UGP 39: McCALL vs SAINT-CYR

ROUND ONE: Both fighters close the distance and look to go for a glove touch, except Mike Hunt has other plans in mind as he suddenly twists his hips and catches Hank Hayes with a big spinning back fist flush on the chin! Hayes stumbles back on his heels while Hunt tries walking him down. The two throw bombs back and forth and the crowd gets riled up anticipating a finish. Hayes tries to circle out and create some space to regroup, but Hunt cuts him off with a flurry of alternating punches. Hayes’ lip gets busted open as he gets pressed up against the fence. He’s got nowhere to go as Hunt continues to hammer him with shots. A powerful quick right hook from Hunt clips Hayes right in the temple and that’s all she wrote. Hayes crumbles to the mat and Mike Hunt celebrates a big win in his MMA return. 

Winner: Mike Hunt by KO (Hook) at 0:48 Round 1

Statistics: Hank Hayes
Punches 3/3 (100%)
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: Mike Hunt
Punches 9/11 (82%)
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

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: This one didn’t last that long, but from what we did, it looks like Mike Hunt has been working hard on his game. He certainly looks to be in much better shape from before, and showed some shiftiness along with some lethal hands. I’m not quite ready to call for a ranked opponent just yet for The King of Queens, but you could clearly tell that Hunt has dedicated his time off to hone his skills. 

ROUND ONE: Eugenie Bombelles looks amped up to make her Union debut against Tilly Jean Wade. They touch gloves and Wade strikes first, getting the early edge on Bombelles with some good hands in the exchange. Bombelles rallies back with a stunning combination capping it off with a big uppercut and hook that makes Wade back off and rethink her approach. Bombelles stuffs a takedown attempt and connects with a straight left off the break. She then lands a couple head kicks that puts Wade in a dangerous position. A couple jabs and a big right hook sits Wade down on the mat. Wade defends herself by landing a couple upkicks to the knee and under the ribs that really do some damage, which forces Bombelles to back off and allow Wade to get back up to her feet. When they’re both back on their feet, Bombelles gets surgical with her kicks. She picks apart Wade with a head kick, front kick, and calf kick while sprinkling some stinging jabs. Wade is bleeding profusely at this point and goes into desperation mode with a takedown attempt. It gets stuffed and Bombelles storms in with tremendous combos. Wade’s corner is screaming with fear, but somehow Wade does enough to survive the round.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-8 Bombelles

ROUND TWO: After the brief intermission between rounds, we begin again. Despite the best efforts from the cutman, Wade is still a bloody mess while Bombelles looks as fresh as daisies. Wade is getting tagged relentlessly, but she fights back with a solid exchange that breathes some competitiveness back in the fight. Bombelles digs a couple hooks to the body that totally deflates Wade, and after another back and forth exchange, Bombelles begins picking her apart. A head kick drops Wade momentarily, but she springs back up to her feet. She’s clearly buzzing as she stumbles to the fence for support and Bombelles smells blood in the water as she rushes in and lands a big hook that folds Wade over. The referee has seen enough at this point and steps in to wave it off, saving Wade any further needless punishment. 

Winner: Eugenie Bombelles by TKO (Punches) at 1:57 Round 2

Statistics: Eugenie Bombelles
Punches 33/46 (72%)
Kicks 8/8 (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: Tilly Jean Wade
Punches 13/23 (57%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/2 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 64 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: This fight was evenly matched in the early stages, but Eugenie Bombelles showcased her relentless drive and as soon as she spotted the slightest opening from Tilly Jean Wade, she never let her foot off the pedal. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bombelles pushes for a ranked opponent in her next outing, I think it’s pretty clear she’s ready for it. 

ROUND ONE: The crowd is on their feet for the Union GP debut of the Everest MMA Season 1 and 2 Heavyweight Champion Dax Levandrier. Dax looks like he’s ready to run through a brick wall, at the same time, it looks like the pressure is getting to Mikael Ekström. There’s no time for a glove touch, as Ekström launches a big hook that thumps Dax in his ribs. Dax winces just a bit, long enough for Ekström to follow up with a big right hand that makes Levandrier stumble back on his heels! Ekström launches a calf kick, but gets checked and Dax counters back with a roundhouse punch that wobbles Ekström a bit. Dax looks like he’s recovered and rushes in with punches in bunches. Ekström manages to defend himself against most of the traffic, but a monster right hook rocks him, leaving a sizable gash under his left eye. Ekström falls to the mat, but looks cognizant enough to defend himself. Dax is cautious in this situation, not really interested in trying to jump in Ekström’s guard, instead he fires off a kick to Ekström’s thigh, which immediately leaves a welt. Dax decides to back off and allow Ekström to get back to his feet. Ekström is still reeling from the big hook and seems hesitant to engage. Dax on the other hand, rushes in with a looping right hand, staggering Ekström once again. Another cut forms across Ekström’s forehead and he’s beginning to leak substantially. Ekström tries to fight back with some low kicks, but Dax checks them and hits him with another looping right hand that stops Ekström right in his tracks. Both fighters engage in a firefight exchange before Dax connects with a left hook to the body that appears to have landed right on the liver. Ekström gets folded like a lawn chair, and Dax follows up with a big right hook to the dome, leaving Mikael Ekström unconscious on the canvas inside the first frame.

Winner: Dax Levandrier by KO (Hook) at 3:03 Round 1

Statistics: Dax Levandrier
Punches 18/26 (69%)
Kicks 1/1 (100%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 0 s

Statistics: Mikael Ekström
Punches 5/10 (50%)
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 21 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: Despite the elevated level of competition from Everest to Union, Dax Levandrier proves to have absolutely terrifying power. Similarly to Bombelles, I’d be surprised if we don’t see Dax against a ranked fighter in his next outing. I think this guy could be competing in the top five right now, but perhaps the poets that be want to slow roll him to maximize his progress.

ROUND ONE: The fight begins with both fighters testing out their range with some striking, but neither one lands anything considerable. Harris sets up a nice single leg to take the fight to the mat and jockey for position. Benji fends off some strikes and manages to close guard and both fighters seem to take a breather. Neither one advances the action so the ref stands them back up. It doesn’t take long for Harris to catch Benji’s far ankle and trip him up with a slick sweep single. Harris jumps to half guard to get better posture but leaves enough of an opening for Meyers to scramble free. Both fighters exchange some muffled punches while climbing to their feet. Harris catches Meyers with a heavy right hook and sits him down on the mat, but he springs back up and the two engage in a couple of nice exchanges before the horn. 

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

ROUND TWO: Meyers dodges traffic and lands some solid counters to start off the second round. Harris answers back with a couple jabs, but a low kick gets checked. Meyers storms in with a flurry while Harris defends herself well and rallies back with a solid combo, which sets up a slick double leg takedown. Harris works her way to half guard and cracks Meyers with an elbow that splits his forehead wide open. The two scramble for position and Meyers does not give Harris anything to work with. She lands some shots to the ribs which opens things up and allows her to move to side mount. As the two continue jockeying for position, Harris slides a knee across and gets to full mount. Meyers tries to escape, but Harris moves back to side mount and lands a big hammer fist to Benji’s face that cuts him under the right eye then goes right back to full mount. Benji tries to escape from the bottom but Harris ends up taking his back. She gets a hook in but not much else as the horn signals the end of the round.

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

ROUND THREE: Five minutes remain and these two are ready to leave it all out there. An even exchange ignites, but Benji ends up getting cut under his left eye, leaving himself leaking in several areas and causing some issues for his vision. Harris is able to dodge a wide hook and hits a single leg while Benji is off balance. They scramble on the mat while Benji continues to wipe blood out of eyes. Harris is able to land several big elbows on a visually impaired Benji and then slide to full mount. Benji tries to escape from the bottom but he leaves himself wide open for Harris to drop several bombs from up top. She begins mixing up hammer fists and elbows and the referee is barking out orders for Be hi to defend himself or he’s gonna stop the fight. Benji tries to roll out but Harris takes his back and manages to get both hooks in to flatten him out. Harris lands a couple more punches to finish the round.

Isaac Cohen’s Scorecard (Unofficial): 10-8 Harris (30-26 Harris)

JUDGES’ SCORECARDS
Benji Meyers  9 9 9: 27
Catherine Harris  10 10 10: 30

Benji Meyers  9 9 9: 27
Catherine Harris  10 10 10: 30

Benji Meyers  9 9 9: 27
Catherine Harris  10 10 10: 30

Winner: Catherine Harris by Unanimous Decision

Statistics: Benji Meyers
Punches 10/27 (37%)
Kicks 0/0 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/2 (0%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/1 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 532 s

Statistics: Catherine Harris
Punches 12/25 (48%)
Kicks 0/1 (0%)
Clinch strikes 0/0 (0%)
Takedowns 4/4 (100%)
GnP strikes 31/37 (84%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 524 s

Isaac Cohen’s Opinion: In a one-sided victory, Catherine Harris put on a near flawless performance for her Union GP debut. She showed a well-rounded game plan that was effective in all phases of the game, but her wrestling and ground and pound is the most noted. If she can continue with this kind of success, she’s gonna be turning heads very quickly. As for Benji Meyers, this is another step back for the nineteen year old. After a successful debut win, Meyers may have been thrown to the wolves a little too early and as such, he may need to take a step back in competition to help rebuild some confidence and momentum. As I said though, Benji is only nineteen and has a lifetime to work on his craft. 

[The arena is swarming with a loud and animated crowd that becomes more restless by the second for impending chaos. Crimson spotlights scan all through the building while laser lights and a brilliant white strobe light flutters on the main entrance stage. The deep bass from the music shakes you to the core.]

[The air, which hours ago was fresh, cool, and dry, is now thick with humidity from twenty-thousand plus, and reeks with the toxic aroma of alcohol and that sticky sweet leaf. The pyrotechnic explosives drown out the sounds of cheers from the crowd with each detonation, havoc has descended upon these grounds.]

