EVEREST // RIP CITY

Isaac Cohen
Dec 12, 2021
23 min read

Updated: Dec 25, 2021

ROUND ONE: To kickoff the prelims here in Portland, Oregon, we start with a Strawweight bout between two women who are searching for their first professional victory. With that in mind, you would expect that both would be hungry and ready to leave it all out there to make that first point, and you’d be correct. Both Belinskaya and Marshall come firing out the gate throwing hands. Belinskaya edges her opponent by out-boxing and touching her up pretty good, which forces Marshall to shoot a takedown. On the ground, Belinskaya is able to weather through a storm of ground and pound and tries to escape, but Marshall keeps her dominant control. Marshall is relentless and continues to batter KB with vicious hammerfists and the referee looks like he may call it off soon. KB tries to roll out, but Marshall takes her back and works to get both hooks in. Marshall goes to flatten out her opponent, but Belinskaya grabs Marshall’s arm over her shoulder and rolls to get to a half mount! Despite being on the bottom, Marshall continues to be the aggressor on the ground and pummels KB with big shots. An eye poke from Marshall goes unnoticed, and this allows her to roll to full mount before the buzzer sounds. Very close first round that could go either way. Belinskaya quickly showed superior standup striking, but Marshall’s ability to drag the fight down and put KB in serious trouble may have done enough to give her the edge on the cards.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Marshall

ROUND TWO: Marshall continues being aggressive to start round two and is lighting up Belinskaya with some solid striking, which allows her to set up a flawless takedown. Marshall continues to show her dominance on the ground and is able to take KB’s back once again. Marshall gets a hook in, but as she works for the second she rocks KB with a headbutt. The referee saw it and stopped the fight to allow Belinskaya time to recover. The official ends up deducting a point from Marshall and gets a widespread hostile response from the crowd. Once KB recovers, the fight resumes on the feet. KB works behind some well-timed jabs and mixes in some vicious kicks to the calf and ribs. The lopsided striking exchange forces Marshall to shoot and bring the fight back to the mat. Belinskaya is able to hold her own on the ground, blocking any advancements attempted by Marshall until the buzzer sounds.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 9-9 Push (19-18 Marshall)

ROUND THREE: Coming into the final round, both fighters have a sense of urgency and decide to turn things up a notch. The two throw caution to the wind as they trade punches back and forth. The momentum swings back and forth and it’s got the crowd all riled up. Belinskaya brings it back in her favor by landing some short burst combos and dodging traffic thrown her way. Marshall then resorts to shooting a takedown, but this time KB is ready for it and sprawls back to stay on her feet. Marshall works back up to her feet and as they break off, Belinskaya lands a vicious head kick that puts Marshall in a world of hurt. KB continues to keep the pressure on as she finds her rhythm and works in a series of solid combos. Marshall changes levels for another takedown attempt, but KB stuffs it and instead locks her in a clinch. The two pummel for control but KB creates enough space to land a few knees to the head and body. Marshall fires back with some big shots to the body which causes KB to push her up against the fence and regain control. Belinskaya then lands some nice punches and then an uppercut that wobbles Marshall. The referee is looking on very intently as KB lands another brutal knee. Marshall puts everything she has into shucking out of the clinch and while KB is off-balance, she strikes with a textbook takedown to finally bring the fight back to the ground. Marshall looks gassed at this point and can’t get much going and ends up allowing KB to roll to full mount. Marshall tries to roll back, but KB takes her back and fires off some punches in bunches. Marshall manages to catch KB’s hands and simply hold on until a stalemate causes the referee to stand them back up. From here, both women are clearly running on fumes and just circle around until the final buzzer.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Belinskaya (28-28 Push)

. JUDGES’ SCORECARDS .

Katya Belinskaya 9 9 10: 28

Victoria Marshall 10 9 9: 28

Katya Belinskaya 10 9 10: 29

Victoria Marshall 9 9 9: 27

Katya Belinskaya 9 9 10: 28

Victoria Marshall 10 9 9: 28

Winner: Majority Draw

Statistics: Katya Belinskaya

Punches 40/63 (63%)

Kicks 3/3 (100%)

Clinch strikes 8/12 (67%)

Takedowns 0/0 (0%)

GnP strikes 8/14 (57%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)

Time on the ground 461 s

Statistics: Victoria Marshall

Punches 24/42 (57%)

Kicks 0/0 (0%)

Clinch strikes 4/9 (44%)

Takedowns 4/6 (67%)

GnP strikes 15/32 (47%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 461 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: This was an incredibly competitive fight and a perfect way to set the pace for the rest of the night. This fight could have been scored for either fighter and I don’t think you’d get too many complaints. However, as we restart the playoff season format, instead of having a definitive winner, we end the very first fight in a draw. Keep Portland weird, amirite?!

