Culverhay Sports Centre in Bath was the arena where the UK’s top ranked amateur Mixed Martial Artists in the country would meet and do battle. The afternoon of October 20th would see two eight man and a four man tournament to find the champions of 2002. Each of the quarter-final matches were drawn at random. Battle commenced with the lightweights.

Lightweight Quarter-Finals
Miad Najaffi vs. Alex Owen

The two competitors started the fight by circling each other. Najaffi found an opening and exploded with accurate body shots and knees. Miad managed to take Owen off his feet and worked his way in to side mount. Najaffi preferring to strike let Owen on to his feet. Both competitors traded blows before Owen managed to take Najaffi down in to his guard. Owen brought his legs high and attempted the triangle. Not able to apply the choke Owen quickly transformed the manoeuvre in to a perfect arm bar. Najaffi was forced to tap.

Winner: Alex Owen - Submission by arm bar (1st round)

Ozzy Haluk vs. Ben Willis

Ozzy immediately took his opponent to the ground by wrapping his legs around his opponent’s waist and secured Willis in his guard. Ozzy soaks up punches from his opponent. Willis stacked Haluk up and tried to break his guard. Ozzy sees his opportunity and gets a triangle choke. Willis resists but Haluk pulls on a crank to increase the pressure on his opponent’s neck. It is all over for Willis and he taps.

Winner: Ozzy Haluk - Submission by triangle choke (1st round)

Simon Etasse  vs. Roger Woodward

Woodward immediately came in for the double leg take down. Etasse saw it coming and sprawled back. The two combatants scramble for position. Woodward trapped Etasse in his guard. Woodward locked up one arm and applied an arm bar. Despite struggling Roger holds on to the lock and gets the submission. A very quick victory for Woodward.

Winner: Roger Woodward - Submission by arm bar (1st round)

Mark Wilson vs. Dave Campbell

The two competitors start the round by exchanging sharp leg kicks. Wilson tackled
his opponent to the floor. Mark stacked his opponent up and hooked Campbell’s ankle. As Wilson looked for the achilles lock, Campbell used his body weight to take the fight out of the area forcing a break. On the ground again Wilson worked his way in to the top four-quarter then to side position before finding the mount. Wilson tried for an arm bar but Campbell puts up too much resistance for him. This pays off as the whistle goes to mark the end of round one.

In round two Wilson threw his opponent to the floor with a hip throw. With his knee on Campbell’s stomach Wilson tied up one arm and looked for another arm bar. The combatants are forced to break because the action has moved outside the fighting area. Campbell scores with a beautiful uppercut and knee combination followed by a heavy leg kick. The fight goes to the floor and the pair continue to grapple until the final whistle. The judges (Paul Sutherland, Chris Watts and Daryl Jackson) put their heads together to decide the outcome of this gruelling eight minute match.

Winner: Mark Wilson - Unanimous judges decision

Middleweight Quarter-Finals
Mark Jowett vs. Richard Formaggia

The referee starts the fight and the two competitors clashed in the centre of the mat with an explosion of punches and knees. Jowett caught Formaggia’s leg and drives him to the floor. Formaggia threw punches and knees to his opponent’s ribs as Jowett gained the mount. Formaggia bridges his opponent off of him and they resume the fight on their feet. Both score with an excellent array of strikes. Jowett catches Formaggia’s front kick and throws him to the floor. The whistle goes for the end of round one.

In round two the pair tie up and pound away at each other with heavy body blows. Jowett throws his opponent to the floor and settles in to a scarf hold. Formaggia wrapped his legs around Jowett’s head and manages to pull him from his position. Mark Jowett quickly finds the side mount and they continue to grapple until the end of the second round. Another hard fought match and the judges would have to make their decision.

Winner: Mark Jowett] - Split judge’s decision[[Andrew Taporis Vs. Stuart Bonner

After an exchange of kicks Bonner took Taporis down in to his guard. Andrew moved in to side mount and attempted an arm bar. Bonner stacked his opponent up and dumped Taporis outside of the area forcing a break. The match was resumed and Taporis took his opponent to the floor with a double leg takedown. Bonner trapped his opponent with a head lock. In the struggle for position the two combatants found themselves outside of the area. The grappling continued. Taporis nearly caught Bonner with a knee bar towards the end of round one.

In Round two, Bonner took his opponent off of his feet with a judo throw. Andrew nearly reversed his opponent but Taporis caught and controlled Bonner with a head lock while moving in to a better position. Bonner turned his back to Taporis, who capitalised by sinking in a rear naked choke.

