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Ascension: Primetime - Sackett vs al Din / Power vs Kuzuri


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On September 6th Yance Sackett will defend his title against Taj al Din. It’s their 5th fight and this time it seems to be even closer than ever before. Featured on the card we have Danny Power defending his title against the $4 Million Featherweight tournament champion Waru Kuzuri. This is our 1st Primetime show and we’re glad to present it to you. You’ll get the change to know the fighters more than simply 2 guys that enter a cage and face each other. The stories behind it, the struggles to become a champion. All of it here on Ascension Primetime.

 

 

 

Sackett vs. al Din

 

 

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Sackett had some ups and downs in Ascension and after a fight in CWFL, he came back much better and he won fights decisively. But he lost that fight. It was a tough time for him…

 

Yance: Yeah, I had a few fights that weren't some of my proudest moments. Those were tough times for my camp. There was a lot of trouble in the Tycooniverse those days. I don’t know if it was in the water or the cage or what. Guys were getting KO'd all over the place. The final straw was after War Machine got KO'd by Budo. Barnabas came into camp and told everyone to get in the cage. He came in last, locked the door and threw the key back out. He cussed us up and down for about an hour until we were all fired up and ready beat him senseless. That's when he said "All right bitches, who wants a shot at the old man?"

 

War Machine took a swing and Barnabas ducked under it, then cracked him with an uppercut that lifted him in the air and dropped him out cold against the cage. We all froze for a split second, looked at each other and then all hell broke loose. Luciano Halo tried to body kick him but he was already in the air about to land the superman punch that KO'd Bubba Clem. Mickey O'Neil caught him with a solid shot to the temple right as Jimmy Snuka Kicked him in the ribs but he was still able to round kick Arudo breaking his jaw.

I guess my gameplan for the next ten fights wasn’t exactly rocket science. I was pissed that Barn had walked out and I went balls to the wall in most my fights throwing full power and aggression into each one. I didn’t care if I won or lost, I just wanted to pound on people. Most ended in quick KO's but unfortunately sometimes the guy lying on the ground was me.

After the Soprano fight I realized I was getting up in age, as far as fighters go, and that I better get my shit together if I want to make one last run at number 1. I'm usually much more controlled in the cage than I was being. I look at fighting like a chess match and just going in to try and knock people out isn’t my game. Sure feels good though. I talked to Barnabas and we started forming a new camp. It was just me and Mickey up until that point but Barn brought Tyrel back and got us some decent trainers to help out. We took over the BHP Vegas gym and have slowly been putting the pieces back together.

After a few fights I found myself in line for a title shot against Al Din. I had already beaten him twice but also had been KO'd by him back when the shit was hitting the fan. Al Din is one of the toughest fighters in Tycoon history. He has been ranked as high as number 4 and has been in the top 10 for at least a year it seems like. I wasn’t sure how that fight was going to go so I trained my ass off for it and it paid off with me getting the belt back. I'd be lying if I didn’t say all his shit talking really pumped me up too.

 

 

After facing Tony Soprano, Sackett only lost once. Amazing performances followed and even his loss against Narushima was something controversial. It seems that the rematch is on Sackett’s eyes but first, he needs to face Taj al Din for the 5th time.

 

Yance: I was lucky to get a win in that Mcthornbody fight. I came in flat and he was really handing it to me. It's a good thing I like to swing for the fences, just wish I could have done that against Ryo. Ryo is a beast who throws with power AND accuracy. I expect to see him near the top for a while. With that said, it was a very close fight and I would love a rematch if the opportunity presents itself someday. For now, I gotta deal with defending my belt against Taj, AGAIN.

Al Din has been saying I'm scared of him for at least a year. Nothing new there. He already has 3 losses to me so how scared can I really be? After I took the belt from him the first time he wanted 2 out of 3. He won the second and I won the third but then he wanted 3 out of 5. I won the third and now he wants it to be out of 7. Well, here you go Taj, fight number 5.

 

If you take a look at the guys I fought instead of Al Din, I think it’s pretty hard to make a case that I was ducking him. Oh, has anybody looked at the fighters he was beating in order to earn a rematch with me? Not exactly the top 10 guys I was facing. Who is scared of what? Good luck to ya Taj!

