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Absolute Combat 2: The Gathering Review
01 Dec 2009
By Del Hillan
Edinburgh’s Meadowbank Sports Centre was the venue for the 2nd instalment from the Absolute Combat team. With numerous changes to the fight card in the weeks leading up to the event we had 12 bouts to look forward to on a very cold night.
The evening started off with a Semi-Pro fight between David McIntyre and Mark Young. McIntyre starts very fast throwing punches and kicks at his opponent; he quickly takes Young to the floor but Young stays calm and manages to grab an armbar which forces McIntyre to tapout in 41 seconds.
Winner - Mark Young 0:41 Rd 1 Tapout due to Armbar
In the second Semi – Pro fight of the night Alex Bertie took on Johnny Martin. Martin takes this to the ground early with a very slick Judo throw where he then battles on the ground to secure a kimura. They both transition on the mat into the north/south position but this doesn’t last long as both fighters get back to their feet. Martin again takes Bertie to the ground where he sinks in an arm triangle which gives Bertie no option but to tapout.
Winner – Johnny Martin 2:04 Rd1 Tapout due to Arm Triangle
Next up was two young guns out to prove a point and both lads did just that. At only 16 years old Stephen Cusick battled it out with Bryan Hyslop in their Semi-Pro bout. The fight started off slow with both landing leg kicks. Hyslop hits Cusick with a huge right and both fighters sprawl on the mat for position. Back to their feet and Hyslop connects with a nice left right combination. Cusick sprawls again and takes Hyslop down, with not much action the ref steps in and stands them up. The round ends with both fighters throwing bombs at each other with a few connecting.
Round 2 again starts off slow but they kick it off again where they left off at the end of round 1 by slugging it out with some awesome punches from both fighters. Cusick goes for a takedown but it’s Hyslop who end up on top on the ground. With nothing happening in this exchange the ref again stands them up. Both fighters look nervous and neither looks confident enough to make the next move. The round comes to an end with Cusick going for a takedown with but Hyslop manages to dodge this attempt.
Just like the previous 2 rounds the 3rd starts off slow. Hyslop connects with a few leg kicks and follows that up with 2 or 3 right hands. Hyslop again moves forward and connects with a right that has Cusick reeling to end the round.
Winner Brian Hyslop - Judges Decision
Mark Connor was back in action against Mark Platts in the first of the Pro fights of the evening. It’s Connor who starts off quick as he dives in to take Platts down and both fighters nearly fall through the ring ropes. Connor manages to take Platts down and he attempts a kimura but Platts fends off this submission attempt. Still on top Connor ends the first round with some elbows and punches from the top.
Platts begins round 2 a lot better than the first landing a few punches on Connor. The fight goes to the ground where Connor again takes control of the fight and lands a few elbows. Looking to end the fight Connor takes the back of Platts and sinks in a tight rear naked choke. It looks like Platts will survive to take this into the final round but with just 1 second left he taps out.
Winner – Mark Connor 4:59 Rd2 Tapout due to RNC
Bobbie McVite was up next against Andy Ogle. McVitie starts the fight with a right hook and a flying knee which drops Ogle to the mat, however it’s Ogle who takes control and ends up on top of McVitie. With both fighters tied up in the ropes Ogle begins to throw elbows, looking unfazed by this McVite manages to slip in a triangle choke and forces Ogle to tapout.
Winner – Bobbie McVite 1:33 Rd1 Tapout due to Triangle
A talking point that is still ongoing in the Scottish MMA community came from the next bout. MMA Hit Pit sponsored fighter Dean Reilly was up against Doni Miller. Both fighters started well throwing punches and kicks and a small cut appears under the left eye of Reilly. Both fighters then begin to trade blows throwing awesome punches at each other. With both fighters throwing leg kicks Miller attempts a high kick but as he throws it Reilly steps in and connects with a left hook and drops him to the mat. Wasting no time Reilly jumps on his opponent and throws right hands until the ref steps in and calls a halt to the fight. Miller soon gets back to his feet and feels that the bout was called too early by referee Neil Hall. He continues to demonstrate until the ring announcer Kim declares Reilly the winner.
Winner – Dean Reilly 1:20 Rd1 TKO
Alan Duffy vs Robert Whiteford was up next. Whiteford takes Duffy into the corner where he pulls him to the ground and begins to drop elbows and punches, this opens up a cut above Duffy’s left eye. Whiteford continues to drop vicious elbows and with Duffy unable to reply ref Neil Hall steps in and calls a halt to the fight.
Winner – Robert Whiteford 2:39 Rd1 TKO
Next up was Ryan Kelly vs Allan Love. The fight starts off with both fighters trading leg kicks and punches. Kelly attempts a takedown but it’s Love who lands on top. Once there he gets into full mount and rains down blows. With the action taking place inside the ring ropes the ref stands them up and restarts them back in position in the middle of the ring. Once back in position Kelly attempts to spin out and land on top of Love but Love uses this to his advantage and grabs an armbar forcing Kelly to tapout.
Winner – Allan Love 3:35 Rd1 Tapout due to Armbar
John Quinn was up next against James Mair. Both fighters grapple for position at the start of the round but it’s Quinn who gets the takedown. Once there he drops elbows and punches on opponent. With neither fighter getting any advantage the ref stands them up. As they both wrestle each other to the ground its Quinn who capitalises and manages to secure a very tight armbar giving Mair no option but to quickly tapout.
Winner – John Quinn 2:41 Rd1 Tapout due to Armbar
In the penultimate bout of the evening Eric Boylan took on Graham Turner. At the start of the round Turner starts off by taking Boylan down. Back on the feet and again its Turner pushing the action as he pulls Boylan into a Muay Thai clinch and connects with knees. Turner then drags his opponent to the mat and throws punches until Boylan manages to spin him over and get on top. Unable to take any advantage from this position Boylan attempts to move the action but its Turner who is more alert and grabs a tight armbar to make Boylan tapout.
Winner – Graham Turner 1:57 Rd1 Tapout due to Armbar
In the main event Jean-Robert Monier was up against John Cullen. At the start of the round both fighters go for a knee but it’s Monier who manages to drop down and get on to of Cullen. Cullen transitions to Monier’s back can’t capitalise. While on his back Cullen attempts a triangle but his position is not quite right and he can’t sink it in. Back on their feet and Cullen lands a knee to the Frenchman’s head and drops him. Cullen allows him to get back to his feet but he does end the round on top on his opponent.
Round 2 starts off with Cullen attempting a flying knee but Monier catches his leg and sweeps his standing leg to drop him to the ground. Cullen throws elbows from the bottom as the ref steps in to stand them up. With blood trickling from his head Monier again gets the takedown but Cullen manages to spin him over and get on top. Back to their feet Cullen ends the round with punches and kicks which send him tumbling out of the ring as the buzzer sounds.
The final round begins with both fighters going to the ground. Cullen tries for a triangle but can’t quite get his legs locked to get the choke in tight. With the action taking place between the ropes the referee moves them to the centre of the ring and back into position. Once back there Cullen makes no mistakes and locks his legs to force Monier to tapout to a tight triangle.
Winner – John Cullen 2:40 Rd 3 Tapout due to Triangle
MMA Hit Pit Awards
Fight of the Night: Stephen Cusick vs Bryan Hyslop
Fighter of the Night: Dean Reilly
KO of the Night: Dean Reilly
Submission of the Night: John Quinn
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