Ward / McConnell

SAZER01

Hi Folks, I am one of the gentlemen that stepped into the ring after the Ward/McConnell fight. Myself and Don have privately apologised to John and Jason, we would like to use this forum to publicly apologise to them. We have supported them at all the chaos events and hold them both in high regard for the time and commitment that they have for the sport. Secondly we have made efforts to contact the staff and coaches of the strabane team to apologise to them and we would like to use this forum to publicly apologise to them. We would also like to aplogise to the fighters and trainers on the rest of the card that night as there efforts and training seem to be overshadowed by the events after the Ward/McConnell fight. Finally we would like to apologise to the fight community for blemishing an otherwise excellent night.
I am in no way trying to justify entering the ring but I tried to get a member of McConnells fans down who was verbally and trying physically to abuse Liam Ward. She reacted by punching me in the teeth, it was then in my foolishness I entered the ring, not with the intention of hurting anyone but to defuse the situation. This was a bad mistake as it added fuel to the fire. My friend Don saw an altercation and then entered the ring thinking I was in trouble, he knows this was a mistake and has apologised for being so aggressive. We at no time struck anyone or pulled a childs hair of that I am certain. In retrospect I no that the two fighters and a small minority of the crowd (i put myself top of that list) behaved unacceptable. MMA in Ireland is in its infancy and we feel embarassed that we have in some way tarnished it's reputation. I hope that myself and the others involved including the two fighters have learnt lessons from that night and I hope that those concerned will accept our apoligy.

Crocop legend

I still don't condone the actions of Liam Ward though.Not saying you guys would be forgiven but would all this have happened if Liam had the sense and not thrown the headbutt?I've watched the guy fight a few times and he is a tit,plain and simple and I say good-riddance to being thuggish!I am not trying to re-open a thread that has been closed by the mods but it must have taken guts to apologise to John and Jason and come on here so I respect you for that.It has made a lot of people in the mma district very upset and another incident like that will surely cripple the sport.

GSPfan

The apology to John and Jason is spot on. And a public apology is not necessary but a nice touch. I think we should all live and let live. Nobody died after all! Now lets talk about Shogun beating Machida.

O'Leprosy

Anyone got this 'incident' on tape ? Could they post it on youtube if they have . Anyway, I was not there but look, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, SIMILIAR HAS HAPENED BEFORE. Their was a total moron incident in Dublin a few years ago when Dub Owen Roddy got knocked out by a haymaker from a Swedish fighter in the 2nd round. About 15+ scummers jumping into the cage to have a go at the Swede ( brave men 15+ but that's scumbags for you). Luckily a bunch of lads from a BJJ club had gone to the fight together seated beside the cage and confronted them in and around the ring. After half a minute of handbags the scummers backed off ofcourse.

Ian Freeman was MC for the night and came on saying he had been to MMA events around the world and never seen anything like this ( is this an Irish phoneomenon ? ) and slagged them off how brave 15+ were to have a go at a man who had by fair means won a good fight. To which Ian got a standing round of appalause - as the scumbags were been thrown out. Their was also another fiasco down in the point when if I remember Jimmy Curran or his management refused to take the fight though he was top of the fight card.

So it's not the end of the world, but are these incidents unique to MMA in Ireland ?

pierrot

SAZER01 wrote: »

Hi Folks, I am one of the gentlemen that stepped into the ring after the Ward/McConnell fight.

???

The Chisel

O'Leprosy wrote: »

So it's not the end of the world, but are these incidents unique to MMA in Ireland ?

Not at all - there was a full blown riot in Coventry at Cage Warriors in May 2005.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Riot-Police-Called-In-After-Violence-Erupts-at-CageWarriors-2864

And I was at a Cage Warriors show in Coventry in Oct 2005, and a bunch of Indian guys started throwing stuff at the cage when their friend lost his fight, and it almost kicked off again. Around 20 of them erupted looking for a fight and Ian Freeman had to calm them down.

And that's just one promotion, in one venue, in the space of one year. It's far from isolated - and considering Ian Freeman was MC at both of those events, his comments about him "never seeing anything like this" is clearly bullsh*t.
It's just the type of crowd MMA attracts, due to the nature of the sport - fighting.

