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FX3 “X”Plosion: Bisping Stops Cook
FX3 “X”Plosion
READING, England, June 18 — The Rivermead Leisure Centre hosted the
newest thing in UK mixed martial arts on Saturday, the Freestyle
Fighting Federation. FX3 blasted out with new rules and a new
octagonal ring in a bid to revolutionize the UK MMA scene. With an
extremely vocal crowd of just shy of 1,500 people and an exciting
evening of fighting, FX3 is off to a roaring start.
The new rules include using one 10-minute round with each fighter permitted a single 60 second timeout, to be called by a fighter’s corner when both fighters are standing, allowing the fighter whose corner called the timeout treatment whilst the other fighter remains in a neutral corner.
However, the most talked about rule change from the NSAC rules is the 60-second grappling time limit on the ground. If neither fighter is in a dominant position within this time the fighters will be returned to their feet and the fight continued. This rule was put in place to eliminate stalling on the ground, as each fighter must work to secure the finish, or be stood up.
On the face of it, you would expect this to favor the stand-up fighter, but a surprising number of fights ended up being won by submission or TKO on the ground.
The ring itself is a fairly small 23 feet across, but this lends itself to the “always on the attack” bias of the rules. There is nowhere to hide in this ring (except through the ropes, as you will see later).
And so the night begins with these words from referee Grant Waterman, “Are you ready to fight? Let’s fight!”
Heavyweight action up first as France’s Jerome Laulan and Germany’s Jochen Gieb both come straight out to trade kicks before Laulan secures the takedown into Gieb’s guard. With no work forthcoming the fighters are stood up at the end of the 60-second period, before returning to the same position courtesy of Laulan’s trip takedown.
This time Laulan passes Gieb’s guard straight to mount and begins to pound out an opening. Gieb, in an effort to defend the strikes, leaves his arms flailing and Laulan spins for the armbar to win by submission at 3:44.
On to the middleweights now with Amir Subasic arriving in the ring with no gloves. After a short hunt the official FX3 branded gloves were soon found for him and the fight was on.
Frenchman Antony Espinasse arrives in the ring, followed by trainer Damien Riccio, looking physically much bigger than the Bosnian and the strength advantage he had was telling in this match up.
A great deal of time was spent in clinch work up against the ropes with Subasic attempting a number of hip throws on the bigger man. Eventually it was Espinasse who won the battle for the takedown and he mounted Subasic and began to throw shots to the head. It was at this point that Espinasse landed an illegal downward elbow, he was warned and one point was deducted from his score.
The fight was restarted standing but went straight back to the floor as Subasic attempted an overhead sweep takedown. Unfortunately for Subasic his attempt failed and he was mounted for his troubles. From this position Espinasse was able to secure a mounted reverse triangle choke and Subasic submitted at 3:13.
Continuing the theme of fighter’s arriving incorrectly attired, Laurent Bonafoux arrived into the ring wearing his wrestling boots before being informed he would not be allowed to fight in them.
Nigel Whitear, a local fighter brought a lot of support with him, but was unable to enforce his will on the Frenchman in this fight. After a brief determined exchange Whitear was brought to the canvas by Bonafoux’s double-leg takedown. Bonafoux did not capitalize on his top position though and Whitear landed a number of good shots from the bottom guard.
This inactivity forced a standup after the regulation 60 seconds and a hard leg kick by Whitear resulted in him being put on his back again, this time Bonafoux managed to make it to side control where he landed some good elbow strikes. Whitear escapes to half guard but while eating shots his guard is passed again. Bonafoux sensing an opening, rolls into an armbar attempt but Whitear defends for dear life and Bonafoux wastes some energy trying to force the issue.
Whitear scrambles to his feet and Bonafoux, knowing his armbar has failed, locks in a standing guillotine, falls back and sweeps Whitear over his head. From the top mount position, Bonafoux jumps to side control securing the keylock submission at 3:35.
In the time it takes to turn to the person next to you and remark that Frederic Fernandez looks a lot like his brother Emmanuel, you’d have missed his fight with Ashleigh Grimshaw.
Following a right low kick from Grimshaw, which even the back rows could hear, Fernandez, a BJJ brown belt, used his strikes to flurry and catch Grimshaw, who was out before he hit the canvas.
The referee leapt on Grimshaw to protect him from damage and was pulled into guard by the dazed UK fighter. The Frenchman wins by KO at 0:16.
Standing at 6’2” tall, Philipp Schade makes for an intimidating figure in the lightweight division. But UK’s Dave Swann attempts to close in and take the bigger German down, to nullify his reach advantage in the stand-up. A failed takedown by Swann results in him being mounted, but he quickly escapes into Schade’s guard by bridging over. Schade, showing excellent jiu-jitsu, scissor sweeps Swann back into mount but just as before, Swann immediately reverses the position.
Schade tries to sweep again, but Swann is wise to this now, and showing good base begins to throw a series of powerful knees to Schade’s buttocks from within his guard.
The fighters are stood up after 60 seconds. Schade shoots in and slams Swann to the canvas, where Swann is again mounted. At this point Schade begins to throw a number of shots to set up the armbar, which he spins to. Swann slips out and from here on in begins his ascendancy.
Swann, taking a strange half “mount”/half “half guard” position — he’s mounted across Schade’s chest but with one of Schade’s legs inside and bent up against his upper body — begins to throw the first truly powerful punches of this match. Schade covers up desperately before attempting a sweep then a leg lock.
