RFC 1: CONJURE
PRE-FIGHT: The Rumble Room is buzzing for the very first Ryūjin FC event. Anyone who has ever personally taken part of an event in the distinguished venue knows that there very well may be an unscheduled fight or two in the crowd. However, tonight it appears to be a 60/40 split between high rollers and your ordinary locals. Much of the suits sit at ringside, and the real party is going on in the back. To kickoff the inauguration, it’s a young blood versus old head matchup with Muay Thai rookie sensation Praewa Panitchayapak taking on the grizzled veteran Xabier Belazco. Despite being on a five fight losing skid, The Black Knight receives a roaring ovation, which clearly pulls at the heart strings a bit for the San Diego native when he makes his way across the elevated ramp and into the ring. There’s a level of respect that can be read on their faces during the introductions, but knowing that all bets are off once the bell sounds. Referee Lars Levy is the man in charge, and with the sound of the bell, Ryūjin Fighting Championship is born.
ROUND ONE: The crowd is rabid, but the fighters are focused and cautious in their initial approach. Although Praewa has the reach disadvantage, she uses her well-timed leg kicks to perfection to keep Belazco on the perimeter and not allow him to get too close to grapple. Praewa launches a big head kick but Xabier was ready for it and ducked away and then countered back with stinging jabs and crosses. This put Praewa on her bicycle as she backpedaled away to avoid any further damage. Belazco kept patient in his approach and started timing Praewa’s leg kicks by checking them and firing back with rapid one-two combos. As the fight continues, Praewa’s inexperience as a MMA fighter shines bright as Belazco gradually shuts down her one-dimensional strategy and sets up an easy double leg takedown to drag the fight to the mat. Belazco is able to unleash fury with his ground and pound with little resistance from Praewa. Unfortunately for Belazco, the two end up nearly spilling out of the ring when Praewa nearly escapes, forcing the official to break the action and stand them back up. Praewa tries to use this opportunity to really unload her offense, but the crowd is fully behind Belazco and he uses the motivation to keep the momentum in his favor. He continues to check kicks and counters with bigger shots; uncorking haymakers and digging hooks to the body. At this stage, Praewa is in survival mode, simply taking shots in the dark and mostly coming up empty-handed. In a fit of desperation, Praewa clinches up with Belazco in hopes to show the tempo down to where she can regain her wits. The Black Knight is having none of it, though, as he launches big bruising shots inside. Praewa tries to answer back but it does little to slow down Belazco. Praewa tries to connect with a spinning back elbow, but Belazco ducks under it and she gets twisted around, allowing Belazco to wrap her around by the hips and control her back. The two jostle for control when out of nowhere Belazco drops his hips and lifts Praewa high up into the air. As she begins to crash down to the mat, Belazco switches his position and catches her in a flying armbar. As the two hit the mat, Belazco has the submission locked in deep and within seconds, Praewa is forced to tap.
Winner: Xabier Belazco by Submission (Flying Armbar) at 7:18 Round 1
Statistics: Xabier Belazco
Punches 47/62 (76%)
Kicks 3/9 (33%)
Clinch strikes 4/8 (50%)
Takedowns 1/1 (100%)
GnP strikes 25/30 (83%)
Submissions 1/1 (100%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 136 s
Statistics: Praewa Panitchayapak
Punches 9/24 (38%)
Kicks 12/20 (60%)
Clinch strikes 2/6 (33%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 2/7 (29%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 136 s
POST-FIGHT: The crowd went wild for the finish, particularly in the back sections where the more diehard fans were sitting, and this win was a big one for Xabier Belazco. During his post-fight interview, he thanked the three-headed honchos Dante, Cass, and Perry for sticking with him and giving him this opportunity. He attributed the layoff, the new promotion banner, and the new training camp location for this performance. He felt like this was a clean slate for him, and one that he will take home and build off. When asked about what’s next, he didn’t name-drop any particular fighter, but did reiterate that right here in Japan is where he wants to fight next, which resulted in the entire building roaring with cheers.
Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: A massive win for Xabier Belazco, who has always been a fan favorite among all MMA fans since he walked through the doors in Union GP. This snapped his five fight skid and proved that you can teach an old dog new tricks. He looked rejuvenated, fresh, and a contender in this new realm of mixed martial arts.
