Barker bounces back with superb spinning backfist win

The GYM 01 strawweight clinched a technical knockout win over Fee Chrystal on the March Madness card in Linwood, Scotland, promoted by On Top.

In her training camp, Barker had been working on her decision-making inside the cage.

She did exactly that against Chrystal, as she landed a spinning backfist which floored her opponent in the second round, before finishing the fight with a flurry of ground and pound punches.

Barker bounced back to winning ways and Adams lauded his charge’s composure inside the cage.

The GYM 01 head MMA coach said: ‘The first round was very close and Jade probably just nicked it with a bit of cage control.

‘She didn’t rush herself and just took her time.

‘The second round was a little bit back and forth. Jade got taken down but she scrambled up really fast – that’s something she has been working on.

‘She then caught the girl with a spinning back fist, which dropped her, and then finished her with some ground and pound.

‘Jade looked a completely different fighter. There are not many girls that are as well-rounded as her.

‘It’s just the mental aspect of her game. If she gets that right then she is a force.

‘The fight was sink or swim for her. Jade put so much time in that she wanted to see the benefits of it.

‘Now she understands if she’s doing the right things then she should be able to perform.’

GYM 01 team-mates Mike D’Aguiar and Alex Bodnar joined Barker in Scotland.

However, they both fell to submission losses.

Flyweight D’Aguiar was defeated by Iain Postlewaithe via first-round armbar, while Bodnar was finished by rear naked choke against Danny Naismith in the opening round in an amateur welterweight bout.

Adams added: ‘Mike battled out of a couple of subs but got caught in the last one.

‘He could have tapped a lot earlier. He kept fighting on but his arm was hyper-extended.

‘Alex was very unlucky. His opponent grabbed the fence for about five seconds, which stopped him being caught in a submission.

‘I don’t blame the other guy as he’s still an amateur as well and it was the heat of the moment.’