Rumble In Ripley

Round 1 Started and true to reputation and form “The terrier” Taylor rushed across the ring with a big flying side kick that was easily side stepped by Jay leaving his man on the ropes in the USKA corner.

Jay was fighting well going backwards hitting Taylor on the counter but having to give up ground to the shorter “Terrier“. It was Jay's turn now to lead, as he threw a right leg spin kick which missed his opponents head by inches.

Ben eager to close Jay down was pressing forward but had not taken into account jay's superior kicking technique he ran into a clean right leg round kick to the head. Ben knowing he had to do something big to finish strong and win the round again ran forward but again walked onto another big right leg round kick to the head on the bell.

No doubt in anyone's mind, round one to Sugar Foot.

Round 2 The second round began with Ben needing attention for a bloody nose that must have been picked up from the round kicks to the head in round one. As the Ripley corner team attended to their man Jay confidently salutes his crowd to indicate that he was very happy with the way things were going and was eager to get the action started again. The round resumed this time with the confident Collett on the attack mixing excellent punch / kick combinations together and hitting target with a high percentage of them.

Taylor tried to respond by digging his heels in and firing back but there again is no doubt he is coming off worst in the trade off. Jay lands yet again another big round kick to the head and although the words 'back up' and 'retreat' are not in young Ben Taylor's vocabulary he is starting to ship an awful lot of punishment at the hands and more so feet of Sugar Foot Collett. Jay by now is reading Ben's crude attacks well and as the bell sounds the USKA corner is more than comfortable that another round is in the bag for their man.

Round 3 Begins with the chant of USKA! USKA! coming from the away crowd. With two rounds already in the bank Jay just needs to protect his lead in the final rounds action. Ben again fast out of the blocks is trying to pull out all the stops for the strong final rounds showing. Jay knowing what to expects rides the storm for the first 20 seconds and then changes the pattern of the round with a superb axe kick to the head of The Terrier Taylor. Another spin kick bounces off the shoulder of Ben and by now Jay has fully got his measure and comfortably taken hold of this round as well. Yet another spin kick followed by an axe kick seals Taylor's fate as the round ends with Ben coming up short against the silky skills of Sugar Foot Jay Collett. A unanimous decision against a very strong, tuff, durable fighter in Ben Taylor goes to USKA's Jay 'Sugar Foot' Collett.

Round 1 Started and Qas got straight down to business asserting a good jab and left leg straight leg round kick to the body. First impressions were that Barnett was a little green defensively and Qasim seemed to be hitting him at will with good variety in his technique. With every shot that landed from Qasim James looked a little more disorganised and the feeling was that it wouldn't be long before The Dream landed the decisive shot that would end the contest. Under lots of pressure James was leaning down to his right hand side and into the firing line of Qasim's left leg round kick. It didn't look probable but the end of round one bell sounded with a bloody and beaten Barnett making his way back to his corner to be patched up.

Round 2 A more composed Qasim started off the second round knowing that it would only need one clean blow to get his man out of there. Qasim was firing his shots off at will now and it was a little embarrassing as he was landing pretty much everything he was throwing. A crunching right hook sent his man falling to the canvas followed by a right leg round kick to the head. The kick was thrown as James was falling but at the moment of impact James's glove had touched the canvas. The referee John Blackledge had interpreted it as being an infringement upon the rules by Qasim and the time was stopped for him to read the riot act to Qasim and for the now blood masked face of James a chance to recover. Thankfully for us the referee did not see it fit to take a point or even worst order a disqualification and the action was allowed to continue. Qasim by now was eager to end things and straight away landed a power left hook to the head followed by a straight right leg shin kick to James's face that had the referee once again intervene but this time to call a halt to the proceedings. A frustrating night for the USKA man in a no win situation against what turned out to be a very awkward unorthodox opponent. Nevertheless the winner by very easy 2nd round TKO and still unbeaten Qasim 'The Dream' Nisar.

Two out of two for the USKA boys and it was now time for what was anticipated to be the hardest fight of the night for the USKA contingent of fighters.

Round 1 Started and Jake as you would expect looked edgy losing his footing and slipping as he tried to find his feet in the ring. Another mishap for Jake throwing a kick missing Jack that sent his foot through the ropes.

Jack made him pay for his mistake hitting him with a round kick to the side of his head expelling the myth that the young Clay could not kick. The lines were then drawn in the sand, neither fighter wanting to take a backward step and neither fighter wanting to slow down the pace in what was an incredible first rounds work rate.

Jake was holding his own with the strength of Clay and was now managing to get off some good multiple kick combinations to push Jack back The question was at only 6 days notice would he be fit enough to stay with him and fight like this for five hard rounds? The bell sounds to end a very close first round that could have been scored either way. Both lads heavy breathing made their way back to their respective corners to the sound of the crowds appreciation.

Round 2 The nerves are gone now and it is Jake who is pressing the attack leading with legs and finishing with punch combinations. The work rate does not seem to be easing and Jack Clay does not want to give his grip up on the round easily and fights back well. A beautiful measured right leg round kick from Jake lands and for a moment Jack stops and takes check of the situation. The bell sounds and the feeling is The Rattle Snake has done enough to claim the round with the clean landing kicks a pressure fighting.

