Sunday, August 23rd 2009 / London - UK

The original headline fight for UCUK between Neil “Goliath” Grove and Markus Hipp fell apart at the last minute with Hipp apparently taken from the venue to hospital suffering from dizziness and vomiting. However, despite the loss of the main event, Payback was UCUK’s best show thus far, highlighted by a flying triangle and concluding with a frightening knockout.

Jimi Manuwa’s power was on display again as he put away Luke Blyth to defend his Light-Heavyweight title. After some cage-rattling ground and pound from Manuwa in the first, he put his stamp on the fight in round two with a single sledgehammer left hook that dropped Blyth stone cold. Manuwa’s sheer strength is his greatest asset and his performance tonight seems likely to discourage any potential claimants to his strap.

In the other title bout on the bill, Dave Lee came out strong and fast against Brad Pickett in their featherweight encounter. Lee scored two impressive high impact takedowns but Pickett’s scramble is slick and he never stayed on his back for long. As Lee drove into him again, Pickett dropped to his back and sunk in a tight guillotine for the tap. Pickett has his eyes on moving to 135 and fights overseas. He’ll certainly be missed if he leaves the UK circuit behind for good.

Shaun Lomas caught a standing guillotine to submit Jamie Hearn in their Light-Heavyweight match, getting Lomas back on track after his loss to Chris Grieg at the last UCUK.

Paul Reed and Brad Wheeler fought three technical rounds on the floor. Wheeler looked for submissions off his back, but could not stop Reed’s takedowns. Known for some impressive striking, both standing and on the floor, Reed was off form tonight. Feeling the effects of a big weight cut, much of the snap was missing from his punches but he dominated Wheeler for the unanimous decision. Reed wants a rematch with Pickett but he either needs to reduce his cut or consider a return to lightweight.

Submission of the night belonged to Wesley Johnson. Grappling against the fence with Danny Fletcher, Johnson responded to an ankle-pick attempt with a flying triangle, securing the tap out in very impressive fashion. Johnson has yet to see the second round and the future looks bright if he can build on this momentum. 

Controversy marred the welterweight match between Lee Doski and Jamaine Facey. Doski had Facey’s back and was hunting for a choke when referee Leon Roberts stopped the fight, believing Facey was out because his eyes weren’t moving and he was staring straight up. To Roberts’ surprise, Facey was still conscious and understandably upset at the stoppage. Doski promised him a rematch so hopefully this will be settled in the near future.

After exchanging failed guillotine attempts, Ashley “Lock It In” Pollard and Ian Hawkings had what can only be described as a hockey fight without the ice skates, standing toe-to-toe and swinging from next week. Pollard got the better of the haymakers and referee Grant Waterman had to step in to save the badly dazed Hawkings as he staggered across the cage out on his feet. Hardly the Sweet Science as there was not a straight punch in sight. 

Jack Magee took some stinging kicks from Richard Griffin in the opening salvos of their match, but once they clinched Magee brought Griffin down and mounted him. As Griffin went to reverse, Magee rolled beautifully into a triangle for the tap out, all the more impressive given that he took the match on two days notice. Griffin was left punching the canvas in frustration.

Jimi Manuwa defeated Luke Blyth by KO 4:22 R2

Brad Pickett defeated Dave Lee by Guillotine 2:26 R1

Shaun Lomas defeated Jamie Hearn by Standing Guillotine 3:42 R1

Paul Reed defeated Brad Wheeler by Unanimous Decision

Wesley Johnson defeated Danny Fletcher by Triangle 1:02 R1

Lee Doski defeated Jamaine Facey by Rear Naked Choke 4:09 R1

Ashley “Lock It In” Pollard defeated Ian Hawkings TKO 3:10 R1

Jack Magee defeated Richard Griffin by Triangle 1:02 R1

John Kelly defeated Alex Harvey by TKO 2:59 R2

Radek Piechnik defeated Roy Allison by TKO (G’n’P) 2:24 R1

Kickboxing
Jason Young defeated Azran Quasid by Unanimous Decision