BCMMA #19 Programme by PaulStafford

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CAGE WARRIORS & BCMMA

@JACKSTONEMASON

@PAUL_STAFFORD

Top UK-based MMA promotion BCMMA joins the Cage Warriors family as the East Anglian Arm of the Cage Warriors Academy network! MMA promotion BCMMA joins the Cage Warriors family as the East Anglian arm of the Cage Warriors Academy network. Cage Warriors have added another promotion to their Cage Warriors Academy family with the signing of BCMMA. The East Anglian promotion has established itself as one of the most successful regional promotions, consistently staging high-quality mixed martial arts events. And Cage Warriors can confirm that a deal has been agreed to bring BCMMA promotion under the Cage Warriors Academy banner as they look to invest in the development of mixed martial arts at all levels. The promotion is run by two experienced and respected MMA fighters Jack Mason and Craig Powell. It will make its debut as a Cage Warriors Academy event with a show on Saturday May 6. Under the deal, BCMMA will host events as the East Anglian branch of the Cage Warriors Academy, providing a stage for the best up-and-coming talent in the region and providing a potential pathway for the best young talent to progress up the ladder towards an opportunity in the internationally-broadcast Cage Warriors events.

@CRAIGPOWELL46

The deal follows hot in the footsteps of Cage Warriors’ regional development deal with Merseyside-based promotion Shinobi last month, and establishes Cage Warriors Academy promotions in East Anglia, North West, South of England and Wales. BCMMA’s Jack Mason hailed the deal, saying: “Partnering with Cage Warriors will help provide a clear pathway for our athletes to progress their fighting careers. Cage Warriors has a proven track record in producing talent that can go all the way to the world stage, and I’m proud that BCMMA can now become part of that process.” Cage Warriors President Graham Boylan said: “Jack Mason, Craig Powell, Paul Stafford and the BCMMA team has consistently turned out top-notch shows in East Anglia, and bringing them under the Cage Warriors Academy umbrella only makes us stronger as a promotion. “We’re committed to helping produce the next generation of MMA fighting talent from these shores, and deals like the one we’re announcing today play a major part in that.” Enjoy the event!

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FIGHTER INTERVIEW

KERRY HUGHES Firstly how has camp gone for this fight, who have you been working with and if anything specific what area of your game have you been looking to improve since your last fight? It genuinely couldn't have gone better, I've rediscovered my love for the sport and for the process and preparation. I spent the best part of a month over in Albuquerque training at JacksonWink MMA with some of the most amazing people as well as being fortunate enough to have the time of my life whilst I was over there. The break away from home did me the world of good, as did working with such a high level group of coaches and training partners and getting some sunshine! I haven't worked to improve any one area imparticular, I feel that being well rounded is my focus and developing the various techniques I am learning so that they work with me and my style. The major change for me has been stripping back and tightening up a few basics. Anyone watching my next fight will see a different me in terms of movement, posture and weight distribution - sounds almost dull, but I can feel the improvements already and it's really motivating me. Unfortunately the last fight didn't go your way and you lost in the first round against Zarah Fairn Dos Santos, have you had chance to look back at the fight and figure out where it went wrong for you that night? I haven't watched the fight back and I don't intend to. Put quite simply, the only problem I had that night was inside my head, everything else that happens stemmed from that and was ultimately what caused my horrendous performance. I think everyone underestimates how important mental state is to athletes, I certainly always have, but the only thing I learned about myself that night is that without a way of learning to cope with pressure and stress in my day to day life, it will render me incapable of fighting. I don't believe in making excuses, and I take nothing from Zarah, she won convincingly. From my part I was dealing with a reasonable amount of stress at work, had been carrying an injury for a lot of the fight camp and then my boyfriend broke up with me a few weeks beforehand. None of those would be catastrophic on their own, but together and along with various other smaller issues like selling a property they contributed to absolutely wiping me out

