ZIGGO DOME
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
NOVEMBER 15, 2020
PRE-SHOW
TENSLEY TAYLOR SINGS
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
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[The opening montage comes to a close and the feed transitions inside the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Thousands of fans pack the building, where many have immersed themselves into the pandemonium and roar out with deafening cheers. With the uncertainty of victory or defeat looming, the aura is both intoxicating and tense.]
[The main stage, where the fighters scheduled tonight dawn their presence, is littered with carnage and destruction. A heavy fog sits stale, scaffolding strung in multiple directions, and the overall structure glowing red with fire, ash, and embers; something no fighter will soon forget.]
[The toll on both fan and fighter is enormous. The stage of a bloody war is set. The conquerors envision nothing but execution towards success, while the meek is flooded with doubt. Down in the trenches, we see the pair of broadcaster calling the shots tonight— Bodie Sullivan and Warhead Williams — standing cageside in attention to officially kick off the night.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ladies and gentlemen, we are here, exclusively on the Battleground Network, at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam for Boss Fight XXII! I’m Bodie Sullivan and standing next to me is the one and only, Warhead Williams. Willy, it’s good to see you again, my friend.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
I’m happy to be here calling the fights tonight with you, Bodie. Especially with what we have in store.
BODIE SULLIVAN
Tonight we have a five-fight main card lineup that is sure to bring the house down! Headlining the night, we have two traditional heavyweights squaring off in a Quarterfinal Openweight Championship Grand Prix bout. Former Heavyweight Champion Donnie Calabrese takes on the crafty veteran Harmon Janssen in what is sure to be a slugfest.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
You’re absolutely right, Bodie. This is a big opportunity for these heavy-handed goliaths. Both Calabrese and Janssen are coming off tough losses, so a win tonight will help them bounce back in the biggest way possible. Recapture that momentum and confidence and move onto the semifinals and be one step closer to championship glory.
BODIE SULLIVAN
Donnie Calabrese is familiar with this situation, which definitely leans in his favor. He’s weathered five round fights before, whereas for Janssen, this will be his first main event in Union Grand Prix. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares under the bright lights against a guy who’s nearly half his age and has more than twice as many professional fights.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
For anyone who frequents the Union Grand Prix Twitter account, you’ll notice the fan poll gave Calabrese a 3-to-1 odds to win his fight. It’s safe to say he’s the heavy favorite, but don’t think for a second he’s overlooking The Man with the Hand of Fate.
BODIE SULLIVAN
Throughout the years, we’ve come to expect Donnie to be on his A-game whenever he steps foot inside that cage, and tonight will be no different. The rest of the card adds a lot of intrigue too, Willy. Our Co-Main Event has Ardan Kelly taking on Aries Reed, both guys looking to make a push into title contention; the return of Lauren Moore taking on a surging Dang Tay; Bellamy DeSilva going up against Maliyah Lyons; and Wenzel Kautz facing José Meléndez.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Amazing lineup. That’s all there is to say about it. A lot of top five fighters getting the platform to showcase themselves and prove they deserve a shot at gold, it’s going to be a great night of fights.
BODIE SULLIVAN
Well let’s not waste anymore time and toss it over to our very own hype man, Mike Dempsey, standing ready inside the octagon!
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, we are live exclusively on the Battleground Network here at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam , Netherlands for Boss Fight XXII! And now, this opening contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 2-0. He stands 5’9”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from San Diego, California, he is the number six rankedCruiserweight Contender in the World, presenting “Gas Tank” Jose Meléndez!
[A fierce stare down is given by Meléndez while Jordan Ripley recites the rules to him.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Up first tonight, we have José Meléndez, a fighter who has been quickly turning heads. Currently unbeaten with two wins, and two performance bonuses on top of it all, this guy is on the fast track to title contention.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Outside of the cage, Meléndez has that carefree demeanor that makes you believe that nothing really bothers him. He fights in a similar fashion—he stays focused but doesn’t allow adversity to alter his mindset and dictate his strategy. The guy shows incredible maturation so early in his professional career.
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 2-0. He stands 6’1”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Munich, Germany, he is the number two ranked Cruiserweight Contender in the World, presenting Wenzel “Traumtoter” Kautz!
[Wenzel Kautz doesn't look concerned about anything his opponent brings to the table as he paces back and forth in his corner.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And now we have the German prospect Wenzel Kautz, another 2-0 striker looking to make his case. Both of his victories come from first round stoppages, which proves he’s got some heat behind those hands.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
He’s another exciting youngster in the Cruiserweight Division who is more about making headlines from what he does inside the cage than what he says outside of it. He’s been waiting for an opportunity like this to legitimize his number two ranking, and if he can execute a spectacular performance en route to victory, his next fight could very well be against the current champion, Roscoe Robinson!
BODIE SULLIVAN
It would be a remarkable climb for Kautz in a short amount of time. But for now, his main focus is against “The Gas Tank” right here, right now! Our referee for this opening contest is Jordan Ripley, and he looks ready to get this fight started!
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ROUND ONE
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[Wenzel Kautz and Jose Meléndez move forward as the bell signals the beginning of the fight. Both fighters circle around looking for an opening, and several times Meléndez tries to close the distance but gets halted when Kautz misses with a leg kick. Meléndez feints a move to put Kautz off balance and throws a nice one-two combination that tags him. Kautz fires off a solid combination in retaliation, but it mostly hits air.]
[The two circle around a little more, then step into each other and engage in a wild exchange of punches! Meléndez is getting the best of the exchange as he lands a few blows. Meléndez whiffs with a stiff hook, Kautz counters with a bone shattering straight left but Meléndez ducks under. The two ignite with another wild exchange of punches, but this time both fighters are missing. They continue to trade blows, and now Kautz is getting the best of the exchange as he lands a few blows.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Starting things off fast and furious with both guys trading blows back and forth.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Brother if these guys are afraid to stand in the pocket and let it go. But we’ll see how long they can withstand that kind of punishment.
[Kautz launches a hook to the body but Meléndez manages to dodge it and counters with a brutal head kick! Kautz is wobbled and backpedals out of range. Meléndez cuts him off and they trade punches but once again neither one lands anything significant. Kautz tries a kick to the midsection but Meléndez blocks it and steps away. Kautz throws some tentative punches to stay in range and Meléndez takes the best of a brief punching exchange.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Wenzel Kautz ate a big kick to the head but keeps on swinging!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
He’s got that warrior mentality, Bodie! He’ll fall on his sword if he has to!
