MMA Lifestyle Magazine by Mark Wynne

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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JUNE 2015 | £3.95

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- MACTO CHAMPIONSHIPS - FCC MEETS GRAPPLE NATION

- UKMMA QUESTION TIME

- TEAM CENTURIONS

E V I S U L EXC

WE TALK

UM N S ’ K U TO T H E

EIG W R E T L E ER 1 W

THIS MONTH FOUR

This month’s latest UKMMA news, views and opinions

SIX

TEN

UKMMA Question Time with Jay ‘Blast’ Furness

TWELVE

Team Centurions, putting ‘uni’ in ‘unique gym’

FIFTEEN

Reviews: Rashguard, gloves and a limited-edition tee

Jay Furness/UKMMA Question Time Image Credit: Dolly Clew/Cage Warriors Figting Championships

elcome to the June 2015 issue of MMA Lifestyle Magazine. This month’s issue is easily our best to date highlighted by an exclusive interview with one of UKMMA’s most charismatic men, Danny ‘Hot Chocolate’ Roberts. Every time I see him he’s more and more focused on his end goal –the UFC. He deserves success. Jay Furness answered our UKMMA Question Time. I’m surprised he actually found the time, he’s one of the scene’s busiest fighters! Also in this month’s issue is a feature on Team Centurions, a special and talented gym in the ascendency on the UKMMA amateur scene. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this month’s issue much as I enjoyed making it!

EDITOR’S LETTER

Danny ‘Hot Chocolate’ Roberts looks to the future

f: mmalifestylemagazine | t: @mmalifestylemag w: www.mmalifestyle.co.uk | e: editor@mmalifestyle.co.uk

MMA Lifestyle

NEWS: F

FCC 13 and GN6 join forces

ull Contact Contender, one of the UK’s most popular upand-coming shows, and Grapple Nation, an exciting Brazilian JiuJitsu competition, are set to join forces in June for a weekend of MMA and BJJ action at Bolton’s Macron Stadium. Saturday, June 20 sees Full Contact Contender 13 take place and Grapple Nation 6 will be held the following day. The most recent FCC show played host to a plethora of domestic and European talent including Paddy Pimblett, Matt

Inman and Kevin Petshi. GN4 saw a large number of high-profile BJJ players pit their wits against each other in No-Gi competition and GN5, held in May, was the first Gi-only tournament. It has also been announced that the upcoming instalment of Grapple Nation will be the competition’s European No-Gi Championships. It will also feature an eight-man superfight tournament to crown the inaugural Grapple Nation

‘Mini Hulk’ withdraws from Engage FC: 1

anny ‘Mini Hulk’ Missin has announced his withdrawal from Engage Fighting Championship’s inaugural show, where he was set to fight Marcin ‘BJ’ Lasota for the flyweight title. Missin has cited an intestinal infection as the reason for his pull-out, and also claimed it is the first fight he has had to withdraw from in his career. According to Missin, the

Shinobi War 5 postponed until September

he fifth instalment of amateur show Shinobi MMA Fighting Championships has been postponed until September, according to a press release from the promotion on Facebook. Shinobi War 5 was set to take place on June 5 at the Liverpool Olympia but the promotion’s owner Ian Munzberger, citing personal health issues, has taken the decision to move the show to September 5 of this year. Through the Shinobi MMA FC Facebook page, Munzberger said: “I am unable to give this June event the time, dedication

Champion. Read a review of the two events in next month’s MMA Lifestyle Magazine. infection caused him to lose 6lbs in four hours and as a result, struggled to hydrate himself. “A huge apology to my opponent Marcin Lasota, we were going to put on one hell of a fight!” he said via Facebook. A replacement for the title bout is yet to be announced, with Romanian fighter Paul Marin rumoured to be lined up. An addition to the card has also been made, where Liverpoolbased Ellis Hampson will take on Ian ‘Willy’ Williams at Lightweight.

and commitment that we demand of ourselves” “Both my business partner Paul Reed and myself felt it right to now concentrate all of our efforts on the two remaining shows of the year: September 5, and November 28,” he added. At the time of the news, there were no fights publicly announced for the show, which would have been the promotion’s second at the Olympia. For the latest on this Gavin Hughes defeated Mjolnir MMA’s Birgir Tomasson at Shinobi War 4. developing situation, head to Credit: On the Road with UKMMA www.mmalifestyle.co.uk

