An intense atmosphere surrounded the suitably named nightclub ‘Asylum’, as hundreds of people gathered to watch Hull defeat York 5-3 in Mixed Martial Arts. The start was postponed due to a shortage of gym mats, but this only allowed for the crowd to get rowdier and more pumped up for the bouts that would follow.
It was a great start for York, as Nettie Borrill won the first match of the series via a unanimous judge’s decision. The first two rounds seemed to go in the favour of the Hull fighter, who seemed happy to perform most of her work on the ground. An excellent flip from Borrill in the third round turned the tide, however, and her dominance was rewarded with the victory.
The next two fights went in favour of Hull, as Conrad Greiner-Bechert and Adam Lewis both lost by judge’s verdict. This sent the Hull faithful into a torrent of cheers and shouts, adding to the already tempestuous atmosphere of the venue.
Both York fighters could justly feel unlucky, as the two matches were very close to call. Again, the Hull fighters worked best on the ground, and their arm work was a particular highlight, but they struggled to cope against kicks and a standing opponent. These two matches could have definitely gone either way, and a roaring Hull crowd may have influenced the judge’s decisions.
Dimitri Kyriakou stepped in for the following fight as York’s original combatant did not make the weight class, but managed to win through a unanimous verdict. Kyriakou was dominant, and even a ball shaped missile thrown from the crowd could not ruin what was an intense and competitive fight. This tied the scores at 2-2 and it was obvious that both teams were well matched.
York’s Reda Bouchaib was closely defeated in the next fight, one that was entertaining due to its significance, and the fighter’s acknowledgement of the crowd. It was followed by a win for Jonathan Coe, whose dominance could be seen through the lock he had his opponent in throughout the match.
With the score 4-3 in Hull’s favour, the concluding fight saw Herbert Litsenburg defeated by the Hull fighter, in what was an epic clash that epitomised the evening of bouts and confirmed the fight in their favour. Herbert seemed aggrieved by the judge’s decision at the end of the match, as he did seem to be on top for greater parts, using his strength to dominate his opponent. It was nice to see the two combatants discussing their fight over a pint afterwards, leaving any grievances they may have felt within the ring. True sportsmanship.