BAMMA to Honor Rob Sinclair with Chris Watts Award

Chris Watts became a well-known member in the United Kingdom MMA world, helping with the growth of BAMMA before his untimely death following a bout with cancer. To honor Watts, BAMMA has decided to honor a fighter with The Chris Watts Award based on hi…

Chris Watts became a well-known member in the United Kingdom MMA world, helping with the growth of BAMMA before his untimely death following a bout with cancer. To honor Watts, BAMMA has decided to honor a fighter with The Chris Watts Award based on his outstanding contribution to the MMA community. Rob Sinclair is the […]

MMA Fugitive: Tom Duquesnoy Looking to World Glory in The UFC

MMA is banned in Duquesnoy’s homeland of France, however many expect “Fire Kid” to go all the way to the top of the world in the UFC.

While we await confirmation from the UFC that Duquesnoy has in fact signed on with the promotion, MMA News looks at the most promising fighter to emerge from Europe since fellow featherweight Conor McGregor.

“Fire Kid” was born and raised in Lens, France, and entered his MMA career as a 12 year old when his father enrolled him into a sambo class.This was proven to be a smart move, as Duquesnoy developed an obsession with boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and MMA in general.

The Frenchman’s father, who supported him ardently from day one, then financially backed his son for 12 months in Paris as an 18 year old. The young fighter developed swiftly in MMA, eventually amassing a 7-1 amateur record prior to turning professional. Duquesnoy won championships in Belgium Beatdown and Killacam Promotion prior to signing with British MMA promotion BAMMA in 2013. The Jackson-Wink MMA fighter has only been defeated once, losing to UFC featherweight prospect Makwan Amirkhani in February 2013, and has a professional MMA record of 14-1.

Duquesnoy has run through all of his opponents since his loss in 2013, and is the first ever BAMMA two weight world champion. The man who fights at bantamweight and featherweight is the epitome of the ever-evolving MMA fighter, with a varied skill-set encompassing more than just the raw fundamentals required to enter the octagon. In 14 wins, 10 are KOs, with the remaining 4 coming via subs; 6 of the Lens native’s 14 wins have come in the first round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBZxz8W55Qc
Conjecture is that Duquesnoy will make his UFC debut sooner, rather than later. At just 23, Duquesnoy has time and an abundance talent on his side. What division he will enter the UFC ranks in is yet to be decided, but the vast wealth of talent in the existing ranks of bantamweight and featherweight are enough to test a man who many believe can go right to the top of the tree.

France’s ban of MMA will certainly come under more ridicule should Duquesnoy fulfil his potential, and become one of the world’s premier UFC stars. This could hopefully persuade France to overturn a ban on the sport, given that one of their sons has achieved a high profile in the world’s chief MMA promotion.

 

MMA is banned in Duquesnoy’s homeland of France, however many expect “Fire Kid” to go all the way to the top of the world in the UFC.

While we await confirmation from the UFC that Duquesnoy has in fact signed on with the promotion, MMA News looks at the most promising fighter to emerge from Europe since fellow featherweight Conor McGregor.

“Fire Kid” was born and raised in Lens, France, and entered his MMA career as a 12 year old when his father enrolled him into a sambo class.This was proven to be a smart move, as Duquesnoy developed an obsession with boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and MMA in general.

The Frenchman’s father, who supported him ardently from day one, then financially backed his son for 12 months in Paris as an 18 year old. The young fighter developed swiftly in MMA, eventually amassing a 7-1 amateur record prior to turning professional. Duquesnoy won championships in Belgium Beatdown and Killacam Promotion prior to signing with British MMA promotion BAMMA in 2013. The Jackson-Wink MMA fighter has only been defeated once, losing to UFC featherweight prospect Makwan Amirkhani in February 2013, and has a professional MMA record of 14-1.

Duquesnoy has run through all of his opponents since his loss in 2013, and is the first ever BAMMA two weight world champion. The man who fights at bantamweight and featherweight is the epitome of the ever-evolving MMA fighter, with a varied skill-set encompassing more than just the raw fundamentals required to enter the octagon. In 14 wins, 10 are KOs, with the remaining 4 coming via subs; 6 of the Lens native’s 14 wins have come in the first round.


