By James Bovington
AN ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE-based camp is celebrating double success as its fighters registered notable wins, at home and abroad.
Manchester Top Team (MTT), whose headquarters are at Boodle Street, saw Dan Holt beat the highly experienced Ross Coe at an Elite Combat Championships show in Bolton.
Further afield, UFC prospect Louis Lee Scott travelled to Paris defeat Youssouf Binate.
And 21-year-old lightweight Holt – who made a name as a kickboxer – has big aims for 2025 following his second professional win, despite being the opposite of his ‘Villain’ nickname.
He said: “My aim is to complete the year with four wins, experience new shows and hopefully fight abroad on a bigger platform. Most importantly I need to stay healthy and keep improving.
“I started competing in MMA as an amateur in 2021. Prior to that I’d enjoyed a decorated amateur kickboxing career – competing all over the world from the age of six, culminating in being placed second aged 16 at a World Cup held in Dublin.
“MTT has been my home since 2020. I love the facility and the coaching style with world class fighters like Louis around and which creates a good vibe and excellent learning environment. I also enjoy coaching the younger fighters and hopefully being a quality role model.
“I’m known as ‘The Villain’. It’s my brand. Who I am. Outside the gym, I’m boring!
“Martial Arts have given me a purpose in life. When I’m not watching fights I’m studying conditioning, nutrition, strength training, human anatomy, anything that’s relevant to my sport.”
Bantamweight Lee Scott won his ninth professional bout in the ARES Fighting Championship by armbar stoppage late in the first of five scheduled rounds.
He said: “Once again I entered the cage as an underdog in the opponent’s back yard and proved that I’m a level above all these guys with a strong first round finish.
“The goal remains to be in the UFC as soon as possible.”
Lee Scott hails from Leeds but followed his coach Carl Prince over the Pennines when MTT was established in 2019.
“Louis started off with his unique array of strikes before getting his nose broken by an uppercut,” he said about the French fight,
“He invited pressure from the opponent before getting Binate on the canvas with perfect timing allowing Louis to finish the bout with a slick transition into armlock, forcing the opponent to tap out and get a submission win.
“On the same evening, Dan Holt used his kickboxing experience to beat a tough veteran of MMA landing some eye-catching blows and showing the strong discipline needed to control the tempo of the bout.
“He was justly rewarded with a unanimous decision victory not losing a single point and continuing his unblemished professional record.
“We also had four junior fighters competing in the European championships and they all came home with medals. MTT is going from strength to strength.”
*INDIVIDUALS or companies looking to sponsor Dan Holt or Louis Lee Scott should contact them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/manchestertopteam/ (or https://www.instagram.com/villain.24s/ for Holt).
You can also e-mail contact@manchestertopteam.com or call 07380 380635.