Jack Mason "The guys i help coach will go on to achieve more than i could ever dream of in MMA"

Jack Mason talks to Kingdom MMA after win at Cage Warriors Fight Night 11

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

Copyright Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

On Good Friday in Amman, Jordan Jack Stone Mason went to work for the 8th time in just over 15 months. That alone is a truly inpressive stat but this fight also marked the 40th fight of Jack's career and he wanted to make it clear who the winner was by the end of the fight. Mason came in to this fight off the back of a very close, some would say controversal loss to Benny Alloway at Cage Warriors 65 which snapped a two fight streak and he made sure he came away from Jordan with the win. Yesterday we caught up with Jack to discuss that fight, his team at BKK Fighters and whats next for Jack.

Sam: Congratulations on your recent victory against Patrick Vallee in your 40th pro fight. Have you had chance to watch the fight back yet and if so how would you rate your performance?
Mason: Thanks very much! Yeah I’ve had a chance to watch it back and there are definitely some things I could have done better or more of but I’m happy with the result against a very tough and tricky opponent.

Sam: Did fighting a former training partner have any effect on your mind-set going into this fight? Did you do anything differently for this fight because you have previously trained together?
Mason: Having trained with Patrick before I knew when I accepted this fight that I had my work cut out as I know that he poses me a genuine threat skill wise in all areas and especially in the grappling exchanges. The guy is exceptionally strong and is very quick in scrambles and possesses a very high level ground game. I knew that this was a 50/50 fight and that to take the win I had to implement my game plan perfectly and that’s what I tried to do.

It was quite strange standing across the cage from a friend knowing we were about to fight!

Sam: When did you last train with Patrick and how much had he improved since you last trained with him?
Mason: Probably about a year ago I think. Patrick is in contact with Luke Barnatt a lot as I know Luke was planning to get him over to the UK to help him prepare for his upcoming bout at UFC Berlin so he may be back over very soon training with us!

Patrick is legit and if he fights again on Cage Warriors he’s going to cause a lot of guys in the WW division problems.

Sam: Did fighting at a catchweight make the weight cut easier for this fight or did the short timeframe between agreeing to fight and the fight make it harder?
Mason: I was hoping to get on the Liverpool show in May and was dieting down to Welterweight for that, when the opportunity came up to fight again in Jordan I jumped at the chance but to make Welterweight on that short notice isn’t possible for me so we agreed a catch-weight for this bout.

I’d love their to be a 175lb division in MMA as that’s definitely the best weight for me, hopefully they’ll implement that weight class while I’m still fighting!

Sam: You were able to showcase both your wrestling and striking skills on multiple occasions throughout the fight. Do you feel like this convincing performance was enough to warrant your name being back in title contention?
Mason: I think the win over a legit opponent in Vallee definitely puts me back in the mix, however I think I need a decent finish over another top Welterweight to really push my case for a shot at the title.

Sam: In your second most recent fight you lost a close decision against Benny Alloway. After the fight you took to twitter for the first time that I can remember stating that the judges had incorrectly scored the fight. Now some time has passed do you still feel the same way?
Mason: To be completely honest during the fight I was absolutely sure I was winning and thought I had it won hands down through jabs I landed on the feet, takedowns and control. When the decision got read out I was genuinely shocked.

When I got a chance to watch it back however I saw the fight from a wholly different perspective and can see it was far closer than I originally thought. I think the fight was so close that the decision could have gone either way and to be honest I can’t really complain about the result as I should’ve done a whole lot more in that fight to take the win. I have to take responsibility for that loss and in my next bouts ensure that they always finish on my terms.

Sam: Did you push CW for a rematch with Alloway or is that a fight you would like again in the future?
Mason: I haven’t pushed for a rematch no. The Cage Warriors Welterweight division is so stacked full of talent that there are so many tough guys to fight that rematches really don’t make sense.

That being said of course I would rematch Alloway if that fight made sense for Cage Warriors again and it put me closer to a title shot.