Conjecture is that Duquesnoy will make his UFC debut sooner, rather than later. At just 23, Duquesnoy has time and an abundance talent on his side. What division he will enter the UFC ranks in is yet to be decided, but the vast wealth of talent in the existing ranks of bantamweight and featherweight are enough to test a man who many believe can go right to the top of the tree.

France’s ban of MMA will certainly come under more ridicule should Duquesnoy fulfil his potential, and become one of the world’s premier UFC stars. This could hopefully persuade France to overturn a ban on the sport, given that one of their sons has achieved a high profile in the world’s chief MMA promotion.

 

Report: Tom Duquesnoy Set to Make UFC Debut on April 15

ufc-logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBZxz8W55Qc

Reigning BAMMA featherweight and bantamweight champion Tom Duquesnoy (14-1) looks to be bound for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). L’Avenir (via SevereMMA.com) is reporting that “Fire Kid” is looking to finalize the deal in a few days.

Duquesnoy has been on a tear and hasn’t lost since Feb. 2013 to current UFC fighter Makwan Amirkhani. The fighter out of France captured the BAMMA featherweight title back in April 2014 against Teddy Violet.

One belt wasn’t enough for the “Fire Kid” as he fought for the bantamweight title two years later. He knocked out Shay Walsh in the first round to become a two-division champ.

If the report is true, Duquesnoy will step inside the Octagon for the first time on April 15 at an unannounced event.

ufc-logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBZxz8W55Qc

Reigning BAMMA featherweight and bantamweight champion Tom Duquesnoy (14-1) looks to be bound for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). L’Avenir (via SevereMMA.com) is reporting that “Fire Kid” is looking to finalize the deal in a few days.

Duquesnoy has been on a tear and hasn’t lost since Feb. 2013 to current UFC fighter Makwan Amirkhani. The fighter out of France captured the BAMMA featherweight title back in April 2014 against Teddy Violet.

One belt wasn’t enough for the “Fire Kid” as he fought for the bantamweight title two years later. He knocked out Shay Walsh in the first round to become a two-division champ.

If the report is true, Duquesnoy will step inside the Octagon for the first time on April 15 at an unannounced event.

BAMMA Postpones Planned June Event After Change In Medical Standards

BAMMA-26_Craig-vs-Fields_Poster_social

BAMMA, one of the top MMA promotions in Europe, is moving an event set for this June in Ireland to a later date after introducing mandatory MRI/MRA scans for all fighters.

The card, BAMMA 26, will now take place September 10.

Below is the complete press release from the promotion:

BAMMA has always sought the highest possible standards of regulation for mixed martial arts events. Consequently, due to BAMMA introducing mandatory MRIMRA scans for all BAMMA fighters, the decision has been taken to move the BAMMA 26 event from June 4th until September 10th. All tickets already purchased for the event will be honoured, though refund are available.

“We understand and welcome the fact that regulation for this sport is being put in place here in Ireland,” said David, CEO, BAMMA. “But whilst we await this regulation and the results from the numerous discussions that are currently taking place, we have taken the step to introduce mandatory MRI/MRA scans for all of our fighters for the BAMMA 26 event onwards.

Whilst we are already one of the leaders in MMA fighter safety in Europe, after consultation with Professor Dan Healy a leading expert in the MMA medical field, we believe that this is a vital step and will serve as important additional protection for the fighters and should be a key part of new regulation. However, it would not be possible to implement this system in time for our contest on June 4th. So, in order to be certain that we can implement these new scans across all fighters, we have taken the decision to move the event back a few months. We do not take this decision lightly and apologise for the inconvenience to BAMMA fans.”

BAMMA already applies the Safe MMA standard to all of its events. This means having fully qualified medical staff on site, an equipped emergency treatment centre at the venue as well as standby ambulances should hospital checks be necessary as well as a large number of pre and post fights checks to prevent injuries going unnoticed or untreated. While BAMMA already sets an extremely high standard for fighter safety, it is always looking to improve, and believes that the addition of MRI/MRA scans will allow this.

