Nick Osipczak returned to the cage for the first time in five years on Saturday by submitting Kyle Redfearn in round one at Macto Championships’ inaugural event.
The welterweight almost crumbled in a frantic opening but roared back to seal a rear naked choke finish.
On an evening of first round fireworks, County Durham’s Redfearn bolted at his rival with left-right bullets.
Having dropped the favourite the 24-year-old even cut “Slick” Nick on the way up with a knee, prompting referee Rich Mitchell to inspect a groggy Osipczak.
The Team Rough House graduate, cleared to continue but with his right eye swelling, managed to regroup to secure a deadly leg scissors and clamp on the choke. Redfearn had no choice but to tap.
This weekend’s co-main event, between 170lbs talents Alex Montagnani and David Round, should have been a thriller but ended abruptly when “Mean” Montagnani injured his hamstring in the first minute.
With a background in acting, Montagnani grabbed a clinch early as both men traded wild shots.
Did he start too quickly though? Round, eager to fight back, secured a big slam into side control. But just as the action was hotting up, Montagnani went down against the fence clutching his hamstring, signalling that his night was over.
Elsewhere middleweight Dean Amasinger returned after over three years out by halting Dan Edwards with strikes after nine seconds of round two.
“Renegade”, now based in Windsor, showed crafty striking and leg kicks before a barrage of punches left Edwards in a heap and in no position to continue. Denniston Sutherland was similarly dominant at 185lbs, tapping out Avi Jack with a round one crossface.
There were two more first round coups at either end of the scales too, as flyweight Sam Creasey and heavyweight Oli Thompson both enjoyed early nights.
Creasey downed late replacement Rhys Hall by strikes from back mount, while Thompson punished Kamil Bazelak with punches against the fence.
In a catchweight bout at 132lbs, Ffion Davies won her first professional contest in round one, decking another late replacement in Fruszina Nagy.
Wales’ Davies was meant to fight Samantha Jean-Francois but her replacement was in at the deep end as the judoka got the clinch early and landed the finishing blows in 76 seconds.
In K1 action, at another catchweight of 198lbs, Louis King mixed his strikes well to outscore Romello Da Silva over three.
King switched from the head to body with malice and precision as Da Silva could only cover up and absorb punishment.
Meanwhile heavyweight Dante Hawkins ran through Michael Piszcek inside a round, while 170lbs star Sunny Sandhu sealed a round two rear naked choke to come back against Charlie Simmons.
by Alistair Hendrie
