HOW to be a successful mixed martial arts writer lesson 1: Do not **** off UFC president Dana White. Total time it has taken me to do so since starting this column: Two months and 12 days. I’m losing my touch.

To non-followers of MMA (what are you doing here?) Mr White is essentially the sport’s most powerful individual, like a cross between Rupert Murdoch and Don King, but without the hair or legal drama.

You may have noticed a pattern in these little monthly introductions whereupon I explain how I’ve annoyed various combat sport luminaries over the previous four weeks. At least on this occasion it was due to genuine journalistic probing rather than self-gratifying agitation.

My crime was to suggest that, not for the first time, UK fight fans are getting shortchanged with the quality of UFC cards taking place on these shores. Sydney got BJ Penn, Rio are getting Anderson Silva. Abu Dhabi got both. Our main event for UFC 138 in November is Mark Munoz v Chris Leben. Two borderline top 10 middleweights, supported by, in fairness, some very interesting bouts but a woeful lack of star-name pulling power.

Dana’s all-seeing eyes picked up on this and his Twitter riposte was: “Who told you to buy a ticket?”

He only has 1.5million followers so it’s not like anyone witnessed my public scalding.

In my mind my response was: “Never speak to me like that again. I am ordering you to make Godzilla fight Zeus in the main event, with Velasquez v Dos Santos on the undercard. And I’m sitting cageside while you fetch me a beer.”

In reality it was something along the lines of: “Yes sir. Sorry sir. Won’t happen again sir...” It wasn’t really. I stood by my argument. MMA is growing in the UK but it remains very much a minority sport that is ignored by vast sections of the media. It has a hardcore fanbase but how long will they continue to fork out £100 a ticket plus travel, accommodation and beer money to see also-rans on another British card considered too weak to sell as a pay-per-view in the US?

We can only hope Dana plans to come back next year and put on a title bout. Silva versus our own Mike Bisping for the middleweight crown maybe? That might stop me from whining for a few weeks.

If you want to see Dana telling me off like a naughty schoolboy through the medium of social networking, feel free to follow the column on Twitter - @SA_MartialArts - and you can also post all of your martial arts results, pics and opinion on our Facebook page - SA Martial Arts Monthly.

Feel free to tweet @danawhite to give him your thoughts. And if you could also ask him not to destroy my career in the industry, that would be just swell.

  • THE NEXT BIG THINGS:

    Two Wiltshire youngsters making big wavesin the MMA world


BRAD SCOTT

CAMP: DragonsLair, Melksham

AGE: 22

WEIGHT: Welterweight

SPECIALITY: Jiu jitsu

RECORD: 7-1

WILTSHIRE’S VERSION OF: Georges St Pierre

BRAD Scott is back. The Melksham welterweight’s MMA career cruelly stalled for a year just as he was about to break into the big time.

The 22-year-old broke a hand while winning the Spartan Fight Challenge four-man tournament in Nailsea in July 2010, where he beat opponents Rich Weatherall and David Round.

It meant an invitation to fight on a BAMMA card, Britain’s top MMA promotion, had to be declined. But 12 months of inactivity did little to dampen Scott’s penchant for finishing his foes with violent submissions and he took just over three minutes to choke out Gareth Williams in his comeback at Shock’n’Awe 8 last month.

Pro Scott is signed to Gary Cross’ G4 MMA management company and has been tipped to pick up where he left off prior to his injury by DragonsLair coach Gary Pike.

“He looked fit and even if the fight had gone on until the second or third round, I don’t think the other guy would have been able to carry on – if it was a game, you’d have seen his power bar going down and down,” said Pike.

“Scott’s dedicated, he’s loyal and he soaks up everything that he gets told like a sponge. He’s really good and I wouldn’t bet against him ending up fighting in the (United) States one day.”

That verdict will be music to the ears of Scott, who is set to return the cage on an OMMAC card in Liverpool in the autumn.

He said: “The biggest thing I’ve got out of doing MMA are the health benefits – I eat really well because I like to stick to my fight weight all of the time and I enjoy doing so much training.

“It would be a dream come true if I could give up working and do this full-time. I just want to train and fight and that’s it.”

DragonsLair fighters Phil Carter and Rich Sheppard both won their bouts at Knuckleup’s ‘New Breed 7’ card on July 17 at the Bath Pavilion.

ALEX BRUNNEN

CAMP: Swindon Vale Tudo

AGE: 19

WEIGHT: Lightweight

SPECIALITY: Boxing, Jiu jitsu

RECORD: 4-0

WILTSHIRE’S VERSION OF: Nick Diaz

WHILE many up-and-coming fighters shy away from comparisons to the greats to avoid unrealistic expectations, Swindon’s Alex Brunnen positively embraces it.

