2013-05-04
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MMA Universal Magazine - Current Top 50 Managers - Number 49

Editorial by Jolon Williams

 

49. - Jolon Williams.

This weeks MMA Universal pick for 49th top manager in the current mixed martial arts world features former fighter turned entrepreneur and stable owner/management team head, Mr. Jolon Williams.

While Mr. Williams is known most within the MMA world as the founder of the immensely successful, however now defunct London based org, Nonstop Entertainment Incorporated, an org which would later become known as Eminence under new management, which would in turn, then go on to merge with Ascension, few know of his roots as an MMA competitor himself. A boxer as a youth, Mr. Williams would enter into mixed martial arts after his then boxing coach informed him of it's more competitive nature. Having compiled an undefeated record within the mean, lean streets of England as a boxer, Jolon gladly made the transition in search for a challenge.

Unfortunately for Mr. Williams, a challenge was precisely what he would find, and one he would find himself unable to overcome. After stringing together a modest record of 5 victories and 3 defeats within lower to mid tier organisations, Jolon would suffer a severe eye injury during the second round of his ninth bout, a fight he would eventually lose via TKO after he was diagnosed as unfit to continue. It wasn't until later at the doctor's office that he was informed he had suffered a torn retina. While it had been caught early enough to avoid full blindness, he suffered from blind spots, and it was decided then by the commission that it was no longer in his best interest for Mr. Williams to continue competing.

Forced into retirement early in a none too substantial MMA career, many may have then gone on to lead unremarkable lives, possibly within a drunken noose. However, Mr. Williams would instead go on to turn an obstacle into an advantage, utilising his knowledge of the business to further his own means. After thanking his own manager for his years of service, Jolon would then go on to form his own stable ... a stable which lives on to this day. And now, being featured on MMA Universal Magazine's top manager list, we dare to say that he can call his venture a success. Now, Mr. Williams is well known, as afore mentioned, primarily for his time as the CEO of fight organisation NEI, which went on to continuously break numerous UK MMA records for attendance, ticket sales, pay per view sales and more. But we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge his lesser known, yet still plenty viable ventures within his very own fighter stable.



Firus Williams _ 30 yo _ 165 lbs _ 16 victories - 12 defeats

Firus Williams was the first fighter to sign on with Jolon at the age of 22, and when we say the first, we mean the very first. While he led an industrious career within mid tier organisations under Mr. William's management, it is only now, at the age of 30, that he has accomplished his greatest triumph, capturing his first championship within London based organisation RSRELITE. Whether he can continue on this path remains to be seen, but Firus has been quoted as saying that if he could win a championship before he retired, then his career goal will have been achieved ... and it seems that he has managed to do just that.



Adam Resso _ 26 yo _ 194lbs _ 5 victories - 8 defeats - 1 draw

The only fighter within Jolon Williams stable to sport a losing record, one familiar with Williams' managerial style would wonder why he has even been kept on, as Mr. Williams is well known for his short temper and high performance expectancy for his fighters. However, with Adam Resso, it would seem there is good reason. Back when Jolon Williams had just started out, making his name only as a writer for numerous organisations so as to scrape enough money together to put his fighters through the best training available, Resso was singled out as a prospect that would lead the stable into a brighter future. And so, while all the other members of the stable remained in public gyms, Resso himself was put through private training, every penny from the bill footed by Jolon's own writing earnings. Unfortunately for Resso, it seems the pressure of such a demanding goal has affected his performance, but it is clear that Jolon is intent on getting his money's worth out of Resso. Clearly a skilled fighter, is it a string of bad luck, or something else that is preventing Resso's career from taking off? Perhaps an entry early in his career to a tournament beyond his skill set lowered his self-confidence, but Resso will have to regain it and start looking ahead if he wants to succeed.