ROUND ONE: Things start at a slow pace as the two feel each other out and dial in their range. Cat Harris is the first to throw hands but doesn’t land anything. She follows up with a wild head kick but that goes wide and she briefly slips to the mat. Rodríguez throws a kick to Harris’ legs but she checks it and counters with an upkick that lands flush on the chin. Rodríguez is quick to back away after that and Harris is able to get back to her feet. The two circle around looking for some angles and Harris changes levels to hit a single leg takedown. Harris works on the ground, moving from her initial open guard to a more favorable full mount. Rodríguez tries to cover up, but Harris drops a barrage of punches, and some slip through his defense. Rodríguez tries to roll out but Harris catches him and takes his back! Harris works to get both hooks in and flatten out Rodríguez all the while he tags her with a few solid punches. Harris manages to get both hooks in and tries to lock in a Rear Naked Choke, but Rodríguez fights back to protect his neck. A stalemate ensues from here and the official decides to stand both fighters back up. Once the two are standing, it doesn’t take long for Harris to hit another single leg. Harris pummels her way to half guard and eventually manages to roll Rodríguez and take his back again, but time is not on her side as the horn sounds to end the first frame.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Harris

ROUND TWO: Coming out of their corners, Harris launches an unorthodox punch to the body that doesn’t land, but it’s enough for her to set up another single leg takedown. Harris moves from side mount to full, and while Rodríguez tries to escape, Harris keeps her position and controls the situation. The two jockey back and forth for control and Harris decides to move back to side mount. This proves to be costly for Rodríguez, as Harris is able to once again take his back. He does manage to fend her off long enough to stall the action long enough for the referee to step in and stand them up. Back on the feet, the two trade leg kicks for a bit before Harris starts working behind the jab. She connects with enough to set up a double leg takedown, but Rodríguez manages to close his guard when they hit the mat. Harris maneuvers herself to break free and eventually transitions to full mount. Nothing doing from here as Rodríguez holds things off to have the referee intervene once again. With the final seconds remaining in the fight, Harris lands a couple of counter rights to piece up Rodríguez before the horn.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Harris (20-18 Harris)

ROUND THREE: Five minutes remain in this fight and Rodríguez looks to be out of his element while Harris still looks fresh and focused. Harris slows the pace down a bit and decides to methodically pick apart Rodríguez with some jabs. She starts to find a seamless rhythm, mixing in punches and kicks that sets up another double leg takedown. Rodríguez closes his guard and goes back to the well of stalling out the action, forcing the official to stand them back up. At this point, Harris is looking a little frustrated with Rodríguez and fakes a punch and hits a blast double leg. Harris scrambles from half guard, to side mount, to full mount, and once again takes the back. Somehow Rodríguez escapes to his feet, and this only fuels the fire for Harris. The two stand up and Harris launches a monstrous uppercut that wobbles Rodríguez. Harris rushes in and unloads a barrage of punches and clips Rodríguez with one final punch that turns the lights out on Rodríguez.

Winner: Catherine Harris by KO (Punches) at 3:32 Round 3

Statistics: Kenneth Rodríguez

Punches 3/7 (43%)

Kicks 0/2 (0%)

Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)

Takedowns 0/0 (0%)

GnP strikes 0/7 (0%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 502 s

Statistics: Catherine Harris

Punches 11/19 (58%)

Kicks 4/6 (67%)

Clinch strikes 1/2 (50%)

Takedowns 6/6 (100%)

GnP strikes 3/14 (21%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 520 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: This was a very one-sided contest, where Cat Harris was able to impose her will with her wrestling skills and suffocate any sort of attempt of offense by Kenneth Rodríguez. It’s clear she took her pro debut loss to Fran von Licht and corrected a lot of things. It’s unfortunate though that she won’t be able to run it back with the former Featherweight Champ, at least any time soon, but her performance tonight elevates her chances at claiming the vacant title.

