Dean Croft to step into cage-fighting professional role (From York Press)
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Dean Croft to step into cage-fighting professional role
10:10am Saturday 19th November 2011 in Martial arts
YORK martial arts combatant Dean Croft is to step into the unknown in a push to enter the realm of cage-fighting professionals.
The 27-year-old only took to the pain game of MMA a mere two years ago, but he has targeted life as part of the no-holds-barred pro circuit.
And to that end he will enter the rage of the cage in his first ever ground and pound contest, whereby virtually everything counts including hitting an opponent while on the canvas, where as blows to the head and face are restricted to rivals standing up in amateur and semi-pro contests.
Croft is to cross fists with Mark Diaklese on the cage Steel Fighter Championships bill at the Doncaster Dome on December 3.
Said the man who works as a doorman in York: “It will be my first fight under ground and pound rules, so it will be a new challenge.
“But I am looking now to step up and hopefully I will get the chance to turn pro next year. This fight will give me an idea of what I’ll need to do for that move up.
“I’ll know better where I will be going in the sport from there.”
Croft explained that he first got into mixed martial arts through Gaz Watkinson, who runs the Multi Masters Academy in Layerthorpe and who has been the co-promoter, alongside Tony Dias of Norton, of the Cage Confrontation series of shows in the city over the past two years.
“I had been interested in the sport, but I only started getting into training about two years ago with Gaz,” said Croft, who has appeared on the first three Cage Confrontation series of programmes at York’s Energise Centre.
Since those early days he has beefed up his training at the Legion Thai Club, which three months ago, moved to new and bigger premises at Fifth Avenue.
His record so far in the 70-kilogrammes lightweight division is five wins and just one loss from his six outings.
“Besides fighting MMA rules I also represent the Legions club at K1, but my ambition is to become a pro within the next year so it’s now time to step it up.”
Tickets for the Doncaster Dome show are available by phoning Croft on 07805 423203 or Watkinson on 07798 765259, or Dave Phillips, at the Legions club, on 07946 477001.
