UK MMA Matches to Make: Featherweight Division
Have a read and if you enjoy it remember to "like" it at the bottom of the page! Now it's time to get thinking about the lightweights next week....
Ricky Wright: The fight I would most like to see at featherweight is between two warriors who have the division at their feet, both youngsters who are tipped for greatness early on in their careers. Saul "The Hangman" Rogers has set the scene a light with his no nonsense attitude inside the cage and his colourful persona outside.
Rarely seen without a hangman's noose, a prop that is a part of him as the metal chain is to rampage Jackson. Three of his four professional wins have come from a wide array of chokes including the inverted triangle and the north south choke proving that "The Hangman" is a very appropriate nickname for the stand out colosseum fighter.
Currently ranked at 25th in the YourMMA rankings there is hardly any daylight between him and the person I would love to see him matched up against, the number 22 ranked Shay Walsh.
Shay has notched up a record of seven wins with only one loss as a professional. That loss came from a fight of the night decision by TUF stand out Andy Ogle in what was one of the most memorable fights of 2011. Walsh, the product of Lancaster MMA who often ventures across the pond to train at American Top Team is highly touted by UFC favorite Brad "One Punch" Pickett.
If these two met on any promotion in the UK you can guarantee another potential fight of the year from these two hot prospects.
Darren Rees: Ok, this is the week I've been waiting for as the featherweight division is my personal favourite in MMA.
With so much talent in the UK today I could have chosen enough fights to fill an entire fantasy fight card, but one sticks out foremost in my mind and it's one that I hope to see one day!
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing first, ready for war in the blue corner, this man represents Combat Athletics Academy, Liskeard, he holds a professional MMA record of 5-2, Please welcome Sam Gilbert!!
And now introducing his opponent, ready for war in the red corner, this man represents the Tsunami Gym, he holds a professional MMA record of 17-9-1-1 ladies and gentlemen, please Welcome, Robbie "The Flame" Olivier!
The way that Sam has climbed the ranks in 2012 alone has made a huge impression on independent promoters around the country.
With his combination of slick Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and devastating striking, not only on the feet but just as damaging on the ground, Sam is consistently dangerous at any stage of the fight and the fact that he is just 20 years old makes that even more daunting to think how much better he could be in a few years
With that fact in mind, I think Robbie Olivier would make the perfect opponent.
Robbie is far more experienced with 28 professional fights and has performed on some of the biggest stages the UK has to offer against such high profile names as Brad Pickett, Ronnie Mann and Pat Curran.
He is also just as capable of finishing a fight by submission or knockout which would all but guarantee a non-stop action packed fight.
So until this fight happens, the answer will be debated, who wins? Youth or Experience?
Sam Gilbert vs. Robbie "The Flame" Olivier.
Steve Wickett: The two featherweights I'd like to see share a cage are Liam James (6-3) and Dave Hill (10-3). James is fresh of a superb win over the previously unbeaten Jean N'Doye at CWFC Fight Night 5 back in April. Many expected N'Doye to extend his own unbeaten record that evening but James had other ideas. Everything N'Doye threw at James that evening was returned with added interest and then some, James put on a performance that in a couple of years might well be looked back upon as his "breakout fight!"
To make the fight I believe Dave Hill should be standing across the cage. After winning his first nine bouts including taking the scalps of Ashleigh Grimshaw and James Lutman, Hill is 1-3 in his last four bouts, including losing to Conor McGregor for the vacant CWFC featherweight title at CWFC 47 last month. A submission expert with eight of his ten wins coming via armbar or a choke of some description, it's clear where Hill would rather this one played out but the problem getting Liam James to the floor.
Both men come to fight and pitting them against one another inside the cage would more than likely provide 15 minutes of fast paced action, and I believe the winner in this one would be the fans worldwide. So would Liam James continue his ascent to the top 10 of the YourMMA rankings, or would Dave Hill get back on track and look to reposition himself for another crack at the Cage Warriors Featherweight title?
I for one am not brave enough to answer that question, but I can only hope this fight gets put on to a future card.
So in a nutshell the matches we would make are:
Ricky Wright - Saul Rogers vs. Shay Walsh
Darren Rees - Sam Gilbert vs. Robbie Olivier
Steve Wickett - Liam James vs. Dave Hill
Flyweight Matches: http://www.addictedmma.com/story-Blog_7839_UK-MMA-Matches-to-Make-Flyweight-Division.php
Bantamweight Matches: http://www.addictedmma.com/story-Blog_7939_UK-MMA-Matches-to-Make-Bantamweight-Division.php
Follow us on Twitter:
Ricky Wright: https://twitter.com/MC_Ricky_Wright
Darren Rees: https://twitter.com/MC_WarTime_Rees
Steve Wickett: https://twitter.com/AddictedMMA
Picture One: Ricky Wright by Charli Edwards, Little Red Creative.
Picture Two: Darren Rees by Renee-Lea Thackham, Combat Athletics Academy
Published by Steve Wickett - Sat, 7 Jul 2012 21:15