[The stage of a bloody war is set. The conquerors envision nothing but execution towards victory, while the meek is flooded with doubt. The camera pans down in the trenches at cageside, where we are greeted with Bodie Sullivan and former two-division champion Delaney Donovan, ready for their cue.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are live exclusively on the Battleground Network here at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetss and the octagon is officially open for business for UGP 39! Hello everyone and welcome to the year-end event for Union Grand Prix. I am Bodie Sullivan and tonight I’m honored to have a very special guest here with me at the broadcast booth, the two-division champ, the man who’s earned countless awards throughout an illustrious career, “Double D” Delaney Donovan! Delaney it’s great to have you here tonight my man.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Thank you, Bodie. It’s an honor to call the fights with you on this special evening. We’re closing out 2022 with a monumental lineup, and I’m thrilled to be here. I’ll try to keep up.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Nonsense. You’re too humble… too kind. We’ve wrapped up the returning prelim block with some exciting performances by the season two Everest Champions, and yet we have one more Everest Champion still to make his Union debut on the main card. Kicking things off we have Aston Page taking on Derrius Webb, a three-time Everest MMA Welterweight Champion. There’s a lot of hype coming out of the Hit Squad camp for this guy, and with good reason. Spyda stands at an astounding six foot four inches and towers over most of his competition. He likes to use those long limbs to fight on the perimeter, which could very well give Aston “Diamond” Page a lot of problems.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah if you watched the lad when he was fighting in Everest you know Spyda has all the talent in the world. For whatever reason it doesn’t always come together for him. But when he’s at his best he’s supremely tough to beat. It might be Webb that stands to gain a lot from a victory tonight but at the same time Aston Page adding a victory  over a fighter like Spyda could do a lot to really propel him forward. Sometimes you just need one for everything to click and take you to that next level. Tonight could very well be that for Aston Page.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “From there we move on to a Lightweight Bout between two guys sitting inside the top four in the rankings. A protégé of this man standing next to me and Kratos Combat Sports prospect 2Face Rodríguez takes on a man who went the distance with ‘Laney Legend, Erick Costa. I think you know these two more than most, Double D, given the fact you spent twenty-five minutes inside the cage with Costa, and you work with Rodríguez on the daily in the gym. From your experiences and perspective, tell us what we can expect to see from these guys who are on the cusp of a championship opportunity.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Selfishly I want to see Rodriguez win. I know he’s chomping at the bit to prove himself tonight against a guy in Costa who really gave me just about as much as I could handle. I think from a technical standpoint in the striking game Costa is a lot more polished than 2Face is right now but from a raw athleticism standpoint I’m not sure there’s any better fighter in the Lightweight division than 2Face is right now. End of the day this is going to come down to who can implement their gameplan the most effectively. Rodriguez is going to be patient and look for his opportunities to tie Costa up and batter him from the clinch. Erick can’t let the fight go there if he wants to solidify himself as a man who deserves a chance at Paige and her championship. Gut feeling, it’s going to be a little bit of a slower fight with a highlight reel moment or two that will have people talking well into 2023.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “We aren’t playing around tonight as we quickly move into the championship block of the card. First up, it’s the Interim Heavyweight Championship Grand Prix finals between Viktor Volkov and Gauge Lattimore. Big Vik heads into this contest riding a four fight win streak, tying his personal best. Volkov has been a guy who’s been at the top of the rankings since he signed on to Union GP, but has yet to jump over that final hurdle to hold the gold. He’s competed for the Cruiserweight Championship and Heavyweight Championship once before, but has come up empty handed both times. Tonight he’s got another shot at attaining that champion status while also punching a ticket to become the undisputed champion at a later date.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Oftentimes we like to over analyze fights and look at multiple different angles, but when it comes to Viktor Volkov and Gauge Lattimore, I believe the most obvious answer simply is the answer. It’s basically an Occam’s razor scenario here. These two like to swang and bang. We aren’t gonna see fireworks, we’re gonna see nuclear detonation. This Interim Title fight is scheduled for twenty-five minutes, but I’d be shocked if this needed more than five.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Going from the heaviest division, to the lightest division, our next contest has the Bantamweight strap up for grabs as the champion Gianna Howard takes on the wily veteran, Lena Lyons. Double D, we have touched on the fact that the 135 pound rankings have been bottle necked at the top with fighters that The Ghost has already faced and beaten. She called her shots at UGP 38 and wanted to fight one more time before the year was over. It was Thugga’s gritty performance against rising contender and former Everest Strawweight Champion Rachel Parsons that got her to this moment. Lena has won six of her last seven fights, with her only loss coming from that somewhat controversial submission stoppage against Isabel Azevedo. Lena has been a fan favorite for a long time, and if she can capture the gold tonight, it’ll put her amongst the all-time pillars of this sport.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “I’ve been where Gianna is at right now. There’s a lot of pressure on her tonight and for Lena, she can walk into this one without any kind of weight on her shoulders. If she wins it will be celebrated, perhaps wrongly so, as one of the greatest upsets of all time and if she loses nobody is going to think any less of her for fighting a woman who is, probably, the greatest Bantamweight of the last decade. Lyons has everything to gain and nothing to lose while Gianna, really, has very little to gain and everything to lose. She’s beaten everyone there is to beat, right now, until the next crop of Bantamweights come along to try and accomplish the same thing Paige Holloway did against me. For sure I’m looking forward to this one and I know back home in Ireland Carrick Price is too.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And finally for the Main Event of the evening, the immortal Byron McCall makes his first title defense as Middleweight Champion by squaring up against Lovelie Saint-Cyr. LSC fought at 170 while he was in Everest MMA, and became the inaugural Welterweight Champion. He made his Union debut at 225, and worked his way into a title fight. He went the distance with Gauge Lattimore for the Cruiserweight Championship, a man who’s competing for the Interim Heavyweight Title tonight as we already mentioned. The guy has what it takes to be a champion at the highest level, but he’s got to overcome a man who’s already inducted into the Hall of Fame and has found the fountain of youth. Byron McCall has been on a steady course of reviving the type of competitor we all remember from the Caged Glory days. For Lovelie, it’s gonna take every fiber in his body to topple Byron McCall, in his hometown no less.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “McCall is the poster child for why it’s good to sometimes step back and reinvent yourself. Back to back to back losses a few years ago crossing over from Middleweight to Lightweight certainly put a lot of stress on his psyche and confidence. He never stopped working and got himself away from the toxic cesspool that was Real Killas MMA. It’s clear he’s made plenty of correct choices along the way but tonight he’s going to face a different sort of test in Lovelie. He’s such a well rounded fighter and immensely difficult to hit. You don’t expect a lad that walks around and what, like 225, to be able to move like Saint-Cyr does. I think his game plan has to be to try and wear McCall down by just using his size and weight difference to burn through Byron’s gas tank. It will be easier said than done. I’m looking forward to it.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And with that, let’s turn the action over inside the octagon where our very own hype man, the Mouthpiece of MMA, Mike Dempsey, is standing at attention awaiting his cue.”

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are live exclusively on the Battleground Network here at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts for UGP 39! And now, this opening contest is scheduled for three rounds in the Union Grand Prix Middleweight Division! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of eleven wins, four losses. He stands 6’4”, and weighing in at 185 pounds. He is from Brooklyn, New York, fighting out of the Hit Squad, presenting the former Everest MMA Welterweight Champion, Derrius “Spyda” Webb!

[There’s a bloodthirsty gaze by Derrius Webb aimed at his opponent. No theatrics, no flashiness. It’s all business tonight.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “First fighter on the main card docket is the three-time Everest MMA Welterweight Champion, Derrius Webb. He’s coming in tonight riding a four fight win streak, sweeping the 170 pound division all throughout Everest’s second season. Double D, this guy has the makings to become a superstar in this sport. He’s got the skills, he’s got the charisma, and he’s got the fortitude to make his Union debut against a tough ranked opponent.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “It’s a big night for him and, if he’s successful, will surely be impressive to C.C. Flynn. There’s some kind of tension between them if I remember right. Unless I’m misremembering what I saw on social media. Which, to be fair, most of the time I don’t know what the hell I’m seeing there other than some attractive young ladies in little to no clothing. Shoutout to Aspen Sterling, lass said she crushed an apple with her thighs once… anyway. Spyda. Right. Lads got all the potential in the world and tonight is an opportunity for him to build on the success he’s had in Everest.”

MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Muay Thai Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of four wins, three losses. He stands 5’10”, and weighing in at 180 pounds. He is from Valdosta, Georgia, fighting out of the Paroxysm Gym, presenting the number six ranked Middleweight Contender in the World, Aston “Diamond” Page!”

[Aston Page bounces from side to side on the balls of his feet. He nods his head and flashes a sinister grin, looking like he’s been waiting forever for a fight like this.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “The Diamond has had a bit of a turbulent start to his professional career and has had to overcome some unfortunate obstacles. After rattling off three wins in a row, which included former Middleweight Champion Asher Jrue, Page was set to face two-time Champion Robert Guilliman in what looked to be a title eliminator. An untimely injury forced him to pull out of the fight, and Byron McCall was inserted in late and he rode that win over Guilliman all the way to a Championship victory. Page’s last outing was a five round decision loss to Lovelie Saint-Cyr, a man who is contending for the title in tonight’s Main Event. Looking at what could have been, I don’t think you need any more motivation to go out there and deliver your best performance.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “No, but at the same time it can also be discouraging when it feels like fate is working against you. I’ll b e interested to see if Page has the ability to overcome all these things that have worked against him to put himself firmly back in the title hunt once again.”

[Referee Lars Levy signals for the bell as Aston Page and Derrius Webb touch gloves in the center of the octagon to make this fight official. Both men circle around and throw some feints as they measure their distance. Webb strikes first with a jab-cross combo that tags Page between the eyes. He follows it up with a middle kick, and even though Page blocks it with his arms, the crack of the foot meeting the forearm echoes to the nosebleed seats. Webb circles to his right and fires off a jab. His distance looks just barely off as he doesn’t cleanly land, but Page flinches and it appears like he caught a finger in the eye.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Derrius Webb is not playing around right now. Those strikes are vicious and… OOH! I think that was an eye poke right there.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Only thing that feels worse than that is a shot to the ball bag. But at least with those you can take a moment, collect yourself, and the pain eventually subsides. Catching a finger to the eye can really be problematic if it damaged his eye at all. But… is Levy not going to give Diamond that moment he needs??”

[Referee Lars Levy doesn’t see the foul and the action continues. With Page squinting and halfway disputing the no-call to the ref, Webb rushes in with a fiery combination. Page does a good job bobbing and weaving to avoid the blitz and counters back with a front kick. Spyda shields himself just in time to stifle the brutal impact then side steps away to regroup. Page shadows him and tries to cut him off when suddenly Webb fires off a stiff jab. Page ducks under it and counters back with a hook to the body. Webb winces in pain for a moment before the two engage in a heated exchange of punches. Neither man lands anything considerable and once a low kick from Webb gets checked, the two back off to reset.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Impressive awareness by Aston Page. He was able to deflect those punches in bunches and hammered Webb’s ribs to get him to back off long enough to maybe collect himself from that apparent eye poke.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “But this is why fighters take such issue with the referees sometimes. Levy didn’t need to take a point away from Spyda or anything like that but when a fighter is actively complaining about something like this, it’s something the referee needs to take notice of.”

[Page and Webb slowly work their way closer to each other in the center of the octagon. Webb feints a move that causes Page to react, leaving himself open for a crispy uppercut. Page’s head snaps back, and Webb quickly follows it up with a stiff jab that sends Page stumbling back on his heels. Webb backs him up against the fence with a brilliant combination and Page is forced to protect himself. Webb fires off a stiff jab but hits the fence as Page ducks under. Aston Page counters with a right hand that has malicious intent, which causes Webb to stumble back a few steps. Page tries to make a break for it, but Webb comes in with a shovel hook that rocks Page back against the fence. A couple more punches land and the referee is watching very intently. Webb connects with a dazzling haymaker that buckles Page’s knees, and that’s enough for the referee to step in and wave off the fight.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And this one is all over! Derrius Webb gets rocked for a moment but rallies back to uncork those heavy hands and it was just too much for Aston Page to bounce back from. Double D, this dude can generate some serious power with those rangy limbs, I think the rest of the division better take notice of one Derrius “Spyda” Webb!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “It was impressive and a well deserved win. All the credit in the world to Spyda. But I think Page’s corner will be furious with Lars Levy. I don’t know whether that eye was an issue or not but I think he has a legitimate complaint if he wants to pursue it.”

