By Dean Weir

Friday 4th June 2010 saw another excellent night of fights in front of a sold out crowd at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford.
Saif Khan and his team deserve great praise for organizing such a high quality event at one of Bradford's premier hotels.

Amateur 70kg - Daniel Thompson (Nova Vida) v Martin Watson (Team Akurei) :
Thompson was the first to engage with some unanswered leg kicks before Watson took control in the clinch and forced the fight to the ground. The battle for control on top ensued with the dominant position changing a couple of times before Thompson swiftly moved and attempted a heel hook. Watson escaped only to have his opponent end up on top in butterfly guard, which he quickly advanced to full mount, attempted an arm bar which Watson again escaped. Thompson failed to gain any advantage from taking the back of Watson, so decided to stand. Watson then threw a viscous leg kick which dropped Thompson, but Watson allowed him to regain his feet. A clinch soon followed from which Thompson executed an excellent judo throw from which he gained the top position but was unable to capitalize before the end of the round.
The second round started with an exchange of kicks and body punches before Thompson took Watson to the ground and gained top position. Unfortunately he left himself open and Watson gained an armbar submission from his back after just 43 seconds.

Amateur 70kg - Jimmy Johnson (Team Asylum) v Sohail Ali (Team Fulinkazan) :
The fight started with Johnson advancing with Ali keeping him at bay with flurries of "air" punches. When the two eventually engaged it was Johnson who gained control in the clinch, took the fight to the ground and ended up in side control from which he made an attempt at an arm lock. Ali escaped, Johnson gained full mount and was soon on the end of a triangle attempt from Ali. He escaped into side control and again attempted an arm lock from which Ali again escaped. This time Johnson gained great positional control and with Ali's head clasped firmly between his legs, he maneuvered to lock in an unorthodox armbar to gain the submission victory after just 3 minutes 43 seconds.

Amateur 84kg - Anthony Frankland (Team Akurei) v Gaz Deighton (Team Fulinkazan) :
Frankland started the aggressor with a burst of punches, he quickly grabbed a Thai clinch and threw some knees to the body of Deighton. A clinch attempt from Deighton was foiled and Frankland gained the full mount on the grounded Deighton who quickly swept and gained top position only for Frankland to attempt, what looked a solid armbar attempt, from his back. Deighton, in a valiant escape attempt, stood but was soon grounded again and succeeded in loosening Franklands grip, ending up in the full guard of Frankland. Position changed numerous occasions before Frankland ended the exchanges by taking the back of Deighton and attempting a rear naked choke. Deighton valiantly escaped numerous attempts at the choke before the bell sounded.
The second round was a much slower pace with both fighters unable to hide the fatigue. Exchanges of kicks, knees and punches littered the round with Frankland landing slightly more significant blows before he caught a kick from Deighton and swept his leg. The fight ended with a flurry of body punches from both.
A unanimous points decision was awarded to Frankland.

Semi-Pro 90kg - Damien Crureja (Farrell MMA) v Darren Radfelder (Team Fulinkazan) :
An expolosive start from Crureja with a head kick that floored Radfelder. Strangely he let his grounded opponent stand up. Radfelder immediately went for the clinch and threw Crureja to the floor, gaining side control. In the process of Radfelder moving for improved position Crureja verbally tapped due to a shoulder injury after just 44 seconds of Round 1.

Semi-Pro 90kg - Fabion Daroczy (Team Machine) v Andy Wilcocks (Team Fulinkazan) :
After a brief exchange of punches the contest settled with Wilcocks claiming the centre of the cage, Daroczy circling looking for the opening. He attempted a body kick which Wilcocks grabbed and forced Daroczy to the floor. On standing, Daroczy engaged for another brief exchange of punches resulting in the clinch and Wilcocks taking the fight to the ground. Again, Wilcocks stood and allowed Daroczy up. In the next exchange, Wilcocks connected with an excellent left hook that floored Daroczy. Wilcocks allowed him to stand again only to floor his opponent again with the same technique. After allowing Daroczy to his feet again, Wilcocks pushed forward constantly, received a couple of knees in the clinch, but was unabated in his quest for the victory. He floored Daroczy with another left hook and again allowed him to stand before he ended the fight with a straight right from which Daroczy had no reply ending the contest after 3 minutes 22 seconds of round 1.

Semi-Pro 70kg - Saul Rogers (Team Colosseum) v Mohammed Ali (Nova Vida) :
After a short delay so Ali's attire could be adjusted, the fight commenced with a short exchange of punches before Rogers iniated the clinch and forced the fight to the ground. He landed some body punches - no shots to the head of grounded opponent at semi-pro - before standing up and landing with a number of body punches and leg kicks. The remainder of the round continued in much the same vein with Rogers gaining repeated takedowns and using body punches to wear down his opponent. Ali, although on his back for most of the round, attempted numerous submissions but did not have the strength or power to worry Rogers.
The second round was pretty much the same as the first round with Rogers dominating from the start. It was only Ali's determination and JJ defence that ensured the fight went to the final bell.
Rogers gained a unanimous decision from the judges to add to his unbeaten record, now at 4-0-1, which he is looking to improve further next month, to take with him to the US for a 3 month training experience before the inevitable step up to the professional ranks.