ROUND ONE: The behemoths touch gloves and we’re swinging right outta the gate! Big shots are landing from both fighters and this one could end early! Loktev whiffs with a punch and Sharpe counters with an uppercut. Loktev backpedals out and already has a decent cut on the bridge of his nose. Sharpe rushes in with a Superman Punch but misses and Loktev counters with a violent shovel hook. Sharpe shakes it off and starts to work behind the jab and sets up for a single leg takedown. Loktev sprawls back to stuff it and on the break, throws a straight right that Sharpe just narrowly ducks under. Loktev fires off a calf kick but Sharpe checks it and counters with a hefty right hook. Loktev looks a bit stunned and continues to eat punches as Mack Sharpe finds a flawless rhythm. The shots allow Sharpe to set up a takedown after connecting with a big hook. As the two jockey for position on the ground, Sharpe throws a barrage of elbows. Loktev can only defend a fraction of them as he eats big shots to the face and body. Eventually, he settles in and stifles Sharpe’s offense, causing him to switch to half guard. The two continue to pummel for control and Sharpe slides his knee up to get to full mount! During the scramble, it appears Sharpe pokes Loktev in the eye but the referee doesn’t see it. Loktev fires off some body shots that do some damage and Sharpe tries to make a move, and in the process headbutts Loktev that also goes unnoticed by the official! Neither fighter advance in action and the referee decides to stand them back up. With time expiring, both fighters engage in a great exchange. Both land some damaging shots and continue to trade until the horn sounds.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Sharpe

ROUND TWO: Sergey Loktev springs out of his corner looking for action right away but Mack Sharpe comes out of his corner flat-footed and sluggish. Loktev lands a looping right hand that wobbles Sharpe. Loktev then slips a jab and counters with a hook to the body. The two fighters trade blows back and forth but Loktev gets the upper hand. Sharpe tries to take the fight to the mat with a takedown but Loktev stuffs it. Sharpe is breathing heavily at this point and throws a sloppy uppercut that Loktev easily dodges and hits a single leg takedown of his own. As the two jockey for position, Sharpe can be seen taking his mouthpiece out to breathe better. Loktev settles in and starts raining down elbows and it looks like the referee may stop it soon. Sharpe finds the will to scramble out from the bottom and get to his feet, but Loktev opts to stay on the ground. Sharpe launches a kick that gets checked and tries to jump Loktev’s guard but gets pushed off and Loktev springs back to his feet. Loktev stays patient and works off a great counter game. Sharpe starts to look desperate as he throws wildly and Loktev retaliates with rapid combos. Sharpe is swinging for fences with uppercuts, but Loktev dodges traffic and tags him with some stinging jabs then finishes it off with a walk-off head kick KO out of nowhere!

Winner: Sergey Loktev by KO (High Kick) at 4:15 Round 2

Statistics: Sergey Loktev

Punches 39/58 (67%)

Kicks 2/3 (67%)

Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)

Takedowns 1/1 (100%)

GnP strikes 10/11 (91%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 177 s

Statistics: Mack Sharpe

Punches 12/51 (24%)

Kicks 0/1 (0%)

Clinch strikes 2/3 (67%)

Takedowns 1/4 (25%)

GnP strikes 9/32 (28%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 160 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: It was a valiant and gutsy effort from Mack Sharpe, but Sergey Loktev is out for blood in his quest to recapture the heavyweight strap. Mack Sharpe came out like a bat outta hell and looked tremendous in round one, but emptied the tank going for the finish and had nothing left to give going into the second. He’s definitely going to need to work on his cardio, or at least temper his pace, as he progresses through the season. Loktev showed a lot of grit and resilience weathering the storm early and with him pushing a pace that ultimately won him the fight, that could present a problem for the rest of the division.