Sam: Did suffering a close loss on the judges’ scorecards influence your game-plan going into this fight and how nervous were you prior to Joe Martinez announcing the good news this time around?
Mason: To be honest the match against Vallee was such a tough one that I didn’t put any extra pressure on myself about trying to win anything on the judge’s scorecards, I just went out there and fought the fight I needed to. I knew that if I caught Vallee with a clean punch on the feet I could finish the fight and that’s what I was trying to do. He was tricky and it was difficult to land anything clean so the finish never came unfortunately.

When the judge’s decision was read out I did think I’d won the fight but from previous experiences you can never quite tell about how the fight is interpreted from an outside perspective so yes I was pretty nervous as to whether I’d get the nod!

Sam: You fought in Jordan again for the third time in about a year. Do you ask to be on the foreign shows or would you like to fight in the UK again soon? There looks to be a massive event in June, will you want to be a part of that?
Mason: I don’t ask to fight on the foreign shows specifically however I definitely enjoy fighting on them, especially in Jordan as the crowd out there are absolutely unbelievable!

The June show looks incredible and yes if Cage Warriors can get me on it’s definitely something I want to be a part of!

Sam: In the past couple of weeks some of your BKK fighters picked up some very impressive wins, what is better for you: Seeing your guys win or picking up the wins yourself?
Mason: The guys I help coach will go on to achieve more than I could ever dream of in MMA I am sure. Seeing them starting from scratch at BKK Fighters to go on and win world titles is a goal of mine and we will make it happen as a team.

Sam: What did you make of Arnold Allen's impressive performance earlier in the night? He certainly lived up to the award of "One to watch in '14" that we awarded him in our end of year awards.
Mason: Arnold made short work of Huber that’s for sure. Arnold’s been fighting tough competition in both Amateur and Professional MMA since he was 16 and he continues to put these grown men away really quickly. Given Huber’s ground credentials we thought he would be a tough opponent for Arnold but Arnold hits so hard and so fast that when he touches someone they just change their mind and want out of the fight.

Arnold will be a world champion before he is 23 I have no doubt.

Sam: As always You were back fighting very regularly, Did you consider taking a break from fighting for a few months to work more on your game after the loss or were you eager to get your name back in the Win column?
Mason: I started MMA in 2005 when I was 23 years old. I’m 31 now and have had over 40 fights, I’m at my physical peak and am always learning and improving so I just want to continue fighting regularly and gaining all the experiences I can from fighting at a high level for one of the MMA best organizations in the world. I’m having the time of my life fighting for Cage Warriors right now.

In terms of the decision loss to Alloway, the thing I needed to change was not so much my skill set, it was more the mental approach and game plan I took into that fight. A slightly different approach and that fight would’ve been mine I’m sure, it’s definitely an experienced I’ve learnt from.

Sam: Would you like to thank anyone?
Mason: Thanks very much for the interview and thanks to my management, coaches, team mates, family and friends and to everyone for all the support for this fight and my career so far!

Huge thanks also to Matt Walton who has given me some excellent guidance in the past couple of months and really changed my approach to fighting.

I’d also like to say a huge thank you to my sponsors, please check out their websites and follow them on Twitter:

         www.britishfighter.co.uk                        @BritishF1ghter
         www.chelmsfordphysio.co.uk                 @ChelmsforPhysio
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         www.ignitept.co.uk                                @LI_Strength
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Is Cage Warriors 170lb division the most stacked division in European MMA

Kingdom MMA Review the Cage Warriors Welterweight Division

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

May 3rd will see some of Europe’s most promising MMA talents throw down as part of the stacked Cage Warriors 68 card, hosted in Liverpool’s Echo Arena. Though we will see several bouts take place which will have a profound impact on their respective weight divisions, this event is particularly geared towards the Welterweight class. In recent months the always-strong 170-lb division of Europe’s leading MMA promotion has become increasingly stacked with an array of both new and returning fighters. Since former champions Cathal Pendred (13-2 MMA, 6-0 CWFC) made the decision to relinquish his belt and enter TUF 19 with the chance to eventually fight in the UFC, Cage Warrior’s Welterweight division has become extremely open with many potential challengers to the belt. Here is Kingdom MMA’s breakdown of arguably the most stacked division in European MMA:

