Nationals 2006 - MMAUniverse.com

The Combat Sports Open Trials, Sponsored by MMA Universe, held it's National Championships yesterday.

All through 2006 The Open Trials have held events for amateur MMA fighters to pressure test their skills. After three legs the best of the best were invited back to fight for the UK’s longest established Amateur MMA title, the Combat Sports National Championship.

The Combat Sports National Championships 2006 played host to three Four Man Grand-Prix Eliminators and two gruelling Eight Man Grand Prix Eliminators.

The winners of these Grand Prix' went home with the belts and the title Combat Sports National Champion 2006.

Now it’s time to meet your champions!

Graham Day
Combat Sports Lightweight (-70.5kg) National Champion 2006

After a two year hiatus from the Combat Sports Open Trials, Graham Day returned to Amateur competition at the Combat Sports Open Trials 2006: 1st Leg. Day proved that he was on top form by searing through 2006 on an eight fight unbeaten streak.

At the National Championships 2006 Day faced another top seeded competitor Spencer Dummer in the semi-final round, which went on to be one of the most memorable fights of the day. Graham then faced equally stiff competition in the final against Black Country Combat fighter Kevin Brown. Graham Day had faced Kevin Brown three times in past Open Trials, and drawn each time. But this time with the added rounds and a panel of Judges on hand, Day the won the fight and the Lightweight National Champion’s belt.

Heath Gait
Combat Sports Welterweight (-77kg) National Champion 2006

“The General” Heath Gait was on dominant form throughout the three stage eliminator. Gait scored two quick Kimuras in the Quarter and Semi Finals, then managed to submit submissions wizard Michael Gill in the finale. A great end to the year for Falcons Martial Arts’ Heath Gait, who has worked (and obviously trained) very hard throughout 2006.

Chris Simpson
Combat Sports Middleweight (-84kg) National Champion 2006

Returning 2005 Middleweight Champion Chris Simpson had not competed at all in 2006. In the mean time fighters like Shaun Charles and Anthony Peters has risen to dominance in the division and now had their eyes set on his Championship belt.

Simpson seemed to be a bit rusty in his Semi final against Tap or Snap’s Shaun Charles, who put in a rugged performance. Simpson won by a hair’s breadth decision in that fight to go on and face Trojan Gym’s Anthony Peters in the finals. It was a great fight and looked as though it would go all the way to another decision but Simpson seemed to get stronger and stronger throughout the fight and managed to catch an excellent arm-lock mid way through the overtime round.

Scott Taylor
Combat Sports Light-Heavyweight (-93kg) National Champion 2006

Scott Taylor has one foot in the professional leagues and one foot in the amateur leagues at the moment. The rules state that a competitor can take part in The Combat Sports Open Trials and National Championships so long as the fighter has had no more than two professional bouts in one year. Taylor has won one and lost one at Pro in 2006. This experience has obviously paid off for Reading Reapers Scott Taylor who beat the highly touted Tim Redfern to win the 2006 title.

Tony Bentley
Combat Sports Heavyweight (-120kg) National Champion 2006

Tony Bentley is one of the Open Trials best known faces and has been active since the beginning of 2003, when he stormed through the ranks to take the National Championship belt.

Since then Bentley has been chiselling away at his game until he was ready to go pro. Bentley made his debut at the last ever Ultimate Combat show and since then beat Lance King and fellow 2006 National Championship contender Hayden Buckingham.

Bentley emerged in the best shape of his career for this year’s Combat Sports National Championships and the toughest line-up there had ever been for the Heavyweight title. All the Heavyweights fought hard but Bentley emerged the victor and reclaimed his 2003 title.

This was Bentley’s last Amateur MMA competition before he focuses full time on his professional MMA career. So long Tony, its been great having you and good luck in the professional divisions.

Watch out for Tony Bentley at your favourite UK MMA events soon!

Check out the full results here

And the official image gallery here