Jay Copeland _ 26 yo _ 217lbs _ 10 victories - 4 defeats

The afore mentioned Adam Resso's best friend growing up, Copeland joined the Williams' stable together with the currently struggling fighter, however, unlike his best friend, Copeland started his career with a flourish, stringing together five straight victories before finally suffering his first defeat. Since then, he has still managed to compile a somewhat more modest, but nevertheless winning record, including a 2-1 record within top tier organisation GAMMA, where he currently fights out of. His latest victory featured an upset over a favoured and highly skilled Arthur Wallace, placing Copeland within the category of those who must not be underestimated. While he has yet to see a championship reign, if Copeland can somehow push it into that next gear, it may yet be within reach.



Zane Peltier _ 26 yo _ 154lbs _ 16 victories - 5 defeats

The Williams camp's most highly ranked star to date, Peltier has compiled an impressive 16 win record, 10 of which have come via submission from the black belt's superior ground game. And while he will loudly proclaim to anyone who will listen that it should rightly be a 21 - 0 record, and that referees are against him, or he never actually tapped, or that he was plenty able to continue that fight, it is nevertheless a given looking at his record that young Peltier is a fighter with substance to back up his loud mouth. Closely losing out on a chance at championship gold in only his third professional fight, Peltier vowed 'never again' ... and that vow held true. After a four fight stint with IFC, Peltier moved on to TDCL, where he would then grab at that which eluded him in IFC, capturing a title after only his second fight with the organisation. Their crowning of him did not prove to be premature however, as he would go on to hold that title for nearly two years, defending it in six different fights before finally losing it on his last fight with the organisation. From there, he would move to SPFT, where he would once again capture the title after only his second fight with the organisation. A decorated fighter, Peltier is renowned for fighting in the lightweight division, despite being a natural featherweight. Currently fighting out of SPNY, his next fight is rumoured to once again have the potential to add gold around his waist ... but as of yet, nothing has been confirmed.



Hector DuMaine _ 26 yo _ 175lbs _ 10 victories - 4 defeats

High society man turned MMA fighter, DuMaine started his career off in a land far, far away, otherwise known as Rio De Janeiro, within OG where he compiled an impressive 5-1 record, bumping his professional record to 6-1 ... yet, never actually getting a chance at gold. The reason for this is widely acknowledged as being due to his inability to finish a fight, a whopping nine out of his ten victories coming via decision. Indeed, it wasn't until he moved back to London that he would finally taste championship gold within a rebirthed CFL, holding it for less than two months before losing it on his first title defense against legendary fighter, Uncomfortable Positions. Currently fighting out of O.R.G, it is noteworthy to add that DuMaine finally managed to notch the first finish of his career in his most recent fight, finishing Ronaldo Nazario within the first round. However, credit is not widely given for this KO victory, as many fans have proclaimed Nazario to be nothing more than a can, inserted to make DuMaine look good. If he wants to look good in the eyes of the crowd, he may want to leave his posh persona outside of the cage, and adopt a more aggressive one within it's confines.



Ruben Owth _ 25 yo _ 296lbs _ 11 victories - 6 defeats

Unlike his predecessor, Owth has no trouble finishing fights within the cage. In fact, on the contrary, only one of his fights has gone the distance, and that was a loss. Every victory he has had, he has earned via finish, whether it be submission or KO ... and believe you me, this man is capable of both. This Olympian wrestler is highly skilled in both stand-up and ground techniques, making him a formidable opponent. His record may be somewhat modest, but after an initial 0-2 record right off of his debut, Owth took some more time off after what appeared to be a decidedly premature start, honing his techniques further still. It wasn't until a little after a year later that he resurfaced, and after notching five consecutive victories, all the naysayers were silenced. He later went on to be a reigning champion in Valhalla, where he would hold the title for half a year before being ousted. Now fighting out of SPNY, he appears to be on a bit of a slump, suffering two consecutive defeats, including a title bout which had him pegged as the favourite ... but do not make the mistake of underestimating him, for his aggressive stylings within the cage and willingness to take a beating have more than defined him as a formidable opponent who will pull out all the stocks. Unfortunately, the only thing greater than his heart appears to be a lack of a substantial chin, which may affect him in future outings.