Nicolas Dalby (12-0 MMA, 1-0 CWFC)

Currently the man with the target on his back and the Cage Warriors gold around his waist, the unbeaten Danish fighter looked venomous in his last bout as he dispatched Sergei Churilov midway through the third round with a beautiful head kick which lead to the TKO victory by ground strikes. Getting a finish this late in the fight highlights not only the 29-year-olds impressive cardio but also how dangerous he remains throughout the fight. Dalby’s fight for the Welterweight belt was also his debut for the promotion, demonstrating just how highly rated this fighter is – it will be interesting to see how he performs against the long list of potential challengers queuing up in Cage Warrior’s 170-lb Division. 

Jimmy “Judo” Wallhead (25-8 MMA, 10-5 CWFC)

The first half of Saturday’s main event, Wallhead – who launched his career at Cage Warriors in 2005 – makes his promotional return after racking up a wealth of experience at M-1, Bellator and BAMMA. Jimmy uses his high level black belt in judo to dominate his opponents with heavy hands and a crippling submission game; of his 25 wins only 7 have hit the judges’ scorecards. Most recently Wallhead proved his judo base to be just as effective as a fighter with a background in amateur wrestling as he knocked out Florent Betorangal with a huge slam 20-seconds into the third round. Wallhead has been victorious over UFC-calibre opponents like Igor Araujo, Matt Veach and two-time title contender Frank Trigg. Now having once again joined Cage Warrior’s ranks, Wallhead will be a force to be reckoned with.

Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts (10-1 MMA, 5-0 CWFC)

The man who will be stood across the cage from Jimmy Wallhead at Cage Warriors 68, Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts has the difficult task of welcoming the Leicester-native back to the promotion. While the superior experience of Wallhead makes him the favourite going into Saturday’s main event, Danny has been fighting about as hot as his nickname suggests, currently riding an impressive 4-fight win steak which includes an Armbar victory over Jack Mason. Mason – who is every bit as experienced as Wallhead – is another Welterweight contender and Danny’s victory over him proved that experience really isn’t everything. “Hot Chocolate” is a well-rounded fighter and will look to employ his length and speed advantages to ruin Wallhead’s homecoming party. Liverpool is Danny’s adoptive home city and the natives will be vocal in their support of the young fighter. The winner of this bout looks likely to be next in line to face Nicholas Dalby.

Matt Inman (13-5 MMA, 4-1 CWFC)

After a faulty start in Cage Warriors with a loss to the incredibly tough Jack Mason, Inman has been tearing through every 170-lber unlucky enough to find himself opposing the Manchester-based fighter. Matt is a big fellow for the weight-class measuring a lengthy 6’1” and uses his long frame to his advantage for his killer striking arsenal and equally skilled submission-game. Of Inman’s 13 wins 6 have come via KO/TKO and 6 via submissions – Inman has pulled off a wide array of submissions including Guillotines, Triangles and even a Heel-Hook! On Saturday Inman will face a tough opponent in Mauro “Xuxa” Chimento Jr (15-10 MMA, 1-1 CWFC) who, in keeping with his Brazillian roots, is primarily a BJJ specialist who fought his first pro-MMA fight in 2001. If he overcomes this veteran of the sport Inman will be on a five fight streak and should be nearing a title shot.

Benny “Benny Blanco” Alloway (13-5 MMA, 2-0 CWFC)

A veteran of The Ultimate fighter and the UFC, Benny Alloway bounced back from being prematurely cut from the UFC with a closely-fought decision victory over Jack Mason. The outspoken Aussie is known for his dangerous striking, advancing to the quarter finals of the TUF: Smashes tournament with a second round knockout of the far larger Valentino Petrescu and also knocking out Manuel Rodriguez in the first round with a devastating front kick and strikes. In his two stints at Cage Warriors Benny has remained unbeaten against some of the toughest opponents the division has to offer. Alloway will be watching the two crucial welterweight bouts on this Saturday’s card which could potentially determine who his next opponent in the promotion will be.

