Castletown kickboxer Lewis Garside clinches British MMA title ahead of big city show at The Point

Lewis Garside celebrates his British title triumph

The 26-year-old Spartan Fighting Arts Academy member took on Welsh fighter Scott Pederson, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt, over five three-minute rounds for the Made 4 The Cage British UAR MMA title at Rainton Meadows in Houghton.

The Wearsider dominated the fight, mainly with slick stand up kickboxing.

Although Garside is no stranger to grappling, his strengths lie in wrestling and kickboxing.

The Welshman struggled to take Garside down and even when he did, he could not pin or dominate him and Garside also scored a tremendous suplex on his way to a resounding points victory.

Washington’s IKF English champion Jake Thirlaway, fresh from his fine win in Italy against Nicola Cirigliano, is in action in the Spartan Ring Sport Promotions event at The Point in Park Lane, Sunderland, next Saturday night.

Thirlaway is preparing prepares to take on Middlesbrough’s Dan Thompson, with the WKA British tile as stake.

The 20-strong fight card will also see Spartan’s Tony Dodds, from Pennywell, take on Cleveland’s Luke Williams for the vacant 67kg WKA English Full Contact title.

Spartan’s wonder boy Zach Marshall will bid for his second WKA Junior British Full Contact Kickboxing title as he moves up to 57kg to take on Newcastle’s Owen Richardson.

The pair have crossed paths before at fight nights and in tournaments and the battles are always close, skilfully and cleanly fought with tremendous respect and sportsmanship and this one, promises to be fiercely contested.

Tickets for the fight night at The Point are available from Paul Grieves at Spartan Fighting Arts Academy (079761467989) or Bodyzone Sport & Martial Arts Store (0191 5678220).