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KICKBOXING - MUAY THAI - MMA - K-1 - BOXING
CHALLENGE
www.fightersmag.co.uk
ULTIMATE
NOVEMBER 2009 £3.75
Alex Reid Unleashes Mayhem @ The Troxy
15/10/09 13:40
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Fighters1109
SS NEW ADDRE
Fighters1109
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS EDITORIAL
6
NEWS ROUND-UP Domestic & International
16
DVD REVIEWS With Craig Bush
18
BOOK REVIEW
20
FIGHT ANALYSIS... Or Learning From The Greats
26
12 ROUNDS The Explosive :Extended Cut” Brings The Smackdown to Blu-Ray & DVD
28
A LIFE IN BOXING Fighters Book Review
32
WWE’s NO WAY OUT 2009 Fighters DVD Review
34
BOXING ROUND UP By Mark Wilson-Smith
38
PAUL ‘SEMTEX’ DALEY From The Rough House to The Penthouse
42
THE ROAD TO 2012 Amateur Update
44
DANIEL SAM In The Land of Giants!
48
MAYWEATHER’S MAJESTIC RETURN By Luke Calvert
50
JOACHIM HANSEN ‘Hellboy’
52
EVAN TANNER ”Always Beleive in The Power of One”!
56
PHILIP CARLESS I Couldn’t Care More!
60
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE Mayhem
64
UFC FIGHT NIGHT LIVE By Ben Cartlidge
70
K-1 THE RETURN OF A SAVIOUR & The End of an Era
76
CLASH OF WARRIORS 7 No Way Out!
81
MUAYTHAI ONLINE Independent British Rankings
83
FIGHTERS MAGAZINE IN CONJUNCTION WITH CAGE WARS CHAMPIONSHIPS 29th November 2009 Official Programme
Right, where do I start? To whet your appetite, make sure that you trawl through the hefty news section this month as there is a huge 9 pages of very interesting material which will educate, inform and in some cases have you laughing you socks off including, for the first time a little Wrestling info. BOXING; Regular readers will have noticed that I have included (month on month) a little more boxing content. This has been in no small way due to the hard work of our boxing columnists, Luke Calvert and Mark Wilson-Smith, both guys have really made a point of delivering great content which (as I hope you will agree) has proven to be very interesting to say the least, so ell done guys. In this issue, they cover the road to 2012 and the impending Olympics, Floyd Mayweathers return and this months boxing roundup. MMA: Paul Daley seems to have the Midas touch of late and to bring you up to date with exactly where he is, on his journey from “Rough House to the Penthouse”; we caught up with him to bring you all the latest news. Paul has been around for a long time now and has most certainly put in the time and effort required in order to be taken seriously. He has also earned his stripes the hard way, so it’s in many ways the only right outcome to see him get his rewards for all the hard graft he has put in. Any way, you can read all about what he’s been up to in our exclusive feature inside. Joachim “Hellboy” Hansen is set to make a comeback after 14 months and couldn’t be more fired up and, in his own words “100% Fit and ready for the fight”! FIGHTERS caught up with him to find out what his future now holds and who he wants to take out next. After reading our very own, Rob Nutley’s article about the late great Evan Tanner, I can honestly say that I was moved to call Rob up and congratulate him upon producing a really heartfelt and genuine piece about a man that had obviously touched him by his approach to life and the deeds that he performed whilst alive. I urge you to read this article as it really is a special piece, written by a genuinely nice gut about another genuinely nice guy! As you may have seen on TV the recent fight of Alex Reid and the appearance of his girlfriend, Katie Price attracted a great deal of attention not to mention an added following to the already established Ultimate Challenge fight night. As you will have seen from the cover, we were there and a full report is contained in this issue too, enjoy! There’s also a great report from the recent UFC Fight Night along with some fantastic photo’s and all the results. There’s also an interview with Thai Boxings heavy weight rising star Daniel Sam together a nice report from the Clash of Warriors 7 event, No Way Out as well as all the regular content. As you may have noticed we have also included a free programme at the back of this issue for the CWC event that takes place later this month. This is a trial and as such (considering that it is extra pages so as to not affect the normal balance or content) I would really appreciate your feedback. And if you go to the event, as well as knowing what to expect in advance, please let me know what you think of it. So, until next month, enjoy your training and keep on fighting! Paul S Clifton. cliftoncombat@aol.co.uk PS- Be sure to check out the page opposite and have a go at the 12 rounds competition, good luck!
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12 ROUNDS page 26
WWW.FIGHTERSMAG.CO.UK PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Paul S. Clifton paul@martialartsinprint.com SENIOR DESIGNER Mark John Davies GRAPHIC DESIGN Kevin Thompson ADVERTISING/SALES EXECUTIVE Andrew Reader 0121-351-6930 fighters@btconnect.com UK THAI SUB EDITOR Dan Green UK MMA SUB EDITOR Rob Nutley UK BJJ SUB EDITOR Carl Fisher UK KICKBOXING SUB EDITOR Cris Janson-Piers UK BOXING SUB EDITORS Luke Calvert Mark Wilson Smith
CONTRIBUTORS THAI / KICKBOXING Tony Myers, Paul Hennessy, Shaun Boland, Neil Holden, Dean Sugden, Tim Izli, Bob Spour HOW TO GET WORK PUBLISHED Drop us an email at fighters@martialartsinprint.com or give the editorial team a call on 0121 351 6930 NEWS ITEMS For all news related items, simply mark your envelope “FIGHTERS NEWSLINE” and together with a photograph (if required) and a covering letter, send it to: FIGHTERS, Head Office or E-Mail: fighters.news@btconnect.com UFC COVER INSERT PHOTO Courtesy of Zuffa LLC HEAD OFFICE: Unit 20, Maybrook Business Park, Maybrook Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 1BE. Tel: 0121 351 6930 E-Mail: fighters.magazine@btconnect.com
COMPETITION In conjunction with ‘12 Rou nds’ we have on offer to win... 3 x copies of the film on Bluray 3 x 12 Rounds t-shirts 3 x 12 Rounds caps & 3 x 12 Rounds key rings All you have to do to win one of these fantastic prizes is tell us which wre stling federation john cena is famous for bein g in? a: WWE b: WWF c: WWG email your answers to: 12roundscomp@martialartsi nprint.com Don’t forget to include you r name and a contact number.
