Kingdom MMA's FCC 10 Post Event Round Up

FCC 10 - Final thoughts and fighters to look out for

by Alex Dillon @_AlexDillon_

Kingdom MMA bonuses:
Submission of the Night: Aaron Robinson
Knockout of the Night: Chris Humphreys & Mick Stanton
Fight of the Night: Reece Ackers vs Morgan Starkey
Performance of the Night: Ashley Reece

FCC 10 was exceptional. Superbly run by Adam Teh & family as well as all of his staff. Some of the fights were spectacular for amateur level and the pro fights certainly lived up to their bill.

FCC really provides a good platform for up and coming fighters as well as pro’s who are looking to establish themselves.

I witnessed one of the amateur fights of the year in Ackers vs Starkey, it was non-stop throughout the whole fight and that’s what you want to see at amateur level. The belts on the line and neither wants to give up it’s what you would call a proper MMA fight.   

Dominic Wooding is another fighter who impressed me in his victory over Coner Hignett. Wooding is now 7-0 in his amateur career but you wouldn’t even think he’s an amateur with the way he fights. So relaxed and confident in his skill reminding me of fighters like Conor Mcgregor and Gunnar Nelson. At amateur level you see a lot of fighters rush in as soon as they’re tagged but Wooding didn’t seem fazed by anything Hignett had for him and really showcased his talent.

Aaron Robinson from Next Generation in Liverpool is another amateur who’s skill set is exemplary. The way he dispatched a very talented fighter in Javonne Morrison was superb. The technical side of his submission was top quality. Robinson and Wooding will meet at the next FCC event for the flyweight title in which promises to be a contender for fight of the year, trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

Another fighter who has gone under the radar is Craig Humphreys, he is now 3-0 in his last 3 fights and quickly knocked out a very good fighter coming out of SBG Mainline in Manchester which as you know breeds excellent fighters itself.

Ashley Reece again and again seems to turn up at FCC and put on absolute clinics, the ticket price for FCC is worth paying alone to watch this guy fight. As I said before, I’d seen him online through FCC’s you tube page and he’s had some excellent fights on the show before. He’s one of them fighters that comes to fight and the longer the fight goes on the better he gets. You could say he’s the Carl Froch of FCC and it wouldn’t be a silly statement. He’s easily one of the UK’s best amateur lightweights and I’m looking forward to watching in action again soon.

Paul Craig’s submission victory over Jon Ferguson meant he went 3-0 as a pro with all wins coming via triangle choke, he’s definitely one to look out for on the domestic pro circuit considering his finishing rate so far.

Kane Mousah was the fighter I was most looking forward to see fight. I’d heard a lot about him and watched videos and found it crazy how every time he got the chance to punch someone on the ground it was game over. It was like he had cement in his hands and so I was eager to see what he was like when tested. This fight tested him, his opponent Stoyanov attempted RNC’s and arm bars before Mousah weathered it and again won via TKO ground and pound, really impressive. Mousah is a legitmate prospect on the UK lightweight pro scene.

Martin Stapleton had gone 0-2 since signing for Bellator over in the USA so this fight obviously meant a lot to him being in front of a home crowd. He told me in an interview before hand that he was going to put on a show and that was in fact what he did. Straight out of the blocks and Stapleton was landing on his opponent Enchev at will and looking good whilst doing it, great movement and striking combined before he got the standing Guillotine choke finish.

Overall, FCC 10 was a great occasion and if you’re in the north west get down to FCC 11 18th October at the Bolton Macron Stadium, it’s well worth it.

Kingdom MMA Review FCC 10 - Professional Main Card

by Alex Dillon @_AlexDillon_

For the final installment of the FCC 10 review we move on to the professional fights which finished the event. If you have not yet read our review of the amateur fights and the amateur title fights then click on the links.

Professional Fights

The professional part of the fight card was made up of four quality fights.

Paul Craig vs Jon Ferguson 

Straight from the off Ferguson shoots and gets the takedown up against the cage, Craig catches Ferguson in a triangle and Ferguson manages to get out but somehow ends back in, takes some hard punches from the bottom and gets submitted via triangle which is now Craig’s third straight pro victory by triangle choke.

