For the last 6 years I have trained my body far too hard at times with little rest.

After pulling out on very late notice of MMA Attack 2, which would have been a highlight in my MMA career, I’ve taken a few weeks out of training and spent time looking at how I can change my training schedule and routines in order to keep in the best condition possible whilst remaining relatively injury free.

I have been training so hard without a break for a long time, very rarely taking a day off and always training pretty hard. Competing at a high level of MMA you need to train so many different disciplines as well as different aspects of conditioning it is hard not to overtrain. (more…)

We all know the jist, and it’s no secret. To 99.9% of promoters running a show is about selling tickets and getting people through the gates. That’s not saying anything negative about them, it’s just the truth. If people want shows to fight on and if professionals want to get paid, the events must at least make enough money to be sustainable and cover the costs otherwise they won’t be around for very long (or people won’t get what they’re owed).

From the best, all-professional fight cards right down to amateur events, you’ve got to make it worthwhile and not put yourself in a hole that financially you can’t get out of. Some people promote for the love of the sport, but unless their pockets are ridiculously deep and their heads are pretty thick, they won’t continue to do so at a major loss, no matter how passionate they are.

This brings up the question of ‘who is the market?’ (more…)

Good day all!

Here we are at the second blog entry and already there have been changes!

The date for the surgery has now been moved back to the 8th of May. This sucks in one aspect as it means I have to wait yet another week. However it also means that I still have an extra week of training and a little time to get stuff organised.
(more…)

(Let me preface this by saying I won’t be making any reference to bad rappers. Apart from Richard Blackwood. What was all that about?!)

It’s not often I’m a sentimental old fool, but there’s a time and place for everything – well, almost everything – and this is one of them. As anyone reading this will (or should) know, we’ve just released our first print edition of Your MMA Magazine. If you didn’t know, then where the hell have you been? And why aren’t you clicking this link immediately to go buy it?
(more…)

Let’s get straight to the point. Padding records is not an MMA phenomenon (it’s exponentially worse in boxing), nor is it a UK phenomenon, but it is an issue that has been raising its head, even moreso over the past couple of years.

This food for thought for this blog was actually a tweet by Cage Warriors matchmaker Ian Dean, who said:

“Gonzaga defeats the 13-0-1 Edinaldo Oliveira. UK fighters take note, protected records don’t help you in the big show.”
(more…)

This week’s blog will be on the issue that has gripped the Scottish MMA community this week- the negative comments from Sandra White MSP against ‘cagefighting’, and Joanne Calderwood’s upcoming fight in particular.

For those unaware, I’ll outline the context. World class Muay Thai fighter Joanne Calderwood is making her professional MMA debut at On Top 4 on February 25th at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. It’s the first female MMA bout in Scotland, so naturally the press are very interested.
(more…)

My last fight was on OMMAC 12 on the 12^th November against Shay Walsh. Since then a lot has happened and I feel like that competition was a million miles away. I told myself after my fight in November that I would take some time to chill out and eat copious amounts of Terry’s chocolate oranges, which were only £1.35 in Morrison’s during the Christmas period.
(more…)

So let’s start this blog off by saying Jay Furness, you absolute warrior. The upmost respect for you my friend, raising the bar in your game fighting a tough opponent in his back yard and getting FOTN. Hat off to you my man, if only more UK fighters had the same attitude as you. If only.

Here’s my last blog of 2011 for you. To be honest I don’t even know if people are reading the blogs, like them or hate them, but I committed to Jay on a blog so I’ll write them anyway.
(more…)

A little gap in my blog for you guys and girls recently, my apologies.

Unfortunately for me I’ve been stuck in an airport or on a plane for the past month. Inbetween signing deals to provide more jobs within the industry of MMA and reading long-winded, boring legal contracts, I didn’t have much time to write a blog.

I arrived in Australia for the opening of my new gym here in Perth. December 10th is the grand opening BBQ and beers, and yet another 5/10 more full time jobs created for MMA. I’m currently dealing with jet lag like I’ve not felt before, London to Springfield back to London to Australia in 7 days is a bit much.

Anyway enough on me, what about sponsorship in MMA?
(more…)

Exclusive contracts, future talent and now matchmaking.

A fight is a fight, right ?

Who cares?
(more…)