ADVERTISING DETAILS If you would like to advertise in FIGHTERS email us at fighters@martialartsinprint.com to obtain details, deadline dates and costs. DISCLAIMER FIGHTERS is published by M.A. Publications Ltd, Unit 20, Maybrook Business Park, Maybrook Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 1BE. The publishers reserve the right to reject editorial and/or advertising material as they see fit. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material. However, the Publishers will endeavour to return such matter providing that it is accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Any material accepted by the Publishers shall be revised or altered should the Publisher deem it necessary to do so. The act of submitting manuscripts and/or materials shall be considered an express warranty that such material is original and in no way infringes upon the rights of others. It is expressly forbidden for any part of the magazine to be reported whatsoever without the permission of Editor / Publishers. The views or comments expressed in these pages are not necessarily those of the editor or Publisher. Distribution by COMAG. No part of this magazine may be produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior permission. Fighters, may not be sold at more than the recomended retail price shown on the cover. SUBSCRIPTION RATES To take out a subscription to Fighters, just send your cheque for the correct amount made payable to M.A. Publications ltd. to: Subscription Dept. Unit 20, Maybrook Business Park, Maybrook Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 1BE. or telephone: 0121-351 6930 12 issues = UK @ £40.50 EUROPE @ £75 (Airmail) REST OF WORLD @ £90 (Airmail)
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Welcome to...
WAKO WORLD ASSOCIATION OF KICKBOXING ORGANISATIONS President: Tom Hibbert M.B.E., F.S.M.A.
Founded in 1970 WAKO is the largest unified kickboxing organisation in the World with over 100 nations currently in membership. WAKO World H.Q. is based in Milan. ★ WAKO History ★ WAKO started its activity in Europe in 1976. The founder was Mr Georg Bruckner from Berlin, who promoted the first ever World Championships in semi and full contact karate (as it was called in those days) back in 1978 with 110 competitors representing 18 countries. WAKO immediately created the rules and regulations for the new fighting sports and acted, since the very beginning, as the authentic Kickboxing Federation of the world. In our Championships, only national teams are accepted. Each member country can present only 1 competitor in each weight class. The WAKO World Championships are NOT open competitions therefore each representative is the premier competitor in that category, from their country.
World Governing Body for Kickboxing World and European Amateur Championships Title Fights held continually both Amateur & Professional Regional Competitions are held throughout the year British Amateur Championships to choose British Teams Full-Contact, Light Continuous-Contact, Semi-Contact, Musical Forms Licence, Membership and Insurance available to all of U.K., Southern Ireland and Republic of Ireland Coaching courses, Referee Training, Seminars and Training Dan Gradings and WAKO certificates for all Members For upto the minute details of all forthcoming W.A.K.O events visit our website To see national ama/wako listings of over 13,000 instructors/clubs on the web, type: www.bt.com/thephonebook then in ‘business’ type: martial arts and town
Contact: Treas & Office: Jacky Carson, 75 Grantham Ave, Derby, DE21 4FJ Tel: 07792 341036 (after 6pm and weekends) Email: info@wakogb.co.uk WAK001/22
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Page 28 WWW.FIGHTERSMAG.CO.UK November 2009
Corner ‘My View From The
A Life in Boxing’ by Angelo Dundee
Angelo Dundee is, without question, one of the greatest trainers the world has ever seen; not only did he train ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali, he also trained a number of other boxing greats such as ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard and George Foreman. But his success didn’t end there and he is still held in such high regard that Oscar De La Hoya appointed Angela as a ‘Strategy Consultant’ ahead of his contest last year with Manny Pacquiao. So, the chance to get an insight into his training methods and the inside track of what is was like working with those boxing greats was too good to turn down - it’s safe to say my expectations on picking up this book were higher than when I picked up most other boxing books. This book takes you through the life of the Italian-American trainer, who has spent an amazing 50 years plus in boxing, despite never having put the gloves on and boxed himself.
The book makes a slow (but very interesting) start as we follow Angelo through his formative years in the sport working alongside his brother Chris, doing all sorts of odd jobs to get enough dollars together to get through the week. If you’ve ever heard the great Angelo Dundee speak, you’ll get an idea of how the book is written. Angelo is a hugely charismatic character and the book conveys his tone perfectly as he recalls boxing tales
from years gone by. Sometime the early stories veer off at tangents as Angelo recalls old boxing tales, so you really need to concentrate for the opening few chapters. Once Angelo meets Ali (then Cassius Clay of course) the pace heats up and we get fascinating insights into his rise from Olympic Gold to World Champion. Angelo was in Ali’s corner for every one of his fights aside from his debut always the professional, Dundee was appointed Ali’s trainer whilst Ali was training for his first fight, so the selfless Dundee took the decision to stay out of the way until he’d made his debut to ensure he didn’t disrupt preparations. From there on, the book provides nonstop action as we follow Ali from ‘The Thriller in Manilla’ to ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ and beyond. Whole chapters are dedicated to those wonderful fights and you really feel like you’ve living every round, taking every punch. Angelo’s close relationship with Ali means we get a sense of the true Ali, an unmistakable sense of the man himself, something that proves particularly interesting during the chapter on Ali’s years exiled from the sport for his unwillingness to participate in the Vietnam conflict.
