RFC Showdown in Tokyo 29 Preview

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 RAPID FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN IN TOKYO 29 PREVIEW

HARD KNOCKS ARENA

Xavier: Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Rapid Fighting Championship preview of Showdown in Tokyo 29! I’m your host, Esiah Xavier, and as always, joining me in the booth is the intrepid Furious Styles!

Styles: Intrepid? I like that! I am rather intrepid and I don’t want to live any other way! We have  another packed house tonight as 3,000 wild MMA fans await major action tonight!

Xavier: That’s absolutely correct! Tonight will be a very telling night as we have two titles on the line! Will the Welterweight and Featherweight titles change hands tonight, or will the respective champions be able to hold suit and successfully defend their gold!? In total we have ten fights comprised of three Welterweight fights, three Featherweight fights, two Bantamweight fights, one Super Heavyweight fight, and one Middleweight fight!

Styles: You know how we do in the RFC and tonight will be no exception! As always there’s a lot on the line but there’s an extra somethin’ somethin’ when titles are on the line! The intensity is increased, the focus is tighter, and the nerves are alive! Motivation, pressure, and confidence will all be tested big time in the very first two fights we have tonight!

Xavier: Well said, Styles! Kicking off tonight’s action will be Martin Eugen and Chief Navajo for the Featherweight title! Eugen brings his 20-4 record, along with his heavily tattooed physique, into this battle with a 5-fight win streak and worlds of confidence! A funny pattern has emerged with his fights. The last five fights have ended in the first, second, third, fourth and fifth rounds!

Styles: Seriously!? That’s a wild coincidence, or is it!?

Xavier: I’m sure that’s not something he planned on having happen, but if he did, that would be unbelievable! Throughout his career, and especially on The Island, his fists have done the talking for this accomplished fighter and champion, and I have no doubt that Navajo is very well aware of that fact and has prepared accordingly! Eugen has a slight height and age advantage, plus his time on The Island forced him to endure various opponents of various strengths, so he has been able to adapt quite a bit and his standup is proven to be very solid! Various members of The Stepdads informed me that they feel Eugen has quite the advantage in the standup aspect of this fight because of what he endured on The Island, so time will tell just how true or not that really is! One truth is he has fourteen more fights in his career than Navajo does, and that’s a major advantage in my opinion!

Styles: There’s no doubt in my mind that Navajo’s loss to Eugen at RFC Showdown in Tokyo 14 is still very prevalent in his mind! That was the beginning of a 3-fight losing streak, but to Navajo’s credit, he was able to turn things around and steps into this championship opportunity on a 2-fight win streak! In addition, he’s also previously held gold and that experience is very valuable! He’s going to need that valuable experience against Eugen because the only way I see Navajo pulling off this victory is to get the fight to the ground as fast as possible and try and control the pace, action, and energy to try and make Eugen change his approach to this fight! The longer this fight remains in the standup, the more it favors the champion, and I’m sure Chief feels the same way!

Xavier: In light of that, I’m going to stick with the champion in this battle, Styles! I truly feel the edge he has in age and fighting experience, plus his proven abilities in the standup, will be too much for the very game and proud Navajo! There’s no doubt that Navajo will bring an intense fight because he’s only had one match go past the first round, but that full speed ahead approach, I think, plays right into the champions hands in this battle, and I feel his fists will find their mark and force a nap on Navajo!

Styles: I’ll roll with the underdog in this one, X! I think Navajo has the wherewithal to know how to use the champs confidence against him, and Navajo will be smart in his approach to counterattacking the champion to drag him to the mat where the battle is much more in his favor! I think Navajo does all he can do to get this fight on the ground and that will power and desire will be the difference maker and will win him the title by submission tonight!