[Kautz tried finishing off his attack with a body kick but Meléndez blocks it and counters with a big uppercut, followed by a hard jab. Wenzel Kautz stumbles back on his heels, but catches Meléndez, who tries walking him down, with a stinging straight left. Meléndez stumbles a bit, giving Kautz time to launch a hook to the body, but Meléndez dodges it and catches him with a hard cross. Kautz throws a wild head kick but misses its mark before the two trade blows back and forth with nothing significant landing.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
José Meléndez is working in a solid counter game right now.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Wenzel Kautz has to be smarter in his approach or it’s gonna cost him big time.
[Both fighter’s eventually back off and circle around to regroup. Every time Meléndez attempts to get inside, Kautz misses with a low leg kick. Kautz takes the initiative and connects with a crispy uppercut then follows it up with a hard jab and Meléndez stumbles back. Kautz keeps the pressure on and throws a looping right hand while Meléndez jumps back and jabs. Kautz only hits air and the subsequent exchange is fruitless for both competitors until Kautz lands some nice punches that staggers Meléndez backwards!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And now Wenzel Kautz takes control of this fight with some textbook striking. He must have heard your comments, Willy.
[Kautz wants to finish this and continues launching bombs! He starts to walk down Meléndez until he eats a brutal shot that’s heard from the nosebleed section! Kautz stumbles back and looks hurt, his corner is screaming while Meléndez continues coming in! Kautz throws some tremendous strikes in desperation which Meléndez blocks but it’s enough to slow down the momentum before both fighters size each other up back in the center of the cage.]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Just when you think one fighter is running away with it, the other comes firing back. Incredible opening round for these guys.
[The two circle around with just over a minute left in the round. Tremendous strikes from Kautz get blocked. Meléndez fires back and is opening up on Kautz, raining down some devastating combinations! Kautz throws a bevy of strikes at Meléndez, going with a hook to the body and some quick combos, but they all get blocked and eventually steps back to catch his breath. With seconds remaining, Wenzel Kautz storms in with a stinging straight left, but Meléndez ducks under and counters with a devastating calf kick! Kautz’s knee hyperextends and the dead nerves cause him to wobble all over the octagon. Just then the buzzer sounds, marking the end of the round.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Wow! What a way to close this round for José Meléndez! He had Kautz knocking on death’s door with that flurry and nearly finished him off.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Wenzel Kautz was saved by the bell, no question about it. If this fight lasted another thirty seconds, that would have been the end of it. I’m curious to know how much damage Kautz took on that calf kick and how it’s gonna affect him in the second round. That sounded brutal and he’s clearly limping on that leg.
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ROUND TWO
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[The second round opens up and you can still see the effects of Kautz leg as he limps out to the center of the cage. Kautz fires off an unorthodox punch to Meléndez's torso but it goes wide. Meléndez looks for angles as he throws a few jabs that are countered by Kautz's punches. Both fighters get in a little offense before circling back around to the center of the cage.]
[Meléndez feints to draw Kautz in and moves forward to land a crushing hook and follows it up with a head kick! Wenzel Kautz’s legs are wobbly and it looks like Meléndez is looking for the finish. Meléndez starts opening up on Kautz, raining down combinations! Meléndez unloads a big uppercut, then chops away at the legs with another calf kick, and finishes it off with a big right hook and the referee has seen enough! The official pulls Jose Meléndez off and waves off the fight!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And this one is all over! José Meléndez smelled blood in the water and surges in on his opponent with a stunning combination of punches and kicks for the finish!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Meléndez demonstrates once again his extraordinary high volume offense and it was simply too much for Wenzel Kautz to bounce back from.
[The crowd explodes into cheers while Meléndez climbs up the fence and perches at the top to celebrate. Doctors tend to Kautz for a while before helping him to his feet. After doctors and cut men finish their work, both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, referee Jordan Ripley has called for a stop in this fight at one minute forty-five seconds in the second round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, “Gas Tank” Jose Meléndez!
[The crowd cheers once again as Meléndez has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap.]
Winner: José Meléndez by TKO (Hook) at 1:45 Round 2
Statistics: Wenzel Kautz
Punches 14/44 (32%)
Kicks 0/8 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 0 s
Statistics: José Meléndez
Punches 32/41 (78%)
Kicks 4/4 (100%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 0 s
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Lightweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 3-2. She stands 5’11”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. She is from Kapolei, Hawaii, fighting out of Paris Combat, she is the number five ranked Lightweight Contender in the World, presenting Maliyah “Cold Case” Lyons!
[Maliyah Lyons bounces in place while raising both hands in the air to the sound of the roaring crowd.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Maliyah Lyons is in a very tough situation here tonight. After starting her professional career off strong, stringing together a 3-0 record, she has since lost her last two and is on her final fight in her rookie contract. It seems as though she has struggled as she climbed up the ranks against more seasoned opponents. Tonight this bout makes it her second opponent in a row who has challenged for the Lightweight Title, if she wants to stay in the top contenders discussion, she’ll need a win tonight.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
And maybe not just a win, but a solid performance as well. Maliyah showed early on that she has a great skill set, but like you mentioned, when it came to fighting the top tiered competition, she hasn’t fared so well. Perhaps she shot up the rankings a little too quickly, or just the inexperience is catching up to her. Either way, she’s got her work cut out for her tonight.
MIKE DEMPSEY
And her opponent, fighting out of the red corner, an Unorthodox Fighter holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 4-1-1. He stands 5’11”, and weighing in at 147 pounds. He is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, fighting out of the 9th World Performance Institute, he is a Union Grand Prix Lightweight Title Challenger and the number three ranked Lightweight Contender in the World, presenting “The Pride of Brazil” Bellamy DeSilva!
[Bellamy DeSilva looks down at the canvas while he does his breathing exercises. He knows he can not fail here tonight.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
We welcome back Bellamy DeSilva to the octagon, who last fought in a closely contested split decision loss to Lightweight Champion Delaney Donovan at UGP 21. DeSilva took some time off to heal up, both physically and mentally, while also structuring in a new contract. Bell looks revitalized in the lead up to this fight, and surely is looking forward to getting back as a title contender.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Donovan gave him his first loss, which was a technical chess match, and it probably broke his spirits a little bit. DeSilva threw everything he had in the ground game, and came up just short of capturing the belt. I agree wholeheartedly that Bellamy DeSilva is a completely refocused fighter now. He knows what it takes to win, and also knows what it feels like to lose a five round war, and he doesn’t want to experience that again. I expect him to go hard in these three rounds.