Paul Craig def. Jon Ferguson via Submission (arm triangle) at 1:50 of Round 1

Aaron Aby vs Scott Gregory

Round One
Aby starts off the action by driving for the takedown against the cage and getting Gregory down. From the bottom Gregory manages to reverse the position and end up on top. It does little for him though as Aby manages to get an arm bar in and finish the fight from the bottom. Great submission.

Aaron Aby def. Scott Gregory via Submission (arm bar) at 3:23 of Round 1

Kane Mousah vs Martin Stoyanov

This was the fight I was most looking forward to watching. I had seen Mousah before through FCC’s you tube page and heard plenty about him. Prior to this he had smashed his previous opponents through ground and pound so he definitely brings the excitement factor and he had a strong support as he came out for this fight.

Round One
The fight starts off with Mousah taking the centre and Stoyanov attempting a speculative superman punch which doesn’t come off. Both fighters then take turns to exchange kicks before Mousah tries a spinning kick that just misses. More strikes follow but then Stoyanov gets the fight to the ground and is straight on Mousah’s back. Stoyanov has the hooks in and is looking for the RNC but Mousah does well to defend by staying on his knees, he turns out but Stoyanov looks for the arm bar before Mousah survives again and then begins to open up with his ground and pound. His fans chant ‘smash him’ numerous times and Mousah duly obliges by hammering down on Stoyanov and the referee steps in to stop the fight. Mousah again winning by ground and pound. Formidable when he gets anyone in that position so far in his career.

Kane Mousah def. Martin Stoyanov via TKO (ground and pound) Round 1

Main Event

Martin Stapleton vs Stanislav Enchev

It’s the fight the fans have been waiting for all night and Stapleton comes out to a rapturous reception from the home crowd being a local lad.

Round One
Both fighters start of by swinging and letting their intentions known in this one. Stapleton then lands a thud of punch on Enchev that gets the crowd going, Stapleton continues to use his distance well, dodging anything that Enchev attempts to throw and Stapes is looking solid here. He suddenly throws a few strikes and gets Enchev against the cage in a standing guillotine and finishes it. Great performance from Martin Stapleton.

Martin Stapleton def. Stanislav Enchev via Submission (Standing Guillotine) Round 1

Thank you for reading my review of FCC 10.

Kingdom MMA Review FCC 10 - Amateur Title Fights

by Alex Dillon @_alexdillon_

We continue with our review of FCC 10 by now moving on to the Amateur Title fights. Our review of the earlier amateur fights can be found here.

Vacant FCC Flyweight amateur title

Aaron Robinson vs  Javonne Morrison

This fight was another eagerly anticipated bout with both fighters being very well regarded in the UK amateur flyweight scene.

Round One
The fight gets underway and both fighters are looking to exchange, Morrison lands a few aggressive kicks upstairs before Robinson seems to drop him and immediately take his back before getting in the hooks for a rear naked choke attempt. Morrison trying his hardest to defend and weather it but eventually taps.

Aaron Robinson def. Javonne Morrison via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:54 of Round 1 and is the new FCC Flyweight Amateur champion.

Vacant FCC Featherweight amateur title

Reece Ackers vs Morgan Starkey

Round One
The fight gets underway and both fighters start off by swinging hard before Starkey gets the takedown. Starkey takes the back of Ackers and has the hooks in attempting the rear naked choke. For a while, it looks like it’s only a matter of time before Ackers taps as the choke is really tight but backed with a huge support it seems to spur Ackers into hanging on and he manages to defend the choke. Ackers ends up on top but Starkey goes for the leg of Ackers and looks to submit but Ackers escapes again and the round comes to an end.

Round Two
The round starts and Ackers eye looks in a bit of bother after round one but he lands a good head kick and then takes the fight to the ground. The fight makes its way back up to the feet but Ackers is in again pushing the action towards the cage fence before landing some big knees. Ackers gets it down and gets the hooks in but looks to cause some damage to Starkey as he throws down punch after punch as the round goes to an end.

Round Three
Round three begins with both fighters meeting in the centre and exchanging, Ackers throws successive kicks that look to be doing some damage early on to Starkey. Starkey returns but Ackers again throws a good leg kick. The crowd are all pro Ackers, repeatedly chanting his name as the round progresses. Ackers lands another good leg kick before Starkey responds with a decent combo, The fight then turns into a bit of war as both fighters trade knees and good shots of their own. Ackers then takes it upon himself to go for the takedown, gets it and looks to throw some strikes as the round ends.

