UFC Berlin highlights

Well I told you I’d be back, so I thought I’d start right away with a personal recap of my Berlin highlights. Now, the fights pretty much take care of themselves and I guess you’ve heard enough from me about them on the night! However, lots goes on during fight week so I thought I’d let you in on a few secrets.

• Now this is a bit of a ‘sick in the mouth’ moment, but I gotta start by saying joining up with the team is a huge highlight. I’ve never been part of a team like the one we have at the UFC. To feel supported, inspired and creative are all really important. To also work with essentially a bunch of mates is very cool indeed.
• The Guest fighter Q&A was a little different this time. It was media only and was set in a brand new and very cool cafe which was adjoined to the cross fit gym where the open-work outs were being held. So in much more intimate surroundings I sat down with Brad Pickett, Alexander Gustafsson, Ramsey Nijem and Luke Rockhold. It was the first time I had met Luke and he was a very cool guy. Getting to chat with these athletes and seeing them interact with one another is rare as the UFC is such a big international organisation and their paths don't always cross.
• I met Georges Saint Pierre for the first time.  I've always been such a fan of his inside and outside of the Octagon, so to meet the man was brilliant.
• Interviewing the fighters is always interesting and enjoyable, but sitting down and chatting to Mark Munoz was a special one. The man is so much more than a world-class mixed martial artist. He already has a career as a motivational speaker and he will continue to be very successful at that. I took a lot from our conversation and felt really inspired. Mark does so much for the sport and he is one of the world selfless human being…the type we need more of.
• A slightly weird one, but during breakfast I introduced myself to Magnus Cedenblad, his team-mate and UFC debutant, Niklas Backstrom. I had actually commentated a Backstrom fight so used that to kick off the conversation, which kind of back fired. You see, a lot of fighters are avid students of the game and really assess every detail of their own performances. It would seem Niklas is one of them after he recounted the exact words I used in commentary when he fought Adam Edwards a log time ago. Apparently when he took Edwards down (a BJJ brown belt), I might have suggested it was a questionable strategy. Well it transpired that Niklas was a bit of a good grappler and took the win that night. Niklas playfully reminded me not to doubt him again! I immediately liked the guy.
• Meeting Sean Shelby.  I'd had a couple of email exchanges, but I finally got to meet Sean.  I have so much respect for the top match makers.  These guys have to know the world scene in detail and on top of that they are the guys that the fighters speak with about their careers etc.  I imagine its a very emotional job at times, so it was good to sit down with Sean and get the inside track.
• Getting a hand shake and message of good luck from Dana White. Enough said!
• The last highlight is a bit self-indulgent. On my way to gather my stuff after the show I was walking past Gegard Mousasi, so went to congratulate him on his win. Whilst doing so he congratulated me on what a great job I was doing with Dan in commentary! It was totally unexpected. Apparently, he had been listening throughout the evening. I get a real sense of pride when fighters support my commentary. And when a truly world-class athlete gives you a thumbs up, its great reassurance that you are along the right lines.
• Special mention highlight - great iron and ironing board at the hotel.  Friends of mine that I have traveled with will know I stress over quite a few things, but a good quality ironing board and iron is right up there.  I mean...we're going on camera and no matter how good your hair is, no matter how well you tie the tie or arrange the pocket square...if your shirt looks like Iggy Pop's torso, then the look turns to sh*t!  So thank you Hilton Hotels.

Berlin was a great event and it was good to connect and re-connect with some great people. Can’t wait for UFC Dublin, it's going to be off the bleedin’ hook!!!

UK MMA Awards

I've always maintained that getting positive recognition for your work is the biggest compliment. For the 2nd year running I have been nominated in the 'Best Commentator' category, which is amazing. All the others will be embarking on their respective self promotion campaigns, so why should I be any different!! So please support my cause so that I can put an award next to my Bronze swimming badge from 1988 and my 3rd place in go karting from Prague. Thanks so much #kissesforvotes ;0)

http://www.thefightlounge.co.uk/the-uk-mma-awards-2012/

#cwfc48

This show was going to be different for me and for the viewers, as a new production company was responsible for the broadcast.  As presenter and commentator, I can’t deny that I was a little nervous, after all producers have their own ideas and I needed to make sure I met expectations.  Those nerves however quickly turned to excitement as the new producer, Ian, went out of his way to communicate with me his new vision and way of delivering the show.  Couple this with the new Cage Warriors roaming team of Brad Wharton and Tommy Lakes and this show was set to be stacked with the usual action…and lots more! Whilst preparing research I had also managed to help my good friend and coach, Max (Denniston Sutherland) get onto the Cage Warriors bill.  How cool would this be; commentating one of your coach’s fights? I was to later learn it can also make you feel quite sick! check out my interview with Max http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5VxF7Rzg_o

