Less than a year ago Beverley MMA formed, unlike most MMA clubs that had cages to practice in and a dedicated coaching team, offering multiple training sessions every week, Beverley MMA operated one night a week only, with one sole coach Peter Wright.
Despite the humble set up Beverley MMA has enjoyed lots of success. All their fighters cleaned up at the Hull and District Grappling Championship earlier this year, winning the Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight and Heavy Weight divisions. Two of the finals on that day were even entirely contested by the Beverley MMA camp, so they ended up with two silver place finishes too.
Davy Clark won the welterweight division and Jake Hart-Fisher won the Middleweight division. After that event Jake Hart-Fisher competed in an amateur MMA fight and won convincingly via arm-bar in the first round. Both Clark and Hart-Fisher had begged Wright for a semi-pro fight, Wright was hesitant mainly as he felt the camp did not train enough to compete with other gyms.
So he set up another night and worked predominantly on striking. What he saw in Clark was a brawler not as technical as himself but a guy who hit hard and could take a hit too, with an outstanding guillotine choke. Hart-Fisher on the other hand was less commanding on his feet, and telegraphed his striking, his work ethic and stamina however were astounding, and with a judo background, his take-downs were some of the best Wright had ever seen.
Then with just a weeks notice Neal Lofts asked if Beverley MMA had any fighters who could help save his show due to several fighters pulling out of his event. Wright wanted to help out and offered it to Clark and Hart-Fisher who both stood up to the plate and accepted their fights, which took place on Friday 19 August. Hart-Fisher fought first, against an opponent from Rotherham MMA, from the first second Hart-Fisher dominated the fight, picking his opponent up in the air and slamming him on his head, then taking mount and punishing him with crippling shots to his ribs.
It was clear by the end of the first round that the guy did not want to be in there against such a vicious opponent, Wright smelt blood and told Hart-Fisher to capitalise and make the guy quit. The advice was right as come the second round after a beautiful judo throw which saw Hart-Fisher once again fully mount his opponent, he then competently applied his signature move, winning by arm-bar again!
Clark then took on another fighter from the same Rotherham camp; there had unfortunately been some mix up with the weight division and Clark who had weighed in at 77 KG ended up fighting a guy who weighed 84 KG which is a massive weight difference and counts for a lot when both skill sets are evenly matched.
Clark came out swinging and hurt his opponent off the first barrage, who decided he wanted none of it and pressed Clark up against the cage wall, Clark showed some good take down defence but his opponent was relentless and the size advantage was taking its toll. Clark threw a left knee to his opponent’s jaw, he was clearly rocked by this but somehow managed to keep his composure and shot straight in for a double leg take-down.
Clark then applied his signature move, the guillotine choke which looked tight and had his opponent in real danger of being put asleep. Clark unfortunately did not have him in his full guard though and his opponent managed to get in to side guard and out of danger. By the end of the first round his opponent looked fatigued and there to be beat.
In the second round Clark came out with a flurry and landed a big over hand right that again rocked his opponent, who showed he had a good chin as he pushed Clark up against the cage wall again. Clark then made the mistake of pushing away with his left arm, which his opponent then clasped, applying an arm-triangle choke.
Both fighters can take great pride in their performances, Wright was over the moon with their displays and hopes both fighters press on from here, as both have outstanding potential. Beverley MMA is on every Friday between 17:00 – 18:15 at SGB Fitness, 7 – 11 Priory Road Industrial Estate, Beverley, HU17 OEW.
