[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.]
MMA FIGHTING: Hello Hanako, this is Stan Hopkins from MMA Fighting.
[We pan over to “The Black Rose” Hanako Takeuchi. Sitting in her black Real Killas MMA track jacket, she has the Union Battleground Battalion Championship belt propped up on the table to her right side and the Iron Japan Shoot Crown Championship belt on her left. Takeuchi possesses a relaxed aura, but there's something in her magnetism that suggests she's ready to throw down at the drop of a hat.]
When asked at the Real Killas press conference if you would be able to fight after these dangerous deathmatches, you said yes because “the battle is everywhere” and you're always ready – citing your hectic schedule in April that you survived. You're here and a few days removed from that crazy New York Street Fight against The Outliers in Union Battleground – and congratulations on the title victory, by the way – but do you still have the same attitude?
[Takeuchi speaks clear, fluent English with an almost entirely American accent. There's still traces of her Osaka accent that she has when speaking Japanese.]
TAKEUCHI: Well, thank you first of all. And of course I still feel the same as I did during that press conference. I don't need to say any more. I explained it perfectly then. Beautifully, actually. The battle never ends with me and I'm ready to go.
MMA FIGHTING: You don't think you're at a disadvantage when Hailey McIntyre appears to have been solely training for this fight while you've endured these violent matches?
TAKEUCHI: Sure, I'm banged up. Bruised, cut.
But look. I was trained to endure these things and more when training to be a deathmatch wrestler at DTW's Death Dojo. SPIDER turns off the water and electricity in the building to recreate the conditions of a South American tour he had. He nails bunnies to chairs and hits his students with them. You have to get over the physical pain and the mental scars quickly because you're back there the next day. Thankfully, the body callouses and a warrior's mind hardens with each battle. Like I said, I'm ready.
[Takeuchi has an imperious look in her eyes as she waits for the next question.]
COMBAT PRESS: Josh Jordan, Combat Press. Hanako, how do you feel about Hailey saying she never heard of you?
[She sportively chuckles.]
TAKEUCHI: Do you really think Hailey never heard of me before the card announcement while talking to Xabier [Belazco]? Am I supposed to believe that?
“Oh, it's that person you train with at Real Killas!”
You don't think there was any of that?
Because one of my reactions to the announcement was, “Hey, it's Xabier's lady.”
And I just got off a hot program that's been brewing since June in the promotion whose banner Union GP falls under and I sit here with its Battalion Championship belt next to my Iron Japan Shoot Crown title. The latter in itself proves I'm a top shoot fighter and its company is also shown on the Battleground Network.
Am I supposed to believe that Hailey signed a Union GP contract without ever taking at least one moment to check out the content on the other Battleground Network shows? Ya know, to make sure she doesn't sign up to be on a network that also features flat earth propaganda or clown rape?
“We move in different circles.” I'm one of the four people on Rose City Wrestling's Twitter header and their boss, Stacy DeVille, goes to that gym. So does Lena Skye, and I beat her. I'm not having that.
And I'm in Filth Parade – one of pro wrestling's hottest factions for over a year now.
It doesn't hurt my feelings if someone hasn't heard of me. I'm just saying that I find it incredibly hard to believe that she never heard of me. With everything in place and the people involved and the connections and whatnot, it would be astonishing if she never heard of me. I'm not dropping my guard.
[Takeuchi has a slight smirk in this brief silence, her eyes scanning the crowd.]
MMA JUNKIE: They say you're a once-in-a-lifetime striker and you're very accomplished in Muay Thai. It's hard to see anyone matching you in striking skills, but Hailey is a submission specialist – as Dante Reed said in the opener. However, word out of the Real Killas gym is that you're very hard to take down. How can that be and are you confident in keeping the fight standing up?
TAKEUCHI: I had to round out my game. I've been drilled hard in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since I came to Real Killas and have received some pointers from Sawtooth Grin – or Ernest Cauldwell as you'd know him in the MMA world with his work in Caged Glory. I'm very confident in my takedown defense.
And even if Hailey gets me down? I'm confident in my submission defense too.
Should that break down too? Well, I have heart and toughness in abundance to get me through.
But Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has perfectly complimented my Muay Thai skills and I feel suitably prepared against opponents who think they just need to get the Muay Thai Murder Momma on her back and it's as easy as that.
MIXEDMARTIALARTS.COM: Evan Turner, MixedMartialArts.com. As of right now, Hailey is beating you in the poll – 58% to your 42%. How does that make you feel?
