Chichester MMA fighters set to make their mark on international stage

Ready for war: Jake, Oscar and Tommy with their coaches from Mad Hatters Asylum.

England’s Euro clash with Slovakia isn’t the only intra-continental collision set to take place this weekend.

The day before Southgate’s squad take to the pitch, three MMA fighters from Chichester are hoping to make a statement in their respective international debuts.

Oscar Hughes, Tommy Clarke and Jake McEvoy are set to face off against a trio of Belgian opponents on Fightstar Championship 29, in Charleroi, on Saturday (June 29), in what the boys have dubbed a ‘hostile take-over.’

It’s a big night for the fighters, who boast impressive wins across a range of British promotions, including Portsmouth’s Shock ‘n’ Awe. Clarke, already well known as a submission-stylist, looks to test himself against Nessim Akhdim, while McEvoy faces off against Rachman Tchekuyev, and Hughes sets out for a statement finish against Goran Mohammad Panahi, in what looks to be an explosive night of mixed martial arts action.

All three train out of Mad Hatters Asylum in Chichester, and believe their hours of hard work will pay off come tomorrow night. “I’m really excited for the opportunity,” says Jake McEvoy. “I’m ready to go any time, the distance doesn’t make a difference to me. My coaches find the fight, I say yes, and then I put the work in.”

"Training has been really good,” adds Clarke. “The striking is good, the sparring is good; we’re ready to go.”

Oscar Hughes is equally unfazed by the challenge and, although his opponent has changed a handful of times, he’s confident in his ability to get the job done. “It doesn’t matter who they put in front of me really; I want to go out there and smash them.”

The bouts come after a big year for the team at Mad Hatters Asylum, which moved from a gym in Shopwhyke to a much bigger facility on Terminus Road last summer. As well as free-weights, heavy bags and ample mat space, the new gym features a full-size boxing ring and a UFC-style cage perfect for MMA training.

““It’s easily the biggest matted area in West Sussex,” head coach Jack Magee explained. “I’ve trained all over the world and, honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen such a big mat space anywhere.”