[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.]
Gradually the camera pans over to Donnie Calabrese, dressed in a mix of Real Killas Only & Stomp Down Killaz gear. He hadn’t really been paying attention to what was being said around him, not finding it him in to give a fuck. He was more lost in his own thought, bobbing his head ever so slightly as if he was already inside the cage with Shotgun Koa. Donnie was focused, he was in his zone - that is until someone finally addresses him, snapping him back into reality.
BLOODY ELBOW: “I have a question for Donald Calabrese.”
DOG FACE DONNIE: “ If you ain’t seen my cock, don’t call me fuckin’ Donald ight? The fuck is your question homie.”
BLOODY ELBOW: “ Duly noted. My question is, A lot of fans have been wondering about those scars on your face, and how you got them. It’s not often we see a wrestler looking so war torn before ever stepping inside a cage. “
Donnie lets out a little chuckle as he adjusts himself in his seat, getting closer to the microphone.
DOG FACE DONNIE: “ In my youth I used to fuck around, you know do youth shit. Stand guard for different folks, shady shit ight? One day two dudes jumped me from behind, took a few cleaver shots to the face. “
BLOODY ELBOW: “ So what you are saying is you got caught flat footed?”
Looking almost disrespected by the question Donnie Responds.
DOG FACE DONNIE: “ No what I’m tellin’ you is i’m top of the fuckin’ draw and facing the best of the best for millions to see! I’m tellin’ you that Dog Face Donnie is still around, and those two dudes? Well they fuckin’ ghosts. “
A silence grows over the room, this lasts for a few moments before being broken up by a follow up question.
BLOODY ELBOW: “ Are you saying they disappeared?”
DOG FACE DONNIE: “ Next question.”
After another long silence, in which Donnie was smirking as cocky as could be, another question is asked.
MMAJUNKIE: “ You have been pretty over the top in your attitude towards your fight with Shotgun Koa, are you feeling at all nervous? What with your hometown watching and seemingly the weight of your gym to perform above excellence on your shoulders? “
DOG FACE DONNIE: “ First off, that was a confusing fuckin’ question. Structure your words better guy. Second, fuck no I ain’t nervous! I came here to fight! To beat fuckin’ faces in! Shotgun? He doesn’t worry me at all. We gonna’ go out there duke it out, I may take him to the ground, slam his ass, pummel his fuckin’ face in. It’s gonna’ be a brutal fuckin’ fight guy. Hell, He may even knock me out! I don’t really give a fuck, you win some you lose some. But I am going into this knowin’ i’m gonna win it! As you said the world is watchin’! My hometown! My gym! I don’t want to let these dudes down. But we a family, and this is the creme of the crop! The tippy top of the mountain! Fuck Koa, I hope he kills me! Cause ima be tryin’ to do the same to him. That’s just the way it is. “
Donnie throws his arms above his head and sits back in his seat.
MMAJUNKIE: “ There's quite the age difference, do you see that as an advantage?”
DOG FACE DONNIE: “ I don’t really see it as anything. See where I come from old dudes can still scrap. Sure I got that hunger, that drive. But ima always have that. It won’t leave me. Youth ain’t got shit to do with it. Maybe Koa’s head can’t take as many shots as it used to, maybe it can. Either way we gonna fuckin’ find out ain’t we bruh? Advantage, disadvantage. I came here for a fight, and I believe that Koa can give me one. But best believe… I’m knockin’ him the fuck out! “