MACTO AIMS TO MAKE WAVES NICK OSIPCZAK TAKES ON WENDLE LEWIS IN NEW PROMOTION’S MAIDEN FIGHT NIGHT “It’s great to be here. I’m pleased to be fighting for a show ran by Wad, he only wants the best for UKMMA,” while the former commented: “I’m genuinely pleased to be headlining this card, especially against a fighter like Nick.” The aforementioned bout will be Lewis’ first since losing to Leon Edwards in December 2013. Osipczak, whose last fight was a split decision loss when the UFC visited Germany, returns to MMA competition after a five-year layoff from the sport.”During my whole Wendle Lewis and Nick Osipczak face off ahead of Macto Championships’ inaugural main event. time out of the fight game Photo credit: On the Road with UKMMA I have stayed fit and ready to compete,” he said. n what seems like an attempt to fill the Cage In the co-main event, opinionWarriors-sized hole in the dividing fighter David ‘One domestic scene, the men More’ Round will square off behind Middlesex-based against Alex Montagnani. promotion Too Much Talent According to Round, the have merged with the owners fight is a ‘great matchup’ and of fightwear manufacturers Montagnani said: “This fight will Impact LPA as well as fighter be explosive.” agent Wad Alameddine to form As well as the June show, Macto Championships. Macto Championships The venture, which aims to organisers signalled their become the UK’s premier intentions to hold a further combat show, will now be two shows before the end of based in Milton Keynes’ this year in September and MK Arena, a venue that can November, with at least four seat 3,000 spectators with shows next year. facilities to accommodate a Other aspects of the 30-foot cage, 11 bars, several promotion announced include restaurants and free parking. cooperation with Safe MMA, The move was finally solidified the voluntary organisation in a private conference call campaigning for fighter safety between all parties. and health within the sport, and Macto Championships’ first the appointment of a fighter show, arranged for June 27, liason officer in a move the promotion claims will will see Wendle Lewis take on former UFC fighter ‘take fighter safety and comfort to a new level’. Nick ‘Slick’ Osipczak. Of the fight, the latter said:

MMA Lifestyle

# THE TAKE OVER

Th e m a n ato p t he U K w elterw eigh t r a n k i n g s ta l ks n e w gym , old fr ust r atio ns a n d p l a n s f o r w o r ld do mi n at i o n

Words and pictures: Mark Wynne

he sweat dripped from the UK’s top-ranked welterweight as he finished his first training session of the day. It was a cold morning at Liverpool Vale Tudo, a relatively new gym tucked away inside an industrial estate. With its royal blue mats and walls, a cage to simulate a fight as closely as possible, and a corner packed with strength and conditioning equipment, Liverpool Vale Tudo is the new training base of Danny ‘Hot Chocolate’ Roberts, one of the domestic scene’s true characters. Roberts recently moved here, changing his coaching team in the process after, in his words, ‘outgrowing’ the famous city centre-based Next Generation and its head instructor Paul Rimmer.

“It’s like when you’re a kid,” he said of the change. “You grow up and you need to move out, so I’ve moved here and this is where the work is going to be done from now on. I get the feeling that I’m well looked after; we’re like a family. I wouldn’t call it a ‘laid back’ gym, but everyone’s on the same footing and there’s no sense of hierarchy. I’ve got a good team behind me here and I feel like I’ve got all the ingredients for the recipe of success. I’m happy.” Hot Chocolate is yet to fight since changing his coaching setup. In fact, he hasn’t stepped into the cage since May of last year when he knocked out UKMMA stalwart ‘Judo’ Jimmy Wallhead in arguably his toughest test to date. In front of a partisan crowd at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, 27-year-

“I’ve got all the ingredients for the recipe of success. I’m happy”

MMA Lifestyle 7

MMA Lifestyle

old Roberts needed just four and a half minutes to beat Wallhead and rack up a fifth consecutive victory, progressing to 11 career wins. On the other hand (literally), Roberts suffered a broken metacarpal in the fight and has been out injured since. For someone who wants to become a household name in the sport, spending almost a year on the sidelines can have an impact. “It’s soul crushing, it’s wounding,” Roberts said, laughing almost ironically. “But I thought ‘rather than rushing into another fight with an injury, I’m going to take the time to heal properly while developing new skills in the process and becoming more of a dynamic fighter’.” The sport is always evolving but the break has done me a world of good. My last opponent was a really high-calibre one so it’s been good to have a rest so I can fully make that step up to the next level,” he recalled.