From this position Swann slides into full mount, where he rains a number of unanswered blows down on the German. With no intelligent defense forthcoming Swann wins by referee stoppage at 4:22.
Swann is visibly elated to have battled through such adversity to take the win and salutes the crowd for their support.
The new rules include using one 10-minute round with each fighter permitted a single 60 second timeout, to be called by a fighter’s corner when both fighters are standing, allowing the fighter whose corner called the timeout treatment whilst the other fighter remains in a neutral corner.
However, the most talked about rule change from the NSAC rules is the 60-second grappling time limit on the ground. If neither fighter is in a dominant position within this time the fighters will be returned to their feet and the fight continued. This rule was put in place to eliminate stalling on the ground, as each fighter must work to secure the finish, or be stood up.
On the face of it, you would expect this to favor the stand-up fighter, but a surprising number of fights ended up being won by submission or TKO on the ground.
The ring itself is a fairly small 23 feet across, but this lends itself to the “always on the attack” bias of the rules. There is nowhere to hide in this ring (except through the ropes, as you will see later).
And so the night begins with these words from referee Grant Waterman, “Are you ready to fight? Let’s fight!”
Heavyweight action up first as France’s Jerome Laulan and Germany’s Jochen Gieb both come straight out to trade kicks before Laulan secures the takedown into Gieb’s guard. With no work forthcoming the fighters are stood up at the end of the 60-second period, before returning to the same position courtesy of Laulan’s trip takedown.
This time Laulan passes Gieb’s guard straight to mount and begins to pound out an opening. Gieb, in an effort to defend the strikes, leaves his arms flailing and Laulan spins for the armbar to win by submission at 3:44.
On to the middleweights now with Amir Subasic arriving in the ring with no gloves. After a short hunt the official FX3 branded gloves were soon found for him and the fight was on.
Frenchman Antony Espinasse arrives in the ring, followed by trainer Damien Riccio, looking physically much bigger than the Bosnian and the strength advantage he had was telling in this match up.
A great deal of time was spent in clinch work up against the ropes with Subasic attempting a number of hip throws on the bigger man. Eventually it was Espinasse who won the battle for the takedown and he mounted Subasic and began to throw shots to the head. It was at this point that Espinasse landed an illegal downward elbow, he was warned and one point was deducted from his score.
The fight was restarted standing but went straight back to the floor as Subasic attempted an overhead sweep takedown. Unfortunately for Subasic his attempt failed and he was mounted for his troubles. From this position Espinasse was able to secure a mounted reverse triangle choke and Subasic submitted at 3:13.
Continuing the theme of fighter’s arriving incorrectly attired, Laurent Bonafoux arrived into the ring wearing his wrestling boots before being informed he would not be allowed to fight in them.
Nigel Whitear, a local fighter brought a lot of support with him, but was unable to enforce his will on the Frenchman in this fight. After a brief determined exchange Whitear was brought to the canvas by Bonafoux’s double-leg takedown. Bonafoux did not capitalize on his top position though and Whitear landed a number of good shots from the bottom guard.
This inactivity forced a standup after the regulation 60 seconds and a hard leg kick by Whitear resulted in him being put on his back again, this time Bonafoux managed to make it to side control where he landed some good elbow strikes. Whitear escapes to half guard but while eating shots his guard is passed again. Bonafoux sensing an opening, rolls into an armbar attempt but Whitear defends for dear life and Bonafoux wastes some energy trying to force the issue.
Whitear scrambles to his feet and Bonafoux, knowing his armbar has failed, locks in a standing guillotine, falls back and sweeps Whitear over his head. From the top mount position, Bonafoux jumps to side control securing the keylock submission at 3:35.
In the time it takes to turn to the person next to you and remark that Frederic Fernandez looks a lot like his brother Emmanuel, you’d have missed his fight with Ashleigh Grimshaw.
Following a right low kick from Grimshaw, which even the back rows could hear, Fernandez, a BJJ brown belt, used his strikes to flurry and catch Grimshaw, who was out before he hit the canvas.
The referee leapt on Grimshaw to protect him from damage and was pulled into guard by the dazed UK fighter. The Frenchman wins by KO at 0:16.
Standing at 6’2” tall, Philipp Schade makes for an intimidating figure in the lightweight division. But UK’s Dave Swann attempts to close in and take the bigger German down, to nullify his reach advantage in the stand-up. A failed takedown by Swann results in him being mounted, but he quickly escapes into Schade’s guard by bridging over. Schade, showing excellent jiu-jitsu, scissor sweeps Swann back into mount but just as before, Swann immediately reverses the position.
Schade tries to sweep again, but Swann is wise to this now, and showing good base begins to throw a series of powerful knees to Schade’s buttocks from within his guard.
The fighters are stood up after 60 seconds. Schade shoots in and slams Swann to the canvas, where Swann is again mounted. At this point Schade begins to throw a number of shots to set up the armbar, which he spins to. Swann slips out and from here on in begins his ascendancy.
Swann, taking a strange half “mount”/half “half guard” position — he’s mounted across Schade’s chest but with one of Schade’s legs inside and bent up against his upper body — begins to throw the first truly powerful punches of this match. Schade covers up desperately before attempting a sweep then a leg lock.
From this position Swann slides into full mount, where he rains a number of unanswered blows down on the German. With no intelligent defense forthcoming Swann wins by referee stoppage at 4:22.
Swann is visibly elated to have battled through such adversity to take the win and salutes the crowd for their support.
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