Interclub #5

Last Sunday was my first time in the ring since my fight in May last year. It was a long time coming after fights in October and March, and another interclub in May this year fell through, so it was good to be back. The show started at 11.30 and my fight was at 3 so it was a very long time to wait. They changed it from 5 rounds to 3 but it was still quite long enough. We both do MMA and grappling (he had 4 MMA fights) so there was a lot of clinching and kicking involved. With the adrenaline involved as well it was absolutely exhausting. There’s various things I picked up from it that I need to work on, but that’s part of the point. I’d say he probably had the edge over me this time. As far as terminology goes, someone complained when I described an earlier interclub as a fight, but this time the organizer described them as fights so that’s good enough for me.

At this one they had a professional photographer so I got loads of photos, which are on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhoulden/sets/72157624271646904/. Some of my favourites behind the cut (on LJ). What surprised me is just how aggressive I look in them. Obviously this is full contact martial arts and I’ve seen other people pulling similar faces, but it’s very different when it’s you.

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...and stay down!
In Thai boxing you’re allowed to grab legs and kick them to the ground.

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Definitely a face to scare children.

And of course the “after” ones:
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That was right after they’d called time. I was also trying to deal with a temperamental gum shield so I knew I had my trophy the wrong way round but I didn’t care. I had just had a fight after all.

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Pretty much immediately after this was taken I did the only sensible thing and went to the bar to get a pint.