It’s that ‘next level’ that Hot Chocolate is obsessed with. “Getting into this sport was the best thing I’ve ever done and becoming number one in the UK is just the start for me. That isn’t my finishing point; I’ve still got places to go,” he asserted. “If you’ve seen my Twitter and Instagram profiles this year you will have seen me use the hashtag ‘the takeover’. Basically,

Chris Fishgold, was the subject of a 2013 documentary following him in the lead up to what was arguably that year’s Fight of the Year against Henry Fadipe. Roberts affirms that the version of him we saw on camera almost two years ago is a completely different fighter, and man, to the one we see now. “I wasn’t as wise then. The character is still there – I’m still flamboyant, still confident. But now I know more about myself and where I’m going. The end goal is closer now as it was back then. I came into the sport quite a rugged and raw Hot Chocolate but now I’m a more patient beast.” After reflecting on his past self, Roberts, a former amateur boxer, took time to predict where he will be in the future. He said: “Without a shadow of a doubt inside 12 months I’ll be in the UFC. Not only that, I want to be in the top 10, taking on some of the biggest names in the world and winning.

“Becoming number one in the UK is just the start for me” that just means I want to be the best there is. I want to go out there to entertain and be someone people look up to,” he added. Before the aforementioned fight against Wallhead, and the one before that – a closelycontested scrap against Juan Manuel Suarez that saw Roberts toil to a decision victory – Danny, along with former teammate

Roberts is all smiles as he works through a boxing session

My ambition is to fight in Las Vegas – main event.” “Hearing Bruce Buffer call my name in front of a sell-out crowd would definitely be something to go on the highlight reel!” he joked. Just how close is Danny Roberts to those ambitions? “I know I’m literally knocking on the door now. I’ve only been on the scene a little while but I’ve progressed quickly despite my little spots of inactivity. However, I’ve still got years left in me and I love the sport to death,” he replied. Typically, Brits fighting in the UFC haven’t quite tasted the success they should have. Michael Bisping, despite flying the flag for UKMMA in the States for years, has been a perennial ‘nearly man’ and Dan Hardy’s loss to Georges St. Pierre in his hunt for gold sent him on a four-fight downward spiral. Ross Pearson was climbing the lightweight rankings swiftly but even he has lost two of his last four fights. If he made it to the UFC, would Hot Chocolate break the trend of Englishmen failing in their search for international titles?

MMA Lifestyle 9 Standing proudly beside his new gym’s emblem, Roberts said he has found a ‘renewed vigour’ at Liverpool Vale Tudo

“I love this sport to death” “A million per cent. Definitely,” he confidently asserted. “I’ve got my own take on things. I’m bigger, better and I’m still young. When I get to that world stage I’ll be exciting. I’ll win titles. I’ll go over to the States and do some damage.” It’s clear to see that Roberts really does love the sport as much as he claims to: “Honest to God, this is my life and I’d be lost without it,” he maintained. “The activeness of the sport; the gym; the team; the health; the fitness; the euphoria of victory, I’d be lost without it.”

Roberts has lost just once in his professional career to date. Here is a breakdown of his record until now: 03/05/2014: W vs Jimmy Wallhead 15/02/2014: W vs Juan Manuel Suarez 20/07/2013: W vs Henry Fadipe 04/05/2013: W vs Diego Gonzalez 21/07/2012: W vs Jack Mason 16/12/2011: L vs Pavel Doroftei

16/12/2011: W vs Shaun Lomas 29/10/2011: W vs Shaun Lomas 11/09/2011: W vs Aurelijus Kerpe 09/07/2011: W vs David Howell 05/03/2011: W vs Matt Francombe 04/12/2011: W vs Darius Kuncevicius

UKMMA QUESTION TIME WITH: Furness aims a punch at his last opponent, Glaucio Eliziario

