Over the past few years I’ve read and reviewed countless professional wrestling books, but only one on mixed martial arts. You see, living in a small English coastal town means that it’s quite unlikely that you’ll see an MMA themed book in our branch of Jarrolds. Which is why I was both surprised and pleased that I saw Chuck Liddell’s biography screaming at me from the shelf.

Iceman: My Fighting Life is the first MMA biography I’ve ever read. From the proverbial humble beginnings in a one parent family, it tells the life of one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. Ever since he was a young child abandoned by his father (or sperm donor as Liddell refers to him), he only wanted to do one thing - fight.

And fight he did, taking karate lessons, competing in countless wrestling tournaments during his educational years, through to his early days as a poorly paid kick boxer, right up to the moment where he made his MMA debut in the struggling Ultimate Fighting Championship. Well, it was struggling until Dana White and his pals saved the sinking ship.

Without a doubt Liddell is one of the most well-known and respected fighters ever to grace a mixed martial arts cage/ring/whatever, that much is apparent just by reading the great man’s words. He respects everyone he meets, unless their name is Tito Ortiz that is.

You see, Chuck and Tito just don’t get on, and it’s this part of the book which is the most intriguing, how the then-light heavyweight champion kept telling everyone how great he was. Great he may have been, but he was quite reluctant to defend his title against the up-and-coming Iceman, until both fighters lost big matches and both fighters had something to prove.

I can always tell how good a book is when I hear the author’s voice in my head while I’m reading. That’s just what happened to me while reading this book. Ghost written it may have been, but these words come straight from the Iceman’s heart and mind.

In conclusion - Iceman: My Fighting Life is a great read, it really is. If the only Liddell you know is the guy who lost fights to Rampage Jackson and Keith Jardine, then you won’t know much about his early days. This book will help you fill in those blanks. It’s the story of a man who’s life has been defined by his fighting, the story of a man who’s had to fight for everything in his life.

Chuck Liddell - Iceman: My Fighting Life is available wherever books are sold.

It’s the second visit to the world of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in recent days, and this time it’s to look at the live final of the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter, shown live here in Britain on Setanta Sports in the early days of last Sunday morning. However, as with Cage Rage’s similar show, I actually haven’t watched any of the shows, but as I’ve discovered in the past, this won’t detract from my enjoyment of the action.

The show begins with Junie Browning taking on David Kaplan in the lightweight division. Round one began, as most of these fights seem to do, with a brief feeling out process, but Brownie’s first kick of the fight caught Kaplan in a certain unwanted spot. Kaplan rested for a few seconds before returning to the fight. Combinations and kicks were exchanged, with Browning in particular getting some good shots in. It wasn’t long before Browning was all over Kaplan, connecting with a knee, but after slipping, Kaplan pounced and almost got in an ankle lock. After Browning escaped, he soon took the guard before taking Kaplan’s back, but failed to synch in the rear naked choke. A brief clinch followed before the fighters started banging again, and once again Browning’s stand up looked better. After connecting with a good shot of his own, Kaplan tripped browning, but his attempt at a leg lock failed. Moments later Kaplan was able to drag Browning to the ground, but Browning was the better worker, soon taking Kaplan’s back again and going for another choke. When the first attempt failed, Browning caught up with a couple of good shots as he sat behind him. It was then that Kaplan escaped, and got off a couple of good knees while in a muay thai clinch, with the round finishing with both fighters in a clinch, jockeying for position.

Round two saw Kaplan begin with some wild punches, until Browning shot for the double leg take down, succeeding in doing so. Browning then attempted to transition, with Kaplan making the job difficult for him, until Browning was able to pass into side control so he could synch in an arm bar. Seconds later at it was over as Kaplan tapped out to give the submission victory to Browning. A very impressive performance from Browning here, very enjoyable, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more of him in the UFC in the future.

Then it was up to the light-heavyweight division, with Eliot Marshall facing Jules Bruchez. Marshall came out swinging, catching Bruchez and staggering him with his very first punch. The onslaught only continued for a few seconds until he was able to take Bruchez down and establish side control. After an attempt at a kimura failed, Marshall quickly took full mount before quickly taking Bruchez’s back, synching in the rear naked choke. Bruchez tried to resist, but soon tapped out. A dominating performance from Marshall, and another fighter I wouldn’t mind seeing more of.

