SSE HYDRO
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
FEBRUARY 28, 2021
PRE-SHOW
TENSLEY TAYLOR SINGS
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
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MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, we are live exclusively on the Battleground Network here at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland for Boss Fight Twenty-three! And now, this opening contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Lightweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Wrestler making his professional mixed martial arts debut. He stands 5’10”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. He is from Detroit, Michigan, fighting out of Throne MMA, presenting Andre Drayton!
[Andre Drayton bounces in place on the balls of his feet while raising a hand in the air to acknowledge the crowd.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 1-1. He stands 5’8”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. He is from Boca Raton, Florida, fighting out of the Paroxysm Gym, presenting Alex “Dinamita” Cox!
[Alex Cox looks focused as ever, giving a glare across the octagon.]
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ROUND ONE
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[Alex Cox and Andre Drayton move forward as the bell signals the beginning of the fight. Both fighters circle around the center of the cage and size each other up while looking for a hole in their defense. Drayton strikes first with a stinging jab then bounces back, showing some solid footwork. He feints another strike then rushes in at the waist and brings the fight to the mat with a nice bodylock takedown.]
[Both fighters jockey for position where Coz is able to close his guard around Drayton. Cox connects with a few punches to Drayton's cheek, causing Drayton to cover up. Cox stays patient and picks his moments to tag Drayton. Eventually Drayton decides to abandon this position and tries to get back on his feet. He does so, and Cox quickly follows suit and now both fighters continue the fight standing.]
[These two fighters are showing each other a ton of respect as they continue to err on the side of caution. Drayton looks to close the distance but Cox moves backwards and Drayton gets a little chirpy, asking him if he came to fight or run. Drayton continues to follow Cox, only to get counter punched in a big way! Drayton paws at Cox but is answered with solid punches! Alex Cox is starting to find his rhythm now as he continues to outbox Drayton in a one-sided exchange. Cox moves aside and launches a furious leg kick that chops at Drayton's thigh! It seems like that kick pierced a nerve because Drayton is limping bad on that leg. Alex Cox times a perfectly placed haymaker that knocks Drayton out cold!]
[The crowd roars with excitement and Alex Cox climbs the top of the cage in celebration. Medical personnel pour in and tend to Andre Drayton for a while before helping him to his feet. After a few moments, Drayton finally comes to and once 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 Willie Green has called for a stop in this fight at two minutes forty-four seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by knockout, Alex Cox!
[The crowd cheers once again as Cox 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: Alex Cox by KO (Punch) at 2:44 Round 1
Statistics: Alex Cox
Punches 7/8 (88%)
Kicks 1/1 (100%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 4/6 (67%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 38 s
Statistics: Andre Drayton
Punches 2/2 (100%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 1/1 (100%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 38 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 Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 2-1. She stands 5’4”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. She is from Chicago, Illinois, fighting out of Throne MMA, presenting “The Chiraq Jewel” Zamara Ali!
[Zamara Ali smiles to the cameras while shadow boxing in her corner to stay ready.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
And her opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 1-1. He stands 5’10”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. He is from Santa Fe, Argentina, presenting Osvaldo “El Matador” Ledesma!
[Osvaldo Ledesma slaps his legs, chest, and shoulders to hype himself up as he readies himself for the fight.]
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ROUND ONE
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[A glove touch gets the fight underway, and Zamara wastes no time in setting the standard for the fight--as Ledesma steps in, she swings a massive right hand that Osvaldo has to duck back to avoid. He slips back and counters with a bone-shattering hook that almost drops Zamara as soon as the fight begins! Zamara’s visibly stunned, but responds with another big hook of her own, that almost clips Ledesma on the chin, before dropping levels and shooting for a double-leg takedown! She manages to get Osvaldo moving back, but he’s able to sprawl and push her away, ultimately keeping his footing.]
[Zamara stays on the front foot, hoping to keep Ledesma from getting any momentum, and tags him with a jab, then a strong uppercut that stumbles him backwards, then a stinging body shot. Osvaldo counters with a series of straight punches, that mostly hit just the air, before Zamara drops for a single leg takedown--but again, while she gets Ledesma hopping, he’s ultimately able to keep his balance and stay on his feet. When he pushes her away, she comes back with a huge overhand right that nearly drops Osvaldo! Determined to get the fight to the mat, Zamara shoots for a double once again, this time scooping Ledesma off his feet and taking him down, though he’s able to recover his guard.]
