‘Clinch’ cedes title to challenger

Trench Tech’s Vince “The Clinch” Masga relinquished his bantamweight crown to Spike 22 and Countershot Guam’s Rick “2Slick” Camp last Friday night during the main event in Rites of Passage 16: Unleashed at the Royal Taga Hall of the Saipan World Resort.

Camp dethroned Masga after winning via rear-naked choke just 48 seconds into the third of their five-round title fight. The challenger started the round with a surprise knee that hit Masga on the face and brought the deposed champion down the canvas. Camp then pursued Masga, who tried to stand up, but was held down anew by the former. The two fighters managed to reach one of the corners of the octagon cage and this was where Camp unleashed the killer move that left Masga unconscious for a while.

Referee Keith Nabors was on top of the play when Camp wrapped his arms around Masga’s neck and gave the dethroned champion some time before pulling the plug on the Trench Tech bet. After Nabors finally called the fight, Masga was not moving and the third man on the ring grabbed the latter’s right foot and lifted it up. Soon, Masga’s corner men and ring physician entered the cage to check on Masga, who eventually regained consciousness and congratulated Camp for the win.
It was a sorry loss for Masga, as he was neck and neck with Camp in the first two rounds. Camp tried to force a stand-up fight after the opening bell, as he went for quick jabs on Masga. However, Masga used his trademark “clinch” moves to hold down Camp. An accidental low blow called on Masga broke the clinching fighters and when the bout resumed they grappled anew. In the second round, it was Camp’s turn to commit an unintentional low blow, giving Masga time to recover. Masga then held Camp to the corner and again he tried to lock him down before the Guam fighter managed to get out of trouble and connect a few body shots in the closing seconds of the second round.

In the third round, Masga was caught flatfooted as a few seconds after he touched gloves with Camp, the latter went for a jumping knee strike to down the former. Masga absorbed his first loss in six fights.

Meanwhile, before the main event, three kickbowing match and nine MMA bouts were featured in the weekend event.

Guam’s Ethan “Typhoon” Reyes of U.M.A Gym earned a unanimous decision win over Saipan and Down 2 Scrap’s Jonathan “Britt” Camacho. Reyes connected on some kicks to Camacho’s body in the first round before being called for a low blow late in the opener. Camacho was also called for the low blow in the second, but Reyes recovered and went for more strikes. The Guam fighter continued to be aggressive and got all three judges’ nods, 30-27, 30-28, 30-27.

In the second K-1 match, Trench Tech’s Jasper “The Disaster” Van Der Maas recorded a victory via TKO on Primo Po around the opening minute mark of the third and last round. The 6’2” Van Der Maas set up the TKO win when he unloaded a kick that hit Po on the jaw and the former kept going, hitting his foe with a string of strikes that signaled referee Frank “The Crank” Camacho to stop the fight.

For the last kickboxing bout, Guam Muay Thai’s Albert “Butu” Andrea prevailed via split decision against Saipan’s John Tudela. Andrea won the exchange in the first and went for a combination of kicks and knee shots on Tudela in the second round. Tudela then managed to score some points in the third round, but Andrea still had the numbers. Andrea won on the scorecards from the first and third judges, 30-27, 30-27, while the second judge had the same score for Tudela.
Results of the nine MMA bouts will be reported later this week.