Jack “Stone” Mason (27-13 MMA, 9-6 CWFC)

A fighter which has already been mentioned several times during this examination of Cage Warriors’ Welterweight division, Jack Mason always seems to be involved in the upper-end of the division’s activity. Having lost a close some may say controversial decision to Benny Alloway in March, Jack bounced back just over one month later with a victory over former training partner Patrick Vallee. This desire to immediately get back on the horse after a loss is typical of Jack Mason’s grit. What is not so typical of Jack Mason is that his past 3 fights have gone to a decision – since his debut all the way back in 2005 Jack has been a proven finisher, with a particular tendency towards getting a hold of the throat of his opponent and using his remarkable strength to choke them out.

Sergei Churilov (15-2 MMA, 1-1 CWFC)

Though his most recent bout saw him losing to Nicholas Dalby for the vacant Welterweight belt, it would be unwise to rule the young Ukrainian out of making another run at the title. The fight against Dalby was remarkably close coming into the fourth and many actually had Churilov winning on their scorecards. It was all the more devastating therefore when he ate that big head kick and was eventually knocked out to the joy of the pro-Dalby Dannish crowd. This was only Churilov’s second loss however and it would be crazy to think he couldn’t bounce back. The 28-year-old has a mean submission game and went into the title fight having won his preceding three bouts via submission. This was his first bout in Cage Warriors since early-2012 – in his other fight for the promotion he beat Anatoly Starodubtsev via first round Achilles Lock.

Gael Grimaud (19-6 MMA, 3-1 CWFC)

The man who originally lost his belt to Cathal Pendred, Gael Grimaud will certainly be seeking to regain his lost championship gold. The Frenchman was riding an eight fight unbeaten streak until the Irishman came and defeated him. Since then Gael has bounced back with a brace of wins, most recently with a brutal first round KO over Bruno Carvalho. Though we knew Grimaud packed a punch, the 24-year-old was primarily known for being able to submit his opponents with 12 of his 19 wins coming in this way. Gael has a wealth of high-level MMA experience, having picked up wins both in M-1 and Pancrace. With the aforementioned KO victory coming back in October, we hope to see Grimaud continue his winning ways soon.

Jake “Brutal” Bostwick (14-8 MMA, 2-0 CWFC) 

Yet another contender in the welterweight division to have once tangoed with Jack Mason, Jake Bostwick’s fighting career started slow but has gathered a great deal of momentum in recent years. Indeed, by the end of 2008 Bostwick’s record was a disappointing 3-7. However, since 2010 Bostwick has really earned his nickname of “Brutal”, stringing together seven impressive victories (four of which came via KO/TKO). Though he is yet to pick up a stoppage in his Cage Warriors career, he has looked extremely impressive picking up two one-sided unanimous decision victories. The man who was once blasted with a KO from the knee of one Alex Reid has certainly come a long way since the early days in his MMA career. With the momentum he has built up since 2010 there is no sign of Bostwick slowing down.

Simeon “The Grin” Thoresen (17-4 MMA, 1-0 CWFC)

Since his one Cage Warriors bout way back in 2008, this super-talented submission specialist has been climbing the ladder eventually reaching the heights of the UFC. He even picked up that all-important victory inside the Octagon choking out Besam Yousef on the UFC on Fuel TV 2 card in Sweden. However, back-to-back loses meant that he was cut from the promotion and so now finds himself back with Cage Warriors. Though he may no longer be in the UFC, Thoresen has a legitimate chance of becoming the Cage Warrior’s welterweight champion which would certainly be some consolation. The guy is a legitimate grappler, having picked up 15 of his 17 victories through various different submissions. He is scheduled to fight Jake “Brutal” Bostwick in his first bout back in the promotion, a fighter who certainly has the tools to be a real threat to the Swede.

