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Mark Cocker (wrestler)

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Mark Cocker
Mark Cocker defeating Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist Chinu Xxx
Born(1982-06-14)14 June 1982
Bolton, Greater Manchester, England
NationalityBritish
Known forGB and International Wrestler & coaching elite Combat Sports & Grappling.

Mark Cocker (born 14 June 1982) is a freestyle wrestler, Ju-Jitsu and Judo player who trains with Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club. Cocker is a British and English freestyle wrestling champion[1][2] and has competed for England and Great Britain for fifteen years.[3] He is also a 1st Dan black belt in Judo under Steve Pullen MBE and 1st Dan Black Belt in Ju-Jitsu under Professor Trevor Roberts.

Early career

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Cocker first got into martial arts after training with local instructor Trevor Roberts, and gained his 1st dan black belt in Roberts' Tetsu-no-otoko-ryu style of Ju-Jitsu. After showing a flair for grappling, Roberts began to coach him in the Russian style of combat known as Sambo wrestling and eventually, he began to train at his local wrestling club in Bolton. Cocker's junior career saw him take regional and national titles and he was chosen to represent Great Britain in the World Cadet Championships in 1998 held at the then Nynex Arena in Manchester. He placed 14th in the world.[4]

Senior career

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After a successful Junior career, Cocker moved into the senior ranks winning and medalling in numerous domestic and international tournaments. In 2002, he narrowly lost a 'wrestle off' for the English 2002 Commonwealth Games team to a former South African wrestler who gained eligibility to wrestle for England. Cocker attended the 2002 Games as 96 kg reserve. 2002 also saw him place 7th in the FISU World University Wrestling Championships and he was the first British wrestler to ever compete at this event.[5] Cocker continued to compete domestically and internationally until late 2004. He then began to cross train in other sports including a return to Ju-Jitsu and Judo. He transferred his wrestling skills onto the Judo mat training under Steve Pullen at Urmston Judo club and gained his 1st Dan black belt in Judo, represented the North West in the National Team Championships, and secured a bronze medal in the 2008 Heart of England Judo Championships.[6]

Return to competition

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In late 2008, Cocker resumed his freestyle wrestling career and began training again at Bolton Olympic Wrestling club. What made Cocker stand out from other elite British wrestlers was his part-time status, receiving no funding as he developed his career in teaching. He made his competitive comeback in the 2009 British Open wrestling championships winning the bronze medal in the 120 kg weight division.[7] He went on to win the 2010 English Open Championships at the 120 kg weight division[2] and placed second in the 2010 British Closed championships.[8] In July 2010, Cocker was chosen to represent Great Britain at the UK Sport funded GB World Cup event held in Sheffield and won the silver medal, beating wrestlers from Uzbekistan and Latvia to reach the final.[9][10]

2010 Commonwealth Games

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In August 2010, Cocker was victorious in a final 'wrestle off 'against the Great Britain international and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Chinu Xxx, at the 120 kg weight division,[11] to decide who should represent Team England in the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi. The 'wrestle off' was a 'best of three' series of matches held at the Salford Wrestling academy, the same venue that he had lost his 2002 Commonwealth Games 'wrestle off'. Cocker won both matches and was selected to represent Team England in both the Greco-Roman and Freestyle disciplines[12][13] making him the only English wrestler to ever compete at a Commonwealth Games in both styles. Cocker was knocked out in the semi-final stage, finishing 5th in both styles.[14][15]

Senior career continued

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In 2011, Cocker won the 2011 British Open Championships,[16][1] represented Great Britain at the FILA 2011 European Wrestling Championships[17] held in Dortmund (Germany), was selected to compete in the 2012 London Olympics test event [18] (unable to compete due to injury) and placed second in the 2012 British Open Championships.[19] During 2013 Cocker again won the British Open Championships (the first Team England qualifier for the 2014 Commonwealth Games) [20] beating the Poland international T. Bujak[4] 7–0 in the final before being selected to represent Great Britain at the FILA International Olympia Tournament in Greece where he secured a bronze medal.[4] In 2014 Cocker won a silver medal in the English Open Wrestling Championships (120 kg category)[21] before dropping to the 97 kg weight category and winning the British Closed Wrestling Championships.[22]