Gabriel McGowen _ 25 yo _ 300lbs _ 7 victories - 1 defeat

Known to those who train with him as a physical specimen for the ages, Gabriel McGowen is aptly monikered as the Prodigal Son. In fact, he was such a terrifying sight to behold in all his glory that early on in his career, no org dared to sign him. As such, he made his name within the QFC circuit, crushing those they put in front of him, superiorly skilled or otherwise, using his sheer physical prowess to defeat his opponents. And indeed, it has served him well, for of his seven victories, six have come via (T)KO. Coasting at a six bout undefeated record after signing with O.R.G, his undefeated record would unfortunately come to a halt after facing a highly favoured Heinrich Eisenberg, but despite this, there is no doubt in this writer's mind that this Olympian beast of a man will only continue to rise in this sport.



Cyril Kalenth - 32 yo _ 210lbs _ 16 victories - 8 defeats - 2 draws

While Mr. Williams did not admit it to Mr. Kalenth at the time, the entrepreneur/former CEO of NEI has since admitted that he had only hired the 25 year old Kalenth at the time to serve as a can within his organisation, used to propel other, more promising stars forward in their careers. And looking at him, it is not hard to see why. However, amusingly enough, despite all Mr. Williams' attempts to sway this fighter's course, Kalenth would continue to come out on top against all of the odds, using a methodical and almost scholarly approach to the sport to do so. Finally, after notching a victory against a superior opponent in Mike Black and tooting a highly unlikely record of nine victories, four defeats and two draws against what consisted of vastly skilled opponents, Mr. Williams was finally forced to take Kalenth's potential as a fighter seriously and sign him to an org more befitting of his talents. Debuting in Amsterdam based UFL, Kalenth was immediately placed in a title fight, which he would promptly win. He would go on to defend his title successfully before leaving the organisation, it's owner informing Kalenth that there was simply nobody who could face him. He would depart undefeated, and to this day remains the organisation's inaugural light heavyweight champion. His last fight was out of Immortals New York, where he boasted a less than modest record of two victories and three losses, proving that perhaps potential of skill can only go so far. Winning his last fight with the organisation nearly a year ago now, Kalenth returns to action from Feral Combat in London. Can he regain success in what has been an ironically amusing career?



Bowman Rook _ 24yo _ 190 lbs _ 7 victories - 5 defeats

Rook started his career promisingly enough, signing right off the bat with Immortals in New York and promptly achieving both his first victory as well as his first defeat within the organisation, consecutive to each other. However, after his first loss, Rook would go on to notch five consecutive victories, two of which were against highly favoured, undefeated opponents, earning him the moniker of the 'Streak-Ender'. Forcing his way up the ladder of a shark tank middleweight division, Rook was set to face a then undefeated champion in Anthony Ventura for the title. Stakes were high. On one hand, you had a champion who had proved his mettle time and again against the division's finest. On the other, you had a competitor riding a five bout victory wave, having just avenged his only loss against the man who had defeated him so long ago, a fighter touted as a streak ender, and a man proclaiming that just like he had done with the others, so would he do the same to Ventura, and crush the undefeated legend. Breaths were bated, fingers and toes crossed as the two went head to head at the highly hyped Immortals Christmas/Boxing Day event. Yet, fans of the Eighth Sin, the Streak Ender were left disappointed as he would suffer a second round knockout after a lackluster performance against the champion, causing people to question what made him lose his focus, and raising possible causes such as substance abuse brought on by his sudden emergence in the limelight. His further slump following the loss only served to heighten support behind this fact, as Rook suffered two more losses, bringing his record to a modest 6-4. Fans were pleased to see a short return to form as Rook once again did his moniker justice and ended yet another streak against Thor Okam, but a loss following has crushed any hope of an almighty comeback from this former Immortals favourite, where he now seems to hold little more position than that of a gatekeeper. His next bout is scheduled on the eleventh of May, where he will take on 9-6 Randy Turner. Can Rook turn the legend around and bring the fans back to clamouring for more, or will his downward spiral continue?