TAKEUCHI: In a poll that has twice as many votes as all the other polls? Yeah, that isn't fishy at all. It's bullshit and is none of my concern.
So she seems to have more family members than me. Big deal. Unless any of them are willing to jump in the cage and stand in the way of my foot coming at her face, then it doesn't matter.
Everyone should know by now that these polls are just a bit of fun. All the banter that comes with it – as you saw with the K-Squad Punks English Twitter account – is all just a bit of argy bargy. Fights are won in the cage, blah blah. You know how the saying goes.
MIXEDMARTIALARTS.COM: I have one more question. We talked about your own game. What about Hailey's? Is there any weaknesses you think you can exploit?
TAKEUCHI: I see she doesn't have a bad stand up game based on what's out there, but she can't go with me standing up. I know what she's looking for – that takedown. But like I was saying, I feel prepared after rounding out my own game.
FLO COMBAT: Alex Marshall from Flo Combat. How do you feel about the other matches featuring fighters out of Real Killas?
TAKEUCHI: I was concerned our boy Roscoe [Robinson] might have been training to fight someone who doesn't even exist until seeing him here. I get that some people prefer to let their work in the cage do the talking, but god damn. We have tickets to sell.
I'm interested in seeing Simon Bishop vs. Kira Izumi. My two different families are colliding – Simon from Real Killas and Kira from Filth Parade. You know it's exciting shit when you hear those two groups mentioned in the same sentence.
Xabier and Lux Jackson's a close one to call, but Xabier can win if he takes the fight to the ground.
As for the main event – what can I say? Dog Face Donnie's [Calabrese] in his hometown. That's had us all buzzing at the gym and we're all confident he'll make Chicago proud.
I'll echo Roscoe's words. We're sending a big message on Saturday night. Some game-changing shit is going down.
BLOODY ELBOW: Hey Hanako. You're already back in Chicago. Last time was when you had an impromptu match against The Outliers in Union Battleground last month. Your boyfriend and tag partner Masatake Kawamata just defended the Independent Deathmatch World Heavyweight Championship at The WTC Council's Destiny 8. You two have talked a lot recently about how special this city is for you guys and all the moments you've had. How does it feel to have your first Union GP fight in Chicago?
TAKEUCHI: I couldn't think of a better US city for me to have it in. Chicago is my favorite city in this country. Not just because of our history here and all the ties we have, but the city reminds me of Osaka. I mean, they're sister cities after all and it makes sense. We're both the Second City in our respective countries. We're both known to be friendly but also very tough. Both cities have a strong working class background. We have great local music scenes. I just really love it here and hope to add yet another great chapter to our story in this city.
BLOODY ELBOW: One more question, Hanako.
TAKEUCHI: Sure.
BLOODY ELBOW: You're the Iron Japan Shoot Crown Champion. How does it feel coming into Union GP with this shootfighting belt that you represent? Is there any added pressure and what happens if you lose here while being the champion? Are you willing to offer anybody a shot?
TAKEUCHI: There is definitely a sense that I must uphold the honor of the title belt, yes, but I feel that obligation every time I fight no matter what. I represent every company I work for, Death Trip Wrestling as my home promotion and their Death Dojo, Kamagasaki, all of Osaka in general, all of Japan, Filth Parade, and of course – Real Killas MMA, who have made me feel welcomed since day one and have helped me improve as a fighter. There's a reason I stayed with them when they split off.
And I feel an obligation to myself, of course.
But yes, I feel that need to make the Shoot Crown Championship look good. But it's an added pressure that I relish and would be in the wrong business if I didn't. I could have done the easy thing and just stayed in Iron Japan with my belt, waiting for people to come to me.
Fuck that.
I'm going to get out there and bet on myself. Every damn time. I'm not afraid to go other places and stick my neck out there for everything I represent.
If I lose outside of Iron Japan with this belt, then I know they will be open to set up a title bout. And I would gladly defend it against deserving challengers.
FIGHT MAGAZINE: How do you feel about your chances in the Cruiserweight Tournament as a whole?
TAKEUCHI: We take it one fight at a time. That's the tournament mindset. I've sat at the side and watched Masatake win three tournaments this year. I've watched how he prepares and know his mindset. I myself made it to the Deathmatch Demolition final in DTW. I know to take it one fight at a time. You can't score three goals with one shot and you can't win a whole tournament in one match. Right now I'm only thinking about Hailey McIntyre.