WARRINGTON kickboxer Graham Sayer competed at the Combat Sports Open trials on Sunday.

It was the first of four events which are scheduled to be held by the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts, with the Championship finals to be contested in November.

Sayer, a former undefeated World Amateur Kickboxing champion and the 2005 Warrington Sports Personality of the Year, competed twice at the event, held at Hereford Sports Centre.

His first contest was a ground war from the opening bell, as both competitors showed impressive grappling skills but it resulted in a draw.

Graham’s second MMA match was against Paul Young of Wiltshire, whose chosen tactics were to keep the contest standing.

The second fight saw Sayer utilise his kickboxing striking and he won by a technical knockout in under 60 seconds.

He now progresses to the second round of the Combat Sports Open trials on May 8.