DanielTowers

UFC/BRITISH MMA: News and interviews

UFC NEWS

There is not too much to update on as the next big UFC is 145. RASHARD EVANS will challenge JON “BONES” JONES for the light heavyweight title in mid-April.
I also hear that Britain’s very own MICHAEL BISPING is in talks of a rematch with DAN HENDERSON, I really hope BISPING puts in a performance like he did recently against CHAEL SONNEN. He will need to so that his fans do not get another upset like the last time they met. BISPING was knocked out by a very strong HENDERSON. Good luck MICHAEL we all wish you well.
FRANK MIR will meet the first ever Mexican Heavy Weight Champ Cain Velasquez. MIR is getting back to his best so should be a great fight and I am sure Cain has a lot to prove too.
These two I am sure will not go the distance and I favour HENDERSON and MIR but would love to see BISPING do it for us BRIT fans.

BRIT SCENE

British MMA does not get the attention from the big TV companies like other world-class brands do, and to me this is not a good thing as the big bods of TV in the UK still see it as a demonic dangerous sport. This is far from the real truth as all MMA fans will know; it is a highly skilful sport, but the only real channels showing interest have a small budget so airtime is short. So much so I believe a lot of MMA event organisers are paying to put their shows on SKY TV’s Active channel, Channel 281 on SKY. If you check it out there are some great MMA shows, however there are no regular time slots, so check through your TV guide.
I want to introduce all my readers to a taste of what the BRIT fighters and clubs are all about. I recently went to interview some fighters and the owner of a small but impressive Academy in Strood, Kent. COMBAT SPORTS ACADEMY.

COMBAT SPORTS ACADEMY

The Academy is owned and run by LEE JOHNSTONE. Lee also has a company called ADRENALINE and it is at these events that his fighters all get to show their worth. The Academy is located in Strood, Kent, about thirty miles from London. There is some real talent in this place and LEE JOHNSTONE is the main man who arranges everything. His company is taking a few of their fighters across to Italy in early April to an ADRENALINE event there. The costs are all funded by LEE who has dedicated his life to the Academy and the guys who train there regardless of what level they are at. If you are interested in getting into MMA and live within distance of Strood, I strongly recommend you get in touch with LEE he is a really nice fella. Please see our interview with Lee below:

LEE AMBLER is a 26 year old MMA and BJJ fighter from Gillingham Kent. He has also recently started a new style called TUFF, a mix of grappling and BJJ. His first competition was against a Brazilian guy under CLAUDIO SILVA, who had a far greater experience and under London’s top club SHOOTFIGHTERS. So many great Brit fighters have trained here and still are training there. Lee held his own for five gruelling minutes, he leg-swept his opponent twice, but due to something in the rules was not given the points. He lost by a single point and considering the time he had to prepare for the tournament and the Iranian guy called See he was up against, he did a professional job and it’s yet another skill he is mastering. I spoke to LEE before the contest. He was doing some running to warm up. He seemed ready for combat.
Lee is also our English ranked number 3 in his weight class in BJJ and has won numerous medals for his club. He fights on the ADRENALIN events; his current MMA record is three wins and one loss. I have seen him compete in all of the above and believe me this guy is a top class athlete and one of the nicest guys you could wish to meet.
Check out our interview with Lee right here:

It was a great weekend with the CSA guys and i still have more to come from them in the next column. Thank you to Lee Johnstone for allowing us to see the academy and thank you to my old friend Lee Ambler, I wish you a long career my friend.
Next time i got a few more lads from CSA and the build up to the big UFC 145.

Please check out our website
www.cageamateursuk.com

For more videos or join cageamateursuk group on Facebook.

UFC Update

WELCOME FIGHT FANS

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 15 is kicking off this week and will be shown on the FX channel. This season the UFC have called out to LIGHTWEIGHTS and WELTERWEIGHTS. Former UFC stars JAMIE YAGER, BLAS AVENA and BELLATOR even turned up to audition, how cool is that? The coaches are DOM CRUZ and URIJAH FABER who will be fighting in July on the same card as the finalists.

It looks like submission specialist FRANK MIR is going to fight CAIN VELASQES for the number one heavyweight title contender spot. FRANK’S last fight was spectacular, breaking NOQUEIRA’S arm with a submission hold. I would love FRANK to be champ again the guy is a legend and been around for years.

