In the final matchup of the Fate of Eight tournament, Peter Storm, UCL legend and promoter, faced off with rising MMA star Jonathan Rodriguez. Rodriguez used Storm’s Judo coat to his advantage and maintained a tight clinch throughout most of the two rounds, firing off knees at close range. Storm connected with a good right at one point but frustrated by the clinch, he launched a few headbutts to the face of Rodriguez halfway through the first round.
After a minute of discussion (prompted by confusion caused by Rodriguez’s cornerman forgetting to tell him that this was a NHB rules fight where headbuts are allowed), the fight resumed with Rodriguez turning the tables and hammering Storm with a barrage of brutal headbutts of his own. The round ended in a scramble with Storm cranking a deep heelhook and Rodriguez seemingly being saved by the bell. Storm asked if he had won and an amped up Rodriguez stood over him and let him know in no uncertain terms that he had not. (The next day Rodriguez reported on facebook that his ankle was the size of a baseball)
This match was fueled by bad blood and in the second round, a battered Storm was on the receiving end of too many nasty headbutts and eventually was TKO’d by a particularly gnarly one followed up by a short flurry of ground and pound. If this was the NFL, Rodriguez’s corner would have been flagged for excessive celebration but cool heads eventually prevailed and Jonathan left the building with a very hard fought and well deserved victory – the Fate of Eight 185 lb champion.
Quick Results courtesy of mmajournalist.blogspot.com & Underground Combat League’s Facebook:
Jerome Mickle def. Jairo Israel via tko, Round 1
Daniel Ramos def. Justin Brown via rear naked choke, Round 1
Desmond Nelson def. Will Cavali via decision (kickboxing only)
David Dawadah def. Ruben Brazzelero via verbal submission, Round 1
Nico Augusto def. Matt Ward via rear naked choke, Round 2
Jonathan Rodriguez def. Peter Storm via TKO (headbutts and G&P), Round 2