ACB 54 in Manchester is fast shaping up to be one of the most stacked cards of 2017 across all MMA promotions. Already sporting one of the most anticipated main events in the Middleweight divisions as KSW standout and Polish superstar Mamed Khalidov will go head-to-head in a ‘Champion vs. Champion’ super fight with UFC veteran and Venator titleholder Luke Barnatt it has now been given a co-main event of gigantic proportions with the rematch between newly crowned Welterweight champion Brett Cooper and Aslambek Saidov set to lock horns once again under at the Manchester Arena.
Revenge is said to be a dish best served cold but Saidov has campaigned to get this rematch quickly following his loss to Cooper at ACB 50 in December. Saidov felt the title was taken from his by an early stoppage by the referee in a fight he was dominating up until that point. Cooper once again showed his durability after being dominated in the first two rounds and absorbing some huge punishment from the vicious attacks of Siadov to come out swinging in the third turning the momentum of the fight in just 27 seconds of that third round. The barrage of strikes badly hurt Saidov doing enough for the referee to have seen enough to stop the fight and to save Saidov from any further punishment.
The disappointment of the Saidov camp could only be countered from by the camp of Cooper who knew that in those 27 seconds he bared his soul and made history to become the first ever non-Russian to wear ACB gold.
On March 11th he will once again have to dig deep to defend his title as Saidov will be using that bitter taste of defeat to drive his training and preparation to rip the belt from Cooper and to claim his place as ACB Champion but one thing is for sure after seeing what Cooper is capable of and the drive for victory he showed in those 27 seconds he will not be looking to let anyone, even Saidov, take that belt from him anytime soon.
The story of this fight has another chapter yet to be written and it will be the lucky ACB fans in attendance that night that will get to see how this part of the story ends.
