Neil Hall Mixed Martial Arts Referee & Martial Artist
Neil Hall has been involved in martial arts for more
than three decades, in disciplines ranging from Shotokan Karate, Thai
and kickboxing. He then became involved in Mixed Martial Arts right at
the start of the sport's
beginning and has now become a familiar face at many fight shows in his
role as a top referee. Recently he started up MMA Officials UK one of
the leading companies supplying both referees and judges to top shows.
Martial News Editor Phil Doherty talks to Neil about his long martial arts career and his passion for MMA.
Phil Doherty: Hello Neil, thank you for allowing us to interview you...
PD: Let's start with how you started in martial
arts, what ago you began and what systems you began your career in? As
well as competitive sports martial arts I believe you are also
well-trained in street combat self-protection as well?
NH: Yes, I was training with Dave Turton and I was
with him for quite some time training in reality self-defence. I was
part of the British Combat Association when it started and Dave was
teaching Geoff Thompson combat Ju-jitsu. Dave then left the BCA at then
started the Self-Defence Federation and I have stayed with Dave ever
since.
PD: How did you get into MMA?
NH: Around 2000 I started an MMA gym called Fighting
Chance and that was one of the first MMA gym in the UK. It was a good
venue and we had a lot of great guys training there. Up to 2005 was the
magic time for the gym.
PD: You've also have a strong grappling background as well...
NH: I started doing Sambo and I competed in that at both national and international level. Because I have a Judo and Ju-jitsu background I
didn't find difficult to take up Sambo, although the rules are
different. At one point I was doing Judo, Sambo, MMA, Thai and
Kickboxing.
PD: As a martial artist how would you describe yourself?
NH: I'm basically an obsessed martial artists. I love
it all, self-defence, striking and grappling. I've been doing BJJ now
for ten years as well so I believe that I have an all round game. I'm
also able to separate them so I don't mix up my Judo with Sambo.
PD: What happened to your Fight Chance Gym?
NH: The gym keep going and I got a chance to do teach
at another that wanted to pay me. It was a great time at Fighting Chance
but it was time to move on and this opportunity came up and I took it.
After a while I realised I wanted to be my own man again and I left the
other gym and set up the Allegiance Gym. Its in the same building that
original Fighting Chance gym and I still have lads from that gym now
training at Allegiance.
 PD: When did you set up the Allegiance Gym?NH: That was about a year and a half ago. I been
building it up over that time and now we have produced six MMA champions
and we have guys competing in BJJ and in a couple of weeks we have a
couple of guys who are going of to Long Beach, California, United
States, at the World Open Competition. And we have a couple of K-1
events as well, so we are quite busy.
PD: What is the Allegiance Gym like?
NH: The facilities are really good. We have a large
matted area, a good cage and a small weight room. The walls are padded
out and we have a bag area so it has everything we need to produce good
fighters. It also only five minutes from the M1 and M62 so its easy to
get to as well.
PD: What are your ambitions?
NH: My ambitions are the same as everyone, I suppose.
It would be great to get some fighters into the UFC and have some
world-class champs. But what is really important that people are happy
with their training. That is my biggest ambition. I want to take it as
far as I can and for people to be happy with what we have to over. The
gym has a real friendly atmosphere and is place where people feel
comfortable and it also a place where people can compete or can train
for fitness.
PD: Tell me about MMA Officials UK...
MH: This is a natural progression for me. I started judging bouts for
shows from around 2001 and I got interested in doing refereeing MMA
shows. It occurred to that I should set up a refereeing and judging
service and it just evolved from that.
PD: You now have one of the best reputations in the MMA world for your service...
NH: Thank you for saying that...well recently we really have been
pushing this service as its own entity so its nice to be recognised.
There are some people who do to make as much money as they can and then
there are those who have grown up in the industry and its more of a
passion for them. I believe I fall into the later category because MMA
is my life and I want to do it right for both the safety and standards
of the sport.
PD: So you think standards in MMA refereeing and judging have risen over the years?
NH: Yes I think standards have risen in recent years
because people now realise there are courses available. But we still
need to educate people on what is on offer. I'm always talking to
promoters as well - without being patronising - to try and help raise
the overall standards in the sport. I'm trying to make people more aware
of the rising standards. I must have officiated at thousands and
thousands of bouts now.
PD: Thank you Neil...I really enjoyed our interview
Neil's Allegiance Gym is based at Alexandra Mills, Bradford Road , Batley, West Yorkshire
For further information on Allegiance Gym or MMA Officials UK visit: http://www.mmaofficials.co.uk/
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