PREDICTIONS: Styles – Navajo by Submission; Xavier – Eugen by KO

Styles: The next shot at gold occurs between Toussaint Bissainthe and Josu Aingeru for the Welterweight championship! “dokte sosye” Bissainthe, hailing from Port au Prince, Haiti, steps into this challenge with a 5-1 record and a 4-fight win streak! He has looked great in his young career with his only loss being to Gareth Colton via knockout! Bissainthe has proven he’s very capable of pummeling an opponent with his educated fists and feet and has earned knockout victories using them both, so needless to say, Aingeru’s defense and footwork will have to be primed and ready tonight! At RFC 43, Bissainthe looked dominant in a very tightly contested battle against Nuclear Penguin! Members of YABAI informed me that Bissainthe has been very focused and the Rastafarian music has been playing loudly while he’s in the gym so expect him to be very focused and intense!

Xavier: There’s no doubt he’ll at least be focused and intense! Aingeru is the taller and heavier of the two so I expect him to use those advantages to the best of his ability! The LEGION OF DOOM member brings an 11-2-1 record with him and is riding a 2-fight win streak! He recently defeated Osman Dawoud at RFC 46 after having a draw against him at RFC Showdown in in Tokyo 23! His fists are made of bricks and many a fighter has been napped out by them so the champion will need to keep his head moving and his chin tucked, because Aingeru can definitely test his chin to see if it can hold up to the power that Aingeru possesses! He also has a seven-year age advantage plus a fighting experience edge, so look for him to use those to his advantage as well! Aingeru may very well opt to run in with guns blazing, so to speak, and look for the early knockout, but that approach, if taken, could open him up to counter takedowns by the champion who may have an underrated skill set on the mat! I know we all want to see a standup, toe-to-toe war between these two, but sharper minds may choose otherwise!

Styles: Aingeru’s never been knocked out despite his aggression so that’s a testament to his toughness! One thing I know he’ll be on the lookout for are the brutal kicks that Bissainthe possesses! At any point in time a nasty head kick can turn the lights out for Aingeru so his footwork and body movement as a whole will have to be at their peak! I’m going to take the champ in this fight, X, because I feel he’ll be able to avoid getting chin checked plus will be able to take this fight to the ground where he can control the pace and sap Aingeru’s energy before setting him up for a chin check of his own! The champ walks out of the cage with the title!

Xavier: I’ll choose Aingeru to win this fight because his age and fighting experience provide him experiences that the champion hasn’t had as of yet! In addition, I think his defensive

capability will prevent him from having his legs hacked at all night plus he’ll be able to avoid a potentially fight-ending head kick! Aingeru wins the title by knockout!

PREDICTIONS: Xavier – Aingery by KO; Styles – Bissainthe by KO

Xavier: Moving right along with the action, Genji Kamogawa and Kreepee Krawlee lock horns! Kamogawa, a member of VENDETTA, has had his struggles in his career and is an even 7-7 overall! He recently defeated Theodore Nouveau at RFC 47 by TKO early in the second round, so his momentum is on the right path and his confidence should be strong for this fight! He’s the slightly older, taller and heavier of the two combatants so he may opt to try and lean his weight on Krawlee in efforts to wear him down and prevent him from landing any damaging strikes! From what we’ve seen, it’s imperative that Kamogawa keep this fight on its feet because if Krawlee manages to pull him down into his web, per se, then the tide of this fight could turn very quickly!

Styles: Just a moment there, X! I concur with your insight but I have even more insight for you homeboy! My very reliable sources, and you know they are, say Kamogawa has been busy playing Fortnite instead of getting his ass into the gym and handling business! As a result, dude is very unfocused and has been sitting around in a dour mood and eating Butterfingers all day! Needless to say, I don’t need to elaborate nor make any additional comments about this fight! Krawlee ends this fight fast by submission!

Xavier: Absolutely! I echo that sentiment!