PRE-FIGHT: Barrera makes her way down to the cage first to a pop from the crowd. She looks relaxed, and is relatively all smiles as she talks shit to the ringside camera about how she’s about to end Zion and send him back to the shelf where he belongs. She does a few laps around the cage, and the lights suddenly go dark in the arena as “The Buzzsaw” makes his long awaited return to mixed martial arts. The crowd is going bananas and his walkout music says it all as he marches down the ramp stoically toward Blue Barrera;
“You should’ve known I was coming.”
After all the talk, and disrespect, the two of them were finally going to get a chance to solve it once and for all in front of the world. Momo’a looks as though he’s added more muscle mass during his time off, and as he crosses the ring to get into the face of Barrera it’s immediately clear the mismatch in size between the two. Barrera doesn’t back down though, she starts barking in Momo’a’s face who simply gives her a smirk and makes his way toward the middle for the referee’s instructions. There is no glove touch, obviously, and the two head back to their corners to wait for the bell, both chomping at the bit to get to work.
ROUND ONE: The bell rings and both fighters come out to the center to throw shots right away. Zion slips Barrera’s jab, and he makes her pay with a HARD check left hook flush to the jaw. The hook wobbles Blue and she tries to go on the retreat, but her legs give out, causing her to fall momentarily. This gets her soccer kicked in the ribs as Zion stays on her like a shark smelling blood. Somehow, she absorbs the kick and pops back to her feet to fire off a desperate 3 punch combo. The shots bounce off the philly shell style guard of Momo’a and he slips the third, rotating his hips to absolutely crush Barrera with a counter uppercut that lifts her off her feet. She appears to be done as soon as she hits the ground, but Zion makes sure of it as he takes two steps forward and lands three huge stomps to the face of Blue Barrera before the ref can pull him off. The building sounds like it might come down around them as the fans celebrate with Momo’a, who has now left the ring and is making his way through the crowd to show them love. Barrera is still down and being flooded by medical personnel as Zion makes his rounds back to the ring. He pauses for a second, looking down at her before making his way over to check on her. Security isn’t having it though, and they pull him away and back to his corner as Barerra is carried out of the ring and to the back on a gurney.
Winner: Zion Momo’a by KO (Stomps) at 1:52 Round 1
Statistics: Zion Momo’a
Punches 2/2 (100%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 4/4 (100%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 0s
Statistics: Blue Barrera
Punches 0/5 (0%)
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 10s
POST-FIGHT: Zion is elated to be back, and this shows in his interview as he has to fight back his emotions while he talks about his return. He thanks everyone who helped him make the climb back to the ring and gives a heartfelt speech about crawling out of the gutter to come back and that if he can do it, anyone can. He’s asked who he wants next and he says “ anyone, anytime.” and that he’s “back to become the best fighter in the world” and that he “feels better than he has his entire career”, so it’s only going to be more of what we just witnessed. He celebrates with the crowd a little more, tossing out t-shirts, before heading to the back with his team to celebrate more into the night.
Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: The Buzzsaw is back. We didn’t just see a dominant performance tonight, we saw a scary one. Lots of fighters have made comebacks in their careers here, and they’ve turned everything around. Donnie Calabrese, Travis Decker… Will Zion be the next one we see re-emerge as a brand new fighter and obtain the gold that has eluded him for so long? Only time will tell but the performance he put on tonight is a step in the right direction.
PRE-FIGHT: The Co-Main Event is now in session as CC Flynn begins to make her way to the ring. 50 Cent’s “Problem Child” ushers in the Supastar, who’s flashing a Dog Face cage link chain around her neck to the nearby camera crew, and shouting expletives to the ringside judges, specifically saying “don’t fuck me over”. CC Flynn has been one of the most talked about fighters as of late, most notably due to her controversy involving her suckerpunching Everest MMA boss lady Cass Madrigal that led to her dismissal from the promotion. Next out comes the former Union GP Heavyweight Champion Donnie Calabrese, who enters the arena with the sound of “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra. Donnie is more focused than he normally is making the walk out with a cold and calloused snarl across his face. As he enters the ring, CC continues her ranting, flipping off Donnie and his cornermen as they settle in.