Commenting on the decision Dan Healy, Consultant Neurologist at Beaumont Hospital said, “These measures make MMA safer; a Rubicon moment. BAMMA have set a new standard that I encourage others to follow. We must all work together on this.”

International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) CEO, Densign White, said: “We commend and support this proactive decision that BAMMA has taken in the interests of athlete safety. Choosing to put safety before profit is unusual. In engaging with IMMAF’s medical committee lead, with national federations in Ireland and the UK and with their medical advisory Safe MMA, BAMMA sets a good example for the rest of the industry to follow. This kind of cooperation and partnership in event management is precisely what’s needed to move the sport of MMA forward.”

BAMMA-26_Craig-vs-Fields_Poster_social

BAMMA, one of the top MMA promotions in Europe, is moving an event set for this June in Ireland to a later date after introducing mandatory MRI/MRA scans for all fighters.

The card, BAMMA 26, will now take place September 10.

Below is the complete press release from the promotion:

BAMMA has always sought the highest possible standards of regulation for mixed martial arts events. Consequently, due to BAMMA introducing mandatory MRIMRA scans for all BAMMA fighters, the decision has been taken to move the BAMMA 26 event from June 4th until September 10th. All tickets already purchased for the event will be honoured, though refund are available.

“We understand and welcome the fact that regulation for this sport is being put in place here in Ireland,” said David, CEO, BAMMA. “But whilst we await this regulation and the results from the numerous discussions that are currently taking place, we have taken the step to introduce mandatory MRI/MRA scans for all of our fighters for the BAMMA 26 event onwards.

Whilst we are already one of the leaders in MMA fighter safety in Europe, after consultation with Professor Dan Healy a leading expert in the MMA medical field, we believe that this is a vital step and will serve as important additional protection for the fighters and should be a key part of new regulation. However, it would not be possible to implement this system in time for our contest on June 4th. So, in order to be certain that we can implement these new scans across all fighters, we have taken the decision to move the event back a few months. We do not take this decision lightly and apologise for the inconvenience to BAMMA fans.”

BAMMA already applies the Safe MMA standard to all of its events. This means having fully qualified medical staff on site, an equipped emergency treatment centre at the venue as well as standby ambulances should hospital checks be necessary as well as a large number of pre and post fights checks to prevent injuries going unnoticed or untreated. While BAMMA already sets an extremely high standard for fighter safety, it is always looking to improve, and believes that the addition of MRI/MRA scans will allow this.

Commenting on the decision Dan Healy, Consultant Neurologist at Beaumont Hospital said, “These measures make MMA safer; a Rubicon moment. BAMMA have set a new standard that I encourage others to follow. We must all work together on this.”

International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) CEO, Densign White, said: “We commend and support this proactive decision that BAMMA has taken in the interests of athlete safety. Choosing to put safety before profit is unusual. In engaging with IMMAF’s medical committee lead, with national federations in Ireland and the UK and with their medical advisory Safe MMA, BAMMA sets a good example for the rest of the industry to follow. This kind of cooperation and partnership in event management is precisely what’s needed to move the sport of MMA forward.”

GIF of the Day: At Least Paul Daley Still Knows How to Knock a Motherf*cker Out


(Aaaaaaand boom goes the dynamite. GIF via Zombie Prophet.)

It’s a well known fact that a Brazilian’s merit in the cage can be determined by how many names they have before Silva (the fewer the better). Think about it: Anderson Silva, Wanderlei SilvaGiant Silva — all great fighters, all adhering to the two-name paradigm. Bruno Gustavo Aparecido da Silva, on the other hand, is simply too long to fit on a lunchbox and therefore not capable of achieving greatness. Unfortunately, Romario Manoel da Silva was a “Manoel da” away from said greatness when he stepped into the cage against Paul Daley at BAMMA 14 last weekend and was nearly decapitated for his insolence.