Professey Chin

The Chisel wrote: »

Not at all - there was a full blown riot in Coventry at Cage Warriors in May 2005.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Riot-Police-Called-In-After-Violence-Erupts-at-CageWarriors-2864

And I was at a Cage Warriors show in Coventry in Oct 2005, and a bunch of Indian guys started throwing stuff at the cage when their friend lost his fight, and it almost kicked off again. Around 20 of them erupted looking for a fight and Ian Freeman had to calm them down.

And that's just one promotion, in one venue, in the space of one year. It's far from isolated - and considering Ian Freeman was MC at both of those events, his comments about him "never seeing anything like this" is clearly bullsh*t.
It's just the type of crowd MMA attracts, due to the nature of the sport - fighting.

Well in all fairness he's hardly gonna say "Ah dont worry lads,this happens all the time"

arybvtcw0eolkf

OP, seriously - who are you?.

Its all very well throwing yourself in front of the crowd here & begging for forgiveness but when its done behind an anonymous screen name it carries little meaning or weight.

.

The Chisel

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Well in all fairness he's hardly gonna say "Ah dont worry lads,this happens all the time"

Well duh! I only made that reference in reply to O'Leprosy, since he thought Freeman's comments implied thuggery at MMA shows was an "Irish phenomenon".

Roper

O'Leprosy wrote: »

Anyone got this 'incident' on tape ? Could they post it on youtube if they have . Anyway, I was not there but look, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, SIMILIAR HAS HAPENED BEFORE. Their was a total moron incident in Dublin a few years ago when Dub Owen Roddy got knocked out by a haymaker from a Swedish fighter in the 2nd round. About 15+ scummers jumping into the cage to have a go at the Swede ( brave men 15+ but that's scumbags for you). Luckily a bunch of lads from a BJJ club had gone to the fight together seated beside the cage and confronted them in and around the ring. After half a minute of handbags the scummers backed off ofcourse.

That's factually incorrect on so many levels. A few of which are:

1. The fighter in question was french
2. The even was in a boxing ring not a cage
3. There was a max of about 8 lads
4. They didn't seem to be trying to enter the ring at all, just trying to pick a fight with security.

Mark Hamill

O'Leprosy wrote: »

So it's not the end of the world, but are these incidents unique to MMA in Ireland ?

I wouldn't even say these type of things are unique to MMA in general, you can get such a fight happening around most any sport.
That does not in anyway mean that such actions are acceptable though. Regardless of how often or where they happen, they should always be condemned and those involved seriously reprimanded.

muckwarrior

Mark Hamill wrote: »

I wouldn't even say these type of things are unique to MMA in general, you can get such a fight happening around most any sport.

True, but such events have a much greater potential to damage the sport of MMA. It's the kind of thing ignorant critics will pounce on and use to back up their arguments. That's why I think there should be a zero tolerance attitude toward it.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Lads your missing the point here.

Yes there's been trouble at Irish MMA events before, and probably even Irish cricket match's - however whats unique in this situation is that the actions of one, or probably two fighters directly led to an an escalation in violence which (it would appear) spilled over into the crowd.

The trouble at the Roddy fight(s) was nothing to do with the actions of either fighter.

.

O'Leprosy

Roper wrote: »

That's factually incorrect on so many levels. A few of which are:

1. The fighter in question was french
2. The even was in a boxing ring not a cage
3. There was a max of about 8 lads
4. They didn't seem to be trying to enter the ring at all, just trying to pick a fight with security.

Please can you ever find it to forgive me Roper, as I'm not the young bucko that you are and my memory plays tricks on me from time to time

SAZER01

Florence Scrawny Birthday wrote: »

OP, seriously - who are you?.

Its all very well throwing yourself in front of the crowd here & begging for forgiveness but when its done behind an anonymous screen name it carries little meaning or weight.

.

MAYBE YOU HAVE MISREAD MY ORIGINAL APOLOGY, I SAID THAT I WENT TO THE CONCERNED PARTIES AND APOLOGISED IN PRIVATE (FACE TO FACE). I DIDN'T HIDE BEHIND ANY SCREEN NAME. AT NO TIME IN MY MESSAGE DID I BEG FOR ANYTHING. GLAD I COULD CLEAR THIS UP FOR YOU MR MAKIKOMI...

The Chisel

Florence Scrawny Birthday wrote: »

OP, seriously - who are you?.

Its all very well throwing yourself in front of the crowd here & begging for forgiveness but when its done behind an anonymous screen name it carries little meaning or weight.

.

Why do you keep putting a . two lines below the end of your posts?

arybvtcw0eolkf

I had a really funny reply done up, but then thought 'why bother'.

