CONTENDER CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
EVENT III
SOLIHULL COMBAT SPORTS CENTRE, BIRMINGHAM.
SUNDAY 8TH JULY 2007
The third instalment of the increasingly popular Contender Championship Series events saw over 120 pre entrees and competitors from 11 different camps from across the country attend.
The competition that is sanctioned by the BLCC (British Light Continuous Council) has grown in popularity mainly down to the quality of matching, fights and efficiency of officials using some of the most established figureheads in the sport representing it's referee's and judges panel.
Clubs in attendance at this event were, Neil Kelly's USKA kickboxing, Paul Gilmore's Solihull Kickboxing, Mushtaq Khan's ACE kickboxing, Lee Whitfield's Bai Lang Kickboxing, Pete Dunnett's Combat Kickboxing, Mark Ball's Jesters Kickboxing, Baggi Singh's IFA Kickboxing, James Russell's Cardiff Kickboxing, Lance Manyer's TKA Kickboxing, Jarik Borowski's School of Masters and Rob Rayman's Black Country Combat Kickboxing.

USKA had a particularly big contingent of fighters supporting the event with 19 entree's and an eventual 18 fighters matched in total in a long day that saw an amazing 54 bouts take place.
Also featured on the event was a Midland Area title challenge from USKA's Ridwan 'Rampage' Khan to defending Champion Jai Meyrick in the 10-12 year olds 40-45kg division.
Below is a full list of the USKA results.
Adam Eyaz (USKA) Vs Rajab Hussain (ACE) - Win Adam Eyaz
Zakir Rahman (USKA) Vs Raza Basheer (ACE) - Demonstration bout due to catch weight
Isa Hanif (USKA) Vs Manvinder Singh (IFA) - Win Isa Hanif
Adam Eyaz (USKA) Vs Nathan Price (Cardiff) - Win Adam Eyaz
Qasim Ali (USKA) Vs Josh Atiko (Cardiff) - Win Qasim Ali
Zain Rafiq (USKA) Vs Josh Spencer (Jesters) - Win Josh Spencer
Emily Aston (USKA) Vs Azra Parvais (Bai Lang) - Win Emily Aston
Subharn Khalid (USKA) Vs Atif Shakeel (IFA) - Win Atif Shakeel
Qasim Ali (USKA) Vs Andrew Price (Cardiff) - Win Qasim Ali
BLCC Midland Area Championship - 10-12 years - 40-45kg - 5 x 1 minute rounds
Ridwan Khan (USKA) Vs Jai Meyrick (Bai Lang) - Win Ridwan Khan (Split decision)
Round 1

A fast start by Ridwan putting pressure on the Champion Jai and not allowing him room to get his own shots off. Ridwan scores consistently with flurries of punches and body straight leg round kicks but near to the end of the round Jai finds his distance and scores will with some good kicks of his own. Great start for the USKA lad but Jai equipped himself well also.

Round 2

Jai with the quicker start this time not wanting Ridwan to find the momentum he had in the 1st. Wen both fighters stood off from each other Jai was having more the success stabbing out his lead leg to Ridwan's body. Hearing the call from the USKA corner to close the gap Ridwan blitzes his man pushing forward to gain some more of the success that he had done in the 1st round. The bell sounds to end a close round.

Round 3

Both fighters meet ring centre in a trade off neither one willing to take a backward step. Realising Ridwan is the stronger of the two up close and personal Jai steps off and decides to use his skill on the counter that is working for him well. Ridwan tries to maintain the pressure and it is starting to become a real battle of wills.
Ridwan finishes the round strong but it is another close one with it coming down to what the judges liked more, Ridwan's pressure or Jai's slick counter fighting.

Round 4

Jai starts the round with some excellent lateral movement and does not attempt to hold the centre of the ring. Moving around the outskirts of the ring using long technique to pick Ridwan off. This is a tactic that is working much better for him and is proving to be Jai's best round of the fight so far. Ridwan realises he must get close and does so momentarily before Jai again breaks away and goes back on the move. The round ends and the feeling is it is one scored to the Telford lad.

Round 5

Moving into the last round both fighters know it is close and will go all out to try and secure the victory.
They again engage in some toe to toe action matching each other in every department. Ridwan starts to break away landing some good body straight leg kicks and just when a margin is beginning to appear Jai responds in a true champions fashion by throwing and landing a perfectly timed spin kick.
Great finish to a round and a fight that would by very difficult to score.

No one including fighters, coaches or spectators were100% sure which way the decision was going to go. The scores reflected the closeness of the fight with the judges awarding the win by split decision to the new champion Ridwan Khan. The score cards read 49/48 Meyrick 47/48 Khan and 47/49 Khan.
This is sure to be a rematch somewhere down the line and something tells me a fight between these two is always going to be close. Congratulations to both lads on an excellent fight.
Watch Riwan and Jai's Midland Area title fight here..............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uBiyawisEY
Stacey Richards (USKA) Vs Emma Erskine (Jesters) - Demonstration bout due to catch weight
Jake Richards (USKA) Vs Faizan Khan (Cardiff) - Win Jake Richards
Megan Kelly (USKA) Vs Stacey Sibson Bartram (Bai Lang) - Win Megan Kelly
Haroon Khan (USKA) Vs Luke Perks (BCC) - Win Haroon Khan
Mark Sedgwick (USKA) Vs Yusel Ali (Cardiff) - Win Mark Sedgwick
Peter Quinn (USKA) Vs Karol Frydecki (School of Masters) - Win Peter Quinn
Shazad Afzal (USKA) Vs Tom Griffiths (Cardiff) - Win Tom Griffiths
Kasim Sumel (USKA) Vs Keiran Fletcher (IFA) - Win Keiran Fletcher
Alan Quinn (USKA) Vs Maciej Lipinski (School of Masters) - Win Alan Quinn
Reiss Larvin (USKA) Vs Lewis Dunnett (Combat) - Win Reiss Larvin
Zakir Rahman (USKA) Vs Paul Hodges (IFA) - Win Zakir Rahman
Haroon Khan (USKA) Vs Joe Firth (Jesters) - Win Haroon Khan
Alan Quinn (USKA) Vs Daniel Winiarczyk (School of Masters) - Win Alan Quinn
Ridwan Khan (USKA) Vs Raheem Parvais (Bai Lang) - Demonstration bout due to catch weight
The tally for USKA stood at 17 wins against 4 loses and 3 demonstration bouts.

Promoters Paul Gilmore and Neil Kelly would like to thank all Instructors, coaches, fighters and spectators for playing their part in making the day so successful. The next event is planned for December and if this one is anything to go by book your places early because it is sure to be a blast.