Chris has to be bit Nass-ty
WELSH STAR FIGHTS BACK FROM BRINK DAVID: MY SON-SHINE WEEKEND
JOHN PHILLIPS admits he feared his time in the UFC was over last month.
A run of three consecutive defeats left the middleweight star on the brink of being cut from the promotion.
The Swansea slugger saved his bacon with a 17-second KO victory over Alen Amedovski at UFC Fight Night 160 in Copenhagen, which earned him a £40,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Phillips was relieved to get back in the win column and is over the moon to no longer have the threat of being axed looming DAVID LONGSTAFF crowned the perfect family sporting 24 hours yesterday.
Six goals and six assists during September saw the Whitley Warriors player-boss (left) yesterday named National League North’s Player of the Month.
It came hours after missing the Warriors’ 8-3 victory over Billingham Stars as he was sitting in the
THE ULTIMATE
over him. The 34-year-old said: “If I had lost four fights, of course I was going to get cut.
“It’s just business and it is what it is. Unfortunately, that’s the name of the game.
“Even if you’ve been in fights that are close, if you lose four fights on paper you’re going to get cut. Everyone knows that.”
‘The Welsh Wrecking Machine’ was plagued by selfdirectors’ box at Newcastle to watch teenage son Matty make his Premier League debut against Manchester United.
Matty, 19, played alongside older brother Sean, 21, and capped his dream day by scoring the winner.
Dad David, 45, said: “I’ve never felt prouder doubt during his three-year winless run and admits he was a bag of nerves during fight week at the end of last month.
He added: “My mind was an emotional rollercoaster on the way up until the fight.
“You run every through your head.
“No matter how much you keep telling yourself to be confident, you’re always going to get that doubt.”
The prospect of being the first Welsh fighter to be released from the UFC without winning was all the motivation Phillips needed to keep plugging away during his barren run. He than to see the two boys doing what they have now done.
“I was fortunate to make more than 100 appearances for Great Britain, captain my country and win trophies – but this was something different.”
At one stage it looked as if his sons would also take up ice hockey but they took a different route to the top.
David added: “I spent a season playing in the scenario added: “It was going through my head, ‘Am I going to be the first Welsh person to come in and have four fights and four losses and get chucked out?’
“I was like, ‘No, I’m not having that. I’ve come so far so I’m going to keep pushing’.”
With his first UFC victory finally in the bag, Phillips is eager to test himself against the middleweight elite in 2020, with Israel Adesanya the new king of the division after defeating Robert Whittaker in Melbourne at the weekend .
He said: “This is just the start. My aim is to just keep ticking away and to get into the top ten.” Sweden First Division when Sean was only three or four and he spent a lot of his time on the ice.
“But I came back to England the following season and, like most British kids, the pair of them grew up wanting to be footballers.
“I was so proud when Sean made his Premier League debut but I was even prouder when I saw them walk out together against United.” CHRIS SILVERWOOD’S coronation as England coach came with a warning from his former Test captain Nasser Hussain: “You might have to upset a few people.”
The Yorkshireman, 44, pipped South African Gary Kirsten to take over at Lord’s.
Silverwood, known as Spoons, will be a popular appointment in the dressing room where he was already a respected pace bowling coach.
But Hussain, who was England skipper when Silverwood won the last of his six Test caps in Australia 17 years ago, warned he must be prepared to bruise a few egos.
He said: “There is a massive difference between being a friendly bowling coach and being main man, picking and choosing your time to get tough.
“That will be a challenge – if he wants to do a good job he might have to upset a few people.”
His first action comes in New Zealand where England will play five T20 internationals and two Tests starting on November 1.
He said: “I am excited to get started and build teams. There is a tremendous amount of talent coming through and enormous potential for growth.
“I am confident we can make a positive impact on our winter tours of New Zealand and South Africa.”