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BOOK REVIEW - MY VIEW FROM THE CORNER Page 29
From there on in, we get the roller coaster ride of ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonards career at the height of the boxing boom in the eighties as we follow his clashes against the greats such as Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Hagler. Many have wondered why Roberto Duran said ‘No Mas’ during his rematch with Leonard and Dundee gives his own, extremely interesting, take on the debacle. Of course, the Leonard vs. Hearns classic will always be remembered for Dundee’s immortal words to Leonard between the 12th and 13th rounds - ‘You’re blowing it now son’ - which reinvigorated a tired Leonard so much so that he was able to hurt Hearns in the 13th, before finishing off his foe in the 14th for a famous victory. With Ray Leonard retired (eventually for good - you’ll know what I mean when you read the book!) Dundee is approached to work with George Foreman, then in his forties and having been away from the sport for years, wanting to attempt the seemingly impossible task of becoming the oldest Heavyweight Champion of all time. What follows is another incredible ride, with Angelo at the helm, as Foreman strides towards the impossible dream. Within this book is a chance to have a front row seat through two of the greatest era’s in the history in boxing (Ali and Leonard’s rise to prominence), whilst also following the oldest Heavyweight Champion of all time. Quite simply, it’s a must read. Judges Scorecard - 9/10
Fighters Book review By Luke Calvert
To read more articles like this make sure you get the next issue of fighters available from WH Smiths & all good newsagents
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Paul
“Semtex” Daley
From the Rough House to the Penthouse
pictures copyright
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PAUL ‘SEMTEX’ DALEY Page 39
It’s been quite a week for Paul “Semtex” Daley. His 151 second demolition of highly rated UFC welterweight prospect Martin “Hit man” Kampmann served notice to division of his intentions. More and more UK fighters are making their way into the UFC and, following on from the last season of the Ultimate Fighter, it is clear that the UK is producing better fighters now than ever before.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Paul would be star struck by the win but it was just another day at the office for the Nottingham native, who said after the fight; “It sank in straight away; I expected nothing less than the outcome from the fight, so there was no surprise for me”
“I would like that fight but I would like more time between fights. I find motivation from the fight itself, not the location, but it would be nice to have a cheering UK crowd behind me. Swick has faster hands and is taller and more unorthodox, but I think Kampmann was more dangerous as a fighter than him.” Daley has been present on the MMA scene now for many years, but is the
‘‘
and Daley’s performance served to once again highlight this. British representation in the UFC is no longer seen as Michael Bisping + special guests. The likes of Dan Hardy, Ross Pearson, Andre Winner, James Wilks and Paul Daley are all very credible and dangerous fighters in their respective divisions. The UFC welterweight division, however, has never been stronger and Daley was quick to identify “Fitch, Koscheck, Alves, Condit and Swick” as top contenders for the George St Pierre’s title. It may be too early to talk about GSP but if Daley could win in similarly impressive fashion against a fighter of Swick’s calibre it would move him several places closer to title contention. Paul, however, is certainly not in awe of St Pierre and views his “KO power, athleticism and takedown defence” as keys to his success...
‘‘
Daley (22-8-2) has a professional career that spans 6 years and has seen him rack up 18 of his victories by knockout or TKO. Despite his great reputation, from fighting in a number of organizations, he still went into his last fight as a big underdog.
I’m excited. The UFC is the world’s best organization. I love the fans, it’s awesome
Daley looked to push the pace from the opening bell and landed a number of thunderous left hooks which clearly rattled Kampmann. Paul and his team clearly had done their homework on Kampmann as he was able to methodically pick the Dane apart with a series of crisp strikes.
“Kampmann always trades a bit in his fights before going the clinch so I knew I had to capitalise on this weakness. He’s a class striker, but he doesn’t compare KO power like I do” Daley’s victory certainly throws a spanner in the works for the UFC. Martin Kampmann was due to fight Mike Swick for a shot at George St Pierre but following Swick’s injury and the demise of Affliction MMA, Daley was signed by the UFC and thrown on to a main card bout. Daley himself has already acknowledged that the UFC’s welterweight division is “100% without a doubt” the strongest in the world. Few could argue this point as the UFC has never struggled to find talent at 170lbs, a minefield of a division with George St Pierre at the top of it. At the press conference after UFC 103 all the talk was of Daley fighting at the next UK event which is UFC 105 (this month), potentially against Mike Swick. This would translate into another huge fight for Daley but how does he view the prospect of fighting a top contender like Swick in the UK?
latest in a long line of UK talent making a name for himself in the biggest show in the world. The UK MMA scene may not be on the same level as other nations such as America and Brazil but as Daley himself said “We’re still a way away, but we’re moving very fast in the right direction.” We have seen a big increase in the number of talented British fighters entering the UFC
To read the rest of this article why not take out a subscription by calling +44 (0) 121 351 6930 vs Martin Kampmann @ UFC 103
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TLP001/03
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WRS001/04
What Does the WRSA offer you? • Insurance for Fighters, Instructors and Promoters So you are fully protected
• Regular Tournaments around the country. Already 40 planned for 2009. See Website for details.
• Gradings with Specially designed certificates and badges. Each Belt Grade Certificate is Unique
• Courses for Judges and Referees. The WRSA encorages experienced fighters and coaches to take our judges and referees course so they understand what judges are looking for
• Regular Meetings Meetings so member can express their views of how the WRSA is being run. What they think is good and what they feel needs improving.
• Courses First aid courses run by qualified instructors. Training courses for ring craft, weapons course, etc.
• The WRSA does not interfere with how you run your club. It does not restrict you or your fighter as to which shows you fight on.
