ONE ON ONE FT. ROBIN KELSON
[Chicago, Illinois. The city where UGP 78 will take place at the United Center on September 27. Two championships will be on the line in both main event scenes. The UGP Featherweight Championship and the UGP Middleweight Championship. Chicago will witness two championship title fights that could shake the entire UGP landscape. But the undercard has plenty of fights with stories and tension. One fight features a middleweight grudge match that’s been building since the confrontation in Miami between Robin Kelson and Reggie James. The scene opens to a professional setting inside the cage for UGP 78. The United Center. Two chairs, Kayla sits on one and the camera focuses on her to begin the segment.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me for another One-on-One. I am Kayla Chapman and happy to be conducting this interview. My guest is a fighter who has scored one of the most unique knockouts in Union Grand Prix history. He’s a two-division fighter, a former welterweight title challenger, and the number two ranked welterweight fighter, “The Sweetheart” Robin Kelson!”
[Robin’s personality shines. He enters through the cage door and pretends to do a dance. Kayla laughs at Robin’s performance. The charismatic and charming fighter comes into the frame, shakes her shand then sits down with a smile. He seems relaxed and comfortable.]
ROBIN KELSON: “Kayla, Kayla! It’s always a good time to see you. Thanks for doing this inside because it’s freakin’ cold out there. I can’t be freezin’ before my next fight, ya’ know?”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Robin, you bring this energy every time you’re on camera. Well, even off camera, you continue to be this bubbly guy. Many people describe you as having swagger, being funny, but once you’re in the cage, it’s a different story. You wrestle, you maul, you submit, but you put on a show. How does it feel to be one of the most entertaining fighters in UGP currently?”
[Robin found the question very flattering, and he’s very pleased to know how well his personality has gotten across the fans.]
ROBIN KELSON: “Kayla. I’m just a guy who loves to live and lives to love. A lot of the other fighters we’ve seen love to be serious, and pretend everything is all darkness and shadows. Look, I love a serious fighter but we have to some type of fun. It’s a sport, and I love this sport. I love to entertain. I’ve always been that type of guy but it’s never hindered my fighting, it’s made it stronger. When the lights are on and all eyes are on the cage, I fight to not only win but to have people remember me. I want everyone to say Robin was the guy or Robin is electrifying which is why you always see me do my best and when everyone is ready for me, I don’t stop. I love to connect with the fans and I love to connect my fists to the fighters.”
[It was a typical Robin Kelson answer. Kayla appreciated it. She loved when the fighters didn’t hold back in being themselves. On the other hand, Robin threw his hands up expressing he’s only talking the truth. She continued the interview.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “I want to go back to your last fight against Esteban Rojas in the co-main event of UGP 75. You pulled off one of the most unexpected knockouts with a 2nd Round Up Kick. Walk us through that experience.”
ROBIN KELSON: “I mean….”
[Robin leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Since you asked, I loved it. I remember everything. To fight back in my hometown, the 305, the SoFlo, Miami baby! Esteban was someone I took very seriously. He’s the CLA Welterweight Champion, I couldn’t let him take away the experience from me but he was stepping into my world. Miami is a place where showmanship and skill need to be a balance. That’s my type of fight. So even though in the second round, I slipped and was on my back. It felt natural. One good kick upwards and he was knocked out. I just remembered hearing everyone cheering, and I felt like I ascended faster than Sephiroth in Final Fantasy. Shoutout to Esteban though for taking the fight, gracias amigo!”
[He cupped his hands and made a heart gesture to the camera. Kayla smiled at his humility and respect towards Esteban Rojas. However, she needed to continue the interview.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Very respectful of you Robin! You’ve been making a lot of waves in UGP but there’s been rumors about your activity. Many are saying you are now working on being a two-division fighter in both the welterweight and middleweight division. It seems you have no problem with the weight cutting for both. What does this mean for your future?”
ROBIN KELSON: “My future is looking better than ever! I told everyone I just want to fight. I want to stay active. I don’t want to sit at home and train forever. I need to be in the cage. I’ve fought before at middleweight multiple times and won. I can do both welterweight and middleweight. It’s not a problem for me but understand this Kayla.”
[He leans closer to her, and smiles cheekily. It’s the confidence radiating from him in the manner of a child who knows he’s getting a lot more than he wished for.]
ROBIN KELSON: “I want to be the fighter everyone sees. A two-division fighter means I can bring something to the table a lot can’t. Two divisions means more opportunities. I had my championship fight against Byron McCall and came close but I bounced back. It’s time to see what else I can accomplish. The middleweight division has a new set of contenders, former champions,a and interesting fighters I want to fight. I’ve been working on improving my game on the ground but significantly on the feet as well. I want to be a complete fighter but still have the mauling and entertaining style that’s put me on the map, ya’ know?”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “I hear you loud and clear. Since you mentioned improving your game, let’s talk about the Holmes MMA and Wrestling Academy. Currently the recent Gym of the Year, constant growth in fighters, and now we have rumors about fighters from the gym being in the Big 4 Promotions. How does it feel to help building the gym from the ground up where it has become a camp everyone either want to train or fear against?”
ROBIN KELSON: “Honestly Kayla, it’s just hard work and determination. I remember when the camp started only with Serenity Holmes and people were making fun of us. Verona joined, then myself then Jordan then Mason, and now Kimberly. However, we do got some great fighters for the Big 4. We never want to stop. We want to keep growing and show the world why we are the best camp currently in all of MMA. We have great coaches, and also a great pool of talent that keeps growing. So I feel 110% ready for this fight. My ground game is amazing and my striking has improved significantly.”
[The answer was firm and empowered through belief. Kayla truly loves to see Robin show his confidence and it’s quite clear how impressed he is in his team’s journey to being such a great gym. She knows the next question will carry tension but does her due diligence.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Now let’s focus on UGP 78. You’ll be opening the main card against Reggie James who is one of the best middeweight fighters in the world. Before we talk about the fight, can you give us some insight about the incident that took place at media day in Miami?”
ROBIN KELSON: “Fuck that dude.”
[Kayla is shocked from the answer but Robin’s demeanor to being serious about Reggie James was out of character.]
ROBIN KELSON: “I genuinely have respect for people but Reggie James came at me some type of way that I didn’t appreciate. Look, I don’t back down from anyone. You don’t try to punk me out and I’m damn sure not someone you can try to make look like a bitch. Reggie, I don’t know what he thought but now I’m coming for him. I’m going to make him suffer, I’m going to make him bleed. He wants to stand? We can bang. He wants to go on the ground? I’ll maul him to the point he’ll be begging for mercy. I’m sorry Kayla but I need to leave because I can’t wait. I want to find him and beat the brakes off of him.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Okay, well Rob-”
[Before she finished, Robin stood up, took his microphone off, and stormed out of the interview. Kayla was surprised from the sudden abruption but she had no choice but to end it after the tension boiled over.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “I’m sorry ladies and gentlemen for that. As you can see, the tension between Robin Kelson and Reggie James are at an all time high. Be sure to tune into UGP 78: MARSHALL vs. D’AMICO to watch the grudge fight between these two middleweights!”
[The camera changes to the UGP 78 logo away from the cage. A smooth transition from the interview into the promotional package filled with commercials, advertisements and fight trailers highlighting some of the fighters on the UGP 78 card plays.]