Winner: Andrew Taporis - Submission by rear naked choke (Round 2)

Anthony McRae  vs. Kasson Hipkiss

The match opened with Hipkiss slamming his opponent to the mat. Kasson had difficulty getting out of McRae’s half guard. McRae reversed Hipkiss but ended up outside the area. The pair restart, Kasson took his distance before exploding with hard kicks and knee shots. McRae responded with some nice leg kicks. Hipkiss stacked his opponent up and tried a neck crank. McRae defended the submission well. The pair wrestled until the end of the round.

Round two began with and exchange of kicks. The fight went to the ground and McRae nearly snagged an arm bar. Hipkiss controlled his opponent well by stacking him up. Kasson worked his way in to side mount and pinning McRae with a knee, wrenched on an arm bar.

Winner: Kasson Hipkiss – Submission by arm bar (Round 2)

Adam Pearson vs. Paul Jenkins

This highly-anticipated match started with Paul Jenkins slamming in powerful kicks to his opponent’s legs. Pearson responds and attempts to take Jenkins to the floor. Jenkins remained standing and hammered his opponents ribs with a double hook followed by a leg kick. The pair tie up and “Hands of stone” Jenkins smashes Pearson with a combination of strong uppercuts. Adam took Paul in to his guard. Jenkins, equally fearsome on the ground, wears his opponent down with more punches before taking a choke and the victory.

Winner: Paul Jenkins – Submission by Guillotine choke (Round 1)

Lightweight Semi-Finals
Ozzy Haluk vs. Alex Owen

These two talented athletes approached each other in low stances, weary of the shoot.
Haluk blasts Owen with a powerful leg kick that nearly takes his opponent off of his feet. Ozzy takes Alex to the ground and looks very calm and collected in guard. Haluk throws straight punches to Owens stomach. Owen absorbs the blows and breaks Haluk’s guard. Haluk momentarily turns his back and Owen quickly capitalises with a rear naked choke. Ozzy has this covered, so using the technical fluidity that he is well known for moves from the choke to the arm bar. Referee Mark Woodard sees there is no way out for Ozzy stops the fight.

Winner: Alex Owen – Submission by arm bar (Round 1)

Roger Woodward vs. Mark Wilson

After circling each other Woodward comes in with a front kick. Wilson managed to catch Woodward’s foot and throws his opponent to the ground. The two combatants scramble for position and both find their feet. Woodward attempts to take his opponent down in to his guard. With a great show of strength Wilson remains standing and carried his opponent shoulder high outside of the fighting zone. The pair break and resume the fight. This time Woodward takes his opponent in to guard successfully. Wilson hooks up a leg and looks for a leg lock but decides to pass his opponents guard. In doing so he gives his opponent a chance to stand up. Wilson took the fight to the floor and the pair grappled until the end of the round.

In round two Woodward caught Wilson’s leg and takes the fight to the ground. The pair battle until they are outside the area thus forcing a break. Woodward attempts a shoot but Wilson sprawls back and moves in for a rear naked choke. Woodward rolls and gets the side mount. This very dynamic round saw each competitor gaining the advantage with technical ground work. At the end of the round the judges took a few moments to come to their decision.

Winner: Mark Wilson – Unanimous Judge’s decision

Middleweight Semi-Finals
Mark Jowett vs. Andrew Taporis

After a few strikes the fight was taken to the ground. Taporis (in guard) reversed the position and worked to a side mount and achieved a mount. From this dominant position Taporis pulled on an excellent armbar. A quick win for Taporis.

Winner: Andrew Taporis - Submission by arm bar (round 1)

Paul Jenkins vs. Kasson Hipkiss

This was a match up worthy of the final! Paul Jenkins, the hard man from Cardiff, faced the skills of Kasson Hipkiss. Both fighters showed an excellent array of strikes - scoring with shin and front kicks, hooks and uppercuts. Jenkins is the more powerful but Kasson’s strikes are quicker. The two fighters stand up skills are very evenly matched. Kasson takes the fight to the ground with a judo throw. Jenkins manages to reverse and try for an achilles lock but Kasson hooks an ankle himself. Both were trapped in a stalemate waiting to see if the other would tap. The action continued until the end of round one, Hipkiss just missing the rear naked choke.