Lee Wilson _ 23 yo _ 165lbs _ 10 victories - 2 defeats

The emergence of Lee Wilson marked a new stage within the Williams stable, as financing and the previous success of both his org and his fighters had permitted Jolon the means to fund a private gym wherein which he could host his fighters' training. Wilson was the first fighter under Jolon's wing to fully benefit from this at a young age, and his impressive career record thus far more than reflects this. Winning a title after only his fourth professional fight, he would unfortunately lose it in the following fight against a superior opponent. Not one to lose confidence however, Wilson would bounce back, and it wouldn't take long for him to win a title in his next organisation, London based Galaxy, an organisation which coincidentally holds several other stable members of the Williams' camp. Wilson is the only champion there however, winning a title in only his second fight with the org, defending it successfully on one occasion, before losing it in only his second defeat of his career, only to regain it yet again in the next fight after being offered an immediate rematch. At the bright young age of only 23, and a clear ability to learn from his mistakes, plus championship experience to boot? This young champion is surely set for great things, and he will be looking to prove this in his next title defense coming up in only a week.



Bison Bradley _ 23 yo _ 270lbs _ 10 victories - 3 defeats

Initially signing on to the Immortals New York roster as a young upstart with a keen enthusiasm for the limelight, Bison Bradley was one of several competitors to star in the Immortals version of The Ultimate Fighter. Unfortunately, Bradley did not prove to be one of the stand outs in the competition, losing promptly in his first televised and professional bout. He would go on to finish the Ultimate Fighter competition with a par for course record of 2-2. Judging from this, there are certainly no sparks of greatness eminating from such numbers. Yet, this is where one can tell the wit, the substance of a manager. For Jolon Williams, rather than dumping him like many no doubt would have done after such a mediocre showing, decided to take the time to train him up ... and it has taken effect. Since that mediocre showing, Bison Bradley has racked up an impressive record of eight victories and only one defeat. And even that one defeat, Bradley has since admitted that, had he been paying proper attention and adopted the right fight plan, was a fight which would have been perfectly winnable. He is not so careless now, and judges his opponents' merits for all they are worth ... and yet in front of him stands what may perhaps be his toughest opponent yet in Andrei Chikatilo. The underdog on paper, can Bison continue on his rampage through the Immortals super heavyweight division? With title implications on the line with this one, Bradley has got to be keen on attaining that win, and next week, we find out whether or not he has what it takes to take it.



Jaques Du Coudray _ 22 yo _ 270 lbs _ 5 victories - 2 defeats

Spearheading the youth generation of the Williams stable is the Frenchman, Jaques Du Coudray. Jaques, along with most of the younger portion of the Williams stable, only just entered onto the scene a couple years ago. While it is too early to tell anything concrete as of yet, Jaques appears to be a balanced fighter with a promising career ahead of him. Displaying both stand up and ground game technique, he looks to bounce back from an upset loss in his last outing and make his name.



Icarus Ritter _ 22 yo _ 300lbs _ 5 victories - 0 defeats

Like his stable mate Jaques, Icarus only arrived on the scene a couple of years ago, but unlike his stable mate Jaques, Icarus has wasted no time in making himself known. Thus far, he has notched five consecutive victories, four within the SPNY superheavyweight division, all of which have been via (T)KO. Clearly a powerhouse and a ambitious striker, Icarus looks to have a bright future within the sport of MMA, despite rumours that within the confines of the gym, he is less bright than a basement lightbulb from a cliche'd horror flick.