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ROUND ONE
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[DeSilva and Lyons move forward as the bell signals the beginning of the fight. Both fighters circle back and forth until DeSilva fakes a punch and shoots a takedown. Maliyah didn't see it coming and gets put on the ground. DeSilva is in open guard while Lyons tries to close her guard, but struggles to do so. DeSilva then takes control and moves to full mount.]
[Lyons tries to roll to her side and trap DeSilva in her guard, but DeSilva rolls her over and takes her back! DeSilva is in rear mount over Lyons now and looks to get a hook in. DeSilva gets one hook in and keeps working! Lyons tries to use some of her ground skills to escape safely but is unable to.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And just like that, DeSilva drags Lyons into his realm and has got her in a very vulnerable spot.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
He’s got some solid hands to throw, but his forte is on the ground. Now let’s see what he can do from here.
[DeSilva and Lyons jockey back and forth for position with neither gaining anything significant, but it’s enough for the referee to let it play out. Eventually, DeSilva sees an opportunity and starts repeatedly punching Lyons in the side of the head. She needs to do something soon or the referee will stop the fight! Lyons turtles up and blocks her head, giving Bellamy nothing to work with. After a decisive stalemate, Herschel Warden decides to stand the fighters up.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Good on Maliyah to force the stalemate.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Don’t do anything that could put you in danger. She knows her strengths are on the feet, and it was smart on her part to protect herself and do whatever it takes to get the fight standing back up.
[Both fighters continue the fight on their feet where Lyons studies her opponent, looking for a hole in his defense. DeSilva circles out to stay out of range long enough to take a few seconds to recover his breath. Suddenly DeSilva rushes in and launches a stiff jab! It barely hits Lyons' face but it seems like one finger has poked her eye! Herschel Warden sees it and halts the fight.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ooh! No doubt about it, that was a blatant eye poke.
[Herschel Warden allows Lyons time to recover and in the meantime, takes away one point from Bellamy DeSilva for the eye poke. DeSilva contests the decision but it’s to no avail. After some time has passed, Lyons seems to be ready to fight again and the bout resumes with both fighters standing.]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Bellamy DeSilva is not happy about the point deduction there. In most cases, it’s hard to say whether or not it was intentional, but the veteran Herschel Warden isn’t one that takes these things lightly and sends a clear message off the jump.
[Bellamy sticks a hand out to touch gloves in a forgiving manner and Maliyah reluctantly accepts. These two fighters circle around cautiously as they show each other a ton of respect to their game. Bellamy rushes in with a brutal combination and Lyons is in a bad spot as her legs look wobbly! DeSilva continues to charge at Lyons, throwing flurries left and right. Not many punches are hitting, but the ones that land are huge shots and Lyons is rocked!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
The Pride of Brazil is storming Maliyah Lyons with some ferocious strikes! This could be it right here!
[Maliyah Lyons manages to move away from DeSilva’s range and tries to recuperate while Bellamy seems to be catching his breath a bit. DeSilva rushes back in and lands a pulverizing punch to Lyons' head! Maliyah tries circling out, but DeSilva chases her down and launches a few more perfect strikes. DeSilva moves forward now and launches a Superman punch that crushes Lyons' face and maybe her chances of winning this fight too!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
What a shot from Bellamy DeSilva! How is Maliyah Lyons still standing?!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
She’s got a lot of heart, Bodie, but she needs to do something now!
[Bellamy DeSilva circles around Lyons and outboxes his opponent in a one-sided exchange. Lyons' right eye is bruised and swollen after the punishment she’s received thus far. DeSilva feints and moves forward to connect with a crushing hook! Lyons legs are giving out on her as DeSilva follows it up with a devastating uppercut! Maliyah falls back into the fence and the referee pulls Bellamy DeSilva off to put an end to this fight! Lyons seems to argue with the stoppage, but she’s clearly in a foggy daze.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
That’s it! This one is all over! Herschel Warden has seen enough and put an end to this fight in the opening round!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Aye, what’d I tell you, huh? Bellamy DeSilva was gonna come out swinging for the fences. Big win and big performance for The Pride of Brazil!
[The crowd explodes into cheers and DeSilva hops up to the top of the cage to celebrate. Doctors tend to Maliyah for a while before eventually helping her to her feet. After the medical staff finish their work, both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, referee Herschel Warden has called for a stop in this fight at four minutes eight seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, “The Pride of Brazil” Bellamy DeSilva!
[The crowd cheers once again as DeSilva has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap.]
Winner: Bellamy DeSilva by TKO (Uppercut) at 4:08 Round 1
Statistics: Bellamy DeSilva
Punches 13/16 (81%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 1/1 (100%)
Takedowns 1/1 (100%)
GnP strikes 4/5 (80%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 87 s
Statistics: Maliyah Lyons
Punches 0/0 (0%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 87 s
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Muay Thai Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 4-2. He stands 5’8”, and weighing in at 135 pounds. He is from Phuket, Thailand, fighting out of Legion MMA, he is the number four ranked Bantamweight Contender in the World, presenting “Red Death” Dang Tay!
[Dang Tay takes a step out from his corner and takes a bow in respect to his opponent across the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Dang Tay has been quite impressive in his Union GP tenure. He’s gone 4-1, having his only loss come at the most recent Bantamweight Title challenger Lena Lyons. He’s earned nightly bonuses in three of his last four fights, and is looking to add on to that here tonight.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
He’s continuously improved in every fight, but boy does he have quite the task ahead of him tonight. This will no doubt be his toughest challenge to date, but if he sticks to his strengths, he’s got a great chance of coming out of this one victorious.
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Freestyle Wrestler holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 6-5. She stands 5’7”, and weighing in at 135 pounds. She is from Irvine, California, fighting out of Real Killas MMA, she is the former inaugural Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Champion and the number three ranked Bantamweight Contender in the World, presenting “L-Mo” Lauren Moore!