Middleweight action followed, with Jason MacDonald taking on Wilson Gouveia. This one began with Gouveia testing the waters with a kick, before MacDonald took hold of the Brazilian’s legs, looking for a take down, and it wasn’t long before that happened. They didn’t stay on the ground long though as Gouveia kicked MacDonald off and got back up to his feet. A clinch against the cage followed, but this went nowhere, with the fighters going back to the stand up game. MacDonald got in a few good shots, but a right from Gouveia rocked the Canadian and he fell to the mat. Gouveia went in for the kill, connecting with punches and elbows, opening up a cut on MacDonald’s forehead. MacDonald head no defence against the torrent of blows, and realising that he couldn’t win, MacDonald tapped. Some good moments from both fighters, although I thought MacDonald was going to get the plaudits here given his good work early on.

Down to the welterweight division for the next fight, with Kevin Burns facing Anthony Johnson. Round one began with both fighters exchanging kicks, before exchanging a few good combinations. Burns seemed to be scoring better with his left jab, keeping Johnson on the back foot until Johnson scored with the take down. Both guys tried to work, until Johnson stood up momentarily and went back down to take side control, but while Johnson tried to get into position, Burns went for a triangle choke, which failed to end the fight, with Johnson taking full guard. The struggle between the two fighters continued, with Johnson looking for ground and pound, and Burns looking for submissions, until the referee stood them up due to inactivity. Back in the middle of the cage Burns connected with a right, but then Johnson blocked a kick and pushed him down to the mat, kicking Burns’ legs instead of taking up Burns’ invitation to go to the ground, which resulted in the referee standing him back up. The round ended with both fighters getting off a couple of good shots.

Round two, and Johnson was the first to connect with a couple of kicks. Johnson was the first to try for a take down, with Burns sprawling to defend. But has Johnson had held of a leg, they went down to the mat a second later. Burns then immediately went for a kimura, but Johnson was able to free himself, quickly going to half guard before going to the full guard. Johnson then went for the ground and pound, connecting with a couple of good elbows, which Burns responded to with a few elbows of his own. Both fighters tried to stamp their own authority on the match, with Burns only able to defend himself against Johnson’s blows to the head and body. This continued for the next few moments, until Burns rolled over and tried for an arm bar. Johnson’s response was to connect with a hammer fist, the last notable moment of the second round.

Round three, and both men came out swinging and kicking. After a couple of exchanges, it happened. Johnson connected with a high left kick to the side of Burns’ head, and Burns fell to the ground like the proverbial sack of spuds, out of it before he even fell. A great fight here, with some good grappling action topped off with a great knockout from Johnson.

Then it was time for the first final, the light heavyweight fight between Ryan Bader and Vinicius Magalhaes. Both fighters began tentatively with blows and kicks, with Magalhaes connecting with a good body kick, before Bader came back with a jumping knee. More exchanges followed, until Bader went down to the mat after a missed kick, which Magalhaes was unable to capitalize on. After more combinations were exchanged, Bader connected with a big right that sent Magalhaes crashing to the mat. A few Bader hammer fists followed before the referee stepped in to stop the onslaught, giving Bader the victory and a UFC contract. A very good fight from both men, and if this is the standard of the fighters coming through then we’ve got a lot to look forward to.

The light heavyweight action continued with Krzysztof Soszynski and Shane Primm. Round one, and Soszynski came out swinging, until Primm took him swiftly down. Things didn’t last long down there, with Primm getting to his feet, and after a brief clinch against the cage, Soszynski got a couple of good shots, then sprawled against Primm’s take down attempt. Soszynski then got into Primm’s guard, and with Primm attempting an arm bar, Soszynski lifted him up and slammed him back down again. It wasn’t long though before both me got back up to their feet with another clinch up against the fence, which went nowhere. Primm then went for another shoot, and once again Soszynski sprawled, attempted to take the back, before getting into the guard and then transitioning into side control. Soszynski then got back to his feet before going back down to take side control, looking for a kimura. Primm defended, but Soszynski just couldn’t get it in the right position, so gave up the hold. The round ended with Soszynski once again in Primm’s guard.

Round two, and Primm took his corner’s advice, faking a take down and connecting with a punch. Soszynski replied with a couple of combinations. It wasn’t long before Primm went for another shot, which Soszynski again sprawled against, before getting back to his feet. Both fighters began to connect with some good combinations, but a lazy looking shot from Primm saw Soszynski take control on the ground, quickly taking half guard before being pushed off by Primm. But it wasn’t long before they were back on the mat, with Soszynski back in half guard, transitioning into side control, looking for another kimura. This time he got it, and Primm tapped immediately. Another good fight between two evenly matched opponents.

