Picks/Hits #5 - BF 5
- Toussaint Harper
- Jan 5, 2019
- 7 min read
No need for the intro. Harper has your picks and hits. UGP 6 was an epic game changer for a lot of people and after my picks, for Boss Fight 5 I’ll explain my ranking hits post-UGP 6.
Why? One of the roughest starts to a Union Gran Prix career has to go to Kira Izumi. Many people under the banner can admit to having that issue but it's all about bouncing back from the fight before. What Izumi has done that I think will help is that he’s gotten better with each of his appearances in a way. The experience that Talon Clem has yet to have with this being his first Union appearance. This won’t be one of those standards “I’ll welcome you to Union the hard way” kind of things either. Izumi will still struggle but one thing I do believe he still has that he hasn’t been able to show is decent proficiency on the ground. In his previous fights, he’s been overpowered there more or less by other fighters. Here will be the breakthrough for Izumi and hopefully a change of tide in the win column. That’s if he sticks to those strengths.
Why? Here I’m kinda throwing a new guy a bone. Kaukau Havili had a pretty hard showing against Nathan Lucas. In my honest opinion, a lot of holes showed in his overall fight game not to the point that they can’t be filled or fixed I just don’t believe it’s something he’s been able to completely remedy over time at this point. In comes Weapon X who looks to be from few workouts I’ve seen to be quick and more explosive on the feet but there’s always the concept of being under the lights in the different atmosphere. Both will have to adjust I just believe Dylan Michaels may put a little bit of surprise to Havili and introduce himself as someone that belongs within the UGP fold.
Why? The deepest division in UGP is highlighted heavy with this Boss Fight card. This one the first of four bouts of the night. Gina VanZant jumping into the fire again after being one of the few willing to step in on late notice against Kaelan Laughlin. The fight was a good learning experience but the crafty Laughlin showing her skill on the ground eventually played the part in the submission win for Laughlin. Jump to now where the experience getting that first fight out of the way is good but the ground game is a place that is Julia Tran’s comfort zone. This being Tran’s first fight in UGP there’s always the question of how one reacts but one take away is where Gina highlights well in standing Julia highlights on the ground. This is a coin flipper for me although I am knowledgeable of Tran’s few amateur bouts. She has to be confident on her feet to bring her to her world. That said I don’t believe this will be a pure standing affair and once it reaches the ground like in the Laughlin bout Tran will be able to take full advantage.
Why? The next Lightweight highlight is Saffron Harris going up against Kelsi Morrow. Saffron with a very great showing in a unanimous decision win against Amedea Rao. Two young guns of the game coming in to fight it up. Kelsi Morrow has a lot to go up against with a scrappy sweet Harris and I’ll be honest this pick will be more about the fact what I have seen out of Harris I’m impressed with and have to still see what Morrow has to offer. Anyone can beat anyone in the fight game that is what makes it such an interesting deal. Can Morrow pull off the upset? Yes. Do I believe she will? No.
Rock Hard and Big Snacc…
I can’t you guys with these names. I just want to make that clear first. Anywho, here I could say a few things. Damiko fought a good fight against Bobbi London. Some hands are just better than others. With this being a heavyweight bout the questions are always how long it lasts. We reached the second round finally thankfully. History in the making. Here I’m just going to say it. Amani Crawford is a pitbull with an extreme lockjaw problem. This will be a first-round affair and it will be brutal.
Why? I like Aryeh. I like his skill set and although he went down against a polished Kato there’s something about Misty DeMeans that just say fire to me. She’s got the attitude and spunk but a lot of us has seen in the past that many that have those qualities don’t exactly translate in the cage. That said for her I believe it will. I want this to be a stand-up affair. It should be a stand-up affair but this won’t be easy for Misty. Aryeh would have to show the full well-rounded game. I’m going with the upset honestly cause I think the mind is doubtful still for Aryeh. Until he gets over a disappointing debut he will see many more.
Why? Mr. Double D showed up really well in his debut. Hailey McIntyre coming back from her challenging for the Lightweight Championship. Donovan describes as a striker was able to work one of the better wrestlers in the division and win the battle with Lauren Moore. To me, that was the place that McIntyre would have a measure of advantage, in the ground game and submissions. Seeing that he can handle himself on the ground as well I’m pretty hesitant now to place this being a McIntyre win. I’m...ehh I’m leaning Donovan especially if he shows the same proficiency on the ground as he did against Moore.
