UGP 32: LATTIMORE vs SAINT-CYR II
[The opening video montage comes to a close and the feed transitions inside the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The sold out crowd pack the venue, where many have immersed themselves into the pandemonium and roar out with deafening cheers. With the uncertainty of victory or defeat looming, the aura is both intoxicating and tense. The main stage, where the fighters scheduled tonight grace their presence, is littered with carnage and destruction. A heavy fog sits stale, scaffolding strung in multiple directions, and the overall structure glowing red with fire, ash, and embers; something no fighter will soon forget. The toll on both fan and fighter is enormous. The stage of a bloody war is set. The conquerors envision nothing but execution towards success, while the meek is flooded with doubt. Down in the trenches, we are greeted with Bodie Sullivan and a first-timer in the broadcast booth, the reigning Lightweight Champion and 2021 Fighter of the Year, Delaney Donovan ready for their cue.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, the octagon is officially open for business! We are live exclusively on the Battleground Network here at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan for UGP 32! I’m Bodie Sullivan and before I go any further, I want to wish a speedy recovery to my regular broadcasting partner Jason Jackson, who is still recovering from his battle wounds during his triumphant return to the cage at UGP 31. With the opening seating, I am honored tonight to be in the presence of a true living legend and a highly decorated champion still atop of the mountain. I’m talking about the reigning Union Grand Prix Lightweight Champion, Delaney Donovan! Double D it’s great to have you here and share the airwaves with you tonight!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Glad to be here, Bodie. Didn’t know when the call came that it was going to ruffle some feathers with Tapp. I thought the lad did a nice job last time, but I’m appreciative of the opportunity and am looking forward to another great night of fights.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “So listen, before we break down the card, there was some pretty big news that broke just a few days prior. You have laid the groundwork for a new gym here in the United States. I won’t grill you with all of the speculations swirling around you, but I just wanted to give you a moment to spotlight this new venture you are pursuing.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah, you know I’ve been talking lately about next steps once I hang the gloves up, and this is an avenue I wanted to pursue. For me, ScrapYard enabled me to take a love for mixed martial arts and reach the next level and that’s something I want to be able to give back to the next generations of fighters as well. A lot of work has gone into this over the past couple of months and I’m excited about what’s to come. I’m sure there are a lot of questions, and more information will be revealed as the facility gets closer to opening. But for right now I’m starting to train a few individuals in just the basic fundamentals of MMA and trying to get them prepared to break into either this industry, or professional wrestling.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Very exciting stuff, I can’t wait to see this new chapter of your career blossom and like you said, give back to the community. So now let’s get to the meat of this segment and start off with our opening bout tonight. It’s the return of Cal McCluskey to Union Grand Prix. We haven’t seen Big Cal compete here since the Openweight Championship Grand Prix, where he scored two unbelievable upset wins over Robert Guilliman and Donnie Calabrese to reach the finals. Of course we know he came up short, but he’s stayed active over in Japan with G2. His opponent tonight is a guy who some have called a journeyman right here in the Michigan regional circuit, but after his win on the inaugural DRIP episode, Hank Hayes straight up called him out, and you know Cal McCluskey isn’t backing down from a challenge.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Haha I love Cal, honestly. The lad is a character. Nobody else like him in the business. I think the way he carries himself leads to others not taking him too seriously but like you said, he’s notched a couple of significant victories. Christ knows if Cal manages to pick up a victory tonight the, um, the ladies of the night in Detroit are going to be well paid a few hours later.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “I’ll leave that as it is… From there, we dive into the Middleweight Division where former Champion Asher Jrue takes on the rising Aston Page. Both of these fighters are looking to either break the glass ceiling or re-enter the top tier to become a Middleweight Championship Challenger. Both of these fighters have won three of their last four fights, and with the top of the Middleweight Division being a bit cloudy, every top five fighter has a chance to be the next man up.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah Cub is a weird one to me. I remember when he shocked the world and won the Middleweight championship. That seems like three lifetimes ago now but things have not gone the way I would have expected for him. It will be interesting to see if one of these guys can use tonight to really springboard them to where they want to be.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “We see it all too often in this sport where a fighter gets a taste of being on top of the world, but quickly fall from grace and never truly regain that status again. Moving on now to our featured undercard bout, which is a bout in the Lightweight Division. Ram-Paige Holloway makes a quick turnaround from her Union GP debut at UGP 31 to face a more evolved and matured Alex Cox. No question this is the biggest test Alex Cox has ever and may ever face in his career, but this may be the best time for him. A lot of people questioned how much ring rust Holloway had accumulated during her two year hiatus from the sport, and even though she dusted up Osvaldo Ledesma inside the first frame, those questions still linger.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “I think those two years away might have done Paige a lot of good, honestly. Sometimes as fighters we keep going even though we’re not one hundred percent right, and it ends up being to our detriment. Like you said, Bodie, she didn’t seem to have too much ring rust on her in her last fight and if I’m Alex Cox, shooo, I don’t know. I think I’d have liked a little more time and experience under my belt to get ready for someone like Ms. Holloway.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “It’s a delicate balance of rest and training. I couldn’t agree more with you there with the time off being a huge benefit for her big debut win. Now we move into the Championship block of the card, starting off with our Co-Main Event of the evening — a rematch from UGP 29 where we all witnessed the fall of Pluggz The Great. Owen Barnes toppled Rozier and ended the historic 722 day reign as Heavyweight Champion and it only seemed necessary to have an immediate rematch given the accomplishments Rozier had built, and to erase any notions of The Viper getting lucky.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “There was a time when Pluggz was talked about as the best pound for pound fighter in the world. I think he’s still got it in him to be that guy. The difference is that the Heavyweight division has more talent now than it did a couple of years ago. Barnes is more than just legit and anyone thinking he got lucky against Pluggz hasn’t been paying close enough attention.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Not only does Barnes have the terrifying size and strength, even as a heavyweight, but he’s got the athleticism that I think is the biggest factor that will separate him from the rest of the division. And for the final fight in our Main Event, another rematch as Gauge Lattimore looks to defend his Union GP Cruiserweight Championship for the first time against Lovelie Saint-Cyr. Their first encounter occurred during the Triple C Grand Prix where Lattimore went the distance for the first time in his pro career. It was a very close contest, some may even argue in favor of LSC. However, that first fight was only three rounds, tonight we get an additional two to settle the debate.
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Man, guys like Gauge, Lovelie, Pluggz and Barnes make me wish I could put on 70 pounds and get in the cage with them. I hope we see a full five rounds of action in that one but I’m not sure I’d bet on it if I was a betting man. Either way, should be one hell of a fight no doubt.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “I’m excited for it all to unfold, Double D! Let’s say we wrap this up and toss it over to our hype man standing inside the octagon. A man who’s one of one, Mike Dempsey!”
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are live exclusively on the Battleground Network here at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan for UGP 32! And now, this opening contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Brawler holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 10-15-2. He stands 6’ even, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Battle Creek, Michigan, presenting Hank “The Tank” Hayes!
[Hank Hayes stands in his corner punching himself in the face to get himself hyped up. Despite the boos, Hayes is soaking in the moment.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Kicking things off tonight we have a local legend here in these parts. As we mentioned, Hank Hayes earned this opportunity by scoring a win at the first DRIP event and subsequently called out Cal. Despite his age and lackluster record, it proves that a little bit of showmanship can get your foot in the door and get at least fifteen minutes of fame on the big stage.
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah, that’s something that it took me a while to learn myself, Bodie. Early on in my career I think I got overlooked because I wasn’t shit talking everyone and everything on social media. Thankfully I ended up eventually getting the opportunities I wanted, but doing things Hank’s way is certainly a fast track to get you noticed, but it comes with some big risks. Especially if you don’t back those words up.”
MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Wrestler holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 6-16. He stands 6’3”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Warren, Michigan, fighting out of Atomik Combat Club, presenting Cal McCluskey!”
[Cal McCluskey does what he does. He smirks at his opponent while grabbing his crotch with one hand and flipping the bird with the other. Clearly this gets the crowd riled up.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Cal McCluskey is a national treasure and needs to be protected at all costs. It doesn’t matter who you put him up against, he’s one of those rarities that win, lose, or draw, people flock to Cal and rally behind him. You could pit him against a G.E.D. packet and it’s gonna draw!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Never know what the lad is going to say. Never know what he’s going to do in the cage and it’s that unpredictability that makes him such a draw for fans, and such a danger to his opponents. I’m excited for this one, Bodie, lets fucking go.”