• The WRSA welcomes Kickboxing Clubs, Thai boxing clubs, Kung Fu Clubs, Traditional Karate clubs.
For Further Information contact the WRSA or Steve Humphrey, Cressdene, Evesham Road, Offenham, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 8SA Tel: 01386 48452 Mobile: 07881 784839 Email: ukcba@lineone.net
www.worldringsportsassociation.com
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AMATEUR UPDATE - THE ROAD TO 2012 Page 43
The Road to
2012 Amateur Update
By Luke Calvert
It’s been a huge month for amateur boxing for both the men and the women, with two major tournaments taking place in Europe this month (September). In recent issues we have highlighted the long term plan put in place by British Amateur Boxing officials, as well as the inclusion of women’s boxing to the Olympic movement. Here is the first update on the road to 2012. The Men Britain’s men entered the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Milan, Italy, sending a nine strong contingent to the tournament. Ultimately, it proved a disappointing time for the team as they returned without a medal to show for their efforts. However, it was not all doom and gloom for Team England as two boxers put in excellent performances, narrowly missing out on medals - they were experienced flyweight (and Beijing Olympian) Kal Yafai and surprise pick at light welterweight Scott Cardle. Both fighters won twice against top opposition before being eliminated from the tournament just one victory away from a guaranteed bronze medal. Despite the disappointment at the World Games, British Amateur boxing chiefs remained upbeat, making it clear that it’s all about putting a programme in place for a successful Olympics in 2012 rather than peaking too early. Time will tell whether their plan is effective but they are certainly talking a good game so far.
However, the luck of the draw evaded the English team - all four women lost to opponents who would go on to claim a medal at these championships, so there was no disgrace in losing to such quality opposition. Indeed, 64kg entrant Natasha Jones looked unfortunate to lose a close 6-4 decision to Gulsum Tatar of Turkey, who went on to win gold.
Changing Weights It was inevitable that we would see a change of weights in the men’s Olympic boxing to accommodate the inclusion of women’s boxing in the 2012 games and those changes were ratified earlier this month. As a result, the Men’s competition in London will see a total of 250 competitors over 10 weights.
The Women
The change will impact boxers below 60kg with the weight categories of 48kg, 51kg, 54kg and 57kg being replaced by 49kg, 52 kg and 56kg. Although I’m sure the little men in boxing feel aggrieved by this decision it does make sense - there aren’t as many men boxing at the lower weights, so quite simply, less boxers are affected this way.
England sent a team of four Women to the European Championships in Ukraine, the first major tournament since women’s boxing in the Olympics was made official. Sadly, it was another disappointing competition for the home nations, with the team returning without a medal.
For the record, it has also been confirmed that 36 women will box in London over three weight classes. Those weights will be Flyweight (48kg), Lightweight (60kg) and Middleweight (75kg).
Changes at the Top British Boxing’s performance director, Kevin Hickey, resigned from his position this month, citing personal reasons for his departure. 68 year old Hickey made it clear that his resignation was nothing to do with the above team returning medal-less from major championships, but instead down to the job meaning he spent less and less time at home with his family. Hickey stated that he had signed a contract that stated he would work four days a week, whereas in reality, he was working 7 days a week with so much to do in the role. Hickey is certainly a loss to British Amateur boxing but it seems clear to me that he was not the right man for the job - after all, we cannot expect to be successful in 2012 if the person at the top of the structure is not even working at least a full 5 day week! (Look out for an exclusive interview with Kevin in a future issue of FIGHTERS).
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Daniel
Sam
in The Land of The Giants! “I’d relish fighting Daniel Ghita!” The English heavyweight scene hasn’t looked so exciting for at least a decade. Explosive, technical fighters are the trademark of the new generation and we caught up with one of this new breed’s leading lights Daniel Sam. Sam is a big man and unlike many heavyweights his size, its muscle! What might surprise those that get talking to him though, is that he is one of the most gentle, respectful and caring people out there. A father of four who has managed to find a way to use muaythai in charity work as part of his day to day life... Sam started training in Tottenham about 6 years ago with LMTA which he walked in to the gym looking for a combat sport to try and found Vinny and his
team teaching there. “I fell in love with it straight away and started training on a regular basis. The hard training of muaythai attracted me to it. I’d gone through a range of playing football, cricket, tennis etc . . and wanted to try something else but never found anything I stuck with except the Thaiboxing. I wanted to try it for a bit of everything, the fitness, to learn the techniques and then when I found out competitions were available, I wanted to push myself to get in there and test myself. I preferred trying the muaythai over boxing because I liked seeing the use of the legs as a weapon. I’m quite a tall person and I’ve got quite good range with my legs making it up my street.” With his desire to compete and test himself Sam’s first fight came 16 months later in Tottenham which was an amateur fight. It was a bit of a wake-up call showing him the difference between training and actually getting in the ring. “The excitement, the tension, the crowd watching, it was good!” The nerves as you enter, they never really leave you. Fighting for the first time was the same as it is for me for every fight - nerve wracking! Dealing with the pressure and the attention, it was a new experience for me, but I loved it! Of course once you start fighting the nerves disappear and you just get down to what you’ve been training to do.” Sam went on to have a further 4 amateur fights, the last of which stands out for him as it was a tough battle that
could have gone either way. It was against Mike Neun of Keddles Gym and he managed to stop him in the last round. “It was a great battle for me both within myself mentally as well as of course the physical battle in the ring.” Given his amateur background, Sam found the transition from amateur to pro quite good. “It is a lot harder competition that you’re in against with the pro but at the end of the day a fight’s a fight. Once you get in the ring it’s no different in terms of the nerves and the excitement, the adrenalin rush is pretty much the same. The amateurs give you a good technical grounding as well because with all the head guard etc, on, the shots don’t have as much effect, so you have to be technically proficient when you’re in the ring to win.” Sam also got some experience of fighting with elbows in the amateurs. Sam’s first taste of fighting pro was in the 2007 Ringmasters 8 man tournament (the early fights are with shin pads but the final without), where he came out the victor. “Ringmasters” was the first time I had put my head down and trained properly for a fight. I had to do so as it was an 8 man tournament, with up to 3 fights in one day! The first fight was very nerve wracking in the sense that there was quite a big crowd, it was a fair size event to what I had done before. It was a good experience and we trained hard for it so I got my feet into what I had to do for it...”
