Bumper crowd heading to city for MMA show
More than a thousand fight fans will descend on Wolverhampton tomorrow night for one of the biggest Mixed Martial Arts shows ever staged in the Midlands.
The Hangar Events Venue, on Pearson Street, plays host to Fight Night 11, a 20-bout event organised by Golden Ticket Fight Promotions.
A sell-out 1,200-strong crowd is expected inside the venue, while demand has proved so high it has prompted the promoters to set up an online pay-per-view stream.
Guy Mumford, from Golden Ticket, explained: “There is literally not a spare seat in the house, this is a legitimate sell-out.
“We’re absolutely delighted with how things have come together. So often when you put on a show like this the card frequently changes due to injuries and other things.
“This time it has barely changed at all. We have 20 great fights and it is all set up to be a great night.”
The show is the 11th organised by Wolverhampton-based Golden Ticket, which is run by Mumford along with Adam and Dan Cassell, the latter of whom is fighting on tomorrow’s bill.
It is their first show at The Hangar and was preceded last month by a press conference, streamed online, to announce the card.
Top of the bill sees Stafford-trained Ant Bailey take on Warren Kee for the pro interim middleweight title.
Cannock’s Jack Owen, meanwhile, faces Wolverhampton’s Akonee Wanliss in a local scrap for the vacant pro lightweight crown.
In addition to attracting fighters from across the UK, the event will also be given an international flavour by the presence of two competitors from Norway, one from Denmark and another from Ireland.
Mumford continued: “Ant Bailey is bringing around 400 fans down for the main event, so there is going to be a superb atmosphere.
“Jack Owen against Akonee Wanliss is a bit of a local battle and the pro card looks strong. There are also a number of really strong amateur bouts on the bill.
“We’re really pleased with the response to this show and it gives us a lot of confidence for the future.
“MMA is a sport with a rapidly growing popularity and we have big plans.”
The show begins at 6pm and is expected to run until 11.30pm. Anyone wishing to watch online should visit mmatv.co.uk. Pay-per-view price is £7.99.
