York winners at Cage Confrontation V show (From York Press)

York winners at Cage Confrontation V show

10:44am Tuesday 13th March 2012 in Martial arts By Tony Kelly, Deputy sports editor

YORK ace cage combatants Courtney Catterson and top of the bill Adam Wright seized the spotlight in the Cage Confrontation V show at York’s Energise Centre.

The duo won their respective title challenges at the event – the fifth run by co-promoters Tony Dias and Gaz Watkinson under their United Masters promotional venture.

More than 500 fight fans thrilled to the action, which was staged for the first time in a hexagon cage rather than the octagon set-up of the previous four shows.

Teenager Catterson got the night off to a flier to capture the WRSA junior area kick-boxing title.

The two-time British champion – rated number two in the world at her age and weight category – totally dominated Lianne Jones, the reigning European champion from the Warriors Peterborough club.

Catterson, who fights under the Kodered/Multi Masters Academy banner, dominated all three rounds to take a unanimous decision.

Fellow Multi Masters Academy fighter Wright was trailing on the judges’ scorecards in the MMA title duel under ground and pound rules against Carl Messen (West Leeds Muay Thai).

But in the third and final round Wright rocked his opponent with a right knee and after several more punishing punches the referee stopped the contest for a technical knockout in Wright’s favour.

Other York winners included Liam Goodwin (Legions), who took a split decision over Sheffield opponent Khaid Al Johani; Selby MMA’s Danny Mullins with a unanimous verdict over Chris Senior of Heywood’s Fight Factory; Onur Caglar, of United Masters/Multi Masters Academy, who stopped Peter Sheppard (Kombat Sports) in one minute 59 seconds of the first round with an arm bar; and club-mate James Greenwood, whose rear naked choke move earned a stoppage over Barnsley’s Chris Hardcastle.

Meanwhile, two fighters, whose stand-up coach is York’s former world Thai-Boxing champion Richard Cadden, also triumphed.

Teenager George Smith (Team Quannum, Huddersfield) got a technical knockout over York’s Nic “The Slammer” Sanderson, while Josh Moorby, also Team Quannum, stopped Manchester’s Rob “The hand-grenade” Hardman with a triangle choke submission.

There were defeats, however, for Multi Masters Academy foursome – Kev Preston, Jordan McHale, Chris Cunningham and Dean Croft. Of the entire 13-bout night, co-promoter Dias said: “It went extremely well with some excellent fights, especially the title wins for Courtney and Adam.

“We’d like to thank the public of York for their continued support and the help of our two main sponsors, Club Salvation and Say Scaffold.”

Dias’ co-promoter Gaz Watkinson said: “It was a great turnout and a fantastic atmosphere.”