On the Saturday I felt unusually relaxed before a CW show.  This was surprising given the new dynamics etc, but I was happy for it.  Being too nervous is energy sapping and when the main event is after 10pm, there’s no room for slacking!  I had managed to get hold of most of the fighters and I particularly enjoyed new introductions like Hardiman, Pariente and Danny Roberts…he signs off his emails Hot Choc- gotta love that!  I’ve had quite a few conversations this year about getting across the individual fighter’s message and building characters.  I heard an interview with the WWE’s Jim Ross which spoke about how they managed to become mainstream and a lot is spoken about entertainment.  When you add to this the real people behind the fighter, Joe Public can relate, follow and support.  Cage Warriors recognise this and are trying to get this across.  I think Kris Edwards is a really good example of someone with bags of talent and potential, but also is a young dad working a shift job trying to realise his dream.  Some will relate to that and those that perhaps don’t can respect that.

There was definitely an air of anticipation around CWFC48.  The fight card was top drawer (of course), it was a remarkable anniversary celebration and a new production team.  It made you feel like something really big was about to happen.  I had selected an appropriate bow tie and jacket, so all that as left was provide informative commentary!  After a quick interview with Brad and Tommy it was time to go to work.  It was a great show and although we had pretty significant technical problems the show looked great.  Oh the joys of live TV!  I managed to hold it together for Max’s fight (just) although I lost a pen whilst flailing my arms and also frightened a cameraman (yes I did, I can be scary y’know…in an unpredictable rather than intimidating sort of way).  It was a really good experience working with a new crew and I look forward to getting to know them better in the future.

Now here’s something properly significant… #cwfc48 was the top trend in the UK! Above the UFC!! On a Saturday!!! This is such good news for the sport, let alone the organisation.  Its evidence that the sport is growing and that UK MMA is in some way moving in the right direction.  Certainly in terms of physical promotion and establishing media links, we are ticking a lot of the boxes.  I reserve judgement about the way some shows go about their promotion, but that’s an aside to the point.  MMA is out there, being watched, heard and read.  Now it’s there, we need to make sure its positive, coherent and representing positively.

Keep stopping by over the next month as I’m hoping to bring some new stuff to this blog including more videos and my new injury blog which will detail my journey back to fitness using an American technique advocated by the awesome, Rener Gracie.

Photos by me and Dolly Clew.  Poster from Cage Warriors.  Check out the following clips from Brad and Tommy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21yZESCplgg&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfrnf9W36Ow&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2zvdyrCWg0&feature=relmfu

being SHOCKed aNd in AWE

Time for the next instalment of my life, cageside!  And who needs to jump on a plane when the calendar provides a show in Portsmouth and London in consecutive weeks!  First up, Shock n Awe 11.  I was honoured to be invited down to commentate this great South Coast show.  I obviously follow the UK scene closely and have been impressed by what the SnA team have delivered.  It’s run by Gareth Johnson and Brian Adams, who also own the Gym01 team.  I have gotten to know Brian (or Jedi Bri to his team) mostly through Cage Warriors and he’s a man that shares many of my principles regarding UK MMA and he’s hugely passionate about his gym and his show.  Looking at the card, no one can say that Gareth and Bri were paving an easy road for their fighters, in fact there were some incredibly tough tests ahead for their team.  So, on July 14^th I aquaplaned the motor down the M3 to get set for a 20-bout fight card.