( DOT )

Nothingcompares

From reading the posts on this forum and others about this issue one thing is clear. Liam Ward had a reputation and track record for being the exact type of guy you don't want training in your gym/drinking in your pub/driving your bus. Therefore, I must ask Jason Mc and the other people who coached him/managed him/put him on the card why they did it?

Were they giving him the benefit of the doubt? Let him redeem himself after previous mistakes (getting kicked out of both boxing clubs and kickboxing clubs?).

did they see him as a quick and easy method to shift 50 tickets for their next event?

Were they just totally ignorant?

I've seen a couple of 'tough men' come through the doors of martial arts clubs. Usually they either get bored of getting beaten up during class by more technical people and leave, they continue to act like jerks and are asked to leave or they are humbled by the experience and change their ways.

Maybe I'm the only one that thinks the team at Chaos owe 'us' an explanation. it's all well and good saying it will never happen again but why did it happen in the first place?

GSPfan

Nothingcompares wrote: »

Maybe I'm the only one that thinks the team at Chaos owe 'us' an explanation. it's all well and good saying it will never happen again but why did it happen in the first place?

They don't owe anyone an explanation. It happened, its over. The dent in their reputation is sufficient enough punishment (if thats what you want to call it). I think its best we just leave it at that. Dragging it into a second week is multiplying the damage already done.

Nothingcompares

I don't agree with you at all. There has been almost no 'punishment' to use your word. They full heartedly and knowingly put a complete scumbag on their card and he assaulted someone. They've damaged the sport (not significantly). There was an apology issued to the people that paid to see that sham and some kind of promise the scumbag won't be on the card again. I'm expecting an explanation I won't hold my breath. I don't speak for MMA in Ireland nor do you GSPFan so I can sit and wait for Jason's response if I want.

GSPfan

ok.........

thebandit01

For a start i have fought dom's and he's not a bad lad...
he is a pro fighter and should know better than to get mixed up in a brawl in the middle of the ring after he just won.. it was not very sportsmanship what he did after the fight. i was there and saw all!!! And ward what a twat i hope i never see him again in any mma gyn or show... he walks about the show, shorts on hands wrapped b4 it even starts... so everyone can see, and shadow boxing in the middle of the crowd what kind of dickhead would do anything like that...
From my personl opinion i would give dom's a year's ban and id never wanna see ward in another show again

Nothingcompares

Why would you ban Dom for? You can't ban people for ungentlemanly conduct. You ban people for assaulting people and encouraging a group of people to riot. This Ward lad was obviously a muppet it's still a mystery how he got inside a MMA event in the first place.

terrytheterrier

nothingcompares is the only man talking any sense.He has raised some fair and valid points about the show and gym in question.

thebandit, i was there too with my children. Doms was a victim of a situation that was thrust upon him from where i was sitting. First- hand gestures, biting, grabbing the groin and finally got head butted.
Im not surprised that he reacted. what i am surprised at is that he didnt act sooner as i feel that many a man may not have let it go so long.

Bandit, As a pro fighter, how long would it have taken you to react to an opponent like that?

thebandit01

as a pro fighter if i had don anything like that i think my manager would have alot to say and i dont think i would b welcome in the club anymore. dom should have been the biger man and walk away... im not saying anything about dom but that kind of thing cant go on in irish mma... i was in doncaster fighting and a riot started, and the show had to b could off and we never got to fight,, im sure everyone knows about it, it was in the sun news paper, and what kind of name do u think that give anyone in mma.. but at the end of the day ward is full of hot air and is just in mma to say he is a CAGE FIGHTER

wandy

I havent seen the incident so am not gonna post thinking my opinion is better than anyone else's opinion. However I think that since Ward has been banned from his local club & apologies have been issued by everyone at fault here then we shouldnt drag this on. Maybe the guys at Evolve were taking a risk putting him on the card but they probably just wanted to give the lad a chance, maybe they were not aware of his previous offences . I too will wait for Evolves statement on the matter but I feel continuing to talk on the matter is dragging is silly. Anyone typing Irish MMA into a search engine will be directed here and will not get the best opinon of the sport on this wee island if we keep talking bout this one bad incident. I say close the thread and only let Evolve respond

McManus

link to the fight removed.

GSPfan

Can of Worms about to explode.

terrytheterrier

that looks terrible even on tape.

cowzerp

Closed, dont start up another thread on this as its been done to death.