Why? Everyone has a certain level of hype behind them. Navorro Williams was a champion in CGFC and his skillset is known. Enter Jeremiah Ford one of the names in the Middleweight Division who had a strong start and has since been on a slide back with losses to the king of the division Cristian Bonanno and Edan McLeod. Jeremiah will have to play to his stronger standup because from the fights I’ve seen with Williams he gets a grip on you and it’s a long night for anyone there. I believe this is the bounce back that Ford will need to let him know he belongs exactly where he is along the top. Williams will be a name in Union eventually but right now it’s too much time off for him to work with a man who's been extremely battle tested.
RANKINGS
Heavyweight Division
DONNIE CALABRESE - 2
DAMIKO CONRAD - 7
AMANI CRAWFORD - 4
DERRICK LA’BELL - 1
BOBBI LONDON - 3
SHOTGUN KOA - 5
FABIO PACITTI - 6
BROCK QUARRY - 8
Donnie is coming for the Champ! I will say after the start he had it’s great to see him earn his way back. Shows true grit to fight right back up and let it be a motivator and not a destroyer. The new blood is making their names known. Amani can be a problem in due time especially if he takes over makes a point against Conrad. Some may say he doesn’t deserve such a jump but I do believe he will be a shake-up coming up.
Cruiserweight Division
SETH DANIELS - 5
DANIEL FISK - 6
KAUKAU HAVILI - 7
NATHAN LUCAS - 4
MAD MAXINE - 9
CAL MCCLUSKEY - 10
DYLAN MICHAELS - 11
ROSCOE ROBINSON - 1
KEVIN VAN DAMNE - 8
VIKTOR VOLKOV - 2
JAKKO WIRMAN - 3
Yes, I dropped the previous champ down. It’s what I do to everyone that loses. They get the chance...they lose, they drop. New contenders bump up and get their opportunity. I am also aware that Fisk has beaten both Lucas and Daniels. Until he shows he can build it all back up it’s all white noise to me. Next man up. Looking forward to Volkov and Wirman looking to challenge the new (and honestly better) King of the division. Dylan Michaels has the opportunity to make his splash into the division as well against Havili. I would say Nathan Lucas and Seth Daniels both have the chance to show that they also are names worth being in the pot of title talks.
Middleweight Division
SIMON BISHOP - 6
CRISTIAN BONANNO - 1
TALON CLEM - 10
JEREMIAH FORD - 5
ROBERT GUILLIMAN - 2
KIRA IZUMI - 9
SANG-HYUN LEE - 7
EDAN MCLEOD - 4
ADEGOKE MÜLLER - 8
ARIES REED - 3
NAVORRO WILLIAMS - 11
The same rule applies. You lose new blood rises. Then again what do you do when the Champion is basically steamrolling everyone he stands against? I’m guessing just show him more bodies. Gulliman hasn’t faced him. Yes, Edan beat Gulliman...at this point I’m just like...throw another body, watch them get pummeled in some way shape or form. Aries Reed would be an interesting look to me. Yeah, it’s just hard to call this in any way to me because whoever stands against Bonanno at this point I just see dying.
Lightweight Division
ROVZAN AHKMADOV - 15
ZARI ALIYAH - 6
XABIER BELAZCO - 7
ELLIS BELROSE - 14
DELANEY DONOVAN - 8
MISTY DEMEANS - 17
KENZI GREY - 9
SAFFRON HARRIS - 10
TAKESHI KATO - 3
KAELAN LAUGHLIN - 4
HAILEY MCINTYRE - 5
LAUREN MOORE - 11
KELSI MORROW - 16
JORDAN PARKER-KANE - 1
AMEDEA RAO - 19
ARYEH ROTHSTEIN - 12
HANAKO TAKEUCHI - 2
JULIA TRAN - 18
GINA VANZANT - 13
JOJO HOLDER - 20
Now I gave Hanako her drop in rankings back when she lost. I’ll be honest the outside factors of her facing Champ JPK in her home fed does intrigue me and lets me know she’s right back on the path of wanting revenge. The match will show me if she’s really ready for such a challenge but until then I’ll leave her up and around the area. Other factors that make it hard is that the upper numbers have lost to a few new faces so it makes it hard to say bump them up toward a challenging spot and completely pushes aside those great debuts. Kato showed a lot in his fight. Aliyah showed a lot in her fight. Donovan showed a lot in his fight. So, I tried to keep it at a median. The keyword is tried. The deepest division in UGP continues to make it hard for me in so many ways. Yet as the fights flesh out the decisions will be made in the only way we know how to make it...in the cage. Good luck keeping that belt JPK there are far too many wolves looking at you as the target.
Be sure to tune into Boss Fight coming from Colorado on the 5th of 2019. Bringing in the New Year right. I'll be bringing What We Knew and Learned for both UGP 6 and also the Boss Fight 5 within the week after Boss Fight 5. Harp out.
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