UFC PRESIDENT DANA WHITE has said he does not have any issues with RAMPAGE following reports in the press after his defeat by BADER.
The next big UFC event is 145; the full line-up is not yet known but the main event will be JONES and EVANS which we cannot wait for in late april.

BRITISH MMA
For in the UK and around the globe my next story will be interviewing some amateur and professional fighters on video for you all to see. Featuring:
LEE AMBLER
RICKY CAMPBELL
AND MANY MORE

So please do not miss that as the lads are top athletes. They train in Medway, Kent in the UK. To join the discussion, leave a comment or join our Facebook group ‘cageamateursuk’ and follow @cageamateursuk

ufc 144 update

Hi Guys

Ufc 144 was a great event but did not go as expected.

Ben Henderson beat Frankie Edgar, who lost his title to a great performance from Henderson.Unlucky Frankie hope you get a rematch.

Ryan Bader beat rampage and the fight went to points as i predicted. Not a great fight but at least Bader one step closer to a shot at the title

An Overview of the UFC

Hi Daily Opinion readers, welcome to my sports page.This week i am going to talk about the UFC. Unless you have been living under a rock for the last ten years you will know that the ufc is the premier league of mixed martial arts. These guys fight with gloves that are so thin they just about cover the knuckles for protection.
In the early days you would have a boxer versus a karate expert, but the sport has come a long long way since then and now unless you can fight on your feet and wrestle on the ground you can forget a UFC career. The men in the cage are athletes, fighters and warriors all in one musclebound package.

THE NEXT EVENT IS UFC 144 and what a line up it has got.
Quinton (Rampage) Jackson vs Ryan Bader
What can i say about Rampage? Well if looks could win belts this guy would forever be the champion. He has a menacing stare which helped him get the role as BA in the new A Team movie and if you dig into his past you can see him fighting bare knuckle at the start of his career and see the immense power the guy has. He also knocked out Chuck liddel on arrival at the UFC, causing upset and becoming the light heavyweight champion. His opponent is younger but is going to be a very hard fight. It’s a tough one to call and i think it will go down to a points decision.

In addition to that, the lightweight belt is on the line as Frankie Edgar takes on Henderson. In my opinion Frankie is a great champion as he proved against Gray Maynard last time they fought. A true champion, i think Frankie will one day retire as an undefeated champion as his work rate and mindset are always 100 percent.

Jake Shields will take on Akiyama, both very good fighters and although the bookmakers favour Shields there is hope for Akiyama to do it. Good luck to both you guys.

In the heavyweight division Cheik Kongo will fight Mark Hunt.To me, any guy arriving at the UFC in this division should fight Cheik as he is a tough guy and a great test to any heavyweights, not forgetting the immense knockout punch he has, although we rarely see it nowadays.

In the undercard fights Okami will fight Boctsch. Okami is the more experienced so he may win but anything can happen in the steel grid. Anthony Pettis will fight Joe Lauzon; i favour Lauzon but the bookmakers are going with Pettis so it will be interesting to see.

Whatever happens guys it will be a classic as usual so let us know your opinions.

CURRENT UFC CHAMPIONS

HEAVYWEIGHT – JUNIOR DEL SANTOS. He beat Cain Velasquez for the belt and next will face Alistair Overeem who is another tough guy that just arrived in the UFC but destroyed the monster Brock Lesnar to earn a shot.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT – JON (BONES) JONES.This guy is a dangerous man. He scares opponents by approaching in a monkey-like movement across the floor. Rampage or Bader may get the shot depending on who wins at 144.

MIDDLEWEIGHT – ANDERSON SILVA. What a champ this guy is. He has had the belt many years and has beat countless warriors. He was battered by Sonnen a couple of years ago for four whole rounds; it looked like Sonnen just had to play him for the last round to win but somehow a beaten Silva submitted Sonnen with three minutes left on the clock. A true legend.

WELTERWEIGHT – GEORGE ST PIERRE. Currently in rehab for a serious injury but a great champ.

LIGHTWEIGHT – FRANKIE EDGAR. Fighting tonight to defend his title, he is such an accomplished fighter and can take punishment like no other and still get up and win.

FEATHERWEIGHT – JOSO ALDO. Another small guy but you wouldn’t want to be on the end of one of his devastating punches.

BANTAMWEIGHT – DOMINICK CRUZ. The smallest of the fighting weights but the heart of a heavyweight.

That’s the UFC guys, and when there is an event coming up i will give you an in-depth view of the fighters and who i think will win. Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
For now guys that’s me.