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DANIEL SAM - IN THE LAND OF GIANTS! Page 45
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Mayweather’s
Majestic Return
By Luke Calvert
In some contests, the outcome is always unclear, with both combatants giving their all as the momentum of the contest swings back and forth throughout the duration of the fight. But, then there are other types of contests, which are intriguing until one emphatic moment makes it clear what the outcome of the fight will be, whether the contest ends right then or not. In the recent (September 19th) super fight between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez, that emphatic moment came halfway through round number two. Marquez landed a solid right hand, which was greeted by cheers by the Mexican contingent in the crowd, delighted that their man
had managed to penetrate the seemingly watertight defence of Mayweather. But, their joy was to be short-lived; for Mayweather simply saw this as a warning to step up his game. Floyd gritted his teeth, unleashed a venomous left hook and Marquez sank to the canvas. Marquez made it up before the
count of 10 and survived through 12 rounds, but the outcome was never in doubt from that moment on. It was almost as if Mayweather was punishing Marquez for having the audacity to hit him - something many fighters have been unable to do in Floyd’s 39 preceding contests indicating just how good he really is. Streets ahead of the boxing world. When you consider that before Mayweather’s return from his 21 month hiatus from boxing, Marquez was universally recognized as the number two pound for pound fighter on the planet (behind Manny Pacquiao), you realise that Mayweather’s dominant performance will have sent shivers down the spines of his potential welterweight rivals, including the aforementioned Pacquiao, who fought two close contests with Marquez (one Pacquiao points win and one draw). Perhaps more worrying for those rivals is this - however immaculate
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MAYWEATHER’S MAJESTIC RETURN Page 49
Floyd’s performance against Marquez was, it was clear this was not Floyd in top gear. Mayweather himself called the pe rformance rusty and whilst I wouldn’t go that far, I have no doubt that Floyd, aged 32, can do better. Mayweather was simply able to do as he pleased; landing solid, lightning fast single punches against an opponent that simply did not have enough in his arsenal to cause Mayweather any concern. As I sat watching the contest on TV in the early hours of the morning, I actually considered turning my TV off and going to bed after six rounds. Not because the fight was boring (Mayweather’s mesmerising talents alone were worth watching), but because it was clear what the outcome was going to be. There was only one question remaining - could Mayweather force the stoppage or would Marquez gamely last the distance.
I decided to stay up and watch the fight to the end - the latter was to prove true as the proud Mexican Marquez gamely fought through the 12 rounds, losing a lopsided 12 round decision by scores of 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108. Despite Marquez being a quality operator, many have moved to quell the excitement over Mayweather’s win, citing the size difference - this was Mar quez’s first appearance in the welterweight division, having previously fought no higher than lightweight, whilst Mayweather has fought as high as light-middleweight - as rendering the victory worthless...
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Evan
Tanner
“Always believe in the power of one”! By Rob Nutley “If you can make your voice heard, you can stand up for these things, you can speak out on these things and people are going to listen. You can affect change and you can make things happen, you can improve the world and make it a better place. That’s my motivation behind fighting.” Evan Tanner was truly one of MMA’s more spiritual fighters but it did not make him any less, a fearful competitor. Tanner established a fierce reputation within the sport for his heart, discipline and his ruthless style. He compiled a very impressive 32-8 professional record, won the USFW Heavyweight title by defeating Heath Herring and held the UFC Middleweight belt in 2005, with a dominating performance over the dangerous David Terrell. Tanner was also the first ever American to win the Pancrase Neo-Blood event in Tokyo, Japan.
