READING, England, June 18 — The Rivermead Leisure Centre hosted the newest thing in UK mixed martial arts on Saturday, the Freestyle Fighting Federation. FX3 blasted out with new rules and a new octagonal ring in a bid to revolutionize the UK MMA scene. With an extremely vocal crowd of just shy of 1,500 people and an exciting evening of fighting, FX3 is off to a roaring start.

The new rules include using one 10-minute round with each fighter permitted a single 60 second timeout, to be called by a fighter’s corner when both fighters are standing, allowing the fighter whose corner called the timeout treatment whilst the other fighter remains in a neutral corner.

However, the most talked about rule change from the NSAC rules is the 60-second grappling time limit on the ground. If neither fighter is in a dominant position within this time the fighters will be returned to their feet and the fight continued. This rule was put in place to eliminate stalling on the ground, as each fighter must work to secure the finish, or be stood up.

On the face of it, you would expect this to favor the stand-up fighter, but a surprising number of fights ended up being won by submission or TKO on the ground.

The ring itself is a fairly small 23 feet across, but this lends itself to the “always on the attack” bias of the rules. There is nowhere to hide in this ring (except through the ropes, as you will see later).

And so the night begins with these words from referee Grant Waterman, “Are you ready to fight? Let’s fight!”

Heavyweight action up first as France’s Jerome Laulan and Germany’s Jochen Gieb both come straight out to trade kicks before Laulan secures the takedown into Gieb’s guard. With no work forthcoming the fighters are stood up at the end of the 60-second period, before returning to the same position courtesy of Laulan’s trip takedown.

This time Laulan passes Gieb’s guard straight to mount and begins to pound out an opening. Gieb, in an effort to defend the strikes, leaves his arms flailing and Laulan spins for the armbar to win by submission at 3:44.

On to the middleweights now with Amir Subasic arriving in the ring with no gloves. After a short hunt the official FX3 branded gloves were soon found for him and the fight was on.

Frenchman Antony Espinasse arrives in the ring, followed by trainer Damien Riccio, looking physically much bigger than the Bosnian and the strength advantage he had was telling in this match up.

A great deal of time was spent in clinch work up against the ropes with Subasic attempting a number of hip throws on the bigger man. Eventually it was Espinasse who won the battle for the takedown and he mounted Subasic and began to throw shots to the head. It was at this point that Espinasse landed an illegal downward elbow, he was warned and one point was deducted from his score.

The fight was restarted standing but went straight back to the floor as Subasic attempted an overhead sweep takedown. Unfortunately for Subasic his attempt failed and he was mounted for his troubles. From this position Espinasse was able to secure a mounted reverse triangle choke and Subasic submitted at 3:13.

Continuing the theme of fighter’s arriving incorrectly attired, Laurent Bonafoux arrived into the ring wearing his wrestling boots before being informed he would not be allowed to fight in them.

Nigel Whitear, a local fighter brought a lot of support with him, but was unable to enforce his will on the Frenchman in this fight. After a brief determined exchange Whitear was brought to the canvas by Bonafoux’s double-leg takedown. Bonafoux did not capitalize on his top position though and Whitear landed a number of good shots from the bottom guard.

This inactivity forced a standup after the regulation 60 seconds and a hard leg kick by Whitear resulted in him being put on his back again, this time Bonafoux managed to make it to side control where he landed some good elbow strikes. Whitear escapes to half guard but while eating shots his guard is passed again. Bonafoux sensing an opening, rolls into an armbar attempt but Whitear defends for dear life and Bonafoux wastes some energy trying to force the issue.

Whitear scrambles to his feet and Bonafoux, knowing his armbar has failed, locks in a standing guillotine, falls back and sweeps Whitear over his head. From the top mount position, Bonafoux jumps to side control securing the keylock submission at 3:35.

In the time it takes to turn to the person next to you and remark that Frederic Fernandez looks a lot like his brother Emmanuel, you’d have missed his fight with Ashleigh Grimshaw.

Following a right low kick from Grimshaw, which even the back rows could hear, Fernandez, a BJJ brown belt, used his strikes to flurry and catch Grimshaw, who was out before he hit the canvas.

The referee leapt on Grimshaw to protect him from damage and was pulled into guard by the dazed UK fighter. The Frenchman wins by KO at 0:16.

Standing at 6’2” tall, Philipp Schade makes for an intimidating figure in the lightweight division. But UK’s Dave Swann attempts to close in and take the bigger German down, to nullify his reach advantage in the stand-up. A failed takedown by Swann results in him being mounted, but he quickly escapes into Schade’s guard by bridging over. Schade, showing excellent jiu-jitsu, scissor sweeps Swann back into mount but just as before, Swann immediately reverses the position.