ROUND ONE: Kicking off the main card, CC Flynn and Francisco Silva square off in a Featherweight clash. Silva goes on the offensive first, but Flynn blocks a shot to the body and checks a kick then fires back with a flurry that puts Silva on skates. Silva just grazes Flynn with a head kick and a follow-up shovel hook goes nowhere. Flynn answers back with an uppercut and jab that rocks Silva back. Silva throws some leg kicks that get checked then the two exchange blows. Flynn gets the edge in the exchange and Silva circles out to catch a breather. Flynn tries walking him down with a haymaker which misses its target, but she follows it up with a big right hand that connects. Silva dodges a cross and counters back with a solid straight right. Flynn shakes it off and shows off her speed by dodging a series of punches thrown her way. Flynn answers back with some zipping one-two combos and mixes in some bruising calf kicks. She fakes a kick that freezes up Silva long enough to fire off an uppercut that nearly lifts Silva off the mat! Flynn continues to pressure with jabs until the horn sounds to mark the end of the round.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Flynn

ROUND TWO: Both fighters circle around in the center of the cage to find some angles. Silva connects with a big uppercut, but Flynn fires back with some jabs and crosses. Both timidly try to grapple for a bit but neither one fully commits and instead size each other up in the center of the cage. Silva rolls off a flurry, but Flynn slips it. Both trade some leg kicks that get checked and it looks like a chess match out there. Flynn starts working in some counter striking as she lands a few leg kicks and body shots. Silva tries to get aggressive with his offense, but Flynn continues to make him look silly by dodging and countering throughout the final moments of the round.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-8 Flynn (20-17 Flynn)

ROUND THREE: In the final round, the continuation of CC Flynn having absolute awareness and control of the fight is on full display. With each passing exchange, Francisco Silva grows frustrated and causes him to forget his fundamentals and force situations, which end up putting him in worse positions and costing him even more. Flynn carries out the matrix-like footwork and precision striking with ease and by the end of the round looks to be just toying around and playing with her prey, as she gets cocky and showboats to give the crowd another form of entertainment.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-8 Flynn (30-25 Flynn)

. JUDGES’ SCORECARDS .

C.C. Flynn 10 10 10: 30

Francisco Silva 9 9 9: 27

C.C. Flynn 10 10 10: 30

Francisco Silva 9 9 9: 27

C.C. Flynn 10 10 10: 30

Francisco Silva 9 9 9: 27

Winner: C.C. Flynn by Unanimous Decision

Statistics: C.C. Flynn

Punches 70/87 (80%)

Kicks 1/3 (33%)

Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)

Takedowns 0/0 (0%)

GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 1/2 (50%)

Time on the ground 0 s

Statistics: Francisco Silva

Punches 7/81 (9%)

Kicks 1/38 (3%)

Clinch strikes 0/2 (0%)

Takedowns 0/0 (0%)

GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 40 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: In all honesty, there were a couple of moments this fight probably could have been stopped and nobody would argue it. Supa put on a masterclass in counter striking and the fact that not one judge gave a 10-8 score in any round is baffling on a competitive level, even if Supa didn’t inflict a ton of damage. CC Flynn wasn’t subtle and made her opinion known leading up to this fight that she isn’t exactly happy with the lay-off or the fact she matched up with an opponent she’s already beaten. Her performance tonight definitely shows that she could very well be a front-runner for the now vacant Featherweight Championship when the playoff finals roll around.

ROUND ONE: The fight between former Welterweight Champion Derrius Webb and newcomer Garfield Garret starts off fast with the “Big Cat” not wasting any time and unloads a clip on Webb. Unfortunately for Garret, Webb is able to immediately react and dodge the traffic then counter back with a series of jabs and crosses. Garret tries to cover up to protect himself after eating a few stinging strikes then Webb sees a narrow window for an uppercut. Garret just barely evades the big shot but doesn’t see the head kick that follows right behind it and gets rocked with a scorching kick to the head. The impact results in a deep gash across Garret’s eyebrow and it’s leaking pretty bad already. Webb changes levels and looks to possibly shoot a takedown, but Garret throws a flying knee that makes Webb abort and rethink his strategy. Instead, Webb pressures in and wraps Garret up with double underhooks. The two pummel for position and it doesn’t take too long for Webb to feel Garret’s strength and decide to abandon the clinch. He pushes off and circles back to the center of the cage while Garret tries to wipe the blood out from his eyes. The gash over Garret’s eye is already a cause for concern as he wears a crimson mask and tries to see clearly enough to fight back. Webb pressures back in, throwing a flurry of lefts and rights, and tags Garret with some big shots. Garret tries to launch a leg kick but Webb dodges it and rains down vicious combinations. Garret is able to weather the storm, but his eye has closed shut and the referee decides to stop the fight and allow the doctor to examine it. After a few moments, the doctor speaks with the official, and the decision to wave off the fight is signaled.

