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WALL POWER Jimmy Wallhead prepares for action

One day last year, Sol Gilbert had a in one night. He subbed Wain brainwave. “There was a lot of talk on with a second-round guillotine, the internet about fighter named Jim KO’d James Thompson (also in Wallhead not getting the break he the second) then took a should’ve done and I thought – you unanimous decision victory know what: rather than having to go over Oli Thompson to grab the round from show to show, it’d be best prize. if there was a tournament out there for UK MMA is riddled with fighters the UFC are currently looking divisions: there’s no governing at. If he were to beat those guys up, body, a North/South divide and he’d definitely get noticed.” local shows that spurn any Now and then, we all come up with a attempts at cooperation. This great idea, but we’re not all Sol Gilbert. works against the fight game’s Best known as tenacious fighter from never-ending quest to create the golden age of Cage Rage, when he an accurate pecking order. With starts something he sees it through to no recognised top dog, a rag- the end. Decisiveness being a defining tag pack of cosseted lap dogs characteristic, Sol wasted no time in can yap loudly. Last year’s announcing his big idea to the world. attempt to bring unity to the He was going to put on a series of one- scene, the British Fighting night tournaments under the ZT banner Championship, collapsed in (“Zero Tolerance” was Sol’s fight name); acrimonious circumstances. In one for each weight division, starting this Wild West climate, with the heavyweights. So far, so Broughton’s victory had added indifferent. Gilbert had been putting on significance: it was the closest shows for a few years, but this was a thing to the crowning of a step up. He wanted to tempt the top genuine national champion heavies in the country. The bait: a that UK MMA has seen to date. cheque for £10,000 – winner takes all. Gilbert had taken a risk by Big bucks in the bravado-rich, cash bankrolling the project. The poor-world of UK MMA. Sol was a man cheers that rang out from the on mission. grateful crowd vindicated his “There’s always been a big argument decision. about the rankings in this country. “I never wanted to compete Whoever posts some up is going to get with the UFC or other big slated. There’s fighters who say ‘I shows or shows in this country. should be higher than him because I I wanted to create something beat somebody who beat him back in unique and whoever came out given my left arm to fight in such a the day’. These tournaments are a way victorious would possibly be looked at thing. It’s old school, gladiator style. of ending that sort of thing. If you feel by the bigger shows and hopefully be It’s what it’s all about, really.” you’re a top-eight ranked fighter, get in projected into that kind of category. Not that Sol is about to wrest the the tournament and prove your worth. Rob Broughton is being talked about hands of time back a few years and He wanted to If you’re ranked at number eight and now – ‘He should be in the UFC’, etc. jump back into the Octagon. “With my reckon you should be number one, that Hopefully, they’ll listen and they’ll get business and everything else I need to tempt the top will be decided for you by the end of him in there. If they do, I’ve done what keep all my clarity in my mind, so the night.” I set out to achieve.” getting punched around and cutting heavies in the He built it and the cream of the From the early UFCs, through K-1 to weight is not ideal for that.” domestic scene came. On the Prizefighter experiment that has Preserving the grey matter is paying country. The bait: one Saturday night at the end of rejuvenated British , fight fans dividends for Sol. As well as earning a cheque for January, eight men, including UFC have loved the idea of a one-night respect in the field of promotion, he is veteran Neil Wain, Pride star James shoot-out. Whether or not we see involved in a number of ventures that £10,000 – winner Thompson, ex-Cage Rage champ Tengiz Bruce Buffer calling out Big Rob’s name aim to encourage fitness through fight Tedoradze, former Britain’s Strongest in the Octagon, the future for the ZT training. “We’ve set a five-year plan to takes all Man winner Oli Thompson and Team Tournaments looks healthy. The light- develop the brand on the South Coast ’s M-1 Challenge anchorman heavyweights are the next group to and develop Sol Gilbert Ultimate Rob Broughton, assembled at Hove have been invited to put up or shut up. Training, which will be working Town Hall. When the dust settled at the Once again the venue is Hove Town ancillary to ZT Fight Skool and the ZT end of ‘ZT Fight Night – Heavyweights Hall and the quality of the names being brand. We’re opening in Eastbourne. Collide’, the strongly-fancied linked to the May 8 event means it may We had two sites before, ZT Fitness Broughton was the last man standing. well surpass the heavyweight show- and ZT Fight Skool in Hove. I’m now “The Bear” demonstrated his down in terms of excitement. Sol’s only bringing out ZT Fit Skool for parents tremendous staying power. Not many regret is that no-one came up with the and children. It’s going to encourage men who tip the scales at almost 19st idea before he hung his gloves up. kids and families to be fit, all through can do seven tough five-minute rounds “When I was fighting, I would’ve MMA training and the grass roots

Fighting Fit | Apr/May 2010 | 93