ROUND ONE: These two renowned fighters need no more introduction, and referee Dusty Whittaker draws the bout assignment. No surprise that we didn’t get a glove touch from these two as the heated tension has come to a boiling point. Flynn sticks out a few jabs, and doubles up on her left hand. Calabrese nails Flynn with a stiff jab, but it is one-and-done as Flynn walks forward with a few left hands. Calabrese plants his left hand in Flynn’s face and lands a leg kick, and the two trade jabs. The former Heavyweight Champ lands low kicks, and he targets the body and head with long, powerful strikes. Flynn scores another leg kick, and she chains several punches together to the body and head. Calabrese lands a leg kick, but Flynn is in his face with punches and an oblique kick to the knee. Calabrese lands an effective jab that marks up Flynn’s face, but Flynn comes back at him with a trio of punches ending with a solid right hand. Calabrese swings and misses with a big hook, allowing Flynn to tee off on him with five or six punches to the body and head. Both fighters land left hands at the same time, and Flynn kicks the lead leg twice to decent effect. Flynn rushes in with a stream of punches, and Calabrese can only sit back and absorb them, but Calabrese cracks Flynn twice with right big hands. Flynn marches in with a few long punches that have now marked up Calabrese’s face, and a one-two snaps Calabrese’s head back. The ex-champ strides in with a knee up the middle, and follows the knee that lands with a few punches. Flynn absorbs a leg kick to land a few punches, and a right hand makes Calabrese circle away. Flynn is unafraid to take shots to eat them, as she starts to load up on her punches while Calabrese throws with reckless abandon. Flynn fakes high, low, and drills Calabrese in the body with a spinning back kick. Flynn rocks Calabrese with another, and she follows it with a few punches. Flynn gets off a third of these kicks, and a front kick from Calabrese ends the round.
ROUND TWO: Both fighters don’t waste time finding their range, as they would rather start trading early. Flynn tattoos her fist on Calabrese’s face a few times, and Calabrese backs away and blocks. Flynn dances out of the way of an uppercut to land a barrage of punches, and she quickly gets out of the way from a counter. Calabrese lands one single punch to the body, and Flynn slips it and begins showboating to play some mind games. Flynn gets back down to it with punches to the body and head, never throwing single shots as she rips the liver with a left hand. Flynn comes back with a knee up the middle, and then two punches over the top catch Calabrese standing still. Calabrese slings heavy leather, and some land, but Flynn forces the issue and puts Calabrese back on the ropes with a right hand. Calabrese circles out and shrugs his shoulders before biting down on his mouthpiece to nail Flynn with a right hand that stuns Flynn momentarily. Calabrese lands another, and Flynn wears it well but her face wanes briefly after absorbing those heavy shots. Calabrese spins with a back elbow, and he steps in and lands several quick punches in rapid succession. Calabrese cracks Flynn with a right hand, and lands a leg kick to disrupt a responding Flynn. Both fighters trade ferocious leather, and Flynn works the body fearlessly with knees and punches. Calabrese aims for more home run punches, while Flynn is content to touch Calabrese repeatedly. A few punches from Flynn have opened up a cut on Calabrese’s right eye, which is also showing some swelling fast. Flynn kicks and punches repeatedly, before hurting Calabrese with an elbow. The Chicago native backs into the ropes, and Flynn attacks him ferociously with punches in bunches. Flynn slices open Calabrese’s head with another vicious elbow, and she works the body relentlessly while Calabrese is reeling. Calabrese tries to tie up and take the fight down, but Flynn stops him and elbows him hard to make Calabrese go on Bambi legs. Flynn keeps the pace up with strike after strike, making Calabrese do the chicken dance. As Flynn looks to finish the fight, the time runs out and both fighters laugh and shake their heads indicating they’re wanting more.