I love meeting new people and as the ‘new guy’ I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all those involved at SnA.  Special mention to David Swann, Ricky Wright and Corin from Boom (production co) who all worked doubley hard on the day, pulling together to make the show a success.  Another person that made this ‘special’ for me was the one and only, Ben Cartlidge.  The man who I finally got to share a commentary booth with.  Despite arriving seconds before the 1^st fight due to the awful weather, Ben was his usual calm, collected self.  I have commentated and presented with a number of people over the years and there has to be some chemistry or what comes out of the speakers just doesn’t work- think Mark Lawrenson for the BBC covering the Euro 2012 football tournament.  I am yet to hear the finished product for the SnA show, but I had a ball working with Ben.  He is so full of knowledge and quick witted and I really hope that the fighters, production team and viewers feel that we enhanced the experience!

Those who follow this blog will know that this isn’t an event report, but I would like to say that the talent pool on display was DEEP!  Respect needs to be given to the promoters for putting on competitive bouts and also to the fighters and their coaches for accepting them.  We have a recent problem in the UK whereby certain fighters are being protected and fed easier opposition so that their records look flattering, which subsequently gets them on the radar of the big International shows and this is where they get found out.  This has to stop before fight records look so misleading that the international match-makers select fewer of our athletes.  Or, the fighter in question gets found out on paper and never gets those opportunities.  The MMA community is becoming more transparent, so hopefully this can be flushed out and intriguing fights like the SnA main event become more common.  Every fight delivered, but from memory I can give a quick reflection:

Davey Grant = future world beater

Alexei Roberts = emphatic

Karl Harrison = vicious

Luke Killick = scary

Paddy Moore = tough

Matt Hughes = star

Brett Caswell = technical

A very enjoyable night and further fuelling with a can of Monster I was back in the Shire within a couple of hours to be welcomed by a pickled wife and friends who were discussing the quality of reality TV shows TOWIE and Geordie Shore!  A few hours after that and I had my Cage Warriors head on as it was a countdown to the 10^th Anniversary of Cage Warriors in London!

Going home to Bahrain

Travelling to Bahrain came as a real surprise.  Cage Warriors were originally scheduled to go to Qatar if I remember rightly, which looked very cool, but this changed and Manama was set. I had previously hinted to the CW man in the Middle East that we should go to Bahrain as its where my gran is from.  In fact she only recently passed away and visiting her homeland really did stir some emotions.  Much like most of the CW trips I would be there for 2 nights and returning home so there was no time to visit what family we have left.  That aside, it was very cool (and surreal) to stay in my gran’s country.  Actually, cool is not the word…its very hot…too hot.  I think it was 45 degree the day before we landed and we were filming outside in the high 30s.  There was also this incredible sand storm that resembled fog in the UK, but dry and, well…hot!

The first day I was there we were out filming the VTs and I did the interviewing.  I had spoken and met a few of the guys before.  One guy I had chatted to via the various social media was Jay Mortimore, but I’d never had the pleasure of meeting him.  What a top man!  We travelled back to the UK together and had a bit of a giggle with his coach and all round good guy, Dave Matthews.  I’ll get a little ahead of myself and mention Jay’s unfortunate loss to ‘Mothers Milk’.  Now I’ve come under criticism both from inside and outside the CW camp for using this term, but it’s what my coach Dave Lee uses to describe the smothering technique Jay suffered.  After having recently watched an Erik Paulson documentary, I can see it’s a technique he uses, but I’m not sure if he describes it the same way.  Anywho, it caused a little stir and to Jay I’m sorry for that as I understand he took some stick.

Another standout point for me was my various conversations with Jim Alers and his coach Hank Porcher.  Firstly, Jim is a bad-ass MMA fighter with the best personality.  The kind of personality that I love to see in this sport and one that I think we need to take the sport mainstream.  He’s a primary school teacher with a big smile and a kids sense of fashion- on his way to the venue to fight, he dressed in a comedy hat, Simpsons pyjamas and possible some comfy bedtime footwear.  He was so respectful and humble taking time out for anyone that spoke with him whilst also being just as interested in other people.  His coach Hank is a crazy, alligator hunting, wrestling expert who very kindly sent me a full description of the various forms of US wrestling and the different levels e.g. all American, div 1 etc (I’ll post that for all to see).  It’s meeting guys like this that really encourages me.

I now feel bad for not mentioning all the other fighters- shout out to Big Daddy Mike Ling who is a gent outside the cage and a warriors inside; Gael Grimaud and Anthony Rea with whom I exercised my French language skills; Matteus Lahdesmaki who tried his very best with limited English (crazy little dude…wish we spoke the same language as I reckon he’s a real laugh) and of course Jesse JT Money.

