Wanted: Fighter for title bout in ROP 20

Jordan Manglona, right, connects a shot to the face of his opponent during a kickboxing bout in an earlier Rites of Passage event at the Royal Taga Hall of Saipan World Resort. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Trench Tech is looking for an MMA fighter who will challenge Guam’s Rob “The Real Deal” Wusstig for the lightweight title bout in Rites of Passage 20: Conquer at The Warehouse.

Trench Tech founder Cuki Alvarez said interested fighter have until Aug. 18 to show up and take the place of Stanley Iakopo, whose return to the eight sides has to wait for months after he sustained an injury (broken ribs) during a friendly American football game against Team Guahan last weekend.

“We’re scrambling to find a replacement. Japan is on a peak season so flight and airline tickets are very high right now. Philippine fighters need visas, while the Koreans are all busy with other promos,” Alvarez told Saipan Tribune.

“Saipan at this point doesn’t have ‘worthy’ seasoned opponents in that weight class. Shane, Roman, Jordan, Vince, and others are competing in lower weight classes,” he added. “Guam fighters? Most of them are training partners and friends or have already fought each other, so it’s kind of hard to find matches, not to mention with the last minute time frame, they aren’t ready.”

Without an opponent for Wusstig, ROP 20, which is set for Aug. 19, maybe down to 14 fights, but Alvarez said all matches are still action-packed with one title bout and a co-main event featuring Frank “The Crank” Camacho and Korean Hyun Joo Kim.

The bantamweight title match between Won Jun Jang of Korean Top Team and Spike 22 Guam’s Ricky Camp is still a go and will be supported by three kickboxing bouts and nine other MMA duels.

Don “The Body Builder” Mendiola and Alfred “The Real Steal” Santos will open the K1 hostilities in ROP 20, while the other kickboxing pairings will have Genki Gym Japan’s Hayashida Yuuma challenging Trench Tech’s Jordan “The Machine” Manglona and Spike 22’s JJ “Superman” Ambrose meeting Trench Tech’s Ken “Kamakazi” Tanzawa.

In the supporting MMA bouts, the following are included in the fight card: Gerard “The Killa” Quichocho vs Giovanni Taitingfong; “Sugar” Sean Castro vs Feric “The Medic” Aguon; Bradlee Manalo vs Victor Taitano; Willdon “The Beast” Camacho vs Blaise Delos Santos; Ko “Pak Pak” Palacios vs Ray “Major” Duenas; Juan Lizama vs Jones Langu; Joey Crisostomo vs Vince Torres; James Rego vs Ken Santos; and Don Rasa (Ground Fu Guam) vs Mark “The Dark” Nuique.

Meanwhile, ROP 20 also has five standby fighters. They are “Tabi” Jay Muna, Roman Alvarez, Austin Petrus, Calvin Castro, and Peju Camacho.

For interested fighters or more information, contact Cuki Alvarez at 783-4MMA.