Round Four
Into the championship rounds and both fighters come out of their corners swinging and going for it, each landing good combos of their own before Ackers takes control and gets the fight to the ground. Ackers gets into half guard and looks to wear down Starkey as he throws shot after shot. The fight is back to the feet and both fighters engage again with Ackers coming off better as he lands a nice head kick which seems to stumble Starkey. Ackers rushes in and gets the takedown and is in the guard looking to work the body of Starkey with some decent shots as the round ends.

Round Five
Great atmosphere at FCC as both fighters come out and touch gloves for the final round, it’s Starkey now who looks for the takedown against the cage but Ackers manages to trip him and lands in side control. Ackers gets his hooks in and lands a few punches before Starkey flips him over and the fight returns back to the feet with a knee landing for Starkey but Ackers responds with a head kick and gets the takedown. The round ends with Ackers reigning down punches on Starkey. Excellent fight that, both didn’t give up and Ackers showed real grit to come through the first round and dominate the rest of the bout.

Reece Ackers def. Morgan Starkey via Unanimous Decision 49-46 (x3) and is the new FCC Featherweight Amateur champion to the delight of the massive support he brought with him.

FCC Lightweight Amateur title

Ashley Reece (c) vs Daryl Golding

I was really looking forward to this one, I've seen Reece fight before through FCC’s youtube channel and he always brings it. Both fighters have previously won FOTN honours at FCC so it promised to be a barn burner.

Round One
The fight starts with Golding coming out super aggressive catching Reece in the process before Reece manages to get the takedown. Reece has top position and starts to hammer down fists, and the rest of the round is more or less the same as Reece dominates from the top.

Round Two
The crowd for this fight is split evenly creating a fantastic atmosphere. Reece comes out and gets the takedown from the off. His wrestling seems to be a real weapon for him so far in the fight. Again Reece looks to throw punches down on Golding, the fight gets back up to the feet momentarily before Reece gets another takedown. The fight ends up back on the feet and both fighters exchange but Reece comes off better with a series of heavy knees to Golding.

Round Three
Reece comes out with a front kick to open the round; Golding answers back but Reece ducks under and takes him down. Reece landing some shots again but Golding lands some of his own from the bottom before Reece postures up and continues to land more punches. Golding tries his best to tie up but Reece is relentless at this point still reigning down heavy blows. Reece gets into half guard and starts throwing down some hard hammer fists which Golding has no answer for at all. Golding lands a few more strikes from the bottom but it’s all Reece who just powers through. The round ends with Reece dominant as he helps Golding to his feet as the bell sounds.

Round Four
Reece comes out with a BANG in the 4th, landing heavy shots on Golding and it looks like the finish is in sight. The crowd certainly sense it too, Reece gets the fight to the ground and starts working some more ground and pound, he’s in half guard and really enforcing his strikes now. Heavy left hammer fists followed by successive rights as the crowd roars him on and with Golding not being able to defend himself, Reece finishes it. Ashley Reece is an excellent amateur talent, always turns up and performs.

Ashley Reece (c) def. Daryl Golding via TKO (ground and pound) at 1:52 of Round 4 and retains his FCC Lightweight Amateur title

Please read our Main Card review for a review of all of the professional fights from FCC 10, which can be found here.

Kingdom MMA review FCC 10 - Amateur Prelims

by Alex Dillon @_alexdillon_

This past weekend I attended Full Contact Contender 10 over in Bolton at the newly named Macron Stadium. For those of you who don’t know about FCC, it’s one of the biggest domestic shows in the UK, hosting both amateur and pro bouts throughout the night with fighters coming from all over the UK and Europe to compete.

Highly regarded UK talents Brendan Loughnane and Pietro Menga hold the shows pro Lightweight and Flyweight title’s respectively and other UK names such as Matt Inman and Martin Stapleton have fought on the show before. It’s also the breeding ground for many of the north west’s up and coming amateur fighters.