Now, it wasn’t so much myself who suffered an incident, but more those around me.  To protect identities, I will not name anyone apart from JT Money and Mitch the producer.  After the show, things got a little messy.  Due to the flight home being early hours, it’s not worth the risk in going to sleep in case you don’t hear the alarm, so that’s my excuse to have a beer!  About 10 of us ended up in a very suspect bar, with some of us being very drunk.  I don’t really get ‘drunk’, so watching the shenanigans was entertaining.  JT Money tried his best with his poetry and general tomfoolery, whilst another unnamed party pulled a very sly ol’ trick to make a swift exit.  Beyond this someone missed the plane home even after I persuaded them to stick with me in the lobby so to not miss the coach, and someone else was never really physically present even on the plane home after JT (no) Money had cleared them out and clearly aided their over-indulgence.  I never saw Producer Mitch return and hope he’s ok!!!

Grey Kiev

End of February in Kiev and just a couple of days before my birthday.  I'm still recovering form the strong local beers that were taken on after the show, but I think I have clarity to write a few words:

So Kiev is grey. The sky was always grey, the buildings were grey and the people were miserable. Scary looking miserable. Worse than that was the breakfast!  CW match maker and Oracle of MMA, Ian Wikideania Dean warned everyone that the food was not great and he most definitely got that right with the brekkie.  I couldn't sleep so I was early to breakfast.  I thought I was really early as everything before me was most certainly dinner menu bites; curried stuff...everywhere and just stuff that my weak-ass stomach would not be able to deal with.  They did have some cereal and fruit, so my mind was made up.

Outside it was well below zero, but better than the -30 from the previous week. I had actually bought special boots (oh and I mean special, special looking), socks and thermal accessories. They weren't really necessary and I had thankfully kept all receipts. I had some good fun trying to get my tongue around the names on this card. I remember sitting in Comedy Paul's (show editor) hotel room trying to record the voice overs, but failing miserably. On the night it wasn't too bad, but trying to interview fighters via a translator who didn't understand ground and pound, submission or head kick in her mother tongue, made for a lengthy process. It wasn't an easy card to commentate either. I would never be disrespectful to a fighter as I feel it takes huge cahoonas to compete in MMA, but too many fighters just didn't want to engage. That left a fairly quiet crowd and Josh and I having to create some energy. The main card was a whole lot better and I think this is where i started my thing for Gym 01! James Brum and Phil Harris were fighting and were a joy to interview. Over and above that they are super talented and have become 2 of my favourite fighters in their respective divisions. Also on tour with them was Callum Jones who will be taking on my good friend Luke Dalmedo in a few weeks, so we had some fun discussing that one. The Gym 01 guys have a really good bond and that's alot to do with their coach Brian Adams who is a real entertainer.

Operation February: Part 2

Part 2 of 'Operation February' was a little closer to home in London.  With 1 week to prepare however, that week was fraught.  Amateur, semi pro or professional, I will always try my best to research each individual as they are just that.  Everyone makes a sacrifice to fight so I make it my responsibility to learn about it and try to portray it in the commentary or show opener.  That make for about 30 fighters to connect with as well as watching fights, writing the script for the top of the show and also the script for all the VTs that are broadcast for the main card.  I'll make no secret that I check out the Big Shows in the US and get an idea of tempo and content to help write these.  At about 10pm after the weigh ins we set up in the corner of the MMA Clinic where we recorded them.

I always love the London show.  It gives me the chance to invite some friends along and I normally get to commentate a team mates fight.  This time Shah Hussain was up against the MMA Clinic's Jacek Toczydlowski.  Shah never takes an easy fight and it was tough night for him as Jacek out wrestled him and took a points victory.

I wasn't feeling great before this show...a huge argument with the wife and no bow tie around my neck wasn't the best preparation and it wasn't my finest hour.  The show however, was again, excellent.  It had knock outs, high level submissions and text book wrestling...what more could you ask for?!

I was really pleased I dropped into the after party where I had a drink with the SBG guys following Conor McGregor's win and also some of the finest UKMMA people, where I was advised about the game, some of the people and the pitfalls of the sport- and to that person i am grateful.