Round 3 Jake after the second round was out to turn things around and straight from the bell closed the gap between him and Jake landing a short right hand that sent the head of Jake jolting back. Jack was fighting better on the retreat now and both fighters were matching each other punch for punch and kick for kick, Jake now going forward and Jack fighting of the back foot. Jake suddenly rips up a gear and lands good straight punches to the head and capitalises on that with strong kicks to the body. He has the look of a fighter that will just not be denied.

Both lads now feeling the pace now but not willing to slow it down and give the other the advantage. They trade the rest of the round out with Jake getting the better of the exchanges with the straight head punches and clean body kicks. A tired Jake makes his way back to his corner and although doing exceptionally well there is a concern that the pace had taken it's toll and we had seen the best of Jake in the precious rounds. Jake had never in his career gone out for a forth round and it was going to be new territory for the USKA Birmingham man. Would he focus or would he fold in the next two Championship rounds?

Round 4 If Jake was tired he was certainly hiding the fact well. Pressing the action again from the bell it was again Jack who was instigating the high pace and again it was Jake was winning the exchanges with the higher volume of cleaner work. Jack now looks tired and is looking to hit Jake on the counter attack but is still struggling to find the gaps to let his shots go in between the barrage of Jake's combinations. Jake looks like he is getting stronger and stronger as round goes on now and Jack for the first time in the bout is starting to wilt under the constant pressure.

The round ends with Jake surely winning it by the cleanest margin of the fight so far. Again Jake comes back to the corner looking tired. He knows there is only one round left and he is told from his chief corner man Neil Kelly that he needs to close the show in good style to leave nothing to chance on the judges cards.

Round 5 The round starts with both fighters letting rip with fast punch trade offs as if it were the first round and both were fresh again. How these two have kept this up for five hard rounds is amazing. In an attempt to break away Jack tried rushing in but was intercepted by a perfect push front kick from Jake. An attempted spin falls short from Clay and it is again Jake who is putting together three and four kick combinations and pressing the action. An axe kick lands on Jack's shoulder as he is moving forward as both fighters crash to the floor after getting tangled up. All this will take even more energy from these two warriors. Both knowing the final bell is approaching and both wanting to have to final say in every combination. It is Jake however that finishes the stronger and again his multiple kicks that are splitting the two. The bell rings and surely Jake has done enough to have his hand raised in victory when the judges totals are added up.

Round 1 The tactics were set out early with Tommy kicking at range and Wesley trying to close him down by steam rolling forward with powerful combinations of punches. Tommy looked a bit fazed by his power and it didn't help that Wesley was finding it hard to forget where he was coming from landing illegal low kicks on the referee's blind side. Mid way through the round Tommy had started to settle finding his body kick and strong left jab but he still looked uncomfortable in there and was very wary of the power in the punches of the Melton Mowbray man.

A left head kick from Tommy highlighted the difference in the kicking ability between the two. Wesley strong but neglecting to keep his kick count up. Wesley annoyed at being caught with the head kick rushed forward into a clench and again reverting back to his Thai boxing roots executing a knee to the thigh of Tommy.

Thankfully referee Blackledge had seen the infringement this time and stepped in to warm Humpries.

Even with a sore leg Tommy starts to engage his kicks more now and keeps good range between himself and Humpries. He is also finding his jab now and beating Wesley to the punch. The round ends and although close the feeling was that Humpries had taken it on sheer aggression alone. If Tommy had lived up to his ring name 'The Gun' someone needs to name Wesley 'The Cannon Ball'. Tommy goes back to the corner unsettled and the USKA corner work hard to come up with a strategy that will have more success in round two.

Round 2 Sees Tommy open up with his legs keeping Wesley busy on the outside in an attempt to stop him getting off with his heavy punches. When Wesley was getting past the leg he was greeted by a stiff jab from Tommy. The strategy seemed to be working well for now. Tommy asserting himself and working well on the counter now was happier to trade in spurts to let Wesley know that he was not fazed and now well in the fight.

It is Wesley now who is giving up ground and it is apparent that he is not as strong and not as potent a fighter moving backwards. The strong jabs from Tommy had opened up a cut on the bridge of Wesley's nose and he was also bleeding from the nose at the same time. Tommy sensing his mans discomfort throws a beautiful spin kick that glances Wesley's face and warns him of the calibre of technician he is in with. Tommy mixing it up well now has fought himself right back into the fight winning the round and leaving it all hanging on the performance of both fighters in the third and final round to decide the winner of this fight.

Round 3 Tommy runs with the same strategy from the previous round. Kicking from a distance and negating Wesley's strong punches by intercepting with the jab when Wesley moved forward. From close quarter Tommy was comfortable to mix it as Wesley's punches did not seem to be as strong close up. Wesley looks uncomfortable with the fast pace and now it seems as if the fight is swinging Tommy's way with the higher work rate. Tommy finishes the stronger and the feeling is he has done enough to win the round and in turn the fight on a two round to one decision. The judges were watching the same fight as us and Tommy is awarded the victory by a majority decision and remains undefeated making an impressive start to a full contact career that could as they say go all the way to the top.