vs Justin Levens @ UFC 59
Evan Tanner was born on February 11th 1971 in Amarillo, Texas and even as a young child showed a great deal of athletic prowess. It wasn’t until 1989, when Tanner won the Texas State Wrestling Championships, that he became aware of his physical gifts. Tanner dropped out of college after a year as he felt he was not receiving the kind of knowledge that he was searching so hard for. Evan made a big decision at this point to travel the country and live and work in a number of environments. It was these first voyages that shaped Tanner’s mind set and established his love of exploring his surroundings and seeking adventure. Tanner’s first steps into mixed martial arts came on 12th April 1997 for the Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation. It was friends that convinced Evan that he should compete in this tournament and
they were right to encourage him as he defeated 3 fighters in one night, finishing with a rear naked choke, over future UFC title contender Paul Buentello. Tanner realised that his overall skill set needed to improve, if he was to grow as a fighter, so he acquired a series of Gracie instructional videos and began teaching himself the submission game. As Tanner’s wins became more frequent and impressive, so did the offers from fight promoters. During the summer of 1998 Evan travelled to Japan to fight in the Pancrase Neo Blood tournament and promptly became the first ever American to be victorious. As Tanner’s reputation continued to grow and he continued to defend his USWF belt, it was only a matter of time before he attracted the attention of the UFC. Evan Tanner first entered the now famous octagon, before the Zuffa era, in January 1999 for UFC 18: Road to the Heavyweight Title. Tanner defeated Darrel Gholar by rear naked choke and was asked back for the following event in which he made short work of Valeri Ignatov, stopping him with elbows in the first round. Following on from this, Evan loyally stuck with the struggling USWF and defended his belt on 4 occasions in Amarillo but it was clear that this star was rising in the sport. After a return to the UFC, near the end of 2000, which saw him defeat Lance Gibson by strikes, Tanner was given a title shot at the then champion Tito Ortiz. In one of the shortest title fights in UFC history, Ortiz slammed Tanner to the mat and clashed heads with him as they hit the canvas. Tanner was knocked out cold from the impact and Tito Ortiz
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EVEN TANNER - ALWAYS BELIEVE Page 53
was declared the winner by KO (slam). This was one of the first title matches that the UFC had staged since the buyout from Zuffa and as the MMA landscape changed around him, Tanner looked to further evolve as a fighter. Over the next few years Tanner became a mainstay with the UFC as he dropped from light heavyweight to middleweight and chalked up a very impressive 7-1 record since the Tito Ortiz loss. In what can be seen as Tanner’s golden years he went on to score victories over Robbie Lawler and Phil Baroni on two separate occasions. Evan was, at this point, training exclusively with Randy Couture and Matt Lindland at Team Quest in Oregon. Tanner became a fearsome competitor during this time, using his wrestling skills to maul his opponents in the clinch and unloading with vicious strikes from the top whenever he gained dominant positions. It was this style and determination that gained him another title shot in the UFC, this time at 185lbs, in February 2005 against dangerous prospect David Terrell. Tanner had left Team Quest at this point and was training alone for this fight. In one of the most memorable title bouts in recent years, Tanner survived the initial onslaught from Terrell and fought out of a deep guillotine choke to remain in half guard and pound out his adversary with devastating punches and elbows. Evan was the champion and for him it was not about recognition or fame but for the experience, for the adventure. This philosophy was the way Tanner lived his life from beginning to end. “To change the world it takes little actions, little actions every single day. It’s hard for people to see that the small change that they make in their lives can change the world, but it can, believe me” Tanner would go on to lose his title in a rematch with Rich Franklin and in that, lose the opportunity to be a coach on The Ultimate Fighter...
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Page 60 WWW.FIGHTERSMAG.CO.UK November 2009
Mayhem A full capacity crowd packed The Troxy in London on the 19th September. The huge draw for this event was to see tabloid newspaper favourite Alex Reid defend his UK1 Middleweight title against Jack Mason. A constant tension ran through the audience and the atmosphere only seemed to get more charged as the night went on, due to the audience’s jeering and heckling every time Reid’s name was mentioned. A night of finishes eschewed, with much to everyone’s surprise that the only bout to go the distance was the battle between Reid and Mason, ending with a judge’s decision that would only further spilt the crowd on their opinions of the champ. JACK MASON VS ALEX REID UK1 Middleweight Title The highly publicised fight finally came to fruition and many wanted to see if Alex Reid still had it in him to be the champ. Reid soon proved to critics and audience alike that he could take on a dangerous fighter like Jack Mason, but whether his performance was enough to keep the belt depended on what side of the fence you sat on. The two fighters couldn’t be more dif-
ferent in their styles. The taller Reid looked more tentative with a high stiff guard whereas Mason looked looser and relaxed. Neither cared for the usual feeling out period and went straight in for combinations and exchanged strong knees in the clinch. Reid seemed to push forward and peppered Mason from the outside, pushing the pace, whereas Tsunami Gym’s Mason landed the fewer but more powerful hooks in return. When it
Mason vs Reid
went to the clinch both tied well before the ref separated them, but Mason seemed to be the one with the advantage using it to land strikes. Mason seemed to come into his element in the second round, landing more shots and doing more damage, even an attempt at a spinning backfist. The round ends with an excellent setup by Mason, buckling Reid by kicking the far leg to put him off balance. In the final round they both seem to know that this could decide it all. Even though the stakes are raised and both are throwing more combinations, neither are doing much damage. They both exchanged evenly with knees in the clinch and when they break both fighters started to look fatigued. Once again Reid pushed forward and landed some lighter shots whereas Mason focused on power punching. In a repeat of the first round, Reid gets hit by some heavy strikes but landed more jabs and straights before the bell rung to finish the fight. The judges rule, to the upset of the crowd, in favour of Reid. A close decision and no matter what Reid, or his partner Katie Price, say to the audience it did not seem to calm them down as the person many wanted to see lose remains the champion. Alex Reid def. Jack Mason by Unanimous Decision
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ULTIMATE CHALLENGE - MAYHEM Page 61
WESLEY MURCH VS MARK SMITH The Titan MMA fighter Mark Smith did not mess around and came out faring better in the stand up exchanges against London Shootfighter’s Wesley Murch. Though the game quickly changed as “Baby Face” Murch realised that he was not winning the stand-up and took it to the mat. After some time in Smith’s guard and defending against a triangle,
Murch vs Smith
Murch managed to pass to side control and then proceeded onto mount. While Smith showed go composure from the bottom and managed to hip out and escape the mount, Wesley “The Immortal” Murch showed he has superior skill on the ground and went for a keylock, using it to sweep Smith and then securing it for the tap in the half guard. A risky move but it showed that
Murch had faith in his jiu-jitsu and was able to play the game to his strengths. Wesley Murch def. Mark Smith by Keylock 4:55 R1 ..
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By Ben Cartlidge pictures copyright
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ULTIMATE FIGHT NIGHT LIVE 19 Page 65
The UFC has cleverly used Ultimate “Fight Night” on several different occasions to promote all manner of forthcoming projects. Everything from Saw 6 to Save the Troops has been given the push by Zuffa and UFN 19 was no exception. As the lead in for The Ultimate Fighter Season 10: Heavyweights you would have been forgiven for expecting a weaker card , especially this close to UFC 103. Joe Silva, however, put together one of the strongest non pay per view cards in recent memory.