Then it was on to Phillipe Nover facing Efrain Escudero in the lightweight final. Round one began with both fighters testing the waters with kicks, before Nover connected with a big right. Escudero responded with the first take down of the fight. A few moments later Nover attempted an arm, which Escudero easily escaped, and when Nover stood up, Escudero sent him back down with a right hand, taking Nover’s back immediately. When his attempt at a choke failed, Escudero transitioned into the guard and went for the ground and pound, before standing up momentarily. When he went back down into Nover’s guard, Nover went for a triangle, before going for a standing kimura, failing with both. Both fighters then returned to their feet, before Escudero took the fight straight down again. Nover then went for another triangle, with Escudero easily escaping. It wasn’t long before they were both on their feet again, before going straight back down to the mat. Escudero then connected with a big right that sent Nover’s head crashing to the ground. A short time later both fighters were back on their feet, engaging in a clinch against the cage as the first round came to an end.

Round two, and it wasn’t long before Escudero took the fight to the ground again, taking side control. When he couldn’t get anything down below, he stood back up and connected with a few kicks to Nover’s thighs as he lay on the mat, with Nover having little success with his up kicks. Seconds later Nover stood up, but soon found himself in another clinch. This lasted for a few moments before they returned to the centre of the cage, looking for an opening. Escudero got the better of this, ducking under Nover’s attempted blows into another clinch. But Nover attempted a standing guillotine, which went nowhere, with Escudero taking the fight back down to the mat, taking Nover’s guard. Escudero was clearly getting the better of Nover, controlling the fight with his wrestling skills. As the round came to an end both fighters stood up, and Nover connected with a big kick to the body. Escudero’s response - another big take down.

Round three, and while Nover was looking for strikes, it was obvious that Escudero was looking for the take down, which he soon got. They didn’t stay on the ground for long though, and by now it was obvious that Escudero had Nover’s number. Once again, when Nover went for a punch, Escudero ducked and took him down. This time, though, Nover went looking for a kimura, an attempt which quickly failed. As Escudero tried to move position, Nover went looking for an alma plata, but Nover’s problem was that Escudero was controlling his right leg. As Nover rained down blows to the body and head, Escudero kept a hold of the leg, until Nover popped up and stopped the attempt. This time the roles were reversed, with Escudero on his back and Nover going for the leg kicks as the fight came to an end.

So with the fight going the three round distance, it was up to the judges to decide, and all three gave the fight to Escudero, and rightfully so, because his was an outstanding and dominating performance.

In conclusion - following on from a very good Ultimate Fight Night 16, the Ultimate Fighter Finale proved to be just as good. Again, there wasn’t a bad fight here, and it was good to see some of the fighters who could become the future of the sport such as Browning, Escudero and Bader. The future of mixed martial arts, and in particular the UFC, looks very bright indeed.

It’s time for the UFC to show the wares on free television again, and this time they’re doing it twice in a week! With a review of the Ultimate Fighter Finale 8 to come, this review will look back at Ultimate Fight Night 16: Fight for the Troops, shown this past Wednesday live on Setanta Sports here in Britain. As usual, our hosts for the evening are Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

First up, action from the lightweight division, with Matt Wiman facing Jim Miller. Round one, and both fighters swung earlier, trading some good combinations. It wasn’t long before they got into a clinch up against the cage, with Wiman taking Miller down to the mat. But the aggressor was in trouble immediately as Miller synched in a guillotine choke. Wiman was able to escape, although he was warned several times for holding Miller’s shorts. Miller then ended up in the guard, working all the time, looking for an opening as Wiman tried to defend himself. Miller looked like he was getting the upper hand, having opened up his opponent and almost taking his back before Wiman escaped and took the guard. But this ultimately went nowhere, and a moment later both fighters were back on their feet trading blows, and after Wiman got in a couple of good shots, he staggered when Miller connected with a good kick to the body, going for a second guillotine afterwards, which again didn’t succeed. As the clock ticked down in the final round both fighters began to look tired, although they still tried to trade shots.

Round two began in the same was as the first round. Miller then tried to take Wiman down, but didn’t quite succeed. The fight went back upright, with Miller landing some good combinations which clearly hurt Wiman, before another clinch up against the cage that went nowhere. After this, Miller teed off against Wiman, whose only defence seemed to be pushing Miller away. Seconds later the fight went down to the mat, with Miller on top. By this time Wiman looked like he was just trying to survive as Miller exerted his control, simply overwhelming his opponent. All Wiman could do was use his feet to push Miller off, but the moment he did that Miller went right back in, and that was the story for the rest of the round.

