559 Fights Welterweight title fight.

This is my account of my fight on 6/24/2023 for the welterweight title:

ROUND 1

I stood there looking at the other side of the cage at my opponent, the current champion, I had been training for this opportunity, training for this fight and it was seconds away from beginning. The moments after being given the command to fight are a blur, I don’t recall when he bust my nose or when I opened up the scar tissue on his forehead but we were both already shedding blood. He took me down at some point during the round and as I was sitting in his half cocked rear naked choke I could feel the blood in my nose block my airway, I heard my wife’s voice yelling and Antonio’s voice yelling and in that moment I found new resolve. I didn’t put all this time and effort in just to get punched a couple of times and then be choked out! I came to show everyone that I am and always have been a champion and we were just getting warmed up! I exhaled sharply blowing the blood out of my nostrils and clearing my airway and I had a peace over the situation. I knew that I was defending the choke well and I could feel his strength waining, I had to wait for the right moment to break free but I was in no immediate danger of losing. It was time! I began to break free and as I moved there was a quick white flash that went before my eyes and the ref broke us up. I was certain I hadn’t lost consciousness and I didn’t, but that wasn’t the issue, my opponent landed four illegal punches to the back of my head. The ref asked if I was alright and able to continue, I assured him I was and he set us back on one another.

A few moments later my perception of time slowed and I could see everything so clearly, must be what Goku sees in ultra instinct, I lowered my stance and threw a precise left hook that clipped his jaw and wobbled his legs. I knew he was going to go for a takedown after being rocked and as he did, I was ready! I stopped the shot, circled around and scored, everything that needed to be done was clear, I felt his stamina depleting and I began, like a surgeon about to preform an operation, punch, adjust position, take away limbs, punch, adjust, stay in good position and then the first round ended. Something inside me unlocked, I had leveled up mid round and I knew for certain, this victory would be mine as long as I stayed calm cool and collected.

ROUND 2

I knew he was getting tired, I had felt it towards the end of the round and I could see it in his posture, that meant he was dangerous and would possibly throw wild blows hoping for a quick KO. My breathes were steady, my endurance had felt hardly tapped. Antonio yelled let’s go and we went. After a few exchanges of quick flurries my opponent shot in, I sprawled and tried to move, though his strength was weakening his pressure pushing me against the cage was nothing to scoff at and it prevented me from moving. I had to be careful, now was not the time to strike. I heard Antonio yell cross-face so I dug the knuckle of my right thumb into his nose as hard as I could and his head began to move and I felt a brief relief of his pressure. This moment I felt was a false sense of safety! He had adjusted and was beginning to pick me up for a slam, my instincts kicked in and I pushed against him and got heavy preventing a full lift and slam. The moment we hit I postured up, he was trying to pull my hips under him and get me on my back but his stamina was low and his strength was following. I pushed against him and got my hips beneath me and then behind me. I could hear Antonio yelling at me to circle and I wanted to but he wouldn’t let go so I struck his side to loosen his grip and I adjusted my position. Circling around, he now had his back to the cage and as we stood I drove him into it. I was comfortable here, I wanted to knee him but knowing he’s a wrestler meant that would put me at risk of being taken down and losing my position, it was time to dirty box and smother. I knew I could take him down but I had to set it up properly or I’d chance him stopping my shot or catching a knee to the face on my way down. I kept my pressure on him, I could not let him off the cage and after landing a left to the head and a right uppercut straight up the middle I could feel my opening and I scooped his legs from beneath him. I was in good position, I didn’t need to be hasty, last time I was I suffered an arm bar. I have learned from my successes but more from my failures, I needed to take my time. Punch, adjust, feel his movements, punch, adjust, take away his hope of escape, punch, adjust, punch, adjust. I see his eyes for a moment and they were not full of confidence and aggression like they once were… they were tired. The ref yelled “defend yourself” and I’m not certain whether it was in my head or not but I thought I heard the clap clap clap of the ten second mark, the end of the round! I decided in that moment we were not going to go to a third round, this fight will not go to a decision and I would end it here! A surge of strength erupted inside me and I hammered down with more force than I had ever thrown at someone, body, head, body, body, head I saw a glaze in my opponent’s eyes, I’d heard of this before but have never seen it and so with even more force than before I struck head! Head! HEAD! The ref jumped in and stopped the fight. I stood and walked to my corner, a wave of relief washed over me, it was done. This was my toughest fight and enduring had resulted in me unlocking a deeper level inside. Iron sharpens iron and I am thankful for my opponent helping me level up yet again in the second round.

#mma #martialarts #competition #champion #championship #fight