​Jack Shore retired from professional MMA fighting in December 2024 [Getty Images]Nearly two years after retiring from fighting in professional mixed martial arts, Jack Shore’s name is back on a combat sports poster.The former UFC fighter from Abertillery remained in the sport as a coach but now turns his hand to fight promotion.The first iteration of Shore’s new Stand and Bang venture is on Saturday, 22 August when 23 bouts will take place inside a 20-foot boxing ring.It will feature only striking with no takedowns or grappling at Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre.Shore is hoping to make the show a success with the Welsh MMA scene at “an all-time high”.”It was always going to be hard to jump into an MMA or pure Thai show,” he told BBC Sport Wales.”I thought, ‘what’s a little niche in the market that I can kind of go after?’ “I’m a big fan of ONE Championship and I don’t always know the guys fighting but I’ll always put it on because it’s exciting.”Shore says his event is shaped by friends coming to shows when he was fighting.He said: “All my mates used to say that if I wasn’t fighting, they wouldn’t come because they didn’t understand the grappling and it was a bit boring.”To the untrained eye it is, what’s more fan friendly than essentially an MMA fight but with no grappling and no wrestling?”That’s what we’re trying to do, stand-up fights. Most of them are going to be in MMA gloves so it should make for an entertaining night.” Shore hopes the points scoring makes it easier for the public to follow who is ahead.He said: “If one guy is inflicting more damage, the average Joe can look at that and say, ‘well, that guy’s winning’.”Don’t get me wrong, ring control scores and good defence scores. I daresay a flashy move will score a little bit higher than maybe a jab. “But ultimately the judges are being told that we’re scoring on damage.”Jones’ career gamble pays off with second UFC runFighting for the fighters as a promoterShore has been “riding the wave” since the fight night was announced in March and has aimed to put on a fighter-friendly show.He said: “I know what it’s like coming up as an amateur or as a new pro and to have promoters think they’re better than you and almost look at you just as if you’re funding their pocket.”As much as I’m running this show to help make a bit of a living, I also want to put the fighters first. “If I’ve got to sacrifice a bit of money to make sure this guy is well looked after or make this guy get a fight on short notice, then I’ve always been more than prepared to do so. “Being a fighter who has gone into promotion is a big thing because you know what it’s like to be on the other side of the coin.”It has been a steep learning curve for Shore, who has had to rebook fights after late withdrawals.”In my eyes, it’s already a success because we’ve got to the fight week,” he said.”The fact the show is going to go ahead, and I can say that I’ve promoted my own show, is brilliant. “It’s not even about breaking even or making mo