PREDICTIONS: Xavier – Krawlee by Submission; Styles – Krawlee by Submission

Xavier: Next into the cage are Thing Thing and Gustav Ahr! Thing cubed and his green beard are a solid 7-3 overall and is coming off of a second round submission victory over Pablo Rodriguez at RFC 45! Things to the third power has proven that he likes to make his opponents tap out and derives pleasure from that, so Ahr better be on guard tonight in more ways than one if he doesn’t want to end up doing exactly that! Various UnderGround Fights Enterprise members think Thing will be able to be very aggressive in this fight without having to be trepid about taking a punch from Ahr!

Styles: What is this, a warped version of a gang fight!?

Xavier: What do you mean?

Styles: Thing has a green beard, right?

Xavier: Obviously.

Styles: Well, Gustav “Peep” Ahr has a red Mohawk! Instead of having red vs. blue, we have green vs. red!

Xavier: I see.

Styles: Never mind! Ahr enters the cage with a 10-9-1 record overall, so similar to Thing, he’s basically even in his fight career! In this fight he has a major height advantage plus he’s heavier, but I don’t think any of that will matter, X!

Xavier: Now what do you mean?

Styles: His last loss to Chief Navajo apparently has his mind twisted and his feelings hurt because some LEGION OF DOOM members simply shook their head with a look of disappointment when I asked them if Ahr is ready for this fight! So, you and I both know what that means!

Xavier: We’re picking Thing to win by submission?

Styles: We’re picking Thing to win by submission!

PREDICTIONS: Styles – Thing by Submission; Xavier – Thing by Submission

Styles: Tracy Minaj and Abdul Rahman are the next warriors to face off! Minaj is fighting to get closer to a .500 winning percentage on his record because he currently stands at 8-13 overall! His last 3 fights have not gone well for him and they’ve also been quite damaging because all of them were knockout losses! With a situation like that you have to wonder how he’s holding up both physically and mentally, because having that type of damage to your chin in a short period of time is definitely not beneficial! When he’s focused and feeling good, he has proven that his fists are capable of ending a fight quickly, but that’s been a struggle to find that stride as of late! The LEGION OF DOOM are certain that he can turn things around tonight against Rahman so that confidence may very well carry over the top!

Xavier: “The Sheik” Rahman is a bit shorter than Minaj but also weighs a bit more, so he may look to try and stay in close proximity to Minaj and lean that weight on him in the clinch or in side control on the ground! Rahman is 3-1 to begin his young career and has won his last two fights, both by TKO, so he’s proving to opponents that his aggression and power is definitely to be respected! Various Heritage members told me that they have full faith in Rahman to end this fight early tonight because they feel his training has been very intense and has him primed and ready for combat! Rahman is nine years younger than Minaj and he may rely on that reliable youthful energy to simply overwhelm him with a flurry of vicious punches! If Minaj can weather the storm early then he has a much better chance at pulling out the victory tonight!

Styles: I’ll take the young whirling dervish of energy named Rahman! I think him being nine years younger is an advantage because he can use his young energy and bounce in his legs to move in and out of Minaj’s defense, unload some painful strikes and test Minaj’s defenses and chin! If Minaj can’t keep up with Rahman’s speed and energy, this fight may very well end much sooner than some expect! Minaj wins this by knockout!

Xavier: Minaj may be older but that also means he’s a seasoned vet with a puncher’s chance, and that can potentially be a dangerous combination for Rahman! Minaj could very well play possum and make Rahman think that he has the upper hand in aggression and energy, then boom, Minaj turns on the fire and pressures Rahman to suddenly defend himself from multiple strikes coming from multiple angles! I think Rahman wins this fight by knockout!

PREDICTIONS: Xavier – Minaj by KO; Styles – Rahman by KO

Xavier: Sustaining the high-energy impact will be Fester Addams and Ray Vision!

Styles: Now this fight is definitely in line with the Halloween theme! A member of the Addams family and a dude with a name that’s a medical procedure? Jackpot!