 

 

 

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Taj al Din is not the typical fighter. He has degrees in Herbology, Biology, Botany, Astronomy, History, Hydrology and Psychology. He’s an outspoken public advocate of marijuana and that’s not all of it. He also had an interesting childhood in Tasmania.

 

Taj: I was born and raised in Taroona, on a farm-like residence next to the ocean. I was taught to be appreciative of everything you have in life, and to never take your health and good fortune for granted. I managed to provide a substantial income for myself since my early teens, utilizing my skills in hydroponics and herbology. The income provided a roof over the heads of my family, kept more than enough food on the table, and paid for my training at the gyms. Finding my path, my pursuit of happiness, was a journey down a road that lacked stability. The direction wasn't always clear and the future wasn't always promising, but eventually I found the light and ran with it. I put my heart into MMA and a lot of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears later, here I am today.

 

Taj al Din is on a 4 fight win. It started with a strange cut stoppage in the trilogy against Kurokawa Kenji but then he got some solid performances against tougher competition. He faced guys he never fought before and now he’s back as #1 contender. Al Din is considered a legend and has accomplished everything in Ascension, so how would this fight be different than any other he had?

 

Taj: I want to be the champion. I am very ambitious. I strive to be the best... There are times in your life that you must fall before you rise. There will be intervals of your career when fighting is as mentally arduous as it is physically. The mentally strong prevail and the weak falter. If you do not have the fortitude and will to preserve focus, confidence, and motivation, your foundation will crumble. I have committed over a decade of my life to the art of combat and I have conquered all mental aspects of Mixed Martial Arts. You cannot pollute your mind with uncertainty or you will be indecisive and hesitate. I have exerted every ounce of energy into preparation for this moment. I am elated to be in this position, to contend for the title, but I expected to be here.

 

The last time they fought, Sackett dominated the fight and with that al Din is 1-3 against Sackett. With 4 fights in their past, both fighters wonder what kind of surprises their foe can present… And also what kind of surprise they can show on fight night.

 

Taj: In our last fight he landed two sadistic kicks to the nuts. If there's one thing I learned, it's that you don't want to get kicked in the nads by a Sackett - it can drain the essence of your life right out of you. It appears that he has my number but I'm going to bombard him with a bit of everything. I am aware that he will try to counter to take me down but I will be prepared for that. I know he's full of surprises. Never underestimate what a Sackett has in his bag of tricks.

 

 

Taj said many times that Yance was ducking this fight while the champion said that the guys al Din faced were way weaker than those he faced since then.

 

Taj: I am very competitive, defeat is unacceptable, and victory is expected of me. But life isn't about how many times you get knocked down - it's about how many times you get back up. The expectations for Convicted Fight Club fighters are elevated and the walls are decorated in title belts and championships. We know what it takes to be champion, and we have been very vocal about my disappointing performances against Yance. We learn from defeat, we move on, and I progress as a fighter and a human being. Yance is a tough fighter but I will validate my resilience. He says he fought better competition since our last bout, but when you are the champion that's what you should expect. You should expect to face tougher competition when the belt is on your waist. When you're no longer the champ, you just work on climbing back up the latter. You have to earn your way back to the top by defeating other contenders. I've been very fortunate to receive another opportunity against the current champion - I am thankful for it - but I feel that I have earned it.

 

 

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So what can both fighters say about fighting? The aspects of training during weeks and leaving it all up for just one fight, one cage and how does that affect them?

 

 

Sackett: Fighting is just something I grew up doing. There are a lot of extended family Sackett's and we get together often. When a bunch of Sackett's get together they always want to see who the toughest one is. Some families throw horseshoes at reunions, we like to throw punches and kicks. Sackett's don’t seem to be able to walk away from a fight. If a man wants to take his disagreement to the next level I am happy to throw the first punch to get that party started. If a man feels he can beat me I think he should know he's wrong. I don’t need to be angry to fight like some guys. I look at it more like a chess match. What are my strengths, my opponent’s weaknesses and how can I use that to my advantage. I'm used to fighting family and cousins and such so fighting is more about proving who the better man is that day. I should add, there is not much that feels as good as landing a solid punch to the jaw of my opponent and watching his eyes roll back in his head as he falls to the canvas.