[Osvaldo keeps a tight grip on Zamara’s head, trying to keep her in position, even as she hammers his sides with elbows. His guard starts to open, and Zamara takes the opportunity to try to pass Ledesma’s guard--at first, she doesn’t get very far, but eventually she’s able to pry his guard open and force her way through...only to get turned over in the process, with Osvaldo ending up in full mount! Both fighters trade a couple less-than-effective strikes from the ground, but not much changes, and despite the dominant position Osvaldo finds himself in, Herschel Warden decides to stand them up due to inactivity.]
[Zamara turns the aggression up once the fight’s back on the feet, pushing forward and throwing a series of quick, straight punches that stagger Osvaldo backwards. She drops for another double-leg attempt, but Osvaldo catches her coming in and counters her takedown with a throw of his own, ending up on top, in Zamara’s guard! She wastes no time going back on the attack, though, throwing her legs up for a Triangle Choke almost before the position is secured! Ledesma’s caught off-guard, and his face starts to turn red as he struggles to escape the choke, but eventually he catches her with a couple hammer fists that force her to loosen the hold, and he’s able to escape.]
[Zamara tries to turn Osvaldo over, but he’s able to keep his position before she can make much headway--but, in doing so, he leaves an arm exposed, and Zamara pivots for an armbar instead! Ledesma starts to retract his arm, but Zamara’s able to transition to a Triangle again, instead! Already on his way out of the armbar, Ledesma’s able to prevent Zamara from really catching him with the Triangle this time, and backs away from the ground exchanges. Zamara stays on the mat, though, and kicks at Osvaldo’s knee; he’s able to avoid it with relative ease, and counters with a stinging kick to the thigh. He lands a couple more, before Herschel Warden steps in and forces Zamara to stand back up.]
[Zamara’s a little more tentative this time, pawing at Osvaldo with jabs and a low kick, but her technique’s a little sloppy and when the kick whiffs, Osvaldo presses his advantage and stings her with a couple solid power punches. She tries to push him back, but he tags her with a three punch combination that ends with a straight punch to the nose that draws some blood. Zamara tries to put together a good combination, but she only hits air as Ledesma swims through the strikes--but, in the process, he doesn’t see her drop for a takedown again, and ends up planted on the mat once again! Zamara wastes no time, sitting back for a straight ankle lock, and the look on Osvaldo’s face gives away that it’s tight--but he’s able to roll away and kick himself free, scrambling back up to his feet. Zamara stays on the mat for a moment longer, but with Osvaldo having no interest in engaging, Herschel Warden once again stands her up. The two trade a couple pawing jabs before the horn sounds to end round 1.]
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ROUND TWO
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[Round 2 begins with a massive overhand right from Zamara that crashes into Osvaldo’s jaw, nearly dropping him, but he’s able to backpedal and recover his senses--just in time for her to come in with a series of straight punches! He throws a few of his own to try to counter, and ultimately tags Zamara back with a few, getting the better of the ensuing exchange. Zamara throws a winging right hand that Osvaldo’s able to deflect and counter with a straight right hand, right down the pipe, drawing blood from Zamara’s nose again!]
[Zamara drops for another takedown, and once again brings Osvaldo to the mat! She slams a few shots into his midsection that forces Ledesma to lower his guard, then postures up, looking to drop a few shots to his head. Osvaldo’s able to recover his guard and pull Zamara back in tight, but she’s not going to wait around this round, and tries slicing through his guard with a knee-slide. He clamps down and keeps her from escaping, before rolling through for a kneebar! Zamara avoids the submission with relative ease, and pushes Osvaldo back to his back, ultimately passing into half-guard. She drives her elbows into his ribs a couple times, but doesn’t get much progress in passing from the half-guard, before Herschel Warden gets impatient with the inactivity and stands the fighters up.]
[Ledesma launches a couple jabs that Zamara parries and counters with a straight punch that snaps Osvaldo’s head backward. While he’s off balance, she drops for another takedown, but Osvaldo knows it’s coming and swings a roundhouse kick aimed for her head! Zamara’s just able to avoid it, backpedaling away from the exchange. She launches a huge right hand that looks to put Osvaldo away, but he ducks underneath the punch; when she follows up with a high kick, he tags her leg with a kick that knocks her off balance, and she falls to the mat.]
