ISKA UK in association with the SENI show and Fighters Inc. will stage the inaugural London International Open on the 29th may 2010 at the Excel London. The Freestyle Tournament will include categories for Semi-Contact, Light-Contact and Forms for men women and children, novice, intermediate and seniors

The tournament will also act as the qualifiers for the ISKA 2010 Amateur World Championships in Almeria Spain. The two highest placed English competitors in each Senior category will qualify for the England World Championship Team. All 1st place winners will earn a seeded position in the US OPEN 2010 (will not have to fight in the first round of their category).

All competitors will get free entry to the SENI show the largest Martial Arts and Combat Sports trade show in the World

A Full list of categories for the London International Open will be announce soon

Former multi-World Champion Clifton Finley has been appointed ISKA UK Amateur Director. Clifton brings a wealth of experience and is already busy appointing directors for each amateur discipline in preparation for the London International Open on the 29th May, Excel London

Clifton started training in Kung Fu at the age of 17 his desire for competition fighting in the early 90’s was made apparent when he entered his first major Competition at the Famous F.S.K. Open in Manchester. After Winning the Grand Championships within the First Year he Joined 5 times WAKO World Champion Alfie Lewis’s  F.S.K.A Association knowing that  if he wanted to be the best he had to Join the best.

Since winning numerous British and European Championships in his Career which stretched over two decades some of his most prized titles included being Crowned World Champion in Canada at the WKA in 2000, this was followed by yet another world title this time with the W.F.F.O in 2002. Success never stopped there for Clifton, a year later he was voted Peterborough Evening Telegraph Sports Personality of the Year, the following year he clinched the Sports man of the Year. With twenty years of teaching experience and a formidable Competitive C.V.  Clifton remains one of the most humble and approachable instructors.

After retiring in 2004 to dedicated his time to teaching in his home town he is very committed and generously wants to share his knowledge and passion for the sport with the next generation. He only came out of retirement in 2009 to clinched The WAKO World Crown in Italy in the Vets at the tender age of 43 This 5^th Dan Black belt has done and won every major title out there but he still strives for more success.

Clifton in looking forward to the ISKA World Amateur Championship in Almeria Spain 2nd-7th November where he plans to field a strong UK team

Saturday, Jan. 30, Live on SHOWTIME From BankAtlantic Center, Miami, Florida
SUNRISE, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2010) – Nick Diaz (21-7) of Stockton, Calif., won his sixth straight and the first-ever STRIKEFORCE welterweight championship with a 4:38, first-round TKO over Marius Zaromskis (13-4) of London, England, and the first and only STRIKEFORCE Female lightweight champion, Cris Cyborg (9-1) of Curitiba, Brazil, successfully defended her 145-title for the initial time with a third-round TKO over Marloes Coenen (17-4) of Deventer, Holland, in the co-featured matches of an action-packed mixed martial arts card before 8,156 at BankAtlantic Center Saturday on SHOWTIME®.

In other results on the main portion of Strikeforce’s first event in 2010, former pro and college football superstar Herschel Walker of San Jose, Calif., made his pro MMA debut at age 47 a winning one, registering a third-round TKO (2:17) over Hungarian-born Greg Nagy (1-2) of Phoenix, Ariz., former two-time world champion “Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler (17-5, 1 NC) of Granite City, Ill., rallied from the brink of defeat to score a spectacular 3:33, first-round knockout (punches) over Melvin Manhoef (24-7-1) of Amsterdam and unbeaten Bobby Lashley of Coconut Creek, Fla., won his Strikeforce debut and improved to 5-0 with a 2:06, first-round TKO over Wes Sims (22-13-1, 2 NC) of Lancaster, Ohio.

The event, presented by SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE, aired live simultaneously on SHOWTIME® and on the Web (Strikeforce: All Access) at http://strikeforce.sho.com. The SHOWTIME telecast began at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast); the Strikeforce: All Access webcast went at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
In a fight streamed live on EA SPORTS™ MMA website (www.easportsmma.com), Jay Heiron (19-4) of Las Vegas took a unanimous three-round decision over Joe Riggs (32-11) of Phoenix to put him in position to possibly fight for the Strikeforce welterweight title.