[Lauren Moore looks anxious and excited, like she’s been waiting forever to get back into the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And now we welcome back the former inaugural Bantamweight Champion Lauren Moore! This is her first fight back since suffering an injury during her rematch bout against Dallas Moore back at UGP 20. She has looked phenomenal in the lead up to this fight, which some pundits were concerned whether or not she would be 100% for this fight.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Moore is smart in her approach to the fight game. I don’t think she would rush back into the swing of things that would jeopardize herself. I’m curious to see how she fares, as this fight is the classic clash of styles. Moore likes to drag her opponents down and smash them with some ground and pound, while Dang Tay likes to stay on the feet and utilize his Muay Thai background. I think this fight comes down to who can execute their game plan to the fullest. But it looks like we won’t have to wait and speculate any longer, as referee Dusty Whittaker looks ready to get this fight started!
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ROUND ONE
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[The bell sounds to kick off the first round. Tay decides to launch some tentative punches to find his range but doesn’t get much from this exchange. Surprisingly, Tay attempts a sweep single but Moore was more than ready for it and shrugs off the takedown attempt. Tay then spins around and tries a spinning back kick but Moore blocks it with her arms and leg and counters with a nice uppercut that lands flush on Tay's chin.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Bit of a surprise for Dang Tay to attempt a takedown to start this fight off.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
He’s probably sending the message that he’s not afraid to go into Lauren Moore’s realm. Bold move, but very risky.
[Tay throws some counter punches but hits nothing but air as Moore moves away. Tay tries to take the fight to the ground with a single leg takedown but Moore sprawls back and frees her leg then fires off a single leg of her own. Tay is unable to remain on his feet and falls to the mat. Moore is in open guard and quickly starts throwing down elbows. She lands with devastating force as she tears up Tay's face with those brutal elbows! Tay needs to do something soon because the referee is threatening to stop this fight!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And Moore returns with a message of her own!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Lauren Moore is basically saying,"Play in my world, this is the result you're gonna get!"
[Tay manages to defend himself, and during a brief pause in the action, he tries to recover his breath. From the bottom, Tay lands a hammer punch to Moore's ribs, which causes her to move on the ground in order to protect herself. Moore works on the ground with her fingers over Tay's face and seems to have encountered the eye! Dusty Whittaker saw the foul and put a pause on the fight. Whittaker allows Tay time to recover and gives Moore a stern warning. After a few moments pass, Dang Tay looks to have recovered and the fight resumes with both fighters standing.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Tough break for both of these fighters, really. I don’t think it was intentional, but Moore has got to be careful.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Luckily she just got a warning here. Tay looks to be ok though, nothing too damaging.
[Back in action, both fighters circle around before Moore quickly changes levels and hits another single leg takedown. Moore lands in side mount, but Tay works from the bottom and manages to switch to half guard. Moore launches a few fake punches and tries to escape. Moore tries to force the situation and Tay clumsily gives his back!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Moore is firing off those takedowns at will so far and has got Tay in a very susceptible position right now.
[Moore hovers above Tay and lands some good punches to the body. Tay tries to retaliate but leaves himself open for Moore to throw a few hammer fists straight to the face. With a quick burst, Tay manages to spring up to his feet, and Moore quickly follows suit and both fighters now circle to the center of the cage.]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Great timing from Dang Tay to escape from the bottom and get this back standing back up.
[Tay seems to be catching his breath as he backpedals away, but Moore fakes a punch to freeze him up and shoots a takedown! Tay didn't see it coming and has been put back on the ground! Moore is in open guard over Tay and works to position herself for some ground and pound. Moore unloads and tries to finish the fight with some precise elbows but Tay is able to cover himself and block those elbows.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Another textbook takedown from Lauren Moore.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
She's imposing her will on Tay right now and looks like Tay is sucking wind.
[Moore moves on the ground and gets to half guard but Tay is then quick to close his guard. Tay connects with a heavy hammer fist to the ribs and causes Moore to move on the ground in order to protect herself better. As Moore shifts positions, Tay tries to roll on the ground! He gets the reversal and is now in full mount! Moore rolls to her side and gets to half guard and creates enough space to control Tay's leg. The two jostle back and forth as the final seconds tick away. Neither fighter makes any significant advancement before the horn goes off, signaling the end of the round.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
A solid effort for Tay in the closing moments with a nice reversal, but I don't think you can argue anything but Lauren Moore taking the first round.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
No question, Tay’s only hope was Moore getting penalized for the eye poke. Since she was just given a warning, this was clearly a 10-9 round for Moore. Tay showed some glimmers out there, but he's got to do better in keeping this fight standing. It was evident that his ground game is nowhere near the level of L-Mo.
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ROUND TWO
=========================================
[Both fighters come out of their corners with some enthusiasm to start the second round. Tay launches a solid front kick, but Moore catches it and parlays it into a slick single leg takedown. The two scramble on the ground for a little while, trying to gain control, and Moore winds up on top in a full guard. Dang Tay tried throwing hammer fists to the body, but Moore isn’t having it. Tay then tried to move on the ground to improve his position, but it ended up allowing Moore to pass to half guard.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
The awareness from Lauren Moore is extraordinary.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
It seems like she gets better every time she steps in there, Bodie. Always planning two, three steps ahead.
[Moore gets into a good position on the ground and starts unloading an incredible flurry of strikes! The referee looks on intently, ready to stop this fight at any moment. Dang Tay makes an attempt to move to full guard, but Lauren Moore keeps good control and remains in half guard. She then sits over her knees and pushes away Tay's leg. From here, she’s able to push his leg and jump to side mount. Moore continues to work on her position and slides her knee across and gets to a full mount position, and things could get real bad here. Tay somehow manages to keep Moore at bay, causing a stalemate. Dusty Whittaker eventually stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Moore was setting up for the finish, but Tay does the best thing possible and hangs on tight to force a stalemate.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Dang Tay needs to dial in his range and keeps Moore right on the edge of it. Keep her far enough to where if she tries to shoot, he’s got time to react.
[Back on their feet, Tay studies his opponent looking for a hole in her defense while Moore is slowing the pace of the fight a bit, circling around. Moore looks for angles as she throws a few jabs that are countered by Tay's punches. Moore fakes a move and connects with a brutal liver kick! Despite the pain, Tay moves forward looking for some action. Tay shows some wrestling skills as he put his opponent in a double overhook. Moore doesn't want to clinch as she ducks under, but Tay pushes Moore forward and doesn't allow her to break the clinch.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Now this could get interesting here. Tay opted to clinch, which could lean in his favor with his Muay Thai, but he’s gotta be careful.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
If Moore can get him off balance, look for a hip toss or even a head and arm if she can get some separation.