Xavier: “Uncle Festerman” Addams steps into combat with a respectable 6-3 record and he’s been feeling very good with a 4-fight win streak! Can he push his win total to five in a row!? The big man is very aggressive and has ended a good number of fights in the first round, so Vision will have to be ready to survive an onslaught of aggression from Addams as soon as the horn sounds! Addams has brought plenty of boom into the room with his fists but don’t forget he also has a victory where he knocked out his opponent with a nasty knee, so don’t overlook his muay thai skills! Against Vision he’s the shorter and lighter man so expect to see good footwork from him and a steady mix of kicks, punches and if this fight ends up in the clinch, plenty of aggressive knees!

Styles: “Death’ Vision is 6-5 overall so he’s hovering just about that even mark! The last time we saw Vision, he dropped a unanimous decision battle to Lurch Addams at RFC 46, so he’s working his way down the Addams family bloodline! See what I did there!?

Xavier: Yes, that was a clever way of saying Addams family.

Styles: I knew you’d eventually catch on and appreciate what I do! I think Vision’s best bet is to try and wear down Addams then drag him to the mat where he can use that height and weight to make Fester carry that weight while trying to figure out a way to get this fight back into the standup! It’s not too common to see two very large warriors go to the mat to grapple but that could very well be the deciding factor in this battle! Vision has shown that he’s capable of making people tap out but Addams has shown that he can hold his own on the mat as well! I think his preference in this fight is to keep it standing where he can stay away from Vision’s various submission skills!

Xavier: I used to watch The Addams Family when I was a kid so I’ll choose Fester to win this fight by knockout! I think he manages to keep this fight standing up plus his aggression will keep Vision from launching any counterattack takedowns because he’ll be too busy covering up and keeping his chin down!

Styles: Vision will be ready for the aggression that Addams brings and will be able to use that against the big man! Not only will he keep him off balance with accurate and frequent strikes, but he’ll lock Addams into the clinch and press him against the cage with his weight while sapping his energy before dragging him to the mat for control and eventually the submission win!

PREDICTIONS: Styles – Vision by Submission; Xavier – Addams by KO

Styles: Marcos Budinha and Oleg Borisov are the next lions to square off in the cage! “Homem Areia”, which translates to Sandman, by the way, is currently 2-5 so you know he’s looking to try and add to that win total to push his record closer to the even mark! That’s very difficult to do when you’ve lost four fights in a row, however! A 4-fight win streak will test even the best warriors’ mettle, morale and desire to win! He’s the shorter and lighter fighter tonight so he may very well rely on that difference to stick and move the entire night and look to land opportune strikes, be they from mere aggression or from a counterattack perspective!

Xavier: “jack-screw” Borisov is currently 1-1 overall and that’s a low number of fights considering he’s 28-years-old! He has the age advantage, definitely, but the younger man actually has more combat experience and that will prove to be an interesting mix! One other thing, Styles!

Styles: What’s up?

Xavier: I was backstage conducting interviews and when I saw Borisov, he did not look to be in fighting shape! While other fighters were shadowboxing and discussing strategy, he was on his iPad watching South Park reruns! Now don’t get me wrong, that show is hilarious, but there’s a time and place for that!

Styles: Well, I trust you, X, so I know what that means! Budinha wins by knockout!

Xavier: I’ll have the same order of knockout by Budinha!

PREDICTIONS: Xavier – Budinha by KO; Styles – Budinha by KO

Xavier: Reijo Halli and Del Werthers will be the next combatants to test their capabilities in the cage! Halli is an unblemished 2-0 so far and in his two victories, he’s shown that he has the energy and ability to go three full rounds or take the fight to the ground and make an opponent tap, just as he did against Daleb Managedov at RFC 45 in the first round! He’ll have a small height advantage in this fight so he may choose to try and make Werthers come to him while he tests Werthers’ defense with quick, accurate punches!