Round three, and Wiman came forward and landed with a few good shots. Miller’s response was to take Wiman down immediately, but things didn’t stay down long, and when they got back up, Miller connected with a big left as he continued the job that began earlier. Moments later the fight was back down on the mat, and although Wiman showed some good defensive moves, Miller was in control. Eventually, Miller was able to take side control, where Wiman showed some more good defensive moves. A brief return to a standing position followed, before it went back downstairs. Wiman’s defence was starting to get better, although a few moments later Miller was able to take his back, and with both hooks synched in, he went for a submission, but found Wiman defending himself well once again. The final few seconds of the fight saw Miller attempt another guillotine, which he applied until the end of the fight. So with the fight going the distance, it went to the judges, with all three giving the fight to Miller, and rightfully so, and a little surprising considering he took the fight on a week’s notice. A very good outing for Miller here, who has able to put Wiman on the defensive for the entire fifteen minutes.

Then it was up to the middleweight division, with Tim Credeur taking on Nate Loughran. Round one began with the usual feeling out process, although Loughran caught Credeur with an inadvertent low blow. No rest period was needed, so both fighters continued to test their opponents with kicks and jabs until a clinch up against the cage. Both fighters connected with knees as they moved around the side of the cage, but the clinch ultimately went nowhere. With the fighters back in the middle of the cage, both men connected with some good combinations, and it was hard to tell just who was getting the upper hand, it was that even, but as the round went on Credeur seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, with his right hand seeming to be his most potent weapon, which staggered Loughran late in the round, which finished with both guys grappling for position on the mat.

Round two began in the same was as the first, before Loughran went for a take down, before pulling Credeur into his guard. Credeur then began to work for position, with Loughran looking good as he defended himself, although he had to put up with a cut eyebrow, courtesy of Credeur’s hard punches. However, when the pace slowed down, the referee stood the fighters back up, so it was back to exchanging punches and kicks from the fighters. Loughran then inadvertently poked Credeur in the eye, which clearly bothered him for a few moments before he began to up his game, pushing the pace and connecting with a couple of good shots that staggered Loughran, with, again, his right hand proving to be his best weapon as the round ended.

Round three never happened. With Loughran not getting off his stool and verbally tapping out, with Credeur getting the win via TKO. A good performance from Credeur here, and a shame it didn’t get to the third round.

Light-heavyweight action followed, with Steve Cantwell facing Razak Al-Hassan. This one began quickly, with Razak stalking Cantwell around the cage, connecting with kicks and testing the waters with jabs as he moved forward. A clinch up against the cage followed, and after a failed take down attempt, they returned to trading blows. Both men got in some good shots, with Razak’s punches coming in very quickly, although his guard didn’t seem that good. It wasn’t all one way traffic though, as Cantwell got in a few good shots of his own before taking Razak down to the ground, soon transitioning from the guard to side control, soon going to the mount, then going for an armbar. Razak tried to roll out of it, and his arm went back at an extremely awkward angle, and even though he was in an extreme amount of pain, he didn’t tap, and it took the referee stepping in to stop the fight, with Cantwell getting the TKO victory in what was a very good fight, with both men putting in good performances.

Down to the welterweight division next, with Mike Swick facing Jonathan Goulet. Swick came out very aggressively, looking to take the fight to Goulet. His tactic worked. A quick combination dropped Goulet to the ground, whose only defence was to grab hold of a leg. But Swick’s onslaught continued, knocking Goulet out cold, with the referee stepping in to stop things seconds later, with Swick getting the KO. The time, just thirty-three seconds. An excellent performance from Swick, finally showing what he can do at welterweight.

With some time to spare, a fight from earlier in the evening, Ben Saunders taking on Brandon Wolff in the welterweight division. The first thing that happened was Saunders connecting with an inside leg kick that went a little too close for comfort for Wolff. After the permitted rest period, Saunders overwhelmed Wolff with a muay thai clinch and countless knees. A couple of kicks sent Wolff staggering back against the cage, before Saunders continued with the knees. Try as he might, and with his face bloodied up, Wolff just couldn’t get out of the clinch, and when Wolff slumped to the mat, the referee stepped in and called a halt. This was a truly dominating TKO performance from Saunders, showing that if something worked before, then it’s a good idea to try it again.