Amateur Fights

Ben Singleton vs Mike McGowon

Ben Singleton def. Mike McGowon via TKO (ground and pound) at 1:20 of Round 1

Paul Maverick Orr vs Maciej Dankowski

Maciej Dankowski def. Paul Maverick Orr via TKO (ground and pound) at 1:57 of Round 1

Mick Stanton vs Tom Tynan

This one was probably the fastest knockout I’ve ever seen. I had literally just finished a tweet for the play by play and Tynan had come down crashing right infront of me in six seconds from a massive punch from Stanton.

Mick Stanton def. Tom Tynan via KO (punch) at 0:06 of Round 1

Marcin Bystron vs Chris Thomas

This fight was delayed slightly because of Thomas not having a cup when he came out to the cage I believe. Both fighters started off by swinging hard before Bystron got the fight to the ground. He landed some heavy strikes with Thomas turning to his side before sinking in an arm triangle and getting the win. It looked like Thomas lost half a tooth somewhere during that fight too!

Marcin Bystron def. Chris Thomas via submission (arm triangle) at 1:05 of Round 1

Kyle Keane vs Aaron Dwyer

As soon as the fight started Keane was on the attack with a variety of leg kicks before the fight went to the ground and he finishes it via Guillotine choke.

Kyle Keane def. Aaron Dwyer via submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:35 of Round 1

James Winstanley  vs Reece Street

Street came into this fight as an independent fighter and a late replacement I believe. The fight started off with the two meeting in the centre before Street attempted a spectacular spinning kick to the head of Winstanley which was quite close to making contact. It was all Winstanley then as he got the fight to the ground first attempting a rear naked choke but ultimately finishing Street off with some powerful ground and pound and forcing Street to tap.

James Winstanley def. Reece Street via TKO (ground and pound/strikes) at 0:55 of Round 1

Danny McCloud vs Adam McGann 

Round One
The fight begins and both fighters meet in the centre with McCloud landing three leg kicks before McGann comes in with a combo of his own. McGann goes in again with the combo before McCloud pushes the action against the cage looking for the takedown. McGann does well to defend the takedown and lands a good left but McCloud again attempts to push him against the cage in hope of a takedown. McGann gains the dominant position and looks to land some knees in the clinch before they break into the centre but he’s back in again with a neat combo. He forces the action against the cage but McCloud replies with some knees of his own before McGann ends the round with a decent left followed by a few more shots.

Round Two
The fighters take the centre again as the second round gets underway and its McCloud looking for the first shots but misses as McGann gets in two shots of his own. McCloud goes in for the takedown and this time gets it. McCloud lands two shots on the ground before McGann's guard opens and the fight is back to the feet. The fight is again dictated against the cage as both fighters exchange knees. McGann trips McCloud, gets the takedown and gets a shot off before the second round comes to an end.

Round Three
The final round begins and both fighters meet in the centre of the cage again, McCloud ducks under a right thrown by McGann and drives the fight to the cage before McGann trips McCloud and gets the fight to the ground. McGann now starts to land his strikes with effect, uppercut, right and a leg kick. McCloud attempts to drive McGann towards the cage again but McGann answers back with another strike as he looks to defend the takedown. McCloud briefly gets the fight to the ground but McGann is straight up and the round comes to an end with McGann landing some knees to McCloud up against the cage. Good fight from both debutants.

Adam McGann def. Danny McCloud via Unanimous Decision: 29-28 (x3)

Joe Kennedy vs Mark McGoldrick

Round One
McGoldrick comes out swinging to start this fight off; he then gets the fight to the floor and looks to reign some strikes down on Kennedy. Kennedy uses the cage well to flip over and get back to his feet just as McGoldrick was looking to take the back. Kennedy now lands some decent shots before McGoldrick fires back with some of his own. As the round draws to a close McGoldrick is attempting another takedown against the cage but it doesn’t come.

Round Two
Round two gets underway with Kennedy landing some vicious strikes but McGoldrick weathers it and gets the takedown straight into side control. McGoldrick then goes into mount and looks to throw down some strikes but Kennedy defends well.  All McGoldrick as he continues to try and damage Kennedy from the top as the second round draws to a close.

Round Three
Kennedy starts the round off firing shots but McGoldrick is straight in pushing the action towards the cage before landing the takedown. McGoldrick gets into full mount and starts throwing some shots into Kennedy who tries his best to tie McGoldrick up but he powers out and lands another heavy shot. With little work going on the ref stands them up and the action resumes with Kennedy coming in with shots but McGoldrick gets him back to the cage and gets another takedown and finishes the round with more ground and pound.