[The crowd explodes into cheers while Derrius Webb climbs the fence and celebrates with his coaches. The Ringside Physicians rush into the octagon and immediately tend to Aston Page. After a few moments pass, Page is able to stand on his own, so the medical team files out of the cage so both fighters can meet back in the center of the octagon for the official call.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, referee Lars Levy has called for a stop in this fight at one minute fifty-two seconds in the very first round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, Derrius “Spyda” Webb!”

[The crowd cheers once again as Webb has his hand raised in victory. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to their respective crews. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]

Winner: Derrius Webb by TKO (Haymaker) at 1:52 Round 1

Statistics: Aston Page
Punches 5/5 (100%)
Kicks 0/1 (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: Derrius Webb
Punches 10/18 (56%)
Kicks 1/2 (50%)
Clinch strikes 1/3 (33%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 0 s

BODIE SULLIVAN: “We are back ladies and gentlemen from our break for station identification. As we prepare ourselves for this next bout in the Lightweight Division, we gotta give a big shout out to the Lightweight Champion Paige Holloway in attendance tonight.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “It’s good to see her out here enjoying the fights. I actually got a chance to speak with her earlier in the day and we got to catch up on life since our fight. Great fighter, even better person. I’ve got so much respect for her.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “I’ve been hearing rumors swirling that Holloway is in discussions about headlining the first supercard of 2023, UGP 40. From what I’ve been told, Dante Reed is penciling in a return to Australia, and you would think her obvious opponent would be Alistair McKay, a fellow Aussie like Paige and the current number one ranked Lightweight. However, as of now, he’s not under contract after fighting out his last deal. If things can’t get settled with McKay, current number two ranked Abbie Peterson is ALSO currently not under contract after fighting out her last deal. So this upcoming fight between 2Face Rodríguez and Erick Costa could very well be a title eliminator fight if the behind the scenes situations do not get ironed out.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “It would be huge for the people of Australia if they can get a Holloway versus McKay matchup. However, I may be a little bit biased, but I wouldn’t mind seeing all the stars align and see Rodríguez get his chance either. But let’s get those other two under contract again too, eh? I didn’t spend years doing my part to build up the Lightweight division only  for the top three or four fighters outside of the champ to walk away after I retired.”

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 Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of six wins, four losses. He stands 5’7”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. He is from San Juan, Puerto Rico, fighting out of the Lion’s Den FC Las Vegas, presenting the former Union Grand Prix Lightweight Title Challenger and the number four ranked Lightweight Contender in the World, Erick Costa!”

[Erick Costa raises a clenched fist in the air to acknowledge the crowd’s reaction. He appears to be fully immersed in the moment.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Heading into our second and final Lightweight contest for the evening, our first competitor Erick Costa has been a durable veteran who is looking to rebuild himself after going through a rough patch. Costa built some incredible momentum after rattling off three straight wins, and earned himself a title shot against this man to my left. As we all know by now, Costa came up short, and then dropped two more L’s against Paige Holloway and Abbie Peterson. He did finally rebound into the win column in his last outing against newcomer Ray Rogers, and now looks to string two in a row here tonight. Double D, you get the sense that Erick Costa is that type of fighter that is always going to hang around the cusps of that tier one level. If you can get past him, then you know that you are hunting for that title fight opportunity very soon.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Every division needs a guy like Costa. I’m sure that’s not who Erick wants to be. Like any competitor, holding championship gold is what really gets the blood going. But with the skill set that Costa has he surely will be around as long as he chooses to be. Like you said, he’ll always be right there on the cusp of it and maybe even earn himself a championship fight here and there. But he’s also the perfect test for the up and comers because he has such good conditioning and even better precision with his striking. And, honestly, he has the talent to beat anyone he gets into the cage with.”

MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Muay Thai Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of ten wins, one loss. He stands 5’9”, and weighing in at 155 pounds. He is from Los Angeles, California, fighting out of Kratos Combat Sports, presenting the number three ranked Lightweight Contender in the World, 2Face Rodríguez!”

[2Face Rodríguez keeps his head burrowed down to the mat as he shuffles from side to side in his corner.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Breaking into the national stage on DRIP episode 3, 2Face Rodríguez quickly became a name to take notice. A dominant performance earned him a contract straight into Union GP, and continued that hype train through his debut fight, which was a gritty decision win over Benji Meyers. Tonight he takes a big step up in competition and it looks like he’s trying to catapult himself into a title fight sooner rather than later. Double D, this is your boy. This is your apprentice in the newly formed Kratos Combat Sports. Are we overstating that we could see this guy contend for a title sometime in 2023?”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “If his mouth doesn’t get in the way, yeah I think so. A guy like Rodriguez has all the talent in the world but he’s so raw and, at times, he’s so emotional that it gets the best of him. He won’t like me saying that but it’s the truth and it’s one I’ve told him before. Thankfully, we’ve managed to keep him off social media until this point. Tonight is an opportunity for him to prove himself and that he truly belongs in the division. If he can beat Erick Costa then he can hang with most everyone in the division. Still, it’s important to understand that there is a big step up in pressure between a fight like this, and potentially main eventing a championship fight against someone like Paige Holloway. Personally, I’d rather he keep getting some experience under his belt over the course of the next year and maybe look for a championship shot sometime in 2024 but things move quickly in this business and sometimes you don’t have the luxury of having opportunities present themselves on your own time.”

[Referee Ron Anderson signals for the bell while Rodríguez and Costa are showing each other a ton of respect as the fight gets underway. They are cautious in their approach, but Costa fires first with a low kick. Rodríguez checks it and counters with a right hand that misses its target. Costa looks for angles as he throws a few jabs that are countered by Rodríguez’s punches. Both fighters are missing their mark but Rodríguez pressures in and wraps Costa in a double underhook. Costa tries to shuck his way out, but Rodríguez pushes him up against the fence, and then connects with a couple big elbows that forces Costa to protect himself and slows the pace down a bit.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Bit of a feeling out process initially, but now 2Face Rodríguez looks to control the tempo inside the clinch.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “So far so good for 2Face. He’s managed to avoid most of what Costa has thrown at him and now has the fight in his comfort zone. The question we’re all waiting to see now is if he can take advantage of that.”

[Rodríguez is able to control the situation despite Costa trying to break free. 2Face launches several knees but they get blocked and Costa slips free from the clinch and circles away from the fence. Rodríguez stays hot on his trail though and secures a Thai clinch but just for a brief moment as Costa shucks his way free and back pedals away to create some distance. As they close the distance, both fighters exchange shots back and forth, but neither lands anything meaningful. 2Face goes in for another clinch and pushes Costa back into the fence in a plum position. 2Face digs a couple nasty punches to the ribs which causes Costa to fling himself out of the clinch and circle back toward the center of the octagon.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Rodríguez is finding some success with the clinch work early in the fight. You can clearly see the Muay Thai training being a focal point in his game plan.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “He definitely likes to fight out of the clinch more than I did, and has more talent for it as well. If he can execute it well it’s a really effective counter to a more traditional boxer like Costa is as it takes their primary offensive weapon away.”

[Both fighters work behind feints as they inch closer to their striking ranges. Rodríguez fires a low kick that gets checked. Costa answers with a speedy combination that fails to land and ends up getting himself wrapped up into another clinch and pressed against the fence. The two pummel for control and Costa once again manages to get free and uncorks a right hand that stuns Rodríguez. With time ticking away, both fighters engage in a wild exchange, where Erick Costa gets the best of the back and forth. Both fighters miss their target on the bodies before stepping back and simply burning the last few seconds of the round off the clock.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Round one is in the books and we saw some good things from both 2Face Rodríguez and Erick Costa. It seems evident that Rodríguez is hunting for the clinch, but as we saw at the end of the round, if Costa can keep the distance between them, his boxing prowess outshines Rodríguez.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Exactly. I don’t want to take anything away from 2Face and his own boxing ability but he spent a majority of the round fighting his fight and then, right at the end, decided to play Costa’s game and it cost him a bit. If I was a betting man, I’d guess that the judges will remember those last moments more than they will the fact that 2Face was more aggressive in the round and controlled the majority of it.”

[We begin round two with 2Face Rodríguez going right back to the well, wrapping Costa up in a Thai clinch and pushing him up against the fence. Rodríguez looks to control the situation with some dirty boxing, but Costa answers first, digging some shots into 2Face’s ribs. Rodríguez eats the shots but retaliates with a big knee right in the abdomen, causing Costa to hold his midsection in pain. This lights a fire under Costa, who breaks free from the clinch and circles back to the center of the octagon. However, Rodríguez isn’t letting off as he chases him down and wraps him back up in the clinch, and eventually pushes him right back into the fence.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Big shots thrown from both fighters. However, I think Rodríguez got the best with that knee to the body. It doesn’t look like Costa fully recovered from it and easily got manhandled into the fence.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Certainly, but I’d still rather he not let Costa have the free shots to the body even if the reward is being able to land that knee.”

[Rodríguez continues to dish out his dirty boxing, hammering the ribs with some solid punches and even stomping on Costa’s feet. Eventually Costa has enough and pushes 2Face away and circles out. Both fighters get into a heated exchange of punches off the break, but can’t connect with anything substantial so they both back off and take a few seconds to recover their breath. Rodríguez keeps his head on a swivel as he closes back in and works behind the jab. Costa throws a couple hooks to the body, but Rodríguez evades them and catches Costa off balance to secure double overhooks.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Great recognition from 2Face Rodríguez right there to avoid the big strikes. I like how he’s staying patient and not trying to force the clinch. Take what your opponent gives you and don’t make mental mistakes.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “We really have been working hard on getting him to learn how to make the most of his athleticism when it comes to avoiding being hit. Sometimes the lad can be a bit cocky and wants to show the person across the cage from him that he can take their best shot so it’s pleasing to see him not give into that instinct here.”

[Rodríguez is able to once again pin Costa against the fence, and starts launching a flurry of hooks and body shots! Costa stumbles backwards but Rodríguez chases him down and continues the blitz! Costa gets cut under his right eye and the pummeling inside the clinch causes the crimson fluid to run in rivulets into his eyes. Rodríguez connects with a battering knee to the thigh and then unloads another series of hooks and body shots. Costa looks to be in some serious discomfort and tries to shuck off, but 2Face Rodríguez is ready for it and lands some big punches to the ribs before the horn. Referee Ron Anderson separates the fighters as the round concludes and both fighters shake hands before heading back to their corners.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Two down and that was a much more decisive frame for 2Face Rodríguez. He finished the round strong and the longer this fight lasts, the more problematic his clinch game is becoming for Erick Costa. That first round was really close, it could be 1-1 or it could be 2-0 Rodríguez. If Costa was to salvage this fight, he’s got to create distance and implement his boxing.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Costa’s most effective moment so far has been in the closing seconds of the first round when he was able to find that distance and do just that, Bodie. From my perspective he seems a little bit more hesitant than he was in his fight with me. Maybe the threat of the clinch has him sitting back on his heels a bit more than he usually would. I don’t know. But if you’re in his corner right now you’re telling him to stop being so passive and use his striking ability to keep 2Face at a distance. Worry about the clinch IF he manages to tie you up, but his first priority has to be putting the hurt on Rodriguez if he wants to walk away victorious tonight.”

