Press Release
Watson picks up two nominations, one for new champ Lima
Three memorable moments from the Maximum Fighting Championship’s memorable 2010 campaign have been nominated for Bassie Awards from HDNet’s “Inside MMA.”
The awards, named after legendary mixed martial arts star and “Inside MMA” co-host Bas Rutten, will be doled out during the show’s special year-end episode on Friday, Dec. 31. The show airs at 9 p.m. ET/7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT (check local listings for HDNet channel designation).
Brash British striker Tom “Kong” Watson leads the MFC pack with a pair of nominations. Watson is up for the Knockout of the Year for his ferocious head-kick finish of Travis Galbraith at MFC 24: Heat XC back on Feb. 26. The vicious ending, which came just 1:56 into the fight, had previously earned Watson the Knockout of the Night for MFC 24 and was voted No. 1 on the year-end listing of the MFC’s 2010 Knockouts of the Year.
Watson also picked up a nomination for Walkout of the Year based on his highly entertaining ring entrance for an MFC 26: Retribution showdown against Jesse Taylor from Sept. 10. Complete with a customized soundtrack and his trademark gorilla mask, Watson put a charge into the live audience and those watching HDNet Fights with a fantastic dance routine.
The third MFC nomination for the much-coveted Bassie goes to new MFC welterweight champion, Douglas “The Phenom” Lima. But it’s not for his title fight victory – instead it’s a kudo for his arm-bar tapout of Ryan Ford at MFC 26: Retribution. Lima, who would go on to submit Jesse Juarez for the MFC’s 170-pound crown at MFC 27, made a huge splash in his organizational debut, securing the win over Ford early in the second round. That evening’s Submission of the Night is now in the running for the Bassie Award for Submission of the Year.