Thursday, March 8, 2007

ECC 5 “Night of Champions” Press Conference


By Peter Parsons

Three new champions will be crowned and first female MMA fight to hit the Maritimes

Halifax, Nova Scotia - March 7 – Combat Productions held a press conference today at the Palace Night Club in downtown Halifax to announce their Extreme Cage Combat 5 card, taking place on Saturday, March 31st, at the Halifax Forum. ECC 5 “Night of Champions” will boast three ECC Canadian title fights as well as the first ever female MMA fight in Atlantic Canada.

Peter Martell, promoter of the ECC, Hubert Earle, director of combat sport for the Nova Scotia Boxing Authority, along with several local ECC fighters, were on hand to field questions from the local media. Much of the interest was placed on the first female MMA fight in the Maritimes, featuring Tannaya Hantelman of Team Titans who will be taking on Debbie Richards of Hamilton, Ontario . When questioned about the safety and skill level of female fighters, promoter Peter Martell responded, “There’s no reason why females shouldn’t fight in mixed martial arts, she has the skills that any mixed martial artist has and she will represent the sport very well.”

Having anticipated the interest, Martell quickly put Hantelman to work showing off her skills as she hit the pads with Titans teammate Jason McKay, who will be fighting for the lightweight title on the 31st.

Also on display was one of the three new championship belts that will be awarded at ECC 5. In the main event, the ECC light-heavyweight title will be up for grabs as local favorite Roger Hollett (4-0) of Team Titans will fight Team Nestor’s Ricardeau Francois (12-7) of Montreal . The ECC Canadian lightweight title will be on the line in a battle of 4-0 lightweights as Pictou County, Nova Scotia native Jason McKay will battle fellow ECC and Apex veteran Sean Krysa of the Boreland Combat Team in Georgetown, Ontario . Apex Canadian Welterweight Champion Rowan Cunningham (4-1), fighting out of Abhaya MMA in Kentville, Nova Scotia, looks to add the ECC Canadian welterweight title to his collection as he takes on Cory MacDonald (4-1) of Team Nestor.

ECC 5 “Night of Champions” Full Card:
205 lbs: Roger Hollett vs. Ricardeau Francois
155 lbs: Jason MacKay vs. Sean Krysa
170 lbs: Rowan Cunningham vs. Cory MacDonald
135 lbs: Tannaya Hantelman vs. Debbie Richards
220 lbs: Ryan Jimmo vs. Robert Haynes
185 lbs: Travis Axworthy vs. Chester Post
170 lbs: Matt Dutkoski vs. Matt Hamilton
145 lbs: Mike Skutter vs. Chris Barbeau
175 lbs: Adam MacDonald vs. Michael Waugh
185 lbs: Aaron Jollimore vs. Andrew Belyea
185 lbs: Craig Skinner vs. Curtis Fiander
150 lbs: Peter McGrath vs. Kristian Ndur
185 lbs: Tim Kelly vs. Tim Skidmore


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