UCMMA 14 Review and pictures

Ultimate Challenge UK 14: Invincible – The Troxy, East London, 7/8/2010

Pictures courtesy of RingPics

Valentino Petrescu vs Jimi Manuwa

The long awaited championship bout between these 2 guys was finally upon us. This fight was originally scheduled early this year at the UCMMA event in May, but Petrescu had to unfortunately pull out due to a hand injury. We interviewed Jimi Manuwa a few months ago and he was very much looking forward to this match up and rated Petrescu as one of the UK’s top fighters.

Manuwa looked like the much sharper fighter at the start of the 1st. He effectively used the muay thai clinch and connected with some hard knees. Petrescu tried to use some dirty boxing techniques to free himself from the clinches, but Manuwa picked his shots and a left uppercut wobbled Petrescu. The lion went for the kill and a fast combo finished the fight. Manuwa wins by KO in the 1st round, retains his light heavyweight belt. Who’s next for him?

Edgelson Lua vs Jamaine Facey

This fight between 2 great fighters and friends in the UCMMA Welterweight division was to be the fight of the night in my opinion, and it definitely didn’t disappoint.

Facey comes out quick and nearly connects with a head kick straight after touching the gloves. Edge wanted none of the stand up and his gameplan looked to be on the ground, where he could utilise his purple belt BJJ skills. Crowd favourite Jamaine Facey was definitely no slouch on the ground though, and pulled off some nice position escapes and sweeps. Edge eventually managed to get Faceys back and sink in a very tight looking rear naked choke. Bandog’s MMA fighter Facey wasn’t in the mood to tap, and the crowd went crazy (seriously they went mad) went he escaped the choke at the end of the round! Wow!

In the 2nd , Facey connected with a good kick and knee, but once again Lua wanted the takedown and managed to get it. He controlled much of the ground game, but Facey managed to pull off a great sweep where he finished the fight via GNP TKO from mount position. That has to be Jamaine Facey now in the mix for Alberto Mina’s title….

Brad Wheeler vs Francis Heagney

This was a big step up for 19 year old Brad Wheeler in the lightweight division against one of the UK’s top lightweight fighters Francis Heagney.

Heagney starts the fight with a quick combo and shoots where he took down his opponent. Brad Wheeler looked very dangerous off his back though and attempted a couple of armbar submissions, but Francis powered out of them with slams. These guys show off some great transitions and reverses on the ground, but Heagney eventually get into a good position and pounds out Wheeler for a TKO victory.

The whole event was once again a great success for the UCMMA organisation. Not one fight was boring, there was KO’s (Jake Bostwicks right hook must of been KO of the night), submissions (awesome triangle choke from Tom Dixon who fought twice in one night! True warrior), a Pride style soccer head kick (which Mark Potter was DQ’d for), and even 2 marriage proposals. Unfit2fight’s Mark Amor-Carling proposed to his girlfriend and UCMMA fighter Dan Movehedi proposed to his girlfriend. Both said yes, and the love in the air continued with some more MMA