BAMMA 5: 'Semtex' Daley tops card featuring Wolflsair star Barnes

MMA takes centre stage this week with two massive promotions, one close to home and the other Down Under.

UFC 127 touches down in the Acer Arena in Sydney in the early hours of Sunday morning live on ESPN and is laden with talent like Michael Bisping, Curt Warburton and Tom Blackledge. But just a few hours before their Wolfslair team-mate Leeroy Barnes will be doing his thing on the groundbreaking BAMMA 5 bill at the MEN Arena.

Former UFC star Paul 'Semtex' Daley tops the Manchester bill which is easily BAMMA's biggest and best promotion yet.

Despite a disappointing end to his UFC career, Daley remains one of the biggest draws in European MMA and this weekend he hits the North West in familiar, explosive style.

Japan's Yuya Shirai has made the trip from the East and his 20-8-0 record featuring nine stoppages suggests that this one may not go the distance.

The BAMMA welterweight title will be up for grabs and Nottingham puncher Daley, himself now 20-9-2, is confident that fight fans are in for a treat.

The 12-fight card also features former Pride and UFC heavyweight star Ricco Rodriguez, whose extensive Octagon record features names like Randy Couture, Antonio Nogueira and current man of the moment Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva. The 45-11-0 New Yorker, currently on a run of 10 straight wins, takes on Londoner James McSweeney, the former TUF contestant, who is himself looking to claim a mammoth scalp to try bounce back from his short-lived UFC stint.

Merseyside regular Alex Makhonin also appears on the main card, the Lancastrian taking a big step up in class from domestic level to challenge another fighter with UFC experience, Frenchman Xavier Foupa-Pokam. Scouse fight fans will recall 8-1-0 Makhonin's recent winning displays on the last few OMMAC bills at the Liverpool Olympia.

However, the bulk of MMA supporters making the trip up the M62 this Saturday will undoubtedly be doing so in support of Barnes.



Wolflsair's Leeroy Barnes features on this weekend's BAMMA 5
 card at the MEN Arena



The Wolfslair welterweight has taken his show on the road after a couple of early fights on Merseyside and has suffered some mixed results against good quality domestic opposition. His 4-6-0 record hides a real dedication to his craft and after stringing together back to back wins for the first time in his MMA career the popular scrapper is confident of adding to his revival this weekend.

Norwegian novice Mohsen Bahari, with just one pro win on his slate, will be in the opposing corner in Manchester and despite him being something of an unknown quantity, Barnes has benefited from a great training camp and is raring to go.

"I feel great, I just want to get in there now and do my thing. I've had a great camp for this fight and I am looking forward to fighting on my first BAMMA show."

BAMMA 5 Full Fight Card:

　Paul Daley v Yuya Shirai

(Welterweight Championship)

Ricco Rodriguez v James McSweeney

Alex Makhonin v Xavier Foupa-Pokam

Claudio Henrique Da Silva

Undercard:

Daniel "Denzil" Thomas v AJ Wenn

Leeroy Barnes v Mohsen Bahari

Rob Mills v Leigh Cohoon

Jason Ball v Peter Duncan

Paul Cook v Michael Johnson

Costas Doru v Liam James

Franky Slater v Jeremy Petley



* Tickets are priced from £25 and are available via ticketmaster.co.uk

NICK PEET

Tim Newman v Diego Vital

v Jean-Francois Lenogue

WATSON: CROLLA WAS SUPERB BUT MAKING WEIGHT RUINED ME

John Watson has praised the performance of new British lightweight champion Anthony Crolla but admits boiling his body down to make the lightweight championship limit took its toll at the Olympia on Saturday night.
 Watson suffered his second career defeat in his hometown live on Sky Sports when a relentless Crolla dominated the centre of the ring and with it the judges scorecards before forcing a painful TKO victory in the ninth round.
 After a run of 13 straight victories, Watson has now lost his last two - both by stoppage - and he admits that making the 9st 9lbs championship limit left him feeling tired and lethargic.
 The 27-year-old, who was halted in 11 rounds by Gavin Rees in his first shot at the Lonsdale Belt in November, said: "I've only made the lightweight championship limit three times and I guess my body is telling me my future lies at 10 stone. When I beat Martin Gethin in the eliminator I seemed to tire late in the fight but my fitness got me through.
 "Then against Rees I had made the weight a month before when I was a reserve to step in when John Murray was doubtful for his European title fight with [Andriy] Kudryavtsev so I had a good eight weeks or so to make the weight. But for this fight I just didn't have enough time.