Winner: Derrius Webb by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 1:54 Round 1

Statistics: Derrius Webb

Punches 13/17 (76%)

Kicks 1/1 (100%)

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: Garfield Garret

Punches 1/6 (17%)

Kicks 0/2 (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

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: What a travesty. Nobody likes to see a fight end in this manner, especially so early into a fight. From the little snippet we got to see of this fight, Derrius Webb further proved his lethal striking prowess whereas Garfield Garret, despite his willingness of wanting to continue, revealed he still has some work to do. Maybe down the road, we get to see these guys run it back and erase the questions that the finish of this fight left us.

ROUND ONE: With the first official title fight on hand, the fans and fighters alike are hyped up. There’s no feeling out stage as McMillan and Parson engage in a wild exchange right off the top. McMillan lands a few solid punches, but Parsons isn’t deterred. She continues to charge in with flurries and the ones that land are big and McMillan gets rocked. He hits the fences and springs off with a left hook that misses. Parsons spams McMillan with splintering leg kicks then secures double underhooks. McMillan is able to create some space and spins out suddenly, landing a spinning back fist. Parsons gets rocked and now McMillan lands some low kicks. He checks a kick and then fires off a brutal combo that sends Parsons reeling back. McMillan throws a leg kick that gets checked and Parsons counters back with a leg kick of her own. She tries pressuring forward but McMillan catches her with an uppercut and follows it up with a series of jabs and crosses. Parsons jabs back to fight off the attack and caps it off with a spinning back kick to the ribs. McMillan misses with jabs and circles out for a breather. He comes back in, swinging for the fences and rocks Parsons in the jaw. Both circle out to cool things off and throw jabs to Diao back in their range. McMillan rushes in and secures a clinch, and starts landing a flurry of punches. Parsons pushes him up against the fence and holds on for a stalemate, in which the referee separates them. McMillan fires off a head kick that goes wide and a counter overhand right from Parsons wobbles him a bit. McMillan swings wildly as Parsons dodges traffic and tries to corner him with a flurry. McMillan avoids getting cornered and the two exchange blows without much steam behind the shot until the horn signals the end of the round.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 McMillan

ROUND TWO: Coming back into action, both fighters have slowed their pace and are a little more hesitant to engage. McMillan surprises Parsons with a Superman punch, but she manages to land a nasty calf kick that visibly pains McMillan. The two exchange back and forth but neither land anything significant until Parsons connects with an uppercut. Another fruitless exchange follows up which causes both to back off and size up in the center. McMillan lands a hook combo to the body and head that worries Parsons’ corner as she starts to stagger. McMillan senses this and rushes in with a brilliant combo. Parsons fights back with crosses but a nasty cut over her eye makes it hard for her to see. McMillan checks a wild kick and counters with an uppercut that gives Parsons Bambi legs. McMillan storms in with a barrage of punches and puts Parsons to sleep!

Winner: Elliot McMillan by KO (Punches) at 3:07 Round 2

Statistics: Elliot McMillan

Punches 52/71 (73%)

Kicks 1/3 (33%)

Clinch strikes 3/5 (60%)

Takedowns 0/0 (0%)

GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)

Time on the ground 0 s

Statistics: Rachel Parsons

Punches 15/39 (38%)

Kicks 6/7 (86%)

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

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: What started off as a very close and competitive fight in the first round, Elliot McMillan turned the afterburners on in the second round and never looked back. It’s clear that his stint with G2 in Japan has elevated his skill set to a whole new level, and at this point, he’s the clear-cut favorite to finish the season as champion, and very likely on his way to scoring a Union GP contract.

ROUND ONE: A touch of the gloves to start this Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event and it’s officially underway. Dax checks a leg kick from Caden Theirin and tries to pressure in, but has to defend a barrage of leg kicks. Not the worst strategy in the world for Theirin. Dax is an absolute monstrosity of a specimen, and if you can chop at the legs to slow him down and weaken the foundation, that can only benefit you. Caden tries to land a head kick but misses and slips to the mat. He’s quick to get back up, but Dax rushes in like a battering ram and connects with some destructive striking. Caden circles out and Dax taunts him to try and bait him back in. Dax slowly works his way back into his range and slips through Caden’s defense with a nice jab. Dax dodges a haymaker and counters with a solid straight. Dax is staying patient, but even his run-of-the-mill jabs are doing some significant damage to Theirin. The two size each other up in the center of the cage and Dax finally unloads with a big haymaker. Caden stumbles back on his heels before engaging in a fierce exchange. Dax targets the body with big hooks then shoots a takedown. Dax scrambles on the ground to eventually get to full mount and looks to do some damage. He drops hammerfists to the ribs then drops several sharp elbows to the head and body until the horn saves the reigning champion.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Levandrier

