Jamaica’s Kenneth Edwards (right) and New Zealand’s Carl Van Roon battle during the ISKA World Continental Martial Arts Gold Cup at the National Indoor Sports Centre on July 4. Van Roon stopped Edwards in semi-final action and went on to spectacularly win a gold medal. However, Edwards avenged that defeat at the US Open in Orlando, Florida, on the ESPN-televised ‘Night of Champions’ last Sunday.

Kenneth Edwards avenged his Gold Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand’s Karl Van Roon and the pair of Jason McKay and Keith Edwards regained their two-man team title as Jamaica’s combined martial arts team left the United States Open in Orlando, Florida, with two gold medals at the weekend. Following their successful defence of the World Continental Team Fighting championship at the National Indoor Sports Centre the previous week, the Busta Fighters also came up trumps in Florida.

McKay and Keith Edwards won gold in the two-man team event whereas heavyweight star Kenneth Edwards defeated Van Roon on last Sunday’s ‘Night of Champions’, which was shown live on ESPN. Scott Wright and Sean Barnes, who had failed to medal at home in the Gold Cup on July 4, won individual bronze medals in their respective divisions after rough and close matches.

Jamaica rested Alrick Wanliss and Nicholas Dussard after the previous Sunday’s bruising encounter at the National Indoor Sports Centre where the Busta Fighters won their fourth-straight hold on the World Continental Team Sparring Championship.

Instead,Keith Edwards was used as an invitee in the two-man team contest, a masters event, which he and McKay had won in 2006, but had to settle for two silver and a bronze in subsequent showings.

The former US Open gold medallists advanced to the final where they faced the British kick-boxing team. After a close battle, Jamaica won 10-9 with Edwards anchoring the team to victory in the last three seconds of the match.

Kenneth Edwards, who was beaten by the impressive Van Roon in the semi-finals of the Gold Cup in Jamaica on July 4, got sweet revenge on a world-televised stage. Van Roon entered the showdown with a big reputation from his exploits in Jamaica where he had spectacularly knocked out Japan’s representative, as well as former world champion, Argentina’s Jonathan Batista, in the final with reverse kicks.

Edwards, who had narrowly lost to Van Roon in the semi-finals in Jamaica, battled the Kiwi to a draw after full time in a match of speed and skill.

However, Edwards, a point-sparring champion, grabbed the upper hand in the tie-breaker. Unlike regular time, which was scored as a continuous sparring event,Edwards won the bout with a single technique in the last five seconds of extra time.