[The fighters size each other up in the center of the cage to begin the third and final round. You can see the grind wearing on Erick Costa as he’s breathing quite heavily. 2Face shows some good movement, sticking a jab and moving out, which sets up an easy clinch. Rodríguez launches some wild punches which nearly cost him his grasp on the clinch, but he pushes Costa up against the fence to reset his grip. As the two pummel for control, Rodríguez uncorks a big elbow that lands clean and sends Costa to the mat, sending the spectators in a frenzy.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “OOOH! Costa goes down! This could be it, ladies and gentlemen!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “And it was all set up by the fact that Rodriguez does have some skill at striking from a distance as well. You saw how that jab set up the eventual clinch. For all the young kids out there watching right now, this is why it’s so important to have more than one tool in the toolbox as a fighter.”

[Costa isn’t on the ground long before getting back to his feet. Rodríguez is measuring Costa with his jab as they circle back toward the center of the octagon, but Costa doesn’t look fazed by it. He comes back with some nice punches, but Rodríguez dodges the traffic and pushes Costa against the fence in a plum position. A heavy knee from Rodríguez rocks Costa right in the face, and Costa’s reckless counter punches are easily defended as a result. Rodríguez continues to uncork the knee one after another after another and Costa’s corner is screaming for him to protect himself as his legs are starting to look shaky. Rodríguez now targets the thigh with the same knees, chopping his opponent’s base down at will and caps it off with a ferocious straight right hand.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Erick Costa is taking a ton of damage right now. I’m not sure how much more he can take. The referee may have to step in and protect Costa from himself. He’s too tough for his own good.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “At the same time you want to give a fighter the opportunity to get himself out of trouble and as long as he’s defending himself, I think you’ve got to let him keep going. One solid punch could turn this round, and this fight, on a dime. But maybe that’s just the fighter in me talking, Bodie.”

[Costa’s face is beginning to swell to levels that are becoming detrimental to his vision, and along with the various cuts all over his face, the grasp of victory is slipping further away as time continues to tick by. Meanwhile, 2Face Rodríguez continues to impose his will inside the clinch, throwing a flurry of punches and Erick Costa just can’t get away! As the clock continues to tick away, Rodríguez slows his pace down a bit, but still connects with big knees to the body and sprinkles a flurry of punches in between pummeling for position. The ten second clacker tips off Rodríguez and he unloads one final flurry of punches before the horn signals the end of the fight.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And this one goes the distance! What started off as a fairly even and competitive fight in the first round, 2Face Rodríguez steadily took control and never let off. He clearly won rounds two and three, and we could be hearing a 30-27 decision call here, Double D. Big win for Rodríguez.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “I’m pleased with how he executed his game plan but there is still plenty to learn. We’ll have to sit down and have a conversation about the end of that first round. But those things can come later. Tonight, we’ll celebrate.”

[The sound of the final horn gets quickly drowned out from the roar of the crowd. Both fighters stagger to their corners and clench the top of the fence while hunkered over and  gasping for air. The Ringside Physicians disperse to each corner as standard procedure but neither fighter looks too banged up. After a few moments pass, the medical staff exit the cage and the fighters meet back in the center of the octagon for the official decision.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, after three rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards for a decision. All three judges score this contest 29-28, declaring your winner by unanimous decision, 2Face Rodríguez!”

[The crowd roars with cheers, regardless of the winner, but this one is for Rodríguez, as his hand is raised in victory. Both fighters embrace with a hug and exchange graceful words for one another. The two eventually split off to their cornermen and the commentators recap the fight as a graphic pops up, breaking down the statistics.]

JUDGE AHMED McFADDEN
2Face Rodríguez  9 10 10: 29
Erick Costa  10 9 9: 28

JUDGE CORY MOSS
2Face Rodríguez  9 10 10: 29
Erick Costa  10 9 9: 28

JUDGE LUNA PACHECO
2Face Rodríguez  9 10 10: 29
Erick Costa  10 9 9: 28

Winner: 2Face Rodríguez by Unanimous Decision

Statistics: 2Face Rodríguez
Punches 12/26 (46%)
Kicks 0/3 (0%)
Clinch strikes 37/68 (54%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 5/5 (100%)
Time on the ground 0 s

Statistics: Erick Costa
Punches 7/36 (19%)
Kicks 0/1 (0%)
Clinch strikes 3/19 (16%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 0/0 (0%)
Time on the ground 17 s

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Welcome back to the broadcast, ladies and gentlemen. We are drawing closer to our first Championship bout of the evening but first we wanna give a big shout out to the big man, the King of the Heavyweights, Owen Barnes! Originally, Barnes was set to compete in the Heavyweight Grand Prix, but an unfortunate injury forced him to pull out of the tournament before it could even begin. However, he’s nearing a complete recovery, and I’ve been told that he is eyeing a return against the winner of Volkov and Lattimore at UGP 40!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “It definitely would have been great to see him compete in the Grand Prix, but injuries are a part of this grueling sport. Our bodies take such a toll so often that we’re hanging together by bandaids and clothespins. It’s good to hear that he’s almost at a hundred percent, I can’t wait to see him back in the octagon against whoever walks away victorious between Volkov and Lattimore. 2023 is gassed up already, Bodie!”

♫
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: “First man up in this Interim Championship bout is the former Cruiserweight Champion, Gauge Lattimore. This guy has traveled the world over, competing wherever he can and has found great success. Winning the G2 Grand Championship in Japan, then becoming the Cruiserweight Champion here in Union, Lattimore was on a streak that we haven’t seen in a long time, maybe even ever in this sport. However, his eighteen fight winning streak was snapped by Roscoe Robinson for the eventual Ryujin FC Championship, and then lost the Cruiserweight Championship to Michael Santos. Since then though, he’s entered the Heavyweight Division chat and has put the entire division on notice.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “That’s the look of a man on a mission tonight, Bodie. A man with a single-minded purpose. I’m not sure which is more important to him, becoming the Interim Heavyweight Champion or just beating the dog piss out of Viktor Volkov. It might be that they’re 1a and 1b. This lad is a ferocious monster and, even though I haven’t seen the money lines, he’s surely the odds on favorite to walk out victorious this evening.”

[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.]

♫
SGORI BY STVORE BEGINS TO PLAY
♫

[The heavy opening riff of STVORE’s Sgori (Burn) starts up on the sound system and Viktor Volkov steps out from behind the curtain. His eyes fixated on the cage, Volkov slowly begins to roll his shoulders whilst he walks. With his usual stoic expression etched upon his face, Viktor continues walking, completely unfazed by the occasion, cracking his knuckles through his gloves and swinging his arms a couple of times before reaching the cageside area.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Big Vik Volkov has the chance to put all of those ‘what ifs’ to bed with a win tonight. As we have mentioned earlier, Volkov has always been a guy who has lingered at the top of the division and has competed for a couple championship here in Union GP, but it has always slipped away. He looks focused as ever right now, knowing that he’s one fight away from becoming a Union Champion.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “As many jokes as there are to be made about Viktor Volkov’s exploits outside of the octagon, there is no question that he is a man capable of bringing any fight to a close at a moment’s notice. It doesn’t matter who it is or how rock solid his opponent’s chin may be. He has knock out power that rivals that of his opponent tonight. The fact that he likely isn’t the betting favorite I’m sure has only made this big bear angrier than he usually is.”

[He calmly removes his Reebok branded tee, handing it off to a team member before bumping the fist of several other team members around him. Eventually his head trainer stops up in front of him, squirting some water in Volkov’s mouth before handing him his black mouth guard, adorned with the image of the grim reaper. The big Russian pops it into his mouth before the cutman goes to work, carefully placing vaseline across each brow, then rubbing it into his cheeks, nose and forehead area. The cutman then nods to Volkov, who turns, brushing by him as he makes his way up the steps and into the cage. Vik takes a quick lap around the cage, breaking into a light jog before he settles back into his corner, intimidatingly beginning to pace back and forth as his music slowly dies down.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the first Co-Main Event of the evening! Sanctioned by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission, our three judges scoring this contest at cageside are Ahmed McFadden, Cory Moss, and Luna Pacheco, and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Jack Gibbs. 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 Interim Heavyweight Championship! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of twenty-one wins, four losses. He stands 6’3”, and weighing in at 245 pounds. He is from Detroit, Michigan, fighting out of Gold Blooded MMA, presenting the former Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Champion and the number two ranked Heavyweight Contender in the World, Gauge “Lights Out” Lattimore!”

 [Gauge Lattimore looks very relaxed.]

 MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Boxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of ten wins, five losses. He stands 6’5”, and weighing in at 250 pounds. He is from Saint Petersburg, Russia, fighting out of the Volkov Fighting Institute, presenting the former Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Title Challenger and the former Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Title Challenger and the number one ranked Heavyweight Contender in the World, “Big Vik” Viktor Volkov!”

 [Viktor Volkov raises his fists in his corner. He seems confident.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And here we go, ladies and gentlemen. We are just seconds away from the first of three championship fights.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Can you imagine the scenes if Volkov was to become the interim champion, Bodie? You think it would mean a trip for you to Russia for a championship fight in front of his home crowd? I can tell you now I won’t be making the trek if that’s what the end result is. Looks like it’s about time for us to find out. Let’s go to Jack Gibbs.”

[The referee steps to the center of the cage and motions for both fighters to meet. With the announcer standing behind, holding the microphone, referee Jack Gibbs gives one final pep talk.]

JACK GIBBS: “Alright fighters, we’ve gone over the rules in the back. Protect yourself at all times, follow my instructions, touch gloves if you wish, and let’s do this.”

[Without much hesitation, both fighters touch gloves and backpedal to their corners. Jack Gibbs checks off with each fighter one last time and signals for the bell!]

[With the sounding of the first bell there’s no touching gloves to start things off as Big Vik comes out swinging with a haymaker that would have likely ended the fight right then and there against anyone else on the planet. Somehow, Gauge manages to stay on his feet and shrug the mighty blow off, but it comes at the cost of a cut being opened up already on his right cheek. Things continue to pop off as Lattimore looks to get revenge but Volkov manages to avoid being caught, though his own counters don’t land at all either until he catches Lattimore trying to close the distance between them, stunning him with an uppercut, body shot and eventual big hook all that land clean. Another wicked hook cracks Gauge’s chin and flattens him to the canvas with the referee poised to jump in and bring the fight to a close right here and there if Gauge Lattimore doesn’t find a way to defend himself in the next few moments.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Massive bombs from Big Vik puts Gauge Lattimore in a world of hurt!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Tremendous striking by Vik in the early going. You don’t often see Gauge get punished like this but, honestly, the fact that the lad is still awake is a feat in and of itself. I don’t know which has been more impressive, the striking by Volkov or the fact that Lattimore isn’t a corpse right now.”