In a classic “Did he died?” moment, Daley unleashes a hellacious left uppercut on da Silva early in the second round, folding him up like a steel chair after an ice cream social. With the win, Daley improved to 5-1 in his last 6 and 34-13 overall. With punches like that, it should come as no surprise that all of Daley’s past 5 wins have come via (T)KO.

We’ve thrown a full video of Daley-da Silva after the jump, so check it out and give us your best Smokey from Friday reaction to the KO in the comments section.


(Aaaaaaand boom goes the dynamite. GIF via Zombie Prophet.)

It’s a well known fact that a Brazilian’s merit in the cage can be determined by how many names they have before Silva (the fewer the better). Think about it: Anderson Silva, Wanderlei SilvaGiant Silva — all great fighters, all adhering to the two-name paradigm. Bruno Gustavo Aparecido da Silva, on the other hand, is simply too long to fit on a lunchbox and therefore not capable of achieving greatness. Unfortunately, Romario Manoel da Silva was a “Manoel da” away from said greatness when he stepped into the cage against Paul Daley at BAMMA 14 last weekend and was nearly decapitated for his insolence.

In a classic “Did he died?” moment, Daley unleashes a hellacious left uppercut on da Silva early in the second round, folding him up like a steel chair after an ice cream social. With the win, Daley improved to 5-1 in his last 6 and 34-13 overall. With punches like that, it should come as no surprise that all of Daley’s past 5 wins have come via (T)KO.

We’ve thrown a full video of Daley-da Silva after the jump, so check it out and give us your best Smokey from Friday reaction to the KO in the comments section.

While legal troubles and a certain lifetime ban may prevent Daley from ever becoming a UFC champion, there are few things in this world that stand the test of time as well as his murderfists. Off the top of my head, I can think of only two: The reluctance of children to check out this awesome surprise I have in my van and the effectiveness of pepper spray. That every one of these bastards has a smartphone nowadays surely isn’t helping. I mean, what fun is it if they can just select an app and the cops are already on their way? GOD I MISS THE NINETIES.

J. Jones

BAMMA 12: Walhead vs. Veach ‘Quick Results’

The Metro Radio Arena played host to today’s (March 9) BAMMA 12 event in Newcastle, England. The main card aired live on AXS TV in North America and on 5* channel in the UK. The event saw English welterweight ‘Judo’ Jim Wallhead return to the UK following a Bellator tournament loss and pick up a […]

BAMMA 12The Metro Radio Arena played host to today’s (March 9) BAMMA 12 event in Newcastle, England.

The main card aired live on AXS TV in North America and on 5* channel in the UK.

The event saw English welterweight ‘Judo’ Jim Wallhead return to the UK following a Bellator tournament loss and pick up a first round submission win over former UFC veteran Matt Veach.

The co-main event saw light heavyweights Max Nunes and Marcin Lazarz battle into the third round, seeing Nunes keep his undefeated streak alive with a third round TKO finish. Also featured was a British lightweight title fight as UFC veteran Curt Warburton would go on to defeat opponent Steven Ray for the 155-lbs belt.

Check out the full ‘Quick Results’ for BAMMA 12 below:

Main Card

Welterweight bout: Jim Wallhead def. Matt Veach via Submission (Rear-naked choke) – R1 @ 3:05
Light heavyweight bout: Max Nunes def. Marcin Lazarz via TKO (Elbows and punches) – R3 @ 1:12
BAMMA Lonsdale British Lightweight Title bout: Curt Warburton def. Steven Ray via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card

Welterweight bout: Ryan Scope def. Luke Newman via Submission (Triangle choke) – R1 @ 4:00
Catchweight (192-lbs) bout: Scott Askham def. Harry McLeman via Submission (Rear-naked choke) – R3 @ 4:13
Middleweight bout: Leeroy Barnes def. Steve Watson via Submission (Guillotine choke) – R1 @ 0:47
Light heavyweight bout: Thomas Denham def. Brett McDermott via Submission (Rear-naked choke) – R2 @ 3:58
Bantamweight bout: Mahmood Besharate def. Steven Gardener via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Catchweight (139-lbs) bout: James Macalister def. Steve McCombe via submission (Rear-naked choke) – R2 @ 3:08