Amy heading for the top

AMY WRIGHT is destined for big things in the world of cage fighting.
That is the verdict of Chris Brown, who has seen first-hand the meteoric rise of the 17-year-old Limeside girl since she first took up martial arts training only 18 months ago.

Wright recently picked up a bronze medal for finishing third in the female under-60kg category at the United Martial Alliance British Open National Grappling Championships in Burton-on-Trent.

It represented a superb achievement considering she was one of the youngest competitors in the field — but Brown, who runs the Bulldog Academy in Failsworth where Wright regularly trains as part of Team Lagarto, reckons it could have been even better.

“She was one of the least experienced competitors there but could easily have won gold,” he said.

“We felt she wasn’t awarded some points when she should have been, which happens sometimes.

“This was only her second event and she beat a professional cage fighter on the way to her bronze medal.

“I can’t believe how well she is doing. She always trains with the men at our club and has even ‘tapped out’ 30-year-olds. Her future is really bright and she picks up on things so fast.”

Wright trains in Brazilian ju-jitsu, submission wrestling and mixed martial arts and began her journey in this field quite by chance when accompanying her younger autistic sister Katie to an anti-bullying project, run by Brown, at Corpus Christi primary school in Chadderton.

That sparked her interest and only a year-and-a-half later, she is now targeting a spot in the European Championships, which take place in London next May.

After that, the goal is to break into the Great Britain team for the World Championships in Portugal the following year.

Currently studying pre-uniformed public services at Hopwood Hall College, Wright hopes to become a police officer and is delighted at the progress she has made in mixed martial arts in such a short space of time.

“I was quite shocked to come third,” she admitted.

“The first tournament I was in, I was nervous and all over the place. Then in this one, I was put up against the same people and managed to get the bronze.”

With the menfolk at the Bulldog Academy already paying her plenty of well-earned respect, Wright admits that she has yet to win over some of her friends outside of the sport.

“I have tried dragging one or two of my friends along to watch but they aren’t really into it,” she added.

“I’m the only girl at the club at my age but everyone there is fine with me and they are all pleased that I am getting better.”