[Volkov taunts the former champion as he lays on the canvas on his back, not letting him get back up to his feet comfortably. It isn’t until Volkov throws a kick to the thigh of his opponent that gets checked that gives Gauge the opening he needs to scramble back up to his feet to a standing position. Somehow the big man looks even more pissed off than he did at the start of the fight and suddenly it’s like Volkov has woken up a monster. Lattimore fires off a solid shot after quickly closing into striking distance, rocking Big Vik. Lattimore throws a couple more jabs that Volkov manages to block but he never sees the hook coming that knocks him down to the canvas himself, bruising beginning to show on his left cheek. These two hog mollies clearly have some massive power behind their punches.]

DELANEY DONOVAN: “What is it you Americans like to say, Bodie? These two are just… swangin’ and bangin’”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Swangin’ and bangin’, baby! This is what gets the blood pumping! Both guys have scored a knock down early in this fight. No way this goes the full twenty-five minutes. Someone’s going to sleep!”

[Much like when Volkov wouldn’t let Gauge back to his feet, Lattimore now gets his revenge, not giving Volkov the space of the comfort that he needs to get back up. Big Vik manages to check a few kicks that are thrown toward his legs while he’s on his back and eventually finds room to scramble back to his feet but life doesn’t get much better once he does. Almost immediately he finds himself on the receiving end of a series of combinations that turn the bruising on his left cheek into an open wound, though small for the time being. Trying to back Lattimore off, Volkov throws a low kick but Gauge dodges and counters with an uppercut that busts Volkov’s chin.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And now both fighters are busted open, Double D. We got ourselves a good old fashion barroom brawl unfolding!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Jesus fookin’ Christ, that uppercut from Lattimore hit so clean I think Vik’s gran felt it..”

[Shaking off the uppercut, Volkov continues to be aggressive and continues to pay for it as Gauge counters the strikes that Volkov throws with expert precision, opening the cuts on his cheek and chin further. With blood starting to pour from his cuts now, Volkov shows no intention of slowing down as he lands a solid one-two combo but is countered by another hook from Lattimore that seems to daze him pretty badly. That hook is followed up by another one, and then another as Lattimore looks to finish the fight. A big uppercut wobbles Volkov but doesn’t drop him, but a jab-hook combo that follows knocks Volkov down for the second time in the round. With Viktor on his back, Lattimore finishes the round with a series of nasty kicks to the thighs of his opponent. The round comes to an end this way and the two men return to their corners, Lattimore looking determined and Volkov looking weary, bloodied and surely his corner wondering how much more he can take.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “What a helluva round and a strong finish for Gauge Lattimore. He weathered the early storm from Volkov and came back with receipts. This guy has the volume that continues to prove to be too much for most fighters at this size.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Not looking so great for Big Vik right now. He started out great but I think he just pissed Gauge off. That big lad has been a freight train ever since that knock down early on in the round.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Let’s see what kind of adjustments are made as we begin round two.”

[As the second round commences, in spite of the best efforts of his corner, Volkov continues to bleed. There surely has to be some question over whether or not he can even clearly see what Lattimore will be throwing at him to this point but one thing is for certain, Volkov’s heart and willingness to fight cannot be questioned. Pressing forward, Vik throws some tentative punches but unsurprisingly Gauge gets the best of the exchange, finishing with a low kick that buckles Big Viks knee but doesn’t drop him. Neither does the one-two combo but once again Volkov clearly looks hurt and unsteady on his feet. Defensively, Volkov throws a jab to try and back his opponent off. Instead, Lattimore counters with a hook and then ties Vik up in the clinch. Using his strength, he shoves Volkov up against the fence and unloads a few unanswered uppercuts. It doesn’t look like he’s defending himself but Lattimore doesn’t stop throwing. Punch after punch after punch lands cleanly and, finally, the referee jumps in to pull Lattimore off Volkov. This fight is over!]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Viktor Volkov gets bounced like a bad check and this one is all over! Gauge Lattimore is your Union Grand Prix Interim Heavyweight Champion! His relentless offense was just too much for Volkov to overcome and Lattimore will hoist another championship in Union GP.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Might be the case that the ringside physician shouldn’t have even let these two come out for the second round, honestly. Be interesting to see if there’s audio on what Vik said to the doc before getting cleared to go out again.  Massive win for Lattimore, though. Quite an impressive fight and congratulations on becoming the Interim Heavyweight Champ, lad.”

[The crowd explodes into cheers while Lattimore celebrates with his cornermen. The Ringside Physicians rush into the octagon and immediately tend to Volkov. After a few moments pass, Big Vik is able to stand on his own, so the medical team files out of the cage so both fighters can meet back in the center of the octagon for the official call.]

 MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, referee Jack Gibbs has called for a stop in this fight at one minute fourteen seconds in the second round, declaring your winner by technical knockout, AND NEW Interim Union Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion, Gauge “Lights Out” Lattimore!”

 [The crowd cheers once again as Lattimore has his hand raised in victory and the title wrapped around his waist by Dante Reed. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to their respective crews. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]

Winner: Gauge Lattimore by TKO (Punches) at 1:14 Round 2

Statistics: Viktor Volkov
Punches 8/14 (57%)
Kicks 0/1 (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 69 s

Statistics: Gauge Lattimore
Punches 25/27 (93%)
Kicks 3/6 (50%)
Clinch strikes 6/8 (75%)
Takedowns 0/0 (0%)
GnP strikes 0/0 (0%)
Submissions 0/0 (0%)
Clinch Attempts 1/1 (100%)
Time on the ground 45 s

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Welcome back from the break folks. Before we head into the Co-Main Event for the Bantamweight Championship, we can’t help but point out that we have a couple of very interested spectators in attendance. Former Champ Dallas Meechan and Title Challenger Isabel Azevedo are here and quite possibly have their notebooks out. Both of these fighters were passed up by Lena Lyons and I’m sure you can imagine that doesn’t sit well with them. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them campaigning for the next title fight after tonight.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “When it comes to MMA, it’s not always a one hundred percent meritocracy. Dally has held that number one contender spot since losing to Gianna Howard, and he’s racked up a couple of wins since then. Unless there’s some sort of controversy in tonight’s Bantamweight Title fight, I don’t see why Dallas doesn’t get the next crack at it.”

♫
OH Y’ALL NIGGAS KILLER NOW, OH WORD?
CATCH YOU COMIN OUT YOUR FUCKIN CRIB NIGGA
YEAH, CATCH A FUCKIN BULLET NIGGA
♫​

[The opening lines of Prodigy’s “Keep It Thoro” ring out around the arena before the beat kicks in and Lena Lyons begins to make her way down towards the cage, lowkey bobbing her head to the beat, clearly feeling the music as her corner follows behind her.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Making her way to the octagon now is a world-class seasoned veteran who has competed all over the world, in multiple promotions, under numerous camps, at the highest of levels. Lena Lyons makes her fifteenth Union Grand Prix appearance tonight, and it’s a big one! She finally gets another crack at a championship title fight, her last opportunity came two years back, August of 2020, at UGP 22. Many people believed she should have won over Dallas Meechan, but the judges that night did not see it in her favor, despite the statistics saying otherwise. It’s been a long road to get back, and based on the look of things, she’s ready to leave it all out there, for glory.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Most importantly she needs to make sure this one doesn’t go to the scorecards. You have to completely dominate a fight as a challenger if you want to persuade the judges to score a fight to the point where a title change will occur. Like you said, she showed she still has the ability to hang with the best in the world. We’ll find out tonight if she has that extra gear that would see her ascend to the top of the Union Grand Prix Bantamweight division.”

[Thugga reaches cageside, flashing a shaka at the camera before hugging several members of her team, exchanging a few words before having the customary vaseline applied to her eyebrows and facial area by the cutman. Lyons then turns to face the referee, who checks her over, making sure her mouth guard is in before sending her up into the cage. Once in the cage Lena performs a quick lap of the cage, jogging around it before being pointed to her corner, where she talks to herself for a little while as she leans back against the cage, ready to fight.]

♫
WHEN DARKNESS FALLS, MAY IT BE
THAT WE SHOULD SEE THE LIGHT
WHEN REAPER CALLS, MAY IT BE
THAT WE WALK STRAIGHT AND RIGHT
♫

[The heavy licks of the lead guitar and drum fills of “Now That We’re Dead” by Metallica begin to fill the arena as the lights dim to near darkness. Spotlights scan the crowd while a brilliant white strobe light flashes on the main stage. Gianna Howard eventually makes her presence known to the audience, standing still with her head bobbing to the tempo of the song. Gianna takes a deep, heavy breath before making the walk to the octagon. Along the way, she tags a few out-stretched hands, and starts playing the air guitar as her level of excitement and anticipation begins to rise.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And now the Bantamweight Champion, Gianna Howard, makes her way down to the octagon. The Ghost has been haunting the 135 pound division since she arrived from her promotion in Everest MMA. We’ve talked about her tenure as the inaugural Strawweight Champion in Everest, but now as Union’s Bantamweight Champion, she has been making a ton of noise and creating headlines each time she steps through those caged doors. Tonight she has a chance to create history. With a win, Gianna Howard would tie Dallas Meechan as having the most successful title defenses as a Bantamweight, with four. Howard isn’t short of confidence and pushed for this quick turnaround after her last title defense just a month ago. The fact that the legendary Lena Lyons answers the call is just icing on the cake for her.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “For my money she might be the best pound for pound fighter in the company at this very moment in time and that’s saying a lot given the talent at the top of the rest of the divisions. I think she has it in her to eventually surpass the bar that I helped to set for consecutive title defenses. But anything can happen in the octagon and tonight she’s got a woman who wants nothing more than to end that sort of talk right here, and right now. It’s one thing to be a champion and another to reach that next tier of legend. I worry that the quick turn around could be her undoing, but you’ve got to love the bravado to be willing to take another fight on so quickly.”

[Gianna finally makes her way to cageside and turns to her coaches for one last pep talk. A quick hug from each one and then she disrobes down to her fight gear. She hands off her warmups to the nearest coach and turns back to the officials waiting to grease her face and inspect her from head-to-toe to ensure she’s fit for combat. She clearly isn’t bashful as she sings along with her walkout as she’s being inspected. Once she’s been cleared, a quick nod toward the official and she races up the steps. She uses her momentum to leap into the octagon, and stomps onto the mat in an almost heroic dramatic fashion. She then nonchalantly struts to her corner where she begins bouncing in place to stay loose and warm.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the second Co-Main Event of the evening! Sanctioned by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission, our three judges scoring this contest at cageside are Ahmed McFadden, Cory Moss, and Luna Pacheco, and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Archie Driscoll. 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 Bantamweight Championship! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of nineteen wins, twelve losses. She stands 5’5”, and weighing in at 135 pounds. She is from Queens, New York, fighting out of Paris Combat, presenting the former Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Title Challenger and the number four ranked Bantamweight Contender in the World, Lena “Thugga” Lyons!”

[Lena Lyons is beating herself up in the corner before the fight begins, smacking herself in the face, body and legs to get ready for this war.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “And her opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of eleven wins, two losses. She stands 5’6”, and weighing in at 135 pounds. She is from Las Vegas, Nevada, fighting out of Throne MMA, presenting the reigning, defending, undisputed Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Champion of the World, “The Ghost” Gianna Howard!”