Owen Glyde _ 22 yo _ 210lbs _ 5 victories - 2 defeats

Similar to stable mate Jaques, little can yet be said about Owen that could be seen as concrete, however the fact that all five of his victories have been finishes is something worthy of note. The ability to be able to finish an opponent is crucial in the sport of MMA, both inside the cage, and outside it. If you're not sure why, just ask DuMaine. Ask him why the fans tend to boo during his fights. With such examples to learn from however, Glyde seems to be making a good start of it, and seems well on his way to a successful career.



Reginald Francis Colon _ 22 yo _ 143lbs _ 5 victories - 2 defeats

Despite having a name that might remind one of a posh french toilet, Colon, just like his stablemates, has displayed a promise of prowess for future glory. While he, too, apparently exhibits signs of dullness within the gym, his canny instinct within the cage more than seems to make up for it, his technique on the ground lending him aid in his efforts. And though he was the only fighter in the Williams' youth generation to suffer a loss on his debut, he has since come up strong and swinging, and can now be regarded no less of a threat to the MMA world as his comrades.



Jack Bruin _ 22 yo _ 175lbs _ 3 victories - 0 defeats

Jack Bruin is a bit of an enigma, being the only one of the six members of Williams' youth generation to not sign an official fight contract alongside his brothers. Speculation has lead to the conclusion that he is no doubt the Resso of his generation, favoured for his intelligence and ability to pick things up quickly and seen as a prospect for a future world spectacle. And when he finally did debut within a professional organisation, he did not disappoint, dispatching both of his opponents effectively, despite one of them being a similarly skilled project like himself, and another who vastly beat him in terms of experience. If Bruin can continue along in this vein, he may very well be able to bring the world spectacle to the Williams' stable's doorstep afterall ... but one has to wonder if he is indeed, the Resso of his generation, if he is not then in fact, a Resso in the making. Suffice it to say, with a 5-8 record, Resso is not a fighter one aspires to be.



Bryce ODonnell _ 21 yo _ 163lbs _ 5 victories - 2 defeats

What is it with the 5-2 record with the Williams camp's youth generation? Whatever the case, Bryce adopts this record too, with one advantage and one disadvantage. The advantage being that he is a year younger than the rest, and thus has more time to improve. The disadvanatge is that he too, seems to lack the ability to finish a fight, which could lead him on the path to a somewhat less impressive career similar to that of DuMaine's. A good record on paper, but no glory to be had. And what does one get into this for if not for the glory? ODonnell might want to do something about his pillow fists, with only one finish out of five victories, it might not do in the upper tiers of MMA. The good news is that he seems equally difficult to finish, both of his losses also going the distance. Bright future? One can only hope.



Jun Moroba _ 21 yo _ 157lbs _ 2 victories - 0 defeats

Jun Moroba just missed out on recruitment for the youth generation, so I suppose that makes him the ... youth youth generation? Whatever the case, he too, delayed his debut somewhat, only signing an official org contract a few months ago. His first fight with the org went off without a hitch, and with two KO victories, a solid striking game and an even more solid ground game, Moroba looks to be off to a promising start. The fact that neither of his opponents made it out of the first round? Bonus points.



Stu Mercer _ 18yo _ 252 lbs _ 1 victory - 0 defeats

The most recent recruit to the Williams stable, not much is known about Mercer, and rightly so. His only professional bout was held within the QFC circuit, so basically in front of about a dozen drunk individuals who probably did not remember the fight the next morning. Nevertheless, according to Sherdog, he won the fight via knockout, and in speedy fashion as well, so at least something can be said for his boxing ability. Anything beyond that, we'll all have to just wait and see.

Well, that's all of them folks! The lesser known side of the entrepreneur, Jolon Williams. His stable is still young, still not quite on a global scale yet ... but it's clear he's looking to change that with his somewhat recent acquisition of a private gym and his recruitment drive for young talent. Today, he's number 49. Tomorrow? Who knows where he could be. Either way, he's a manager to look out for.

Now onto number 48 ....

 

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