Semi-Pro 75kg - Daniel Bednarovic (C.J.B.A.) v Mariusz Crureja (Farrell MMA) :
A furious exchange of punches and kicks got this contest underway ending with a straight right from Bednarovic that floored Cureja. Regaining his feet Cureja went for the clinch against the fence which ended with Bednarovic gaining the takedown and ending up in side control. Crureja swept and gained the top position, but did not hold for long as Bednarovic's attempted armbar forced the mistake and he then gained the top position and full mount. He was unable to improve his position from here and decided to stand. Bednarovic then went for the takedown but was caught in a standing guillotine which Crureja soon to the floor. After what seemed like an age, Bednarovic finally escaped and the pair settled for position before the referee made the decision for them to stand. A short burst of punches and a knee from Crureja preceded the final takedown of the round from the Farrell MMA man.
The second round was a repeat of the first with a torrid exchange of punches and kicks. Crureja this time though, pushed forward more aggressively and from the clinch on the fence threw Bednarovic to the ground which he followed up with some powerful kicks to the legs of his grounded opponent. Bednarovic regained his feet, forced the clinch, took the fight down and gained side control from which he attempted an armbar, he failed and found himself on the receiving end of an attmpted heel hook. He managed to withstand the attempt before the referee again, stood the two men up. The contest ended with Bednarovic gaining another takedown and full mount before Crureja swept and finished in full guard.
A unanimous decision went to Bednarovic.

Semi-Pro **Catchweight** - Carl Amos (Farrell MMA) 77kg v Sam Boulds 84kg :
Boulds made his intentions very clear from the outset with a lift and slam of Amos' who gained an arm in guillotine on the floor. Boulds soon escaped and forced his way to full mount. Good defence from Amos resulted in numerous changes in guard positions before he switched to gain top position, only to end up in a triangle. He stood and slammed Boulds to the floor in an attempt to escape but only succeeded in the choke sinking in deeper forcing Amos to tap after just 2 minutes 29 seconds.

Pro 58kg - Lukasz Stasziewicz (Team Warriors Elite) v Shamsul Haque (Fighting Fit) :
The nights first pro bout was a shortlived affair. Stasziewicz came out and threw a wild right hook that missed, Haque took full advantage by shooting and taking his opponent down, ending in full guard. The two grappled for control before Haque unleashed a barrage of unanswered ground and pound, forcing the referee to call a halt at just 1 minute 35 seconds.

Pro 65kg - Nathan Thompson (Camp South Shields) v Greg Orligora (Caged Steel) :
A tentative start with Orligora stalking his man before Thompson gained the takedown. He quickly moved from full guard to half guard but was unable to improve before Orligora swept and gained the top position in Thompsons full guard. A triangle attempt from the bottom forced Orligora to stand and slam Thompson to the ground, he succeeded in loosening the attempt but Thompson immediately switched to an armbar attempt. Again, Orligora lifted and slammed Thompson to the canvas, this time forcing the release and ended in Thompsons full guard. Thompson continued to look for submissions from his back with Orligora attempting to improve his position before eventually throwing down some heavy, if somewhat sporadic, punches to his opponent. Thompson kept moving to avoid the blows and very swiftly moved for a triangle choke which gained in the blink of an eye, forcing Orligora to tap at 3 minutes 52 seconds.

Pro 77kg - Will Brooks (Team Akurei) v Andy Lanes (Combat Base) :
The well supported Lanes started this contest in confident fashion forcing Brooks against the fence and controlling the position. Brooks turned his back and Lanes did not need a second invitation to take it and hook in his legs. Unfortunately for Lanes, when the two hit the ground he was unable to hold Brooks for long, with the Akurei man turning into LAnes full guard. He then landed a few body punches before Lanes failed in a triangle attempt which resulted in Brooks gaining the full mount. Lanes felt he was in a vulnerable position and turned giving up his back to Brooks who gladly took advantage and locked in the rear naked choke to gain the submission victory at 2 minutes 45 seconds.

Pro 62kg - Rob McCrum (Lycan Fight Team) v James Williams (Team Warriors Elite) :
The final bout of the night started slowly with both men feeling out the other.  McCrum was the first to act by pushing forward and gaining control on the fence. He gained the takedown and into side control. Williams regained his feet but had to take a few punches in the process, he was soon back on the ground again with McCrum in his full guard. This was soon advanced to side control and eventually full mount from where he commenced some ground and pound forcing Williams to spin and give up his back. At the second attempt McCrumb managed to succeed in sinking in the rear naked choke forcing Williams to tap at 3 minutes exactly.

**FOOTNOTE**
Great plaudits to both Sam Boulds and Carl Amos. To Boulds who took the fight on just 2 hours notice and to Amos who agreed to fight even though Boulds was the much heavier man with a 7kg advantage.
At the end of the fight Andy Farrell, coach of Carl Amos, took centre stage to applaud the two men, "These two fighters showed why MMA is such a great sport".
He is not wrong.

Full Results :-

Amateur
Martin Watson bt Daniel Thompson via armbar - R2 - 43 secs
Jimmy Johnson bt Sohail Ali via armbar - R1 - 3 mins 44 secs
Anthony Frankland bt Gaz Deighton - Unanimous Decicision

Semi-Pro
Darren Radfelder bt Damien Crureja - retired injured - R1 - 44 secs
Andy Wilcocks bt Fabion Daroczy via KO - R2 - 3 mins 22 secs
Saul Rogers bt Mohammed Ali - Unanimous Decision
Daniel Bednarovic bt Mariusz Crujera - Unanimous Decision
Sam Boulds bt Carl Amos via Triangle Choke - R1 - 2 mins 29 secs

Pro
Shamshul Haque bt Lukasz Stasziewicz via TKO - R1 - 1 min 35 secs
Nathan Thompson bt Greg Orligora via Triangle Choke - R1 - 3mins 52 secs
Will Brooks bt Andy Lanes via R.N.C. - R1 - 2 mins 45 secs
Rob McCrum bt James Williams via R.N.C. - R1 - 3 mins.