[Zamara launches an up-kick aimed for Osvaldo’s head, but he’s able to avoid the shot easily; she tries again, with the same result, then he counters with a stinging kick to the thigh. The two trade kicks, Zamara aiming for Osvaldo’s knee, while Osvaldo tags her thigh again, before Herschel Warden steps in to stand Zamara up.]
[Back on the feet, Zamara digs a series of low punches to the body, but Ledesma’s able to deflect them; she pushes forward with a single-leg takedown, but when Osvaldo defends, she doubles down and tries to wrap up both legs. He’s eventually able to sprawl back and prevent being taken down, and immediately counters with a series of punches! Zamara responds with a few straight punches of her own, but nothing from either fighter lands with much steam. Osvaldo disengages and circles back to the center of the cage, forcing Zamara to follow if she wants to re-engage--and she does, driving forward with a couple of straight shots that almost clip Ledesma...until she’s tagged with an uppercut that nearly drops her! Before Osvaldo can follow up, though, the horn sounds, and round 2 comes to an end.]
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ROUND THREE
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[Zamara presses the action to open Round 3--first, with a low kick that Ledesma’s able to check, then a series of punches that force him backwards onto his bicycle. She drops for a takedown, but Osvaldo sees it coming and easily avoids it...the first time. Zamara keeps pressing for the takedown, though, and eventually trips Ledesma to the mat, ending up on top, in his guard! Zamara feigns a punch that forces Osvaldo to cover up, then pivots and sits back for a kneebar! She catches it deeper than Osvaldo might like, but he’s able to pull his leg free and roll away, scrambling back to his feet. Zamara stays on the mat, hoping to beckon Osvaldo to re-engage with her, but he stays at distance and eventually, Herschel Warden has to stand her up again.]
[As soon as the fight’s back underway, Zamara swings a high kick that Ledesma easily avoids, then a low kick to follow up that Osvaldo checks. He counters with a huge straight punch that connects to Zamara’s nose, and when she tries to come back with a punch in response, he parries and digs a big hook to the ribs! Zamara clinches up with Osvaldo and tries to trip him to the mat, but Osvaldo’s able to push himself free and avoid the takedown. He follows up with a series of strong body shots that are starting to wear on Zamara.]
[Zamara nearly tags Osvaldo with a straight punch, but he’s just able to get out of the way; she presses forward, throwing a series of low kicks, each one checked or avoided by Osvaldo. Osvaldo tries to close the distance with Zamara, but every time he engages, she counters with a low kick, but he’s able to deflect the attack every time. Eventually, the checked kick stings Zamara instead, and as she paws with a jab, Osvaldo answers with a huge punch right between the eyes, that stumbles Zamara backward, with visible swelling under her right eye!]
[Zamara throws a high kick, but Osvaldo steps back and strikes right at her ankle, knocking her off balance and dropping her to the mat. He stings her thighs with a series of kicks, while she tries to counter with up-kicks that don’t come particularly close to hitting. After a few seconds of this, Herschel Warden steps in and stands Zamara up again.]
[Back on her feet, Zamara throws a huge series of power shots, but Osvaldo’s able to block them and counter with a rapid series of straight punches instead. Zamara stumbles backward, trying to keep her guard up, and Herschel Warden warns her to stay active or he might have to stop the fight! To try to avoid any further damage, Zamara drops for another takedown, but Osvaldo’s easily able to sprawl and avoid it. The two close the round by exchanging punches, Osvaldo landing a big uppercut right at the horn, as we head to the judges for a decision.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, after three rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards. The judges score it 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27, declaring your winner by unanimous decision, “The Chiraq Jewel” Zamara Ali!
[The crowd cheers once again as Ali 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 LEIGHTON REILLY
Osvaldo Ledesma 9 9 10: 28
Zamara Ali 10 10 9: 29
JUDGE AIDEN MILLER
Osvaldo Ledesma 9 9 9: 27
Zamara Ali 10 10 10: 30
JUDGE CODY BAXTER
Osvaldo Ledesma 9 9 10: 28
Zamara Ali 10 10 9: 29
Winner: Zamara Ali by Unanimous Decision
Statistics: Osvaldo Ledesma
Punches 34/40 (85%)
Kicks 3/4 (75%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 1/1 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 153 s
Statistics: Zamara Ali
Punches 18/52 (35%)
Kicks 1/23 (4%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 4/14 (29%)
GnP strikes 1/8 (12%)
Submissions 5/5 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 281 s
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 3-2. He stands 6’6”, and weighing in at 265 pounds. He is from Lake Tahoe, California, fighting out of Lion's Den FC Las Vegas, presenting “The Big Bad Kaiju” L.A. Brooks!
[L.A. Brooks stares daggers at his opponent as he slowly sways from side to side.]
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 6’3”, and weighing in at 250 pounds. He is from Bucharest, Romania, fighting out of Paroxysm, presenting Cezar “Maini de Piatra” Miklos!
[Cezar Miklos looks like he’s been waiting for an opportunity like this for forever. He’s dialed in and knows the stakes at hand here tonight.]
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ROUND ONE
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[Both men meet in the center, and the fight gets underway with a touch of the gloves. Brooks opens with a couple quick low kicks, that Miklos only just avoids; by the time he’s recovered, Brooks launches a stinging one-two combination that puts Miklos on his bicycle early. He’s able to avoid another series of punches from Brooks, who instead tags Miklos with an inside leg kick that wrenches Miklos’s knee and gets a visible wince from him. Brooks paws with a jab that keeps Miklos’s attention, then tags him with a low kick that snaps. Brooks repeats this process a couple times, landing stronger and stronger kicks, before switching things up and swinging a spinning wheel kick! Miklos is able to get his guard up and absorb the majority of the impact, but it’s clear the kick surprised him, if nothing else.]
[Brooks tries to follow up the spinning kick, but he’s off balance and nothing he throws has much power; Miklos has an opportunity to counter, but when he pushes forward, Brooks has his guard up and none of Miklos’s punches have much effect. Brooks tries to counter, but Miklos ducks back and bobs around his punches--so Brooks goes back to what worked, and tags him with a stinging leg kick! Brooks strings together a big three punch combination--Miklos absorbs the one-two, but when the uppercut comes, his guard’s in the wrong place, and he takes a huge shot to the chin!]
[Miklos circles away from Brooks, trying to keep him at range and slow the fight down, but Brooks is quick to engage again, and the two get into a close-range firefight! Neither man lands anything terribly effective, until Miklos tries to disengage, and Brooks tags him with another leg kick that nearly buckles Miklos’s leg! His movement’s clearly compromised, even as he tries to circle back to the center of the cage--and when Brooks follows, ready to engage again, Miklos drops for a shot...that nearly gets his head taken off by a roundhouse kick from Brooks, which Miklos only avoids by abandoning the shot before he could get in close.]
[Brooks spins through the roundhouse, and immediately follows up by slamming another kick into Miklos’s lead leg, that visibly pains him and forces him to retreat; Brooks’s confidence is sky-high, as he starts motioning for Miklos to bring it. Miklos bites on the taunting, and Brooks BLASTS him with a right hand that forces him back as quickly as he moves forward. Brooks pursues him, throwing wild, looping haymakers--most of them don’t land, but the ones that do, ROCK Miklos, and his face starts to swell from the impact of Brooks’ punches. With Miklos seemingly on spaghetti legs, Brooks gets a little more disciplined with his punches, finishing a one-two combo by landing a big hook that rocks Miklos again!]
[The offensive output may have been too much, too soon for Brooks, though, as he takes a couple big breaths rather than follow Miklos as he circles away--but whether he’s really tired or not, he throws a massive right hand that lands directly on Miklos’s nose, and nearly shuts the lights out! Miklos’s face has swollen up badly, and Brooks’s confidence continues to rise; Miklos tries to flick out a few jabs, just to keep Brooks at distance until the round ends, but Broosk parries the second one and ends the round with another stinging leg kick, before Jordan Ripley steps in at the horn to send both men to their corners.]
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ROUND TWO
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[Round 2 opens the same way Round 1 did--Brooks stings Miklos’s lead leg with powerful kicks, eventually landing an oblique kick, just below the knee, that wrenches Miklos’s leg in the wrong direction! With his guard down, worrying about his knee, Miklos is wide open for a two punch combination from Brooks--a left hook, and a right uppercut that blasts into his chin, dropping him to the mat! Jordan Ripley rushes in, waving the fight off to prevent any further damage, and L.A. Brooks raises both arms in celebration!]
[The crowd explodes into cheers and Brooks is swarmed by his corner crew in celebration. Medics tend to Miklos for a while before eventually helping him back up to his feet. Once they 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 thirty-two seconds in the second round, declaring your winner by knockout, “The Big Bad Kaiju” L.A. Brooks!
[The crowd cheers once again as Brooks 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: L.A. Brooks by KO (Punches) at 0:32 Round 2
Statistics: Cezar Miklos
Punches 0/17 (0%)
Kicks 0/3 (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: L.A. Brooks
Punches 17/37 (46%)
Kicks 8/16 (50%)
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, it’s time for the Co-Main Event of the evening! The following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Openweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Wrestler holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 2-8. He stands 6’3”, and weighing in at 235 pounds. He is from Warren, Michigan, presenting Cal McCluskey!
[Cal McCluskey paces back and forth, breathing heavy like a raging bull. He doesn’t like the crowd not giving him a standing ovation, so he decides to flip them off, riling them up to a fever pitch.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 11-8. 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, presenting “Dog Face” Donnie Calabrese!
[Donnie Calabrese rhythmically bobs his head up and down, recognizing the crowd’s reaction. He points out to the masses, Babe Ruth’s called shot-style, then dials back in on his opponent.]
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ROUND ONE
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[The fight begins and there’s no glove touch to start this one. Donnie goes with a looping right hand while Cal jumps back and jabs. Cal eats the punch but seems unaffected, countering with a few punches of his own. Great exchange here.l and now both fighters size each other up in the center of the cage. A quick hook by Donnie connects clean and Cal has reasons to be worried.]
[The two step in and exchange wildly and Cal is connecting with a few more punches. Donnie avoids a dangerous strike from Cal and counters with a solid straight! Cal gets rocked and backpedals out of range to regroup. Cal circles back in and throws a hook to the body that pummels Donnie’s ribs hard, then fires off a looping right hand while Donnie jumps back and jabs. Another solid exchange here and the crowd is on their feet.]
[After the exchange, Donnie and Cal slow the pace down and circle about to catch their breath. Cal starts to inch forward, working behind his jab. He tags Donnie a few times then comes in with a big right hook. Donnie dodges the dangerous strike from Cal and counters with a solid straight! Donnie follows it up with a hook of his own, but Cal slips it and fires back with some tremendous strikes. Cal doesn’t capitalize on the flurry and instead backs away to cool down the fight and some isolated boos from the fans can be heard.]
[Donnie pressures in and throws a looping right hand while Cal jumps back and jabs. The two trade off punches back and forth once more, both equally landing significant damage. Donnie starts slipping and countering then connects with a bruising hook to the ribs. Cal winces but fires back with a stinging jab then backs away once again. Donnie tried to cut him off, but Cal catches him with a well timed one-two combo, forcing Donnie to try and defend better.]
[Cal avoids a dangerous strike from Donnie and counters with a solid straight! Quick hook counter by Donnie just glances off Cal's arms. Donnie leads with a jab but Cal dodges it and lands flush with a counter uppercut! Donnie stumbles back but comes right back in with a looping right hand while Cal jumps back and jabs. Donnie seems a bit staggered and Cal runs in to capitalize with a bunch of jabs and crosses.]
[Less than a minute to go, Cal continues to unload with a crisp uppercut, followed by a hard jab. A left hook from Cal grazes the chin of Donnie but it’s enough to cut him. Donnie rushes in and is swinging for the fences, but Cal backpedals and creates space. Donnie starts jawing at Cal now, asking him if he is going to fight! Cal isn’t one to cower and lands a nice one-two combination.]
[You can see the fatigue settling in as Cal wants to close the range with some grappling. He shoves himself over his opponent and secures a single collar tie. Seconds remains and Cal is just trying to hold on. Donnie eventually is able to slip free from the clinch, but by then the buzzer goes off to signal the end of the round.]
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ROUND TWO
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[As both fighters close the distance to start the second round, Cal looks especially light on his feet, as if he got a second wind during the break. Cal reaches his hand out to touch gloves, but fakes Donnie by changing levels and hitting a double leg takedown. More boos from the crowd for McCluskey, but he’s not here to gain admiration. The two jockey for position and Cal makes the move to go to side mount. He continues to improve his position, and slides his knee across and gets to full mount.]
[Donnie launches a few punches to Cal's cheek from the guard, but Cal McCluskey uses his head to cover the punches as he presses his forehead forward. The two continue to pummel for position but neither one gets anywhere, so Cal decides to break off and get back to his feet. Donnie quickly follows suit and the fight continues on their feet.]
[A crisp uppercut by Cal followed by a hard jab causes Donnie to stumble back. Cal connects with a calf kick to measure his range which triggers Donnie to throw a heavy overhand right. Cal avoids the strike and counters with a solid straight left! He then throws some tentative punches to keep the pressure on. Donnie throws a hook but it fails to land. Then the two step into each other and engage in a wild exchange of punches! Some very nice punches from Cal McCluskey tag Donnie and he staggers backwards. Cal looks like he wants to finish this and continues launching bombs! Donnie seems hurt! He stumbles backwards and he's an easy target for Cal McCluskey!]
[Donnie manages to circle out of range and regroup for just a few seconds before Cal comes back in with the jabs. Donnie dodges the strikes and counters back. The two are exchanging wildly now, but it looks like Cal is connecting with a few more punches. Donnie side steps out of the brawl and reveals a cut just above his left eye. Cal is in the zone now and attempts to cut Donnie off with more punches. Donnie reels back from the strikes but Cal continues to land some impressive combos.]
[Cal keeps the pressure on with the jab and changes it up with a hook to the body. Donnie gets rocked in the ribs and he looks hurt. Cal just won't stop and continues to rain punches and Donnie is in some serious trouble now! He stumbles backwards on his heels and he's an easy target! Cal continues throwing punches aggressively and Donnie is knocked down after a couple of punches, hitting the mat hard! The referee is asking Donnie to defend himself while getting tagged, but doesn’t get a sufficient response so the official decides to jump in between the fighters and stop the punishment for Donnie.]
[The crowd just can’t help themselves and burst into cheers while Cal runs around the octagon in elation. The medical personnel file in and tend to Donnie. Once the commotion has calmed down and Donnie is back on his feet, both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, referee Willie Green has called for a stop in this fight at three minutes fifty-three seconds in the second round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, Cal McCluskey!
[The crowd cheers once again as McCluskey has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to their respective corner. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap.]
Winner: Cal McCluskey by TKO (Punches) at 3:53 Round 2
Statistics: Cal McCluskey
Punches 68/91 (75%)
Kicks 1/1 (100%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 1/1 (100%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 45 s
Statistics: Donnie Calabrese
Punches 13/38 (34%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/3 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 45 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 Leighton Reilly, Aiden Miller, and Cody Baxter; and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Dusty Whittaker. AND NOW, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The following contest is scheduled for five rounds and it is for the Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Championship! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Tang Soo Do striker holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 4-1. He stands 5’11”, and weighing in at 135 pounds. He is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, fighting out of 36th Street MMA, he is the number one ranked Bantamweight Contender in the World, presenting “Chef” Arnie Huynh!
[Arnie Huynh looks at the ground while he focuses on his breathing. He seems calm and confident, ready for the biggest moment of his MMA career.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Muay Thai Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 7-1. He stands 5’10”, and weighing in at 135 pounds. He is from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, fighting out of The ScrapYard MMA, he is the reigning, defending, undisputed Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Champion of the World, presenting “Playboy” Dallas Meechan!
[Dallas Meechan is beating himself up in the corner before the fight begins, smacking himself in the face, body and legs to get ready for this fight. The Scotsman is flooded with cheers from the crowd and Dally is amped. He lets out a battle cry and gives the throat slash gesture directed toward his opponent.]
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ROUND ONE
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[Dallas starts the fight off by rushing forward for a double-leg takedown, that catches Arnie off-guard! He’s able to take the fight to the mat immediately, but only as far as Arnie’s guard--at least, at first, but he slides a leg through to half-guard. Dallas throws a few punches that don’t do much damage, but at least force Arnie to move--and, inadvertently, give up his back, early in the fight! Before Dallas can really do anything with it, though, Arnie manages to roll free and scramble to his feet.]
