Combat Academy and Hereford Contact Karate Club fighter Emma Baker travelled to Brymawr to compete in the amateur grapple & strike open trials. Competitors have two fights in each of the three qualifying events with the best fighters being selected to compete in the Welsh National Championships at the end of the year.
In her first fight Emma faced a karate black belt who opened the fight with a flurry of spectacular kicking techniques. Emma was not fazed and maintained a tight guard taking most of the kicks on the arms and replying with some solid punches to her opponents body. Emma worked to establish the clinch and took her opponent to the floor where the karate fighter did not have an answer for Emma's ground skills as she raked up the points moving with ease into dominating ground holds to record a convincing win.
In her second fight Emma faced her old adversary Sara Davies, a tough fighter from the Falcons Martial Arts Club. The pair have met several times in the past in various events with the outcome being about even. With the fighters knowing each other so well it was no surprise that the fight went the distance with Emma losing by just one point.
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