 

 

Taj: Fighting is many things and has many meanings. The answer to that question is complex but the reality of it can be simplified. Fighting is a job. Ascension is my employer. To fight, is to work. It's become a means of survival, a way of living. But is that why I fight? No, of course not. For me, it's competition. It provides a liberation of negative energy. By the time you step into the cage to fight, you have a lot of emotions bottled up inside of you. For me, the fight becomes a pacification of the mind and a release of testosterone. To compete against another Mixed Martial Artist directly is the ultimate challenge for our sport. You must be competitive to be successful. You must enjoy competition. The most successful people in the MMA industry, from fighters, managers, and org owners, are the most competitive. Despite my competitive nature, when I am in the cage or ring I maintain a state of tranquility. I won't fight with a mind clouded by emotions, or blinded with rage.

 

 

And with the fight coming soon, what do they expect to come after many years of fighting?

 

Sackett: I feel after this fight as after most fights these days against Karter's fighters we'll get together and smoke a ton of the killer weed they always have. I feel strong enough to fight for a while so win or lose, I'm not going anywhere just yet. All I have to say to my opponent is Good luck Taj.

 

Taj: I intend on making the answer to that question, defending the title. I am focused on the present and I can't afford to make the same mistakes I have made in the past by overlooking Yance Sackett. He's an elite fighter and he deserves the utmost respect, he can't be underestimated. Regarding the remaining duration of my career, I am strong enough to continue fighting for many years but I don't intend to. I've succeeded in this sport and my management has done a sensational job of reassuring that I have been financially compensated, so inevitably in the future I will settle down and retire in my home of Tasmania. I could get used to watching the sun set, burning some the finest herb on the planet. Yance Sackett - win, lose, or draw - you have more than earned my respect. You may have won the battles, but I have every intention on winning the war. Good luck, and stay healthy.

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Power vs. Kuzuri

 

 

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Power: Fighting is like breathing to me, it's just 2nd nature man. I am an athlete and to me this is the purest form of competition. You have nobody in that cage with you except yourself and the only thing that keeps you going in that cage is heart and mental toughness. I wouldn't be the man I am today if I wasn't a professional fighter, I have no doubt about that. Walking to that Octagon is probably one of the most exciting things you can ever experience. It's exhilarating. I don't know if it's butterflies, or nervousness combined with just pure adrenaline but there is always a very healthy fear heading into that cage and it's something you know you have no choice but to face and conquer. There is something very satisfying about that.

 

 

 

 

Power is back to Ascension after a few fights outside. And he’s back to defend his belt against Ascension Featherweight champion and former ONI champion Waru Kuzuri. He was on a great run after being the first to dethrone Jokinen after a while and now he has a living legend to fight against.

 

 

 

Power: This is a fight I've been looking forward to for a very long time. The day he won the Blitz NY 145lb tournament I suffered my first loss in Eminence to Richard Teixeira. Waru was the baddest featherweight on the planet at the time and just proved it by winning a tournament that was stacked with some of the best featherweights in the business and that was a big motivating factor for me in my climb to the top. I reeled off 7 straight wins including 4 victories over guys who'd been ranked #1 in the weight class at one time. I also captured the Ascension 145lbs championship during that run by beating Charles Martel, the current Syn 155lb champion. Like you mentioned earlier, Waru had gone on a bit of a rough stretch in ONI and that fight just never made much sense in terms of climbing the p4p rankings so despite rumors of that fight happening we never were able to come to any agreements. I went on obviously to win the Empire 145lbs title as well and knock off Otso Jokinen so I became a pretty busy man with 2 belts in 2 organizations that I had to defend but I am really glad Kuzuri turned things around and worked his way into contention. As far as his final run in ONI when you are constantly stepping into the cage with guys at tough as Red Fox, Pikku, Barry Scott you are bound to lose a fight eventually, it's the nature of the business. I think Kuzuri looked really tough in his recent tournament run, as for what that means about this fight? Jack shit. He beat some good opponents but the best guy he beat was Clint Lomax and I hold a victory over him. Nobody else that Waru beat is as tough as me, so we'll see how the fight goes.