[Gianna Howard doesn’t move a muscle in her corner. She simply gives off a thousand yard death stare toward her opponent.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are moments away for a possible twenty-five minute bout of lightning fast action. These women aren’t afraid to fight in the phone booth, so I suggest you all top off your beverages now, because you won’t want to miss a second of this action.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Put the phones down. Get off OnlyFans and feast your eyes on some spicy Bantamweight action!”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “You hear that, Jason?! He’s talking to you!”

[The referee steps to the center of the cage and motions for both fighters to meet. With the announcer standing behind, holding the microphone, referee Archie Driscoll gives one final pep talk.]

ARCHIE DRISCOLL: “Alright fighters, we’ve gone through the rules in the back. Protect yourself at all times, follow my instructions. Any questions from you, red? Any questions from you, blue? Then let’s touch gloves and have a good, clean fight.”

[Without much hesitation, both fighters touch gloves and backpedal to their corners. Archie Driscoll checks off with each fighter one last time and signals for the bell!]

[A quick touch of the gloves kicks the fight off as the two women circle out and around the center of the cage immediately afterward. The champ engages first, throwing one-two combos in bunches but Thugga bobs, weaves and seizes upon a careless attempt by the champ to counter with a crisp uppercut that snaps Howard’s head backward. Defensively, Howard shifts to the left and throws a low kick that Lena checks as Gianna circles out. The two fighters clearly having an immense amount of respect for the others abilities causes the fight to slow some. Lyons looks for her angles and throws a few jabs. Howard counters but misses and eats a solid combo from the challenger. With the champ being cautious about the punches that are being thrown her way she leaves herself vulnerable to a snap front kick from Thugga that causes her to stumble backward.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “No feeling out process as we get some heated exchanges early. Thugga Lyons looking very sharp.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “What a front kick. Incredible exclamation to an early flurry from Lena Lyons to snatch the momentum right off the rip.”

[Feeling the momentum in her favor, Lyons presses the action, circling and connecting with a hook to Howard’s body. As the champion shifts to be more defensive of her left rib cage she drops her hands some and absorbs the full force of a straight left to the chin. With lightning quickness Lyons keeps the assault coming, snapping off a low kick that Gianna manages to check and counter with a jab-cross combo of her own. Instinctively Lyons circles out, smiling and nodding in appreciation of the champion’s striking ability.]

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Big time warning shot from the champion there and a reminder that this one is far from over in spite of the early knock down from Thugga.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “It’s gonna take a freight train to keep Gianna Howard down, but it looks like Lena Lyons is game.”

[Lyons bobs her head, dips her shoulders left and right and weaves her way close enough to fire off a series of kicks that all get blocked but set up an opening for another hook to the body that brings out a wince from Howard. She retaliates with a couple of jabs that get blocked but allow her to catch Lyons with a big hook that lands clean. The force of the strike causes Lyons to stumble and fall to the mat. The champion gestures with her hands for Lyons to get back up rather than engaging with the challenger on the ground. Lyons quickly gets up to her feet and once more is on the hunt, throwing a flurry of punches that Howard avoids with relative ease. Thugga then throws a big, looping haymaker that Howard narrowly avoids, stepping back and throwing a counter jab that staggers the challenger. In a flash Howard pounces with a series of jabs and crosses that land cleanly enough to open up a small cut underneath the right eye of Lena Lyons.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “The Champion is now finding a good rhythm with her striking. It seems like she just needed a good shot to wake her up.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Christ! That flurry of blows came so quick if you blinked you missed it. I assure you Lena is feeling every single one of those strikes, though. We’ll see if the swelling under her right eye is going to cause her problems going forward.”

[Bloodied or not, Lyons continues to fight, connecting with a series of huge haymakers that stagger the champion but as Howard circles out, Lena takes the time to catch her breath a bit rather than pursue the champion recklessly. With the pace of the fight slowing once more, Lyons and Howard cautiously move toward one another again. The pop from a Lyons low kick that wrenches Howard’s knee draws a reaction from the crowd who winces in pain along with the champion. With excellent timing she follows up the kick with another big hook that drops the champ to the canvas! Gianna Howard goes down!]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “OOH!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “DOWN GOES GIANNA AGAIN?! Bodie I don’t think either of us could have seen this coming. Not like this. Lena needs to keep the pressure on right now and finish the fight!”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “She got the champ hurt, Double D! We could be seeing a new undisputed champion crowned shortly!”

[Howard scrambles back to her feet and almost as if to say anything you can do I can do better, the champion fires off a massive shot of her own that catches Lyons under her right eye again, opening the small cut that had started to heal itself throughout the course of the round once again. Once more Lyons is knocked to the canvas but is fine otherwise as she promptly gets back to her feet. Much to the delight of the crowd, as the waning seconds of the round tick away, the two women swing for the fences looking to end the fight in highlight fashion but unfortunately neither are able to connect. As the final seconds dissipate, Archie Driscoll steps in and sends the champion and challenger back to their respective corners.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Wooooo! What a helluva first round! There was a lot of back and forth action, but if they scored Lena both of those knockdowns, you have to give it to her, no question.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “I don’t know how you make a decision for who that round goes to but I think, if the judges are going to be nitpicky with the details, you’ve got to give it to Lena 10-9 for leading the way in the knockdown category. But it’s close. A razor thin margin and I wouldn’t be shocked if it was 10-10.”

[The two women who put on a show in the first round emerge from their corners for the second with the corner crew for Lyons showing off their skill having tended to the cut and stanched the bleeding for the time being. Thugga opens the round with a big left hand that would have ended the night for lesser opponents. Howard somehow shrugs it off but clearly in a daze as she eats another shot from the challenger and it has her wobbling. A big left hook just grazes the champ’s chin but doesn’t quite connect with its full force. Almost as if fate is on her side, Howard avoids the inside leg kick from Lyons who is pressing her. Seizing the opening, Howard counters with a combo that staggers Lyons in return. It’s clear the champ has had enough and wants to finish this, throwing huge bombs in an effort to make it happen. Lyons does her best to deflect the strikes but leaves herself open for a nasty kick to the body.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Gianna Howard finds her range and is teeing off on Thugga right now.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Not good. The short break between rounds seems to have really focused the champion and she’s got Lena Lyons reeling right now.”

[Howard starts to really pour it on now. A shock roundhouse punch nearly opens up a gash under Lyons left eye and though Lena continues to fight back, Howard manages to avoid the counter strikes. Lyons is searching but the momentum seems to be going the champion’s way now as a jab staggers Lyons once more, her lip now busted open after the latest exchange. As Thugga tries to shake the cobwebs from her mind she never sees the big high kick coming that lands flush, drawing a gasp from the crowd who popped to their feet expecting to see the referee jump in and bring a close to the fight right then and there. Yet somehow! Some way Lena Lyons is still standing and grinning through the pain. It’s almost as though she’s daring Gianna Howard to take her best shot and more!]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Gianna is loading up on those strikes and is causing some serious damage.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Incredible heart from Lena but that was never in doubt. She needs to be focused on cooling the fight down, collecting herself, and avoiding taking more damage. Not daring the champion to do more than she already has!”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Yeah I’m not sure playing mind games is gonna work on Gianna, and it’s definitely not the time to do so.”

[Howard obliges with a bone shattering right hand and then a massive haymaker that this time actually does open up a cut under Lyons left eye. With the challenger clearly on the ropes, Howard fakes a mid kick and switches to nearly take Lyons head off with a high kick. Lyons eats another and stumbles backward but manages to catch her balance only for one more final kick to come, unblocked, slamming into the side of her head and knocking her out cold. Immediately referee Archie Driscoll jumps in, waving the fight off!]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Woooooow!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “What a dominant second round and finish to the fight by Gianna Howard. She found that extra gear and Lena Lyons, for all her heart and willingness to fight, just couldn’t match her pace.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “I don’t know if Lena just underestimated the power Gianna possesses or what was going on in her thought process, but she got caught with her hands down. That switch kick landed and you could see it in her eyes that Lena was out cold on her feet. She froze up and looked like someone unplugged her controller. One more uncontested head kick and it’s all over. Gianna Howard now has four successful title defenses to her name, tying Dallas Meechan for all-time in the Bantamweight Division. Congratulations G on a spectacular performance tonight!”

[The crowd explodes into cheers while Gianna celebrates with her coaches. The Ringside Physicians rush into the octagon and immediately tend to Lena. After a few moments pass, Thugga is able to stand on her own, so the medical team files out of the cage so both fighters can meet back in the center of the octagon for the official call.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, referee Archie Driscoll has called for a stop in this fight at four minutes twenty seconds in the second round, declaring your winner by knockout, AND STILL the undisputed Union Grand Prix Bantamweight Champion of the World, “The Ghost” Gianna Howard!”

[The crowd cheers once again as Gianna has her hand raised in victory and the title wrapped around her waist by Dante Reed. Both fighters shake hands as a gesture of mutual respect before splitting off to their respective crews. A graphic pops up on screen, breaking down the statistics of the fight while the commentators recap.]

Winner: Gianna Howard by KO (High Kick) at 4:20 Round 2

Statistics: Gianna Howard
Punches 41/73 (56%)
Kicks 5/6 (83%)
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 9 s

Statistics: Lena Lyons
Punches 31/51 (61%)
Kicks 4/13 (31%)
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 15 s

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Welcome back ladies and gentlemen. As we cap off our final commercial break, we now head into the main event for the Middleweight Championship. But before we do that, we have to acknowledge the fact that Travis Decker is in the building. As we all know, Decker fell to Byron McCall back at UGP 37. He absolutely had the accolades to push for an immediate rematch, but he’s a true student of the game and decided to step aside and allow the division to continue rolling. I’ve been told that he is even willing to take a contender’s bout to prove to everyone that he is still at the top of his game. You definitely don’t see that kind of mentality in this day and age anymore, Double D.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “I think it’s a bit crazy to think he’d even need to take a contenders match. Sure, it’s noble that he’s willing to but it’s on Dante to nix that nonsense. The next fight he has inside the octagon should be against McCall or Saint-Cyr. End of story. He’s earned that much and the fact that he happens to be a good guy shouldn’t be taken advantage of. In my humble opinion, of course. We all know Dante and I haven’t always seen eye to eye on fighter pay and the way things like this are handled, though.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “I agree with you a hundred percent, Double D. The business aspect of this sport is cut throat, and sometimes you just have to be selfish or you’re gonna get left behind. We could spend hours discussing that topic, but right now, we have a Middleweight Championship Main Event to get to!”

