2nd Iron Wolf comes out of the jiu-jitsu closet.

The London connection.Left to right-Aaron, Alan, Neil.

My Bruvva from daan saaff, Aaron Baum made the long hike to Newcastle for Valhalla on Sunday. He returned to London with a handsome looking trophy and 1 in the W column. He defeated tough Para Dean Stafford in an all out Brawl that ended in a 1st round submission for Aaron. Well done Geezer.

I love the smell of boxing linament in the morning, smells like.......

VICTORY!

Jose vs. Ninja

Sportfight Scotland 2 will see Craig looking to reprise his awesome MMA debut at Sportfight Scotland 1, where he used excellent skill and tactics, clinically taking apart tough Irishman Paddy Doherty and finishing him with a submission.
This time Craig is facing John Quinn , from Scottish top dogs the Dinky Ninjas. We're currently 1-1 with the Ninjas so we're looking to Craig to get the statistics into our favour.

For those of you who are not familiar with our pals from north of the border here are some facts about the Dinky Ninjas -

1. Dinky Ninjas are mammals
2.Dinky ninjas flip out ALL the time
3. John Nicholson wears gay white leather glam rock apparel.

Sor Thanikul goes 5 out of 6 @Vallhalla 2

The Gym had 6 fighters in on Sunday night and left with 5 wins. That's a pretty good ratio in anyones book, a real testament to Barrys coaching ability and the hard training culture of the gym. At the end of the yearI'm going to do a retrospective on here of the gyms performances in 2006, so that everyone can realise the full extent of the Sor Thanikul culture of success.

Results-
Winners on the left hand column.

Muay Thai 3x2
Matt Inman – (Sor Thanikul) def. James Hedley – (Kings Cobra) Dec.
Bout sponsored by Ikusa.co.uk MMA fightwear store

Pro Rules MMA 3x5
Welterweight 77kg
Dave Hirst–(Team Fulinkazan)def. Steve Howe –(The Bear Pit )Mata Leao Rd.1
Bout sponsored by D+J Motorcycle training 0191 428 3324

Muay Thai 3x2
Leon Robotham – (Sor Thanikul) def. Neil Burns – (Gladiators) Dec.

Semi-Pro MMA 2x5
Heavyweight 100kg
Saif Kahn – (Team Fulinkazan) def. Sean Johnson – (The Bear Pit) TKO Rd.1
Bout sponsored by Julie and Ray, The Longship- Victoria Rd. Hebburn

Muay Thai 3x2
Jackie Bogart – (Northern Spirit) def. Lizzie McClory –(Sor Thanikul) TKO Rd 2.

Semi-Pro MMA 2x5
Welterweight 75kg
Paul Cook–(The Bear Pit)def.Chris Mclaren–(Dave Elliot BJJ) Kata Gatame Rd.2
Bout sponsored by Morgans Powerhouse gym Pelaw 0191 442 0020

Muay Thai 3x2
Lucasz Lehmann – (Sor Thanikul) def. Kev Oloc – (Gladiators) TKO Rd.1

Semi-Pro MMA 2x5
Middleweight 78kg
Aaron Baum – (Iron Wolves) def. Dean Stafford –(The Bear Pit) Guillotine Rd.1
Bout sponsored by Stoneys Barber shop 0191 420 2848

Muay Thai 5x2
Craig Jose – (Sor Thanikul ) def. Lex Easdon – (Paisley KB) Dec.
Bout sponsored by Ikusa.co.uk MMA fightwear store

Amateur MMA 2x5
Lightweight 70.3kg
Keon Shabanzadeh– (NX Gen Vale Tudo) Draw Paul Allen – (Andy Crittenden Team)
Bout sponsored by Marthas Vineyard – Hebburn

Amateur MMA 2x5
Middleweight 80kg
Navid Rosta-(Fighting Fit) def. Danny Charlton- (The Bear Pit) TKO Rd.2

Amateur MMA 2x5
Heavyweight 100kg
James Parker-(Andy Crittenden Team)def.Scott Kingsbury-(The Bear Pit)Guillotine Rd.1

Muay Thai 3x2
Openweight
Rob Mills – (Knucklederaggers) def. Chris Ayre– (The Bear Pit) TKO Rd.1
Chris Ayre Sponsored by Jarrow MOT centre 0191 483 9696

Amateur MMA 2x5
Bantamweight 58kg
James Saville – (Team Fulinkazan) def. Liam Wilkinson –(Andy Crittenden Team) Armbar. Rd.1
Bout sponsored by The Clock - Victoria Rd. Hebburn

Amateur MMA 2x5
Bantamweight 58kg
Shajidul Haque – Fighting Fit Draw Graham Stansfield - Andy Crittenden Team

Muay Thai 3x2
Ryan Scope- (Kings Cobra) def. John Marshall – (Sor Thanikul) Dec.