 

 

 

Power was the #1 p4p fighter and one of his main goals was to avenge a loss against Sly Randolph. Sly was able to defeat him again on the second fight. Many people wondered what happened there and why couldn't he put his gameplan to work that night?

 

 

 

Power: That fight still hurts man. Sly is a bad mother-fucker and that's now the 2nd time he was able to put me away inside the distance. My game-plan going into the fight was try to hit him pretty hard and see if I couldn't slow him down, take away some of his knock-out power and obviously I wanted to get that fight to the ground. I really felt like if I could get him to the ground early in the fight I would be able to wear him down a little bit and start implementing my game-plan. I was weathering the early storm in the first round and I even got the take-down that I needed but somehow he landed a beautiful switch and ended in the mount position. I have no idea how he pulled that shit off if I am being honest, maybe he's a really intelligent fighter or just had the perfect plan for my ground game? Maybe it was just a bit of random luck but either way I think him getting the mount at the end of round 1 won him that fight. He landed some really big shots from the position and hurt me badly, I made it to the end of the round but I never really recovered from that shot and he saw the opportunity early in round 2 and capitalized on it. He was the better man on that night. Again.

 

 

 

Danny Power is an English fighter and the British love football and brawling. With Power it could not be different. He had to choose of these paths.

 

 

 

Power: Growing up in England was great. Obviously football is huge over here and most guys in the country aspire to be professional football players. I was always a smaller guy and grew up a big boxing fan. I idolized guys like Prince Naseem Hamed and Lennox Lewis and I really think that's what made me want to become a fighter. I started off boxing as a younger lad but then MMA was really blowing up and I was still a really young guy so I thought I could give it a try. I never in my wildest dreams imagined I'd one day be the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet and that was a great honor to have achieved that. An honor I'd really like to have again.

 

 

 

With a 13-7-1 record, Power did not have a great start in his career but he managed to turn that around and become of the greatest out there.

 

 

Power: I think it was really just about focus. I started my career under the tutelage of Sam Travers, he did a really good job helping me hone my skills but he protected me from the cage a little too much before hanging it up. I joined Sean as a 6-2 fighter and his head just didn't seem to be into managing fighters at the time. He was running Big Apple Combat for Dana Fight at the time and that seemed to dominate the majority of his time. Down at the end I know that organization was really wearing on him mentally and he was seriously considering retiring from MMA management for probably a good 6 months or more. Then a combination of events happened that included good friends and fellow TFP members Lord Rayden and Jason Smith leaving the game as well as his friend Dean Sutherland jumping ship to another alliance and he about called it quits. It was around that time that he joined the International Cocksmen alliance and they really rejuvenated him. Something really lit a fire under his ass because suddenly he was in the gym every day, he was helping me and his other fighters break down film and we were all talking a lot of strategy. Having him be a manager again full-time really helped change the course of my career. When you have a manager of his caliber and suddenly he's 100% focused? Let's just say I've gone 14-2 since he's been back full-time and the only man I’ve lost to his Randolph on two separate occasions.

 

 

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Waru Kuzuri is considered a legend at the smaller weight classes. He had an amazing run in Tokyo way back ago and then he got a bad streak. He was 5-5 after his final fights in ONI. Everybody thought that Waru was past his prime and here we are… He won the tournament decisively and now he’s getting a title shot against former #1 p4p Danny Power.

 

(Translated from Japanese to English by Ethan Downs) Waru: It feels good to hold my own with the best fighters in the world. The Ascension tournament is very prestigious and it was an honor to win. It will be a great honor to fight Danny Power for the belt.

 

Waru fought the majority of his career in Tokyo and when ONI closed many people thought what those guys would do after that. Much was speculated about him retiring but that did not happen. He considered retirement but then something changed…

 

 

Waru: I did consider retirement. I know I am still a good fighter so I decided to enter the Ascension tournament to try to boost my career back up. ONI shut down business shortly after my tournament entry. At that point I decided to become an Ascension fighter going forward in my career. Fighting in front of the Japanese fans and for the greatest organization in Tokyo history was a dream come true for me. I did great things in ONI but I needed to win the Ascension tournament to show the Americans that I can perform well in their country as well.

 

 

And it wasn’t money what he sought with that tournament.

