BODIE’S BREAKDOWN: UGP 21
- Bodie Sullivan
- Jul 2, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 3, 2020
DALLAS — Coming up this weekend we head down to the Lone Star State where we host the next installment of Union Grand Prix’s flagship event, UGP 21. Two title fights headline the card, where the current champions sit neck-and-neck on having the most wins inside a Union octagon. On top of it all, we have a bevy of bouts with major contender implications along with rising prospects ready to elevate to the next level.
Let’s take a look at the card and break things down, shall we?
YOUTUBE LIVE EARLY PRELIMS — 6 PM ET
#14 Arnie Dawe (0-4) vs Tim Vu (1-1)
To kick off the YouTube Live Early Prelims, we have a Bantamweight bout scheduled between the struggling Arnie Dawe and the debuting Tim Vu. “Glass Jaw” Dawe continues to search for his first victory while riding a 4-fight losing skid and he’s got an uphill battle to try and erase it. Tim “The Intimidator” Vu will finally step foot in Union GP after going 1-1 in the Japanese promotion, Triumph. Some of the things that should be noted of Vu is his incredible conditioning and his accurate kicks. His high motor gives him the ability to set a fast pace and keep it going into deep waters. I can see Vu picking his opponent apart and either finishing him in the later rounds, or winning by a convincing decision.
#9 Jeremiah Ford (3-9) vs #12 Aston Page (0-1)
This Middleweight matchup has a “must win” feel for both fighters. Jeremiah Ford has been on a nightmarish losing streak since losing to Cristian Bonanno for the inaugural championship, and after seven straight losses, you gotta expect this to be his last chance. It’s a decent matchup for him though as he’ll surely look to use his wrestling skills to snap back into the win column. The young Aston Page is looking to rebound from his debut loss against an opponent with a similar skill set to his first opponent. Page was overpowered by Ricardo Sandoval at UGP 20 with brute ground and pound, but this matchup gives him the opportunity to show his improvement. This one is anyone’s guess, but I’m going to go with “The Bullfrog” Jeremiah Ford simply because of what’s at stake for him.
Now for the Early Prelims Main Event, we have our second Bantamweight bout on the card. Saffron Van Duren continues to go through peaks and valleys in her MMA career and comes into this fight riding a 2-fight losing skid and a 6-7 record. She’s got the chance to rebound against Louie “The Bodybag” Bartolo, however, he’s a wild and powerful striker still looking for his first win. Van Duren will need to keep the fight close and ultimately take it to the ground, where she can work in her submissions. Another toss up fight, but I gotta go with the fan favorite Saffy.
BATTLEGROUND NETWORK PRELIMS — 8 PM ET
Jumping into the Network Prelims, we start things off with a Lightweight bout with another pair of fighters that are in a “must win” mode. Sure, every fight is a “must win” in some regards, but Tatum Momo’a and Larry Williams are fighting to get out of the basement of the Lightweight Division. The stakes seem higher for Momo’a considering what she has been able to accomplish. She started her Union GP tenure going 3-1 after a debut loss, but has since gone 0-3-1. Once in the discussions of title contention, Momo’a has losses against Natalie King and Zari Aliyah, both former champions; a loss to title contender Xabier Belazco; and a draw against current title contender Bellamy DeSilva. It’ll be a serious question to consider what happens to either fighter after another loss, but here and now, I feel like Momo’a eeks out a win to keep herself afloat.
#10 Darren Thatcher (1-2) vs #11 Zamara Ali (1-1)
In this Bantamweight bout, we have two fighters that have shown a ton of potential, but have very little film on the pro circuit. After winning in his Union debut, Thatcher has lost two straight and will need a big performance to continue to climb higher in the rankings. Solid all around but excels on the ground, which may still be a tough obstacle in this matchup. I got a chance to call the Boss Fight XIX card with Zamara Ali, and trust me, don’t let her good looks deceive you. She’s an incredible prospect that still has a lot of room for growth. Ali has solid striking, quick footwork, and an underrated ground game, but it’s her willpower and tenacity that I feel like will carry her in this fight en route to a victory.
