MMA League 2005 - "Renaissance"

mark.leonard

The MMA League is back, bigger and better than ever! After a very successful first year, the league returns to Galway, where it all began, this time hosted by the NUI, Galway Taekwondo club

This event is an open beginner's MMA competition, taking place on the 27th of February in Westside Community Center, Galway. Kick off is at 12 noon, with fighters asked to weigh in from 10:30. This competition is geared towards fighters with a base in grappling, striking or both, who want to test their training in a free fighting event.

There will be no head-shots allowed standing or on the ground for these matches, so it will be a safe environment for new comers to test their skills. Wins will be by submission or KO, with no judges scoring the fights, and will take place over 1 x 5 minute round. Each competitor will have two fights on the day. The bouts will be fought in a matted area which will hopefully be a more familiar environment for most first time MMA fighters than a ring or a cage.

Rookie Clause

The Rookie Clause is a new feature in the league this year and is designed specifically to encourage first timers to have a go; if you indicate on your entry form that you have never fought in the league before then your 2 matches at the event will be against other first timers only. This allows complete beginners a chance to gain experience in their first event without having to worry about facing veterans of the league from last year.

For more information and an entry form log on to http://www.mmaleague.com

columok

Lads I thoroughly recommend this to any martial artist out there- traditional or otherwise! Its a brilliant acid test of your training methods and more importantly a fantastic (almost deadly;)) buzz!

The competition is brilliantly run, the competitors very friendly and sporting and the matches are very well refereed by Mark and Tom (both very experienced MMA fighters and coaches).

Sign up and you wont regret it. What do you have to lose!!!??????

Tim_Murphy

Great competitions to get experience in! I would highly recommend these to anyone with an interest in MMA. I had only ever competed in TKD and Kickboxing competitions before the first MMA league, so you don't need to be a BJJ head for it (although it helps!).

Millionaire

Best of look with the league lads. Looks like a great idea to encourage peole to along.

Wish I was a young buck again, and more time to train, and I would give it a lash too!

mark.leonard

We have a guy training with us who is just turned forty and taking part in Renaissance - his first time entering this kind of a competition - you are never too old!

Millionaire

Fair Play to him. thats cool. he's doing MMA?

Me..I done my bit back when doing he FC kickboxing years ago. man the thought for training extra nights a week, doing road work, watching the diet, and travelling the lenght of Ireland or England to compete, don't just rock my boat anymore. its was great at the time, but no way do I miss it now.

I think my 2 nights and a beer after suits me down to the gorund these days! :-)

patjunfa

Looks like fun. No head shots! I suppose it's nice to be able to compete without people in work asking if youv'e been fighting cause your nose and eye's are busted. Might be hard to not attack this most instinctive target though, unless your kyokyshinki? Gives a bit of an advantage to graplers over strikers. Leg kicks allowed? Guessing full contact to the body. Are these intro leval comps in Dublin ever.

columok

Looks like fun. No head shots! I suppose it's nice to be able to compete without people in work asking if youv'e been fighting cause your nose and eye's are busted. Might be hard to not attack this most instinctive target though, unless your kyokyshinki? Gives a bit of an advantage to graplers over strikers. Leg kicks allowed? Guessing full contact to the body. Are these intro leval comps in Dublin ever.

The MMA league rules do indeed favour grapplers over strikers but a striker with a good sprawl and brawl game can do well. Also with no head shots its much harder to level change under a punch and clinch as the strikers are directed to the body.

It is indeed full contact to the body and legs.

The MMA League had its 2004 final round in UCD in November Last. AFAIK the final round this year will be returning to UCD!

mark.leonard

Colum is correct on all counts. If you want to stand a chance of winning a division though you will need to leave Dublin (I know shock horror!) and fight in at least one other event.
All the rules are up on the website http://www.mmaleague.com, but to summarise the striking knees and punches are allowed to the legs and body. No strikes to the head are allowed, and I agree that it takes some getting used to, but we had several guys from boxing backgrounds who were able to adapt and not go for head shots, so with a bit of practice there shouldn't be a problem.

Colm_OReilly

I fully endorse the MMA League. A great way for people to enter competition. It is the smoothest run competition I've ever been at, a real friendly environment with a knowledgable crowd. You'd be hard pushed not to be impressed!

Colm

columok

And afterwards PART-AY TIME all arranged by the lads in g-g-g-galway!

PLUS: The bonus of seeing that Clive doesnt just exist in internet form but in the real world too!