John Watson has vowed to return after his setback British title defeat to Anthony Crolla

 "I felt lethargic during training, which is not like me. All I wanted to do was sleep when I wasn't at the gym. My body was telling me something but I had to stay positive, had to take my opportunity and I felt like I was going to be the bigger and stronger fighter in there.
 "But I had nothing in me once the bell went. My feet were so heavy and I wasn't anywhere near as sharp as I have been. It was a painful experience."
 For all his own problems however, Watson admits that he never underestimated Crolla for a second and he was more than aware that the Mancunian was capable of that kind of performance.
 He adds: "I totally respected Anthony Crolla long before we shared a ring. He's a very good boxer and he's fighting out of what in my opinion is the best camp in the country right now. They leave no stone unturned at Gallagher's Gym and he deserved the victory.
 "I wasn't surprised by his power, his confidence or his fitness because he's a dedicated kid and a true professional. I just wish that I too would of been at my best because I think it would of definitely been a fight of the year contender.
 "So I want to congratulate Crolla, a worthy champion, but also state that I will be back. Undoubtedly that will be up at 10 stone, but I'll learn from this and come back stronger."
NICK PEET

I'LL BE BACK VOWS PAUL KELLY AFTER UFC CUT

Paul Kelly insists that being cut from the UFC is merely a speed bump in his Mixed Martial Arts career, telling Mersey Gloves, "You can't keep a good man down!"
 The Kaobon lightweight star, always value for money inside the Octagon, was one of a number of popular fighters cut by the sport's elite organisation this week following a massive internal cull.
 After the merger of the UFC with it's sister promotion the WEC the fighter rosta was totally top heavy and 'The Scouse Assassin' has paid the biggest price of all for his inconsistent form inside the Octagon.
 British fight fans have hit the messageboards in their thousands to complain about the decision, reaffirming Kelly's position as one of the UK's most popular fighters.
 But the 26-year-olf, whose MMA slate now reads 11-4, jumped to the defence of the UFC top brass.
 "It's not Dana [White] or Joe Silva's fault. Joe has 60 in a divisions that can only accomodate 28 so expect a few more drastic cuts over the next year!
 "It just wasn't my time and that's all, when it is I will make a run for that title."

Fans favourite Paul Kelly has been cut by the UFC

 Kelly's loss to former WEC star Donald Cerrone on February 5th it appears was his last chance to save his current UFC career, yet many insiders thought he had done enough to safeguard his future by sharing the Fight of the Night bonus in Las Vegas [$75,000 dollars each]. But it was not to be.
 Kelly adds: "It's a tough on to take, I won't lie. But I'll be okay.
 "You can't keep a good man down . . . and I am already in talks with a few shows!"
 Kelly's axeing will undoubtedly sends shivers up the spines of the rest of the Merseyside MMA elite.
 Team-mate Paul Taylor surely saved his own skin by defeating Gabe Ruediger on the Mandalay Bay undercard, ending a poor run of five defeats in his last seven outings, and ending the American's own UFC career.
 Wolfslair lightweight Curt Warburton retuns to the Octagon in Australia on February 27th - along with teammates Mike Bisping and Tom Blackwell - but after losing his debut at UFC 120 in London the pressure will also be on him to claim his first UFC victory or face the prospect of possible elimination.
 It seems the world's premier Octagon is currently cleaning house. Fighters beware.

NICK PEET

CONFIRMED: BELLEW - McKENZIE REMATCH OFF!

Mersey Gloves can confirm that this weekend's highly anticipated rematch between Commonwealth champion Tony Bellew and Ovill McKenzie is now off after the Merseysider picked up an injury in training.
 The light-heavyweight title tussle, scheduled for York Hall live this coming Saturday night, was also going to be for the vacant British title recently relinquished by Nathan Cleverly.
 Birmingham's Frankie Gavin will now top of  Sky Sports card in a decent step up against former European champion Jason Cook.


