Victory for Johnny!
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Jonny Shiels: winner at the weekend in Londonderry.
Ballymena's Institute of Mixed Martial Arts (IMMA) fighters were in action at the Chaos Championships 3 show in Londonderry at the weekend.
There was success for Jonny Shiels while Colin Neeson, who only took on the fight just three days prior to the showdown, lost on a close decision.
Over 700 people packed into the Everglades Hotel to witness the action.
Colin Neeson (20), from Broughshane, and weighing 65kgs tangled with John McGuigan, from Strabane fight club.
The fight went the distance Colin lost a point in the third round for an illegal blow - and that probably what cost him the fight.
“It was a brilliant display from Colin, who has been out for over a year and a half. As usual he has done us proud and kept the good name of the local club flying high," said chief coach, Rodney Moore.
Jonny Shiels (24), from Grove Road, served up a great fight - and earned a deserved win.
He was up against a tough opponent in Ronan McKay (22), from Randalstown.
The duo traded stand up strikes and combinations at the start of the first round. It did'nt take Jonny long to get his rhythm and range when he shook McKay right to his boots with a sweet left hook to the chin.
Instead of going in for the kill he backed off knowing McKay would go for the shoot to try and take him down.
Shiels countered this with a guillotine choke and nearly finished it there, but McKay managed to escape for a brief second.
They traded some ground and pound, before Shiels set him up with strikes and took an arm bar (arm lock) from his back, finishing the fight in 2 minutes of the first round!
“This was a brilliant win for Jonny who has had a tough run as past while. He has had a lot of tough fights that did'nt go his way. So we changed round his whole training, planning, dieting, conditioning planning and mental attitude towards training and fighting in competitions," outlined coach Moore.
Ballymena IMMA thank Derek Morrison (the boxing coach) for all the extra work he put and everyone who came to support them.
