RETURNING star James Bateman was shocked in the first round of his eagerly-awaited comeback as Oskar Somerfeld forced a submission victory.
The Fight Ministry man, who headlined the card at Doncaster Dome, moved up to middleweight (-84kg) for the clash but it proved a bridge too far.
It had started well for Bateman, who controlled the opening minutes and looked in top condition, before the unbeaten Polish fighter took the fight with a devastating arm bar.
Coach Neal Lofts said: "James is in great physical condition and he has an extensive skill-set, but by his own admission, he has lost that drive to compete.
"I guess I played a big part in persuading him to carry on last year when retirement was on his mind – but I'm pleased to say he will carry on his coaching role with us."
Despite a loss for Bateman, Grimsby young guns Jack Grant and Andy Craven both recorded superb victories on their trip to South Yorkshire.
A capacity crowd awaited the fighters, including more than two hundred fans who had made the journey from Grimsby.
First up for the Ministry was Craven, 22, who outclassed Kam Patel in the first round to claim his second win on the professional scene.
The featherweight (-66kg) triumphed on his debut earlier this year, and showed the same promise with a range of kicks and punches to set up the victory.
Up next was the talented Grant, who came up against the experienced Gohkan Turkiymilaz, who went into the clash with 10 wins from his 17 professional fights.
On paper, it was a tall order for the 21-year-old Grimsby lightweight (-70kg), but Grant passed his test with flying colours.
The crowd were up for it and so where the fighters – it was fixed stares as referee Craig Lawrence brought them together in the centre of the cage.
Grant and Turkiymulaz traded blows from the off, but the Grimsby man took the edge with a strong right hook midway through the opening round.
The following take-down from Grant was concise and his position looked dominant – the Tiger MMA fighter paused on all fours, and the Ministry star put in a fatal figure four.
With no sign of a tap, Grant held the position and squeezed – forcing his opponent to tap out.
Lofts added: "It was very pleasing for me to see technical submission finishes from both Andy and Jack – which, coming from a gym associated with strong strikers, is a testament to our depth as a team.
"I've set the bar high for Jack this year, I prepared him for two stern tests in Rafael Barros, who was unbeaten, and Turkiymulaz, who had previously had seventeen professional contests.
"But Jack has beaten both fighters convincingly, with less than a month between the two bouts."
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