Slight changes in ROP22 fight card

Slight changes were made in the tentative fight card of Rites of Passage 22: Rampage, set on Sept. 15 at the Marianas Business Plaza, with Robin Eclavea challenging Roman “Sonic Boom” Alvarez in one of the three featured title matches.

Alvarez was about to defend his featherweight belt against Jarome Cruz, but Eclavea stepped in after his fellow Guam fighter pulled out due to work-related issues.

No changes were made in the two other title fights with Rob “The Deal” Wusstig of Team Tuck hoping to keep the lightweight belt against challenger Min Ju Lee of Korean Top Team, while Trench Tech’s Jordan “The Machine” Manglona will defend his flyweight crown opposite Mcklane “The Game” Alfred of Vida MMA Guam.

Alvarez suffered back-to-back injuries while training for two scheduled fights in the Pacific Xtreme Combat and Deep Impact Japan last year. He was also coming off a loss to New Zealand’s Mark Abelardo of Team Quest Thailand in PXC 50 in December 2015.

Manglona, meanwhile, will be fighting in a mixed martial arts event for the first time since beating Guam Muay Thai/Underworld Extreme’s Scott “Da Slaya” Eclavea (3-3) by split decision PXC 52 in Guam last year.

There were changes in the nine MMA bouts with Jaybo Frederick of Steel Athletics going up against Trench Tech’s Kier Agda at 185 lbs, while Korean Top Team’s Sung Kwon Kim facing Steel Athletics’ Patrick Ungcangco at 155 lbs.

Independent fighter Jesse Mesa replaced Ground Fu’s Kyle Gumataotao in a 120-lb bout against Jadrien “Last King” Camacho of Down2Scrap.

The rest of the matches stay the same with Trench Tech’s Luis “TwoTwo” Litulumar (65 lbs) facing Team Tinian’s William Juanis King (70 lbs) in a kids exhibition match followed by Derrick Evangelista (135 lbs) of Guam Muay Thai clashing with Lenny “Maching Gun” Sablan (140 lbs).

Team Tinian’s Kimo Adriano will open up the MMA fights when he takes on Andres “The Tanapag Beach Bad Boy” Camacho at 130 lbs, while Red Ants Academy’s JBoy Langu will face Manny “The Kid” Camacho of Zombie MMA in a featherweight bout and Team Tinian’s Audrien Cruz meets Zombie MMA’s George “Game Over” Grover at 130 lbs.

Rota and Tinian fighters will take center stage in the next three fights with L.D. Ogo, John Mendiola, and A.J. Barcinas of Luta Top Team battling Team Tinian’s Perry Mundo, Juschery Castro, and Austin John King at 145 lbs, 135 lbs, and 140 lbs weight classes, respectively.

Sang Hyung Park of Team Ace MMA Korea clashes with Steel Athletics Guam’s Seay Camacho at 140 lbs, while standby fighters are Reily Miwata (135 lbs), Austin Kosam (135-150 lbs), Pete Benavente of Vida BJJ (135 lbs), 15-year-old Sitchiro Langu of Rent Ants Academy (155 lbs), and Alejandro Tebit (205 lbs).