Main event time, with more welterweight action with Josh Koscheck and Yoshiyuki Yoshida. This one began with the usual feeling out process, with both fighters testing the waters a little, and although very little happened in the first couple of minutes, the explosion was about to begun. Koscheck connected with a two hard rights, the second of which sent Yoshida slumping to the mat. There was no need to go for the ground and pound as Koscheck gained the KO victory in a fight that was slow to get going, but quick to end, with possibly the best knockout in Koscheck’s career.

More action from earlier in the evening followed, another welterweight fight between Steve Bruno and Johnny Rees. Round one saw both fighters begin with an exchange of kicks, before Rees got a muay thai clinch around Bruno’s head a neck, turning it into a standing guillotine, and then a clinch, all up against the cage. Rees then took Bruno down, quickly passing to half guard before both fighters got back to their feet. Rees then threw a kick which Bruno caught, using it to take Rees down and take his guard, before standing up again and then taking side control, going to north south before returning to side control. Bruno then took Rees’ back, but nothing came off it as Rees spun out, with Bruno getting into half guard. Rees then got back up to his feet, only for Bruno to take him back down and take his back. They immediately got back to their feet, but the referee wasn’t happy with the action so separated them. After a brief exchange of blows a clinch against the cage followed, which was how the round ended.

Round two began slowly, before the fighters engaged in another clinch, with Bruno taking Rees’ back, who had a hold of Bruno’s left arm for a moment. Another clinch followed, with both fighters beginning to neutralize each other, which didn’t sit too well with the referee, who separated them. A couple of exchanges followed before the third clinch against the cage, with Rees attempting a muay thai clinch and a couple of knees which didn’t work. Rees then went for Bruno’s legs, and when the take down attempt failed, he connected with a couple of shots. Bruno’s response was to take Rees down, only to find himself in a guillotine position for a few seconds. Seconds later, as they got back to their feet, Bruno took Rees back, sunk in the hooks and synched in the rear naked choke. Rees fought it for as long as he could, but tapped as they slumped to the mat, giving Bruno the victory. A very good fight here, although it was spoiled at times by what Joe Rogan described as a “trigger happy referee” who just wouldn’t let the two fighters fight at times.

In conclusion - Fight for the Troops proved to be a very enjoyable show. We had one round knockouts and three round wars, and at the end of the day it’s this kind of variety that makes for a good mixed martial arts show. Let’s hope we see more of this kind of action at the Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale.

With EliteXC having gone belly up, Cage Rage is no more, and from their ashes, a new mixed martial arts promotion has arisen here in Britain, Ultimate Challenge UK, who presented their first show, Bad Breed, at The Troxy in London, shown live here in Britain this past Saturday on Nuts TV.

The show begins with action from the welterweight division, with the debuting Chris Woolcott taking on Michael Pastou. Things began quickly with a clinch as Pastou went for the take down, and was successful with his attempting, immediately going for the ground and pound. Woolcott tried to work his way out, but it wasn’t long before Pastou regained control from the side, again unloading with some heavy blows, before quickly applying an key lock, with Woolcott tapping immediately. One way traffic in this one, with Pastou looking great as he dominated from start to finish with a great showing.

Then it’s on to the heavyweight division, two fighters making their MMA debuts, with Mark Stroud, going up against Dillian Whyte. The start was delayed because Whyte came to the ring without his gum shield! When the gum shield finally arrived, both fighters swung early, and a hard right from Whyte sent Stroud crashing down like the proverbial sack of spuds, with the referee stopping the fight straight away. Although it was a good shot that ended the fight, it was hard to tell how good each fighter was, because so little actually happened. But me thinks that perhaps the massive age difference between the two fighters was the deciding factor here. The fight time - just twelve seconds.

Action from the middleweight division followed, with Robert Salmond and Chris Harman. Round one began with the usual feeling out process, each men testing the waters with kicks and jabs, until they began to swing a few seconds later, before Salmond got a front face lock on Harman, connecting with a few good knees. Harman tried to work his way out of danger, but Salmond was having nothing of it, soon taking it to the ground and soon trying to take Harman’s back, before soon working for an armbar. But Harman was able to work himself free, and quickly moved into the top position. But once there Salmond tied up his arms, stopping him from working, before working for a key lock, but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t lock the arm, with Harman soon slipping away. With both fighters returning to their feet, it wasn’t long before both men were trading kicks and jabs again as the round entered it’s final minute, with Salmond clipping Harman, before connecting with three knees to the head with a clinch, before both fighters traded as the round came to an end.

