{"id":30945,"date":"2019-01-17T11:45:22","date_gmt":"2019-01-17T11:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=30945"},"modified":"2019-01-17T11:45:22","modified_gmt":"2019-01-17T11:45:22","slug":"wales-mma-and-the-american-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/01\/17\/wales-mma-and-the-american-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Wales, MMA and the American Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-30743\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"907\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-770x578.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-1400x1050.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-30743\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"907\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-770x578.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-1400x1050.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 907px) 100vw, 907px\" \/><\/noscript><br \/>\nMILLENNIUM STADIUM, NOVEMBER\u00a02007. Cardiff rejoices as their hometown hero asserts his position as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in the world in front of 50,000 adoring fans.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nLittle did those fans know it would be\u00a0Joe\u00a0Calzaghe\u2019s last outing in the Welsh capital, with the lure of America and big-money bouts against Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr drawing the\u00a0Italian\u00a0Dragon away from his beloved supporters.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nThe wait for another superhero has been long overdue, with fans yearning for a new name to sing in bars and pubs long into the night.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nBoxing has been a staple of the Welsh sporting identity, but today there is a new sporting phenomenon on the rise, and Wales is leading the charge in its growth.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nVIOLA ARENA, DECEMBER\u00a02018. Cardiff rejoices as a young man from Abertillery lays down a marker for what many will hope and pray to be a fruitful career.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nJack Shore\u2019s emphatic third round\u00a0victory\u00a0over Brixton\u2019s Mike\u00a0Ekundayo\u00a0firmly established the 23-year-old as one to watch in the world of mixed martial arts\u00a0(MMA), as he became\u00a0Cage Warriors bantamweight\u00a0champion.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nMMA\u00a0has come a long way since it first arrived on these shores. While Calzaghe was winning the hearts and minds of people the world over, the British Medical Association in 2007 tried to have the sport banned in this country.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nFast forward to December 2018, where\u00a0five Welshmen competed on the Cage Warriors 100 card alongside Shore. The surge for an illustrious career in the octagon is clear for all to see.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cThe beauty of our sport is that you\u2019re practicing a whole range of disciplines. You\u2019ve got wrestling,\u00a0jiu\u00a0jitsu, boxing,\u00a0muy\u00a0thai\u00a0and judo,\u201d says Danny Williams, an amateur fighter from Pwllheli, North Wales.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nWilliams has been training out of\u00a0Hamma\u00a0Gym in Pwllheli for five years now. The 27-year-old has quit his job at his local ASDA supermarket\u00a0to focus solely on his dream.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cIt\u2019s my life, it\u2019s my religion,\u201d he added.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_30744\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-30744\" style=\"width: 419px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-30744\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"419\" height=\"233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-770x428.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-500x278.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-293x163.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907.jpg 1125w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-30744\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-30744\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"419\" height=\"233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-770x428.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-500x278.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907-293x163.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1907.jpg 1125w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><\/noscript> Arbetillery&#8217;s Jack Shore moments after capturing the Cage Warriors Bantamweight title<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\nThe North Walian has a mixed record at amateur level. However, an impressive win on December 8 has got the ball rolling on professional contract negotiations with Cage Warriors\u2019 top brass.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cFive wins with Cage Warriors and I could get signed with the UFC. I believe the way I\u2019m growing it\u2019s looking like those doors are opening 100%. I\u2019ve just got to win.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a very tough sport to make money from. Even if you\u2019re very good at it you\u2019re not going to get a great pay \u2013 you\u00a0have to\u00a0be very good at marketing.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nMany fighters from across Great Britain and Europe share the same dream \u2013 to break through and earn a lucrative contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in America.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nWelshmen Brett Johns,\u00a0John Phillips\u00a0and Jack Marshman have made the leap from Wales across the Atlantic Ocean. The latter fights out of Tillery Combat Gym and is a teammate of Jack Shore.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nThe gym, which opened in 2008, is run by Shore\u2019s father Richard. He says the sport has made great steps since his days competing at amateur and professional level.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cIt was very different back then to what it is today,\u201d Richard reflected: \u201cThe MMA scene is really booming in Wales.