The 2014 British Open Wrestling Championships

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On 11 May 2014 Cocker placed third[23] at the 2014 British Open Wrestling Championships (the final qualifier for the 2014 Commonwealth Games), losing only one bout to the eventual winner of the tournament. Subsequently, Cocker was not nominated for selection to the 2014 England Commonwealth Games team. In August 2014 it was discovered that the winner of Cocker's weight failed a drugs test[24] at the 2014 British Open and was found guilty of a doping violation resulting in a two-year ban from all competitions. The British Wrestling Association anti-doping policy would mean that no final positions were amended however the athlete who had failed the test was removed from the official results effectively moving Cocker to second in the final standings (behind the athlete he had previously defeated by points superiority in the 2014 British Closed Championships). In January 2015, after a successful complaint and mediation process with the British Wrestling Association, Cocker received an apology[25] from the National Governing Body for any confusion or distress they had caused him due to a failure to follow its own anti-doping policy following the violation at the 2014 British Championships.

The 2017 British Open Wrestling Championships

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Cocker taking a body lock
Cocker setting up a suplex
Cocker winning the 2017 British Open Championships

On 4 November 2017 after a three and a half year absence from competition, Cocker entered the 2017 British Open Wrestling Championships held in Nottingham. The event was also the final 2018 Commonwealth Games qualifier. Cocker, at 35 years old was an eligible 'Masters' age category competitor, but competed in the 125 kg senior open age category. Cocker won all his matches by either points superiority or pin. Cocker secured notable wins over Mandhir Kooner (Commonwealth Games bronze medallist) and Richard Tuke, suplexing and pinning his opponent in the final bout. The competition was reported to be Cocker's final open age category entry.[26]

Achievements on return to competition

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Year Tournament Place Weight class
2018 ADCC British Open - Professional 2nd[27] Heavyweight (99 kg)
2017 British Open Wrestling Championships 1st[28] Heavyweight (125 kg)
2015 Grapple Nation 6 No-Gi Jiu Jitsu - European Championships 2nd[29] Heavyweight (O91 kg)
Grapple Nation 5 No-Gi Jiu Jitsu - Advanced Category 3rd[30] Heavyweight (97.44 kg)
2014 British Open Wrestling Championships 3rd (2nd)[23] Light Heavyweight (97 kg)
British Closed Wrestling Championships 1st Light Heavyweight (97 kg)
English Open Wrestling Championships 2nd Heavyweight (120 kg)
2013 Aspull Open Wrestling Tournament 1st[31] Heavyweight (120 kg)
FILA International Olympia Wrestling Tournament 3rd Heavyweight (120 kg)
2013 British Open Wrestling Championships 1st Heavyweight (120 kg)
2012 2012 British Open Wrestling Championships 2nd Heavyweight (120 kg)
2011 2011 British Open Wrestling Championships 1st Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 2010 Commonwealth Games Freestyle Wrestling Championships 5th Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 Commonwealth Games Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships 5th Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 England Commonwealth Games Wrestling Trials 1st Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 FILA International Great Britain Cup of Wrestling 2nd Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 English Open Wrestling Championships 1st Heavyweight (120 kg)
2009 2009 British Open Wrestling Championships 3rd Heavyweight (120 kg)

International results

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Year Tournament Place Weight class
2018 ADCC British Open - Professional 2nd[27] Heavyweight (99 kg)
2013 International Olympia Tournament 3rd[3] Heavyweight (120 kg)
2011 European Championship 18th[3] Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 Commonwealth Games - Freestyle 5th[3] Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 Commonwealth Games - Greco-Roman 5th[3] Heavyweight (120 kg)
2010 Great Britain Cup 2nd[3] Heavyweight (120 kg)
2002 World University Championship 7th[3] Heavyweight (96 kg)
1998 World Championship 14th[3] Heavyweight (76 kg)

Teacher

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Mark Cocker was an Assistant & Deputy Headteacher at Sale High School, Manchester. In January 2016 he moved to Pleckgate High School, Blackburn as Headteacher. In January 2019, Pleckgate High School was rated as outstanding by Ofsted in all categories.[32]

Documentary

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In 2002, Cocker was part of a documentary[33] 'Catch – The Hold Not Taken' that was created to investigate the roots of different styles of wrestling such as freestyle and Catch wrestling, and how wrestling has evolved over the decades. The documentary starred Cocker alongside UFC veteran Dan Severn and Olympic Gold Medallist Dan Gable.

