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Agony and Ecstasy at MMA League Dublin Print E-mail
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Written by MarkLeonard   
Saturday, 21 November 2009 22:38

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It was a huge event in St. Andrews College in Dublin, the venue for MMA League Dublin, 130 fighters converged from all around the country to vie for the coveted titles of League Champion. The band of Point Blank fighters had to brave through the floods and the rain to make it to Dublin for this event, but Spirits were high when they arrived. The Point Blank League Team of Darren, Dave, Ollie, Bobby, Liam, Michael, Gary, Sean and Alan lined out with the other hopefuls to try and make their mark in the annals of League History forever.

Daren and Sean both demonstrated great improvement since there last run out at the League, though both wound up only having one match, the consistent training paid dividends in their matches, Sean's savvy grappling under pressure and Darren's able technique made for fast paced matches that had them both in the ascendancy for the duration. Darren was able to covert this dominance to a win, but Sean fell slightly short, as his opponent kept a python like grip on his neck that made executing a finish very difficult.

Gary asked to be matched with Division Champion Robert Arlovsky, and just didn't find his rhythm against the tremendously capable Arlovsky, presumably a  brother to Andre. His second match the Gary we know emerged again taking the match by the scruff from the get go and netting a win by Arm Bar. Alan's first opponent made GSP look out of shape , and his tremendous physique was no false front belying a strong wrestling and grappling, Alan weathered the storm to emerge with a draw. His second match was a back and forth exchange of technical excellence that saw the round finish scoreless with Alan in mount prepared to fire a submission attempt but just out of time.

Michael decided to take the bull by the horns and get into the League for the first time in the final event, a risky proposition as the amount of first timers around were much fewer. Mike proved he has more than enough cahones for the event, taking his first match up by DQ and going the distance in his second, a tremendous achievement for someone training a relatively short time. Dave showed greatly improved striking in both his matches, and an air of confidence that will serve him well in events to come, but sometimes things just don't quite fall right, regardless how well you are doing and he couldn't land the submission.

Liam was up against a more experienced fighter in the finals of his teen division and it was uphill from the off. Liam moved well and avoided taking dmaage in the striking range, on the ground i was all he could do to hold off Spartan MMA's Thomas Martin as he attacked with an array of submissions. In the end he succumbed to an Arm Bar, but has nothing to be ashamed of. In his second match up you could see vengeance etched in his stance as the fight began and he did just that reversing the outcome of his previous match to earn a win by arm bar.

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Ollie O'Neill carried the second of Galway's 3 League Championship hopes with him into the finals against John Murphy. The two had a back and forth opening minute, but Ollie started to score points for remaining on top and landing damage. Towards the end of the round just as it seemed the title had to be coming to Point Blank he took mount and landed a punch to the face of his opponent. Referee Owen Roddy administered the compulsory disqualification giving Murphy the win and relegating the people's champ to runner-up for 09. A cruel twist of fate for a tremendous year for Ollie, but have no doubt the most changed man in Point Blank Gym will be back in 2010.

Bobby Huxford may as well have been in a League on his own this year, the 16 year old version of GSP took all of his matches this year by sweet submission victory and the Dublin Leg was to be no exception. He decimated his opponents taking both victories by righteous arm bar. Bobby Huxford, the new MMA League Teen Welterweight Champion is an inspiration to fighters many years his senior. Well done Bobby, you are the quintessential Ultimate Fighter!

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Last Updated on Saturday, 21 November 2009 22:50
 

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