’ S Y T S A J BLAS RNE ‘ FU

Credit: XFCi

International fighter, commentator, judge and owner of YourMMA.tv, Jay ‘Blast’ Furness is one of the domestic circuit’s true ‘jack of all trades’. He kindly answered MMA Lifestyle Magazine’s UKMMA Question Time Q: How did you get in to the sport? What was it that piqued your interest? A: I’d grown up playing sports, mostly rugby to a fairly decent level. When I moved away to university I decided not to pursue it any further. Aside from the copious amounts of drinking and a small amount of studying, I needed something to fill my time. I’d been a fan of MMA a couple of years and loved watching it. I wanted to learn so I found a good gym (luckily) and went from there. Q: You’ve fought abroad a few times in your career – is this different

to fighting in the UK? If so, how? A: Well, Sao Paulo is somewhat different to Sunderland but I’m not sure I really have to explain it. I like getting the opportunity to go to new places, even if it does mean fgetting punched in the face by a hometown hero to do so. Aswell as fighting myself, I’ve cornered teammates abroad and, in general, the shows that are willing to foot the bill for good international fighters are shows that really look after you as a fighter, respect you and usually pay you well too. I love just trudging the streets and taking the places in

and occasionally getting some sun. It’s cool that someone would pay for me to go to different countries at all so I very rarely turn down that chance. Q: Out of the places you’ve fought so far, which has been the best? A: Everywhere is cool in their own ways - the drab towns have often had really cool people; the big cities plenty to see and do. Brazil had beaches and sunshine, Amman is steeped in history and culture. Going to Petra when we fought in Jordan was probably a highlight for me.

Q: Are the experiences abroad your best memories of the sport? A: The experiences abroad are amazing, yeah, and they can also lead to some epic after parties. For example, we’d been over to Superior Challenge in Stockholm, Danny [Mitchell] had beaten Nicholas Musoke and the Dinky Ninjas were in town for some big fights too. Superior always have awesome cards and that meant some pretty big names. Fast forward to the middle of a rammed club (that initially wouldn’t let us rough looking folks in but

MMA Lifestyle 11

Furness and Krzysztof Klaczek, who he fought at KOMMA in Poland, 2014. Credit: MMANews.pl

Hamid Corassani pulled some strings and hooked us up) and us opening up the whole dance floor into a big dance-off. Now, Paul McVeigh can move so he was probably the instigator but there were deviant UFC veterans snaking their hips and all sorts. It was bizarre but awesome at the same time! Q: You have a solid record despite not committing yourself to MMA full time. Is fighting as a ‘career’ something you’ve considered in the past? A: It’s never really been an option I’ve seriously considered. I don’t know if I’ve got the urge. It is often born out of necessity or an overwhelming desire. I like the opportunities I get, I like training and I like winning. Some of the other stuff sucks. Luckily for me I’ve always had jobs I love so there’s never been a desire to break out of the rat race or anything. If someone

paid me to train twice a day then sure, I’d do it, but I’d still do part of what I do work-wise anyway. You only need so many hours in a day to train. Q: How do you think your record would look if you fought full time? A: The only guys I’ve lost to are pretty much full-time athletes, Ogle, Assuncao, Elizario etc. None of them were out off my league and noone has stopped me. I’ve shown I can compete with those kinds of guys on a limited training schedule so maybe I could have turned all of those into wins, but there’s also every possibility I wouldn’t have. Who knows. I could be 14-0 but I’m at ease with my defeats and when I’ve lost I’ve generally deserved it.

Furness has commentated and judged on a wide variety of shows up and down the UK. Credit: Twitter

and defeat, even at amateur. There’s guys who’ve had their limbs torqued, twisted and crackled who haven’t budged and someone like Liam James who I elbowed from mount at the end of the third round who just kind of looked at me blankly and made me feel a little bit inadequate. The Brazilian dudes were tough, as was Ogle. A guy called Jules Willis I hit ridiculously hard and his eyes rolled and he just stayed in there. Most of the guys have had their strengths, even if it is just being a hard bastard or being stubborn. Q: You’ve judged, commentated on and refereed fights. Why are you so involved in the sport outside of the cage? A: I don’t have to cut weight to do any of those things.

Q: Who is the toughest opponent you’ve Q: Do you feel any pressure whatsoever fought to date? A: I’ve fought some tough guys in victory

when you judge/ref a fight?