Southpaw Diaz, a talented, Cesar Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, mostly outclassed Zaromskis in the match for the vacant world title. Diaz decisively defeated the Dutchman at his own game: striking.

“I’ll fight anybody,’’ said Diaz, who has been victorious in seven of his last eight and hasn’t lost in more than two years. I felt real good fighting again at 170. But the guy I really want is Gegard Mousasi.’’

Cyborg had to work hard to defeat the courageous Coenen, who at no point seemed intimidated by the powerful Brazilian bomber and fought like it. She certainly wasn’t totally overwhelmed and presented Cyborg with more problems than the vast majority of Cyborg’s opponents.
In the end, Cyborg was too tough and rough. “I’m very happy to win this fight,’’ said Cyborg shortly the heated scrap was stopped at 3:40 of the third. “It was a good fight. I think I could have done more but she was the toughest fighter I’ve faced and has a great heart. I admire her a lot.’’
Coenen, a strikingly attractive submission whiz who couldn’t take down Cyborg, wanted the fight to continue. “This is extremely disappointing to say the least,’’ she said. “This was for a world title. It should have been allowed to go a little longer. I wanted to fight.’’

A native of Wrightsville, Ga., Walker was satisfied with his performance in his highly-anticipated, much-publicized debut. Endurance-wise, he didn’t fight like a man his age. He was still breathing easily during the post-fight interview.

“I feel good but I didn’t do many things right and I still have a lot to learn,’’ said Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and a two-time Pro Bowl competitor. “The experience itself was exciting and I thank my opponent for fighting me. It’s tough to fight an old man. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“I thought I’d be more nervous. I’m an MMA fighter now. I earned a little bit of a stripe tonight. This is one of my biggest athletic achievements ever.’’
Nothing was going right for the left-handed Lawler for more than three minutes as the highly regarded Manhoef had his way. But a savage overhand right rocked Manhoef and a left that caught him on the way down ended matters almost immediately.

“I knew this guy was really a killer, but I knew I would catch him,’’ Lawler said. “When he looks to finish, he really loads up. I just lured him in and got him.

“He was chopping and chopping and he was really hurting me with the leg kicks. When I felt the first one land, I knew I could get one more in and finish, and that’s what I did.’’
Lashley, who wants to fight for a world title, said Saturday’s exercise against the 6-foot-10-inch Sims was an excellent learning experience.

“Anytime you win and learn something, it’s a good night,’’ he said. “Sims is a tall guy who came in with nothing to lose, almost like he didn’t care, and those are the guys that are usually the hardest to fight.
“I want to continue to step up.’’
Hieron outpointed Riggs by the scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28: “I wanted to beat Joe and show that I am a top fighter,’’ Heiron said. “I want to fight the winner of Diaz-Zaromskis. Actually, I hope it is Diaz but I don’t care.’’

STRIKEFORCE: Miami will be available On Demand beginning Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Mauro Ranallo called the action on SHOWTIME with MMA expert Stephen Quadros and MMA superstar Frank Shamrock serving as expert analysts.

In Saturday’s non-televised results: Pablo “The Hurricane’’ Alfonso (5-1), Jacksonville Fla., submitted (armbar) Marcos “Parrumpinha” DeMatta (8-1), Coconut Creek, Fla., at 1:47 in the first round (140 pounds); Hayder Hasan (3-1), Coconut Creek, KO 2 (2:42, punches) over Ryan Keenan (3-1), Orlando, Fla., at 170 pounds; John Kelly (4-0), Miami, submitted (rear naked choke) Sabah Homasi (2-0), West Palm Beach, Fla., at 2;48 of the second round (170 pounds); Michael Byrnes (1-2), Port Saint Lucie, Fla., won a majority decision (30-27 twice and 29-29) over David Zitnik (4-7), Sunrise, at 155 pounds; David Gomez (1-2), Miami, won a unanimous decision (30-27 three times) over Craig Oxley (0-3), Miami (145 pounds); ad Joe Ray (1-0), Miami, TKO 1 (3:14, strikes) over John Clarke (0-1), Hollywood, Fla. (170 pounds).