[Tay throws some knees to the thigh and Moore winces in pain. She tries ducking under once again, but Tay keeps a tight hold on the overhooks and catches her off guard with a leg sweep! Moore falls hard on the mat but swiftly closes her guard and takes this opportunity to rest.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Great takedown from Dang Tay!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Yeah but at what cost? He scores the takedown, but he’s putting himself right where Moore wants to be.
[Moore unloads some big punches to the ribs and you can tell those are damaging to Tay. He tries to protect himself but he leaves an opening for Moore to roll! Moore gets the reversal and now is in full mount over Dang Tay! Moore begins storming over Tay with elbows! She doesn't stop and viciously connects again and again! She switches it up with punches now, and this looks very bad for Tay. The referee looks on anxiously, almost ready to put a stop to it. Tay fires back with a few weak punches. Moore blocks them effectively but it’s enough to slow her offense down. Moore starts to get aggressive and goes back to the punches. Tay needs to do something soon or the referee will stop the fight!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
There it is! Lauren Moore is steamrolling Dang Tay right now!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
The referee could stop this right now! Tay is getting pummeled here!
[Tay tries to move on the ground, but Moore follows and stays in control. He tries to escape from the full mount but Moore is not fooled and moves to side mount to keep her superior position. Moore is looking to quickly pass as she slides her knee across and gets the full mount position! Tay tries fighting her off with some weak punches, and it’s just enough to keep her at bay until the horn sounds, signaling the end of the round.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
What a round for Lauren Moore! Somehow Dang Tay survived the onslaught but he took a mauling and his face is severely battered.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
I’m not sure how much longer he’ll last in this fight, Bodie. The referee easily could have stopped this one and I don’t think anyone would argue. But, he lives to fight another round, and I think he’s gonna need a stoppage if he wants to win this fight.
=========================================
ROUND THREE
=========================================
[The third and final round begins and Moore looks fresh while Tay is in a dreadful daze. Moore closes in with a looping right hand while Tay jumps back and jabs. Tay gets tagged and staggers back and Moore runs in to capitalize with a bunch of jabs and crosses. A one-two counterpunch combo from Dang Tay gets blocked by Moore. Tay then moves forward looking for some grappling action and gets Moore in a text book double collar Thai clinch! The two simply hold on and do not make any attempts to make any advancements, and eventually the referee intervenes to break the clinch.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
It’s survival mode for Dang Tay at this point. Doing whatever he can to see the end of the round.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
He looks completely zapped. That ground game will take a toll on you.
[The fighters size each other up back toward the center of the cage. The two exchange wildly with Moore connecting with a few punches then lands a massive hook that can be heard throughout the arena! Tay stumbles back on his heel and his corner is screaming! Lauren Moore is coming in again! Tay throws a punch that gets deflected and Moore goes to the body with a couple of punishing hooks. Moore then fakes a punch and shows some footwork moving aside. Tay steps away from Lauren Moore and seems to be cooling down the fight a bit.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And now Moore is taking it to Dang Tay on the feet!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Tay has no answers! I’m not sure he even knows where he’s at right now.
[The two exchange wildly once again with Moore connecting with a few strikes. Once again, Moore lands flush with a monster shovel hook and Tay stumbles back to stay on his feet. Tay closes back in, but eats a quick hook from Lauren Moore. Dang Tay hunkers over in pain, leaving himself open for Moore to land a punishing liver kick! Moore now seems hesitant as if she would give the initiative to her opponent, but it really is to bait Tay in as she shoots for a double leg takedown! Dang Tay is taken off his feet, but he manages to pull Moore into his guard.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Lauren Moore is toying with Tay at this point.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
I think she’s ready to put an end to this massacre.
[On the ground, Moore launches a barrage of elbows then switches to some stinging punches and puts Dang Tay in a world of hurt. Moore works to posture up now and forces Tay to open his guard. Moore fakes some punches then lands a big punch to Tay's face! Dang Tay’s face is battered and cut from all of the punishment throughout this fight. Moore moves to full mount and makes it look so effortlessly. Moore continues to move on the ground, and BOOM! That was a headbutt! Did she do that intentionally? Dusty Whittaker saw the foul and stopped the fight once again. Whittaker allows Tay time to recover and in the meantime, takes away one point from Lauren Moore for the headbutt.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ooh! Nasty headbutt there and the official is docking Moore a point.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
The crowd is not happy with that call, Bodie. Listen to them.
[The crowd floods the arena with boos, disagreeing with the penalty, and although Moore looks obviously confused, she doesn’t contest it. After a few moments, Dang Tay looks ready to resume and the fight continues with both fighters on their feet.]
[As the fight continues, Tay looks hurt and looks to avoid anymore damage. Tay jumps over his opponent and tries to grapple, but Moore sees what’s coming and ducks under then moves aside. The fighters then size each other up in the center of the cage. Moore sees that Tay is simply trying to survive the round and not making much effort, so she decides to change levels and hit an easy double leg takedown. Tay hits the mat hard, but the horn goes off and the ref stops the action as this round and fight is over.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Welcome back, Lauren Moore! What a dominating performance here tonight.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
It’s like she never missed a beat. Valiant effort from Dang Tay to survive all three rounds, but this one clearly goes to Moore.
[The crowd cheers as the two head to their corner, and the sight tells it all. Lauren Moore believes she won this one handily, while Tay staggers in a fog to his corner. Doctors tend to both fighters for a little while and once they finish their work, the fighters head back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, after three rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards. All three judges have scored it 29-25, declaring your winner by unanimous decision, “L-Mo” Lauren Moore!
[The crowd bursts into cheers as Moore has her hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap.]
JUDGE REGGY LEUS
Lauren Moore 10 10 9: 29
Dang Tay 9 8 8: 25
JUDGE NICOLAAS BOESCHEN
Lauren Moore 10 10 9: 29
Dang Tay 9 8 8: 25
JUDGE CATHELIJNE ROHAAN
Lauren Moore 10 10 9: 29
Dang Tay 9 8 8: 25
Winner: Lauren Moore by Unanimous Decision
Statistics: Lauren Moore
Punches 22/28 (79%)
Kicks 2/2 (100%)
Clinch strikes 2/2 (100%)
Takedowns 6/6 (100%)
GnP strikes 38/47 (81%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 444 s
Statistics: Dang Tay
Punches 0/15 (0%)
Kicks 0/2 (0%)
Clinch strikes 2/5 (40%)
Takedowns 0/2 (0%)
GnP strikes 2/13 (15%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 444 s
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Co-Main Event of the evening! The following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 16-7. He stands 6’ even, and weighing in at 220 pounds. He is from Atlanta, Georgia, fighting out of Lion's Den FC Las Vegas, he is the number five ranked Cruiserweight Contender in the World, presenting “The Silver Tongued Devil” Aries Reed!