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mentally - whenever I wasn't training or at work I was mostly sat at home in a dressing gown watching a rubbish box set and crying into a cup of tea. By the time the fight rolled around I was just completely out of energy, motivation or interest. It's a really hard thing to admit to yourself that you just aren't coping, but America was a huge help to draw a line under things, and I've spent the intervening time working with Rob Dawson of Mindsport Consulting. I can honestly say it's changed my life, not just in terms of the sport, but in terms of how I feel about myself, how I cope with situations, my confidence and my general level of happiness. I can't remember a time in my adult life when I have felt so positive and enthusiastic and it's hugely freeing. I have never before said that I am looking forward to a fight and meant it, as I stand today I genuinely can't wait to get in there. You're making a quick return to action which hasn't always been the case previously in your career, would you say the thought of redemption and getting back in the win column is a big motivation for getting back in there again fairly quickly? I don't think it's so much that, as that I am still fit and well from my previous fight camp and now that I'm on an even keel mentally I just want to fight again. I've had the benefit of some top class coaching both in the UK and abroad, I'm feeling really strong and confident and the time felt right for another fight. I was actually due to fight in April, against Cindy Dandois in Belgium but that was cancelled owing to her getting signed to the UFC - I asked Jack to get me matched as soon as possible because I wanted to maintain my momentum and ensure I had something concrete to work toward. You are fighting Anissa Haddaoui at BCMMA 19, what do you know about your opponent and how well do you think your skills match? Anissa is a very, very highly rated kickboxer from Mike's Gym with many titles to her name and is also a BJJ blue belt, so she's clearly a good all rounder. She doesn't have much experience competing in MMA, but that's not really indicative of her skill level, after all - we all have to start somewhere and she brings a very impressive fight pedigree. We are both known as strikers and the only guarantee in any MMA fight is that you both start on your feet - so I'm sure the crowd will get to enjoy some high level striking exchanges. As for me - I'm comfortable wherever the fight goes and I'm really looking forward to testing my skill set against a fighter I have genuine respect for.

KERRY HUGHES BCMMA is probably the biggest promoter for women's MMA fights in the UK putting them in main event slots when a lot of other shows wouldn't think about doing this. How important do you think BCMMA is for the progression and development of WMMA in the UK? I'm so lucky to be headlining BCMMA for the third time, it's one of the first shows I fought on as an amateur and returning there as a pro was a wonderful experience. Jack Mason and Craig Powell are trailblazers in many ways, there's many promoters that aren't comfortable taking the risk of having female main events and a lot that don't feature female fighters in their promotional material with the same prominence as their male counterparts. From grass roots up to professional level these guys make the effort to match women's fights and knowing that there is no competition for me in the UK they have paid to fly in opponents from overseas on multiple occasions - again not something that is commonplace in the UK. Having shows that are prepared to go the extra mile like this, look after their fighters and work to promote us is such a huge thing for the growth of women's MMA. I'm so excited to see what the future holds for the guys coming through the amateur ranks now that they have signed their deal with Cage Warriors too. What can the fans expect to see from you on the night? Fans can expect to see me walking out with a smile on my face and actively enjoying myself for a start. Beyond that, it's widely acknowledged that I have never yet been in a boring fight - hopefully everyone will be thoroughly entertained! Once the fight is over they can expect to see me at the pizza truck outside, where I will happily pose for photos in exchange for carbohydrates. Finally, would you like to say any thank yous ahead of your fight? Thank you to my amazing coaches over here - Stephen Byerley, Jack Mason, Jez Lord, Arnold Allen, Sean Carter, Nick Albert et al and my fabulous team mates. Also to the very wonderful coaches at JacksonWink - Joey Villasenor, Harry St Leger, Frank Lester, Coach Chad and the lovely guys I met and trained with during my time there. Thank you also to my sponsors who do so much to help me out. A huge thank you to Rob Dawson at Mindsport Consulting, without whom I would have jacked everything in with the way I was feeling. Finally thank you to all my amazing friends and family who support me so much - sometimes just by leaving me alone when I have things to concentrate on, sometimes by coming to watch me fight and sometimes by going out of their way to help me - it all makes such a huge difference and I love you all.

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FIGHTER INTERVIEW

RYAN CREANE Firstly for anyone that doesn't know the name Ryan Creane, how would you describe yourself as a fighter and what can the fans expect to see from you on fight night? I haven't got one discipline really I'd say I'm striking and wrestling and on the night il be going for the stoppage 100% You're from Lincoln which this year has seen a lot of sporting success, do you think the achievements of the football team has pushed everyone on based there to work harder and make a name for themselves too? Hahaha the achievements of the football team has pushed everyone to jump on the band waggon so they get more days out on the piss that's about it. You hold an undefeated record going in to the fight at BCMMA 19, would you say this is the biggest fight to date for you? It's my biggest fight to date I expect a much higher level of opponents on these sort of shows BCMMA is regarded as one of the top up and coming promotions in the U.K. and is taking every measure possible to making it the safest show out there. How important is fighter safety to you as you look to progress your career? The safer the better it puts you in a better place Before the fight knowing that you will be looked after