[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: “And now ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Main Event! Coming to the octagon first, the challenger, Lovelie Saint-Cyr. Being accompanied by a couple of future Hall of Famers, former Heavyweight Champion Donnie Calabrese and the Ryujin FC Champion Roscoe Robinson, it’s clear that the team at the Hit Squad facilities produces world class talent. Saint-Cyr is making his ninth appearance inside the Union GP octagon after a successful run as the inaugural Everest MMA Welterweight Champion. Double D, we talked about it at the top of the show, but it’s worth repeating the fact that LSC has competed at 170 pounds, 185 pounds, and even 225 pounds with a lot of success. That speaks volumes to how tough this guy is, and at just 24 years of age, he still has so much room to improve. That… that is a scary thought.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “He has all the room in the world to grow and improve. But I don’t think he’s thinking about growth and improvement tonight, Bodie. He’s thinking about becoming a champion and the raw ability is there for him to accomplish it. I do have some concerns, though. Yes, he’s fought at 170 and found success. Yes, he’s fought at 185 with success, clearly. But this is a lad that walks around 40 pounds above his current fighting weight. That’s a big cut to make in a one off scenario, let alone doing it over and over again. He’s not fighting against the doldrums of the class this time, either. He’s fighting the best in the world. Is that cut going to play a factor if this goes five rounds? We’ll see but it is something to keep an eye on.”

[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.]

♫
NOW YOUR HEROES HAVE FALLEN.
CHAMPIONLESS,
THE SEAS ARE RISING.
SO TORCH EVERY BANNER.
♫

​[“Idols and Anchors” by Parkway Drive shreds over the PA System and the veteran Byron McCall emerges to the main stage wearing his walkout fight with his 36th Street MMA coaches following behind. McCall never breaks stride with a stoic look across his face, a look of focus from the decorated fighter and now finally, Union GP Champion.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “And now with the final walkout for the night, it’s the hometown hero, the Hall of Famer, the Middleweight Champion Byron McCall! We all thought we had seen the last of Byron once it was announced that he had been inducted into the Hall of Fame last year. He finished his first stint in Union on a sour note, going 1-3 and bouncing between 185 and 155 and it just seemed like that spark in him had fizzled out. But since his return this year, we’ve seen a completely rejuvenated competitor that has shaken the 185 pound class to its core. It’s a new chapter for Byron McCall, one that he has no intentions of cutting it short.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah I don’t know that Lightweight was ever where Byron was going to really find long term success and it has nothing to do with the fact that I was the champion at the time. It was essentially the same weight cut that LSC is having to make here tonight and I think The Last McCall understands the physical toll that that can take on one’s body. Middleweight is where he belongs and he proved it by rebuilding himself from the ground up, making sure he took the time to do that right, and it has paid dividends. Hard not to be happy for a guy like that and even harder to not want to see succeed.”

[McCall reaches cageside where he strips down to his trunks and  goes around one-by-one with his corner crew and gives each one a hug before turning to get inspected by the fight official. Once he’s cleared, McCall races up the steps and jogs a few laps around the perimeter of the octagon before posting up in his corner, rolling his neck to stay loose in the meantime.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Main Event of the evening! Sanctioned by the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission, our three judges scoring this contest at cageside are Ahmed McFadden, Cory Moss, and Luna Pacheco, and when the action begins, our referee in charge in the octagon is Colin Davenport. 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 Middleweight Championship! Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, a Shotokan Karate Striker holding a professional mixed martial arts record of nine wins, four losses. He stands 6’ even, and weighing in at 185 pounds. He is from Flint, Michigan by way of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, fighting out of The Hit Squad, presenting the former Everest MMA Welterweight Champion, the former Union Grand Prix Cruiserweight Title Challenger, and the number two ranked Middleweight Contender in the World, Lovelie Saint-Cyr!”

[Ferocious staredown by Saint-Cyr while Colin Davenport recites the rules.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “And his opponent, fighting out of the red corner, a Kickboxer holding a professional mixed martial arts record of twenty-four wins, ten losses. He stands 6’1”, and weighing in at 185 pounds. He is from Boston, Massachusetts, fighting out of 36th Street MMA, presenting Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Inductee and the reigning, defending, undisputed Union Grand Prix Middleweight Champion of the World, “The Last Call” Byron McCall!”

[Byron McCall glares at his opponent from the opposite corner.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “History is up for grabs! We are seconds away from a possible twenty-five minute combat campaign for the Union Grand Prix Middleweight Championship!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “They’ve got a lot to live up to after the barn burner that preceded them but I think these two men have it in them. Lets fookin’ go!”

[The referee steps to the center of the cage and motions for both fighters to meet. With the announcer standing behind, holding the microphone, referee Colin Davenport gives one final pep talk.]

COLIN DAVENPORT: “Alright gentlemen, we’ve gone over the rules in the back. I want you to follow my instructions and protect yourself at all times. Any questions, Byron? Any questions, Lovelie? Okay… Touch gloves if you’d like and let’s have a good, clean fight. 

[Both fighters touch gloves and head back to their corners. Colin Davenport checks off with each fighter one last time and signals for the bell!]

[McCall and Saint-Cyr move forward as the bell signals the beginning of the fight and they touch gloves to make it official. Saint-Cyr studies his opponent’s movements, looking for a hole in his defense. McCall fakes a move and launches a liver kick but LSC blocks it and pushes him back. Saint-Cyr fires off a low kick that McCall checks and feints a jab before side stepping to the right. McCall launches a calf kick, but LSC checks it and counters back with a stinging one-two combo that lands flush on McCall’s chin. McCall shakes off the punches and unloads another calf kick that connects this time, snapping off a loud crack that could be heard from the rafters. LSC throws some more punches in bunches, but McCall dodges the traffic and throws a couple more low kicks that yields mixed results.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Byron McCall is testing his striking range early with the leg kicks, while LSC is landing some heavy leather.”

[Both fighters are showing each other a ton of respect as neither one is truly willing to give their opposition any free rein to get any offense going. LSC comes in with a hook to the body, McCall steps aside and connects with a battering middle kick just below the ribs. LSC winces in pain long enough for McCall to fire off a high kick, but it just narrowly glances off Saint-Cyr. McCall tries to keep the pressure on him with a jab, but LSC ducks under and fires a low kick that fails to land. McCall targets the leg again with another calf kick, but LSC checks it and counters with a liver kick. McCall blocks it just in time and pushes LSC back to create some space and regroup.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Both fighters are being a bit cautious in the opening round, and I can’t say I blame either one. No need to empty the tank early, you got twenty-five minutes to implement your game plan.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Bit of a chess match so far, feeling each other out and trying to see if there’s any weaknesses in the defenses of the other.”

[McCall circles his way back in and lands a furious calf kick. LSC circles away while continuing to look for any openings. Byron McCall closes the distance and launches another low kick, but LSC checks it and counters with a big left hook that rocks McCall back a step. An inside leg kick from McCall that lands on Lovelie Saint-Cyr’s leg and now the two decide to engage in a heated exchange of punches. Nothing too damaging lands clean, and after a trio of leg kicks from McCall get checked, the two back off and reassess their strategies. McCall strikes first with another low kick, Saint-Cyr checks it and counters with a jab that goes wide. Just before the horn, Saint-Cyr connects with a big uppercut, giving McCall a little something to remember in between rounds.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Nice shot from LSC right at the horn, otherwise, pretty tame first round. Byron McCall seems to like what he’s seeing and has locked in on those leg kicks. I can see some swelling forming already on Saint-Cyr’s lead leg.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Not to keep bringing this up but I think the just general difference in size is likely why the focus has been there early on for the champ. You don’t want LSC spending twenty five minutes with that big body of his pressed on you, burning through the gas you’ve got in the tank. Those leg kicks will keep him at bay and really start to wear down the foundation of the challenger if he can keep it up, and if LSC’s corner doesn’t find a way to make adjustments to what they’ve seen through the first five.”

[Both fighters come out from their corners and we pick up right where we left off, with LSC landing a big uppercut, in case Byron McCall forgot. McCall launches a middle kick and even though Saint-Cyr blocks it, you can tell the impact did enough damage based on the sound of it and the fact Saint-Cyr is shaking his arms to get some feeling back in them as they size each other up in the center of the cage. McCall throws a shot to the body that LSC dodges and counters with a hard cross and body kick combo. McCall gets tagged but circles to his left to move away from LSC’s powerful left hand. LSC looks for angles as he flicks out a couple jabs while McCall counters back with some jabs of his own. LSC sees a window open and lands another big uppercut, while McCall lands some great crosses and this heated exchange gets the blood pumping for the spectators. Saint-Cyr is looking to slow the pace of the fight a bit and circles around his opponent at first, but then fires off several combinations. A low kick from LSC gets checked, a couple jabs and hook whiffs, and another wild flurry all come up short as McCall reads him like a book and causes LSC to expel a ton of energy that yields no results.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Lovelie Saint-Cyr is dropping bombs and causing Byron McCall to do whatever he can to avoid getting hit with those heavy hands.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “But he did that well. Even after eating that uppercut right away he still found a way to mitigate any opening that LSC might have seen with that middle kick. Still, if you’re an LSC fan you’re happy to see him start landing some of those big blows, especially to the body.”

[McCall fires a shot to the body, but LSC dodges it and counters with a nice flurry that staggers McCall back a few steps. LSC goes in to capitalize, but McCall connects with a fierce calf kick that stops LSC in his tracks. LSC ducks out of the way from a jab and a looping right hand grazes him, but he throws some jabs to try and fight off a bunch of jabs and crosses from McCall. Another calf kick from McCall connects and LSC’s lead leg is really starting to swell up. LSC tries to switch stances while McCall fires an unorthodox punch to Saint-Cyr’s torso that goes wide. LSC’s mind is definitely still in the fight as he nails McCall with a big right hand. McCall paws at Saint-Cyr, trying to get him to back off, but LSC storms in with a solid combination and caps it off with a nasty hook to the body that lands right under McCall’s ribs, causing him to wince and circle out.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “LSC is loading up on those shots, Double D. He’s putting the champ through the wringer. But… notice how he switched stances there. McCall is carving his legs up with those kicks and it might become an issue if LSC doesn’t do something about it.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “It’s really fascinating to watch these two execute their gameplans. McCall focused on LSC’s legs, trying to take away the base that really provides the power behind Saint-Cyr’s punches. Meanwhile, LSC is going after the body pretty consistently. End of the day what all of this speaks to is the respect that the champion has for the challenger’s power, and the same for LSC’s respect for McCall’s endless cardio.”

[McCall is looking a little hesitant now, which allows LSC to go all out in the closing minutes of the round. Saint-Cyr throws a looping right hand that McCall dodges, but a nice follow up uppercut lands right on McCall’s chin. Saint-Cyr tries a hook to the body but McCall manages to dodge it and flicks a calf kick to try and keep some distance. LSC checks it this time and counters with a jab but McCall evades it. In the closing seconds, both men throw hands back and forth, but fail to connect with anything meaningful as the horn signals the end of the round.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ten minutes in the can and that second round was a much clearer outcome. Lovelie Saint-Cyr outpaced Byron McCall, and definitely dished out more damage. That’s the key in MMA judging. Damage is the top priority in these scores.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Even so I think Byron will happily sacrifice the round if it means slowly, but surely, taking away the power behind LSC’s punches. Look at Lovelie’s lead leg. I promise that doesn’t feel great. I think it’s 1-1 right now but the champ’s corner needs to be wary that he could be down 0-2 right now.”