Styles: Werthers is eight years older than Halli and has much more fighting experience with his 6-7 record overall, but he’s been struggling recently and has dropped two fights in a row! Against Snappy Whiplash at RFC 46, he looked overmatched and lost by TKO early in the first round! A loss like that will test his morale and desire to bring the fight to Halli here tonight! He’s had his moments where his fists were on point and they brought pain and punishment to unfortunate warriors who didn’t see the punches coming! I think in order for him to win this fight, he’s going to have to let his fists fly because letting Halli get close and potentially get a takedown is very bad news!

Xavier: I absolutely agree with that assessment! Werthers has to control and maintain the distance between himself and Halli where his strengths can be used at their premium! He may also choose to actually let Halli get close so he can wrap his arms up in the clinch, press him against the cage, then hit opportunistic areas that open up while both of them struggle for control! That strategy may very well allow him to ensure that the fight stays on its feet because I don’t think his defensive grappling skills are at the level of Halli’s grappling and submission abilities! On that note, I’m going to choose Halli to win this battle by submission because I think he has the ability to take this fight to the ground quickly and control the positioning and pace!

Styles: I’ll roll with the seasoned veteran and will choose Werthers to be the first blemish on Halli’s record! I think Werthers has the knowledge to overcome any physical advantages Halli may have due to his youthful exuberance, and Werthers can use that against the young warrior and allow him to take himself out of attacking angles and footwork, and before he can make the proper adjustment, Werthers will take advantage and end this fight by knockout!

PREDICTIONS: Styles – Werthers by KO; Xavier – Halli by Submission

Styles: Sydney Thift and Danny Corleone are the second-to-last battle we’ll witness in the cage! Thift steps into this battle with a 4-5 record so he has the opportunity to pull even tonight against Corleone! He was struggling for a while during a 3-fight losing streak, but his last appearance at RFC Showdown in Tokyo 25 turned things around with a TKO victory over Asmodius Crowley in the second round!  He’s been able to win a good number of fights by TKO so his aggression and punching ability work well for him when he establishes momentum and is able to sustain it! He’s suffered some tough losses as well but he keeps fighting on so respect to him for his warrior spirit! Slightly shorter and heavier, I have no doubt that he’ll look to keep this fight on its feet as best as he possibly can! That weight advantage may come in handy if he’s able to lock Corleone in a clinch and press him against the cage while working to land some sporadic, damaging punches, knees and elbows!

Xavier: Corleone is an even 4-4 overall and the proud LEGION OF DOOM member has struggled lately with a 3-fight losing streak! Will he be able to turn things around like his opponent did recently? We’ll find out soon enough! When he’s been rolling, his submission skills have been quite impressive and he’s a very aggressive fighter who has only gone past the first round twice, so look for him to be very aggressive here tonight as well! He may feel that he needs to counterattack Thift’s aggression to get this fight to the ground because he may not be able to score a takedown from the clinch that he may find himself in!

Styles: I think Corleone will manage to get this fight to the ground in a hurry by using the strategy you just outlined! Counterattacking aggression is very effective, especially for a highly skilled BJJ practitioner, and Corleone fits that mold! If both of these warriors rush one another with a lot of aggression then it will obviously be the first man to establish their strength while weathering the energetic storm to win this fight, and I say that man will be Corleone!

Xavier: I feel Thift will be able to keep this fight on its feet in the classic standup versus ground fighter quarrel! He could thwart any takedown attempts with well-timed kicks then follow up with a quick jab-cross combination to keep Corleone off balance and frustrated that he can’t get the fight to the ground! That frustration will lead to a lapse in judgement and open up his defenses just enough for Thift to rock his chin for the knockout!

PREDICTIONS: Xavier – Thift by KO; Styles – Corleone by Submission

Xavier: And our final conflict of the night belongs to Orla Wanker and Nathaniel Syndicate! “Onanisten” Wanker brings a 3-6 record into this fight, and various members of UnderGround Fights Enterprise told me that his current 2-fight losing streak is actually fueling his workouts! That’s not surprising because his approach to fighting is quite aggressive with only

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