BAMMA 13: Night of Champions lived up to the hype. A series of upsets shocked the crowd and four new champions were crowned inside Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena last night, as well as the return of the ‘Freakshow’ Colin Fletcher.
Jason Jones defeats Max Nunes via Submission (Arm Triangle) at 3:50 of Round Two.
The night’s main event was for the BAMMA World Light Heavyweight Championship, it saw the trash-talking Jason Jones walking the walk as he made the previously undefeated Max Nunes tap out in the second round.
The Dutchman proved he could back up his words, locking in an Arm Triangle at 3:50 of Round Two, forcing Nunes to tap out for his first ever defeat. ‘The Villain’ remained without sympathy following the bout, stating “Don’t send a boy to do a man’s job.”
Post-fight, Jones said that Nunes “isn’t on the same level yet”, and that based on watching Nunes’ last fight, all he had to worry about was the leg kicks that he had denied well in the first round.
Eddie Ellis defeats Jim Wallhead via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Eddie Ellis prevailed over Jim Wallhead to win the BAMMA World Welterweight Championship in the co-main event by way of split decision.
With the crowd on Wallhead’s side heading into the fight, the Leicestershire man started well with a brutal left-right combo and hook rocking Ellis. It was later revealed that he’d knocked one of Ellis’ teeth out.
However, Ellis managed to get Wallhead down and took control of his back, with Wallhead having to be ultra-defensive.
For most of the second round Wallhead was unable to, or just not, using his right hand and it gave Ellis most of the control, although Wallhead closed out with some nice right hand shots.
To the third and final round, they went and once more the crowd was behind Wallhead with a sense of urgency. He started landing combos and towards the end of the round, stuffed two takedown attempts and rocked Ellis once more, but the fight went to decision where it was scored 29-28, 28-29, 30-27 in favour of the American, Ellis.
Post fight it was confirmed that Wallhead had broken Ellis’ jaw in the first round, but the American explained that couldn’t stop him.
Mansour Barnaoui defeats Curt Warburton via TKO at 4:08 of Round One
Mansour Barnaoui pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the night as the 20-year old Frenchman defeated UFC veteran Curt Warburton, who is 12 years his senior, to win the vacant BAMMA World Lightweight Championship.
Barnaoui stepped in two weeks ago for the injured Jake Murphy, and ‘Tarzan’ as he’s known stepped up big time as he forced the referee to stop the fight as he landed blow after blow from the back of Warburton.
Warburton had been on a streak of five wins since leaving the UFC and was heavily tipped to win, but found himself caught out as he went to exchange and found himself on the ground, defending as valiantly as he could however it wasn’t enough as punches and elbows rained down on him.
The crowd could only laugh after Frank Trigg went to interview Barnaoui and found that he didn’t speak a word of English.
Colin Fletcher defeats Tim Newman via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)
It was the return of the Colin ‘Freakshow’ Fletcher kicking off the night’s main card, and he didn’t disappoint with victory against Tim Newman over three rounds.
Despite the judges’ scores, the fight almost went to Newman in the second round as the Welshman locked in a triangle choke and Fletcher’s pale face was going a dangerous shade of red. The UFC veteran managed to roll with the choke and escaped – leading to an eruption from the crowd.
It was the second time Fletcher had escaped a submission attempt as he found himself caught in an armbar in the first. However, in every other aspect of the fight, Fletcher dominated with flush punches, kicks, great takedowns and takedown defence.
Post-fight, Fletcher admitted that he wasn’t in the right shape of mind when fighting with the UFC but was happy to be back ‘in front of a crowd who cares’.
Scott Askham defeats Jorge Michlean via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x 3)
The unbeaten Scott Askham remained so as he dispatched Brazilian Jorge Michlean to win the BAMMA World Middleweight Championship in the first title bout of the night.
Michlean attempted to work an armbar position to start, however Askham kept it tight and proceeded to take control of the fight from there on out.
Staying on top of Michlean for the first round, Askham managed to reverse Michlean’s mount in the second and continued to press home his advantage, out-wrestling his opponent and landing the more effective strikes. When Michlean tired in round three, Askem looked for the kill but just couldn’t find it. Michlean took shots here and there but not enough for the referee to call a halt to proceedings.
An easy decision for the judges with three straight 30-27 scores, Askham moves to 12-0 now as a world champion.
Elsewhere on the card, notable prelim bouts included Ion Pascu upsetting former British middleweight champion Jack Marshman with a first round knockout, as well as Mahmood Besharate and Joe Laurence clashing in a 3-round war at 125lbs
Brad Taylor @btaylor868
FULL RESULTS:
BAMMA WORLD LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BOUT
JASON JONES DEF. MAX NUNES – ARM TRIANGLE, RND 2, 3:50
BAMMA WORLD WELTERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT
EDDY ELLIS DEF. JIM WALLHEAD – SPLIT DECISION, 28-29 (Wallhead) 29-28, 30-27 (Ellis)
BAMMA LONSDALE WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE BOUT
MANSOUR BARNAOUI DEF. CURT WARBURTON – TKO (REFEREE STOPPAGE), RND 1, 4:08
LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
COLIN FLETCHER DEF. TIM NEWMAN – UNANIMOUS DECISION (30-27)
BAMMA WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE BOUT
SCOTT ASKHAM DEF. JORGE MICHELAN BEZERRA – UNANIMOUS DECISION ( 30-27)
PRELIMINARIES
MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT
ION PASCU DEF. JACK MARSHMAN – KO, ROUND 1, 4:02
WELTERWEIGHT BOUT
LEON EDWARDS DEF. ADAM BOUSSIF – ARM TRIANGLE, ROUND 1, 2:10
FLYWEIGHT BOUT
MAHMOOD BESHARATE DEF. JOE LAURENCE – UNANIMOUS DECISION (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
FLYWEIGHT BOUT
RANY SAADEH DEF. DANNY MISSIN – TKO (REFEREE STOPPAGE), ROUND 2, 4:13
MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT
HARRY MCLEMAN DEF. MATT HALLAM – GUILLOTINE, ROUND 2, 0:48
LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
TIM WILDE DEF. STEVEN MARTIN – UNANIMOUS DECISION (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
JEFFERSON GEORGE DEF. MARIUZ MARZEC – REAR NAKED CHOKE, ROUND 2, 4:37