Nick Diaz is the template in question and it is easy to see why. The swagger, the occasional finger to the camera, and most importantly of all, high level boxing coupled with a mean submission game, have seen the youngster blast through each of his four opponents inside of a round.

Brunnen is the hottest prospect in Swindon and at 19 he’s still a baby in MMA terms. That doesn’t mean his advisors don’t already have big plans for him.

Trainer Michael Osbourn of Swindon Vale Tudo said: “His main weapon is his attitude. He believes he’s unbeatable and I think that sort of belief goes a long way.

“I’ve got full confidence he can go as far as he wants to go.

“At the moment he’s contracted to Tear Up but by the end of the next year we will be looking at either Ultimate Combat which is a big promotion in the UK or BAMMA.

“I believe in keeping the fighters as active as possible but it’s difficult because Alex keeps winning in the first round and it can be difficult to find opponents for him.”

Brunnen was scheduled to fight on the July 17 KnuckleUp card but his opponent pulled out at two days’ notice, leaving the teenager hanging until his next appointment at Tear Up on October 1.

Despite admirable levels of self confidence, Brunnen’s feet remain firmly on the canvas when it comes to discussing the ceiling for his potential.

He said: “I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to be fighting in the UFC one day or anything like that.

“I’d like to make a living doing this for sure but at the moment I just want to get in there and fight.”

  • OVEREEM IS OVER HERE

K1 kickboxing and Strikeforce MMA world champion Alistair Overeem is hosting a seminar in Coventry next Saturday.

It’s a must for anyone interested in picking up fighting tips from one of the most dangerous men on the planet - or wanting to learn how to double in size on a diet of horse meat.

Call 02476 331239 for more details

  • DUNN TAKES ISKA TITLE

ANDY Dunn had to see off top pedigree opposition to claim an International Sport Kickboxing Association British title - and he still had the energy to pick a fight with the bigger boys.

The Swindon Martial Arts and Fitness Centre scrapper was competing in the point stop style of fighting and powered through to the final where he faced Kyle Findlay, son of former world champion Clifton. In a close fight, both were hesitant to commit for fear of losing a point and at the end of regulation time it was still all square.

The duo embarked on an extra round and the Swindon lad went for broke with good speed and timing to take the victory and the crown.

Dunn also entered the next weight section up leaving him almost a stone lighter than some of his counterparts, but he still managed to add a silver medal to his earlier gold, eventually losing out to Liverpool’s David Hughes.

Clubmate and class instructor Jason O’Grady was also among the medals, with a superb debut in the amateur MMA section of the event. The kickboxer, at 79kgs, is usually at the higher end of his weight class, but in the MMA category he found himself giving away plenty of bulk to his rivals. But he battled through to the semis, where only the clock denied him a win by guillotine. O’Grady had still done enough to earn the decision and went on the final, but his lack of experience in the clinch game saw him slammed, methodically mounted in the north south position before having to tap out to a Kimura.

Silver remained a pleasant surprise to the veteran. He said: “I only come here to test myself really and had no Idea I would reach the finals.

“I absolutely loved this and will work more on my ground game and compete again. I’m only 37 so why not try and compete in a new sport!”

  • MARTIAL ARTIST OF THE MONTH #3:

    GEORGES ST PIERRE

    FIGHTING STYLE: Kyokushin, wrestling

    Height: 5ft 10in

    Weight: 170lbs (12.1st)

    Record: 22-2

    Born: May 19, 1981, Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada

    Quote (to then-UFC champ Matt Hughes): “I am not impressed by your performance.”

GEORGES St Pierre is the blueprint for what a modern martial artist should be.

Like many youngsters, GSP found martial arts as a refuge from school bullies, training Kyokushin karate from the age of seven. The death of his instructor prompted St Pierre to diversify his martial arts cv with boxing, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu all added to his arsenal.

After working as a bouncer and refuse collector, GSP made his pro MMA debut aged 21 and was snapped up by the UFC after five fights. Two bouts later he had earned himself a shot at Matt Hughes’ welterweight title but the challenger’s inexperience proved decisive as he succumbed to a submission defeat.

GSP rebounded with five straight wins to set up a rematch with Hughes at UFC 65. This time St Pierre triumphed by TKO.

An immediate defeat by veteran Matt Serra proved to be one of the biggest shocks in MMA history but the Canadian quickly avenged the defeat in 2008 and has not been beaten since.

After the TKO loss to Serra, many observers claim St Pierre has been overly cautious, fighting to win rather than to entertain. Indeed, GSP has failed to finish his opponent in five of his last six bouts.

But his legacy will be his winning record and there is little doubt he will go down as the greatest welterweight in history when he decides to hang up the 4oz gloves.