First-timers deliver in Trench Warz 17

Trench Tech’s Jasper “The Disaster” Van Der Maas and Down2Scrap’s Kainoa “The Ghost” Wanket won their debuts in Trench Warz 17: Night of the Champions last Friday night at the Royal Taga Hall of the Saipan World Resort.

Van Der Maas was pitted against independent fighter Jones Langu in one of the kickboxing bouts last weekend and used his height and reach advantage to earn a victory via unanimous decision. The three judges scored the three-round K1 fight, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. The Trench Tech cadet let go off a big kick to start the third and last K1 battle of the night and connected on some solid shots to Langu’s lower and upper body. Van Der Maas was then gassed out in the uneventful second round before going back to his aggressive mode in the third round, while Langu just tried to survive the fight by evading his foe’s long kicks.

Joining Van Der Maas on the winners list in the K1 fights of Trench Tech’s season-ending offering were Guam Muay Thai’s Kyle “300” Martin and the returning Lenny “The Machine Gun” Sablan.

Martin’s K1 bout against Trench Tech’s Benjie Estoque also ended in a unanimous decision with the former earning the judges’ nod, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Martin and Estoque had an early exchange with the visiting fighter hitting the latter with solid punches and kicks. Estoque countered, but the opening round belonged to Martin. Martin continued to attack Estoque in the second round and this time made more kicks to the latter’s body to gain more points from the judges’ scorecards. In the third round, both fighters were tired and unloaded only a few hits, allowing Martin to preserve his lead and take the unanimous victory.

For the second K1 fight of the night, Sablan and Down2Scrap’s Jonathan Outlaw” Camacho put on a show right at the opening bell. The first minute of the three-minute round saw Sablan unloading crosses and combinations and Camacho counter-attacking. When the heat subsided and with both fighters throwing wayward punches midway in the opening round, Camacho tried to use his feet to destabilize Sablan. The round ended with Sablan ahead by only a few points.

In the second round, Sablan returned the favor on Camacho with his strong kicks and mixed it up with a flurry of punches. He went on to corner Camacho and that was it for the latter, as referee Tony D’Angelo called it a night at the 1:26 mark of Round 2. Camacho took too much punishment that he had to be carried out of the octagon cage by his cornermen.

Meanwhile, Wanket made the grade in his first MMA assignment, earning a victory via verbal submission against independent fighter Frankin Agulto.

Wanket won despite getting hit by an illegal kick early in the first round. He and Agulto tried to held each other down and D’Angelo ordered both fighters to separate, but when Wanket tried to move way, Agulto unleashed a kick. Wanket was hit on his chin and was given five minutes to recover, while Agulto was slapped with a one-point penalty.

The bout resumed at the 1:20 mark of the first round and Wanket made Agulto pay the price for the illegal kick, as the former brought the latter down the canvas. Once down, Wanket maneuvered his way to the top and let go of a string of strikes that proved to be too much for Agulto, who was saved by the bell in the first round, but decided not to continue fighting in the second round.

The Wanket-Agulto was the first MMA bout of the night and the results of the remaining pairings will be reported in Saipan Tribune later this week.