Middleweight Bout Nate “The Rock” Quarry vs “Crazy” Tim Credeur. On paper this had all the makings of an awkward encounter. You’d be forgiven for thinking that Tim Credeur was fighting on a frozen lake rather than in the Octagon as he swings like he’s just fallen out of a lifeboat. Nate Quarry on the other hand usually displays the movement and fluidity of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. It would be, however, the combination of two unorthodox styles that would produce the fight of the night. Both fighters were not overly keen to engage initially and the opening of this contest saw them both circle nervously exchanging single shots. Credeur looked the more comfortable of the two as he mixed up leg kicks and let more combinations go. This approach paid off late in the first round as Quarry was dropped by a glancing right hand and Credeur quickly pounced to secure his back. Credeur fought hard to sink in the choke but Quarry was resolute in his defence and quickly worked through bad positions to make it to his feet and more importantly to the end of the round.
and pound from half guard. On this occasion however Credeur was able to get up and look to win the fight on his feet. The crowd erupted as both fighters threw caution to the wind and stood in the centre of the Octagon trading punches. After an exchange that looked more like Rocky vs Apollo both fighters were clearly fatigued. Credeur ate a much tamer right hand but it was enough to topple him and normal business was resumed as Quarry fell into his guard as before. The fighters were stood up for the final few seconds but it was academic.
Condit vs Ellenberger
Although it was Quarry who won the deserved decision, both fighters took home the fight of the night bonus and the UFC gained another classic for the next DVD compilation they will inevitably produce.
Welterweight Bout; Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit vs Jake Ellenberger. It’s a tough gig being Carlos Condit these days it seems. Before Zuffa decided to axe the WEC Welterweight division Carlos Condit was the proverbial big fish in the small pond. He destroyed everyone who stepped in his path and defended his WEC title three times. Following a disappointing loss to Danish prospect Martin Kampman, Condit looked to improve his stock against IFL veteran Jake Ellenberger. Following the famous Condit stare down, Ellenberger seemed a tad unimpressed. This was most clearly shown by the disdain in which he caught Condit’s first kick and countered with a beautiful straight right. Ellenberger pursued his
advantage and took his opponent to the mat and looked to punish him from the guard position. Condit managed to scramble to his feet and get some separation but he was made to regret this very quickly. Ellenberger once again caught Condit’s right body kick and followed with a right straight. Condit was clearly rocked from this and backed up towards the fence. Ellenberger threw a huge lead right hook which just about took Condit’s head clean off. In the frenzied attack that followed Condit covered up and somehow managed to survive as Ellenberger stood above him and rained down the shots...
To read the rest of this article why not order a back issue, for details call +44 (0) 121 351 6930 Credeur vs Quarry
Credeur was clearly confident after this display and went straight after Quarry at the start of the second round. Quarry was in danger of being dominated once again but pulled out a piston like right hand that stopped his opponent dead in his tracks. Credeur frantically tried to pull guard under a flurry of punches from Quarry and although he did well to weather the storm, he spent the rest of the round fruitlessly working from guard. Round 3 began in almost identical fashion to the previous one with Credeur straight into another stiff right from Quarry that sent him tumbling to the canvas. The fight was in danger of slipping away from Credeur as Quarry used some vintage Team Quest style ground
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The Return of
a Savior &The End of an Era
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to think of K-1 without the image of Peter Aerts popping into your mind at some level. The star has earned the title Mr. K-1 (not only due to the fact he has won the title 3 times because he has fought in the World Grand Prix for each and every one of the 16 years of its existence. Forget the coveted 4-time Championship, as Peter Aerts has achieved something that no man will ever be able to beat. Yet now, along with the dreams of 7 other Final 16 fighters, this record has come to an end.
Overeem vs Aerts
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K-1 - THE RETURN OF A SAVIOUR Page 71
DREAM fighter, Alistair Overeem faced Peter Aerts due to the fact he was the fans number 1 choice to be given a wild card. He made it clear that he was honored to have been chosen, and honored to face the legend, Peter Aerts. However, that didn’t stop him from making the point that his previous K-1 fights weren’t just flukes. Peter did say post-fight that after the first minute of round one, his strength just drained away. You could see it too. Alistair was never in any serious trouble throughout the 3 rounds, yet there were several occasions that I feared the ex-Champion may not make it to the final bell. Make it he did though. It is sad to know that he won’t be in the WGP this year, however it is exciting to see how the newcomer will do in his first WGP. Most people discussing his MMA career fail to remember he actually started that fight career as a stand up fighter. He now has serious size, power and skill on his side. Another man that won’t be going to Yokohama this year, or ever again, is veteran Japanese heavyweight fighter Musashi. He had announced earlier that he would retire after this season, and although he put up a valiant effort against the French fan-favorite Jerome LeBanner, that season was cut short. Both fighters came to the ring looking faster than they have for some time, and the first two rounds were very competitive. The two southpaw fighters kept it primarily a boxing bout, and in the third, Musashi got caught. He received an 8 count, and got to his feet smiling. Jerome did do his best to end the fight early, but there was no way Musashi was going to retire on a KO loss, so he somehow managed to dig deep enough to hang on until the final bell. Great respect was shown by Jerome after the announcement that he had won, and both fighters dropped to their knees and embraced. Musashi had his first fight in K-1 14 years ago, and he said today LeBanner was always one of his favorites. The night was not all bitter-sweet though. The return to form of Badr Hari was a spectacular site to see. The end of last year saw him disqualified against Remy Bonjasky and knocked out by Alistair Overeem, so there were some doubters leading up to this event. When he knocked out Zabit Samedov in just over 2 minutes with a right straight to the body he not only won,
Musashi vs Le Banner
but he also allowed all of the K-1 fans around the world to breath a huge sigh of relief about the future of this sport. Honestly speaking, Zabit didn’t even get “in” the fight. From the opening bell it was all Hari. It will be interesting to see if he can keep the ball rolling and make it third-time-lucky with the WGP. Another man to return to form is the man Hari beat earlier in the year, Semmy Schilt. He faced the Last Chance GP winner Daniel Ghita. Ghita knew what he had to do, and in the first
Samedov vs Hari
Schilt vs Ghita
round he really took the fight to Semmy, and shook him up badly with punch, high kick, punch combination that all landed flush. Unluckily for him, he couldn’t capitalise, and after a break, the Dutchman came back strong in round 2, and then introduced Ghita to the K-1 canvas in round 3. Once with a jab and once with a short right hook. Ghita did show enormous heart in the fight though, and he is clearly going to be someone very difficult to deal with after another year or so of experience on the circuit...
