Phoenix to go the distance
Mike out to whack Mak
CHESHIRE PHOENIX will travel more than 900 miles by bus this weekend as they shoot for a place in the Trophy Final.
The Phoenix must overcome a nine-point deficit when they visit Newcastle Eagles for Sunday’s decider.
That 370-mile round trip comes on the back of a Friday night league visit to the Plymouth Raiders. That will add another 540 miles and is hardly ideal preparation.
Cheshire boss Ben Thomas said: “It’s an absolutely horrendous challenge. It’s a lot of driving but we’ve been in this situation before and performed really, really well.
“We’re confident we have a good enough team to beat Newcastle by more than nine.”
The winners of the Trophy semi will face shock outfit the Solent Kestrels after they became the first non-league side to reach a major final.
Cheshire will at least have American star Parker JacksonCartwright back for the weekend after tonsillitis.
Thomas added: “He played through it for a couple of games but then had to sit out.
“He trained all last week, had the weekend off and is looking sharp once again.”
MIKE GRUNDY believes an impressive win over Makwan Amirkhani will be his ticket to fights against the featherweight division elite.
Team Kaobon’s Grundy will lock horns with the Kurdish-born Finn at UFC Fight Night 171 at London’s O2 Arena next month.
The Wigan warrior has drawn one of the biggest names outside of the featherweight top 15 after beating Nad Narimani on his UFC debut last March.
And the 32-year-old says a dominant performance over ‘Mr Finland’ will put him on course for big things by the end of the year.
“Makwan is the perfect opponent to start 2020 against,” Grundy said.
“When I win against Makwan, it should put me in the top 20. And after that, I would like to be fighting a top-15 fighter next.”
Grundy didn’t anticipate facing one of the 145lb division’s standout fighters so early into his UFC career, and said: “I didn’t expect this so soon. But I’m going to take the opportunity with open arms and smash him on the night.
“I know it’s only my second fight in the UFC, but I feel like I put on a good performance in my first fight and I know I’m going to put on a good performance in my second fight.”
Amirkhani enters his showdown with Grundy on the back of a third-round TKO loss to Shane Burgos at UFC 244 last November.
The Finn’s stamina betrayed him that night at Madison Square Garden and will once again be tested by the dogged Grundy, who plans to take the 31-yearold all the way.
“He started strong and he started well against Burgos, but you’ve got to be able to have the gas tank to keep that sort of pressure going,” Grundy said.
“He doesn’t seem to have it. And I’ve definitely got it.
“We’re going to be going into deep waters and I’m going to be breaking his will.
“You’re going to see the best Mike Grundy on March 21. And I hope we see the best Makwan as well, because that’s the person I want to beat.
“I don’t want to beat somebody that’s coming in half-heartedly. I want to see the best of him. You can expect an explosive and fast start and an exciting fight.”