Testimonials
Michael Bisping
Professional MMA/UFC Fighter
To whom it may concern,
My training relationship Paul Lloyd Davies extended over twenty years beginning with Yawara Ryu Jiu Jitsu and later Knockdown Sport Budo. Paul introduced me to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
I signed up with Paul and Dr Colin Clelland in January 2004. Paul coached, trained and managed me from MMA novice to winning the Cage Rage Light Heavy Weight Championship in a televised fight on Sky Sports 2.
Ending my long association with Paul Lloyd Davies, I signed with Wolfslair, now regarded internationally as the UK’s top MMA gym, just months prior to the Ultimate Fighter Three programme.
I recognise the positive role Paul Lloyd Davies played in my formative MMA skills development and his input in my early career management. My experience fighting in televised Championship bouts, my fight record and public image (Paul suggested the name “the Count”) all making a positive contribution towards my selection, skill and winning the Ultimate Fighter 3 programme. I wish to thank Paul Lloyd Davies and Dr Clelland and acknowledged their valuable contribution to my professional MMA career.
Wikipedia Quote: 8th July 2008
Training Background
In an interview with Pedro Wrobel in January 2005, published at Sherdog.com, Bisping talks about his training background:
“I started off with a form of traditional jiu-jitsu. The association was called Yawara Ryu, and it was run by Paul Lloyd Davies”. Yawara Ryu is a complete jiu-jitsu system, with strikes (punches, elbows, knees and kicks), throws, take downs, and submissions.
Bisping trained in Yawara Ryu from the age of 8 until 18. During this time, he competed in the Knock Down Sport Budo (KSBO) event, a forerunner of the fully-fledged MMA competitions in the UK.
“Paul used to run the KSBO competitions, and I competed. KSBO was the first MMA event to be held in the country. It was where Lee Hasdell, James Zikic and myself learnt our trade. It started in about 1994.”
When he was 18 he stopped training in martial arts altogether and after a short time began training in karate and kickboxing. He trained with Alan Clarking at the Black Knights gym in Burnley for about a year.
Bisping then won the North West area title in kickboxing and the Pro British. After another short break he resumed training when he was about 20, and went on to win the British light-heavyweight title for the second time.
Bisping admits to have been drifting again, until he actively sought out contact again with Paul Lloyd Davies in the summer of 2004:
“I’d just walked away from something that I’d enjoyed so much, that I had so much success with as a youngster and now didn’t do anything about … I knew nothing about MMA. I had never even seen the UFC. Paul told me a little bit about it and said he thought that I could make an impact, to say the least. So I went down to Nottingham and had one session with him. I didn’t even know what the guard was: I thought it was holding your hands up! Anyway, after that one session, and for whatever reason, Paul offered me a deal. I would move down to Nottingham for four days a week and he would sponsor me and train me. He would also help me financially as I would be giving up work. We hoped that in about two years we could make the project start to pay.”
The close association with Lloyd Davies ended when Bisping moved to the Wolfslair Gym, where he currently trains.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Bisping&oldid=62790509
