Alistair Hendrie professional portfolio

I'm a freelance sports journalist with experience writing for publications such as Fighters Only, Mirror.co.uk, Boxing News, The Runner Sports and MMA Plus.

Specialising primarily in combat sports, I'm currently seeking freelance opportunities so please email me at allyh84@hotmail.com or contact me on Twitter.

Career highlights

• Earned first national byline with Mirror.co.uk in 2013, progressing to write blogs, interviews and live UFC reports from Poland, Ireland and Scotland
• Pitched and wrote online interviews for Fighters Only, speaking with Cage Warriors champions and expanding written skills and aptitude for research
• Displayed creative nous and SEO knowledge at Mirror.co.uk, writing list pieces such as 11 things you need to know about Saul "Canelo" Alvarez
• Developed communication skills at MMA Plus when interviewing the likes of Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Joanne Calderwood and Rory MacDonald
• Released Kindle book, Fight Game: The Untold Story of Women's MMA in Britain, in November 2017, carrying out project in an independent manner

Samples of work

Cage Warriors 108: Mason Jones wants championship belts and riches (Fighters Only, October 2019)

Should TJ Dillashaw Rematch Dominick Cruz after defending title? (The Runner Sports, August 2018)

Wimbledon 2017: Career tips from Andy Murray (CV-Library, June 2017)

11 things you need to know about Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (Mirror.co.uk, May 2016)

UFC Dublin report: Smolka upsets Holahan (Mirror.co.uk, October 2015)

VIDEO: Calderwood out of comfort zone for Moroz bout (MMA Plus, April 2015)

Please get in touch if you require blogs, interviews, reports or features, and stay tuned to Alistair Hendrie Sport for all my latest work. 

Follow @allyh84

Women's MMA: Tyrell eyes Green rematch after signing with War Fight Management

By Alistair Hendrie

Southampton strawweight Bryony Tyrell is eager to avenge her draw to Lanchana Green after signing a deal with War Fight Management.

Tyrell pushed Green all the way in September 2017, and after almost finishing her rival with punches from full mount, she hopes Jim Wallhead’s management team can earn her a return contest.

“Obviously the Green rematch is a perfect match for me,” said Tyrell, 38, 4-1-1. “That’s a fight I’d really want, I’d love that fight. It can happen for any promotion and after our first meeting, I had it in mind that I’d retire if I lost, so now that I’ve got the draw I’ve got a bit of a second wind and want to carry on.

“That draw has spurred me on and now I want to prove definitively that I can beat her - I feel better, fitter and stronger than ever before.”

And after fighting three times in 2017 – also going down to Kate Jackson and outscoring Griet Eeckhout – Tyrell anticipates a similarly active 2018.

She admits the increased opportunities are one of her main reasons for signing with War Fight Management, who also count the likes of featherweights Dean Trueman and James Dixon among their clients.

“Getting my name out there is one of the biggest reasons why I signed with War Fight Management. I know that I’ve done well on the domestic shows but I’m not getting the bigger shows like Cage Warriors or BAMMA.

“Both promotions have approached me but nothing happened in the end, so if I have a management team behind me like all the other fighters, I might have a few more opportunities, and people who can help with opportunities for training, publicity and sponsorship.

She added: “Jim asked me what I wanted and I said more chances to fight, especially as I’m getting on a bit. Me and Jim were very much on the same wavelength and he said how in the past, he’s had managers who don’t back up their plans and just want loads of money.

“I’ve had other management companies contact me with these horrendous contracts, and you have to sign your life over and you don’t really know who you’re dealing with. These guys have been completely different and they’re really easy-going.”

Moreover, Tyrell believes Wallhead could help her find a higher level of female training partners.

“Jim told me about the training sessions he organises, which would be really good for me because at my gym, Exile Gym in Southampton, I don’t have any other women who are pro level. Just to train with other women, or even smaller male bantamweights or flyweights, would be really good for me.

“Finding other women to train and fight with has always been difficult for me, especially because of my job as a critical care nurse and my children. It’s difficult for me to travel for fight camps, but that’s something I’d love to do soon. I still feel like I’ve got time to improve and if Jim wants to sign me, then that just proves it.”  

To discover more about the women's MMA scene in Britain, read an extract from Alistair Hendrie's Kindle book, Fight Game: The Untold Story of Women's MMA in Britain.

