Craig Jose - New World Champion!
Since MAI profiled Craig Jose following his victory in the Power of Scotland 8 to 1 tournament, much has happened in Craig’s professional life. Bouncing back swiftly from a broken jaw thanks to an elbow from Thai veteran Rodthung, Craig ventured eastward to experience Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, exploring, absorbing the culture; then stopping Thanugen with a knee in the third in Phuket and giving a great performance in Cambodia against one of Khmer boxing’s favorite sons - Vorn Viva. In the first round of the British eliminators for the ill fated second season of the Contender Asia, Craig knocked out Jay Woodham, sealing a trilogy of victories against the game Southender. Jordan Watson put a hold on Craig’s chances for reality T.V. stardom, taking a comfortable points decision before winning the final with great flair. After dropping a close points decision to Watson’s teammate James France at the inaugural Rumble at the Reebok show, Jose decided it was time to reinvigorate his career, founding his own fight promotion, Northern Fight League, and opening his own training facility - the Faktory gym in Benwell, Newcastle. Craig works with community outreach schemes to offer boxing and Muay Thai tuition to troubled young people in Newcastle‘s deprived West end.
“We had a vision to create a place where anybody can train, with a nice atmosphere. A place for the kids of the area to come to and learn the martial arts.”
For a while Craig took command of his own training, and began to visit Darlington boxing and Martial Arts academy to spar with former rival Michael Dicks. There at DBMA Craig forged stronger and stronger links with Micheal and trainer Paul Hamilton, who has since took the reins and took the already formidable Jose to new technical heights. Once thought of as a tough but one dimensional pressure fighter, trainer extraordinaire Hamilton has overhauled Craig’s style into a strategically versatile package, fighting off the backfoot as adeptly as he comes forward.
“Since I’ve been working with Paul and Michael I’ve completely changed my whole approach to fighting. I’m more patient now, I don’t feel like I have to rush my work anymore. I’ve developed a lot more belief in my technique too. Before I’d just throw my work, and see if it would connect or not. Now I throw believing that it will land. I know just where it will go and what it will do.” ?
Over the last twelve months Jose has been venturing abroad again, this time to the continent, taking on hometown favourites in their own back yard. After dropping a decision to Sahin ‘Kaas’ Yakut on Kaas’s own promotion, Craig kept busy with a lightning fast destruction of journeyman Steve Primrose. The Geordie warrior then faced an even more outrageous verdict against K1 Max veteran Saro Presti from the heavily Partisan Judges on Presti’s show in Sicily, denying him World Title glory. ?
After more than a years absence from fighting in his home town of Newcastle, Jose returned to test his new approach to fighting against the hotly tipped French champion and Contender series 2 finalist Hicham Chaibi of the famous Mike’s Gym. Tall and rangy, Chaibi gave a great showing, but ultimately it was Jose’s superior clinch skill and punishing leg kicks that brought Craig a decisive victory at home. Foreign shores beckoned again as Craig and Michael Dicks travelled to Beijing to represent Great Britain in the first ever Sport Accord World Combat Games. Although the World Games was classified as having amateur rules/status, the field was thick with career A class professionals, Jose drawing the Thai representative Dee Terrapong in the first round. After a narrow defeat by a single point, the Thai went on the demolish K1 Max standout Artur Kyushenko in the semi-finals and comfortably beat Swedish superstar Marcus Oberg in the Final.
Where lesser fighters may have been discouraged by the disappointments of these narrow defeats and unjust judgements, Jose never dwelled on what might have been, but focused his attention on what he will achieve in the future.
“ The decision against Kaas was hard to accept because it was such a close fight,. When you fight away you know in a close fight the home guy will get it, but I thought I’d won, and a win against top opposition would‘ve meant a lot at the time. What I always worry about is whether or not I performed, and handing down the loss made me unsure about whether I’d performed to my potential. Presti was easy to accept because I was never under pressure. It was the best I’ve ever fought, there was never a question whether I won or not. I just focus on the performance rather than the result.” ?
Working in conjunction with Paul Hamilton, Craig brought another edition of Northern Fight League to Newcastle, headlining the show himself against Contender Asia T.V. star Zidov Akuma to contest the WMC Muay Thai against drugs world title.
“The Northern fight league began as a mixed event, with MMA, Thai and K1 rules. We decided just to do what we’re best at and make the show entirely dedicated to Muay Thai. Now we’ve got me and Michael representing the North-East at World level. We thought the North deserved a world class show to showcase it’s talents. It’s a show for the whole of the North, from Scotland to Leeds and Liverpool.”
Craig Jose vs. Zidov Akuma ?
Round 1.