[Lovelie Saint-Cyr looks to have built up some confidence after the last round and moves forward to launch a low kick. However, McCall is still very much in this fight and checks it and counters with a low kick of his own that continues to connect right where that lead leg is swelling. Saint-Cyr slips a punch through McCall’s defense, but a counter straight right from McCall snaps LSC’s head back a bit. LSC blocks a follow up punch and throws a jab that hits McCall’s chest. LSC throws some tentative punches that don’t do much damage, but it keeps McCall at bay long enough for LSC to step back and take a quick breather. After the two circle around and look for angles, LSC rushes in with a storm of punches. McCall is able to defend himself and he fires off another calf kick that gets checked, but it’s enough to back LSC off. LSC circles to his left and comes firing back in with a flurry, but again McCall dodges the traffic. A body kick from McCall gets blocked, and a counter inside leg kick from Saint-Cyr gets checked, and both fighters decide to back off, showing each other a ton of respect.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Now we’re starting to see some on-the-fly adjustments being made from these two. They’re starting to figure out each other’s tendencies and movements, which as a result, is seeing a lot of these exchanges coming up short.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “And those kicks from the first two rounds are starting to pay off for McCall. You see how, even when the kick is checked, it’s forcing LSC to back down and be a bit more tentative? The challenger needs to find an answer to that problem soon.”

[McCall is first to move back in, landing another grueling calf kick. LSC looks like he’s just accepted to sacrifice that leg, so McCall fires off another one, but LSC checks it this time. McCall launches a right hand that gets blocked, and a counter cross from LSC misses its mark as McCall dips his head off the centerline. Another low kick from McCall connects and he quickly checks a counter kick from LSC. McCall switches targets and throws a couple of body kicks, but they just graze LSC as they square back up in the center of the octagon.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Byron McCall is continuing to play it smart with those leg kicks. It’s clearly doing some damage, that right leg of Saint-Cyr is looking pretty gnarly, plus it’s keeping him out of striking range. When LSC attacks, you see him rushing in. That buys McCall a little bit of time to read what he’s about to do.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Most definitely, Bodie. And with how focused and precise Byron has been with those you have to expect this fight is playing out exactly as they expected it to. Sure, he’d love a knockout to retain his championship but deep down McCall and his corner know who he is and they know how to build their gameplan around that.”

[LSC is looking to push the pace a bit here and throws some hands, but McCall is able to keep himself clean and he counters back with another calf kick that LSC checks. LSC throws punches in bunches once again but McCall is able to protect himself and both of these guys are starting to show some fatigue. McCall throws another calf kick that LSC checks, but a follow  up front kick connects that rocks LSC back on his heels! Saint-Cyr goes with a looping right hand while Byron McCall jumps back and jabs, but the referee jumps in as the horn signals the end of the round.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Three down, a possible two to go. That was a pretty close round, still not taking too many risks. You saw some good things from both guys, and yet neither one really pulled away with it. As we head into Championship rounds, I suspect we’ll start to see these guys opening up and letting it fly.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “I’ve talked a lot about McCall and his kicks so far but we should show some appreciation for how willing LSC continues to be to try and press the action. Maybe that’s because he knows in championship fights it’s hard to win off points if you’re the challenger, and so he’s looking to finish the fight. I love that he’s not overwhelmed by the moment and I love that he’s determined to fight this fight his way.  Can’t wait for championship rounds, Bodie. Absolutely can’t wait.”

[Heading into the championship rounds, both fighters are showing the wear and tear of this fight but their wills are just too strong. LSC fires first but thoroughly misses, allowing McCall to connect with a big hook to the body. LSC tries to cut off McCall with a flurry of punches, but McCall avoids getting cornered and launches a high kick that just barely grazes LSC. McCall flicks another low kick that fails to land and a follow up head kick falls short of its mark. LSC sees an opening and throws a big left hand, but McCall dodges it and a follow up flurry of tentative punches but gets nothing out of it. The two then take a step back for a breather.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Oooh, you can see the fatigue starting to settle in on both fighters now. The limbs are getting heavy and the motions are slowing down. This is where mistakes can happen and big momentum shifts can happen at the drop of a hat.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Yeah but I don’t think it’s just fatigue. I think we’re seeing the result of two intelligent fighters having seen fifteen minutes of what the other is bringing to the table tonight and they’re starting to be able to read one another.”

[McCall throws a punch that finds an opening in the defense of Saint-Cyr. He then goes with a looping right hand while Saint-Cyr jumps back and jabs. McCall gets clipped and seems staggered, so Saint-Cyr rushes in to capitalize with a bunch of jabs and crosses. McCall throws a low kick that Lovelie Saint-Cyr blocks, but it’s enough to stifle LSC’s offense. McCall leads with a punch but Saint-Cyr evades it and then whiffs with a counter. The exhaustion is obvious by now, as McCall throws a low kick that easily gets checked, but then he fires off another and it connects hard on that lead leg. It looks like Saint-Cyr gets a little aggravated and starts swinging for the fences, but McCall backpedals and creates space. Lovelie Saint-Cyr then starts to taunt him and asks him if he is going to fight.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “A little jawing at one another there. Lovelie is wanting to throw down right in the center of the octagon, but I think McCall is content to just pick him apart with those leg kicks.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “No reason for him not to be and, honestly after seeing how much it’s frustrating LSC, I can only imagine we’ll see more of those kicks to that right leg. The champ appears to be in LSC’s head.”

[McCall nods in agreement and the two start going at it. McCall keeps targeting the legs and LSC throws some heavy leather, but neither one connects with anything too damaging. LSC checks a leg kick and lands flush with a big counter uppercut that gets the crowd on their feet. McCall paws at Saint-Cyr to try and fend him off, but LSC answers with solid punches before the horn sounds, putting an end to this round.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Ooooh what a nice way to end the round by the challenger, Lovelie Saint-Cyr! He pieced him up pretty good, and we got ourselves a razor close fight so far, Double D. Four on the floor and now we have just five minutes remaining in this fight. If this goes the distance, I’d hate to guess what the scorecards will be.”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “The end of the round will likely weigh heavier on the scoring than the rest of the round just because of that little flurry of action from LSC but in my opinion McCall and his leg kicks won the round but the judges may not see it that way. McCall’s corner needs to be wary that the only round he seems to have clearly won was the third. He may need to finish the fight in order to retain and that’s a scary situation for a champion to find themselves in.”

[As we begin the fifth and final round, the crowd is roaring with excitement as both fighters are running on fumes at this point. Despite the basketball-sized welt growing on his leg, LSC strikes first with a low kick that McCall checks. Saint-Cyr swings for the fences but McCall backpedals and creates space, causing Saint-Cyr to taunt his opponent once more. LSC points at the center of the octagon, wanting to throw down. LSC circles his way back in and fires off a straight left that McCall ducks under. A nasty front kick from McCall lands clean, rocking LSC back on his heels and it gets the crowd hyped up. McCall pressures in, but LSC spins around suddenly with a back fist. McCall just narrowly ducks under it and launches a hook to the body. Saint-Cyr moves aside looking for a counter, and begins firing off a bunch of leg kicks. McCall checks most of them, but LSC isn’t letting off. He throws a few jabs that are countered by McCall’s punches and an inside leg kick from McCall goes wide and the two step back to reset.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “There it is! Throw everything out PLUS the kitchen sink! This is the last push to claim or retain a World Championship!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “You’ve gotta love it and I’m glad to see a little more urgency out of McCall in the final round. He’s really very well coached. I love those leg kicks from Saint-Cyr too. Imagine if we’d seen more of those in the early going.”

[McCall moves forward and is able to land a trio of calf kicks to LSC’s lead leg. He then goes with a looping right hand while Saint-Cyr jumps back and jabs. McCall throws another low kick but Saint-Cyr blocks it and launches a liver kick! McCall blocks it and pushes his opponent back, then shows some good footwork moving in to strike and moving away afterward. LSC tries to jab at McCall during the exchange, but cannot land them. McCall goes back to the well with some leg kicks that LSC defends. Saint-Cyr throws his entire body with a big cross, but McCall steps back and the punch goes wide.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Woo, LSC threw everything he had in that left hand. The wind off that fist blew my hair back!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “McCall nearly saw Jesus and the virgin Mary. Christ sake, Lovelie, you don’t need to murder the man.”

[A lightning fast low kick from McCall gets checked and you can see the frustration grow for LSC. He moves to shoot but aborts the attempt as McCall misses with a knee that could have ended the fight right there. Saint-Cyr tries to grapple now but McCall moves aside, keeping the fight at striking range. LSC launches a furious leg kick and a flurry of punches, but McCall slips out of danger. With the finals seconds ticking away, McCall launches a body shot that Saint-Cyr avoids, and a middle kick just misses its target. LSC counters with a nasty hook to the body just before the horn, and the crowd goes wild for both fighters’ warrior spirit.]

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Un…be…lievable! What a fight!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Tremendous five round war! Hard to say who is going to walk away with the belt tonight but like I’ve been saying, it’s very hard for a challenger to oust a champion on points. And in a fight this close you’ve got to think the judges might lean in favor of McCall here but there is an argument to be made by both men.”

BODIE SULLIVAN: “Whichever way this goes, hats off to the both of them. What a way to end the night and also to end 2022 for Union GP!”

DELANEY DONOVAN: “Whatever happens and whoever wins, I hope Dante gives us an immediate rematch to kick off 2023. Kick off the new year proper.”

[The sound of the final horn gets quickly drowned out from the roar of the crowd. Both fighters stagger to their corners and clench the top of the fence and hunker over as they gasp for air. The doctors disperse to each corner as standard procedure but neither fighter looks too banged up. After a few moments pass, the doctors exit the cage and the fighters meet back in the center of the octagon for the official decision.]

MIKE DEMPSEY: “Ladies and gentlemen, after five rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards for a decision. Judge Luna Pacheco scores it 48-47 McCall, Judge Cory Moss scores it 48-47 Saint-Cyr, and Judge Ahmed McFadden scores it 48-47, declaring your winner by split decision, AND NEW Union Grand Prix Middleweight Champion of the World, Lovelie Saint-Cyr!”

[The crowd goes into pandemonium. Some cheers, some boos, but regardless it’s a stunned and emphatic reaction. Lovelie Saint-Cyr has his hand raised and the title wrapped around his waist by Dante Reed. Both fighters embrace with a hug and exchange graceful words for one another. The two eventually split off to their cornermen and the commentators recap the fight as a graphic pops up, breaking down the statistics.]

JUDGE AHMED McFADDEN
Byron McCall  10 9 9 9 10: 47
Lovelie Saint-Cyr  9 10 10 10 9: 48

JUDGE CORY MOSS
Byron McCall  10 9 10 9 9: 47
Lovelie Saint-Cyr  9 10 9 10 10: 48

JUDGE LUNA PACHECO
Byron McCall  10 9 10 9 10: 48
Lovelie Saint-Cyr  9 10 9 10 9: 47

Winner: Lovelie Saint-Cyr by Split Decision

Statistics: Byron McCall
Punches 28/46 (61%)
Kicks 19/55 (35%)
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: Lovelie Saint-Cyr
Punches 34/114 (30%)
Kicks 2/21 (10%)
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