WFS 1, Was it a Successful First Outing. Interviews and all the results

WFS1, Was it a Successful First Outing. Interviews and all the Results

by Andreas Georgiou - @AGeorgiouMMA

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Everybody knows that first impressions are important, and none more so in MMA, so if we had to make an immediate judgment of new boys Warrior Fight Series from their first event in Swanley then their sure is a bright future for Harry Shoebridge’s organisation.

Jefferson George captured the WFS Lightweight championship after he beat Jamie Reynolds by unanimous decision in a very hard fought contest, as the promotion’s first champion was crowned.

“It was a good experience fighting on a new show, and it was great to share this with my Morefire Icon BJJ teammate John Shink who also gained a win on the night. It was a good fight, I felt relaxed, decisive in my decisions and composed throughout. I'm really excited to have a second belt, this time in a different weight class and I look forward to defending my new title.”

Mike Neun, although picking up the win in the Light-heavyweight main event, was unable to capture the promotion’s inaugural 205lb title due to him missing weight, however Neun still had positive things to say after his unanimous decision win over Lloyd Clarkson.

“Fighting on WFS was a good experience. All the staff tried extremely hard to make it the best show they could. The fight was the hardest of my career physically and I had to dig deep to get through it. He had a concrete head and the more I beat him the harder he seemed to become. I sort of stuck to a game plan but I cut weight too hard and I was struggling with my cardio as a result.

I could have done a lot of things different but hindsight is a wonderful thing! As for the title, I'm pretty gutted, I worked so hard for that fight, I wished it was different but I just couldn't get the weight off, the first and last time I will ever do it, I like my food too much but it's changing and that's because that title should be mine right now.”

Official results:

Light Heavyweight Title - Mike Neun def. Lloyd Clarkson via Unanimous Decision*

Lightweight Title - Jefferson George def. Jamie Reynolds via Unanimous Decision

Heavyweight -Pelu Adetola def. Jay Oliver via TKO (Strikes) – 0.50 Round 1

Featherweight - Dean Trueman def. Dan Shortman via Submission (Strikes) – 3.33 Round 1

Welterweight - Manuel Pais def. Jonny Donoghue via Submission (Armbar) – 1.34 Round 1

Unified Amateur Rules Undercard

Welterweight - Zeki Faulds def. John Reid via TKO (Strikes) – 2.07 Round 1

Featherweight - Kane Charig def. Oliver Jones via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – 2.27 Round 1

Bantamweight - John Shink def. Ben Hughes via Submission (Triangle Choke) – 2.08 Round 1

Featherweight - Gregor Jurcic def. Bradley Morris via TKO (in between rounds) – 3.00 Round 1

Catchweight (90kg) - Steve Minns def. Steve Batty via KO – 0.17 Round 1

*Mike Neun failed to make weight so was unable to win the title

WFS: Warrior Fight Series 1 Weigh in Results

WFS: Warrior Fight Series 1 Weigh in Results

Thomas Young - KingdomMMA.co.uk

The fighters stepped onto the scales this afternoon for the debut WFS: Warrior Fight Series show with only one fighter failing to make weight.

Mike Neun failed to make the weight for the light heavyweight title fight, meaning he is ineligible to win the belt should he win. Lloyd Clarkson made weight and can win the title should he win. The fight remains as the main event.

Jefferson George and Jamie Reynolds both made weight and will contest the lightweight title in the co-main event.

All other fighters weighed in correctly, with one weighing in via video link and 3 weighing in on the day.

Professional Rules Main Card

Mike Neun* (93.8kg / 206lb) Vs Lloyd Clarkson (93kg / 205lb) - For the WFS Light Heavyweight Title
Jamie Reynolds (70.25kg / 155lb) Vs Jefferson George (70.25kg / 155lb) - For the WFS Lightweight Title
Jay Oliver (113.5kg / 250lb) Vs Pelu Adetola (OTD)
Dean Trueman (66.15kg / 146lb) Vs Dan Shortman (65.6kg)
Manuel Pais (77kg / 170lb) Vs Jonny Donoghue (OTD)

Unified Amateur Rules Undercard
John Reid (77.15kg / 170lb) Vs Zeki Faulds (77.45kg / 171lb)
Kane Charig (65.7kg / 145lb) Vs Oliver Jones (65.6kg / 145lb)
Ben Hughes (58.45kg / 128lb) Vs John Shink (56.5kg / 125lb)
Daniel Comer (88kg / 194lb) Vs Ben Canney (85.55kg / 195lb) - 88kg Catchweight Bout
Bradley Morris (OTD) Vs Gregor Jurcic** (66kg / 145lb)
Steve Minns (89.5kg / 197lb) Vs Steve Batty (88kg / 194lb) - 90kg Catchweight Bout

*Mike Neun failed to make weight and is therefore ineligible to win the title should he win, Clarkson can win the title should he win.