Mark McGoldrick def. Joe Kennedy via Unanimous Decision: 30-27 (x3)

Jim Ratcliffe vs Craig Humphreys

The two fighters come out and meet in the centre, Humphreys throws a front kick which pushes Ratcliffe back before stepping in with a huge right hand which drops Ratcliffe, Humphreys charges in to finish with ground and pound as the referee stops the fight.

Craig Humphreys def. Jim Ratcliffe via KO (punch) at 0:09 of Round 1

Robbie Fallon vs Will Cairns

The fight kicks off with Cairns coming forward but Fallon is straight in for the takedown and gets it into side control. Cairns does his best to try and escape using his knees but Fallon is relentless hammering shots down, he then takes the back mount, reigns more shots down and the referee is forced to stop the fight.

Robbie Fallon def. Will Cairns via TKO (ground and pound) at 0:42 of Round 1

Conor Hignett vs Dominic Wooding

This fight was eagerly anticipated on the amateur flyweight scene across the UK. The winner would get a shot at the belt which would be contested in the fight after this.

Round One
The round kicks off with a touch of gloves and Hignett is immediately on the attack and Wooding fires back with a shot of his own. Hignett is lighter on the feet at the beginning where as Wooding seems to be very relaxed in his stance and not too worried about Hignett's movement. Both then fire off shots of their own in the centre with Wooding executing a head kick and Hignett replying before they separate and play the feeling out game again. Hignett lands a hard kick to the body, Wooding replies and the action is then forced against the cage by Hignett. Looking for the takedown, Hignett drops down for the single leg but Wooding defends well and the round comes to an end.

Round Two
The round starts off with both going for kicks before Wooding attempts a flying knee but slipping in the process. He makes it back to his feet with ease before firing off a jab backing Hignett up but Hignett responds and both exchange strikes again. As the round goes on, the two continue to exchange strikes with Hignett looking to land several kicks where as Wooding goes for a combo to the body. Wooding ends the round being the more aggressive fighter this time round and it’s even going into the final round.

Round Three
The final round begins with Wooding taking the centre and Hignett attempting a spinning back fist but narrowly missing. Both engage in the centre and Wooding lands a big shot which pushes Hignett back to the cage fence, Wooding goes in and ties up whilst landing a solid knee. The action separates and both land shots to the body before Wooding goes up high with a kick followed by another which is blocked. Both end the round the best possible way by trading in the final 10 seconds.

Dominic Wooding def. Coner Hignett via Split Decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28   

Thanks for reading part one of Kingdom MMA's FCC 10 post fight review, to read our review of the amateur title fights please click here.

Interview: Jon Ferguson Ahead of FCC 10 Bout with Paul Craig

Interview: Jon Ferguson Ahead of FCC 10 Bout with Paul Craig

by Alex Dillion - @_AlexDillon_

Saturday night will see the return of Full Contact Contender at the Reebok Stadium. In their 9 previous shows FCC has quickly become one of the most consistent promotions showcasing rising talent in the UK. FCC 10s Jon Ferguson vs Paul Craig will be no different. Originally scheduled to meet in the co-main event at FFC 5 in May, the bout found its way to FCC 10 after Fist Fighting Championships cancelled their 5th show.

We caught up with Ferguson this week to discuss fighting out the Isle of Man, FCC 10, and of course his opponent Paul Craig.





Dillon: You’re fighting Paul Craig at FCC 10 on Saturday, for those who haven’t seen you fight before tell us a little bit about your fighting style and what fans can expect on Saturday. 
Ferguson: Well my style is pressure, pressure, pressure, I don't want to ever be going back. I signed up to compete so I think all fighters should be engaging.

You are fighting out of the Isle of Man, what is the scene like there?
The Isle of Man is like a lot of places in where we have a growing MMA scene. It is just the one club but with our small population its not surprising.  There are a lot of MMA fans here though.
What is your background and how did you get into MMA?
I played rugby for many years and watched a UFC one day and thought this is pretty awesome. [I] slowly started following it and then thought I reckon I can do this, so turn up to train and now am here.