ROUND TWO: Back in action, Dax continues to work in short one-two combos to set up a big straight right. The two engage in an exchange where Dax edges his opponent and Caden has a concerning cut over his left eye. Dax shows good footwork dodging traffic and lands a counter shovel hook that rocks Theirin. Dax presses forward and gets a single collar tie. Neither fighter makes any advancement in the clinch and the ref decides to break it up. The two circle back to the center and Dax hits a perfect single leg. On the mat, Dax works to full mount and begins dropping big elbows. Dax opens up Caden’s defense then unloads a barrage of punches to the head and body. Caden tries to roll out but Dax ends up taking his back! Dax lands a few body shots and both seem to work just enough to stay in position until the horn signals the end of the round.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Levandrier (20-18 Levandrier)

ROUND THREE: Heading into the final round, both fighters look gassed with their slow and sluggish movement. Dax throws an uppercut that misses and Caden throws leg kicks that miss. Dax gets sloppy with a flurry where Caden dodges and counters with a stinging one-two combo. Dax flicks a jab and pokes the eye but it goes unnoticed. Dax tries to capitalize but his sloppy striking gets blocked. Dax tries to clinch but Caden pushes off to keep some distance. A wild combo from Dax hits air and Caden catches him with a counter straight! Dax swings again, only to get countered once more! Dax is starting to look bad here! Caden is on a roll and hits a body lock takedown on his exhausted opponent. Dax is still aggressive on the bottom though, targeting the body with hammerfists. Caden covers up but can’t get anything going, so he decides to spring to his feet. Back on the feet, the two exchange punches where Caden gets a few more shots in. Dax looks burned out and tries to hit a sweep single, but it gets stuffed and Caden lands a stinging leg kick off the break. Dax continues to force a clinch but gets denied twice. Caden dodges some strikes and lands another brutal leg kick before the horn caps off the end of the fight.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Theirin (29-28 Levandrier)

. JUDGES’ SCORECARDS .

Caden Theirin 9 9 10: 28

Dax Levandrier 10 10 9: 29

Caden Theirin 9 9 10: 28

Dax Levandrier 10 10 9: 29

Caden Theirin 9 9 10: 28

Dax Levandrier 10 10 9: 29

Winner: Dax Levandrier by Unanimous Decision

Statistics: Caden Theirin

Punches 9/17 (53%)

Kicks 3/10 (30%)

Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)

Takedowns 1/1 (100%)

GnP strikes 2/2 (100%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 232 s

Statistics: Dax Levandrier

Punches 23/58 (40%)

Kicks 0/2 (0%)

Clinch strikes 1/2 (50%)

Takedowns 2/3 (67%)

GnP strikes 29/54 (54%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/1 (0%)

Time on the ground 219 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: After a shocking win over a boxing and MMA champion to claim the strap, Caden Theirin, for a lack of a better word, shit the bed in his first title defense. Dax Levandrier displayed some frightening power in his striking and showcased some solid wrestling to go with a near-flawless ground and pound. However, the fact that he was running on fumes in the third round and let Theirin not only survive but win the round is an issue he will need to clean up in order to hold on to the title for the rest of the season. Otherwise, we could very well see the title change hands several times throughout the season because every heavyweight possesses fearsome power and seem to have about ten minutes of cardio in them. Nevertheless, a big congratulations goes out to the NEW Everest Heavyweight Champion!

ROUND ONE: The Main Event Welterweight Title fight starts off with D’Ante Jackson and Silvio Gotti Jr. feeling each other out with a couple of exchanges. Gotti starts finding a solid rhythm and starts lighting up Jackson which forces him to shoot in for a single leg takedown. The two scramble on the ground, and Gotti catches Jackson in a triangle from the bottom! DJ manages to slip out and get to his feet and allows Gotti to do the same. The two get in a brief exchange before Gotti fakes a move and hits a takedown of his own. Gotti immediately goes for a leg lock, which Jackson fights off with some hammerfists. Neither man gets anything going after that and the referee stands them up due to inactivity. Gotti dodges some strikes and counters with a punch that grazes the cheek but still cuts DJ. The two circle around looking for any openings before Gotti hits another takedown. Gotti works in side mount while Jackson targets the body, but Gotti is able to protect himself. Another stalemate causes the ref to step in and stand them up. Gotti keeps his head on a swivel and dodges a flurry and lands a calf kick that wrenches DJ’s knee before the buzzer.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Gotti