#2 Ricardo Sandoval (2-0) vs
#4 Asher Jrue (4-4)
Now in our Battleground Network Prelim Main Event, we have a Middleweight bout scheduled between two guys who are trending in two different directions. Ricardo Sandoval holds an unblemished record in two fights where he displayed some incredible skills. This will no doubt be his biggest fight as he takes on former Middleweight Champion Asher Jrue. Simba shocked the world at the tail end of 2019 when he defeated Robert Guilliman for the title. However, the immediate rematch saw the title switch hands back to The Primarch, and Jrue, including his title defense, has lost three straight. This is a big crossroads point for Jrue as he tries to stop the free fall and work back up the rankings. Tough call for this fight, but with the Middleweight Division wide open after Aries Reed moving up to Cruiserweight and the retirement of Byron McCall, my gut says Ricardo Sandoval continues to roll and cement his name as a potential title contender.
UGP 21 MAIN CARD — 10 PM ET
Now we get to the main card, and in the opening bout we have a Bantamweight rematch. Arnie Huynh has been steadily rising in the rankings, and taking this fight shows his confidence in his abilities. I can’t see Arnie gaining much from this fight in terms of the standings, so this is a risky situation for him as he tries to win 4 of his last 5 fights. Megan Reed on the other hand has the chance to show how much she’s improved since her last encounter with Huynh. She’s won her last two fights, and if she wants to elevate to the next level, she’ll need to turn in a flawless performance. Toss up fight here, but I’m taking “The Firecracker” Megan Reed in this one.
#3 Xabier Belazco (7-6) vs
#4 Yasmine Vermeulen (3-2)
The first Lightweight bout on the main card features two top five ranked fighters looking to make a push into title contention. Xabier Belazco has been streaky in his Union GP tenure; his wins and losses have come in succession. He’s gone the distance in his last three fights and winning his last two. His fate for a title shot lies in this fight as well as the result in the night’s Co-Main Event, as Belazco has faced the current champ Delaney Donovan twice already and has come up short in both outings. However, all he can do is focus on what’s ahead of him and he surely will as his opponent, Yasmine Vermeulen, has been steadily gaining serious momentum. I like to state this now and officially dub her the “Lyons Killer”, as she has taken down both sisters, Lena and Maliyah. Although she’s not the type to brag or boast, those are two big signature wins for her and has set herself up to be a potential title contender very soon. For that, I take Yasmine in this fight that should be a big test for both fighters.
Our lone big boy Heavyweight fight on the card is one I’m looking forward to very much. LA Brooks has been on a path of destruction, finishing all three of his fights inside the first frame with his terrifying striking power. His last fight in particular saw him put former inaugural Heavyweight Champ Ferdinand Diao to sleep and now he’s looking to do the same with another former champ. Derrick La’Bell on the other hand has been trending in the opposite direction than what his opponent has, but a victory here will put him right back in contention as he continues to work his way to becoming the first 3-time champion in Union Grand Prix history. This is a classic clash of styles matchup where Brooks will try to keep this fight standing and utilize his kickboxing acumen while La’Bell will try to use his wrestling skills to take this fight to the mat and unleash the Hellbows! Don’t blink! I take the rising Brooks in this one.
© Delaney Donovan (11-1) vs
#2 Bellamy DeSilva (4-0-1)
The Co-Main Event and our first title fight of the night has Delaney Donovan looking to match and make history against the challenger Bellamy DeSilva. Donovan will try to pile on his lightweight division record of title defenses while also matching the longest win streak in Union GP. Currently, Kennard Rozier holds it at 8 and Donovan can tie that up but will need to go through Rozier’s campmate DeSilva in order to do so. The Pride of Brazil would love nothing more than to play spoiler here while capturing gold in the process. This is another clash of styles matchup, but at the end of the day, I have to go with the more seasoned Delaney Donovan on this one. But don’t dismiss Bellamy because them boys over at 9th World know all about shocking the world (IE: Asher Jrue).
© Roscoe Robinson (11-2) vs #1 Ardan Kelly (4-1)
And now for our Main Event of the evening, we have current two-time Cruiserweight Champion Roscoe Robinson taking on a new-look Ardan Kelly in a rematch. The two of these guys faced off during the 2019 Championship Grand Prix in what was only Ardan Kelly’s second pro MMA fight. The consensus was The Shooter would walk all over Kelly, but in fact The Angel put up quite a good fight despite the TKO finish in the second round. Kelly has looked like a completely different fighter since their first encounter, and this has the feeling of being a trap fight for Roscoe. I’m not saying Roscoe is overlooking Kelly, but I get this feeling like we may be seeing the biggest upset of 2020 thus far. And I don’t need to tell you that 2020 has been a complete shit show. My final take: My mind’s telling me ‘Scoe, but my body… MY BODY, is telling me Kelly!
Comments