A courageous 17-year-old from Harrogate has proven his mettle by stepping into the cage for a dramatic mixed martial arts bout. Nineteen-year-old Michal Zdunek, who lives in Jennyfields and works as an account manager, won his debut match while raising vital funds for charity.
The former Rossett School student was part of a spectacular evening of novice fights that successfully raised £11,700 for various good causes. Michal chose to support the Stroke Association for his challenge, which required competitors to undergo rigorous training in exchange for fundraising.
Michal said: 'I had dabbled in Thai boxing and then found out about Ultra MMA, which arranges training and puts on a show where each novice fights a fellow novice from their training group. There is no training charge, but you must sell ten tickets for the show and fundraise for a charity of your choice. My charity was the Stroke Association.'
The young fighter trained intensely at the acclaimed Bad Company gym in Leeds alongside a tight-knit group of other young competitors. During the exciting showcase, Michal faced off against a tough opponent from Wakefield in a relentless and thrilling contest.
Michal added: 'Win or lose, I wanted to be on that show. Prove to an audience, including family and friends, but mainly myself, that I could do this. Perhaps taste just for a day how it might feel to be an MMA star. I enjoyed every step of the process, including the gruelling training as the coaches pushed us incessantly to achieve. The atmosphere at the show was exciting, and the bouts exhilarating and enthralling. I had a tough fight with Dom Williams from Wakefield who has become a friend. How could he not when we had punched each other hard in the face? I was delighted to get the win by stoppage about 15 seconds before the end of the fight. Dom is absolutely rock hard, and he certainly gave me a beating. He was relentless with powerful right-hand shots. It was phenomenal. I suppose that makes me rock hard, too. It took courage, and we absolutely proved what we are made of.'
To ensure the safety of the novice fighters, the organisers implemented modified rules, including a total ban on striking a grounded opponent to the head. Michal said: 'The show was just fantastic and a fitting end to challenging training. You need to make taking part your personal priority for a couple of months but for me this was all part of the challenge. I would encourage anyone to get into combat sports, whether it is for fitness or competition, as you learn transferable skills while developing confidence. The next Ultra event is in November, so volunteers have the summer to get fit. I am planning to compete in Muay Thai.'
The popular event is set to return to the Village Hotel Leeds North on November 28, with the next round of training sessions starting this September. Local people aged 18 or older when the training begins are encouraged to sign up and take on the challenge for themselves.