Follow @allyh84

UFC 219 Blog: Why Cyborg-Anderson needs to happen next

By Alistair Hendrie

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino is used to success. She’s currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, each triumph as impressive and violent as the last. She stands as the first Strikeforce women’s featherweight titlist, and the first Invicta featherweight queen. Very few women in mixed martial arts have romped through their careers with such dominance and superiority as the explosive Brazilian. Her decision over Holly Holm on Saturday, at UFC 219, added even more shine to her 21-1-1 NC ledger, but did it add to her reputation? Perhaps not.

Although Cyborg was rarely endangered in her first title defence, I for one expected her to run through Holm. Trouble is, she didn’t. Despite her advantages in power and her greater pedigree at 145lbs – Holm now slips to 0-2 in the division – she spent the first two rounds throwing strikes which were largely blocked or parried. It was the first time Cyborg has been extended to a decision since 2008 and, really and truly, Cris should have got her rival out of there with her superior mauy Thai and larger tendency to walk opponents down. To prove her dominance, what she now needs is a crunch match with Invicta FC’s featherweight leader, Megan Anderson.

In my eyes at least, what makes this match-up so interesting is Anderson’s size. At 6 foot and with a 77.5inch reach, she boasts a three inch height advantage and a mammoth nine and a half inch reach advantage on Cyborg. Anderson is an imposing specimen, with long legs helping her maintain her range, and huge lats helping her generate plenty of upper body strength. Indeed, the two were scheduled to meet at UFC 214 until Anderson pulled out due to the personal reasons. Like Cyborg, Megan likes a finish, too.

Now with four TKO stoppages on the spin, Anderson’s last success, at Invicta FC 21 in January 2017, was a systematic beat-down of Charmaine Tweet, another Cyborg victim who once fought at 155lbs. Anderson measured the distance perfectly to land fluid strikes, the jab and head kick in particular, and upped the tempo in round two to finish matters for good with a crescendo of strikes to the head and body, leaving Tweet turning away and cowering into a ball against the fence. It was an artistic and technical display of violence which Cyborg would be proud of.

Training with the likes of James Krause and Zak Cummings at Glory MMA in Kansas City, Missouri, Anderson uses her size well but can be hit on the inside, surely something Cyborg would look to exploit. She uses head positioning and overhooks well against the fence but, as Cindy Dandois revealed when submitting the Aussie in 2015, she can be vulnerable on the ground. That could bode well for Cyborg, who keeps an active pace when posturing up and also looks for armlocks such as americanas and kimuras.

We can live in hope that this match-up happens after Cyborg’s run-of-the-mill assignment with Holm, and this bout should be a priority for the UFC with their featherweight division lacking any suitable contenders or formidable prospects. Thankfully, what with the UFC’s prior intention to put Anderson in with the champion, it looks like it could happen soon.

After all, the UFC would have you believe Cyborg against Holm at UFC 219 was great against great, two of the best to do it. In truth, it wasn’t. Cyborg lacks high-profile wins in recent years, and Holm, who now sits at 1-4 in her last five, has been beset by a lack of versatility in her MMA striking and a series of dull fights. Consider bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes’s run of triumphs over Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey and Valentina Shevchenko and you’ll see a truly legendary run of form.

And although UFC commentator Jon Anik and many more have pointed to an all-Brazilian showdown between Nunes and Cyborg, Cris should face a fully-fledged, in-form featherweight instead. Anderson is exactly that.

That danger is that the MMA public will grow bored of Cyborg’s dominance and she’ll suffer the same problem as flyweight pace-setter Demetrious Johnson, who is probably the best fighter in the world but still has his critics because of a shallow pool of contenders. Anderson is the only fight that makes sense for the UFC women’s 145lbs queen. The division needs the fight. Anderson needs the fight, but most of all, Cyborg needs the fight for her legacy.

To see more of my writing on women's MMA, delve into my Kindle book, Fight Game: The Untold Story of Women's MMA in Britain. 

Follow @allyh84

Who is the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world?

By Alistair Hendrie

To determine the best fighter in the world, you need to consider plenty of factors: form, skill, opposition and dominance, for example. If a champion defends his or her crown via a string of finishes, does that equal or better a run of decisions? Should Conor McGregor top the list despite his inactivity, or should Tyron Woodley set the pace regardless of a couple of boring fights?

It’s a debate which rings all over the world, and that’s exactly why Alistair Hendrie Sport will be releasing its pound-for-pound list at the start of every month.

To qualify for the list, a fighter should be considered active, so although Georges St-Pierre is one of the most dominant fighters on the planet, he vacated his middleweight title, leaving him dormant for the moment.