ROUND THREE: Both fighters land flush jabs to start off the round, and they trade single shots while trying to find their range again. Flynn doesn’t take long, as she plants several punches on the head and torso. Flynn targets the body again, drawing a reaction from Calabrese, and she just barely avoids an overhand right that zooms past her chin. Flynn carves up the liver with a left hand, and she backs up Calabrese with several punches to the body and head. Calabrese is not out of this fight, but Flynn is styling on him as she is tripling up on her opponent. Calabrese lands a serious right hand, but Flynn shrugs it off and blasts the liver once more with her heat-seeking left hand. Four punches from Flynn greet Calabrese when the Chicago native tries to land one. Flynn hurts Calabrese with body shots, making Calabrese’s hands drop to open him up for elbows up top. Calabrese throws back wildly and lands a few, but Flynn wrecks him with strike after ferocious strike. Flynn keeps peppering the body with strikes, and Calabrese is barely on his feet. Calabrese tries to sling elbows and lands a huge right hand, but Flynn is on him and will not relent. Landing a few knees and some brutal elbows along the way, Calabrese is keeping it together, but just barely. Flynn tees off on him with an unbelievable amount of strikes, but Calabrese continues to survive. Flynn walks Calabrese down and elbows him a few more times, and Calabrese gives her one back. Flynn’s body shots are making Calabrese react after almost each one, but Calabrese slings huge bombs to give Flynn pause. Flynn dodges a spinning back elbow, delivers a spinning back kick to Calabrese’s body, and starts working the legs again as the time is winding down. Flynn’s head kick makes Calabrese go on wobbly legs, and she smacks Calabrese with a wild hook to the temple. A few more punches end the round and these two go the distance.
JUDGES’ SCORECARDS
Yokoi Takeichi: CC Flynn
Fukuyo Yozo: CC Flynn
Matsushita Shingen: CC Flynn
Winner: CC Flynn by Unanimous Decision
Statistics: Donnie Calabrese
Punches 36/88 (41%)
Kicks 8/15 (53%)
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: CC Flynn
Punches 156/244 (64%)
Kicks 7/16 (44%)
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
POST-FIGHT: As soon as the winner was announced, Donnie throws his hands up in complete shock and shakes his head in total disappointment. Before Bodie Sullivan can enter the ring for interviews, Donnie and his cornermen leave the ring. CC Flynn on the other hand soaks it all in and isn’t humble about it in the slightest. She hops on the mic and tells Donnie and his crew to kiss her ass and flaunts her Dog Face chain. During her cocky and arrogant speech, the former Everest MMA Featherweight Champion calls out anyone who wants the smoke to come and get it; from Roscoe Robinson and Elliot McMillan, all the way to Cal McCluskey. Her passionate speech leaves the spectators torn, giving her a mixed reaction of cheers and jeers as she exits the ring.
Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: CC Flynn wasn’t interested in talking about the technical side of her David versus Goliath-style win, so I’ll break it down. She came out here with the perfect game plan and executed it flawlessly. Playing a cat and mouse game with the bigger competitor was to be expected, but incorporating leg kicks was something no one saw coming out of the boxer. It allowed Flynn to stifle any heavy damage attacks from Calabrese. Whenever Donnie started to get a rhythm going, she’d attack the legs and force him to pause long enough for her to pounce. We knew she had the advantages in speed and stamina, and she used it to the fullest to gas Donnie out and take the lethal power away from his shots the longer this fight went. Any bettors out there that put money on CC are surely happy to cash in that ticket tonight.
PRE-FIGHT: Strap in, fight fans, the Main Event is underway! The Rumble Room goes dark and silent as an old-timey countdown shows on the screens; then as “Villain” by Wild Fire begins playing, white lights give the effect of slowdown, and that of a black and white movie. Around the 30-second mark, those lights turn bright blue and Elliot McMillan comes out of the back. Black shirt with his own image after fighting in G2’s tournament, bloodied up but with a photoshopped crown over his head. Spartan-like trunks complete his walkout outfit as he smirks at the crowd gathered around him and greets some of the people in suits around the ring. McMillan gets inspected and before he enters the ring, he bows with both of his hands in a prayer motion before jumping sideways circling the whole ring and waiting for his opponent.