Interview: Benny Alloway "Always happy to have an Opportunity to KO an Englishman"

Kingdom MMA talks to Benny Alloway ahead of his Fight with Jack Mason
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

On Saturday night Australian welterweight Benny Alloway returns to Cage Warriors to fight Jack Mason in a bout that could have significant impact on the Cage Warriors welterweight division. A contestant on TUF Smashes, 3 fight UFC vet Alloway signed an exclusive 5 fight deal with Cage Warriors in November, and as a international recognised name, and one of the most skilled welterweight on the Cage Warriors roster, an impressive win over the surging Mason who is 6-1 in his last 7 fights could be all the Gold Cost fighter needs to earn a shot at the Cage Warriors title.

Kingdom MMA caught up with Alloway earlier this week to discuss why he signed for Cage Warriors, finishing Jack Mason, and who stands in his way on route to the title.

Houten: You will be traveling great distances to fight for Cage Warriors, what made to chose the promotion over other interested parties after you moved on from the UFC?
Alloway: Cage Warriors in my eyes is the number 2 promotion in the world.  They are as professional as the UFC as in every aspect of the promotion.  The UFC watches what goes on in the Cage Warriors ranks and that's a good thing for my new long term goal.

The general consensus amongst fans and media is that you're a better fighter than what we see during your time with the UFC, why do think we didn't get to see your best?
Straight up I blew my ankle out just before the La Flare fight and my hamstring 10 days before I fought in Indianapolis,  it was very unprofessional of me to think I could compete at this level with injuries and I paid for it by losing my job.

Its been about 5 months since your release from the UFC, what have you been up over the last few months?
The last five months have been great, [I've been] spending time with my new son and my wife on the Gold Coast.  I started a job on the opposite side of the country just before Xmas in civil construction which is putting great money in my bank and allowing to still train twice a days.  I took from my last fight until mid January off to let my body heal properly.

You will be fighting Jack Mason on March 1st, happy to back in the cage fighting an Englishman? 
Always happy to have an opportunity to KO an Englishman haha, just happy to be back in there. He has a tremendous amount of experience in his fights that is literally more than I will probably ever have. [He] has been fighting since before I knew what MMA was so definitely a worthy opponent. I look forward to solving the problem of the stone mason.

How familiar are you with Mason? Have you spent much time studying him?
I've changed the way I do things and now I'm training to fight, ill be in shape, ill have all my skills sharpened and ill adjust to whatever he tries to do on the night and look for the finish.  Everyone knows I'm looking to stand and fight and see who is tougher.  Lets hope he wants to put on a show for you all indulges me a little.

What do you think Mason does well and where do you think he is weak?
He is very good at smothering people and seems to get the takedown even if he has to bulldog it a little. He hasn't finished any - in my opinion, elite fighters and has decisions over lower level guys.  I think his striking and movement is his weakest part.

Mason has 14 submissions victories to his name, how do you feel about going to the ground with him?
The 3 times I've been finished I have been submitted so it must be where he thinks he has the best chance to win.  He hasn't submitted any world class or elite guys and I'm comfortable where ever the fight goes. Yes I got caught in my last fight but I can win a fight from any position.

How has your camp gone for this fight, and where have you done your camp? At home on the Gold Coast?
I've done [my] camp for this fight in Western Australia which is the opposite side of the country to where I'm from. I've had great training in every aspect so I feel that we completed camp well and I'm happy. 

Pendred announced this week that he was vacating the welterweight title, how many wins away do you feel you are from a title shot? Do you think a big win over Mason could make you next in line to fight the winner of Sergei Churilov vs. Nicolas Dalby?
Always hard to say how many wins, a quiet mouth never gets fed right?  After I finish Mason in Dublin I don't know we will see what happens.

