Samurai Fighting Championships concluded its sixth instalment on Saturday with yet another sensational display of amateur talent putting it all on the line
Samurai Fighting Championships – What Went Down:
A stacked card from top to bottom, with three headlining title fights, promised an action packed evening of mixed martial arts. The sold out event has once again scaled up in production value, giving fighters a real taste of what it’s like to be a pro, and fans a show they won’t forget. It was clear to see at SFC the level of amateur fighting has raised beyond expectations. Excellent matchmaking promised 50/50 fights for the majority of the card, and it delivered.
Standout Performances:
SFC 6 saw an array of impressive finishes throughout the card. It’s almost impossible to select just a few standout performances. But there were some fighters who stood out, and cemented their names as ones to watch.
Nicol Thomas- Flying the MAT Academy flag, Nicole Thomas walked out with her head held high as she faced off against Shore MMA’s Lexi Walton. Thomas was bearing a lot of pressure heading into this bout, as she faced a last minute opponent change, against a highly rated prospect. Thomas wasted no time when the bell went to impose her game plan, she used her striking to force Walton’s back to the cage, and secured a takedown early on. Thomas landed some well put together ground and pound here. Walton did well to stay calm in the fire, and reversed position, where she landed some ground and pound of her own, and took the back of Thomas. After defending the back attack, Thomas successfully reversed position and sunk in a guillotine choke. Thomas secured the victory in round one via submission, a very impressive debut.
Will Taylor- Shore MMA’s Will Taylor fought at Budo Fighting Championships just one week prior to his SFC bout, taking both fights on short notice, against bigger opponents. Taylor showed some great composure in this bout, taking his time to wait for opportunities to execute his wrestling game plan. Taylor remained calm in a deep guillotine during round one, and grinded down his opponent across three rounds, with constant scrambling and pressure. Will Taylor has showed great heart and skill over the coming weeks, after taking a loss in his last SFC bout. A great comeback for the young fighter.
Malakai Gough- Malakai Gough stepped up a weight class to take on Shore MMA’s own Jack Evans on two days notice. Malakai brought the fight across all three rounds, pushing the pace with a great display of striking and wrestling. A very back and forth bout with good moments displayed from both fighters. Malakai impressed with his submission hunting and high activity throughout the fight. This win tested Gough in all areas, and winning via unanimous decision extends his current record to an undefeated 3-0. An impressive streak for the young fighter, proving he can step up to the plate and take on any challenge that lies ahead.
Todd Griffiths- Shore MMA’s Todd Griffiths took on Draig fighter Iesytn Jones, where a battle of the grapplers was set to take place. Griffiths made the jump to featherweight for this bout, after his last few fights at bantamweight, including one loss to now teammate and champ, Befan Hall. Both fighters displayed some good striking in the opening round, but it was clear to see the plan for Todd. Jones initiated some cage wrestling, and a takedown attempt, this was beautifully countered by Griffiths, where he sunk in a deep Darce choke, ending the fight in the first round. An impressive victory for the Shore MMA fighter. It appears that Griffiths will be remaining at featherweight for his next few fights. Proving that he will always look for the finish, Todd Griffiths is definitely one to watch as he climbs his way through the featherweight ranks.
Fight of the Night:
Kane Darcy vs Matt Howarth closed out the show, with many hailing it as the bout which determines the Number one amateur in the UK spot. A 9-0 undefeated Howarth, moving up a weight class to challenge a dangerous finisher in Kane Darcy promised a clash of two titans.
Round One- The bout opened with both fighters looking to implement a striking game plan early on. Howarth landed some great shots early on, and Darcy answered back with some impressive blitzing combinations. Howarth imposed heavy forward pressure, and mixed up a variety of attacks, forcing Darcy to defend.
Round Two- Both fighters begin striking with some very even exchanges. Howarth does well to keep his distance to land clean shots. Darcy again utilises some blitzing combinations. Darcy initiates a takedown which is well defended by Howarth. After a few attempts, Darcy gets Howarth to the floor and secures back control for the remainder of the round.
Round three- The final round saw an elite display of grappling from both fighters. Darcy wasted no time in initiating his wrestling game plan. Howarth defended well multiple times. Howarth landed a crisp head kick during this round, further incentivising Darcy to wrestle. Darcy once again gets Howarth to the floor, where he is hunting for multiple submissions including a guillotine, and an arm triangle choke. Howarth showed great heart in this round, and defended very well against the relentless pressure and attacks from Darcy. Howarth scrambled out of position, and reversed for a takedown of his own during the closing seconds of the round.
Result- Kane Darcy wins via split decision, retaining the SFC Welterweight title.
This fight was everything promised and more, a high level display of mixed martial arts, which would not look out of place on any professional promotion. It is clear to see a very bright future ahead for both fighters. Samurai Fighting Championships delivers once again.
Overall, SFC 6 was a huge success, we saw three sensational title fights, and a stacked undercard with some promising talent making their way through the ranks. With the dust settling on Saturday night, fans will be excited to see what’s next in store for these fighters.
Samurai Fighting Championships is in the books.
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