It sure was nice to watch some quality UKMMA on my TV at a reasonable hour for once.
Receiving news that Dinky Ninja James MacAlister won his match on the undercard was music to our ears, and when the main card opened up on 5* we got some great action out the gate from Ryan Scope and Luke Newman with Scope picking up the impressive submission win with a sweet triangle in the first round.
My personal most anticipated bout of the evening was Scot, Steven Ray defending his British Lightweight title against Curt Warburton. In a real back and forth contest, Warburton took the first and third rounds with takedowns and ground & pound, while Ray dominated the middle frame from bell to bell and was so very close to a submission on multiple occasions.
All three judges saw it 29-28 to Warburton, but I’ve seen more than a few folks give the second to Ray as a 10-8, and even giving Ray the third. As biased as I am, I had it as 29-28 to Warburton with an outside chance of the 28-28 draw. I also cant help thinking that had it been a five round fight, as you might expect from a title contest, the result could have been different…
Ray will be back, believe that…
The co-main event was expected to feature a blink and you’ll miss it KO finish one way or another between two heavy handed Light Heavyweights, but it turned out that Max Nunes and Marcin Lazarz cancelled each other out, despite going toe to toe almost for the duration. In the end, Nunes showed his quality and secured the TKO3 to confirm his status as one of the most feared 205lbers in Europe.
The main event saw recent BAMMA and former Bellator stalwart Jim Wallhead facing UFC vet Matt Veach in what looked like a bit of a mismatch from the weigh ins. Given that Wallhead has fought and won at Middleweight and Veach washed out of the UFC as a lightweight there was a marked size difference come fight night and this played out in the cage with Wallhead dominating and progressing without ceremony to an academic rear naked choke for the win in the first round.
I’d love to see Wallhead against a top notch international welterweight or a European talent on a real run, someone like Ryan Scope or Tom Breese…
As ever, BAMMA presented a compelling mix of up and coming and veteran talent, with the regular caveat that the main event booking seemed like a bit of a gimme for the name, drawing British talent (not the case last time out with Marshman vs. Foupa-Pokam, mind) and the presentation, for all it’s bells and whistles still seemed a bit… tacky.
I love what BAMMA present in the cage, and while I was pleasantly surprised by Ken Shamrock’s contribution as an analyst their commentary and production continues to make them seem a little bit second rate, desperately trying to seem first rate but concentrating on the wrong things.
For me anyway, but I’m just an opinionated idealist with a net connection…
In any case, top show, great to see UKMMA on free to view TV and I await news of BAMMA 13 with baited breath.
Main Card
Jim Wallhead def. Matt Veach via Submission (RNC) Round 1 3:05
Max Nunes def. Marcin Lazarz via TKO (Referee Stoppage) Round 3 3:12
Curt Warburton def. Steven Ray via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) to win the Lonsdale British Lightweight Title
Ryan Scope def. Luke Newman via Submission (Triangle) Round 1 4:00
Preliminary Card
Scott Askham def. Harry McLeman via Submission (RNC) Round 3 4:13
Leeroy Barnes def. Steve Watson via Submission (Guillotine) Round 1 0:47
Thomas Denham def. Brett McDermott via Submission (RNC) Round 2 3:58
Mahmood Bedharate def. Steven Gardener via UD (29-28 x3)
James MacAlister def. Steven McCombe via Submission (RNC) Round 2 3:08
KUMITE 