Round two didn’t last long. After a few seconds Harman came with a left hook from nowhere, knocking Salmond down to the mat. Harman went in for the kill with the ground and pound, and it wasn’t long before Harman’s constant rights forced the referee to call a halt to the proceedings, giving Harman the KO win. A very enjoyable fight, and a victory that nobody predicted after the first round.

The first of the title matches followed, with Tim Radcliffe facing Jason Young for the vacant World Lightweight title. The fight began with both fighters testing the waters with jabs, before Radcliffe went for the shoot and took Young down seconds later. Young soon got back to his feet though, although Radcliffe was still on the attack, and the fight went back down to the mat. Young then went for a guillotine which ultimately went nowhere, before Radcliffe transitioned quickly, and looked good in doing so as Young seemed powerless to stop him. Seconds later Radcliffe took Young’s back, and after his first rear naked choke attempt failed, Young managed to roll back to his own back, before Radcliffe took his back for a second time. This time he synched the rear naked choke in, and it wasn’t long before Young was tapping, giving Radcliffe the title victory in what could only be termed as an outstanding performance.

More title action followed, with Danny Cubbitt facing Tom Watson for the vacant World Middleweight title. With Cubbitt hailing from Norwich and training in my hometown of Cromer, I think you can guess who I was rooting for. The beginning saw the usual feeling out, with Watson testing things with a few low kicks. Cubbitt was constantly on the back foot as Watson came forward, before a clinch which saw Watson deliver a couple of knees. With the clinch ultimately going nowhere, Watson connected with a few good shots, and as Cubbitt slumped down to the mat after an uppercut, Watson went for the ground and pound, with the referee stopping the fight a few seconds later. Another good performance from Watson, but what else could you expect from the Kong man?

Main event time, with James McSweeney facing Neil Grove for the vacant World Heavyweight title. Round one, and McSweeney began quickly with an attempted Superman punch and a leg kick. But Grove was more than willing to trade with him, before Grove scored with a high take down after a clinch against the cage. McSweeney tried to squirm his way free, but Grove took him down yet again with a move that resembled a back suplex, and although Grove was using his superior power to control the fight, it wasn’t long before McSweeney took the guard position, and took Grove’s back seconds later, looking for a rear naked choke. These attempts ultimately went nowhere, and Grove soon regained control, ground and pounding. However, McSweeney then earned himself a warning for connecting with an up kick to Grove while the big man was still on his knees. When the fight resumed both men worked well, Grove continuing with the ground and pound, and McSweeney looking for the ground and pound, and as the clocked ticked down to the last few seconds, McSweeney went for another rear naked choke, with the end of the round saving Grove.

Round two, and both fighters clearly looked tired after their exertions in the previous round. McSweeney went for the shot, but Grove was able to defend before unleashing with more ground and pound, his favoured weapon being the big left hand, and with McSweeney failing to defend himself, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight, giving Grove the title victory. A tremendous fight between two of this country’s best heavyweights, and if the promoters have any sense they’ll give these guys a re-match in the future.

In conclusion - after the situation surrounding EliteXC, Cage Rage have dusted themselves off, changed their name to Ultimate Challenge UK, and have come back with on of the best shows I’ve seen from this crew in ages. There wasn’t one bad fight here, with some good performances from top to bottom, with the World Heavyweight Championship battle between Grove and McSweeney clearly the fight of the night, although I was a little disappointed that Danny Cubbitt didn’t win. Mind you, he was fighting Tom “Kong” Watson after all!

But anyway, this was a great show, but I’m left to wonder what will happen next to Dave O’Donnell’s band of merry men. With the Digital Spy website reporting that Nuts TV is closing down in the new year, does this mean the end of his shows on television? I hope not. Although Sky Sports are giving his shows a wide berth, and Cage Gladiators proving to be popular on ITV4, I’m sure that there’s another channel out there somewhere who would be willing to give Ultimate Challenge a go.

This past Friday night saw the return of British-based MMA promotion Cage Gladiators return to ITV4 screens here in Britain with a showing on their latest show, Beatdown, held this past October at the Olympia in Liverpool, featuring an appearance by former UFC star Rico Rodriguez, going up against British star Rob Broughton.