What do you know about your opponent Fraser Cook and how do you see the fight going at BCMMA 19? I don't really know much about Fraser so hard to say how the fight will go it's mma so anything could happen. With BCMMA now associated with Cage Warriors do you think fighting on this show will be a big push to making a name for yourself on the circuit and ultimately help you down the line when you want to turn pro? Yer of course I've heard a lot about bcmma before it was associated with cage warriors so it just makes it even bigger so it's a big stage to make your name as for turning pro were not looking that far down the line yet one fight at a time we've got lots to learn yet Would you like to thank anyone ahead of the fight? I'd like to thank the lockdown coaches Glen Wright , Andy parr and Sam tweed. All the lads at lockdown who I train with day in day out... and my girlfriend Sammi for putting up with me I know I can be a fucking nightmare sometimes when I've got a fight coming up and can't eat!

FIGHT 28 AMATEUR - 205LBS

EJAY NSUGBE V TBC MORE FIRE ICON BJJ - TBC MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 27 AMATEUR - 115LBS

EIVOR HOVDE HOFF V JOANNA MAJSAK FIGHTERS LAB OSLO - S4 WARSAW MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

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UNDERCARD FIGHT 26 AMATEUR - 115LBS

CHARLIE FALCO V SAMUEL SPENCER BKK FIGHTERS - INDEPENDENT MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 25 AMATEUR - 125LBS

MALIN HERMANSSON V LINDA BIRKELY SWEDEN MMA - HONEFOSS FIGHT GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 24 AMATEUR - 135LBS

MYLES RICHARDS V LONE'ER KAVANAGH INDEPENDENT - RICHMOND MMA MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 23 AMATEUR - 135LBS

CONNOR GEORGE V DILAWAR NASIR COMBAT SPORTS ACADEMY - SARPSBORG CHI MMA MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 22 AMATEUR -135LBS

KYLE HEWSON V SCOTT DRAPER BKK FIGHTERS - HERCULES MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 21 AMATEUR - 145LBS

CELINE PROVOST V PATRYCJA CHODOROWSKA CFMMA - GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 20 AMATEUR - 145LBS

MARWAN PALANI V PAL ASDAL FRONTLINE MUAY THAI - FIGHTERS LAB OSLO MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

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UNDERCARD FIGHT19 AMATEUR - 155LBS

EDIJS PESIKS V NICOLAS ERIKSEN THE DEN FIGHT CENTRE - VALHALL GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 18 AMATEUR - 155LBS

SEAN WATSON V ADAM SPALDING REPS MMA - DYNAMO MUAY THAI MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 17 AMATEUR - 155LBS

AHMED ALASH V KIM BRAVIE LDG - FRONTLINE MUAY THAI MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 16 AMATEUR - 155LBS

LAITH AL-WAN V ANDREAS ENDIS LDG - HONEFOSS FIGHT GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 15 AMATEUR - 155LBS

FRANK ARNESEN V JOE DRAPER FRONTLINE MUAY THAI - COMBAT SPORTS ACADEMY MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 14 AMATEUR - 170LBS

FAISAL KAYANI V LEE BOORMAN PRIME MMA - FIGHT CITY GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 13 AMATEUR - 170LBS

MATTHIEU MOYA V HENRIK PERSSON CFMMA - SARPSBORG CHI MMA MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

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MAIN CARD FIGHT 12 AMATEUR - 170LBS

DEAN GLENCROSS V FRANTZ CARPENTIER TSUNAMI GYM - BARDOSI AKADEMIA MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 11 AMATEUR - 185LBS

HARRISON THOMAS V ERMIR ALIAJ BKK FIGHTERS - LDG MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 10 AMATEUR - 185LBS

RYAN CREANE V FRASER COOK LOCKDOWN MMA - ELEMENTS MARTIAL ARTS MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 9 AMATEUR - 190LBS

JULIANO QVOROV V FUDHAIL KELALI RICHMOND MMA - LDG MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 8 AMATEUR TITLE - 125LBS

CORY MCKENNA V ANETTE Ã&#x2013;STERBERG BKK FIGHTERS - HARDKNOCKS HELSINKI MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 7 AMATEUR TITLE - 125LBS

LEIGH MITCHELL V LUAN JASHARI FRANTZEN BKK FIGHTERS - OSLO FIGHT CENTER MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

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MAIN CARD FIGHT 6 AMATEUR TITLE - 135LBS