[Aries Reed doesn’t make one move as he glares at his opponent from the opposite corner.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
First up in our Co-Main Event bout is the veteran Aries Reed. We’ve spoken before on his decision to move up to 225 despite being the top ranked contender at 185. His debut fight did not go as planned, losing to Michael Santos, but this fight has a different challenge ahead of him. While Santos is known to stand and throw hands, Ardan Kelly leans more toward wrestling and submissions. How do you see Reed faring in this match up, Willy?
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
You know, it’s hard to say really. He’s faced fighters before that has a similar background to Kelly—like Asher Jrue for starters. However, the added weight brings in a whole different dynamic. Reed has shown that he has some incredible power behind those hands, but these bigger guys can take a helluva lot more damage. I think it’s safe to say that Aries needs to keep this fight standing, and try to rope Ardan into trading blows. If it goes to the ground, though, I think Reed will struggle.
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Grappler holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 4-2. He stands 6’2”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Dublin, Ireland, fighting out of The ScrapYard MMA, he is a Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Title Challenger and the number three ranked Cruiserweight Contender in the World, presenting Ardan “The Angel” Kelly!
[Ardan Kelly is beating himself up in the corner before the fight begins, smacking himself in the face, body and legs to get ready for his scrap.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And now here’s a guy… Okay, no seriously. Ardan Kelly is back in action tonight since his loss to Roscoe Robinson back at UGP 21. He’s still in the infancy of his professional career, but he’s shown a lot of promise. We talked about his grappling skill, and it’s arguable that’s what sets him apart from the rest of the division.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
The majority of the fighters in the Cruiserweight Division are strikers, whereas Kelly likes to play chess out there and drag his opponents into deep waters. His only two losses come at the hands of the current champ Roscoe Robinson, so as long as The Shooter stays on the throne, it’s going to take a long string of dominating victories for him to get a third crack at the title. But he cannot control any of that, and I think he’s aware of it. All he can do is try to put on a clinic and erase any doubts, and he starts that journey once again against a big name right here, right now!
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ROUND ONE
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[Ardan Kelly and Aries Reed touch gloves in the center to get this fight started! Both fighters circle back and forth as a feeler before Kelly shoots for a double leg takedown! Reed is taken off his feet, but he manages to pull Kelly into his guard. Kelly hammers away at Reed’s ribs in the closed guard, and they look bad with each one echoing out a deep thud! Reed tries to roll on the ground but Kelly uses his leg to keep his position on the ground. Reed rolls again and gets a reversal! He is now in full mount over Ardan Kelly!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ardan Kelly is quick to take this to the mat, but Aries Reed answers back with a nice reversal.
[Kelly tries to escape from the full mount but Reed is quick to move to side mount to keep his superior position. The two jostle back and forth for position, but Reed eventually gets the upper hand, as he slides his knee across and secures the full mount position! Kelly tries to roll to his side and trap Reed in his guard and winds up in half guard. Reed tries to better his position on the ground and launches a couple of elbows against Kelly's ribs. Kelly blocks Reed's strikes and manages to switch to full guard.]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Aries Reed surprising us all with some solid ground work here!
[Kelly throws up a triangle attempt but Reed postures up and breaks the submission. After a prolonged stalemate, the referee decides to stand the fighters up since there was not much action on the ground. Both fighters continue the fight on their feet but it doesn’t take long for Kelly to shoot in for a double leg takedown. Reed is taken off his feet, but again he manages to pull Kelly into his guard. Kelly tries to better his position on the ground but Reed holds his head against his chin in the closed guard. The two scramble for control, and Kelly is eventually able to escape from the closed guard.]
[Ardan Kelly is in open guard over Reed and he tries to finish this fight with a leg lock! You can see the pain reflected in Reed's eyes but somehow he manages to slip free from it and close Kelly in his guard. Reed launches a few weak punches to the body. Kelly blocks them effectively, but leaves himself open for Reed to roll on the ground and get to full mount! Kelly and Reed scramble on the ground to gain some position control, and eventually Kelly manages to get his leg free and move to half guard.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Aries Reed narrowly escapes the leg lock there, and I have to say, I’m surprised by how well Reed is holding himself on the ground.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
I honestly believed that if this fight went to the ground that Reed would have no shot. But you’re right, Bodie, he’s doing good keeping himself out of harm’s way for the most part.
[Kelly works from the bottom, isolating Reed's right arm and goes for an armbar! You can see the panic in Reed’s eyes, but he manages to sit up and pull his arm out of danger and now Kelly has lost his dominant position. Reed doesn't want to continue the fight in this position and tries to get back on his feet. He moves fast and stands to his feet, with Kelly following suit. Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing with the crowd cheering them both on.]
[Reed fires an unorthodox punch to Kelly's torso that hits its mark. Kelly feints a punch and shoots for a double leg takedown! Reed is taken off his feet, but he manages to pull Kelly into his guard. Kelly tries to better his position on the ground. He breaks the closed guard of Reed and moves to half guard and goes for an Americana! Reed breaks free just as the horn goes off. Referee Willie Green stops the fight and tells the fighters to go to their corners.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Exciting opening round for this Co-Main Event bout! Pretty tightly contested, but looking at it as a whole, I think this one might go to Ardan Kelly.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Kelly pushed the pace, hitting several takedowns throughout, but didn’t get a whole lot out of it on the ground. He nearly sunk in some submissions, but Reed was able to escape from them and keep himself relatively safe. It’s a toss up, but you’re right, Bodie, I think this one may lean toward Kelly, but it’s arguable either way.
=========================================
ROUND TWO
=========================================
[The second round begins and both fighters still look to be in great shape. As they close the distance, Ardan Kelly catches Aries Reed's far ankle and trips him to the mat for a sweep single! Kelly tries to escape from the closed guard but doesn’t make any advancements on the ground. Reed lands a few punches to the body which causes Kelly to try and defend better. This leaves an opening and Reed tries to roll on the ground, but this time Kelly props his leg to keep his position on the ground.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ardan Kelly scores another solid takedown and works to keep control.