Coming from the Isle of Man is it difficult to get suitable training partners?
I understand why people would think that but we have actually got a lot of people who have competed at very high levels within there martial art. We have people from Judo, Boxing and Muay Thai, all beasts to train with and learn from. My face and body can confirm that!

As your career progresses do you envision a time where you may need to move a way from the Isle of Man, or are you confident you can build a successful professional MMA career at home?
I won't be moving anywhere. I firmly believe it can all be done here, there are big plans in the pipeline for MMA on the Island. I would happily go and train somewhere for a few weeks as a different experience etc, there are several great clubs around the UK.

Talk to us a bit about your opponent Paul Craig, how much to you know about him and what do you think he does well?
I know of his fights and pretty much see his jits is his strength but that doesn't mean he isn't dangerous elsewhere I would be a fool to think he is not training all areas.

On the flip side, where would you say his weaknesses are?
Not seen a lot of him to know. I would hope he has no striking power and a really weak chin!!! But that won't be the case.

You were meant to fight Paul at FFC5 in Scotland in May. First the date and venue was changed, and then the card was cancelled all together. How was your experience with FFC and would you fight for them if offered a fight in the future?
I would indeed. They were very honest about all that was going on plus it wasn't something they could control, I believe. I am a big supporter of UKMMA and hope to see them get a card together very soon for the people of Scotland to go and see.

Luckily enough you are still fighting Paul on FFC 10. How did you manage to keep this fight together, and how excited are you to set into the cage with Paul after a long period of time training for him?
Am more relieved to be fighting him. I feel at the moment more so just to be competing again. I think both myself and Paul just were happy to both have the fight happen and for either one of us to cancel and try to look for another bout seemed a bit pointless. I have no ill feelings towards him and respect him for wanting to do this.

And you are now fighting one of the UK rising promotions, how happy are you to be fighting for FCC?
Well I knew of FCC before and to be on the card is for me a great moment in my career and helps me show the folks back home that the 'little Isle of Man' can make big things happen.

Paul has a couple inches height advantage over you, is closing the distance something you have worked on in camp?
He is only 2 inches taller so to me that doesn't make a difference (am sure many woman would disagree about a couple of inches). I train with a few guys that are taller than him so height and reach is something am used to and can deal with.

Where do you see your self in a few years? What’s the ultimate ambition in MMA?
My goal is to be the best that I can become within MMA, compete at the highest level and also leave my own stamp on the sport then help the next generation coming through by passing down my past experiences. In a few years I see myself back here talking to you guys about me having a great few years.

Finally, how do you see yourself winning the fight on Saturday?
I never want to be a points fighter so I want to finish the fight. I really want me and Paul to put on a great bout for the fans of MMA and showcase the UKMMA talent.

Kingdom MMA speak to Bellator Fighter Martin Stapleton ahead of his fight at FCC 10

Martin Stapleton talks about FCC10, his time in Bellator and the future

by Alex Dillon @_AlexDillon_

Yesterday Kingdom MMA caught up with Bellator fighter Martin Stapleton to discuss his upcoming fight where he will make his "homecoming" as he returns to fight at FCC 10 this weekend. We talk about how the fight came about and also, we discuss what the future holds for Martin and when he will likely return to Bellator.

Alex: Hello Martin, cheers for taking the time out to chat to us before FCC 10, how is your preparation going so far?
Stapleton: Preparation has been awesome for this fight, I've taken things to a new level! I've just been out at Mjulnir MMA in Iceland for the final week with Karl Tanswell and Matt Inman so that has really capped everything off.

Alex: Given that this is your homecoming fight on FCC, a show in which you won their first ever pro MMA fight, how excited are you to be back for such a big occasion?
Stapleton: Yeah I'm just excited to fight full stop!! It's great that it's gonna be a home crowd etc but that's just an extra plus point. The real thing is that i get to go out and show how much my game has raised and i get to do what i love.

Alex: After signing for Bellator, things haven’t quite gone your way. What’s the reason behind coming back to FCC for one fight only? Do you feel as if you need to regain the confidence and form you had in the fights that lead to you being signed by Bellator?
Stapleton: No, i have no need for that. I know wholeheartedly what I'm capable of and I've gone out and made adjustments that will now show the world what I'm capable of. I'm gonna be a World Champion and every fight is just one lesson closer!!
The reason I'm fighting in FCC is pretty simple in that Bellator are allowing me to stay busy before my next fight in the states which is looking like September. I want to get 3/4 fights in this year so this keeps me on that track.