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Huntley vs Cohoon
7
Clash of Warriors No Way Out!
Clash of Warriors have been running mixed martial arts events in Nottingham since 2007 and “No Way Out” was once again an event that was not to be missed. Andy Crichton vs Chris McGragh The first fight of the evening featured two local fighters from Nottingham. They both looked evenly matched in terms of weight and height, and both started cautiously in an attempt to size up the other. Andy delivered a number of good kicks, but none of them really made any proper contact. After a struggle in the middle of the cage, Andy managed to get Chris pinned down to the floor, then proceeded to deliver a number of punches to the face. Chris defended himself well, and the two appeared to be locked in a stalemate until Andy managed to get into the mount position. Once there, he delivered
a barrage of punches to the face. Chris was eventually unable to defend himself, and the ref, Dean Amasinger (from the Ultimate Fighter series), stepped in to call an end to the fight. Result: WIN - Andy Crichton. Round 1, 2 minutes - Ground and Pound.
left Simon motionless on the floor and had the paramedics racing into the cage. Luckily, he was given the all-clear after the doctors checked him out. (The referee for this fight was Dean Amsinger). Result: Win Dave Latus. Round 1 - 10 seconds - Spectacular Knockout.
Simon Hull Vs Dave Latus
Marios Konstandi Vs Mo Coles
Dave brought plenty of fans with him, which helped spur him on to one of the shortest fights we’ve ever seen. Within the first couple of seconds both fighters got a couple of punches in, but after only 10 seconds of the first round, Dave delivered a spectacular knockout punch that
Local boy Marios has made a reputation for himself as a fighter who doesn’t hang around, and once again he lived up to his reputation. Marios started with a high kick which Mo managed to duck, and both fighters begin to exchange punches and kicks in the middle of the cage. Mo
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makes a couple of attempts to get Marios down on the ground which he succeeds to do on a couple of occasions. Mo applies a leg lock that Marios manages to escape and then Marios takes control of Mo from the back, Moâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face to the floor. Marios then proceeded to deliver a barrage of punches to the head, which Mo is unable to defend against. The referee, Dean Amasinger, then steps in to stop the fight. Round 1 - 2 minutes 24 seconds - Ground and Pound
Ben Rose Vs Paul Barton Both fighters had plenty of fans in the crowd for this one. The action started straight away with Paul managing to get Ben pinned against the cage. Ben defended well and kept getting the punches in. However, Paul did exactly the same and Ben could not escape from the position he was in. Paul then proceeded to lift Ben up in order to drop him to the ground. Ben managed to resist the floor but ended up pinned against the cage once again. Paul proceeded to attack with a number of knees directed at the stomach, but Ben responded in kind and managed to force his way out of the position he was pinned in. Then Ben went on the offensive and layed into Paul with a number of welltimed punches and kicks. Paul managed to defend well once again and, for a few seconds, had Ben pinned to the ground - he made the most of it by delivering a couple of punches to the face. Ben managed to get off the ground, but within seconds Paul had him pinned up against the cage again. After the referee, Danny Battn, separated them, both fighters kept each other at bay until the end of the round. As round 2 kicks off, Ben looked, for a second, like he was off balance but quickly regained his footing. The fighters kept each other at bay by exchanging punches and kicks for a while. Ben tried to get in a high kick but it lead to nothing. Ben was definitely getting a lot more punches in, in this round, with Paul appearing to be a lot more defensive than he was in the first. Ben got in a good blow to the head and followed up with a kick to the chest. Paul attempted to get his opponent down to the ground but mistimed his attack and allowed Ben to get in another good punch to the face. Paul fought back and managed to get Ben pinned against the cage again. However it was only for the last few seconds of the round. Ben was declared the winner by the judgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unanimous decision. Round 2 - 5 minutes - Unanimous Decision.
Rafikas Mamedovas vs Brendan Loughnane
Benjamin Dennis vs Craig Chesters
Brendan definitely had the crowd on his side as this fight got underway. Immediately Brendan was on the offensive and had his opponent pinned down within seconds. Rafikas was able to turn this around but couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite get him on the floor, and a few seconds later both fighters were back on their feet. With each of them getting in a number of punches, the two looked very evenly matched. For a second it looked like Rafikas had the advantage when he managed to get Brendan pinned down, but, out of nowhere Brendan delivered a lightning-fast arm bar and it was all over. (The referee for this match was Danny Battn). Round 1 - 2.20 minutes - Arm Bar.
The crowd went wild as each fighter entered the cage. Both started cautiously, trying to size each other up. Craig went in for an attack and tried to pin Benjamin down, but was unsuccessful. After a grapple in the middle of the cage, Ben managed to get Craig pinned down - but before long he was able to turn it around and the two of them were back on their feet. After a number of punches and kicks from each fighter, Benjamin ended up pinned against the cage. Again, it was only a few seconds before he was able to get out of it. Back on their feet, the two of them began exchanging punches and kicks again. Craig made another attempt to take his opponent down...
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