The 170lb division is one of the most talent rich division Cage Warriors has, how much do you know about the other guys that will be fighting it out for the title along side you this year such as Danny Roberts, Simeon Thoresen, Matt Inman, Gael Grimaud etc.
Don't know many. I know Danny is a beast, Gael - X champ, Pendred - about to be in the UFC and my buddy Bruno, I know Gael Ko'd him ....... redemption?

Who would you say is your biggest threat on route to the title?
Going to decision with Mason takes me out off the elite category and will slow things down.

Finally Benny how do you see yourself winning your fight with Mason on Saturday?
By submission !

Cage Warriors 65 takes place March 1st, at the Helix in Dublin, Ireland. Tickets are on sale now HERE

Jack Mason Hints at Cage Warriors 65 bout Against Benny Alloway

Will Jack Mason fight Benny Alloway at Cage Warriors 65?
by Ben Heather @benheather

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

 Cage Warriors welterweight contender Jack Mason took to twitter Tuesday evening to hint that a bout between himself and for UFC Fighter Ben Alloway is in the works for Cage Warriors 65 in Dublin:

Looks like it could be me versus @Bennyblancomma 1st March in Dublin @CageWarriors 65 :-) #CWFC65
— Jack Mason (@JackStoneMason) January 14, 2014

First reported earlier in the day by IrishMMA.com, it's believed Mason vs Alloway will feature on the main card of Cage Warriors 65 which is set to take place on March 1st at The Helix, Dublin, however Cage Warriors officials have yet to officially announce the bout.

One of Cage Warriors stand out fighters of 2013, BKK Fighters welterweight Jack Mason (26-12) is on possibly the greatest run of his career going 6-1 in his last 7 fights, with the only loss coming against Ali Arish who was a last minute change of opponent for Mason.

A win over Alloway, if the fight does happen would likely put Mason at the front of the line as far as a title shot is concerned,.
His opponent TUF Smashes contestant Benny Alloway (13-5), recently signed an exclusive 5 fight deal with Cage Warriors in November following a 3 fight stint in the UFC, which saw the Gold Cost fighter defeat Manuel Rodriguez with Knockout of the Night front kick at the TUF Smashes finale, before losing to Ryan LaFlare by decision, and Zak Cummings by d'arce choke.

12 of Alloway's 13 victories have come by either TKO or submission, with the only decision victory of his career coming to Mauro Chimento Jr in a Cage Warriors bout which took place prior to joining The UFC.

Stay tuned to KingdomMMA.co.uk for all your latest Cage Warriors Rumours

Cage Warriors Sign Australian Duo Benny Alloway and Damien Brown

Cage Warriors Sign Australian Duo Benny Alloway and Damien Brown

Cage Warriors Fighting Championship has today added Benny Alloway (pictured) and Damien Brown to its ever-expanding roster of fighters.

The Australian pair, who also train under renowned coach Marc Fiore at Altitude MMA in Colorado, have each put pen-to-paper on five-fight deals, which will see them compete exclusively for CWFC over a minimum period of 18 months.

Alloway (12-5) joins Cage Warriors on the back of a three-fight stint with the UFC, which started with a ‘KO of the Night’ victory over Manny Rodriguez last December.

The 32-year-old, who picked up a TKO win against CWFC middleweight Valentino Petrescu last year on The Ultimate Fighter, first fought for Cage Warriors in February 2012 when he overcame Mauro Chimento via unanimous decision at CWFC Fight Night 3 in Beirut.

“I’m very grateful to Graham Boylan and the Cage Warriors family for welcoming me back to one of the most respected organisations in the world, and I’m really looking forward to stepping on their canvas again,” said Alloway.

“CWFC is the best thing for my career at this stage and I don’t plan to disappoint them for bringing me back. My plans for the division are simple; get back to finishing fights, one at a time, and eventually become champion.”

Brown (10-4), one of Australia’s top lightweights, has dropped just one loss in his last five outings, an impressive run that has seen him pick up notable wins over fellow Legend FC veterans Haotian Wu and Rob Hill.