In round two, Jenkins caught Hipkiss’ kick and swept his other from under him. Paul pounced on Kasson’s chest and pounded his opponent’s ribs. Hipkiss expertly reversed his opponent; Jenkins rolled reversing Hipkiss who, yet again, reverses Jenkins. Both fighters show a true mastery of their art. Later on in the round the fighters display superb striking abilities. Jenkins at one point knocks Hipkiss off of his feet with a superb side kick. This was a very close fight and the judges would have to make their decision to decide the victor.

Winner Kasson Hipkiss - Unanimous judges decision

Light-Heavyweight Semi-Finals
David Gill vs. Tom Bacon

Bacon took the fight to the ground with a hip throw. After some technical action on the floor Bacon let his opponent stand. Tom scored with more good punches. Bacon is the better striker and Gill looked more confident on the ground. As Bacon pounded his opponents ribs while in guard Gill nearly achieves an armbar. Towards the end of round one Bacon threw a shot to Gill’s head. This resulted in a yellow card penalty for Bacon.

In round two, Bacon scored with some heavy punches to the body. Bacon is very skilled with his hands but David Gill pulled off a great arm bar when it was needed.

Winner: David Gill - Submission by arm bar (Round 2)

Sol Gilbert vs. Chris Hill

Both competitors looked in great shape as they squared off. Gilbert powered in with a double leg take down that nearly took both fighters out of the fighting area. Sol hooked a leg and dropped back to execute an Achilles lock. Chris tried his best to break the hold but the pain was too much and after a few moments trapped in this lock he had to tap. Gilbert’s victory was one of the quickest of the day. A win for Zero Tolerance.

Winner Sol Gilbert - Submission by Achilles lock (Round 1)

Lightweight Final
Alex Owen vs. Mark Wilson

Both competitors looked psyched up for this show down. Owen started by scoring  with powerful leg kicks. Alex took Wilson down into his guard but Wilson retains a dominant position. The fighters got back on to their feet. Owen dropped to the floor as Wilson tried for a leg lock. Owen quickly seized his opponent’s foot and twisted on a knee bar that seriously took its toll. Wilson had to tap and the talented competitor from Tickenham takes the title.

Winner: Alex Owen - Submission by knee bar (Round 1)
Combat Sports Lightweight Champion 2002

Middleweight Final
Andrew Taporis vs. Kasson Hipkiss

Andrew Taporis, looking very agile, moved around his opponent looking for an opening. Taporis wrestled Hipkiss to the ground and looked as if he could take an arm bar. Hipkiss blocks this manoeuvre and reverses taking the side position. Hipkiss isolates a leg and puts pressure on Toporis’s ankle joint. Taporis managed to reverse and mount Hipkiss. A break is called, and the fighters get to their feet. Kasson takes his opponent down with a single leg. Toporis attempted a key lock. An excellent round ends.

Round two starts and both fighters clearly mean to win the title! Hipkiss ran in with the jumping double knee that we saw earlier. Toporis took the fight to the floor. Kasson, a skilled technician, pinned Toporis with a knee and hooked a leg to get a ankle submission. Kasson celebrated his victory with a flamboyant somersault.

Winner: Kasson Hipkiss - Submission by achilles lock (Round 2)
Combat Sports Middleweight Champion 2002

Light Heavyweight Final
Sol Gilbert vs. David Gill

Sol Gilbert moved confidently around his opponent scoring with perfect leg kicks and uppercuts. Gill took Gilbert to the floor and nearly finished the fight by catching and putting all his weight on to an arm bar from the guard. However Gill could not match Sol’s raw power. The referee breaks up the fight because they have strayed outside of the fighting area. On their feet again Gilbert smashed at Gills ribs. Sol then powered in with a double leg takedown. The two fighters grapple from the floor and Gill nearly gets another armbar. Sol is too quick and steps away from his opponent to resume the fight standing up. Ex pro-boxer Gilbert was really in his element as he unloaded combinations of devastating punches on his opponent’s body. It looked as if the winded Gill could not continue.

Spectators of the event could almost feel Gill’s pain as Gilbert punished his opponent’s solar plexus and ribs in round two. Gilbert moved with grace around his opponent picking him off with well placed punches and kicks. Gill tried to tie up Gilbert, but Sol hammered him with more jabs, hooks, uppercuts and storming leg kicks. Gilbert’s assault continued forcing David to consead the match by verbal submission.

David Gill fought valiantly but Sol Gilbert is in a league of his own.

Winner: Sol Glibert – Verbal submission (Round 2)
Combat Sports Light Heavyweight Champion 2002