Landy bows to shoulder injury as title hope fades
SHANNAN Landy's plans for his shot at the Extreme Fighting Championship (XFC) bantamweight title didn't go to plan.
Landy went into Friday night's fight against the highly-rated Michael Tobin as the heavy underdog.
But dislocating a shoulder in the opening round meant only one result was likely for the Infinity Martial Arts (IMA) instructor.
"I ended up losing," Landy said.
"I went down in the first round after breaking my collarbone in one of the first throw downs."
The cage of a Mixed Martial Arts bout is no place to be with a broken shoulder and it was only a matter of time before Landy succumbed to his opponent.
"I hit the ground hard and heard a little click," he said.
It was the sound of his shoulder dislocating.
"We got up and I started swinging and then wondered why my arm was not working."
Despite his injury, Landy's instinct was to keep fighting.
"I couldn't feel any pain with the adrenaline going,'' he said.
"My plan was to try to out-box him. But I couldn't and kept getting hit so I had to change my plan.
"I got him against the cage and was throwing knees.
"I scored some good knees to his body and legs. But that's where he wanted me and he ended up throwing me."
Landy faces a shoulder reconstruction and five months out of his sport.
Landy's protégé at Booval-based IMA, Zac Bennett, won his bout in the first round in what was judged the "take down of the night".
Fellow IMA fighter Pati Lemai, in his debut, lost his bout but was co-awarded the prize for "best fight" of the night. - Jay Buchan