**Gregor Jurcic weighed in via video link

OTD = On the day weigh ins

Shoebridge on his plans for WFS "I don't see why we can't be up there with the big names in UK MMA"

Kingdom MMA catches up with WFS Promoter Harry Shoebridge ahead of WFS's debut show

by Chris Houten @mrhouts

Earlier this week Kingdom MMA caught up with UK MMA's youngest promoter Harry Shoebridge to discuss Warrior Fight Series (WFS) debut show as well as his plans for the future of the promotion. WFS1 takes place on June 14th and will be held at the White Oaks Centre, Swanley.

Chris: Harry, thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. Some fans will know you from your time with UCMMA, but for those who might not, give us a little insight into your background and your new promotion Warrior Fight Series, who will be putting on their debut show in June.
Shoebridge: Yes i was the events manager for UCMMA for many years but i felt i needed a change so i set up WFS which debut's on June 14th, we've got some awesome fights lined up and i cannot wait for fight night.

Chris: Your first show takes place June 14, how many months has this show been in the making and have the difficulties of launching a new promotion and arranging your first show been everything you expected?
Shoebridge: The show came as a bit of a surprise. I was made an offer and with my partner being pregnant at the time with our first child, I couldn't refuse it! As for difficulties, I'm pretty experienced in all the things needed to run a show, so it's been fairly easy for me compared to someone who may be a newcomer.

Chris: Are you match making yourself for this event, or do you have someone working as match maker?
Shoebridge: I usually speak to the fighters but i always cross-reference with George (McCann) to get his opinion on things, so it's a team effort.

Chris: Your debut show has a couple of title fights so far in George vs Miller and Neun vs Clarkson, both cracking fights. How did these fights come about?
Shoebridge: Those fights are awesome, having ranked guys on our first show just shows you what our ambitions are. The fights come about by me wanting some quality fights and scouring the ranking for those that aren't signed to exclusive deals with other promotions. Very few aren't now so luckily when approached they all said yes.

Chris: Is the card for WFS 1 now set, or can we expect any further additions in the lead up to the event?
Shoebridge: Majority of the card is set, but as with any card there may be a few late additions if opportunities present themselves.

Chris: Your debut card will feature a mixture of professional bouts and amateur bouts. Is this a format you will run with for the foreseeable future or do you envision a time when you will only put on pro bouts?
Shoebridge: No i think the pro main card will be a thing we run with, we only planned on having 2 pro fights, the main and co-main, and planned on them being really solid. We got those fights in Neun-Clarkson and George-Miller but things happen and we ended up with now 6 pro fights and a unified amateur undercard.

Chris: Your debut show takes place on the same evening that England begin their World Cup campaign, brave move to go up against the 3 Lions wouldn't you say?
Shoebridge: It certainly is, but we've made sure that everything will run smoothly so that the fans can be out of the venue and at home with their feet up with plenty of time to spare for kick-off.

Chris: Are WFS doing any drug testing for this show, and do you plan on working with Safe MMA for your first show?
Shoebridge: We wont be doing any drug testing as it is very, very costly however we will be doing blood tests. Safe MMA will be a thought in the future, for sure.

Chris: Is there a reason behind not working with Safe MMA and would you like to do so in the future?
Shoebridge: The reason is that it's expensive. Although they have waived the promotion fee, we would still feel the need to cover the cost of the pro fighters Safe MMA bills and doing that for 12 guys is a lot of money in UK MMA terms.

Chris: Do you plan on making the show available online, whether it's live or delayed on youtube for fans who can't be in attendance?
Shoebridge: Yes fights will be uploaded to our youtube channel after the event.

Chris: I know tickets for WFS 1 are on sale now, where can fans buy tickets and how well are tickets selling?
Shoebridge: Tickets are doing surprisingly well actually, which is a bit of a middle finger to anyone saying it was silly to go up against England's first world cup game. You can buy tickets online here: http://www.wfsmma.com/buy-tickets/

Chris: How many events do you think Warriors Fight Series will put on this year?
Shoebridge: The aim to be three shows deep by 2015.

Chris: Having previously worked with UCMMA, will WFS stick to the formula of building up a solid fan base in one location as they have done with The Troxy, or do you plan to take the show on the road?
Shoebridge: No, we plan on travelling because there's so much more to UK MMA than a set location. We plan on taking some southern guys to northern areas and vice versa, in a smart, financially viable manner. WFS champions will have credibility.

Chris: Where do you see Warrior Fight Series 3 years from now?
Shoebridge: 3 years from now, we'll be at least 12 shows in to what is looking like a great promotion and one that the community of UK MMA fans can be proud of. Hopefully a TV deal of some sort in place giving these guys some exposure on the box and with the growth of the sport in general i don't see why we can't be up there with the big names in UK mixed martial arts.

