Wusstig stops Iakopo, keeps title

Guam’s Rob “The Real Deal” Wusstig employs a rear-naked choke on Trench Tech’s Stanley “The Raging Bull” Iakopo during Round 1 of their lightweight title fight in the Trench Warz 20: Full Throttle at the Marianas Business Plaza last Friday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Guam’s Rob “The Real Deal” Wusstig spoiled the comeback fight of Trench Tech’s Stanley “The Raging Bull” Iakopo after prevailing in their lightweight title fight in the Trench Warz 20: Full Trottle at the Marianas Business Plaza last Friday.

Wusstig earned a victory via submission at the 4:22 mark of Round 1 as he caught Iakopo with a rear-naked choke. The Spike 22 standout successfully defended the division title he won against compatriot and High Blood Pressure’s Ryan “The Predator” Toves in April this year during the Rites of Passage 19: Seek and Destroy held at the Royal Taga Hall of Saipan World Resort.

Iakopo, who returned to the octagon cage after taking a break for nearly nine years, lived up to his nickname as he attacked Wusstig right from the get-go and grabbed his foe’s legs, trying to bring the fight down to the canvas. Once on top, he unleashed a couple of body shots before Wusstig managed to get out and lifted Iakopo for the slam.

Now on the favorable position, it was Wusstig’s turn to pepper Iakopo with punches to the body and face. Iakopo then tried to get up and escape from Wusstig’s hold, but not without sustaining a cut to his nose bridge.

With both fighters now standing, they had a brief exchange before Wusstig caught Iakopo anew and slammed him hard on the canvas again. They grappled for a while and just when Iakopo seemed to get out of trouble, Wusstig went to the former’s back and flipped the Trench Tech fighter, choking him from behind. Iakopo tapped out and the third man on the ring—Frank “The Crank” Camacho—stepped in and separated the two fighters.

With the victory, Wusstig improved his win-loss record to 6-10, while Iakopo dropped to a 1-1 mark.

Meanwhile, in the semi main event, Juan “Hot Pocket” Lizama recorded a TKO victory against Andrew “Top Gun” Sablan at the 3:10 mark of Round 3 of their five-round bout.

Fighting out of Ground Fu-Guam, but originally from Rota, Lizama went for a cross punch that floored Sablan for the second time. Lizama then followed Sablan, hoping to finish him off, but after one more strike, referee Mike Ulloa pulled the plug on the Team Zalaka bet.

Blood was flowing from Sablan’s face due to the nasty cut on top of his left eyebrow. He got it from the flurry of punches Lizama unloaded in the first round. Sablan also connected on a couple and used his long legs to make some kicks, however, Lizama’s quick hands punished the former more. A combination brought Sablan down the canvas early in the second round. Sablan got up and countered with a kick on Lizama’s face, but the Rota-born fighter retaliated with more solid punches to the former’s body and face.

By the end of the second round, Sablan seemed gassed out and bleeding, while Lizama still had a lot left on his tank and kept hitting his foe until he landed the winning punch.

The victory over Sablan was Lizama’s second in a row after an impressive debut in Rites of Passage 20: Conquer in August this year. The Ground Fu-Guam standout also scored a TKO victory over Red Ants Academy’s Jones Langu in the closing seconds of Round 1 of their featherweight bout in ROP 20.