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ROUND ONE
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[Cal McCluskey and Hank Hayes close the distance and go to touch gloves in the center, but Cal fakes out Hank and launches a furious hook! Hayes’ head snaps back, losing his balance in the process and falls to the mat!]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “BOOM! Starting things off with a little sleight of hand. Dirty move but the fans don’t care.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Your traditional fans of the sport are going to hate that but that’s the kind of shite you’ve got to be prepared for against a guy like Cal. He’s going to take any opportunity that’s there to get the upper hand, even if everyone else on the planet says it’s a shifty thing to do.”
[Cal opts to go after his opponent and jumps inside Hank’s guard. Cal is in open guard for the moment, but after a back and forth struggle, Hayes manages to close his guard. Cal seems to be cooling the fight on the ground as he strategizes his next move. McCluskey breaks the closed guard of Hayes and moves to half guard.]
[Not a lot of action takes place as both of these grizzled veterans look like they’re blowing up already. Cal finally makes the first move and slides his knee across and gets to full mount. Hank tries to roll to his side and trap Cal in his guard but Cal uses his momentum to roll him over and take his back!]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “There’s a lot of things you can say about Cal McCluskey. But one thing’s for sure is that his wrestling is highly underrated. And to be honest, ever since the Openweight GP, Cal has trimmed down a bit and has carried that legendary stamina in the bedroom over to his fighting arsenal.”
[The two jockey for control but Cal is able to maintain his position and works to flatten out Hayes. Cal manages to get a leg hook in, but from here neither man creates enough action which causes the referee to stand the two back up to their feet.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Good call there by Herschel Warden. I don’t know that either of the guys has the cardio for a ground war, so getting them standing again is the right thing to do.”
[Both men are breathing heavily as they circle toward the center of the octagon. Hayes strikes first with a furious combination, but McCluskey shows off some absurd quickness and dodges the traffic. Hayes is taking out his mouthpiece to breathe better as he continues to look for angles. Hank throws a few jabs to measure his distance but Cal counters back with alternating punches. Hayes tests Cal’s chin with a big uppercut while Cal lands some great crosses in the process. Hank tries circling away but an unfazed Cal cuts him off with a nice short burst flurry and Hayes reels back from the strikes.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Great exchange from both guys right now, but I think Cal might have got the edge on Hayes.”
[Hayes bounces off the cage and tries to circle out. Cal freezes him by faking a punch and then shoots a surprisingly technical double leg takedown. The two hit the mat with Cal securing the side mount position. Hank tries to move on the ground, leaving himself wide open for Cal to drop a devastating elbow! Hayes’ forehead gets rocked, bounces off the mat and instantly gets cut wide open! Referee Herschel Warden looks on very intently, knowing he may be calling off the fight soon.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Oh man, Hank Hayes’ face is looking like one of those fondue fountains right now! He’s losing a lot of blood.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “And that is only going to make life more difficult for him. There’s nothing worse than all that blood and sweat getting into your eyes. It stings. It’s distracting. Hank is not having a good time right now.”
[With blood just gushing like a river into his eyes, Hayes tries to scramble his way out from the bottom, but Cal keeps good control, and even manages to slide his knee across to get to a full mount position. Cal controls the situation very well despite Hayes’ efforts of escaping from the bottom. Cal softens the body up with a couple of hammer fists, which also redirects Hank’s attention. This allows Cal to quickly slide his leg and pry the arm back with an armbar out of nowhere! Cal McCluskey has it locked in tight and the instant pain forces Hank Hayes to tap!]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “And this one is all over! Cal McCluskey finishes this fight inside the first frame with a relentless armbar! Hank Hayes may need to get that arm checked out.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Christ that was smooth. He set that up so well. To say that I’m impressed isn’t saying much because that’s not my game, but I think even Carrick would applaud Cal’s work right there at the end of the fight.”
[The crowd explodes into cheers and Cal McCluskey races up the fence and perches on top of the cage. Cal motions at one of his cornermen, and without hesitation, two Boxer beers come hurling out from the floor level. Cal catches them and proceeds to smash them together and pound them. Meanwhile, the Ringside Physicians pour into the cage and tend to Hayes. After a few moments, the commotion dies down and eventually both fighters meet back in the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, referee Herschel Warden has called for a stop in this fight at three minutes fifty seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by submission, Cal McCluskey!”
[The crowd cheers once again as Cal has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters go to shake hands, but Cal pulls back at the last second and flips off Hayes point blank to his face. This triggers Hayes and he shoves him back into his cornermen. Before anything further can go down, both groups of teammates pull their respective fighters back to avoid any sort of disciplinary action. As the commotion subsides and order is restored, the commentators recap the statistics of the fight.]
Winner: Cal McCluskey by Submission (Armbar) at 3:50 Round 1
Statistics: Cal McCluskey
Punches 7/9 (78%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 1/1 (100%)
GnP strikes 1/1 (100%)
Submissions 1/1 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 144 s
Statistics: Hank Hayes
Punches 1/5 (20%)
Kicks 0/0 (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 153 s
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Middleweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Muay Thai Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 3-2. He stands 5’10”, and weighing in at 180 pounds. He is from Valdosta, Georgia, presenting Aston “Diamond” Page!”
[Aston Page bounces in place on the balls of his feet to keep warm. He slaps his chest then raises a clenched fist in the air to acknowledge the crowd’s reaction.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Aston Page is looking to make a statement here in the Motor City tonight against former Champion Asher Jrue. This may be the first time Page comes in as the heavier fighter, as both of these guys consistently come in well under the 185 pound limit. Page will have to use that size advantage in his striking in order to keep this a competitive fight against a much more experienced opponent.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “This is the kind of fight where experience could really be what makes a difference between winning and losing. Both of these guys have performed well lately. But Simba has been in this situation before, whereas Page is really looking to break through that glass ceiling and get up into the next tier of fighters for the first time. It’s something any fighter that is going to be great has to go through. It’s a big test, no doubt.”
MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Grappler holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 7-5. He stands 5’11”, and weighing in at 175 pounds. He is from Miami, Florida, fighting out of the 9th World Performance Institute, presenting “Simba” Asher Jrue!”
[Asher Jrue sways from side to side, keeping a stone cold stare directed at his opponent from across the octagon. He looks focused and ready to battle it out.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “As we mentioned at the top of the show, Asher Jrue has been up and down since winning and immediately losing the Middleweight Title to Robert Guilliman. He was finished three times in a row and I think you have to attribute that to him changing to a different game plan than what got him to that pinnacle. Since then, though, he’s been on the upward trend, but still has a lot to prove. Probably the most interesting thing to note that’s flown under the radar is that this is Jrue’s last fight on his contract. If he wants to cash in at the negotiating table, he needs a big win tonight.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “ I’ve got nothing to say about that cunt, Guilliman, but I think the shift in his gameplan is evidence of poor coaching on the part of 9th World. And it’s a shame because who knows what Asher might have done in the Middleweight division had he just kept things the way they were. That’s also the nature of the fight game, though. You have to make tweaks here and there and as a fighter you’re relying on the guys in your camp to make the right calls. I don’t know if we’ll ever see him get back to where he was, but if he’s going to then the path there starts right here, right now.”
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ROUND ONE
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[There is absolutely no feeling out process in this fight–Asher shoots in for a takedown as soon as both men are in the center of the cage, but Page sprawls and manages to stay on his feet. Jrue tries to tie Page up in a clinch, but Aston circles away and tags Jrue with a straight punch on the exit. Jrue responds with one of his own, before both men start exchanging wildly! Both men tag the other, but nothing big lands until Jrue clips Page’s chin with a left hook…and Page responds by SNAPPING Asher’s head back with an overhand right!]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “That is not how Asher is going to want this fight to go. And oh, yep, there it is, the veteran buys himself time early on to recollect and regain his composure.”
[Jrue ties Page up in a clinch to buy himself a couple seconds, but he isn’t quite as secure as he might want to be with it. Page tries to shuck Jrue off a couple times, and while he doesn’t get away at first, he does make more room, until he’s able to duck under Jrue’s clinch and circle away. Page lures Jrue in, and when Jrue engages, he gets peppered with jabs–Aston lands a couple of quick shots, before throwing a wild left that just misses! Jrue engages and lands a couple solid punches of his own, before Page tags him with a big right hook that wobbles him! Page doesn’t settle for the one punch, either, stepping in and landing a massive uppercut to the chin!]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Oooh! Big shots landing early here! The crowd’s loving it!”
[Jrue’s not going down without a fight, though, and he lands a MASSIVE hook of his own that connects with Page’s cheek, but the follow up straight right narrowly misses as Page ducks underneath. Jrue keeps the pressure up, but another straight punch gets deflected before Aston lands a huge uppercut! Jrue stumbles a step back, but when Page steps in, it’s straight into a right hand from Jrue that stumbles Page in response! Jrue feigns a body shot, then comes upstairs with a big uppercut that connects to the chin!]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Nice job halting Page in his tracks, but again this is not a winning formula for Jrue. He needs to take the fight where he is going to be the most dominant, and not try and win the fight by beating his opponent and their own game.”