MATT PIECHOCKI V JOHN PARTHAUGEN ELEMENTS MARTIAL ARTS - HONEFOSS FIGHT GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 5 AMATEUR TITLE - 145LBS

MANTAS SMAILYS V PK ZADEH IMMORTALS MMA - ROGER GRACIE ACADEMY MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 4 AMATEUR TITLE - 170LBS

ALEX ELSEY V JORGEN INDSETVIKEN TSUNAMI GYM - HONEFOSS FIGHT GYM MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 3 PRO - 135LBS

KERRY HUGHES V ANISSA HADDAOUI BKK FIGHTERS - TEAM SCHREIBER MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 2 PRO - 145LBS

DOMINIC DILLON V OLLIE MATHIS ELEMENTS MARTIAL ARTS - COMBAT SPORTS ACADEMY MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

FIGHT 1 PRO TITLE - 155LBS

EMRAH SONMEZ V JONATHAN GIANNONE LDG - REAPER SQUAD MMA CONTEST - 3X3 MINS

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FIGHTERS INTERVIEW

PK ZADEH It's been a year since we last saw you compete in the cage. Since that day you have had a few injuries preventing you from pushing on with your career plans. How frustrating has the past year been for you and talk us through why you've been out the cage so long? Annoying, missing out on stuff like the IMMAF Europeans and not getting more fight time for BCMMA sucks, but there's better people going through worse, so no biggie, we're here now. In the mean time you have managed to box a few times as well, how important do you think it is for amateurs to compete in various aspects of mixed martial arts and not just stick to mma? I'm just honing my craft and earning my stripes, I cant tell others what to do. I want to hit 20 boxing fights by the time the next season ends. I love it, no weight cuts, just roll up to some hall in the middle of nowhere, fight, go back home and get on with your life. I love boxing, I love fighting in general. The exchanges, the art of deception, feints, motion, angles. Being able to do all that stuff in a high pressure situation excites me. You've got to fight/compete a lot to get good at fighting too. It's completely different to training in a gym or sparring.

You was supposed to fight Joe Harding last time out at BCMMA 18 but was replaced by Johan Segas who went on to score a brutal KO that night. What were your thoughts on the fight and both competitors? The fight looked like a sketch out of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air...you could imagine Will dancing around Carlton like that then looking away and getting smacked like that, hahaha. It was what it was at the end of the day, I think that horse has been beaten to death and it's not really my style to kick someone when they're down. Joe should come back, he's got through the worst of it, the whole world laughed at you and ridiculed you but you got through it, so keep going. Let's look ahead to BCMMA 19 now you are fighting Mantas Smailys, what do you know about your opponent? Mantas is an undefeated southpaw with a strong Judo resume behind him. He comes across as respectful and serious about his craft, I respect that. It's another new style, new body, new experience. What can the fans at BCMMA expect from you tonight and how do you see the fight going? The BCMMA crowd can expect a complete fighter, with real skill in every department. I put real work in and believe in my years of dedication in the boxing gym and on the mat to get me the win, but there's only one way to confirm that, and it sure isn't from talking. Would you like to thank anyone ahead of the fight? Tayo Odunjo, Wali Abdullah, Gary Foley from the Finch, Lyubo, Damian, Amir Eslami and the Roger Gracie academy.

Time limits add urgency, there's no restraint from your opponent and the nerves backstage can kill you before you've even got out there. This is the time to make mistakes, not during the professional ranks for a few hundred pounds...we're all just commodities when we go professional, so there's no point rushing it, because if I get elbowed in the face, concussed and finished, all I'm going to get on the way out is a "better luck next time", thrown on the discarded heap and probably have to end up waking up to being tagged in a video of me getting fucked up. If I've gotta take longer to go professional but feel extra ready about it, I'd rather do that than fight on a show for a few hundred pounds and be expected to act like I'm the one who should be grateful.

