Blogs - Ipswich Star

Author

I’m Mark Heath, the Head of Sport at Archant Suffolk and, as you might expect, something of a sports fanatic.

But, while my peers crave football, rugby and cricket, my particular sporting passions lie more outside the mainstream – namely combat sports.

For me, boxing and mixed martial arts are the ultimate in athletic pursuits and in this blog I’ll be endeavouring to bring you all the best from those worlds.

They’re exciting, explosive, fast paced sports – and hopefully Bloody Nose will be the same!

Archives

Thai Fight Extreme 2012 - the brilliance of Buakaw

Posted 8 months ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

I was lucky enough to be one of the 3,000 or so folks in a sweaty tent hastily errected outside Leicester City's King Power Stadium for Thai Fight Extreme 2012 recently - and what an experience it was. To see Thai Boxing afforded that big of a stage in...

Preview: Vitali Klitschko versus Dereck Chisora

Posted over 1 year ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

LOSING two fights out of three isn't usually a route to a shot at the World Heavyweight title - but it's worked for brash Londoner Dereck Chisora. Del Boy faces massive Ukranian champ Vital Kiltschko in Munich on Saturday for the WBC title despite...

UFC 141 preview: Brock Lesnar vs Alistair Overeem

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

IN these days of pathetic heavyweight boxing, MMA is the only place to look for quality fights in the big man division. Tonight's mouth-watering match-up at UFC 141 between giants Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem is just such a bout. One-time WWE...

Can Carl Froch beat Andre Ward?

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

THE last big fight of the year pits our very own Carl Froch as an underdog against American Andre Ward in a dust-up to decide the best super-middleweight fighter in the world. Pretty much everyone in the boxing trade is predicting a win for the unbeaten...

Watch this: Marius Zaromskis lands a somersault kick....

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

AS modern mixed martial artists continue to develop new skills and tricks, we're seeing more and more attacks that look like they're straight out of a video game or far-fetched film - and I think this might be the best one yet... London-based...

Shogun-Hendo was epic, but did you see Michael Chandler-Eddie Alvarez fight?

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

IF you're any kind of fight fan at all, you'll still be recovering from the incredible Dan Henderson-Shogun Rua fight at UFC 139 - but there was another classic fight on the same night which you may have missed. While Hendo and Shogun were battering...

UFC on Fox and Pacquiao-Marquez - the best fight night of the year

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

Saturday night in America sees a watershed moment for combat sports - and if you consider yourself a fighting fan, you've got to be watching. First comes the big debut of the UFC on network channel Fox, with a one-hour show dedicated to just one fight...

RIP Smokin' Joe Frazier

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

"I'm happy the guy's in my time, and I'm sure he's happy I'm in his time. He wouldn't be making the money fighting those other guys that he made fighting me." 'Smoking' Joe Frazier, who died yesterday aged 67...

My picture of 2011 - BJ Penn and Nick Diaz post UFC 137

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

The old adage says that a picture can tell a thousand words - and it's bang on the money here. Take a look at this image. Nick Diaz, on the left, has just spent 15 minutes trading leather with MMA legend BJ Penn, on the right. Diaz won a classic fight...

The power of the elbow strike, plus Floyd Mayweather returns to face Victor Ortiz

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 1 comments

THIS year of matters feet and fistic has seen some truly jaw-dropping KO's - and now we can add Jordan Mein and his 'hellbows' into the mix. Mein decimated former Strikeforce title challenger Cyborg Santos with standing elbow strikes at last...

Marcus Aurelio's flying switch-kick KO...

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

Apologies, friends, for the extended blogging break, but I'm back with another great KO in this year of highlight-reel finishes - and this one's straight from a video game. Marcus Aurelio, known for his capoeira skills, pulled out a high-kicking...

WATCH THIS: Forget Kevin Mitchell and John Murray, Wolak-Rodriguez was the real fight of the year

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

Hopefully, most of you reading this blog will have enjoyed the thrilling Kevin Mitchell-John Murray dust-up on Saturday night. It was a gripping, back-and-forth war dripping in drama - but it wasn't even close to being the best fight of the weekend...

When in trouble, throw a spinning backfist!

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

ARTHUR Guseinov was in a spot of bother against Tyson Jeffries at last weekend's M-1Challenge 26 - until he pulled out a bit of razzle dazzle which left Jeffries firmly separated from his senses on the canvas... Nice. Understand, the spinning backfist...

Haye vs Klitschko aftermath: Give the Hayemaker a break, plus the KO of the year

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 2 comments

SO, David Haye lost the big fight with Wladimir Klitschko. Shame. But from the backlash against the mouthy Londoner, you'd think he'd shot the Queen. Yes, he talked a lot of smack before comprehensively losing a fight he promised he'd win...

David Haye vs Wladimir Klitschko preview: Guaranteed knockout?

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

IF you listen to David Haye, Saturday night's world heavyweight title fight between the Londoner and Ukranian Wladimir Klitschko will be over quickly and brutally in the Hayemaker's favour. Don't believe a word of it. In IBF and WBO belt holder...

Was Cheick Kongo's miracle KO of Pat Barry the best comeback ever?

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo was being soundly battered by hard-hitting foe Pat 'HD' Barry - downed twice, seemingly unconcious at least once and on seriously wobbly legs...

Barnett dominates at Strikeforce, Gina Carano's missed and a Rampage powerbomb...

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

So, what did we learn from Strikeforce: Overeem vs Werdum? Two things - Alistair Overeem is not the invicible super hero he's been made out to be, and Josh Barnett may be the man to steal his thunder. The main event was as bizarre as it was dull ...

Shot in the crotch - how rioting fans should be dealt with...

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

Vancover Canucks fans were so dismayed at last night's Game Seven Stanley Cup Finals loss to Boston Bruins that they did what any self-respecting mindless, drunk, moronic fans would do - took to the streets and starting smashing stuff up. Unfortunately...

UFC 131 aftermath: Sam Stout's classy KO and Shane Carwin's face

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 0 comments

So, another big MMA event is in the books - but what will we remember about UFC 131? Well, first and foremost it was a night of great fights. Not one bout on either the televised prelims or main card was a disappointment and there were some incredible...

UFC 131: Dos Santos vs Carwin - when the immovable object meets the irresistable force

Posted over 2 years ago by Mark Heath with 1 comments

IT'S somehow perfect that I'm starting this new blog on the eve of UFC 131 - because it boasts perhaps the most explosive, exciting fight of the year. In one corner for the heavyweight main event will stand 6ft 4ins, 238lbs Junior Dos Santos....

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Billboard

VICAR INSPIRED BY STAR TREK

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT