[The stage is set with two rows of tables on either side of the main podium and chairs sprawled out accordingly. The last few reporters and journalists with media passes are strolling in and settling into their reserved seats while "Worldwide Choppers" by Tech N9ne is bumping over the PA system. A magnificent light show illuminates the building throughout while getting everyone in attendance hyped up. As the song is coming to a close, every media member is now settled in and ready to fire off their burning questions to the fighters sitting on the dais. After a short moment of silence aside from the low rumbles of chatter, the man that was the voice of Union Battleground and now the voice of Union Grand Prix, Dante Reed, walks out to the stage, heading towards the podium, to a roaring ovation. Dante politely smiles and nods as he reaches the podium with some notecards in hand. He adjusts the microphone on the podium and takes in a long, deep breath.]
DANTE REED:
Good evening and welcome ladies and gentlemen to the UGP #1 Press Conference! Some of you may have seen me in Union Battleground calling the shots, but now I’m honored to announce that Gunnar Graves has bestowed upon me the privilege to be the President of Union Grand Prix! So before we get started, I’d like to run down the lineup for this historic event.
[Beat writers are quickly scribbling away at the news of Dante’s newest promotion before he picks back up where he left off.]
DANTE REED:
We have a lot of young and very promising prospects here tonight, alongside some veterans of the business, some who have made their fame inside the squared circle, and legends making their comebacks.
Our opening fight has someone who has made a lot of noise since surfacing onto the scenes. Roscoe Robinson is a young prospect who, straight out of the gate, went after a Legend in this business. Well, initially his camp, but it certainly brought him some major attention. He goes up against Kevin Van Damne who is an excellent striker with a kickboxing background. Two elite strikers in the Junior Heavyweight Division who will surely set the tempo for this event.
Then we have a fight in the Light Heavyweight Round Robin with Simon Bishop and Kira Izumi. Both of these fighters are world class submission specialists who will surely put on a clinic in the ground game.
Another Light Heavyweight Round Robin bout to follow with Cristian Bonanno versus Aeron Roberts. Bonanno is an amazing wrestler with tremendous takedowns and ground game while Roberts is freakishly strong with a stellar submission game.
Next on the docket is a Heavyweight Division Round Robin fight with Derrick La’Bell and Ferdinand Diao. Two heavy hitters, it’s hard to say that this one goes the distance.
Then we’ve got the family reunion fight. I’m kidding, there’s no relation and definitely no respect as Seattle Pro Majority Owner Robb Daniels goes up against Seth Daniels in a Junior Heavyweight Tournament Match. Both of these guys are heavy handed and conditioned to go five rounds. Me personally, this one is a dark horse fight of the night.
From there, we have our first Cruiserweight Division Tournament Match as Hanako Takeuchi takes on Hailey McIntyre. It’s a styles clash fight, as Takeuchi is a world class striker, while McIntyre is a submission specialist. This one can go either way, and is another fight of the night candidate for sure.
Then another Cruiserweight Tournament fight with world renowned Lux Jackson taking on Xabier Belazco. Both are great all round talents and I feel like whoever talks away from this one as the winner has a real good chance to win it all.
And now our headline fight of the evening. Kenzie Grey and Kaelan Laughlin will battle it out for a spot in the Cruiserweight Tournament. Both come from the world of professional wrestling, but both have been training relentlessly for this opportunity. Kaelan has that pedigree with her brother Carrick Price making a splash over in CGFC, so that could definitely factor in.
And finally, our main event! “Shotgun” Koa and “Dog Face” Donnie Calabrese is a huge fight in the Heavyweight Championship Round Robin. The two share similar fighting styles with sledgehammers for fists, but couldn’t be more opposite in terms of personality. Donnie loves to trash talk while Koa is more reserved. I don’t think the mind games gets to Koa, given his tenure in the business. But he’s 44 years old and Calabrese is a spry 23, and to me that’s the X factor in this fight.
So with that, allow me to turn it over to you all out there for any questions for our fighters in attendance here tonight.
[Dante nods his head as he leaves the podium and takes a seat back behind the rest of the fighters. One of the stage crew members will direct the questions. The floor is now open to the reporters.]
MMAJUNKIE:
What about you? You’ve been awful quiet considering the noise you’ve made on social media over the recent weeks.
[The attention of the room was still on the Real Killas MMA gym, more particularly Roscoe Robinson who has now been addressed. Patting Donnie on the back, he leans towards the table, resting his elbows upon it as he brings his hands together. Just as he goes to speak, he raises a finger, stopping himself.]
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
Before we begin, I would like to take a short moment to address something Mr. Reed said at the beginning of this little social gathering. I don’t recall going after any ‘legends’ as he put it. I simply just made a joke which resulted in a little bitch getting caught in his feels. Show me a legend and I’ll show them respect. Jason Jackson isn’t a legend, he’s far from it. If he was, he wouldn’t be dropping championships instead of defending them until he’s no longer able to. Where I come from, one would be called a punk, surely not a legend. Took his ball and went home like a child.
[Looking across the stage towards Lux Jackson, the wife of Jason Jackson, Roscoe winks with a playful smile across his face before turning back to the the MMAjunkie journalist.]
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
But this ain’t about Jason Jackson, although my first opponent seems to have quite a lot in common with him when it comes to ducking his head.
[Not breaking eye contact with the journalist, he just slowly raises his hand and points across the stage to his opponent, Kevin Van Damne.]
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
You want me to talk about him, right?
MMAJUNKIE:
Actually, I would like to ask you about a few things said over the recent weeks when before then, no one even knew who you were.
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
Right now, my attention isn’t on what I said a week or two ago. You see that man sitting across the stage from me?
[Again, he points across the stage to Van Damne.]
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
My attention and full focus is on our fight. So, unless you’re going to ask me about that, I suggest you save your breath because you’re only going to be wasting our time, and the time of everyone here. What’s your question?
MMAJUNKIE:
Before your back and forth exchange with an MMA legend, no one knew who you were. No one really knows who you are now as we speak. Who is Roscoe Robinson other than a nobody trying to make a name for himself by calling out a legend on social media?
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
You’re right, no one knows anything about me when it comes to MMA. I haven’t given anyone a reason to know who I am or what I’m about inside of the cage. That man over there, he’s going to find out just who I am. Everyone watching, they’re going to know who Roscoe Robinson is when this fight is all said and done.
[Another voice fills the air, this time a journalist from FIGHT Magazine.]
FIGHT!:
How far do you see yourself going in the tournament for the Junior Heavyweight Championship? With seven other people and yourself in the mix, is there anyone other than Kevin Van Damne you hope to see in the following rounds?
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
Now, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t see myself going all the way to a championship. I’m going to be real with you, though. I know I’m a rookie in not only professional fighting, but professional combative sports as a whole. Sure, I did my thing back in ATL underground, but this is a completely different atmosphere, a bigger stage. I’m taking this thing one fight at a time. Saturday it starts with Kevin and the only way either of us are going to be advancing to round two is by knockout. What’s on my mind right now is turning his lights out Saturday night and advancing to whoever is placed in front of me. When that time comes, I’ll worry about the next person then. Right now, it’s all about Kevin and making a statement here in UGP from the start.
[Leaning back in his seat, he looks over the crowd of journalists before another speaks up.]
BLOODY ELBOW:
I know you don’t want to talk about a certain someone, but can we get something, anything, about your thoughts on being blocked on social media by an entire gym?
[This question brings a smile to his face. Rubbing his hands together, he leans back up in his seat before responding.]
ROSCOE ROBINSON:
I already said what needed to be said about them in the form of a quote from an old Tupac song, with a few words changed here and there. Slaughta O’ahu already lost that fight day one. There’s no coming back from that for them and Saturday night, Real Killas as a whole sends a message to the entire Slaughta family and the world. It’s Real Killas and Real Killas only. You’re either with us, or you’re against us. If anyone has a problem with what I just said, they know where to find me. We’re taking over the scene and this sport together. To quote another movie, you’re either going to get down or lay down. That’s a choice a lot of folks are going to have to make for themselves.
[Leaning back in his seat, he looks over to Donnie as the two start laughing.]