On the other hand, Jon Jones, whose latest victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 was downgraded to a no-contest when “Bones” failed a drugs test, is yet to receive a potential suspension, so is still considered active. Moreover, McGregor still holds his UFC lightweight crowd despite fighting as a boxer since winning his gold, so he is also judged to be active.

Now that you know the criteria we’re looking for, take a look at the pound-for-pound best mixed martial artists in the world.

Male – January 2018

1 – Demetrious Johnson (125lbs) (USA)

2 – Max Holloway (145lbs) (USA)

3 – Daniel Cormier (205lbs) (USA)

4 – Jon Jones (205lbs) (USA)

4 – Conor McGregor (155lbs) (IRL)

5 – Stipe Miocic (265lbs) (USA)

6 – Tyron Woodley (170lbs) (USA)

7 – Robert Whittaker (185lbs) (AUS)

8 – Tony Ferguson (155lbs) (USA)

9 – TJ Dillashaw (135lbs) (USA)

10 – Jose Aldo (145lbs) (BRA)

11 – Cody Garbrandt (135lbs) (USA)

12 – Rafael Dos Anjos (170lbs) (BRA)

13 – Francis Ngannou (265lbs) (FRA)

14 – Robbie Lawler (170lbs) (USA)

15 – Stephen Thompson (170lbs) (USA)

16 – Dominic Cruz (135lbs) (USA)

17 – Khabib Nurmagomedov (155lbs) (RUS)

18 – Frankie Edgar (145lbs) (USA)

19 - Volkan Ozdemir (205lbs) (SWI)

20 – Michael Bisping (185lbs) (GBR)

21 – Luke Rockhold (185lbs) (USA)

22 – Edson Barboza (155lbs) (BRA)

23 – Alexander Gustafsson (205lbs) (SWE)

24 – Brian Ortega (145lbs) (USA)

25 – Kelvin Gastulem (185lbs) (USA)

Female - January 2018

1 – Amanda Nunes (135lbs) (BRA)

2 – Rose Namajunas (115lbs) (USA)

3 – Joanna Jedrzjeckyzk (115lbs) (POL)

4 – Cris Cyborg (145lbs) (BRA)

5 – Valentina Shevchenko (135lbs) (KYR)

6 – Tecia Torres (115lbs) (USA)

7 – Jessica Andrade (115lbs) (BRA)

8 – Raquel Pennington (135lbs) (USA)

9 – Holly Holm (135lbs) (USA)

10 – Claudia Gadelha (115lbs) (BRA)

11 – Nicco Montano (125lbs) (USA)

12 – Tonya Evinger (135lbs) (USA)

13 – Megan Anderson (145lbs) (AUS)

14 – Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115lbs) (POL)

15 – Barb Honchak (125lbs) (USA)

16 – Cynthia Calvillo (115lbs) (USA)

17 – Felice Herrig (115lbs) (USA)

18 – Paige Van Zant (115lbs) (USA)

19 – Germaine de Randamie (145lbs) (NED)

20 – Alexis Davis (125lbs) (CAN)

21 – Sara McMann (135lbs) (USA)

22 – Julliana Pena (135lbs) (USA)

23 – Angela Lee (105lbs) (CAN)

24 - Jennifer Maia (125lbs) (BRA)

25 – Angela Hill (115lbs) (USA)

Whether you agree or disagree with the list, join in the discussion and let us know your pound-for-pound rankings on Twitter.

Follow @allyh84

UFC 219 Report: Cyborg sees off Holm to defend UFC women's featherweight title

By Alistair Hendrie

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino dodged a bullet on Saturday night at UFC 219, outpointing Holly Holm in the main event to hang on to her UFC women’s featherweight title. The Brazilian was expected to power through Holm with raiding combinations, but in her first defence of the belt, she was made to chase Holm around the cage and had to settle for one or two-punch salvos. In fact, Holm nullified the titlist early on and made it competitive through her work-rate and conditioning.

The challenger, a former boxing world champion and a one-time UFC 135lbs queen, landed leg kicks at will in the first round and scuttled low with her back to the cage. She scored with two and three punches at a time, but Cyborg connected with the more powerful counters. Indeed, the champion started to find inroads with body kicks and head kicks in the second, despite conceding underhooks against the fence.

By round three, Holm was still circling at pace and throwing out jabs and straight punches. However, the American insisted on wheeling towards Cyborg’s more dangerous right side, and after a while her attacks become predictable. Cyborg began to grow in to the fight. She read Holm’s head movement and snapped her head back with a jab, also bashing the body with step-in kicks.