Tony Bellew has been forced to pull out of this weekend's rematch with Ovill McKenzie due to injury



 Big punching Bellew was unable to comment on the situation this morning, but sources close to the camp have confirmed that a niggling injury has dogged his preparation.

 Fight fans across the UK were salivating at the prospect of the rematch after McKenzie dropped Bellew twice in the opening two rounds of their first encounter in December before 'The Bomber' eventually landed his own missiles to force a stoppage in the eighth round at the Echo Arena.

 The double title fight will be rescheduled for a later date.

NICK PEET



WATSON PLANNING ON HURTING CROLLA

John Watson is aiming to fulfil his dreams of becoming British champion this weekend and he's planning on bring the pain to title rival Anthony Crolla in the process.
Liverpool's stylish lightweight challenger says he has recovered 100% both physically and mentally from his first Lonsdale Belt attempt in November when he was stopped his his tracks in the penultimate round by former world champion Gavin Rees in South Wales.
With a home crowd behind him at Liverpool Olympia, Watson is brimming with confidence ahead of Saturday night's Sky Sports live title fight.
"It's going to be a great night I can feel it," buzzed the Huyton native. "It's all come together at the last minute a little bit with the fight only switching to Liverpool two weeks ago but I have had a good seven-week camp and I am feeling very strong and confident.
"I was preparing to face Rees in Wales and I honestly believed that this time I would stop him. I was planning on pushing Rees backwards and I wanted to hurt him and eventually stop him. But that same gameplan just applies to Crolla now.
"This is my time and my town. This is the biggest night of my career so far without doubt and I am ready for it.

John Watson is planning on capturing the
British title in his home town on Saturday

"Matchroom have done really well to keep this fight alive after Rees pulled out, they've moved it to Liverpool and they've brought in a very worthy opponent for me. But I want this so much, I've worked so hard for it."
Owning the famous golden Lonsdale Belt is the dream of most British boxers when they turn professional and Watson is no different.
"When I turned pro that was my only goal and it remains as such today. I want to win the Lonsdale Belt - that is my dream. Once I have achieved that perhaps I will have a new dream, but until that goal is reached I can think of nothing better to win.
"And it's made even more special by the fact that the fight is happening on my old stomping ground. I made my debut at the Olympia and fought six of my first eight fights in that ring. I never failed to perform there and that's going to be the case on Saturday as well. It feels like going home, going home on the biggest night of my career. I can't wait."
Crolla however will naturally have other ideas. He is a very neat and tidy fighter with flashes of raw power - albeit more regularly at super-featherweight.
His 19-2 record overshadows Watson's 13-1 slate, while he enters the ring on the back of the best win of his career to date, stopping the once teak-tough Andy Morris with a body shot back in October to claim the English crown. One criticism is that his career has moved along slowly, yet when you are still only 24 years of age what's the rush?

Anthony Crolla celebrates the best win of his career when
he stopped city rival Andy Morris last time out

Watson agrees. " He's a good fighter, with an very good defence. He's also totally different from Rees. I watched his last fight against Morris and it was a really impressive stoppage, but for me he was losing that fight before he turned it around with one big shot. I know what to expect from him.
"But I also know that I have got the edge over him in every area. Ability, power and boxing brain, I believe I will have too much of everything and that's why I am promising to step in close and hurt him. It's nothing personal, I just want to show everybody that I am the real deal. That I have learned from the mistakes of the Rees fight and that I am a worthy British champion."
Losing his first shot against Rees clearly still plays on the mind of the former ABA champion and Watson is determined to lay that ghost to rest sooner rather than later.
He finished; "That drive home from south Wales the morning after the Rees fight was tough. I regretted so much and beat myself up a little. But that is gone. It was a painful lesson to learn but I did learn from it and it's made me stronger and gave me a lot of experience. I'll show that on Saturday night.
"This is my night, my home town and my British title belt. I aim to prove that once and for all against Anthony Crolla."