[Page circles away before Jrue can follow up the big uppercut, shaking the cobwebs free. Jrue follows him, though, flicking out a couple quick jabs–before eating a HUGE looping right hand that stops Jrue’s pursuit in its tracks! It doesn’t put him down, though, and he’s able to re-compose himself and move away from Page’s follow up punches. When Page does get close enough to re-engage, Jrue parries a punch and ties him up in a clinch, although Page pummels for an underhook and turns Jrue back against the cage. Page drops the attempt to clinch and just starts to unload a series of hooks, upstairs and down, but Jrue blocks most of them before tying him back up. After a few seconds of struggle, Jrue manages to reverse the position and starts to dig punches to the body himself. Page tries to make room, but Jrue takes advantage and clips him with a big elbow to the head! Page stumbles back against the cage, and Jrue uncorks a flurry of his own, landing shots to Aston’s body and head!]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “These guys are teeing off on each other, but this right here I believe is where Asher Jrue is comfortable. The clinch gives him so many options for striking that could set up a trip to bring the fight to the mat, where he can unravel his BJJ.”
[Page absorbs a few big shots to the ribs before trying to push Jrue away; Jrue doesn’t go anywhere, but Page takes advantage of the little space he makes, and grabs a Guillotine Choke! He jumps guard and tries to drag Jrue to the mat, but Jrue gets his head free before they hit the floor. The horn sounds to end the round before either man can do much else.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “That was a wild round to start. No feeling out process, just throw caution to the wind and let the fists fly. Pretty bold move there at the end for Page to try and lock in that guillotine. I doubt Jrue was ever worried there.
DELANEY DONOVAN: “It was closely fought, no doubt, but I still find myself scratching my head and what exactly it is that Asher is trying to accomplish. On the ground I don’t think there’s any question that he will have the advantage there, and why he’s not consistently trying to get the fight there is beyond me. Not sure which way I’d score this first round, but long term if it follows this pattern it’s going to favor Aston Page.”
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ROUND TWO
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[Round 2 starts almost exactly how round 1 did: Asher jabs his way into a clinch and attempts a trip takedown, but in the scramble, Page ends up on his back! Barely ten seconds into the round and Page is trying to finish the fight off with a Rear Naked Choke–but Jrue’s defense holds up, and he manages to stall the attack out. Rather than get stood up, Jrue manages to get back to his feet, even with Page still on his back, and turns into the clinch, though it’s Page that ends up with the advantage, pinning Asher against the fence. Eventually, not seeing any attack angles, Page lets the clinch go and circles back to the center of the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “That right there is what I was talking about. Asher Jrue stayed calm and kept his composure in a risky situation and got the fight back in a neutral standing.”
[Page cracks Jrue with a massive uppercut a he moves to take center-cage, but Asher lands a couple good straight shots of his own; both men start throwing big punches, but it’s Jrue coming away with the upper hand, landing a few big shots before tying Page up in a clinch and forcing him back against the cage. Jrue throws a flurry of punches, but not many of them land, mostly blocked and absorbed by Page–who eventually responds with a big swinging punch that forces Jrue to move back and let the clinch go.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Much better. Even if those strikes are landing, they’re forcing Page to defend and taking him out of his element. I’d still like to see Asher find a way to get this down to the ground but this is a much better start to the second round.”
[Asher starts to rely on a series of leg kicks, but every one he throws gets checked as Page waits for an opportunity–and when he sees it, he tags Jrue with a straight right that stumbles him backwards! Jrue launches a high kick in response, but it misses wide. Page moves in to attack, and Jrue surprises him with a single leg shot! He almost gets the takedown, but Page starts to hammer him with shots to the side of the head, eventually forcing Jrue to abandon the takedown attempt. Page circles away, and stings Jrue’s lead leg with a couple strong kicks.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Aston Page is settling down and being much more methodical in his approach and it’s paying off. Asher Jrue is gonna expel a ton of energy swinging and missing like that.”
[Asher jabs his way into a clinch once again, but this time, there’s no hesitation–he locks his hands around Page’s midsection, and drives him to the mat with a bodylock takedown! He tries to pass straight to mount, but Page is able to eventually recover his guard. The action stalls for a few seconds, both men looking for an opportunity, until eventually Jrue makes his move to try to pass to half-guard, and Page turns him over and takes top control for himself! Jrue manages to recover his guard quickly, and doesn’t hesitate to throw up a triangle! It’s a rushed attempt, though, and Page is able to get his head free, clear of Jrue’s legs, and pass all the way to mount! Rather than risk anything, Jrue clamps down on Page’s body and, after a while, forces Dusty Whittaker to stand the two men back up.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Oh boy, it looked like for a second there Jrue was gonna get the triangle in, but Page fought his way out. Double D, you’ve trained with and competed against some world class grapplers, you could agree that there’s no ‘surviving’ a triangle. If you get it in deep, you’re going to sleep.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “No question about it, and it might be the most helpless feeling in the world. I think Asher rushed it a little bit, and if he’d managed to keep his cool a moment or two longer this fight would probably be over right now.”
[Jrue eats a solid one-two combo from Page on the restart, but he responds with a solid uppercut. Page manages to deflect the blow and counter with a CRUSHING Head Kick that stumbles Jrue back, but before he can do anything else, the horn sounds to end the round.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “JESUS!”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Great way to finish the round for Aston Page. It’s been a very close contest this far, and barring a finish, you have to get a sense that these last five minutes could determine the winner of this bout.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Flashbacks of me fight with Travis Decker there right at the death. That’s the kind of kick that sends a lad to the hospital and Asher somehow managed to stay on his feet. Likely saved by the bell. But Christ almighty, this one’s been fun so far.”
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ROUND THREE
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[Asher is once again on the aggressive to open the round, this time with a flurry of straight punches, but Page is able to avoid the impact from most of them. Jrue whiffs badly on a leg kick, and eats a crushing hook to the body in response. Jrue keeps on the attack, though, throwing a liver kick–that gets caught by Page, and Jrue gets CRACKED with a straight right hand in response that knocks him to the floor! He puts his feet up into a guard to keep himself in the fight, but Page just stings his legs with kicks before backing off and gesturing for Asher to stand up.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Asher Jrue just got rocked with a big right hand from Page. I like the intensity from Simba, but he’s not gaining any momentum if he’s just hitting air.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “You almost wonder if he’s still feeling a little bit of the effects of that big headkick at the end of the last round. Lights are on and the motors running, but processing speed looks to be a little slow and that big right isn’t going to do anything to help that.”
[Jrue digs a body shot that narrowly misses, then follows up with a kick to the body that Page absorbs, and counters with a big left hook that clips Jrue’s chin! Jrue drops for a single leg takedown, but Page is more than ready for it, and CRACKS him with a knee straight up the gut! Somehow, Jrue’s still moving forward, trying to at least get a clinch out of the takedown attempt, but Page circles away and lands a couple big shots in response! Jrue catches one of Page’s arms and locks up a kimura grip, pulling guard to try to drag him to the mat and finish with the submission! He can’t keep Page under control, though, and Aston is able to get his arm free and scramble back to his feet.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Asher Jrue is getting overwhelmed out there and went for a wild submission out of desperation. He’s getting senseless and forcing situations instead of setting things up. That is a recipe for disaster.”
[Page steps up his aggression at the midway point of the round, but every time he tries to engage, Jrue throws a leg kick–whether it lands or not. Page gets frustrated for a moment and starts throwing–and missing–wildly, but Jrue’s punches aren’t much better, and both men are just swinging big, looping punches that hit nothing but air…until Page takes half a step back, and wings a big looping left hand that cracks Jrue on the chin! It wobbles the former Middleweight Champion, but somehow he’s still on his feet!]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “He’s earning the nickname Simba tonight and showing the heart of a bloody lion, but Asher’s spirit looks a bit broken. Just a few moments left, lets see if Page can get the finish.”
[The flight slows down as the seconds tick away, Jrue mostly keeping Page at bay with leg kicks every time he tries to engage. Page checks one of them before moving in to land a nice one-two combo, but Jrue circles away and keeps the distance from Page, until eventually the horn sounds to end the fight.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “And this one goes the distance! Great performance from both of these young men, and I’d say this could be a dark horse candidate for Fight of the Night. A lot of action, a lot of momentum shifts, but in the end, Aston Page finishes strong once again and I have to think that this one goes to him.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah, definitely. I think that head kick at the end of the second changed the trajectory of this fight entirely. Round one probably goes to Page, and two to Jrue, but I don’t think there’s any question the last one was all Aston Page. He went out and grabbed the win in the final five minutes in my eyes.”