ROUND TWO: Jackson comes out with a little more fire as he tags Gotti with a couple of jabs, but gets a little carried away and allows Gotti to take him down with a textbook sweep single. Jackson continues to target the body from the bottom, but Gotti blocks them. Another stalemate ensues and the ref stands them up. On the feet, Jackson tries to hit a takedown but Gotti sprawls back and stuffs it. Gotti dodges more strikes off the break and clinches Jackson and pushes him up against the fence to calm things down a bit. Nothing doing from here and the ref breaks it up. The two circle back to the center of the octagon and Gotti stuffs another takedown attempt from Jackson. Fatigue seems to be wearing on as both men size each other up in the center. The two exchange punches but nothing significant lands, but Gotti catches Jackson off guard with another takedown. Gotti is in side mount and protects his body from Jackson as he slides his knee over to get to full mount. Gotti can’t get anything going and once again the referee stands them up. Jackson measures his distance with the jab, and gets not one, but two takedowns stuffed before the buzzer.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Gotti (20-18 Gotti)

ROUND THREE: With the final round underway, it appears the champ has a sense of urgency and could very well be down on the cards and need a stoppage to retain the gold. Jackson comes out of his corner swinging wildly with big shots, but Gotti dodges the traffic and hits a body lock takedown. Gotti pummels his way into an open guard while he defends a bevy of strikes thrown by Jackson. The narrative continues on the ground as neither man makes any advancements and as a result, the referee stands them back up. Gotti continues to evade strikes thrown at him and fires back, spamming leg kicks that light Jackson’s legs up. Jackson misses with some counter strikes and another takedown gets denied. Gotti, on the other hand, fires back with a single leg takedown of his own. Gotti jumps to side mount to protect himself from punches, then slides his knee across to get to full mount. Jackson tries to roll out, but Gotti takes his back! Gotti wraps his arms around Jackson’s head and tries to lock in a Rear Naked Choke!, Jackson somehow manages to pry free and roll out and up to his feet. With just seconds remaining, both fighters opt to circle around to kill the clock.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-9 Gotti (30-27 Gotti)

. JUDGES’ SCORECARDS .

D'Ante Jackson 10 10 9: 29

Silvio Gotti 9 9 10: 28

D'Ante Jackson 9 10 9: 28

Silvio Gotti 10 9 10: 29

D'Ante Jackson 10 10 9: 29

Silvio Gotti 9 9 10: 28

Winner: D'Ante Jackson by Split Decision

Statistics: D'Ante Jackson

Punches 6/47 (13%)

Kicks 0/0 (0%)

Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)

Takedowns 1/6 (17%)

GnP strikes 0/27 (0%)

Submissions 0/0 (0%)

Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)

Time on the ground 349 s

Statistics: Silvio Gotti

Punches 12/20 (60%)

Kicks 4/4 (100%)

Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)

Takedowns 6/6 (100%)

GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)

Submissions 3/3 (100%)

Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)

Time on the ground 349 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: Bad call, simply put. I’m not sure what fight the judges were watching, but in my eyes, Silvio Gotti Jr. did enough to win this fight. Gotti out-struck his opponent and dominated in the wrestling department, a skill set Jackson is known for. Granted, this wasn’t the most explosive fight of the night, but I felt like Gotti had the edge in every phase of the game, and came out relatively unscathed in the end. The only thing going for Jackson was the fact that he was always the aggressor and stayed on the offensive, but he couldn’t manifest any sort of significant damage. The downside with Gotti, which ultimately cost him in the end, is that he couldn’t capitalize on the takedowns when the fight went to the ground. He seemed content on out-pointing Jackson, which evidently the judges did not put that much weight into. The fact that only one judge had him winning on the cards is just another unfortunate example of how the judging in this sport needs a massive overhaul that is long overdue. There’s no other way to put it, the Red Rock prospect got robbed tonight. Hopefully, he can use this as fuel for the remainder of the season, and right the wrongful doing he was given here tonight.