[Kelly looks to improve his position now. He gets his hips free and moves to half guard, but Reed counters back and manages to switch to full guard. They continue to scramble, and Kelly moves to side mount. Reed tries to turn into his opponent and it looks like Kelly is trying to lock in a Banana Split! Kelly tries to sprawl back but he’s too slow. Reed scrambles out and gets back to his feet! Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing as the crowd roars out with cheers.]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Oh man, Aries Reed better be careful! Ardan Kelly is throwing some high level submissions at him.
[Kelly and Reed circle back toward the center of the cage before stepping into each other and unloading a wild exchange of punches! Kelly is getting the best of the exchange as he lands a few more strikes. Reed moves forward looking for some action and surprises Kelly with a double overhooks! Kelly begins throwing some tremendous strikes but Reed blocks them. This opens Reed up enough for Kelly to fake a punch and shoot a takedown! Reed didn't see it coming and has been put on the ground!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Aries Reed tried to pressure Kelly with the clinch but it didn't pay off and suffers another takedown.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
I like the idea but the execution obviously wasn’t enough to keep Kelly pinned down and now we go back to the mat.
[Ardan Kelly is in open guard over Reed as the two scramble for position. Kelly pushes Reed against the fence and then tries to improve his position. He jumps and tries to free his leg, but Reed doesn't allow it, but Kelly is still able to get half guard here. Kelly continues to try and free his leg. He uses some of his skill by jumping out of Reed's guard and moves quickly to side mount!]
[With under a minute left in this round, Reed tries to show some of his ground skills and puts Kelly in half guard. Kelly launches a few fake punches and tries to escape! Reed is covering himself up but then Kelly tries to force the situation, and Reed clumsily gives his back! Reed has given his back to Ardan Kelly who is trying to get a hook in now! After a brief struggle, Kelly gets one hook in! Kelly tries to get his arm under Reed's chin but can't do it. He locks his arms over Reed's neck and tries to finish him with a neck crank! Before Kelly can get it secured, the horn sounds and Willie Green tells the fighters to go to their corners as the round is over.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ooh, saved by the bell there. Ardan Kelly was working that neck crank, and if he had a little more time available, that could have been very costly for Aries Reed.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Aries is losing some steam out there it seems. Kelly was able to continue working in the takedown and suffocating Reed with the ground game. I think this round goes to Kelly without much dispute. It very well could be one round a piece here, but leave no doubt out there and finish this fight!
=========================================
ROUND THREE
=========================================
[The crowd is on their feet as the final round of this Co-Main Event bout begins. Both Kelly and Reed look like they’re running on fumes at this point, but they press on nonetheless. As they close in, Kelly grabs his opponent by the waist and takes the fight to the ground. Both fighters scramble for position, but neither one gets anything going, and eventually the referee decides to stand the fighters up since there was not much action on the ground.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Ardan Kelly scores another takedown but gets nothing going afterwards.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
You can clearly see these guys are gassed. This is where sheer willpower takes over and decides the fate of these fighters.
[Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing. Reed throws a bunch of leg kicks but they’re all blocked. Kelly then feints a move and shoots a single leg, taking Reed to the mat once again and scrambling to side mount. The two fighters jostle back and forth for positioning, where Reed eventually sees an opening and locks his opponent in half guard. Kelly works to free his leg, but in doing so opens up enough clearance for Reed to roll and get to a side mount! On the bottom, Kelly is able to defend any sort of movement from Reed, and eventually the referee Willie Green stands the fighters up due to a lack of activity.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Reed is still showing signs of life out there with a solid reversal, but these guys aren’t capitalizing on anything.
[Both fighters continue the fight on their feet and Aries Reed closes the distance with his opponent and gets a clinch in. Reed pushes Kelly into the fence and tries to calm down the action. A stalemate ensues and Willie Green sees this lack of action in the clinch and separates the fighters. Both fighters circle back to the center of the cage with heavy legs. Then out of nowhere, Reed rushes in with a Superman punch! Kelly dodges out of the way just in time and sees an opportunity to counter with a single leg! However, Reed shows great balance while pushing Kelly off to stay on his feet.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Reed stuffs the takedown! Now do something with it!
[Reed tries firing off some leg kicks but they get blocked and Kelly counters with a leg kick of his own that connects. Reed launches a quick hook that just glances off Kelly's arm then follows up with a brilliant combination that forces Kelly to try and defend better. Kelly dives for Reed's left leg and turns it into a foot lock attempt! Reed is quick to step his leg out of danger while Ardan Kelly remains on the ground. Reed isn’t interested in fighting in this situation, so he creates some space and allows Kelly to stand up.]
[Both fighters standing upright once again and Reed throws a solid combination that tags Kelly. Reed moves forward looking for some action and gets his opponent in a double overhook! Reed throws a flurry of punches and Ardan Kelly just can't get away! Reed tries to use some dirty boxing and presses Kelly against the cage. Kelly is aware of his surroundings though and escapes from the clinch!]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Just when you thought that Aries Reed had Ardan Kelly trapped in the clinch, The Angel finds a way to escape. These guys are showing a ton of grit out there right now.
[Kelly backpedals away from the fence as Reed follows. Kelly changes level and hits a single leg to take Reed to the mat. On the ground, Reed attempts to trap Kelly in his guard, but Kelly keeps control and remains in side mount. Kelly looks to pass to full mount, but Reed creates some space and scrambles back to his feet. Both fighters have climbed to their feet and they continue the fight standing as the crowd cheers them on.]
[Down to the final push of this fight. Some nice shots from Aries Reed land clean that stun Kelly and causes him to try to take the fight to the ground with a single leg takedown. Reed is unable to sprawl back to defend and falls to the ground. Kelly pushes Reed against the fence and then tries to improve his position. He jumps and tries to free his leg but Reed doesn't allow this but Ardan Kelly is still able to get half guard here. The referee separates the fighters as the horn sounds.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
What a fight! After three rounds, these fighters left it all out there. They can barely make it back to their corners! I’d hate to be the one to have to score this fight, but I gotta ask, Willy, how do you see it going?
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
You couldn’t pay me enough right now to score this fight. Neither fighter really took a commanding lead or control throughout this fight, but if you break it down, I think it’s going to come down to Kelly hitting all of those takedowns compared to Reed’s standup striking and his ability to escape from the ground. Let’s turn it over to Mike Dempsey now as he announces the decision.
