the person I am today. I wouldn’t change the past, as I have learned some incredibly valuable lessons that now underpin my whole approach. Winners learn from their experiences and put them to great use. So let’s just say I can’t wait to fight.

EB: Your coach Rocci Williams has a great sense in his attitude towards his fighters in his ability to engage in the positive mentality approach in this sport, for which I personally feel is somewhat overlooked, as the sport is as much mentally demanding as it is physically if not more so. How do you feel your coaches wise words of inspiration effect you and the fighter you have become?

AB: Rocci is a true inspiration to me and his words echo through my fights, we believe it’s very important to be mentally prepared and are on the same wave length, he makes sure I’m 100% mentally and physically prepared, working with Matt Walton has progressed this further and we all as a team have a winning attitude.

EB: What can the ‘Smackwell’ fans expect to see on September 14^th?

AB: I truly believe in being a true professional in everything I do and representing the sport of MMA in a way that enables it to continue to grow and gain support across the world. When I come to Wales, I’ll be respectful and professional, however I’m coming to Wales to devastate Kris Edwards and prove that I deserve to be at the top of the Bantamweight division.

EB: Anyone you would like to thank?

AB: A dedicated thank you to Rocci Williams, I wouldn’t be where I am now without him, to Paul Wright for travelling everywhere and giving up his time to be with me on fight days (best hand wrapping skills in the business), thank you to Matt Walton for all his help with my preparation, Nathaniel Wood for all our sparring sessions together, all my team mates at Nova Forca and coach Ricardo Da-Silva, thank you to my sponsors Forca Luta for kitting me out with cool gear, and of course to my loving family for all their continued support.

5 quick questions

If you could change 1 rule in MMA what would it be?

I wouldn’t change a rule but I would have the sport be governed by a single governing body so that the sports rules and regulations became unified under one body.

Walk out music?

Undecided yet

Favourite Food?

Chocolate

Favourite International Fighter?

Current has to be Jon Jones, past has to be Frank Shamrock

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

Bas Rutten – Funny and a MMA legend, I’m sure he’d have some great stories to tell

Jean-Claude Van Damme – My biggest inspiration as a kid growing up

Dwayne Johnson – Funny and achieved a lot in his career, would be great to see him interact with the other 2 guests

@Aaron ‘Smackwell’ Blackwell

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Blackwellmma

After this interview took place, afew days before the fight Kris got injured, therefore it got re-scheduled for Cage Warriors 60 on October 5th.

UFC 168 Weidman vs. Silva II LIVE Weigh-In Results and Pictures

Opening up for the Weigh-Ins:

FACEBOOK PRELIMS

Estevan Payan (145) lbs vs Robert Peralta (145.5) lbs

William Macario (171) lbs vs Bobby Voelker (171) lbs

FOX SPORT/ BT SPORTS PRELIMS

John Howard (171) lbs vs Siyar Bahadurzada (171) lbs

Manny Gamburyan (146) lbs vs Dennis Siver (145) lbs

Gleison Tibau (156) lbs vs Michael Johnson (156) lbs

Chris Leben (185.5) lbs vs Uriah Hall

MAIN CARD

Diego Brandao (153) lbs** vs Dustin Poirier (146) lbs

Fabricio Camoes (156) lbs vs Jim Miller (156) lbs

Josh Barnett (252) lbs vs Travis Browne (242) lbs

Miesha Tate (135) lbs vs Ronda Rousey (135) lbs UFC Bantamweight Champion

Anderson Silva (185) lbs vs Chris Weidman (184) lbs UFC Middleweight Champion

** Brandao had 2 hours to make weight, he re-weighed in at 151.5 lbs. Therefore he is fined 25% of his purse with 12.5% going to Poirier and 12.5% going to NSAC.

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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