[After the final horn, both fighters touch gloves and stagger to their respective corners. The medical staff fills the cage and begin doing their routine work on both fighters. After they finish their work, they file out and both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, after three rounds we go to the judges’ scorecards for a decision. The judges have scored it 29-28 Page, 30-27 Jrue, and 29-28, declaring your winner by split decision, Aston “Diamond” Page!”
[The crowd cheers once again as Page has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]
JUDGE LOGAN STAFFORD
Asher Jrue 9 10 9: 28
Aston Page 10 9 10: 29
JUDGE JOE MORGAN
Asher Jrue 10 10 10: 30
Aston Page 9 9 9: 27
JUDGE VAL PALMER
Asher Jrue 10 9 9: 28
Aston Page 9 10 10: 29
Winner: Aston Page by Split Decision
Statistics: Asher Jrue
Punches 20/59 (34%)
Kicks 0/16 (0%)
Clinch strikes 3/3 (100%)
Takedowns 1/3 (33%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 2/2 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 2/3 (67%)
Time on the ground 80 s
Statistics: Aston Page
Punches 36/52 (69%)
Kicks 4/6 (67%)
Clinch strikes 0/6 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 2/2 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 55 s
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Lightweight Division. Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 3-2. He stands 5’8”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. He is from Boca Raton, Florida, fighting out of the Paroxysm Gym, presenting Alex “Dinamita” Cox!”
[Alex Cox stays focused in his corner while referee Herchel Warden recites the rules to him one last time.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “This is a monumental opportunity for the budding prospect Alex Cox. No doubt about it, he’s the heavy underdog, but Vegas odds can be deceiving. ‘Dinamita’ has won three of his last four, and has made some significant strides in his game. With all that said though, he’s got a mountain of a hurdle ahead of him.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “I know I’m probably supposed to be a bit unbiased, but Christ I feel bad for Alex Cox tonight. I just don’t think he’s ready for this level of competition yet.”
MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Muay Thai Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 23-4-1. She stands 5’10”, and weighing in at 151 pounds. She is from Brisbane, Australia, fighting out of Throne MMA, presenting “Ram-Paige” Holloway!”
[Paige Holloway is beating herself up in the corner before the fight begins, smacking herself in the face, body and legs to get ready for this bout.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Quick turn around for Paige Holloway, who looks to go 2-0 in her Union GP tenure. Holloway’s plan for her comeback was to work her way up the rankings as if she was a rookie fighter and earn her spot. She’s one of the smaller fighters in the Lightweight Division in terms of weight, but I think that allows her to be ‘thatmuch’ faster than the competition. I give all the credit for Alex Cox taking this fight without hesitation, but do you realistically see any other scenario that doesn’t have Holloway having her hand raised at the end of the fight?”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “You never say never, because any fighter can land a punch on the button at any given moment. But this is a fight that, in this scenario, Paige Holloway wins 999 times out of 1000.”
====================================
ROUND ONE
====================================
[The bell rings and both Holloway and Cox meet in the middle of the cage to touch gloves; immediately Paige gets on her bike as she doesn’t want to stay inside Cox’s range to implement her game plan. Cox measures his distance with a couple of jabs that get blocked by Paige as she counters with a beautiful one-two combo that staggers Cox and makes him take a step back.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “There’s the speed we mentioned. Holloway can dust you up in the blink of an eye.”
[Smelling blood, Paige steps forward and launches a high kick that at first didn’t seem to land, but it obviously made some impact as Cox’s left eye is starting to swell after the kick. Yet, the young fighter doesn’t look fazed as he moves in and starts “sticking and moving”, trying his best not to stay in one place for too long and avoiding getting into Holloway’s range. Cox lands some solid punches in the sequence forcing Holloway to stand ground and look for a way to counter Cox’s constant movement.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Everyone has a game plan until they get hit in the mouth. Alex Cox got a sample of Paige Holloway’s power. It’s hard to hit a moving target, which is smart for him to keep moving and stay off that center line.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Honestly, if I’m training a young up and coming fighter that’s where my focus is going to be. You’ve got to be able to avoid being hit as much as you need to be able to hit your opponent. Especially against someone like Ram-Paige.”
[She finally finds her opening as Cox tries a calf kick and she blocks it, giving Holloway enough time to mount an offensive barrage that culminates with a beautiful left hook that lands right over Cox’s swollen eye. Paige starts playing to the crowd a bit as she tags Cox repeatedly, but “Dinamita” unleashes a couple of jabs of his own, not wanting to just give away the victory to his opponent. Neither fighter is able to keep up the pace and they move back a bit to regain some air.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ooh boy, that left eye is swelling up pretty bad already for Alex Cox. That could pose a big problem the longer this fight goes on.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “It’s not going to go on that much longer, lad.”
[Holloway is the first one to make any sort of move after a few seconds throwing a looping right hand that gets blocked and countered with a stiff jab that staggered her and seemingly surprised Holloway’s corner. Cox’s power shows on that one as he jumps in looking for the “upset” win, but he got too close to Holloway who simply spun and hit a spinning kick to the middle section of Alex Cox that didn’t seem like much but just a few seconds later made him fall to the mat. Paige jumps in for some hammer fists, but referee Herschel Warden jumps in before she could unleash any more damage, probably saving Cox from further injury in the process.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “That’s it! It’s all over! That kick to the body dropped Alex Cox and the referee steps in to save him from any more damage. There could be some internal damage there that could be worse than the eyes can see.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah, you almost wonder if someone should have sat Dante down and told him not to make this fight. That kid was just overmatched right out of the gate. Going to send up some prayers for him and hope whatever injuries he’s suffered aren’t too bad.”
[The crowd explodes into cheers and Holloway is swarmed by her corner crew in celebration. Doctors tend to Cox for a while before helping him to his feet. After doctors and cut men finish their work, both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, referee Herschel Warden has called for a stop in this fight at three minutes twenty-five seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, “Ram-Paige” Holloway!”
[The crowd cheers once again as Paige has her hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]
Winner: Paige Holloway by TKO (Body Kick) at 3:25 Round 1
Statistics: Paige Holloway
Punches 15/24 (62%)
Kicks 4/4 (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: Alex Cox
Punches 13/23 (57%)
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
♫
LAME NIGGAS EVERYWHERE DO YOU SEE IT?
I FEEL LIKE RIPLEY’S DOG CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
♫
[As “Juice” by Pi’erre Bourne plays, Kennard Rozier enters the main stage behind a custom mask over his face. He’s wearing a black and tan robe that says Pluggz The Great on the back. As he stands center stage, taking it all in, 9th World Head Coach Ray Delhomme and his other cornermen circle around their heavyweight ambassador. After a few moments, Rozier and his corner crew slowly make their way to the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Here is the man that completely changed the landscape of the Heavyweight Division. For 722 days, Kennard Rozier reigned as the King of the Heavyweights and was an absolutely dominant force. He completely shattered the record for most title defenses, and dismantled the competition with terrifying power. It didn’t seem like there was a man in sight that could get the best of Kennard Rozier, but one man did, and then another. The first man to take Rozier’s unblemished record away came from a different division. “The Shooter” Roscoe Robinson shocked the world in an epic Openweight bout and some claimed he also took that untouchable aura away from Pluggz. Owen Barnes followed in Robinson’s footsteps and dethroned Rozier, ending the historic title reign. This is unfamiliar territory for Kennard Rozier, being the underdog in a Championship fight. Can he reclaim the reputation as Heavyweight King and become a two-time Champion tonight?”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah, absolutely. You don’t hold a championship for as long as Pluggz did and suddenly lose the ability you have. Honestly, as good as Barnes is, this one might come down to whether or not Rozier is able to find the swagger he once had. But once that edge is lost, sometimes it’s hard to get it back. Christ knows it’s hard to be at the top of the mountain and seemingly dispatch all comers for years, and still keep the same hunger you once had. I know that from personal experience. But from a pure talent level, Kennard can absolutely win this fight.”
[Kennard stares at the cage while his coach Ray Delhomme takes off his robe giving him some last notes. Kennard turns around and hugs everyone in his corner then hands the custom mask off to Coach Delhomme. Rozier steps up to the official to be inspected. After the ocular pat down, Rozier’s been cleared and he stoically climbs the steps.]