* Robin Reid is off Saturday night's bill - if he, like George Groves, was ever actually ever on it!
'The Reaperman', who is returning especially for the Prizefighter: Super-middleweights tournament back at the Olympia on March 11th, has switched his warm-up fight to the Hatton's Bolton show on February 26th.

* Tickets for Saturday's British title fight card, which also features Wallasey's Stevie Williams and a domestic title class undercard are still available from the Box Office on 0151 2636633.

SATURDAY'S OLYMPIA CARD - CONFIRMED

Liverpool Olympia

Saturday 12 February 2011

(as of 10/02/2011)  

12 x 3 mins  Vacant British Lightweight Championship @ 9st 9lbs

JOHN WATSON v ANTHONY CROLLA         

(Liverpool)           (Manchester)

8 x 3 mins Light-Welterweight Contest 

@ 10st 3lbs

STEVE WILLIAMS v CHARLIE KING

(Birkenhead)                (Motherwell)

8 x 3 mins Welterweight Contest 

@ 10st 13lbs

BRADLEY PRYCE v COLIN LYNES

(Newbridge)               (Hornchurch)

6 x 3 mins Light-Welterweight Contest 

@ 10st 4lbs

AJOSE OLUSEGUN v AREK MALEK

 (London)                      (Poland)

6 x 3 mins Lighweight Contest 

@ 9st 12lbs

NIGEL WRIGHT v JAMES SPEIGHT               

 (Hartlepool)            (Exeter)

6  x 3 mins Super-Bantamweight Contest 

@ 8st 12lbs

DAVID SAVAGE v DOUGIE CURRAN

(Glasgow)                 (Newcastle)

4 x 3 mins Super-Middleweight Contest

@ 12st 3lbs

JEFF EVANS v JAMES TUCKER

(Talywain)         (Doncaster)

4 x 3 mins Light-Welterweight Contest

@ 10st 2lbs

STEVEN SHAROUDI  v SID RAZAK

(Motherwell)                    (Birmingham)

LYON GETS WALE IN FIRST DEFENCE

Craig Lyon is scheduled to defend his English bantamweight title against Prizefighter runner-up Josh Wale at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium on Saturday 26th February.
 Stephen Foster Jr tops the card defending his European super-featherweight title against Belgium’s Ermano Fegatilli - but the pocket sized chief support already stands out as a possible show-stealer according to promoter Ricky Hatton.
 Unbeaten Lyon, 29, won the English title belt last October when Sheffield's outgunned Ross Burkinshaw was pulled out by his corner after five rounds.
 That win stretched the former stand-out amateur's unbeaten record to 12 wins, and the St Helens man will again start as the betting favourite against Wale in their scheduled 10-rounder.

Craig Lyon makes the first defence of his
English title against Josh Wale

 Barnsley boy Wale fell at the final hurdle in the Prizefighter Super-bantamweight tournament nine months ago, losing a semi-final split decision to Willie Casey who then went on to win the event and next month challenges for the world title.
 And even though Wale enters the ring on the back of a solid points win over Yoan Boyeaux, in-form Lyon should prove far too strong for the Yorkshireman.
 However, promoter Ricky Hatton still believes the match-up will be a real crowd-pleaser.
 "This will be a thriller and might even steal the show. What excites me even more that we have two genuine prospects looking to fight the best and not avoid tough contests," says Hatton.
 "This is the sort of contest that will launch a career and TV viewers on the night are in for a lot of excitement."
* Tickets for the Hatton Promotions card are available by calling 0844 847 2500 or 0161 775 7500.

NICK PEET

GROVES OFF OLYMPIA BILL

Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves has pulled out of Saturday's Sky Sports bill at the Liverpool Olympia.
The unbeaten London 12 stone prospect was due to box on the undercard of the John Watson - Anthony Crolla vacant British lightweight title encounter.
But a niggling injury has left the unbeaten Hayemaker stable star unable to continue training.
"Sorry to everyone who has made arrangements to see me box Saturday," said the 22-year-old this afternoon. "I have had to pull out from my fight due to a slight injury that will keep me out the gym for 7-10 days.
"Again, apologies for any inconvenience."