[The crowd cheers as the two head to their corner. Doctors tend to both fighters for a little while and once they finish their work, the fighters head back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, after three rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards. The judges have scored it 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27, declaring your winner by unanimous decision, Ardan “The Angel” Kelly!
[The crowd bursts into cheers as Kelly has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap.]
JUDGE REGGY LEUS
Ardan Kelly 10 10 9: 29
Aries Reed 9 9 10: 28
JUDGE NICOLAAS BOESCHEN
Ardan Kelly 10 10 10: 30
Aries Reed 9 9 9: 27
JUDGE CATHELIJNE ROHAAN
Ardan Kelly 10 10 9: 29
Aries Reed 9 9 10: 28
Winner: Ardan Kelly by Unanimous Decision
Statistics: Ardan Kelly
Punches 3/7 (43%)
Kicks 1/1 (100%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 9/10 (90%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 7/7 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 568 s
Statistics: Aries Reed
Punches 9/14 (64%)
Kicks 0/6 (0%)
Clinch strikes 3/10 (30%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 2/8 (25%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 557 s
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Main Event of the evening! Our three judges scoring this contest at cageside are Reggy Leus, Nicolaas Boeschen, and Cathelijne Rohaan; and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Jordan Ripley. AND NOW, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The following contest is scheduled for five rounds in the Union Grand Prix Openweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 3-3. He stands 6’4”, and weighing in at 265 pounds. He is from Santa Monica, California, he is the number eight ranked Heavyweight Contender in the World, presenting “The Man with the Hand of Fate” Harmon Janssen!
[Harmon Janssen stoically paces back and forth with a stone cold stare. He raises a clenched fist high into the air to the sound of the roaring crowd.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
First up in this Main Event clash, we have Harmon Janssen. This guy has shown he’s got some scary power, but the results have been mixed for the veteran. One of the age old adages in this sport is that everyone has that puncher’s chance.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Sometimes that’s all you need. One punch can completely turn the tide of a fight, and that’s what Janssen will be relying on. Given his age, and the fact he’s pretty one dimensional, he’s going to want to keep this fight upright and turn it into a brawl.
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 10-8. He stands 6’1”, and weighing in at 265 pounds. He is from Chicago, Illinois, fighting out of Real Killas MMA, he is the former Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion and the number five ranked Heavyweight Contender in the World, presenting “Dog Face” Donnie Calabrese!
[Donnie Calabrese takes a few steps out from his corner and pounds his chest with a ferocious scowl directed toward his opponent from across the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
The fan favorite, “Dog Face” Donnie Calabrese is back in action once again for Union Grand Prix. We all are aware of his return coming up short against the also returning Viktor Volkov, but the nickname says it all. This guy is a dog, and nothing will ever keep him down.
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
It’s why he’s among the most popular fighters, despite having an up and down career. No matter the adversity, Donnie will face it head on. He needs to stay calm and focused in this fight and not allow Janssen to dictate this fight. Donnie is one of the few heavyweight fighters that has a solid ground game and actually uses it, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Donnie tries to take this one to the mat.
BODIE SULLIVAN
Well we won’t have to speculate any longer, Willy, because it’s bout time! Referee Jordan Ripley checks off with each man and he’s calling for the bell! And here we go!
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ROUND ONE
=========================================
[Donnie Calabrese and Harmon Janssen touch gloves in the center to get this fight started. Janssen and Calabrese circle around for a bit before Janssen throws a quick jab. Calabrese dodges it and counters with a couple jabs, followed by a hook. Janssen shows off his fight IQ by evading those strikes and the two continue to circle about, looking for angles.]
[Calabrese sees an opening and rushes in with a furious flurry of punches that puts Janssen in a world of hurt! Janssen circles away after getting tagged, and Calabrese taunts him to try and bait him back in. A tremendous haymaker thrown by Calabrese hits like a cannonball and splits Janssen’s lip! Janssen circles out to avoid any further damage, and the two fighters size each other up back in the center of the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Donnie Calabrese comes out of the gates dropping bombs!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
Janssen is busted open already, not a good look this early in the fight.
[A heavy punch from Harmon Janssen just whizzes past Calabrese’s head, giving an audible reaction from the crowd. Janssen then looks for angles as he throws a few jabs that are then countered by Calabrese's strikes. Janssen measures the resilience of Calabrese's chin with a massive uppercut while Calabrese lands some great crosses. Calabrese feints a punch then changes levels to shoot for a double leg takedown! Janssen is taken off his feet, but he manages to pull Calabrese into his guard.]
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
There it is! Nice takedown from Calabrese!
[Calabrese is in closed guard over Janssen but he’s looking to pass his guard. Calabrese manages to work his hips free and jumps to half guard. Calabrese continues to work on control and gets his other leg free and moves to side mount now. Donnie feints some movement to make an opening and lands a big hammer fist to Janssen's face! Janssen looks a bit stunned from the blow, which gives Calabrese enough time to slide his knee across and get to full mount.]
BODIE SULLIVAN
Call him Burger King because Donnie Calabrese is having it his way! He gets to the full mount position and could be looking for the finish here.
[Calabrese is in full mount now and Janssen could be in some serious trouble. Calabrese positions himself for some ground and pound and tries to finish the fight with some precise elbows! One, two, three! Janssen's being pulverized here! Calabrese continues the onslaught and Jordan Ripley has seen enough! The official steps in and the fight is over! Janssen was not intelligently defending himself!]
BODIE SULLIVAN
And this one is all over, folks! Donnie Calabrese puts this fight away inside the first round!
WARHEAD WILLIAMS
What a great way to rebound for Donnie Calabrese! He moves on to the semifinals of the Openweight Grand Prix and gets one step closer to becoming a two-division champion!
[The crowd booms with cheers and Calabrese is swarmed by his corner crew in celebration. Doctors tend to Janssen for a while before helping him to his feet. After doctors and cut men finish their work, both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, referee Jordan Ripley has called for a stop in this fight at two minutes thirty-five seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, “Dog Face” Donnie Calabrese!
[The crowd cheers once again as Dog Face has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap.]
Winner: Donnie Calabrese by TKO (Elbows) at 2:35 Round 1
Statistics: Donnie Calabrese
Punches 9/14 (64%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 1/1 (100%)
GnP strikes 4/4 (100%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 48 s
Statistics: Harmon Janssen
Punches 1/3 (33%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 48 s