♫
THEY’RE GONNA TAKE THIS
STRUMMING ALONG HAMMER IT IN SO I CAN SING MY SONG
THE DEVIL’S DONE THIS TO ME
I TORE THIS PLACE DOWN, CALL OUT
BUILDING THE CAGES THAT BROKE US DOWN
BOY GET BACK DOWN ON YOUR KNEES
♫
[The heavy riffs of “No Masters” by Bad Wolves hits the PA system at the same time as the lights in the arena dim down. Owen Barnes makes his presence known as he walks to the main stage, flanked by his Head Coach Colby Anderson and notable cornermen Abbie Peterson and Rachel Parsons. His eyes fixated on the cage, Barnes never breaks his stride and continues his stoic walk down to the octagon.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Here comes the big man on campus. Towering at six foot eight inches and tipping the scales at two hundred sixty-five pounds, Owen Barnes looks to make his first successful title defense and erase all doubts. He’s the first guy that we’ve seen that matches or exceeds the size, strength, and speed that Kennard Rozier possesses, so this fight all comes down to who wants it more.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “I mean look, there’s obviously some issues at 9th World right now, at least to the outside observer. We saw Asher Jrue earlier tonight, for whatever reason, refuse to fight his fight but rather tried to be his opponent at their own game. Maybe those issues bleed over to the challengers corner here as well. But when you look at who Owen Barnes has brought with him, I mean that’s as talented a group of people as you’ll find in mixed martial arts. You can trust that, along with all of that size, strength and speed that Barnes has, he’s going to be getting sound advice from his corner also.”
[Owen Barnes makes it to cageside and rips his warmups off. He zones in to his head coach Colby Anderson giving him a final pep talk, then gives a fist bump to each of his cornermen. Owen turns to the official to get inspected, and once he’s been cleared, he stomps his way up the steps and meanders his way to his corner.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Co-Main Event of the evening! Sanctioned by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, our three judges scoring this contest at cageside are Logan Stafford, Joe Morgan, and Val Palmer, and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Jordan Ripley. AND NOW, the following contest is scheduled for five rounds and it is for the Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Championship! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 9-2. He stands 6’5”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Kansas City, Missouri, fighting out of the 9th World Performance Institute, presenting the former Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion and the number one ranked Heavyweight Contender in the World, “Pluggz” Kennard Rozier!”
[Kennard Rozier steps out from his corner and raises a clenched fist in the air, confidence oozing from his body language.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 6-1. He stands 6’8”, and weighing in at 265 pounds. He is from St. Paul, Minnesota, fighting out of Twin Cities MMA, presenting the reigning, defending, undisputed Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion of the World, “The Viper” Owen Barnes!”
[Owen Barnes looks like he’s been waiting for this rematch for forever. The adrenaline increases by the second, he pounds his chest and roars out to the cheering crowd.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Here we are, Double D! Just moments away from a possible twenty-five minutes of fireworks.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “I’ll buy you a beer if this one makes it out of the first round.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Bet.”
[Referee Jordan Ripley makes his way to the center of the octagon and directs both fighters to follow his lead. Mike Dempsey stands close behind and holds the microphone for the official.]
JORDAN RIPLEY: “Alright gentlemen, we’ve gone through the rules in the back. Protect yourself at all times, follow my instructions, touch gloves and let’s do it.”
[Barnes and Rozier touch gloves and immediately head back into their corners. Jordan Ripley checks off with both men then calls for the bell.]
====================================
ROUND ONE
====================================
[Champion and Challenger touch gloves, and the fight starts quick; Rozier swings a big punch early, but Barnes avoids it and counters with a huge uppercut! Rozier stumbles back a step, already bleeding from a small cut on his right cheek–but seemingly not bothered, as he catches Barnes coming in with an ENORMOUS Superman punch that almost turns the new champion’s lights out! Owen covers up and clears the cobwebs, circling away to buy himself some time…and when Rozier pursues, Barnes unleashes a flurry of straight punches. Some connect, but nothing lands with huge power, and Pluggz is able to get out of the way of any big shots.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Couple of big shots landed from each fighter and I think it awakened the beasts. So much power behind those hands.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Christ, the champ has already opened up a cut under Pluggz right eye already but my god it almost didn’t matter after that Superman punch.”
[Rozier flicks out a low calf kick that gets checked, then switches it up with a body kick that Barnes gets an arm down to deflect. The champ steps in and throws a big left hook, and while Pluggz is able to avoid the worst of the impact, it does clip his chin and force him to take a step back. Barnes follows up with an uppercut that Rozier blocks easily, before both men start throwing big punches–neither lands anything of significance, but both men are looking to end this fight in the first round.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Rarely do we see a Heavyweight clash go the distance, and judging by the pace these guys are putting on right now, we aren’t gonna see it tonight either.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Can you imagine those big boys going five full rounds? I think their bodies would shut down. No way their hearts could pump that much blood for that long.”
[Barnes feigns an uppercut, then comes around with a big left hook instead! Rozier’s guard isn’t quite in the right place, and the punch connects on the jaw, leaving him staggered–but the former champ responds with a series of punches to keep Barnes at bay, albeit Owen blocks all of them with ease before unleashing a flurry of his own, that Rozier’s able to deflect. Rozier swings a massive hook that Barnes covers up and absorbs, but he’s over-committed and before Pluggz can get his guard back up, Barnes responds with a counter uppercut that wobbles the former champion’s legs!]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “SHITE THATS GOTTA B-”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Wooah, Owen Barnes gave Kennard Rozier Bambi legs with that uppercut. These guys are swinging wildly, all it takes is one shot to end it.”
[Barnes presses forward, wanting to end the fight, but Pluggz responds with a series of punches that turns into a huge exchange from both men! Champion and challenger land some big shots, but, somehow, neither one goes down. Barnes absolutely BLASTS Pluggz with a right hand that stumbles him backwards, but Owen doesn’t pursue as Pluggz is already throwing punches to keep him back; he just lets his opponent burn the energy, staying out of range of anything the former champion might throw.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Big shot lands but Rozier stays upright!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Look at this though, look at this discipline. He knows he’s got Pluggz on the ropes and he’s just letting him empty his gas tank. This is like watching a predator set his prey up for the killshot.”
[Rozier eventually clears the cobwebs and steps in with a big, looping right hand–that Barnes is able to counter with a straight right that connects right on Rozier’s nose. Rozier shakes his head and smirks, flicking out a leg kick that Barnes checks, then steps into and launches an uppercut that damn near takes Pluggz’s head off! Barnes follows up with a big straight right, backing the former champion up against the fence, before just unleashing a series of straight punches and uppercuts–some land, some get blocked, but Rozier’s feeling the impact of all of them, until eventually Barnes connects with an enormous right hook that finally drops Rozier! Jordan Ripley rushes in to wave off the fight!]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Down goes Kennard Rozier! First round knockout for the reigning Heavyweight Champion! Owen Barnes storms in with a flurry of punches and finishes it off in highlight fashion!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Write the man his performance of the night check right this second. Impressive performance all around. I could be a little nit picky and wish for Barnes to have been a bit more accurate with his punches but everything he did in that cage tonight had a purpose. That’s an elite fighter who executed a game plan to perfection. Just marvelous.”
[The crowd explodes into cheers and Barnes is swarmed by his corner crew in celebration. Doctors pour into the octagon to tend to Rozier. It takes a few minutes until Rozier is finally conscious enough to sit upright. The Ringside Physicians continue to work with Rozier as Barnes heads to the center to stand next to Jordan Ripley for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, referee Jordan Ripley has called for a stop in this fight at three minutes forty seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by knockout, AND STILL the undisputed Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion of the World, “The Viper” Owen Barnes!”
[The crowd cheers once again as Owen Barnes has his hand raised in victory and the title wrapped around his waist. Barnes celebrates with his coaches for a brief moment before he walks over to Rozier to check up on him and give his respects to a hard fought contest. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]
Winner: Owen Barnes by KO (Punch) at 3:40 Round 1
Statistics: Owen Barnes
Punches 19/40 (48%)
Kicks 0/0 (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
Statistics: Kennard Rozier
Punches 7/23 (30%)
Kicks 0/4 (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
[The arena cuts to a pitch black. There’s a tense pause in the action, causing the crowd to grow louder with cheers. The humming intro to “TIll I Die” by Zuse begins to play along with several spotlights scanning all throughout the building. Then the heavy beat drops and the crowd cheers.]
♫
IMMA HUSTLE EVERYDAY ‘TIL THE DAY I DIE
IN THE TRENCHES WITH MY NIGGAS TRYING TO STAY ALIVE
COCKROACHES ON THE FLOOR WHERE I LAY AT NIGHT
THIS MY GHETTO GOT A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE
♫
[Onto the main stage, Lovelie Saint-Cyr emerges with an American and Haitian flag sewn together draped over his shoulders. Saint-Cyr never breaks stride, continuing his walk to the octagon with his cornermen Roscoe Robinson, Donnie Calabrese, and Jakko Wirman following close behind him.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Making his way to the octagon now is the Hit Squad product, Lovelie Saint-Cyr. This guy is just full of potential, being a former Everest MMA Welterweight Champion. The guy has really come into his own as a Cruiserweight, and has a shot at evening the score with a former opponent while capturing some Championship gold.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “It’s hard not to like LSC. A guy that’s gone about his business the right way. He was a part of putting Everest on the map in its early stages. He takes any fight that’s put in front of him, and he just shows such skill and technique when he’s in the cage. I don’t know if he’s on the level of the champion or not, but it’s very hard not to root for him.”