Holm continued her fleet-footed tactics in the final two frames, befuddling the favourite and making a mockery of pre-fight predictions for a Cyborg blowout. She upped her output but Cyborg pulled ahead with her snapping jab and knees to the body on the break. Eventually, the Curitiba-born striker generated more openings for power kicks and violent combinations, and she was fair value for scores of 49-46 and 48-47 (twice) in her favour.

Cyborg never looked in danger despite eating plenty of kicks to the body and forearms. She displayed strong cardio and astute game-planning which showed coach Jason Parillo in an excellent light. But given her fearsome reputation – this was her ninth knockout on the bounce – and Holm’s lack of pedigree at 145lbs, shouldn’t she have prospered in more explosive fashion? Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn primed their charge well for this bout, but it was always going to be an uphill struggle. Cyborg needs a tougher test, and the Australian Invicta featherweight titlist Megan Anderson, who would be Cris’s most menacing opponent yet, should be waiting in the wings.

Khabib Nurmagomedov dominated the lightweight co-main event, exhibiting a tirade of ground-and-pound to shut out Edson Barboza by scores of 30-25 (twice) and 30-24. Those scores were perfectly accurate too. The Russian sambo specialist scored vice-like half guard and full mount positions throughout the fight and peppered his rival with hammer fists, elbows and forearms, inflicting a miserable beating on Mark Henry’s man.

Keep in mind Barboza is one of the most dangerous fighters at 155lbs, the only man to finish two UFC outings with leg kicks. Nurmagomedov nevertheless closed the distance, and even rubbished accusations that he’s a pure grappler by landing his own kicks to the head and offsetting the action with leg kicks. Khabib spent most of the decider posturing up, bloodying up Barboza with punches, completing one of the most vicious displays of ground-and-pound ever seen in the UFC. Bouts with world champion Conor McGregor or interim belt-holder Tony Ferguson await.

Also at lightweight, New Zealand’s Dan Hooker saw off Britain’s Marc Diakiese, telegraphing a takedown attempt to seal a guillotine choke in round three. Hooker, a bean-pole striker with a 75inch reach, engaged in a patient battle of kicks and scrambles before earning his seventh victory by tapout. His rival deviated from his corner instructions though, and shot for the takedown despite coach Conan Silveira telling him not to. Hooker can now attack the top 15 with his length and crafty jiu-jitsu, while Diakiese slips to 3-2 in the UFC.

Carla Esparza went some way to retrieving her old women’s strawweight title by taking a decision over Cynthia Calvillo, with three scores of 29-28 which were perhaps unfair to her opponent. One of the best prospects in the sport, Calvillo showed excellent timing and execution of the takedown in the first round before fending off an armbar in the second. Eventually Esparza’s boxing - which has improved leaps and bounds - and more active wrestling game perhaps saw her through.

Neil Magny put the welterweight division on notice with a cast-iron decision over Carlos Condit, the verdicts of 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 bringing him the biggest win of his career. The New Yorker stifled the better striker with beautiful takedowns against the fence, dominating with his superior wrist control, head positioning and shoulder strikes for good measure. Condit enjoyed more success with varied combinations in the closing moments, but Magny showed too many fakes and level-changes for “The Natural Born Killer” to turn it into a war.

On the UFC Fight Pass Prelims, Polish light-heavyweight Michal Oleksiejczuk debuted in the UFC with a hard-fought victory over Khalil Rountree Jr, all three judges seeing it 30-27. The newcomer, buoyed by three consecutive first round Kos/TKOs, fought fire with fire and earned the upper hand with front kicks and crafty hooks to the head and body. A powerful striker, Oleksiejczuk, 22, could be a contender if he develops more size and muscle at the weight.

At featherweight Miles Jury shut out Rick Glenn 30-27 on all cards, showing spiteful counters and an active clinch game to have it all his own way. Meanwhile, at middleweight, Omari Akhmedov and Marvin Vettori threw caution to the wind in a back-and-forth fist fight which culminated in a draw – two 28-28s and one 29-28 for Vettori.

Elsewhere on the Prelims, Brazilian flyweight Matheus Nicolau grabbed a decision over Louis Smolka, dropping his man three times for a 30-26 (twice) and 30-25 victory. Bantamweights Tim Elliot and Mark De La Rosa opened up the event, as Elliot earned a submission in round two with an anaconda choke.  

Read more reaction on Cyborg's standing in the sport and why she should tackle Megan Anderson next

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