\u201d<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nTillery Combat Gym is based in\u00a0Blaenau, Gwent. The area is one of the poorest in Britain,\u00a0with some of the highest\u00a0unemployment\u00a0figures in the country.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cFinancially, it&#8217;s not a great place to be,\u201d Richard continued \u201cMMA gives youngsters something to do and keeps them on the straight and narrow.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cJack (Shore) has set the standard, people know if they come to our gym, we can improve your striking, your wrestling and your\u00a0jiu\u00a0jitsu.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cI think it\u2019s great to see what we\u2019re doing is working and Jack has proven that with the world title on the weekend.\u201d<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nRichard has seen first-hand the potential growth of the sport in this country, but\u00a0recognises\u00a0the need for support from some of the nation\u2019s biggest influencers.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cWhat we need is a bit of backing off the BBC, ITV, and other big broadcasters to get the growth. I\u2019d like to see more of it on the news.&#8221;<br \/>\nThe future is certainly bright for Jack Shore. His victory last Saturday extended his professional record to 10-0. It is surely only a matter of time before he follows in the footsteps of his fellow countrymen to the bright lights of the UFC.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cWe\u2019ve spoken to the UFC and they have tried to sign Jack in the past,\u201d Richard\u00a0said, \u201cwe\u2019ll see out the contract (with Cage Warriors). He is two fights into a five-fight contract.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cAt 23 there\u2019s no rush, he\u2019s having a great experience fighting in front of big arenas and Cage Warriors are really looking after him.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cI don\u2019t just want him to go there (to the UFC) and compete, I want him going in and dominating like George Saint Pierre and\u00a0Conor\u00a0McGregor.\u201d\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nAnother Welshman hoping to make waves inside the cage is Oban Elliott. The 20-year-old, from\u00a0Merthyr\u00a0Tydfil, has a perfect amateur record of 7-0, and is on the cusp of a professional deal with Cage Warriors.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nElliott fights out of Impact Gym, in Bristol, where he is studying business at University of West England.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nThe dream can\u2019t get much bigger for the youngster.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cI want to be one of the biggest names in the sport. I can see there being a UFC card in Wales in the future, 100%.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cIt\u2019s massively growing, especially with the boys like Brett Johns, Jack Marshman and now Jack Shore<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n\u201cRight\u00a0now,\u00a0Wales is all about rugby and boxing, but MMA is really starting to grow. It\u2019s going to be the next hotbed in Wales.\u201d<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nThe progress MMA has made in this country is indisputable, and, with the steps taken by Welsh fighters such as Brett Johns and Jack Shore, the pathway to success, the kind enjoyed by Calzaghe, certainly looks clearer.\u00a0<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MILLENNIUM STADIUM, NOVEMBER\u00a02007. Cardiff rejoices as their hometown hero asserts his position as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in the world in front of 50,000 adoring fans.\u00a0\u00a0 Little did those fans know it would be\u00a0Joe\u00a0Calzaghe\u2019s last outing in the Welsh capital, with the lure of America and big-money bouts against Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr drawing the\u00a0Italian\u00a0Dragon away from his beloved supporters.\u00a0\u00a0 The wait for another superhero has been long overdue, with fans yearning for a new name [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":30743,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176,14,4,113],"tags":[1601,74,339],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-30945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-longer-reads","category-sport","category-uncategorised","tag-mma","tag-sport-2","tag-wales"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Wales, MMA and the American Dream - The Cardiffian<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/01\/17\/wales-mma-and-the-american-dream\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wales, MMA and the American Dream - The Cardiffian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MILLENNIUM STADIUM, NOVEMBER\u00a02007. Cardiff rejoices as their hometown hero asserts his position as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in the world in front of 50,000 adoring fans.\u00a0\u00a0 Little did those fans know it would be\u00a0Joe\u00a0Calzaghe\u2019s last outing in the Welsh capital, with the lure of America and big-money bouts against Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr drawing the\u00a0Italian\u00a0Dragon away from his beloved supporters.\u00a0\u00a0 The wait for another superhero has been long overdue, with fans yearning for a new name [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/01\/17\/wales-mma-and-the-american-dream\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Cardiffian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-01-17T11:45:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2018\/12\/IMG_1888-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Oliver Lewis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Oliver Lewis\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/01\/17\/wales-mma-and-the-american-dream\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/01\/17\/wales-mma-and-the-american-dream\/\",\"name\":\"Wales, MMA and the American Dream - 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