The show begins with featherweight action, Ashleigh Grimshaw facing Mark Sinclair. This one began with the fighters begin by exchanging kicks and punches, before the action moved to the mat with Grimshaw in the guard. As Grimshaw tried to move into position, Sinclair connected with a series of elbows to the top of his opponent’s head. It wasn’t long, though, before both fighters got back to their feet, probing with kicks and jabs. A short time later Sinclair upped his game with a good combination and a couple of high kicks to the head which clearly stunned Grimshaw, who held on to his man so he could catch a breather. When the clinch was finished, Sinclair connected with another high kick that sent Grimshaw crashing down, and as Sinclair was about to go in for the kill, the referee stepped in and called a halt to the action. A nice little fight here, with Sinclair’s superior foot work seeing him through, and a good performance considering he had trouble making the weight.

Next saw Andy Wadsworth take on Carl Noon in the middleweight division. Round one, and the action began extremely quickly, with Wadsworth going for the take down, getting it at the third attempt, although once in the guard he found himself under attack, with Noon controlling his head and getting off a few blows in the process. He then went for an armbar, which Wadsworth was able to defend against. But after Noon tried to lock a triangle, which Noon reversed with a slam, Wadsworth took Noon’s back and went for a choke, which went nowhere because of Noon’s great defences. But Wadsworth wasn’t going to give up that easily, and once again went for the choke. But the attempt failed, and Noon was able to turn around and take Wadsworth’s guard, before transitioning to side control. The action was slick and was a joy to watch as Noon went to work with knees and elbows to the body, as well as the ground and pound as the round came to an end.

Round two began with a clinch, before Wadsworth got a single leg take down. Again, Noon began to control Wadsworth’s head and arm, and tried for a submission which Wadsworth escaped from by simply standing up, before going back down into the guard position immediately. But with hardly any action, the referee stood the fighters up again, and after Noon caught Wadsworth with a couple of big blows, Wadsworth countered with a clinch followed by a take down, taking side control and going for the ground and pound. Wadsworth took Noon’s back, but just for a second or two as both fighters rolled over so Noon was now in the guard. But as Noon stood up in order to deliver a blow, Wadsworth connected with a couple of up kicks. As both fighters began to visibly tire, Noon went for the ground and pound, which Wadsworth countered by taking control of Noon’s head. A few scrambles followed, which soon saw Wadsworth take Noon’s back in the last few seconds of the round.

Round three began with both fighters looking exhausted, with Wadsworth scoring an immediate take down and going for the ground and pound, with Noon defending as well as he could. But the action was slow, not as crisp as the previous rounds, thanks to the fatigue factor. Noon soon gave up his back to Wadsworth, and it wasn’t long before Wadsworth locked in the rear naked choke, with Noon tapping after just a few seconds. This was a really enjoyable fight, with some great action in the first two rounds. A good example of British MMA action.

Lightweight action follows, with Andrew Fisher facing Paul Sass. Some quick exchanges began this one, before a brief clinch up against the fence which went nowhere. It wasn’t long before Sass took the fight down to the mat with a jumping guard, immediately going for a submission, which Fisher soon escaped from, getting into the north south position. But even though Fisher went for the ground and pound, Sass continued to go for the submissions, quickly locking in a triangle choke which Fisher quickly tapped to. A very good performance from Sass, controlling the fight from beginning to end.

Then it was on to heavyweight action, with former UFC star Rico Rodriguez taking on Rob Broughton. Round one saw both fighters testing the waters a little, before Broughton’s jabs sent Rodriguez down, with the Brit following up and going for the ground and pound. It wasn’t long before Broughton took Rodriguez’s back for a few seconds, although he wasn’t able to do much as the American got back to his feet. A long clinch against the cage followed, which the referee stopped as it wasn’t going anywhere. After a failed take down attempt, a second clinch against the wire followed, with Broughton putting in a few body shots for good measure. Rodriguez was soon able to escape the clinch, but Broughton was constantly on the front foot, and was able to defend against Rodriguez’s take down attempt, before transitioning well on the mat. But with the American looking for the ground game, Broughton was reluctant to stay on the mat. But he didn’t have much choice as Rodriguez went for another take down which was again well defended by the Brit as the round came to and end, with Broughton clearly winning the round.

Round two, and things began quite slowly, with Rodriguez connecting with a couple of kicks before attempting another take down, which only resulted in a clinch battle against the cage. Broughton was clearly the aggressor here, losing his shoulder and elbows, before the fight quickly went to the mat with the American in the guard, before going to the half guard. Rodriguez was definitely getting the better of Broughton on the ground, and there were times when the Brit looked like a fish out of water, until he attempted a kimura, which Rodriguez escaped from before transitioning back into the guard. A quick spin out later and Rodriguez grabbed Broughton’s leg and locked in the knee bar, with Broughton tapping straight away. This was the proverbial match of two halves, with Broughton the superior in the first round, and Rodriguez clawing it back in the second. A very good fight here.