[Dallas paws with a jab, moving in and out, but nothing connects with any significant impact--it does serve to establish his range, though, and he rushes back in, this time securing a Thai clinch! Arnie tries to duck away, but Dallas keeps his grip on the clinch and pins Arnie back against the cage. Arnie throws a few punches to the side of Dallas’s head, but the angle isn’t great, and he doesn’t get much impact out of it. When he resets, though, Dallas releases the clinch--and starts throwing a huge flurry of punches! Dusty Whittaker is right there, warning Arnie to defend or he’ll have to stop the fight, but Arnie is eventually able to push Dallas away and circle out.]
[Arnie flicks a low kick out, then spins through and drops for a takedown! Dallas stumbles backward, but he’s ultimately able to keep his balance, and spins Arnie back against the cage, keeping an over-under clinch. Arnie tries to free himself, but Dallas keeps the clinch tight, countering with a knee to the thigh. Dallas lands a couple punches to the body, before Arnie starts to work to reverse the clinch--rather than give up his position, Dallas abandons the clinch, and immediately, the two start to exchange wild punches! Nothing major lands, though, with both men narrowly avoiding disaster in that exchange.]
[Arnie throws a low kick to gauge his range, but Dallas steps back and Arnie whiffs wildly; he tries to follow it up by moving in and digging a hook to the body, but Dallas blocks the punch. Arnie flicks out a low kick, but when Dallas moves to block it, he’s able to redirect the target and connect with a massive body kick! Dallas winces, but re-engages, landing a couple punches. Arnie throws another body kick, which Dallas catches and transitions into a single-leg takedown! Arnie’s able to get his guard again, but Dallas slices through the guard with relative ease--first to half-guard, then to side mount!]
[Dallas drops a couple punches from side mount, but Arnie’s able to block the impact--but, in doing so, he leaves himself open, and Dallas hooks a leg, sitting back for a kneebar! Arnie looks trapped, and his face contorts with discomfort, but he’s eventually able to kick himself free of the submission, and the horn blows before either can engage again.]
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ROUND TWO
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[Both men touch gloves to begin Round 2, before Meechan engages with a couple jabs, then clinches up with Arnie once again. As ever, Arnie’s not interested in the clinch, but Dallas pushes him back toward the fence. Arnie spins Dallas toward the cage himself, but Dallas is able to reverse position again--and rather than fight for position, he jumps guard and drags Arnie down to the mat. Dallas tries to use the momentum to turn Arnie over, but his technique’s off, Arnie’s able to keep his position as well as posture up, and drops a flurry of punches on Dallas! None of them land with significant impact, but Dallas has to keep his wits about him.]
[Arnie postures up to drop more ground and pound, but Dallas makes a quick move to switch position, turning him over into full mount! Dallas climbs to high mount, dropping a couple punches on Arnie before swinging his leg through for a Mounted Triangle! The choke isn't really tight, but it leaves Arnie open to a few shots from the top, that swells up his right cheek. Dallas tries to adjust his position and cinch up the choke, but Arnie’s able to get his head free and turn Dallas over to his back!]
[Dallas slows the pace of the fight down for a moment, keeping Arnie in tight and landing a couple shots to the ribs that, while they aren’t particularly effective, do keep Arnie’s defenses up--and once he’s worried about the punches, Dallas wastes absolutely no time, turning Arnie right back over to mount! Arnie tries to scramble free, but Dallas is able to keep his position. Arnie doesn’t hesitate to try again, this time able to buck Dallas off and slip out the back door, back to his feet. Dallas waits a moment to see if Arnie will re-engage on the ground, but eventually has to get back to his feet as well.]
[Arnie feigns a punch, looking to follow up with a kick, but before he can get the kick off, Dallas shoots for a double leg takedown and puts Arnie right back to the mat! Arnie doesn’t lock his guard this time, trying to turn Dallas over, but Dallas catches hold of a leg and sits back for a straight ankle lock! Arnie’s able to wriggle his foot free before Dallas can really cinch it in, but he’s not able to improve his position: still on bottom, with Dallas in his guard. Arnie throws a couple punches to Dallas’s side, trying to make a little space to move, but Dallas just deals with them and tries to pass into half-guard; Arnie blocks the transition, but takes a headbutt in the process!]
