McKay

Jamaica's combined martial arts team returns to Cuba off a four-year break this Saturday with the hosts anxiously awaiting their arrival for the Caribbean Tri-Nation Series in Havana.

The last time Jamaica travelled to Cuba, 2008, the showdown ended in dispute after the hosts refused further participation, demanding that the judges overturn a bout awarded to the visitors.

Saturday's series will also include Trinidad and Tobago but it's the Jamaicans against who Cuba hold a grudge following their contentious meeting five years ago.

The record between the countries stands at two wins in Cuba's favour, 2002-2003, whereas Jamaica recorded victories over their Caribbean neighbours in 2001, 2004 and one each year thereafter, until 2008, when all hell broke loose in Havana.

Since then, there has been no further competition between the countries, and Saturday's Caribbean Tri-Nation Series was accommod-ated after tense negotiations between the Jamaican and Cuban management teams.

Jamaica's captain, Jason McKay, said he expects the Cubans to come out firing against Jamaica who have gone 48 unbeaten matches since 2004 and are attempting to make it 50 on Saturday in honour of the nation's 50th year of Independence.

"This will be far easier than attempting the feat at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in July," McKay told STAR Sports.

"Though Cuba's team is largely unknown, because they don't compete internationally, we have decided to take our chances.

may never walk

"It will be tough as we're fielding three new fighters and going there without the likes of Oshane Murray, who, sadly, may never walk again after his gymnastics injury at the University of Technology, in addition to Kenneth Edwards, who, since the Olympics, has been based overseas," McKay added.

The format of the competition, two weight-regulated team matches and an open, should suit Jamaica with International Tae Kwon Do Federation Pan Am gold medallist Nicholas Dussard and Dutch Open fourth-place fighter Adrian Moore in their line-up.

"Neither Trinidad or Cuba has anybody in that pedigree. By the time we reach the third match, the open weight, we would have already won our 50th match," McKay said.

The 51st match, he agreed, will be very competitive as Cuba is likely to field seven super heavyweights, forcing Jamaica to send out its big men, including the captain himself.