Elite Athlete Coaching

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Cocker is an accredited UKCC level 2 coach,[34] predominantly coaching wrestling to elite wrestlers and mixed martial artists. Notable athlete associations include UFC competitor, BAMMA world champion and KSW World Champion Scott Askham,[35] BAMMA World Champion and UFC competitor Marc Diakiese, Cage Warriors World Champion Andrew Clamp and Cage Warriors athlete Ieuan Davies who have all been coached by Cocker. Cocker has also coached the 2019 & 2022 British Freestyle Wrestling champion at 97 kg, Ash Roden.[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b "British Senior Championships (2010) FS FW – British Wrestling Association". Britishwrestling.org. 12 February 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b "English Senior Championships – British Wrestling Association". Britishwrestling.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 May 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ a b c "J. Foeldeak GMBH - Sports Mats, Wrestling Mats, Judo Mats, Grappling Mats". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  5. ^ http://www.fila-wrestling.com/index.php?option=com_database&act=ficheLutteur&Itemid=174&filtre_pays=&lettre=&recherche_lutteur=cocker&filtre_cate=&style_select=&age_select=&annee_select=&id_lutteur=85B52AF5DE4B458895671BDDC71D0240 [dead link‍]
  6. ^ "MIDLAND AREA HEART OF ENGLAND JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008 - Results, Pool Sheets & Knockout Tables" (PDF). British Judo Association. 7 September 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  7. ^ "British Senior Championships – British Wrestling Association". Britishwrestling.org. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  8. ^ "British Closed Championships – British Wrestling Association". Britishwrestling.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  9. ^ "GB Cup – British Wrestling Association". Britishwrestling.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  10. ^ Hope, Nick (17 July 2010). "BBC Sport – Wrestling – British wrestlers star at GB Cup". BBC News. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  11. ^ "Mark Cocker wins 120kg wrestle off – Talk British Wrestling". Talkbritishwrestling.ning.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  12. ^ "Delhi 3rd–14th October 2010 – British Wrestling Association". Britishwrestling.org. 14 October 2010. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  13. ^ "THE ENGLAND TEAM | Sporting Life | Commonwealth Games, Delhi 2010, Medal Table". Sporting Life. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  14. ^ "J. Foeldeak GmbH – Sports Mats, Wrestling Mats, Judo Mats, Grappling Mats". Foeldeak.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  15. ^ "Freestyle wrestling – Mark Cocker (England) : season totals". The-sports.org. 30 March 2011. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  16. ^ "Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club". Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  17. ^ "J. Foeldeak GmbH – Sports Mats, Wrestling Mats, Judo Mats, Grappling Mats". Foeldeak.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  18. ^ "LONDON WRESTLING INTERNATIONAL INVITATIONAL - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  19. ^ "2011 British Senior Championships - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  20. ^ "2013 British Senior Championships - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  21. ^ "2014 English Senior Championships - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  22. ^ "British Closed Wrestling Championships 2014 - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  23. ^ a b "2014 British Senior Championships - FS-FW-GR - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  24. ^ "Providing a list of all anti doping rule violations". Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  25. ^ "2014 Change to Anti-Doping Policy and Apology - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  26. ^ "Golden hat-trick for Bolton wrestlers at the British Senior Championships". 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  27. ^ a b "Adcc British Open 2018 • Adcc News". Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  28. ^ "2017 British Senior Championships (FS, GR, WW) - British Wrestling Association". Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  29. ^ "#GN6 RESULTS" (PDF). Grapple Nation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  30. ^ "#GN5 RESULTS" (PDF). Grapple Nation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  31. ^ http://ww.liga-db.de/Turniere/VT/GB/2013/GB/131109_Wigan/ENG94135129624120.htm [dead link‍]
  32. ^ "Blackburn high school rated 'outstanding' after remarkable turnaround". 6 March 2019. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  33. ^ "Catch Profiles: Mark Cocker". Riverhorse.tv. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  34. ^ "Coaches". Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  35. ^ "Stunning UFC win for Hemsworth fighter Askham". Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  36. ^ "British Senior Freestyle Wrestling Championships 2019". Archived from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
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