Then it’s down to the welterweight division with Jay Gladden and Mark Mills. This one began very quickly, with Mills coming out swinging, and Gladden countering with an over under. Seconds later it was down on the mat, with Mills in the half guard, with Gladden locking him down at first, stopping him from moving. This didn’t last long as Mills tried to lock in a guillotine choke, which Gladden was able to defend against before taking his man down and taking the half guard himself. It was interesting to watch as both fighters tried to move for offensive and defensive positions. Mills soon got into the guard, but Gladden went for the triangle, but as the round progressed it looked like the referee was about to stand the fighters up due to inactivity, but the bell stopped this from ever happening.

Round two, and Mills began to swing again before Gladden got the take down, quickly moving into side control. A quick scramble by Mills followed, but Gladden was soon able to regain control, taking Mills’ back seconds later and synching in the rear naked choke. Mills tried to fight it at first, but soon tapped. An impressive performance from Gladden, especially when you considering he’s known more for his striking skills.

Back down to the lightweight division for the penultimate fight, with Rob Sinclair taking on Tim Radcliffe. Round one began with the feeling out process, before Radcliffe got off a good high kick, before Sinclair’s single leg pick up saw both fighters go up against the cage. Sinclair then grabbed Radcliffe’s other leg, holding him high up against the cage before taking him down to the mat into Radcliffe’s guard, and although Sinclair was clearly the aggressor, Radcliffe’s defence was able to withstand the onslaught. But after taking a step back, Sinclair stepped back in and rained down a torrent of blows on Radcliffe. Sinclair then stepped back again, almost inviting Radcliffe to go back to his feet. But it was an invitation Radcliffe wasn’t accepting, so Sinclair went back to his level on the ground. Again, Sinclair was clearly the aggressor, opening up a cut near Radcliffe’s left eye, and as the round came to an end Radcliffe made it obvious that he didn’t want to get back to his feet.

Round two, and both fighters went looking for the opening again, Sinclair looking for a blow, and Radcliffe looking for a clinch. And a clinch it was, before Radcliffe took it down to the ground with Sinclair on his back. As Radcliffe tried to transition into the position he wanted, Sinclair defended well, getting off a few shots of his own in the process. Eventually, Radcliffe was able to pass guard with ease, and Sinclair seemed powerless to stop him as Radcliffe was able to move to whatever position he wanted, almost taking Sinclair’s back at one point. Sinclair then began to scramble, using the cage to push himself up before reversing the situation, with Radcliffe on his back again. Sinclair returned to his first round game plan, going for the ground and pound, then taking a step back, with the bell saving Radcliffe from more punishment.

Round three began in the same way that the first two rounds had, although this feeling out process lasted quite a bit longer. Eventually, Sinclair got the double leg take down, again holding Radcliffe high up against the cage before finally taking him down. But this time Sinclair didn’t go for the ground and pound, a tactic that had served him so well in the first round. Sinclair soon stood back, but with Radcliffe again reluctant to meet his man face to face, all Sinclair did was fire off a couple of leg kicks, and the inactivity saw the referee call Radcliffe to his feet. As the fight went into it’s final minute the fatigue factor was again coming into play, with the occasional low kicks being exchanged.

So with the fight going the full three round distance, it went down to the judges decision, with Sinclair getting the unanimous decision. This was another very good fight, and you remember a couple of fights ago when I said something about being a good advertisement for British MMA? Well, add this one to that list as well.

The final fight saw action from the bantamweight division, with James Williams facing Jay Mc****ss. A quick one here to end the show, and I’m not talking about how the action started. It quickly went down to the mat, then to a clinch up against the cage, before it quickly went back down, and just seconds later Mc****ss had an arm bar locked in, with Williams tapping immediately. The look on Williams’ face after the fight said it all.

In conclusion - this is the third Cage Gladiators show ITV4 have shown, and this is by far the best one I’ve seen. Seven action-packed fights made this not just an enjoyable show but a very good show, with, for me, the fifteen minute war between Tim Radcliffe and Rob Sinclair standing out as the fight of the night. The Cage Gladiators product is really starting to grow on me now, and I look forward to seeing more from them when they return to British television screens in the new year.