The entire building is vibrating with a low hum of chatter and cheers. The dead silence builds anticipation and the crowd begins to grow more impatient by the second. Then, the entire arena goes from day to night mode, complete darkness, and the fans in attendance lose their minds as “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” by 2Pac hits the airwaves. A spotlight shines down onto the entrance way as Roscoe Robinson bursts out from the back, drawing an even louder reaction from the fans. “The Shooter” overlooks the crowd from the entrance, bobbing his head with the beat of the music. His trunks are black, the same pistol in a holster we’re used to seeing stitched on his right hip in gold, the Monster Energy logo covering the left side of his trunks and the cbdMD logo on his lower right. He wears a black shirt with large gold letters across the front of it reading ‘HIT SQUAD’, and of course the Ryūjin FC Championship strapped around his waist. After the inspection at ringside, Roscoe pounds his fists together then races up the steps and into the ring.
The entire building is booming as both fighters stare each other down during the introductions. Nothing else needs to be said here. There doesn’t seem to be bad blood between these two, just an old-fashioned battle between two of the best in the business. Jordan Ripley is the third man in charge, and with the sound of the bell, it’s bout time!
ROUND ONE: The Shooter and The Villain touch gloves and come out swinging. Robinson opens with a leg kick, and McMillan is right there to throw bombs. Another successful leg kick for Robinson scores, while McMillan is aiming his left hook. The leg kick continues to do damage for Robinson, who rolls from the power punches and measures his own right. Robinson scores a right hook, ducks a right hand counter and scores a heavy leg kick. It’s evident that both fighters start throwing caution to the wind, and they begin testing their chins just as everyone had hoped. McMillan starts getting off his own leg kicks to surprise Robinson, and these two are throwing everything they have in their punches. There is no feeling-out process, and even McMillan’s jab packs enough power to wobble Robinson. The Shooter eats a huge right hand as if it were never there, and he still snaps off another leg kick as McMillan starts to uncork a jab. McMillan has a jab countered with a calf kick, and Robinson connects with a huge left hand that stuns the former Everest MMA Strawweight Champion. McMillan circles out to regain his composure then measures his range before throwing a huge right hand that gets Robinson’s attention. Both fighters continue to fight in the phone booth, and no fear is shown between the two. Robinson gets rocked with a flying knee and a few punches, and McMillan stings him with punches that forces Robinson to back up, fumbling over his feet to the ropes. Robinson looks like he’s buzzing pretty good, but he still bites down on his mouthpiece and nails McMillan right back. McMillan is throwing power punches that are nearly making Roscoe fall over, and both men are damaged but still throwing. The crowd is wildin’ out as a finish for either fighter could be near. The punches begin to mount as McMillan’s face is busted up, and he spits out some blood to the roaring sounds of the crowd. Robinson gets off a few uppercuts and a leg kick, and McMillan shoots in for a takedown but gets stuffed. The leg kick from Robinson makes McMillan switch stances briefly, and he chains it together with a couple punches. McMillan spits out blood and fires right back just before the horn signals the end of the round. The Rumble Room is shaking at seismic levels with passion as both fighters touch gloves and head to their corners after an unbelievable ten minutes of combat.