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FIGHTER INTERVIEW

CORY MCKENNA We last saw you in action at BCMMA 17 where you finished the IMMAF world silver medalist Aleksandra Rola in the third round. How did it feel to get the strawweight title wrapped around your waist and be declared the BCMMA champion at the end of the fight? Of course, getting the title felt amazing - it in itself represents all the hard work and effort that my coaches and I have put in - but it isn't the belts I fight for. Beating a scalp such as Rola, however, was a great indication of the level of competition I should be at - so that was a great relief to see the hard work paying off. What have you been working on since this fight? Everything. I pride myself in being a well rounded fighter, so no discipline is neglected. I have the best circle of coaches around me and couldn't ask for anyone better than Jack Mason to help me put it all together. I am very critical in myself and my performances though and feel I have yet to showcase my striking - which is constantly improving leaps and bounds under the help of my striking coaches (Jez Lord and Russ Smith). You've come from a fighting family but now have made a name for yourself as one of the future stars in UKMMA. Do you feel added pressure because of this or do you use it as an extra motivator to train harder? I feel no pressure whatsoever, because, there is none. I have the utmost confidence - in myself and the team around me - that I have the capability to achieve my goals. At the end of the day there's no pressure, the only person I can disappoint is myself. You were due to fight Gabriella Ringblum at both BCMMA 18 and then again at BCMMA 19, with this fight falling apart twice now do you think you'll ever get the chance to face off with her? I don't mind, really, I'll fight anyone so long as it leads improvement. I just feel bad that she had the audacity to waste a promoters time on more than one occasion. With that said, I'm extremely grateful for the promoters/matchmaker at BCMMA for the tireless efforts to get me a fight! You're now fighting Anette Osterberg the amateur world and European silver medallist. What do you know about her and how do you see this match up going? It's 100% a good scalp for myself, there's nothing I love more than a good test - and I think this will be the best one yet. I'm not a fan of setting a game plan, I have an idea of what I would do - wherever the fight goes - and am comfortable in all areas. However, I always visualise myself with my hand in the air after!!

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What if anything did the late change of opponent change in the lead up to the fight? It's a last minute match up for the 2 of us, so I really feel it levels the playing field, it looks as though we've both been training hard and I'm moving up a weight division - so I'm well prepared regardless of opponent. I'm very fortunate in that I have training partners of all shapes and sizes, so I'm prepared for all styles of fighters. You will be looking to add the BCMMA 125lb title to the 115lb title you already have. Does the second title play on your mind at all in the build up or is it just an added benefit at the end of the fight? As I said previously, I don't fight for titles - obviously, it is a perk - but, in my mind this is just one more step on my journey; I'm focused on advancing my career and not collecting belts. Finally, would you like to say anything to your fans ahead of the fight and say any thank yous? I have already expressed my gratitude for the matchmakers at BCMMA but I really feel it needs to be emphasised, they're honestly so great to their fighters and just want the best for them! My sponsors Adam Clark, Octagon Wear and Bad boy ( definitely worth a check out); finally all my amazing coaches and team mates at BKK (Colchester/Chelmsford), Progressive Martial arts, Powering Through and Champions gym!!

FIGHTER INTERVIEW

ADAM SPALDING It's been 6 months since we last saw you in action at BCMMA 17, what have you been up to since? Since BCMMA 17, I haven't really had any time out of training to be honest. I've continued to develop all aspects of my game. I feel this isn't really the sort of sport where you can afford to take too much time out of training as it's ever evolving. That night didn't end the way you wanted it to and your 4 fight win streak was ended as you were forced to tap to an armlock. Have you watched that fight back and although you didn't win, how did you rate your performance? I have only watched it back once or twice as for some reason it doesn't play on YouTube! I do feel I didn't come out as quickly as my opponent did. My opponent also had a slightly unorthodox style, although we prepared for it, I wasn't able to implement what we worked on in real time which was very disappointing to be honest. John Kavanagh famously uses the term "you win or you learn" what would you say you have taken away from that fight? The biggest thing that I took away from the loss was my mental preparation. Physically I felt great and technically I felt I had the ability to win, but mentally I was going through the motions a little bit. Since then I have addressed that issue and it will show on fight night. Coming off the loss last time what would you say you are looking forward to the next fight more, to almost put the loss to rest and get back to winning ways? Regardless of if I've come off with a win or loss I'm approaching it in the same fashion. At BCMMA 19 you are set to square off against Sean Watson, what if anything do you know about your opponent? From what I've seen of him he appears to be a well accomplished striker. I also believe he has held a title in k1. In addition to that I know he comes from a well respected gym in Reps MMA, so it'll be another tough test.

How do you see the fight going and what can the fans expect to see from you come fight night? I feel I can take the fight to wherever I need to take it in order to win. I've proven already in my wins that I have the ability to finish fights via strikes or submission in addition to grinding out decisions. Did you want to thank anyone? Massive thanks to my coaches and team mates at Dynamo Fight Sports, BKK Fighters & Suffolk Punch Boxing Club, I'm very fortunate to have a very talented and hard working group of coaches and training partners. Also thanks to my sponsors Break Apparel, OC Industries, Blackhearts & Barbells and Doms Ease Oil.