Chris: Can you tell me what your aspirations for the promotion are?
Shoebridge: They're big, that's what i can say. I've just had my first child so i need no extra motivation to make this work.

Chris: What's the ultimate goal?
Shoebridge: For us to be recognised as a respected promotion across the UK and for gyms and coaches to want their fighters to fight on WFS because of the great feedback they've received from it.

Chris: Finally, what sets WFS apart from all the other promotions in the UK?
Shoebridge: It's little things that will set us apart that you'll see on fight night, I plan on using my experience in the field to make sure this is a great night for everyone, fighters, fans, press, everyone!

Lastly, I'd like to thank all the sponsors for the show: Lonsdale, Daily Sport, Wildcat Energy Drink, GoFix.me, Ansetts Scaffolding, Shoebridge Plastering and Shisha Vapes.

Thank you for your time Harry and we wish you all the best for the future including the smooth running of your debut show on June 14th.

WFS 1 Adds Mehmet Adnan vs Martin Hudson & Jay Oliver vs Colin Wilby

WFS 1 Adds Mehmet Adnan vs Martin Hudson & Jay Oliver vs Colin Wilby
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Warriors Fight Series have added two additional bouts to their debut card in the form of Mehmet Adnan vs Martin Hudson who square off in a welterweight contest and Jay Oliver vs Colin Wilby who will do battle in a light heavyweight bout.

WFS MMA 1 takes place on June 14th at the White Oaks Centre in Swanley, Kent. Tickets are on sale HERE.

Still looking for the first win of his professional career, Mehmet Adnan is 0-2 in his professional career, but don’t let his record fool you, his two defeats have come against top 15 Welterweights, Luke Newman and Wendle Lewis. A solid striker, Adnan fights for the first time since 2011 when he steps into the cage at WFS 1.

His opponent Martin Hudson, a product of Team Crossface under UFC-vet Dave Lee, makes his professional MMA debut when he fights Mehmet Adnan at WFS 1. While the bout with Adnan will mark Hudson's professional debut, the welterweight has compiled a 4-2 record on the amateur circuit with 3 of his 4 victories coming by submission.

Fighting for the second time in his professional MMA career having made his debut in a TKO loss to Lukasz Klinger at UCMMA 33, Jay Oliver looks for the first win of his professional career. a product of MMA Evolution, the Light-heavyweight has an extensive amateur career, where he had mixed success.

1-5 in his MMA career, Oliver's opponent Colin Wilby will be hoping newly formed WFS will be the place where he can finally put his career in motion and start picking up some wins. A 4 fight UCMMA vet, Wilby has never been the distance in his carer with 2 losses coming by TKO, 2 by submission and 1 DQ. The only victory of his career was over WFS promoter Harry Shoebridge, who he defeated by KO at UCMMA 19, 4 years ago.   

Stay tuned to KingdomMMA.co.uk for all the latest on WFS 1

Jefferson George and Jordan Miller Meet for WFS Lightweight Title

Jefferson George and Jordan Miller Meet for WFS Lightweight Title  
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

3 time BAMMA competitor Jefferson George is set to take on 22 fight veteran Jordan Miller at Warrior Fight Series for the Lightweight title at the promotions debut show.

WFS MMA 1 takes place on June 14th at the White Oaks Centre in Swanley, Kent. Tickets are on sale HERE.

A product of Morefire Icon Jui Jitsu in Luton, George who's nick name is 'Shadow Demon Blaximus' is 4-2 in his professional career with all 3 his 4 victories coming by way of submission.

George who recently defeated Jack Grant at BAMMA 15, will hope to build on that victory when he heads to Poland May 17th to fight at KSW 17, before returning to fight for the WSF Lightweight Title in June. He said:

“It’s a great opportunity for me to fight my first title. Jordan is a solid competitor whose only losses have been against opponents who have gone on to have great careers at the higher levels of international MMA. [WSF promotor] Harry’s [Shoebridge] a top guy and WFS should be the start of a fantastic promotion. He’s got a great pedigree and it’s going be good to see Harry stand on his own two feet and show the world what he can do. Looking forward to June 14th and if anyone wants to come along get in touch ASAP as there are limited tickets available. Look forward to the fireworks.”

His opponent, game UK veteran Jordan Miller enter the bout with an official record of 8-14 but is believe to have an even great record if you include unrecorded bouts. A pro since 2005, shared the cage with many other world class fighters such as Jason Young, Ronnie Mann, Brad Pickett, Andre Winner, and more. Entering the bout on a 2 fight losing streak, Miller who has had mixed success on the ground with 5 victories and 11 losses by submission, said:

 “I’m very happy to be fighting on WFS, I’ve re-evaluated my training and my corner, so a different fighter will be stepping into the cage come June 14th. As for my opponent, Jefferson who…?? I’m only joking, it’ll be a good fight, guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.”

Stay tuned to KingdomMMA.co.uk for all the latest on WSF MMA 1