John Watson headlines at the
Olympia on Saturday night

Veteran former world champion Robin Reid and former European champion Colin Lynes both still feature on the Matchroom Promotions card which should be full confirmed tomorrow morning.
 Wallasey's Stevie Williams, a recent British title challenger himself, remains on the bill.
* Tickets are still available from the Olympia box office on 01512636633.

UFC 126: Kelly foe Cerrone predicts "controlled chaos" in Las Vegas

American Donald Cerrone accepts that he's facing a war of attrition heading into the Octagon to face Liverpool's Paul Kelly at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Feb 6th) on the action packed UFC 126 card.

The Colorado 'Cowboy', an established star in the UFC's junior organisation the WEC, makes his debut on the biggest stage this weekend and admits Team Kaobon star Kelly is more than a handful.

Kelly (11-3) was originally due to face Canadian brawler Sam Stout, yet opportunity knocks in the form of natural Muay Thai fighter Cerrone (13-3), who is seen by US fight fans at least as a genuine lightweight title contender already.

However, Cerrone himself is more than aware of the challenge which lays ahead of him in Sin City in the form of the West Derby knockout merchant.

The man known as 'The Cowboy' says: "I hope it’s a stand up war, he has heavy hands and likes to trade. I’m ready wherever we fight but I hope to trade with him.

Team Kaobon's Paul Kelly makes his Las Vegas debut against
Donald Cerrone on the UFC 126 bill this weekend

"Paul’s a tough guy who likes to throw down, he’s more of a boxer, so I think my length will throw him off."

In an interview with MMABay, Cerrone revealed: "I was on vacation and my manager called, I said yes before I even knew who Paul Kelly was. It didn’t matter who he was gonna say, I was taking it!

"Honestly, I don’t know enough about him to say anything too bad. Seems like a tough guy so I’m looking forward to it!"

Cerrone's only prediction was: "Controlled chaos… I’m looking to get a KO and show everyone I’m here to stay."

* Tomorrow: Paul Kelly sizes up Cerrone and his chance to break into title contention - only @ merseygloves.co.uk

ROUND-UP: WATSON, DODSON & REID NEWS

Like buses, you wait for a New Year title fight and next thing half a dozen swing around at once. Hot on the heels of Derry Mathews' successful IBO International title opportunity, John Watson goes for the Lonsdale Belt in the same lightweight division, Tony Dodson closes in on a European title crack while former world champion Robin Reid eyes Prizefighter redemption.
 The latter will feature in a four-rounder on the undercard of Watson's British title assault against Manchester Anthony Crolla at the Olympia on February 12.

Robin Reid's last win came against Jess Brinkley
in Newcastle four years ago

 Inactive since November 2007, 'The Grim Reaper' hopes to shake off the ring rust at the tender age of 40 in time to compete in the Prizefighter: The Super-middleweights tournament at the same West Derby Road venue on March 23.
 Reid, currently 39-6-1, hasn't won a fight in four years - when outpointing former Contender TV star Jesse Brinkley in Newcastle over eight - although five of his six defeats came in world title class, with the final loss being against Carl Froch who was on his way to world domination.
 Back to Watson and he is relishing his fight with Crolla, which has been made after British champion Gavin Rees relinquished the Lonsdale Belt to pursue other honours and, perhaps more significantly, other opponents.
 Watson will start as favourite on the Sky Sports card, which also features Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves and Walsall's returning British light-welterweight title challenger Stevie Williams.

Tony Dodson looks set to be rewarded for his Prizefighter
heroics with a European title shot next

 In other news Prizefighter hero Tony Dodson looks destined to be rewarded for his heroics in the light-heavyweight tournament last week with a shot at European champion Danny McIntosh.
Despite needing a ton of stitches to the two cuts which wrecked his chances of success at Wembley, Dodson hopes to recover in time to face the man from Norwich, who captured the blue EU belt after stepping in at late notice to stop Frenchman Thierry Karl in the eleventh round just two weeks ago.
 Dodson, who will have surgery on his cuts this week, hopes that a date in April will be confirmed before the end of the week. Watch this space...

NICK PEET