Supremacy FC 6 Event Report
by Craig St Clair

Despite a show which seemed to be cursed in a full on horror movie style way with around 20 pullouts with about a week to go, somehow Michael and Luke at Supremacy FC managed to still put on one of the most entertaining shows of the year so far!

Three professional titles were on the line with the main event having a true cosmopolitan feel. The North East’s adopted French standup specialist Loic Marty moved to middleweight to take on local favourite Micky Burns for the vacant European Title.

The fight opened with Burns swinging for the fences, landing a couple of right hooks and dropping Marty, swarming him instantly. However, Loic showed his excellent conditioning and scrambled back to full guard, also showing a much improved ground game which saw him work back to his feet. He secured a takedown of his own before Burns wall walked back to standing. The two clinched at the cage both landing shots, until Burns -- possibly powered by the amazingly loud partisan crowd -- powered Marty over, securing half guard. Micky quickly passed to mount and secured a keylock for the submission victory, claiming the Supremacy FC European Middleweight Title.

The co-main event saw Chris Clarke from Leeds jump in at 24 hours notice to take on the dangerous Andrew Punshon for the vacant British Middleweight Title. Punshon came out looking straight away for his Cro Cop-esque head kick, landing the first one which visibly shook Clark. Punshon then secured a plum clinch and landed a vicious knee at the cage, dropping overmatched opponent before securing the fight ending D’arce Choke and securing yet another title for the popular North East fighter.

Before the middleweights came the battle for the British Featherweight Title between Robert Whiteford of the Dinky Ninjas and Carl Fawcett in a fight that had it all:

Two fighters swinging for the fences: Check
Blood all over the cage: Check
Two fighters with more heart than a surgeon sees in a year: Check

The fight started out with Whiteford doing his best Anderson Silva impression, dropping his hands and landing solid shots on his opponent, which opened up a cut and led to a lot of blood beginning to drop from Fawcett who wore the ‘crimson mask’ from this point on. Both fighters began landing heavy leather in the exchanges with Fawcett getting dropped and having his face cut even more by some vicious elbows and ground and pound from Whiteford.

The fight got back to the feet and Fawcett began landing more often, dropping Whiteford. The Scot was able to bounce back every time he was rocked with a solid double leg takedown. However, at the bell Fawcett was threatening from his back with an armbar, ending one of the most even rounds I have ever witnessed.

Round 2 opened with both fighters feeling each other out again. Whiteford again landed a solid straight right, but Fawcett answered with solid strikes of his own before expertly sprawling on Whiteford’s takedown attempt. Blood began gushing from Fawcett and referee Trevor Mitchell called in the medic to check on him. The crowd waited as the medics checked Carl, eventually saying the fight could continue.

Whiteford pushed Fawcett to the cage and landed some elbows inside which were answered with some solid knees from Carl. Fawcett defended another takedown to keep the fight on the feet. Fawcett landed hard and rocked Whiteford again. However, he showed excellent conditioning to shoot and secure another takedown. The referee stood them up after they cancelled each other out on the ground and the round ended with Fawcett again defending the takedown.

In between rounds the medic worked furiously on the cuts while officials tried to wipe the blood from the cage floor.

At the start of round 3 the bloodied Fawcett began landing more often. Whiteford neutralised this using an expert Thai clinch and landing some knees and elbows. Fawcett escaped and landed some solid leg kicks, but Whiteford secured a blast double leg taking Fawcett down again. As they were stood again, Whiteford instantly shot again grinding the round out at the death.

We went to the judges for the decision with scores of 30-30, 30-28 and 30-28 giving a majority decision to Robert Whiteford, securing him the British Featherweight Title. In this fight however, there really is no loser, both fighters have upped their stock massively and Whiteford said it best in the post fight interview when he said that some featherweights are scared of him and Carl - to be honest it would be easy to see why.

The fight was the best fight I have seen this year, and will surely be a forerunner for Fight of the Year in the UK at the very least!

The rest of the pro card saw all first round finishes with much touted Sunderland welterweight Jonny Bilton following up his impressive semi professional record and recording his first win in the pro ranks, with the composed dispatching of a late replacement in experienced Danny Welsh. He secured an early takedown, flattened Welsh out and locked on the rear naked choke when given Welsh’s back.

Another experienced fighter on the card was Nathan Thompson who took on debut Team Fishtank fighter Cal Ellenor. Cal showed experience beyond his record when he secured a standing guillotine on Thompson to get the tap mid way through round 1.

Local favourite O ‘Icebox’ Okunnu was next up taking on Rhys Parker. Parker agreed to touch gloves and then showed the old adage ‘protect yourself at all times’ to be correct when he threw a headkick at the same time. This seemed to do nothing but anger ‘Icebox’ who quickly secured a takedown to half guard, pounding out Parker for a TKO victory.

The pro card was rounded off by Thomas Denham taking on Portugal’s Victor Piexoto, who came out with a flying knee to open the match up. However, Denham dodged this and secured a takedown, standing up and channelling the spirit of Ken Shamrock and Kurt Angle, securing an ankle lock for the win after just 41 seconds.

So after more pullouts than any show I have ever known, Supremacy FC still delivered and I for one can’t wait for the next visit to the Lancastrian Suite in July!

Your MMA Fight Night Awards

Fight of the Night: Robert Whiteford vs. Carl Fawcett

Submission of the Night: Eric Kapas

KO of the Night: Ricky King

Full Supremacy FC 6 Results

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