Jose pressurises the slow starting Zidov from the outset, kicking low, high - left and right, pushing Zidov into the corners and against the ropes. Jose finds his range early on with hands and legs, checking the kicks that Zidov counters with and slipping every punch that he throws back. Jose looks intensely focused as he tests and observes Zidov‘s defences, and the telltale signs of frustration start to show early as Zidov struggles to find his range on the taller Englishman.
Round 2.
Jose begins to add more power to his work, stinging the reigning champion with every shot. Zidov is determined not to give way this round and takes the centre, obliging Jose to manoeuvre around the outskirts of the ring. Zidov pressures Jose to the ropes, but finds his efforts repeatedly thwarted as he walks on to the teep. Some clinching ensues, with Zidov loading up some powerful elbows. Jose nullifies Akuma’s efforts with tight head position and strong tie-ups on the arms.
Round 3.
Jose takes command of the ring again, jamming Zidov’s advances, push kicking Zidov’s lead leg with his right and punishing Zidov’s right arm with heavy left kicks. Each time Zidov succeeds in pushing Jose back, he steps back in with hands or knees. Jose fakes and slips uppercuts and body shots through Zidov’s defences, moving back and slipping the counters, at one point even leaving Zidov with his leg trapped between the ropes. Jose finds Zidov’s lead leg with the low-kick, and starts to punish it, calling him on he begins to showboat, goading Zidov with his hands down. Zidov rises to the challenge and pushes Craig back with heavy left and right hands.
Round 4.
Zidov starts to command the ring space again, waiting for Jose’s work to counter attack. As the round gets underway the strategy starts to fall apart as Jose’s attacks leave Zidov momentarily reeling and unable to counter in time. Zidov continually attempts to clinch, but Jose pushes his face away or dominates the head position each time, forcing Zidov to break. Jose is increasingly unpredictable as he varies his work, moving off the angle and throwing different combinations each time, even chancing spinning elbows, leaving Zidov continually guessing and unable to formulate a good counter strategy.
Round 5.
Knowing that all hope for a points victory is long lost, Zidov rallies bravely and starts the final round with a flurry, looking for one big shot to change the inevitable outcome. Jose counters intelligently, calming Zidov’s forward pressure by letting his elbows go as Zidov walks on. His last ditch efforts for victory run out of steam, and Zidov continues bravely as Jose works away to secure his victory. Both men leave everything in the ring, with Jose’s fluent style outshining the tired looking Zidov till the end.
Final result - Jose is crowned the WMC MAD World Champion, claiming all 5 rounds to earn the unanimous decision. ?
As hordes of Craig’s loved ones, team mates and supporters crowd the ring to congratulate the new champion we have to ask what doors this will open for the new world champion. What does the future hold for Jose?
“It feels like a new beginning, reaching this point. It’s the MAD WMC title, which isn’t as big as the WMC belt, but it’s a legitimate world title which gets me some recognition on the World stage. It’ll lead to bigger things.”
“It’s been almost exactly a year since I started working with Paul and Michael. Michael has just won a WMC world title too, so next year will be a big year for the two of us. It’s very exciting. I’ve worked so long and hard to develop the skills I’ve got. Now I’m ready to take those skills and put them to work against the best in the world.”
In other action at N.F.L. - Hotly tipped heavyweight prospect Dan Blenkharn (Faktory gym, Newcastle) took on the experienced Lynton Knowles (Minotaurs), contesting Knowles’s UKMF English title. Blenkharn landed several telling punches throughout the bout, but continually found his work nullified as the heavier man clinched him and pressed him on the ropes. Knowles did enough to prevent the ref breaking the clinches, continually kneeing Blenkharns legs throughout the fight. In the end, experience prevailed and the belt remained around the Londoner’s waist. Although it was not his day, if Blenkharn continues to mature under the tutelage of Jose and Paul Hamilton the Newcastle native has a bright future.
In the 61.5kg 4 man tournament Darren O’Connor (TMas) defeated Anthony Skelton (Phoenix) to take the title. The 67kg 4 man tournament was taken by Wayne Fisher (Carlisle), beating Michael Wiseman (Caledonian) in the final.
Alan Orr is
a disciple of Robert Chu Sifu and the European representative of the Chu Sau
Lei Wing Chun system. Teacher of Tui Na Chinese Massage Therapy
He is also the UK representative for Guro Mark Wiley in the Filipino martial
arts and Sensei Eddy Millis of Shark Tank in NHB/Grappling.
Web:
www.alanorr.com
www.thechinesemedicineacademy.co.uk
www.warriorfunctionaltraining.com
For further information Tel: 07958 908 196 or email: info@alanorr.co.uk