[Lovelie finally reaches the cageside area where he’s to be inspected. He strips down to his shorts, and before turning to the official, he dabs up each of his cornermen one last time. After the pat down and clearing, Saint-Cyr runs up the steps and jogs a few laps around the perimeter of the octagon before settling into his corner.]
♫
LOOK ME IN MY EYES, NIGGA, I’MA WIN
I’MA GET THIS MONEY, NIGGA, I’MA LIVE
FIRST NIGGA IN MY FAMILY WITH SOME LEGAL BREAD
HAD TO RISK IT ALL JUST TO WIN BIG
♫
[The arena dims to darkness as “Win” by Tee Grizzley begins to bump over the PA system. A single spotlight shines on the main stage and not long after, Gauge Lattimore steps out from the back with an intense scowl on his face. Gauge is laser-focused and doesn’t miss a beat or parade down the aisle, just a smooth, continuous walk as he gets closer to the octagon.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “With the final walkout of the night, here he is — the Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Champion Gauge Lattimore. Despite coming into this fight with a Majority Decision loss to Roscoe Robinson that snapped his 18-fight win streak, Lattimore has been one of the fastest rising stars in recent memory. Tonight he looks to get back on track while also making his first successful title defense.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “There’s no shame in a winning streak coming to an end against a fighter like Shooter. I’m sure there’s a third part to that series coming sometime in the future. But tonight he’s got to focus on taking care of an entirely different style of fighter than what he faced in Roscoe Robinson. Still, there’s a reason he’s the champion and there’s a reason he won 18 fights in a row. That doesn’t happen accidentally or coincidentally.”
[Once Gauge makes it to cageside, he undresses down to his fight gear and hands off his warm ups to the coach closest to him. He gives a quick fist bump to each member of his corner before facing the official to be inspected. Once he’s been cleared, Lattimore sprints up the steps and explodes in the air with a battle cry. Lattimore then slowly walks to his corner.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Main Event of the evening! Sanctioned by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, our three judges scoring this contest at cageside are Logan Stafford, Joe Morgan, and Val Palmer, and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Herschel Warden. AND NOW, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The following contest is scheduled for five rounds and it is for the Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Championship! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Shotokan Karate Striker holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 7-3. He stands 6’ even”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Flint, Michigan by way of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, fighting out of the Hit Squad, presenting the number one ranked Cruiserweight Contender in the World, Lovelie Saint-Cyr!”
[Lovelie Saint-Cyr looks like he has been waiting for this fight forever. He’s cool, calm, and collected as he paced from side to side in his corner]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of 18-3. He stands 6’3”, and weighing in at 225 pounds. He is from Detroit, Michigan, fighting out of Gold Blooded MMA, presenting the reigning, defending, undisputed Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Gauge “Lights Out” Lattimore!”
[Gauge Lattimore is beating himself up in the corner before the fight begins; smacking himself in the face, body and legs to get ready for this Main Event war.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Goosebumps, Double D. This is it. Everything is at stake on the big stage.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “I despise main events that I’m not a part of, Bodie. Nothing against these guys but it just makes me want to be in the cage soaking up that atmosphere for myself.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Can’t say I blame you. In this sport you have to be selfish to some degree. I’ll order you that beer and just try to take the fighter hat off, put the fan hat on, and enjoy the spectacle.”
[Referee Herschel Warden makes his way to the center of the octagon and directs both fighters to follow his lead. Mike Dempsey stands close behind and holds the microphone for the official.]
HERSCHEL WARDEN: “Alright gentlemen, we’ve gone over the rules in the back. I want a good, clean fight. Protect yourself at all times, follow my instructions, if you want to touch gloves, do it now and let’s do it.”
[Lattimore and Saint-Cyr touch gloves then backpedal to their corners. Herschel Warden checks off with both men as the crowd grows to a deafening volume, then calls for the bell.]
====================================
ROUND ONE
====================================
[The bell rings and we are underway. Both fighters give each other a lot of respect circling around the inner part of the cage but not really engaging early on. Saint-Cyr throws a couple of jabs, nothing major, just checking his reach and looking to where his opponent is. Lattimore gets inside one of those tentative punches and lands a massive right hook that stuns Saint-Cyr and we’re off to the races.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “SHITE the champ wobbled him already.”
[Saint-Cyr wobbles towards the cage, looking to use it to regain some balance; Lattimore just stalks him and launches a left-hand uppercut that barely missed Saint-Cyr’s chin as the man from Flint reacted just in time. It is still Lattimore’s fight, as Saint-Cyr just moves back, looking to get away from his opponent and away from danger. Lattimore, allows him to do so.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Big right hand from Gauge Lattimore to start off. Lovelie knows what kind of power the champ possesses, and knows why his nickname is Lights Out.”
[Once Saint-Cyr recuperates, he steps right back into Lattimore’s range and launches an overhand right that lands and makes the champion wobble for a bit, yet Lattimore smiles and throws a stiff right jab followed by a left cross that made the challenger stumble to the floor butt first.]
[Saint-Cyr is on the ground, but Lattimore’s corner is yelling something about not getting into the ground with Sain-Cyr. The champion throws a couple of kicks to the thighs of the challenger, more of an invitation to get back up than to really do damage. Something Saint-Cyr doesn’t buy as he waits until the referee stands him up due to lack of action.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “The Champ scores a knockdown early in the fight and shows he has zero interest in taking it to the ground.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “And you can understand why. Unless you can knock Lovelie out cold, it’s dangerous to follow him down to the ground.”
[As the fight resumes, it’s obvious Saint-Cyr knows he needs to avoid Lattimore’s power shots, the question is how. Lattimore closes in and launches an uppercut that gets blocked, followed by a low kick that visibly hurts Saint-Cyr. Lattimore goes to the well another time as he fires another low kick, but this time it gets checked and Saint-Cyr unloads a flurry of punches that momentarily stun the champion making him reel backward towards the cage.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “LSC laying it on the champ!”
[The crowd has now come unglued as the challenger is laying it on the champion against the cage. Lattimore covers as best as he can until he finds an opening. He pushes Saint-Cyr off of him and unloads with a beautiful combination that sits Saint-Cyr back to the mat.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ooh! And just like that, Lattimore equalizes the playing field.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “The best fighters always find a way to do that. You might get rocked but those instincts kick in and you find a way to get yourself the breathing room you need.”
[Saint-Cyr doesn’t stay on the ground for long, getting back on his feet and getting back into Lattimore’s face with a couple of jabs to the body. Saint-Cyr finishes his combo with a calf kick as he tries to chip away at the champ’s base.]
[The round is coming to an end and both fighters are giving it their all, as Saint-Cyr tries to steal away the round with a barrage of punches that force Lattimore to back off; but the champ manages to land another massive looping right that sits Saint-Cyr back on the mat and start to swell his right eye as the round comes to an end.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Very intense first round. It’s clear that Lattimore’s size is a big advantage, but Lovelie Saint-Cyr showed a lot of grit going toe-to-toe with the champ.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah LSC showed he can hang with the champ but I’d like to see him maybe set up his takedowns a little bit better. The heart is there, though. Probably 10-9 for the champ because of the knockdown but it’s tight.”
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ROUND TWO
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[Saint-Cyr doesn’t seem to have changed much from his approach this round as he once more starts by throwing some jabs to measure distance, something that Lattimore capitalizes on and closes the distance landing a big left hook that worries Saint-Cyr’s corner as they are clearly screaming for their fighter to get out of the phone booth.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Oof, I’d like to see LSC’s corner keep their calm a little bit more. Their job is to help him regain his composure, not lose theirs.”
[As Saint-Cyr walks away from his opponent a surprise Roundhouse Kick from Lattimore lands and wobbles Saint-Cyr who doesn’t know what hit him. The swelling over his eyes gets bigger as a result of that shot, something the doctors might need to check in-between rounds if this sort of shot continues landing on Saint-Cyr.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “I think Lattimore ripped a page outta The Shooter’s playbook with that kick.”
[Looking to score some style points Lattimore jumps in with a Superman Punch; that misses badly and Saint-Cyr uses this opportunity to land a high kick of his own and turn the tides of the round a bit. As of now, it is the champion who looks wobbled.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Really nice head kick there to get a bit of momentum back, and yep he’s pouring it on now.”