Sexual Monster

Images courtesy of Robert Swan/Cagewarriors

I can honestly say that never in my life have I been so thouroughly documented on film. You see, unlike other notable members of the Sor Thanikul squad, I'm not male model material. I've discovered, in the course of observing all these camera angles the reason why other people don't cut and dye their own hair.

Ian Dean just sent me through a load more shots from the lens of Cagewarriors official photographer and I spotted Kanomatas T-shirt. I wish I'd noticed at the time because I'd have tried to trade him for it. 'Sexual Monster' his T-shirt proclaims. I got the impression his grasp of Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai was considerably better than his grasp of English, I wonder if he knew what kind of statement he was making about himself. Whether he knew or not, pretty cool shirt. Also, check out the Ro-Shambo. What are you to expect from a sexual monster though. You dirty mother......

"He was a pro, he was fast, he fucking came out of nowhere. "

Knuckledraggers kettlebell maestro Leon 'insert nickname here' Robotham put in a strong dominant performance against Neil Burns from Gladiators gym. It was Leons debut fight, and although he came to the ring armed with the strength and skill to win, the absence of a suitable nickname was apparent - unlike his teammates, Zoolander, Robocop, Drago and the Josenator.

That's what he does!, it's all he does! You can't stop him!

Jose does it again, dominating a 5 round tear up with undisputed world kickboxing champ Lex Easdon. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.

Jose vs. Easdon was sponsored by Ikusa.co.uk - online fightwear store

The Karate Kid

Polish powerhouse Lucasz Lehmann clocked up his second win in consecutive weekends, TKO'ing Liverpools Kev Oloc after only 1 round. Just wait till this Kyukoshinkai champion makes it to K1, Will Vanders is going to wet himself with excitement.

Dead or alive...you're coming with me!

Unfortunately Anth Barker of the Bear Pit was unable to fight on Valhalla 2 due to illness. His team mate Chris Ayre gamely stepped up and agreed to fight Rob Mills in a K1 rules kickboxing match in spite of a serious weight difference. Rob started strong, connecting with a big spinning back kick. He rapidly proved too much for Chris, stopping him with a flurry of uppercuts and bodyshots early in round 1. Well done both guys for putting their teams, fans and the show first.

The beast unleashed!

'It's beautiful!' they gasped, the crowd looked on awestruck as Matty finally busted Magnum.
Inman took home a unanimous decision win over Kings Cobra gyms James Hedley - and saved the president of Micronesia. All you haters who said the boy only had one look, stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Inman vs. Hedley was sponsored by Ikusa.co.uk - online fightwear store

Broadbent - Closet Jiu-Jitsu fighter

Neil at Pride and Glory DZ 4

Iron Wolves Featherweight standout Neil Broadbent just secured his second straight submission victory after returning from a long injury layoff after his fight with Dinky Ninja Graham Connelly. He locked up the head and arm Guillotine and got the tap in 44 seconds, 10 seconds slower than his last fight. You're slowing down old man.

Irving vs. Seagal?

Action movie hero Steven Seagal and his blues band Thunderbox are to play The Journaltynetheatre, Newcastle, on 17th January 2007. The 6ft 4in star is currently touring the globe in support of his new album ‘Mojo Priest’. A spokesman for his tour promotion company last night said…’If you think that Steven is good at beating the bad guys on film, just wait till you hear him on guitar. Steven’s accomplished musicianship sets him apart from his contemporaries in the acting business who have tried their hand at music’.

Taken from the Journal Tyne Theatre website

1)If you think Steven is good at beating the bad guys on film, you are destined for a lifetime on the bottom rung of the food service industry.

2)Stevens accomplished musicianship sets him apart from his contemporaries in the acting business who are good enough at acting to make a living at it and don't need to haul around their shit band from town to town to pay for their burgers and creamcakes.

Seagals appearance in my city is an affront to the Sor Thanikul gym that I cannot allow to go unpunished. I plan to challenge him to an old school Vale Tudo right there on the stage.
Anyone who wishes to make humourous speculations as to the origins of his bands name, I invite you to leave your comments below.

Granite gear available now at the Sor Thanikul gym

The Granite MMA competition gloves and sparring gloves are in now. Pick some up at the gym.
If you step up to fight I might even pimp them out for you with my signature Misfits style.

Jenkins Rematch?

Photo courtesy of Hywel Teague/Fighters only magazine

I lost a split decision earlier this year against UK MMA legend Paul 'Hands of Stone' Jenkins at Pride and Glory - Drop Zone 2. A rematch was set up on Willie Scott's Cage Kombat, but I pulled out due to illness. I was to appear on the next Cage Kombat, but my opponent pulled out on too short a notice to be replaced. I'll be fighting at Willie's next show in February, the day before we go to Brazil and it's possible that I'll be making a one off jump back up to welterweight to face Paul again.