A: To a degree, but I know that no matter what I will always be doing what I genuinely feel is right and in the best interests of the fighters. That’s all I can ask of myself. I might make a bad call or score a round in a way that someone might not agree with but I’ve been there and I know what it takes so I will always be making my choices on the strength of giving every fighter the respect they deserve. That takes the edge of pressure away, but there’s still always some there because you have a potentially big part to play in what some people have sacrificed a lot for. It can mean a whole lot. Q: If you could match any two fighters on the domestic scene right now, who would that be? A: Me and the shittest guy to lace on some gloves for the “Random Regional Promotion” Working Men’s Club Title and shit loads of cash.

12 MMA Lifestyle

THE RISE OF...

TEAM CENTURIONS

by Mark Wynne

FROM EARLY SPARRING SESSIONS ATTRACTING JUST SIX MEMBERS TO A MULTI AWARD-WINNING CLUB BOASTING ALMOST 100, TEAM CENTURIONS HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH SINCE BEING ESTABLISHED IN 2012, AND CONTINUES TO DO SO

pril 2015 saw a member of University of Chester MMA Club, or Team Centurions as the club is known affectionately amongst those who represent it, win his second amateur fight after just 48 seconds. Using a standing guillotine choke to dispatch of his opponent, Jamie Wylor-Owen moved to 2-0 as an amateur, guaranteeing the club’s fifth victory of this academic year in

the process. Last year the club was named Chester Students’ Union’s Members’ Choice Club of the Year and twelve months before that, Team Centurions were named New Club or Society of the Year.

Origins

Rewind to January 2012 when Team Centurions symbolised between just six and 12 members turning up to a session to simply

spar. The founders, Jordan Baxter and Tom Crossley, came to Chester with a year’s experience of training in MMA and wanted somewhere to hone their skills without forking out the £40-a-month fee charged by most MMA gyms. That, and the fact that Chester isn’t exactly renowned for being a hotspot of MMA activity, brought about the creation of University of Chester MMA Club. “We did what we had

MMA Lifestyle 13

Coaching

Two members of Team Centurions put each other through their paces

to do,” Baxter said. “We wanted to carry on training but on a student loan couldn’t afford to,” he added. After a year, the number of Centurions had more or less quadrupled, and the club was home to around 40 members. That number has almost doubled since then and there

The exponential growth of the club saw Baxter and Crossley step up, out of sheer necessity, to coaching roles. Crossley said: “More and more people started joining with no prior experience in combat sports so the sessions became more and more teaching based rather than initially being just sparring. Basically, when people turned up wanting to learn things it came down to those with more experience to start teaching, and Jordan and I were the most comfortable when it came to coaching,” he recalled. Despite limited opportunity to learn new skills and techniques, the two maintain they work well together, and stepping up into their respective roles has enabled them to refine their skills in order for them to teach their students. Baxter commented: “We complement each other well insofar that we both have our own strengths and our own weaknesses. For example Tom is much better when it comes to wrestling. Whether I’m better on the ground is the wrong thing to say, maybe I just remember it more than he does,” he added jokingly. Crossley went on to say: “Any details one misses out on, the other picks up on it and makes sure it’s added on. The bottom line is that we’re trying to be as good as possible because now it’s turned into more of a coaching role rather than just ‘training’. We just want to help others.”

“IT’S THAT SENSE OF HAVING EACH OTHER’S BACK – THAT’S THE BIT I ENJOY ABOUT IT” are now 80 members of Team Centurions, from freshers and those completely new to Mixed Martial Arts, to ex-students who have stayed with the club after graduation and those with black belts in the various disciplines that make up the sport of MMA.