Alex: Obviously, moving into tougher organisations like Bellator come with bigger challenges, how do you balance full time coaching whilst having a training camp for such big fights?
Stapleton: Yeah its hard, and last year i took on way too much. This year, like i say I've made adjustments, brought more balance into my life and re-organised things so my training now has a level of structure i honestly don't think many guys in the World can match. I don't wanna go into too much id rather let my performance do the talking so you'll see what i mean next week!

Alex: Onto your opponent, Stanislav Enchev, a seasoned pro in his own right, have you seen much of him as of yet? If so, are they any weaknesses you are going to look to exploit?
Stapleton: I've seen little bits but honestly I'm not thinking about his game or anyone else's game etc.. I'm aware of what he can do but I'm 100% focused on what i am going to do and i don't think there are many Lightweights out there that can match that.

Alex: What’s your game plan for this fight? Your record boasts a good mix of ko’s, sub’s and decisions where do you think the fight will be won?
Stapleton: My game plan is to finish him! Its that simple! There are no expectations or no predictions, its an MMA Fight and it could end anywhere at anytime. My preparation will allow me to take the finish when it comes and I'll be pressing for that from the start.

Alex: With you being a local lad, a strong crowd is expected to be cheering you on, do you see this as motivation to come out and put on an unforgettable performance?
Stapleton: I'm gonna go out and put on an unforgettable performance regardless!! Where ever the fight is, because i want to. But obviously the home support is gonna be a nice push.

Alex: Back at FCC 9, your gym had a successful night with five out of six wins. Are you going to be looking to get these guys on FCC 10 and make it a real night to remember for the Full Contact Performance Centre team?
Stapleton: There is just one young lad from FCPC making his debut at FCC 10, Adam Hussein. A guy I've got a lot of faith in and I'm very confident he will take the Win home. These amateur guys we've got at FCPC are so dedicated I'm confident in all of them. Its an honour to Coach them.

Alex: What are you looking to do after FCC 10? Straight back to Bellator or is there a chance you’ll stick around for a while and possibly fight on FCC 11 as well?
Stapleton: Well Bellator are talking about a September fight over in the states, after that it just depends. If they get me back in a Tournament I'll be pretty busy over there but if not there is every chance I'll fight again in the UK between my Bellator match ups so I'll have to weigh up my options and take the best route available. Its all down to Bellator really, they call the shots!!

Thank you again for your time Martin, we wish you all the best this weekend and look forward to seeing you in action on Saturday night.

Video: FCC 10 Final Line Up Promo

Video: FCC 10 Final Line Up Promo
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

FCC is back on 21st of June with the 10th installment, and this one is not to be missed. Featuring the UK return of Bellator lightweight Martin Stapleton, this is definitely one not to be missed.

Martin Stapleton to Fight at FCC 10

Martin Stapleton Fights at FCC 10

by Alex Dillon - @_alexdillon_

One of Greater Manchester’s well regarded pro MMA fighters and coaches, Martin ‘50.cal’ Stapleton makes his return to the UK scene at Full Contact Contender 10 at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton on June 21st facing Bulgaria’s Stanislav Enchev.

Although currently contracted to Bellator, FCC have managed to secure Stapleton's services on loan for one fight only for a special ‘homecoming’ fight. The last time he featured on an FCC card was back in June 2012 where he submitted Shahid Hussain and this time round he will certainly be hoping for a similar feat as he looks to get a win back on his record after riding a 2 fight losing streak since joining Bellator. His last fight on FCC was momentous as it was the first pro fight the promotion had ever held so this announcement proposes a massive occasion this time round which is sure to delight the local crowd in attendance come fight night.

The signing of Stapleton, even just for one fight represents a huge coup for FCC as it is no doubt going to attract even more attention to their shows which are already highly regarded throughout the UK MMA scene both at amateur and pro level.

His opponent Enchev, has finished all of his five wins with four TKO’s and one submission but is also on a two fight losing streak so it creates an intriguing match for both fighters as they look to get back in the win column in their MMA careers.

Stay tuned for further information on amateur and pro bouts to be announced for FCC 10 in the coming weeks which will surely prove to be a great night of fights on June 21st.