Schade tries to sweep again, but Swann is wise to this now, and showing good base begins to throw a series of powerful knees to Schade’s buttocks from within his guard.

The fighters are stood up after 60 seconds. Schade shoots in and slams Swann to the canvas, where Swann is again mounted. At this point Schade begins to throw a number of shots to set up the armbar, which he spins to. Swann slips out and from here on in begins his ascendancy.

Swann, taking a strange half “mount”/half “half guard” position — he’s mounted across Schade’s chest but with one of Schade’s legs inside and bent up against his upper body — begins to throw the first truly powerful punches of this match. Schade covers up desperately before attempting a sweep then a leg lock.

From this position Swann slides into full mount, where he rains a number of unanswered blows down on the German. With no intelligent defence forthcoming Swann wins by referee stoppage at 4:22.

Swann is visibly elated to have battled through such adversity to take the win and salutes the crowd for their support. Fighting for the FX3 lightweight title and both Ollie Ellis and David McLaughlin were understandably cautious at the start. Ellis took the initiative, shooting a single-leg takedown into McLaughlin’s guard. McLaughlin looked for a half-nelson submission but soon gave up on it. After a period of inactivity Ellis eventually passed to side control and continued to pin McLaughlin. As no strikes were being thrown the fighters were stood up after 60 seconds.

Ellis knows his game plan and wasted no time striking with McLaughlin, shooting in for the double-leg ending up in McLaughlin’s half butterfly guard. McLaughlin attempts a few butterfly sweeps but Ellis’ wrestling base is too good. Ellis throws the occasional shot but without any real effect beyond irritation. Maintaining control, Ellis takes the North/South position, figure-fours an arm and takes the kimura submission at 3:25.

In the past, accusations have been leveled at Ellis for being a boring fighter. While he may not have thrown devastating strikes, no one could argue that he dominated McLaughlin on the ground, worked his own game plan and finished the fight by submission.

After the presentation of the belt, BJJ brown belt, Alex de Souza was ushered to the ring to make a public challenge for Ellis’ belt. Look out for this fight at an upcoming FX3.

Mark Chen came out of his corner strong at the start of this match, using a low kick to set up a flurry from the hands. Mohamed El-Aouaji clinched up and the battle for clinch control began.

Chen’s failed takedown ended with both fighters on the floor, with El-Aouaji held in Chen’s closed guard. With little action, save for El-Aouaji’s sporadic pounding, the fighters were brought back to their feet.

The action soon hit the floor again, but this time with the guard positions reversed. Chen, deciding he wanted no part of the ground game stood up out of El-Aouaji’s guard. With both fighters standing it was Chen’s turn to stamp his authority on El-Aouaji. Chen threw a number of kicks to the legs and body, but as ever, kicks can leave the kicker open to a takedown.

From within Chen’s guard, El-Aouaji throws one huge elbow, but apart from that no real damage is done. Chen’s corner repeatedly screamed to him, “Work the sweep, work the sweep, you’re not going to get a submission.” But, Chen seems content to stay with El-Aouaji in his guard, as he attempts neither submissions nor sweeps. El-Aouaji seems content with not passing the guard too and chips away at Chen with short shots.

It is at this stage that, for the first time of the night, the timeout rule is used. Mark Chen’s corner calls a timeout, so the British fighter receives treatment and advice from his corner while El-Aouaji remains in a neutral corner.

Following the restart, Chen again throws some excellent leg kicks. El-Aouaji responds by throwing a good right cross and Chen pulls El-Aouaji down into his half guard. El-Aouaji throws some punishing strikes from this position but Chen does well and reclaims full guard. Chen doesn’t tie up El-Aouaji’s upper body effectively enough though and the fight draws to a close with El-Aouaji throwing reasonably effective shots from the guard.

At the end of the single 10-minute round the judges render their decision for the winner by unanimous decision, France’s Mohamed El-Aouaji.

Abdul Mohamed versus Alex Sambro was the first of only two fights of the evening to use NSAC MMA rules. Round one began with a brief exchange before Mohamed shot his famous double-leg takedown.

Briton’s Mohamed moves to side control but Sambro scrambles and stands up. In return, Mohamed slams him back down immediately. Standing over the downed Brazilian, Mohamed pounds away, repeatedly diving in while throwing big right hands as Sambro throws upkicks.

Round two starts with Mohamed eating a hard leg kick before clinching up. Mohamed uses his double underhooks to secure the takedown where he begins to throw elbows from the half guard. Sambro does well in the scramble and stands up a number of times but is always brought crashing back down, including two big suplexes.