Competition

Part of that development has seen Baxter and Crossley, as well as various other Centurions, compete at Amateur C level throughout the club’s short history. Although the club

14 MMA Lifestyle

has tasted defeat on certain occasions, to develop from a dozen people meeting twice a week to spar to a team that competes against fighters from some of the domestic circuit’s most respected gyms speaks volumes. “It’s great that we’ve been able to get a good team behind us because at the end of the day, you can’t train if you’re on your own – there’s only a certain amount of training you can do, you need that team behind you. We’ve been able to get a committed group of people that help us a massive amount,” Crossley commented. “We’re grateful for the teammates who’ve helped us. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being here.” “Because our teammates get better and better, we in turn get better and better,” Baxter added.

actively as we’d have liked so far this year but that’s through no fault of our own – there hasn’t been many competitions for us to take part in this year and we’ve had an awful lot of pullouts from fights.” Crossley added that last year was something of a watershed moment for members

Team spirit

Five fights, five wins

The collective improvement of Team Centurions has lead to the gym striking a rich vein of form – in the club’s five fights to so far this academic year, none of the fighters representing University of Chester MMA Club have lost, and the club bagged several bronze, silver and even gold medals at a recent No-Gi grappling competition. Of the club’s current success, Baxter said: “It’s been our best run of form as a club so far. We haven’t competed as

Awards

The club’s form has earned it deserved recognition from Chester Students’ Union – as mentioned previously, the club was voted Members’ Choice Club of the Year for 2013, New Club of the Year for 2012 and a number of Centurions have been awarded various personal awards ranging from Playing Colours to Full Club Colours, the latter being given to those who have represented the University of Chester at national level.

Top Photo Credit: Beyond the Cage Middle & Bottom Photo Credit: Laura Pell/Battle Arena

stepping up to compete in fights. “In terms of people fighting, we had a lot of fighters competing last year for the first time. But this year has been the best we’ve done so far,” he remarked.

That sought-after spirit of teamwork is now deeply engrained in those who train at Team Centurions, whether they fight or not. “Our club is made up of teammates who, at the end of the day, come to training week in week out whether they’re matched or not, to help others out,” Baxter said proudly. Crossley concurred: “People turn up, even when they don’t want to, but they’ll show up regardless and put the effort in because others are depending on them to be there to prepare to compete. It’s that sense of having each other’s back – that’s the bit I enjoy about it.“ Although still young in the grand scheme of things, Team Centurions looks to establish itself as a quality breeding ground for amateur talent and anybody looking to learn the sport.

REVIEWS

MMA Lifestyle 15

WHERE?: FIGHT BROTHERS HOW MUCH?: £26 RATING: 4/5

WHERE?: SPORTS DIRECT HOW MUCH?: £31 RATING: 3.5/5

WHERE: BUDO ONLINE HOW MUCH?: £21.99 RATING: 5/5

The PUNCHTOWN ‘FRACTURE’ RASHGUARD features flat-lock seams for comfort, anti-bacterial stretch fabric, a silicone grip around the inside of the waist to prevent ride-up and the most striking aspect, a gas-infused ‘skeletal’ design for its wearers to look extra cool during training or no-gi competitions. The rashguard is an extremely comfortable one, hugging the body and rarely riding up the torso thanks to the silicone grip on the inside of the waist. Said silicone band is probably the best technical feature of the garment, allowing the wearer to train round after round without readjusting it. Stylistically, the design, barring the excellent one by Meerkatsu on the right, is one of the best on the market, making this rashguard a solid 4/5.

The LONSDALE AMATEUR MMA GLOVE is arguably the glove that looks the most like a professional-style glove. However, they aretoo light to be used in amateur competition, so stick to only using them to train with. They were designed to fit to the natural shape of the fist and a thumbless, openpalm design to allow for maximal grip. It also boasts an adjustable hook and loop wrist strap, with the Lonsdale logo finishing the gloves off. These gloves fit nicely and allow for comfort and grip during harsh training and competition. The only drawback is the hook and loop wrist strap. At times it is difficult to fasten tightly, meaning the gloves feel loose around the wrist, and therefore could cause a lack of support. Good, but not brilliant – 3.5/5.

We’ve mentioned Meerkatsu’s before, and described them as excellent. This PRIDE OR DIE X MEERKATSU ‘INNER DEMONS’ T-SHIRT is absolutely no exception. The design is a twist on Japanese Samurai art after Meerkatsu, a graphic designer-turned-BJJ player, was commissioned by French fightwear brand Pride or Die to create a t-shirt. The result is this contemporary-yet-traditional design printed on a slim-fit premium tee. The front is emblazoned with the Japanese symbol for Samurai and the back is a seven-colour screenprint of the Pride or Die bandana mascot interpreted as a Japanese Samurai. In short, buy this. It’s the coolest design on the market right now and the quality and fit are second to none – 5/5.