[Saint-Cyr knows he won’t get many opportunities like this one as the fight progresses and jumps in on Lattimore hitting him with everything but the kitchen sink. Forcing the champion against the fence and doing a number on the clinch. Lattimore is defending nicely, hoping the relentless assault by Saint-Cyr fizzles out and sure enough it does. Once Saint-Cyr has basically emptied his tank, Lattimore emerges from his defensive posture and unloads with a right hand, followed by a left cross, and finishes up with an uppercut that sits Saint-Cyr back on the mat.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Another knockdown for Lattimore. Lovelie was putting him in a world of hurt until he got that 3-piece.”
[This time, Lattimore jumped into Saint-Cyr’s guard looking to finish the fight with a good dose of Ground and Pound. Saint-Cyr protects and moves to make it difficult for Lattimore to land any shot at all or have a clear area of attack. This gives Saint-Cyr enough time to regain some breath and plan his next move.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Surprising move there to see Lattimore opt to go to the ground. LSC is more than capable of trapping him in a submission.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “He certainly is but I think Gauge sensed an opportunity to put the fight away and avoid getting caught with one of those head kicks LSC threw earlier in the round.”
[Lattimore unloads a right hand, but Saint-Cyr manages to dodge it; grabbing Lattimore’s head and forcing the champion to adapt. A light struggle follows and Saint-Cyr puts his superior ground skills to good use as he snaps a Guillotine around Lattimore’s neck and it looks tight.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ooh! There it is! LSC gets a guillotine sunk in on Lattimore! This could be over soon!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “He just needs to breathe and focus on securing that submission. Take his time. Even if you don’t finish the fight here you’re forcing the champion to expend an immense amount of energy just to keep himself in this thing right now.”
[Saint-Cyr continues squeezing, but Lattimore seems calm in his movements. Every single movement Lattimore has made so far has been to alleviate the pressure and give himself some space to land some “chip-away” punches to the ribs of Lovelie Saint-Cyr. Over a couple of seconds, those punches become harder and harder and ultimately forces Saint-Cyr to give up on the hold. Lattimore tries to posture up but the horn sounds and the referee steps in to finish the round.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Wow that was a very dangerous situation for Gauge Lattimore. I would be surprised to see him willingly go to the ground with LSC again.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Maybe, but I think the champ is confident enough even after that that if he thinks he can finish the fight after a knockdown, he’s going to go for it.”
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ROUND THREE
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[It’s obvious the last round put something in the back of Lattimore’s head as he doesn’t wait and rapidly gets into position throwing a couple of jabs that land right over Saint-Cyr’s eye. He follows that with a hook that lands right on the money sitting Saint-Cyr back on the mat.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Lovelie cannot allow Gauge to continue to strike on the perimeter. Lattimore has a substantial reach advantage and is just teeing off on him.”
[Lovelie invites Lattimore to the ground, but Lattimore simply waves his finger and smiles. The referee allows Saint-Cyr to get back on his feet and Lattimore starts the movements for a low kick, but it was all to bait a defensive response from Saint-Cyr and launch a massive straight right that lands right on Lovelie’s nose. The man is still on his feet and answers Lattimore’s punch with a couple of jabs of his own, finishing with a hook to the body.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Great exchange for LSC right there.”
[Both men are measuring each other in the middle of the cage, Lattimore knowing he has the advantage. One has to wonder how much the swelling over his eye is bothering Saint-Cyr, as the swell is starting to get out of control. Lattimore throws a boxing combination, Saint-Cyr manages to block the initial two jabs; but it’s the hook that got him and he stumbled towards the cage.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “We’re not in deep waters yet, but that eye is really starting to look rough right now. LSC is keeping himself in the fight, but the wear and tear of grinding this thing out against a brawler like Lattimore is starting to show.”
[Lattimore is now unloading against the head and body of Lovelie Saint-Cyr against the fence. The referee is on top of the action and repeatedly asks Saint-Cyr to defend himself; something the man does but Lattimore’s hits are getting heavier and heavier.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “That eye is starting to be a cause for concern for Lovelie. It’s nearly swollen shut at this point.”
[Yet it was a matter of time before Lattimore’s assault fizzled out and Saint-Cyr got a minute to take a breath before circling out of danger. Both men look tired, but right now, it is Saint-Cyr who looks somewhat fresh as he looks for an angle and throws a jab that made Lattimore defend the head but Saint-Cyr followed with a Sidekick that landed right in the mid-section of the champion.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Big body shot for LSC. That’s a great way to take the steam off Lattimore’s power.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “It is but it’s starting to feel like someone trying to put out a house fire with a water pistol. LSC should have been working the body from the beginning, setting up takedowns, and looking to make Gauge expend as much energy as possible. We’re nearly a full three rounds in and he’s still hitting just as hard as he was in the first round, and that’s not a good sign for the challenger.”
[Saint-Cyr seems to have gotten his second wind of sorts as he paws at Lattimore’s head with jabs and always finishes his combinations with something to the body or legs. His plan seems to be to chip away at the champion’s base, but Lattimore is unfazed. The champion answered everything Saint-Cyr threw at him with force provoking a break in the swelling and now there’s blood pouring down Saint-Cyr’s face.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ooh man, that eye is cut bad now. That’s gonna need some immediate attention.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Not even just for this moment, but long term too. Those kinds of cuts linger and can be something that causes him issues in future fights as well.”
[Blood is starting to make a dent on the challenger as it seems to be bothering him and impairing his vision. Something Lattimore knows and is taking every advantage possible. Saint-Cyr defends intelligently, given his situation, but he cannot protect himself from a massive overhand right that lands right on the temple and takes his wind away making the challenger collapse to the ground. Saint-Cyr crawls on the floor, as Lattimore jumps right on top of him when the horn sounds prompting the referee to jump in to protect Saint-Cyr.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Saved by the bell. Lovelie Saint-Cyr is in a bad situation right now. He’s been able to develop some momentum in spurts, but not enough to really sway the fight. I’d say he’s down on the scorecards at least 2-1 going into championship rounds, and maybe even have a 10-8 round in the mix. LSC is gonna have to really rally here and quite possibly look for a finish.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “This one was certainly heavily in the champion’s favor but I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say LSC was dominated to the point of scoring it 10-8. He had some moments in there where he still showed life. But it’s definitely 2-1 on the scorecards now, if not 3-0 in favor of the champion.”
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ROUND FOUR
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[In between rounds, Saint-Cyr’s corner had some stern words for their fighter as the cutman worked hard to try and stop the bleeding. Those words seemed to have an effect as Saint-Cyr came into this round a changed fighter, no longer fearing Lattimore’s power; Saint-Cyr stepped right into the phone booth with Lattimore and started exchanging blows.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Good work out of the HIt Squad corner to get that cut cleaned up some, but LSC doesn’t seem to have much regard for that as he’s stepped right back into the fight. It feels a little like desperation.”
[Bobbing and weaving, avoiding taking any big shot from the champion, Saint-Cyr is starting to make a dent on the champion and the fans here in Detroit can feel it. There’s some desperation in the eyes of the champion as Saint-Cyr continues attacking the chin and body of Lattimore, right in a phone booth where the champion’s reach advantage is negated a bit.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “We’re seeing what happens when a wild animal is backed into a corner right now. Saint-Cyr is letting the fists fly.”
[The strategy continues to pay off as Lattimore doesn’t know what to do and tries to clinch, but Saint-Cyr blocks any clinching attempt by the champion. The challenger doesn’t give the champion any moment or advantage and it’s starting to frustrate Lattimore and his corner, who continue yelling instructions. Saint-Cyr backs the champion against the fence and unloads against the body, dropping the champion to the mat.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “The Champ goes down!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “You’ve got to finish it now, lad!”
[This is the opening Saint-Cyr has been wanting all night long, but he doesn’t seem to land that ONE shot that would put the champion away. Blood is starting to trickle down his face once again from the previous cut, and Saint-Cyr is starting to run out of steam to put Lattimore away.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Dig deep lad, this is the moment you’ve been looking for! The championship is there for the taking!”
[The champion recovers and gets back to his feet, but his initial offensive attempts fall short or miss the target entirely. Saint-Cyr is just defending THAT well. Out of frustration more than anything, Lattimore tries a spinning back fist and it lands right on Saint-Cyr’s chin and it rocks the challenger.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Lattimore can change the landscape with one shot, just like that.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “That’s a championship fighter right there. All the momentum in the world was in LSC’s corner after that knockdown. The champion was on the ropes and then just like that. BANG. That momentum is erased.”