ROUND TWO: The second round begins and both fighters meet in the center of the cage and touch gloves once again. McMillan is flinching from potential leg kicks, showing his hand that the leg kicks are bothering him, and he hops back when Robinson fakes to throw one. A right hand from Robinson makes McMillan wag his finger at him, and Robinson snaps his shin into McMillan’s calf like a Louisville Slugger. McMillan may be hobbled but he is still winding up with haymakers. Robinson scores a pair of right hands, and McMillan returns fire only to have his lead leg kicked hard. Robinson stings McMillan with a right hand, and then a left hand on the temple sends him reeling back into the ropes. Robinson clips him with an uppercut, and McMillan backs off to recover. Robinson lets him do this, and he times a crisp uppercut. A second uppercut sends McMillan falling to the ground, and Robinson pounces to try to finish the job. Referee Jordan Ripley lets them fight on as McMillan survives. A desperation takedown attempt from McMillan lets him get his wits about him, as he pursues a single leg that is stuffed without any concern at all. Robinson rips the body with right hands as they are both on their knees, and he teases at a guillotine choke before opting to circle and take McMillan’s back. Instead of going after submissions and possibly putting himself in a bad position he’s not well-versed in getting out of, Robinson backs off to let McMillan stand back up. McMillan’s face is a bloody mess but he wears it like war paint, nodding his head and grinning from ear to ear when Robinson lands cleanly on him. McMillan tags The Champ with his own uppercut, and then he shoots in for a takedown that gets stuffed. Robinson steps in with an uppercut, and McMillan reels and reacts with a right hand that knocks Robinson back. Robinson reintroduces his shin to McMillan’s leg, and the former Strawweight King’s leg is swollen but he is able to remain on his feet. Robinson takes a deep breath as McMillan attacks, and McMillan assaults the body with a quick burst barrage of blows. Robinson throws an uppercut, but McMillan nails him with a right hand that redirects Robinson’s uppercut, causing him to go about two knuckles deep into McMillan’s eye socket. Jordan Ripley looks like he doesn’t know what to do as he didn’t clearly see a foul, so he lets the action roll. Robinson pauses for a brief moment with confusion, but once Ripley gives him the ‘go ahead’, he lands a few more punches before the horn sounds. Robinson heads back to his corner but McMillan stays in the center, airing his grievances by chest bumping the official and protesting about the poor handling of the eye poke. This nearly gives him a penalty card in the process, but cooler heads prevail and Jordan Ripley restores order.
ROUND THREE: The fighters touch gloves for a third consecutive time to clock in the final round, and Robinson leads off with a nasty calf kick. Robinson flicks out a jab and then hits McMillan in the leg so hard that McMillan spins around when he tries to check it. McMillan is forced to switch stances because of the clear pain in his face, and Robinson lands a few punches and then kicks to the leg when McMillan goes back to orthodox stance. McMillan pops off a huge right hand, and Robinson eats it and fires right back. The former Everest MMA Champion aims a massive right hand that connects with the side of the head, but Robinson rolls through it. McMillan walks down and rips punches to the body a few times, and the body shots are getting reactions out of Robinson. The Shooter chops down the leg, and an uppercut-left hand combo snaps McMillan’s head back. Robinson looks on in disbelief that McMillan is still standing, so he kicks the leg hard enough to nearly buckle McMillan’s legs. McMillan grabs hold of Robinson, and although he picks Robinson up and slams him to the ground, as soon as they hit the mat, Robinson wall walks back up to his feet from the corner. When they get back to striking range, McMillan waves Robinson on and starts throwing everything he’s got. He manages to rock Robinson with a few punches, and Robinson wobbles but still manages to fire back a right hand that would have dropped a rhino. Robinson blasts his opponent with another right hand, and McMillan drops his hands and is somehow still on his feet. Robinson does this again, and he follows this one with a leg kick as McMillan is barely on his feet. Having switched stances from the damage of the kicks, McMillan signals to the crowd to get pumped up as if they were not already on their feet for the last nineteen minutes. They take a moment to measure themselves, and McMillan leaps in the air with a flying knee that is nowhere near the mark. Robinson calmly, comfortably stalks McMillan down, and McMillan’s hands are down by his waist as he springs back and forth. McMillan jumps with a Superman punch, and Robinson kicks him in the chest. When the final horn sounds, this absolutely incredible slugfest comes to a shocking end, and they hug it out and high five while the crowd continues to lose their minds.
JUDGES’ SCORECARDS
Yokoi Takeichi: Roscoe Robinson
Fukuyo Yozo: Elliot McMillan
Matsushita Shingen: Roscoe Robinson
Winner: Roscoe Robinson by Split Decision
Statistics: Roscoe Robinson
Punches 72/99 (73%)
Kicks 21/34 (62%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 2/5 (40%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 42 s
Statistics: Elliot McMillan
Punches 104/186 (56%)
Kicks 3/8 (38%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 2/6 (33%)
GnP strikes 7/14 (50%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 49 s
POST-FIGHT: There’s a level of respect given between both fighters as they dab up and have a quick word with each other. Roscoe is met with the mic first, and keeps things short and sweet. He gave his respects to McMillan for a helluva fight, and stated that this is something he’s been dying to have for months. The long layoffs have been difficult but tonight it paid off. He thanked the fans in attendance for being so vocal all night and that at the end of the day, none of this would be possible without them. Before splitting off, The Shooter said he wants to get back in the ring as soon as possible, and he doesn’t care who’s standing across from him. Turning it over to Elliot, you could tell he was disappointed, but never spoke about it directly. He talked about how despite being a natural Bantamweight, he’s fought the biggest and best here in Japan and continually gives them some of their toughest moments. Outside of his stint in Everest, he’s competed mostly in Japan, and it’s a place he loves and wants to continue to compete in. He ends it with “Win or Lose… if you entertain, and give your all, you’ll be back.” No questions about it, we’ll certainly see The Villain here soon enough.
Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: There is absolutely no way there could have been a better main event fight for the very first Ryūjin event. This will go down in history as one of the grittiest and most action-packed fights, possibly in MMA history. For twenty minutes there wasn’t a single second that didn’t keep you on the edge of your seat, white knuckling it every step of the way. This is the kind of fight both Roscoe and Elliot needed to remind the fight fans just who they are. Both men were on top for so long in their realms and since signing with Ryūjin, the hype trains cooled a bit as the behind the scenes mess was sorted out. Hopefully we get to see these guys back in combat soon, as they are a nice shot in the arm this sport needs.
[Sometimes things just happen, it’s no one’s fault – It’s just what needs to be done. With that in mind, the camera cuts to one of the back hallways of The Rumble Room, just in time to catch the very moment that C.C Flynn saw Donnie Calabrese. The two are walking in opposite directions, both with a crew of people behind them. CC is laughing it up with Benji, Garf, and a few other members of 206. Dog Face has headphones on, so he’s not really paying attention and it’s Supa who eyes him up first.]
[As soon as she’s in range she spits on his fucking face, in shock to Donnie as he’s then met with a tight combo from Supa. She connects each punch, one, two, three, and then an uppercut before Donnie shoots forward and lifts Supa up in the air before slamming her onto the ground. He cocks back and lands a clean hammer fist to the side of her head before the security is on the two of them. They pull Donnie off while Dragging a kicking and shit-talking Supa up to her feet.]
CC FLYNN: “Yo get the fuck off me! I told Fatboy what it was!”
DONNIE CALABRESE: “Fuck that bitch! Let me end her dumb fuckin’ ass!”
CC FLYNN: “PUSSY!!!!”
DONNIE CALABRESE: “Stupid fuckin’ cunt!”
[They break free and start going at it again, not so much a technical fight but a brawl between two people who can’t stand one another. Glancing blows to the face, and hard-hitting gut punches. Supa had her speed, but Donnie had his strength as they swung back and forth at one another. Just as security goes to break them up again, the shots ring out.]
*POP!* *POP!*
[We don’t know whose side shot, but once the bullets start flying Donnie and Supa both dodge the fuck out of there in opposite directions, their crew right behind them as they flee the scene, leaving the staff to deal with the aftermath, two bullet holes in the ceiling near where Donnie and Supa were fighting, as if someone had been aiming for one of them, but got shoved in the shuffle.]
Venue: The Rumble Room
Location: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 300
Date: August 21, 2022
Fighter Payouts: $6,365,000
Gate: Undisclosed
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT
Roscoe Robinson vs Elliot McMillan
PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT
Xabier Belazco, Zion Momo’a, CC Flynn
MOST VALUABLE PROMOTER
CC Flynn
DISCLOSED EARNINGS
Roscoe Robinson ($2,750,000)
Elliot McMillan ($1,100,000)
Donnie Calabrese ($1,025,000)
Zion Momo’a ($570,000)
CC Flynn ($550,000)
Xabier Belazco ($200,000)
Blue Barrera ($110,000)
Praewa Panitchayapak ($60,000)
QUICK RECAP
Xabier Belazco def. Praewa Panitchayapak by Submission (Flying Armbar) at 7:18 Round 1
Zion Momo’a def. Blue Barrera by KO (Stomps) at 1:52 Round 1
CC Flynn def. Donnie Calabrese by Unanimous Decision
Roscoe Robinson def. Elliot McMillan by Split Decision
