FIVE ROUNDS

AMSTERDAM — Once the dust finally settled on the historic UGP 23 event, we pack up and continue on to the next one. Boss Fight XXII is headlined by a first round Openweight bout between two heavyweights in former Heavyweight Champ Donnie Calabrese and veteran Harmon Janssen. No controversies in this one, and the rest of the card gives some intriguing speculation. So without further ado, let’s breakdown the main card, shall we?

ROUND ONE: CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATOR ON DECK?

To kick things off, the opening bout features two top 6 ranked Cruiserweights who look ready to prove their worth. Even though Wenzel Kautz and Jose Meléndez both come in with unblemished 2-0 records, they still have work to do before being added into the talks of title contention. I personally think that a win here plus one more would be enough to get a deal with The Shooter. Who knows though, a dominant performance could tip the scale in the man whose hand is raised in the end. 

ROUND TWO: THE PRIDE OF THE LYONS

The Lightweight bout between Bellamy DeSilva and Maliyah Lyons is the rebound both fighters need. For starters, DeSilva’s last fight was a split decision loss to Lightweight Champ Delaney Donovan, and a win would definitely put him right back in the thick of getting another crack at the title. I think that he’s at least two fights out from getting there, but he needs this win to stay on the radar. In regards to Maliyah Lyons, she started her pro career with a hot streak, going on a 3-0 run, but has since lost her last two. This will be a monumental test for her to see if she can hang with the higher levels of competition, and with this being her last fight on her rookie contract, it could be make or break. 

ROUND THREE: L-MO’S WORLD

The return of the former and inaugural Bantamweight Champion is here. Lauren Moore has been out since sustaining an injury in her loss to Dallas Meechan back at UGP 20, but now looks ready to start her comeback campaign. This matchup pits two top four ranked contenders, so it’s safe to say whoever walks out victorious will make a strong case of a title shot. Her opponent, Dang Tay, is coming into this fight with a lot of momentum. He’s won his last two fights (Kelsi Morrow and Griffin Dawson, respectively) both late into the third and final rounds, and earned nightly bonuses as a result. Tay has been waiting patiently for an opportunity like this, and with this being his final fight in his current contract, a win here could give him all of the leverage when it comes time to sit down at the negotiating table. 

ROUND FOUR: CAN REED PROVE HE BELONGS AT 225 AGAINST KELLY?

A lot of people were scratching their heads when Aries Reed decided to make a move up to Cruiserweight, considering he was the top ranked contender and on the verge of getting a rematch with then champion Robert Guilliman. Nevertheless, he bumped up and faced Michael Santos in a title eliminator bout, and safe to say, it backfired on him. Snapping a 4 fight win streak against the top tier competition at 185, Reed was understandably distraught, but it did not deter him. Hence, he gives it another go against another top 5 contender at 225 in former title challenger Ardan Kelly. This could be a sneaky matchup for either fighter, as Kelly has done quite well against strikers, sans Roscoe Robinson, and Aries Reed has yet to face someone with the technical ground game that The Angel possesses. Reed will want to set a high pace early whereas Kelly may want to drag Reed into deep waters. Given the circumstances, this seems like Kelly has more to lose, as he may be two or three fights away from another crack at the title as long as Roscoe sits at the throne, and a loss will surely drop him down the rankings considerably. For Reed, a win here will solidify the move up and potentially give us a monster showdown with The Shooter. 

ROUND FIVE: HEAVY HITTERS IN THE OPENWEIGHT

The main event for Boss Fight XXII features former Heavyweight Champion Donnie Calabrese and #8 ranked Harmon Janssen. It’s hard to say whether his bout will affect the rankings considering this is billed as an Openweight contest, but the fact remains that this is going to be a slug fest. On top of advancing to the semifinals, this fight is imperative for both of these guys as they come into this off of a loss. Donnie had accumulated a 5 fight win streak before losing three straight (twice to Kennard Rozier and once in his return bout with Viktor Volkov). For Janssen, his last fight was a loss to Cezar Miklos at UGP 22. Janssen re-upped with a new 3 fight contract on the sole condition of the Openweight Tournament. With Harmon turning 43 two days after the event, plus venturing out into acting and other avenues, a loss for him here could very well be the end of his MMA career.