[Lattimore now gets the chance to be the hammer and hammer away he does. Landing a bunch of big punches that open the gash over Saint-Cyr’s face even wider and now it’s just a river of blood covering the right side of Saint-Cyr’s face. Yet, he doesn’t go down and shakes his head toward his cornermen to indicate that he’s fine.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “And it’s starting to slip away from the challenger again. He might say he’s fine but his face says the exact opposite.”
[Gauge throws a hook, but Saint-Cyr ducks underneath it and launches a big, big uppercut that lands flush on Lattimore’s chin, taking the champion down again in this round. Saint-Cyr jumps over Lattimore, looking to end this fight any way possible, he unloads with a bunch of uncoordinated punches that either fail to land or land right on Lattimore’s defense. It was just a matter of time until the horn sounded and the round ended.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “That is the fire we needed to see out of Lovelie Saint-Cyr. No question he took this round and swung the momentum big time in his favor. That eye is getting worse as the fight goes on, hopefully the doctors don’t stop it. Just five minutes left.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “It was a good round for him, no doubt, but let’s not get carried away. Even with all of that momentum the champion still found a way to answer. Just look at the canvas, Bodie. All that blood is from one man and a good bit of it is from this round even AFTER LSC’s corner had done a nice job of closing that cut in between the third and fourth.”
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ROUND FIVE
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[Saint-Cyr’s corner knows their fighter needs a finish if he wants to win this fight, so those are their final words as the bell rang and the final round started. Lattimore seems to be a tad bit pissed about that last round and he lets Saint-Cyr know with a thunderous right hand that opens the cut once again.]
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Maybe a bit less power than early on in the fight but that big right, sheesh, the lad is still hitting like a mack truck.”
[Lattimore dodges a jab and counters with a hook that staggered Saint-Cyr and halted his attempt at an offense. Yet the type of fight these two have thrown tonight is enough to slow down both fighters and there’s not a lot of action as we saw in the previous rounds. Saint-Cyr throws a couple of jabs finishing up with a low kick, Lattimore answers with jabs to the body, but the power is not there right now. These shots are more to chip away at each other than to finish the fight.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “You can tell these guys are running on fumes, Double D, but still there is not an ounce of quit in ‘em.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “They’ve got heart by the bucket loads but for the challenger, he needs to find that extra reserve.”
[Blood continues to cover Saint-Cyr’s face and hair and is now making a mess on the canvas. Lattimore unleashes a vicious uppercut that misses by a matter of centimeters, but that’s enough to allow Saint-Cyr to spin around and hit Lattimore with a Spinning Back Kick to the ribs. The way the champion reacted to that kick made it seem as if something broke or he was seriously hurt, yet he didn’t go down. Lattimore ate the pain and touched Saint-Cyr with a couple of jabs that drove the challenger away from him.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Lattimore may have been hurt there. He seems a little more hesitant to engage right now.”
[The image of a bloodied up, yet smiling Lovelie Saint-Cyr will be the image of this fight. As Saint-Cyr continues eating punch after punch without falling down. Lovelie extends his arms, inviting the champion to the center of the cage, something the fans approved of with a thunderous roar. A tired champion obliges and both fighters take the middle of the cage and unload punch after kick after punch, with neither of them able to land THAT hit that would put the other away.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “We got ourselves a firefight, Double D!”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “Giving the fans what they want!”
[Maybe out of exhaustion, Saint-Cyr finishes the whole sequence of events by grabbing a hold of the champion and getting into the clinch. Saint-Cyr’s blood is now covering a good part of Lattimore’s upper body as he eats a couple of fierce knees to the body from the challenger. This is not a position where Lattimore wants to be as evidenced by the fourth round, and Lattimore manages to slip away from Saint-Cyr’s grip and put the fear of god back into the challenger with an uppercut that sits Saint-Cyr back down to the canvas.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Oh my goodness. LSC goes down once more. The referee may look to stop this if he doesn’t answer back.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “At this point, just let the man reach the full five rounds. He’s given everything he can, spilled blood by the gallons. He’s earned that much and I think the referee understands that.”
[Drenched in blood, exhausted, and now on the floor; Saint-Cyr can’t help but smirk, inviting the champion to the mat with him but getting a playful middle finger in response from the champion. Saint-Cyr shrugged and stood back up. Both fighters stood up to each other and unleashed a series of punches and counters that would’ve knocked a lesser man out, but not these two. They just swung for the fences and neither man gave an inch until the final horn sounded forcing the referee to break them apart.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Un… be… lievable… Twenty-five minutes and this one is in the history books. What an amazing fight to cap off the night. Double D, you gotta give all the credit in the world to Lovelie Saint-Cyr, but this was Gauge Lattimore’s night. Barring any bullshit from the judges, I think we can all agree that Lattimore retains here tonight.”
DELANEY DONOVAN: “I loved that moment right at the end, the mix of respect and frustration between champion and challenger. No doubt Lattimore retains, but Lovelie Saint-Cyr continues to show the world he belongs with the best of the best.”
[Both fighters touch gloves after the final horn and Saint-Cyr gets bombarded by his cutman and the Ringside Physicians to check on the cut over his eye. After a few moments pass, the medical staff file out and both fighters meet back to the center of the octagon for the official call.]
MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, after five rounds we go to the judges’ scorecards for a decision. The judges have scored it 49-46, 49-44, and 49-44, declaring your winner by unanimous decision, AND STILL the undisputed Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Gauge “Lights Out” Lattimore!
[The crowd cheers once again as Lattimore has his hand raised in victory and the title wrapped around his waist. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to each one’s crew. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]
JUDGE LOGAN STAFFORD
Gauge Lattimore 10 10 10 9 10: 49
Lovelie Saint-Cyr 9 9 9 10 9: 46
JUDGE JOE MORGAN
Gauge Lattimore 10 10 10 9 10: 49
Lovelie Saint-Cyr 9 9 8 10 8: 44
JUDGE VAL PALMER
Gauge Lattimore 10 10 10 9 10: 49
Lovelie Saint-Cyr 9 8 8 10 9: 44
Winner: Gauge Lattimore by Unanimous Decision
Statistics: Gauge Lattimore
Punches 224/353 (63%)
Kicks 24/29 (83%)
Clinch strikes 14/21 (67%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 5/15 (33%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 0 s
Statistics: Lovelie Saint-Cyr
Punches 178/381 (47%)
Kicks 14/19 (74%)
Clinch strikes 14/21 (67%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 1/1 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 298 s
[The commotion simmers down and Bodie Sullivan slides into frame. With a mic in hand, he grabs the champ’s attention for a quick word.]
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m standing here with reigning Cruiserweight Champion, Gauge Lattimore. Gauge, you came into this fight off a razor thin loss to Roscoe Robinson that snapped an eighteen fight win streak. How good does it feel to get back on the winning side of things?”
GAUGE LATTIMORE: “Hey listen, first off, I want to thank everybody for coming out here tonight! D-Town stay down! But for real, it feels great, man. I knew what Lovelie was gonna bring to the table, so I knew I had to be flawless out here. He the first guy that pushed me to a decision, so I knew he’s got a lot of heart.
BODIE SULLIVAN: “You earned your first title defense, but this is your third title fight in a row; going back to back with Roscoe and now here against Lovelie. You said he was the first guy to go the distance, how difficult has it been going from starching guys in the opening rounds, to going twenty-five minutes?”
GAUGE LATTIMORE: “Hey listen, I don’t know what they put in the water over there at the Hit Squad facilities, but them boys don’t fuck around. I’ve always taken pride in my volume and stamina, and here lately I’ve been able to showcase it. My last three fight times probably exceed the last eighteen. At the end of the day, I’m chasing the bag and entertaining the fans.”
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Given that you’re the champ, the target is on you. But, who do you want to see next and how soon are you looking to get back in the octagon?”
GAUGE LATTIMORE: “Listen, I’ve said from day one that I want all the smoke. If I’m healthy, I want a fight. Whenever. Wherever. You know I took like four months off in between both fights with Roscoe and that shit killed me, man. I don’t wanna wait around like that. But as far as who I want next, honestly it don’t really matter. I’d like to see some fresh blood out here, but at the same time you ain’t really seeing people shoot their shot anymore. I know Michael Santos said he wants to fight me for his last MMA fight. If the UGP brass wanna make that fight, let’s fuckin do it. I got no problems knocking him out and putting his ass in the retirement home for good.
BODIE SULLIVAN: “Well Gauge, whatever’s next, we can all agree that it’ll be a can’t miss fight. Thank you for your time. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the Union GP Cruiserweight Champion!”
[The final shot shows Gauge Lattimore gathering with his cornermen and taking a group photo and continuing the celebrate a hard earned victory in his hometown.]
