If you mention fighting in Atlantis on a Friday night to the average punter, they’d likely think of two lads trying to get each other in headlocks after slobbering one too many pints of Carling down their shirts. What they mightn’t immediately call to mind is the finest mens and womens boxing, K1 and MMA competitors from Eastbourne and its surrounding areas putting it all on the line in the octagon. That’s exactly what happened when First Generation Combat and Fitness Gym rolled in to town on a wet and miserable March evening.
The fight card for the night was strong with 3 title fights dotted amongst the boxing and mixed martial arts bouts.
Of the 16 fights we had:
5 boxing matches
9 semi pro MMA bouts
2 pro MMA all-out wars
Kicking things off was young Bex Packham who turned in a powerful display against her opponent, Sharlotte Stephen. Using a powerful combination of takedowns and ground & pound, Becs was the judges’ unanimous winner. Credit must go to these two young women who had the unenviable task of opening up the show, but who nonetheless showed a lot of heart and skill in the ring. They set the tone for the night, and for the quality of the fights that was to come.
Next up Jesse Hamilton took on the first of our Welsh visitors and was unlucky to succumb to a tapout in the second round. Jesse showed a lot of promise in the ring and both competitors were going full force. Indeed, a ladder that was leaning against the ring was sent flying at one point!
Up next was the first title fight – the SFC Junior Semi Pro Championship. Zak Morgan took on the second of the Keen brothers from Wales in what was an action packed 2x 4 minute round. I had heard a lot about Zak’s MMA skills from guys at the gym, and he certainly put on a show in front of the sold-out crowd. Using a strong combination of strikes and takedowns, Morgan was in control for the fight, was eventually declared the winner and had the gold placed around his waist in front of rapturous applause.
Hampden Park might very well be the next breeding ground for world champions, as both Mitch and Fifty rocked up next to claim back to back victories for 1st Gen.Mitch put a beating on his opponent in what was his in-ring boxing debut. Utilising that wicked left hook and a combination of body shots, he easily bested his opponent. Fifty turned in an equally impressive performance in MMA, showcasing some strong striking skills. His opponent tried for the armbar but Fifty was able to power through and pick up another win for the Hampden Park massive.
Next up, big Luke Parsons claimed the first submission win for First Generation when he submitted his opponent via choke in the second round of his MMA bout. This led us to the first interval, where Paul showed us all once again the importance of good head movement when he slipped and countered a hit and run attack from a pissed-up punter. It wouldn’t be a First Generation fight night without him showing us all how it’s done!
Tim Bryant was unlucky to come away with a draw in what was a powerful display of boxing after the break. Credit must go to his opponent Kerry Richardson, who also showed a lot of heart. By the third round both fighters were visibly feeling the effects, but nonetheless powered through and put on a great show.
Lee ‘Sandman’ Finch made it two for two after his in-ring domination in the boxing ring in Brighton last month. This time around Lee was in action fighting MMA. In a solid 2 round display Finch proved it doesn’t matter what gloves he wears or what ring he’s in, the end result will be the same – you’re gonna get smashed!
Another fighter who was scheduled to fight in Brighton last month, but had to cancel due to illness was Ben West. Ben had trained hard to make up for that disappointment and picked up a great victory in a masterful 3-round display. West seemed initially unhappy with his performance post-fight. Perhaps it wasn’t the 35 second knockout he’s shown in other fights, but it was a performance to be proud of and I know we’re all looking forward to his title fight in the coming months.
Sparta MMA’s Lolic Williams and Jody Cotton turned in big victories also and we were glad to see our fellow Eastbourne warriors put on such a great performance.
Gary Doocey was up next in what was a comeback bout of sorts. Anyone who’s been part of the boxing class will know how helpful Gary is, and how encouraging he is to everyone regardless of their skill level. A real gentleman as well as a skilled fighter, Doocey put on an absolute war in front of the Atlantis crowd. The crowd was cheering his name from the get-go and seemed that the volume increased with every massive body shot he landed. Gary did the bulk of the damage over the first two rounds, and even though is opponent Eski came out swinging in the final round; Doocey soon had him back against the cage. Gary was rightfully awarded the judges’ decision and this fight will easily go down as one of highlights of the night.
Up next, the powerhouse that is Alex Sailsbury staged a 2 round MMA spectacle with some crushing takedowns that echoed throughout the venue. Again the crowd was on their feet and cheering for the hometown hero, and again 1st Gen’s finest put on an awesome display of skill and power in the ring. Another deserved victory and I know we all look forward to seeing Alex in action again soon.
Sophie Cook took to the ring next in the second title fight of the night for the SFC Semi Pro Championship belt. Sophie was a credit to women’s MMA as she put on a showcase against her opponent Grace Anderson. Anderson just couldn’t keep up as Cook displayed an awesome range of skills from striking and shooting to submissions. Sophie looked every inch the champion as she dominated her two rounds. She was duly awarded the championship belt in front of deafening applause. It really was a world-class performance, and we know that Sophie is on the road to great things.
It’s taken me longer to write this sentence than it did for Danny Smith to knock out his opponent in the first round. I’ve never seen someone as laid back and casual before a boxing match as Smith. Then again, if I knew I had the ability to pull out that killer shot and end the bout after only 30 seconds, then I’d probably be pretty chilled too.
The main event of the night promised to be an epic 3x 5 minute battle between First Gen’s own Lennie ’The Sensei’ Scudder and his opponent Xavier Sedras. Defending the South Coast Championship belt for the second time, Scudder entered the octagon to huge hometown applause. His opponent seemed content to play the role of WWF heel, and his pantomime-like mocking of Scudder and the First Gen corner riled up the crowd. The chorus of boos was near-deafening as Sedras looked like he wasn’t taking the title fight seriously at all. Whether this was psychological mind games to get inside his opponent’s head or not, we’ll probably never know. Was he trying to anger Lennie and force him in to making mistakes, or is he just another in a long line of wannabe showmen? Either way, the judges awarded Xavier the win after 3 grueling rounds. It was a disappointing result and left a sour taste in a lot of peoples’ mouths. Personally, I’d love to see a rematch further down the line. Here’s hoping!
It was a great night for First Generation with an overall 14 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses. Everyone put maximum effort and commitment in regardless of the result. As part of the backstage team, it was great for me to feel such an amazing team spirit as everybody chipped in to help prepare fighters, ensure everyone was in the right mindset and helped make the night run smoothly. Thanks to Atlantis Nightclub for having us and thank you to the corporate sponsors including Auto Upgrades. We’ll see you all again at the next event soon!
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