 

Waru: It has changed my life only by rejuvenating my career. Fighting is my life. Money means nothing to me as long as I have enough to train hard and live comfortably. I have been living well for many years now, having won belts in ONI and winning the Blitz New York tournament. I have been fortunate enough to make a great career out of fighting.

 

 

And what fighting mean to this veteran? He has been through many situations in his career but he’s very clear to define that.

 

 

Waru: Fighting is everything to me. Emotions... I don't feel much. Only to put on a good performance and fight hard. I am a capable ground fighter but I prefer standing because it seems to be generally more exciting for the fans, especially the Americans.

 

 

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And when it’s all said and done, the future is promising for both guys.

 

Power: I really haven't put that much thought into what's next if I'm being honest. I try to take things one fight at a time, you never really know what to expect when you step into that cage and I try hard to not get ahead of myself. Waru is a really dangerous opponent and it would be a giant mistake to be thinking about anything except him right now. I don't see me retiring anytime soon though that's for sure. I'd really like to climb the ladder and get back to being the #1 p4p fighter in the world. I want to go down as the greatest featherweight of all time and I don't feel like I can call myself that as long as I am 0-2 against Randolph so obviously that's a fight I will probably want somewhere down the road. I want to win my Evolution title back but right now I am 100% focused on this fight. A lot of guys thought Kuzuri had the potential to go down as the greatest featherweight ever so he's somebody I would really like to gain a victory over. Dropping two in a row is just not an option I am willing to live with so I will come out ready for this fight. It should be a classic. I know Sean respects the hell out of Kuzuri's manager Ethan Downs and thinks he's 1 of the best in the business so I think he's a little extra motivated to gain his first victory against 1 of Ethan's fighters."

 

Waru: I have nothing to say to Danny Power. We will see each other in the cage and fight. After that, we may become friends or we may not. After this fight I may ask to move to 135 weight class. I prefer 135 but it seems most of the best lighter weight fighters prefer to fight at 145 and 155 so I move to where the best fights are. 145 is no problem for me but 135 seems more natural. If 125 weight class was added, I would fight there as well. I feel strong enough to fight for many more years. I am 29 years old now and I feel youthful. I do not get injured or knocked out often, and I believe I can fight to 40 years old or perhaps longer. I plan on having many more fights!

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Results:

 

al Din def. Sackett by TKO (Strikes)

Kuzuri def. Power by Decision (Majority)

Sturd def. Gustavsson by Decision (Unanimous)

Malek def. Adams by TKO (Cut)

Spoakin def. Paulsen by KO (Punches)

Batts def. O Neil by Decision (Unanimous)

Barretto def. Takahashi by Decision (Unanimous)

Garner def. Magri by Submission (Strikes)

Taylor def. Jackson by Decision (Unanimous)

Hill def. Bing by TKO (Head Kick)

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Congrats to Ethan & Kuzuri. Thought I had that one but fall to 0-6 now to team Downs. Think you put me on the bench for a little with that loss, just gonna focus on ITFL & Evo previews for a bit. Just can't catch any breaks right now i guess

 

There's no shame in that loss, bro. GREAT fight and one judge called it a draw. One win and Power should get a shot at either Fox or Kuzuri depending on who wins.

 

You know as well as I do how losing streaks are. Just gotta fight through that shit. A couple months ago I was manager rank in the 600s haha.

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Yea it was a great fight. Even though I feel Power won it was far too close for me to feel jipped/screwed. I've just had terrible luck lately.

 

Bunn gets his first sub & KO losses after getting top 10 p4p

 

I felt Fatu won his ITFL fight after easily out-grappling Hunt's black-belt despite being Purple & lost a close decision there

 

Power vs Randolph 2 I'm handling his KO Power on the feet, get a much needed TD & then immediately swept to mount where I was rocked. Pretty sure he never recovered & got put away really early in 2nd round. I know he probably could've finished me anyway but I really had no chance after he poured it on from mount.

 

Now this close decision where I thought I did enough to win just gutted me.

 

I have a whole generation that will be getting unleashed into big orgs over the next 6 months so I'm not going anywhere. Besides w/ EVO previews & ITFL 2 I have plenty to keep me interested.

 

Since all the breaks seem to be going against me I just need to emotionally recover from that one

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