Combat Evolution 2

Fight report — Lee Hasdell’s Combat Evolution 2, Milton Keynes, UK, March 8^th 2003. by Carl Fisher

UK fight fans were treated to a wide spectrum of combat sports at Lee Hasdell’s latest fight night promotion, showcasing ladies thai boxing and VT fights; Combat Ju Jitsu special match and the main fights of the night, CE 2 wildcard matches, Euro Superfights, a Super Prestige Match and the —70K Superfight European Title fight between home favourite Danny Batten and Italian Luca Lazzerini.

In the ladies thai fight, held over three two minute rounds, home girl Claire Reilly gave a polished and aggressive performance on her way to get the decision over a very game and tough Michelle Newell from Trojan Gym.

What was supposed to be the safest of matches on paper, the Combat Jujitsu match, turned out to be the match with the most painful of endings. Judoka Mark Day faced BJJ blue belt Jawaad Khan in the cage and Day controlled the match from the start, with excellent poise and balance standing. Day pulled off a number of cartwheel guard passes in response to Khans elevator sweep attempts, and it was on the ground that tragedy struck; Day secured a tight heel hook and through sheer bad luck Khan actually turned into the lock, badly damaging his ankle and knee joints and had to be stretchered out of the cage and taken to hospital — don’t underestimate the power of Judo.

London Shoot fighter Suley Mahmoud gave the fans something to shout about with a fine show of striking and ground skills, beating Mo Coles from Northampton with a rear choke 4:46 into the first round and next into the cage came the big guns in a match that should never have been.

Weighing in at 120K and professing to be ‘freelance fighter’, a woefully out of shape Jason Wright faced the in shape and conditioned Jarod Speed and any predicted a short match. Coming out with no fighting guard and any semblance of fighting skills, Wright absorbed a number of heavy leg shots, buckling him, before a sledgehammer right hand dropped him to the floor and there the match should have ended; however, the ref gave Wright an eight count and within ten seconds Speed, unleashed another heavy right hand, returning Wright to the floor and into a world of pain and the match was stopped forty six seconds into the first round. Matchmakers take note, do a little homework and get an opponent who knows how to fight in the future.

John Kavanagh protégé, Adrian Degorski thrilled the audience with his lightning fast hands, taking the match via a referee stoppage, due to a bad cut and a relentless barrage of punches from the Polish State boxer; this is one fighter with a healthy future ahead of him.

Spanish fighter Manuel Amador came out ready to rock and roll against Englishman Marc Goddard and nearly caused a diplomatic upset, narrowly missing a win via leg lock and this was a wake up call for Goddard, who regained his composure and ended up winning the match with a round one arm bar and a well deserved win over a tough opponent.

JK applying the armbar on Oliver

SBG Irish Director John Kavanagh faced Cambridge Free Fight warrior Robbie Olivier in the -70K Super Prestige Match and the match lived up to it’s name, brief though the fight was. Kavanagh was his usual calm and confident self as he stalked his opponent and it wasn’t long before Kavanagh was in control, taking Olivier down and from there, Kavanagh worked away at the arm, securing the lock and getting the tap out at 2:26 into the first round.

Batten submitsLazzerini

This was the match everyone had been waiting for, the home favourite Danny Batten against Italian Luca Lazzerini; the Italian wasted no time when the bell rang and shot in for the double leg, but was unable to capitalise on it, as Batten defended well with superior positioning and after gaining side control, Batten sunk in a kimura, which didn’t seem to have the Italian in any real danger; however at the rules meeting, the referee stated that any fighter with a submission hold that appeared to be on tight would be given the nod and Batten took the match much to the delight of the crowd and the obvious disgust of his opponent.

One of the main aims of CE 2 is to provide up and coming MMA fighters, both in the UK and Europe, with the chance to step into the cage and face fighters with equal backgrounds, before stepping into higher profile events, thus gaining much needed fight experience. The production of the show was up to the usual standards that one expects from a Lee Hasdell event, himself a veteran of many MMA fights and promotions, but more attention to match making would spare the spectacle of the Speed/Wright farce and give fans even more value for money on the night.

Results

Mark Day (CFF) bt Jawaad Khan (BJJ) heel hook round one

Jay Gibney (Northampton) bt Shaun Cormode (Shoot) TKO round one

Tom Soville (CFF) bt Kyri Pantazi decision

Suley Mahmoud (Shoot) bt Mo Coles (Northampton) rear choke 4:46 round one

Jarod Speed (Team Warriors) bt Jason Wright (Freelance) TKO round one

Neville Houchin (UK) bt David Lopez (Spain) TKO

Adrian Degorski (Ireland) bt Justin Elliot (UK) ref stoppage

Marc Goddard (Eng) bt Manuel Amador round one arm bar

John Kavanagh (Ireland) bt Robbie Olivier (Eng) round one arm bar 2:26

Danny Batten (Eng) bt Luca Lazzerini (Italy) round one kimura

For more info on CE3 check out www.psdnetwork.net

Report and photos Carl Fisher