Round three begins with a high kick from Mohamed, who slips. Sambro is then warned for kicking the head of a downed opponent. Continuing the trend of previous rounds, Mohamed takes Sambro down a number of times; it would have been many more were it not for Sambro’s illicit use of the ropes. Mohamed’s fearsome double-leg resulted in him finally gaining the mount on Sambro.

The fight was restarted in the same position in the middle of the ring for being too close to the ropes and Sambro immediately sought to maneuver himself towards and under the ropes again. Mohamed secured a head-and-arm choke from mount and jumps to side control to finish it. Unfortunately for Mohamed, Sambro again ducked under the ropes to escape the locked in submission.

The fighters, now stood up clinched again and an increasingly gassing Sambro was manhandled against the ropes. Sambro taking huge shots and still desperately holding the ropes has his hands slapped away by Ian Freeman, in Mohamed’s corner.

It was at this point that the referee stepped in and called an end to the fight, disqualifying Sambro for attempting to escape the fight through the ropes. Mohamed wins by disqualification 4:10 of the third round. Peter Angerer came out hard, throwing kicks, including a solid kick to the ribs after some good punches and a spinning hook kick, which Paul Jenkins took the brunt of. Jenkins seemed unfazed and threw his own strikes back, resulting in Angerer just shaking his head at him.

The German Angerer throws a superman punch and Jenkins clinches working the takedown into half guard before progressing to mount. Angerer takes a lot of shots to the face and eventually gives up his back, where Jenkins looks to secure the rear-naked choke. Angerer defends the choke so well that Jenkins switches to the armbar, giving up his top position.

Angerer escapes the armbar and is now standing over Jenkins; the German throws an axe kick to Jenkins’ midsection and a scramble results in them playing a game of, “Who can footlock who first?”

Angerer’s heelhook beats Jenkins straight footlock as the referee stops the contest at 4:56 when he hears Jenkins’ knee snap.

Another German, Andre Balschmieter, comes out hard and immediately drops Frenchman Damien Riccio to the floor with a right cross. Balschmieter dives in but Riccio stands up and is rewarded with three successive knee strikes to his groin. The crack of Riccio’s groin protection echoes around the venue.

The fight restarts quickly and it’s Riccio’s turn to throw a big right cross before the fighters clinch. Balschmieter throws a number of knees, with a lot of them being low. One strike in particular causes Riccio visible discomfort and he is forced to take a minute to recover. Balschmieter is warned and a point deducted from his score.

At the restart Balschmieter’s kick is met with Riccio’s own, knocking Balschmieter down. Riccio follows him to the ground and reverses Balschmieter with a textbook butterfly sweep. Riccio ends mounted and throws shots to set up taking Balschmieter’s back. Riccio sinks in the rear-naked choke to win by submission at 3:06.

Paul Daley versus Sami Berik has been hyped beyond all proportion on certain Internet forums and the fight itself did not disappoint. Daley came racing out of his corner looking straight for the knockout victory, throwing bombs and landing a big trademark left hook. Berik immediately throws back and both fighters trade wild shots at close range, to the delight of the crowd.

In the clinch Daley scores the takedown into Berik’s half guard and starts to fire left hands at Berik’s head. Berik does well to defend the barrage but his guard is passed and Daley lands good elbows from side control.

Berik attempts to scramble out but instead ends up mounted. Despite Berik’s obvious resilience to pain Daley’s shots were just too hard and too many and as Berik’s head bounced off the canvas for the umpteenth the referee stopped the fight. Daley wins by TKO at 3:03.

This is the climax, the battle for the FX3 light heavyweight championship. Mike “The Count” Bisping is obviously pumped as he sprints to the ring, leaps the ropes, cartwheels and then sends an axe kick sailing over the referee’s head. Alex Cook’s entrance is more sedate, but the desire is just as strong.

Both fighters were happy to trade to begin with, each landing strong shots. Bisping decides to take the fight to the floor and takes mount. Bisping is reversed and Cook starts to slap Bisping’s face from within his guard. There’s no power in the slaps, but they were amusing.

Cook slips out of Bisping’s triangle choke attempt and the fight takes the feet again. In the clinch, Cook throws a good knee and Bisping replies with a crisp right hook to the head and two punishing hooks to the body. Cook seems weary in his striking and Bisping, sensing the advantage, takes Cook to the floor where he takes mount, then rear mount.

Cook manages to spin back to mount but he was only prolonging the inevitable as he turned his back once again to allow Bisping to sink the rear-naked choke for submission win at 3:21.

Are the FX3 rules a good thing for UK MMA? That’s still open for debate. Do FX3 rules make for exciting fights and a top quality atmosphere? They sure do!