[Arnie tries to argue to Dusty Whittaker that he just got fouled, but Dusty missed the impact, and Dallas isn’t waiting for Arnie to be ready--he sits back for another ankle lock, this time catching it much deeper. Arnie winces as he tries to free his foot, eventually forcing Dallas off with a kick, but only gets as far as freeing his foot; Dallas recovers his position well, and stays on top of Arnie. Dallas’s mouthpiece notably hangs out of his mouth for a moment as he analyzes Arnie’s attack pattern--and when Arnie tries to turn him over, Dallas is able to slide a leg through, passing into half-guard, then trying to move into side-mount. Arnie clamps his half-guard down and keeps Dallas in place--but, again, Dallas ends up cracking him in the chin with a headbutt! This time, Dusty Whittaker catches it and stops the action--and docks a point from Dallas for the foul!]
[Arnie’s given time to recover, but eventually the fight gets back underway, standing up now. Arnie looks angry, so when Dallas engages, he tries to tag him with a few punches, but Dallas is able to avoid them and eventually catch a clinch again, albeit a double-overhook clinch. The pace of the ground work may be catching up to Dallas, as he takes a few deep breaths in the clinch before he makes any kind of attack; he lands a single knee, up the gut, the nearly buckles Arnie, but Arnie’s eventually able to push him away and get back to where he’s more comfortable. Both men throw big punches to end the round, but Dallas is able to throw a punch over the top of Arnie’s and connect with a big shot to the chin! It’s not enough to drop Arnie, though, and before Dallas can follow up, the horn sounds to end the second round.]
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ROUND THREE
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[Round 3 begins with Dallas flicking out a stiff jab--but, intentionally or otherwise, he pokes Arnie in the eye! The round has barely started before Dusty Whittaker has to pause the action to let Arnie recover--and dock another point from Dallas for the foul. Arnie notably points out that this is the third time he’s been fouled in this fight as he’s getting checked out by the doctors... but ultimately, it’s decided he can still fight if he wants to, and after a bit of recovery time, he lines back up to get back underway.]
[Dallas throws a couple jabs that Arnie’s able to parry--but Dallas re-engages with a one-two that Arnie eats, flush. Arnie tries to counter with a looping overhand right, but Dallas jumps back and avoids it, countering with a couple jabs in response before shooting for a single-leg takedown, once again taking Arnie to the mat! Arnie again leaves his guard open, and Dallas tries to pass through as easily as earlier, but Arnie’s able to keep him in place--and, once again, takes a crack to the chin with a headbutt!]
[Dusty doesn’t seem to notice the foul, even as Arnie argues it again, and Dallas takes advantage of the distraction, passing all the way to side-mount! He drops a flurry of ground and pound to Arnie’s face, which forces Arnie’s attention back to his opponent--and when he tries to block the shots, Dallas switches up and spins for an armbar! Arnie struggles to free himself, rolling up to his knees to try to get leverage to pull his arm free, but eventually, he’s forced to tap!]
[The crowd explodes into cheers and Meechan is swarmed by his corner in celebration. The medics pour into the octagon to tend to Huynh. Eventually, Huynh is able to get back on his own footing, looking obviously displeased in the result of the fight. Once the commotion starts to die down, both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY
Ladies and gentlemen, referee Dusty Whittaker has called for a stop in this fight at one minute thirty-one seconds in the third round, declaring your winner by submission, AND STILL the Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Champion of the World, “Playboy” Dallas Meechan!
[The crowd cheers once again as Meechan has his hand raised in victory and the title wrapped around his waist. Both fighters shake hands and give a quick bro hug as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s corner. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight as the commentators recap the fight.]
Winner: Dallas Meechan by Submission (Armbar) at 1:31 Round 3
Statistics: Dallas Meechan
Punches 15/23 (65%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 9/11 (82%)
Takedowns 4/4 (100%)
GnP strikes 6/8 (75%)
Submissions 6/6 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 2/2 (100%)
Time on the ground 335 s
Statistics: Arnie Huynh
Punches 3/12 (25%)
Kicks 1/4 (25%)
Clinch strikes 0/7 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/8 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/1 (0%)
Time on the ground 335 s