Primal Fight Promotions Fight Night 3

By Chris Mealey, Cageside

The Robbinsville High School was roaring with energy and the need for combat as a near packed house of spectators filled the gymnasium for the third event hosted by Primal Fight Promotions. Six bouts, all of which were contests by promising amateur mixed martial artists. A story of each meeting will be told, ending with the extraordinary title fight that left the fans more than satisfied.

*Samir Zaimi vs Jarrod Musko (161 class)

Embarking on the night was the first contest between lightweights, kicking off with Musko charging in early and grappling which eventually led to a war on the ground. Each round had a close start, but it was Zaimi who scored the most points on top, landing body blows on the ground as well - cruising to a unanimous decision victory.

Seth Pattserson vs *Charles Lamantia (147 class)

Tactical start as both fighters patiently made their moves. Patterson displayed solid generalship around the cage and took chances on the outside, as Lamantia closed the distance. From the second round on to the end of the fight, Lamantia had maintained enough points through striking and ground control to earn himself a unanimous decision victory.

*Aram Monokian vs Damion Gilleo (147 class)

Both men showed no interest in backing down during this bout and for a brief time, each fighter scored on the outside through striking. A significant takedown by Monokian in the first round, with Marshall surviving with ground defense until the sound of the bell. With another big takedown in the second round, projected a similar display and almost looked like a repeat of the first. The successful wrestling by Monokian would pay off, and what looked to be the game plan from the start, was finding and securing the Arm Bar - causing Gilleo to tap out towards the end of the final round.

Chauncey Rudolph vs *Francis Marshall (168 class)

Two of the biggest warriors of the night to fight at welterweight competed in the shortest bout, that ended in a dramatic fashion. Marshall displayed brilliant ground control and did not let off after securing his leverage on the canvas. Pinning Mosley near the corner of Marshall's, would lead to constant advice in aiming for a seemingly huge target for the North/South choke, and the coaching payed off as that submission transitioned, causing Rudolph to pass out forcing the referee to stop the fight.

*Robert Mosley vs Jonathan McNatt (175 class)

Leading off with tight grappling for the first minute turned into a small brawl on the inside, as well as adequate striking on the outside by each Fighter. The first round was close and hard to score due to one take down a piece and the competitive exchanges on their feet. The second round appeared to be just as close until Mosley found huge success with the triangle choke, submitting McNatt at 1:25 of the round.

(TITLE FIGHT) Josue Del Rios vs *Adam Prieto (130 class)

Primal Fight Promotions main event was electrifying from the minute ring announcer Steve Peacock rallied the crowd, introduced the fighters, and from the time the first and final bells rang. Rios and Prieto  crash into each other,  throwing bombs for punches in the first round, with relentless tenacity that any fan would appreciate for a main event/title fight. The PFP Featherweight Title was on the line, and the warriors showed their grit continuing the action, with Prieto having the slight edge in the close, yet decisive rounds. There was a good balance of striking and ground tactics, leading to a unanimous decision victory for Adam Prieto, with one judge scoring the bout 29-28 and the other two judges both scoring the fight 30-27.

Ring Announcer and TWI Contributor Steve Peacock with Adam Prieto. Photo: Anthony Certa

Primal Fight Promotions will be holding their next event Fight Night 4 on April 27th.

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Bouncing Back: Del Rios vs Prieto

By Chris Mealey

March 9th, Primal Fight Promotions presents 'Fight Night' in Robbinsville NJ. The card will take place at the Robbinsville High School Gymnasium, where the doors open at 7pm. One of the scheduled bouts is between two amateur MMA fighters: Josue Del Rios and Adam Prieto.

PFP is a growing promotion, and their third fight event will host many bouts including the meeting between Del Rios and Prieto. This will be the first fight this year for both men, and they will seek a victory to overshadow defeats from their previous fights as they battle for the 130 lb. PFP Bantamweight Title.

Josue "Saiyan Prince" Del Rios (3-4-0) is no stranger in terms of leaving defeat in the past. His first three MMA contests were all strenuous defeats, with his debut being a dramatic loss by KO in the first round. However, these mishaps did not prevent Del Rios from progressing, as he would win the following two bouts decisively while also achieving the PFP Lightweight Title.

Adam Prieto (2-4-0) had the more stark debut in the MMA world than his opponent, but he is now on a three fight losing streak. These are details that stand out in writing, yet hardly carry any significance when stepping in the cage. If Prieto's dance partner is able to win fights after suffering three losses, then it would be no surprise to see him do the same.

To describe combat sports as unpredictable and fickle would be a huge understatement. Two men enter and one leaves victorious. That's the simple reasoning why losses are almost inevitable, but come March 9th we will see who will bounce back into triumph with their hand raised at the end of the fight.

Tickets for this great night of fights are available at www.PrimalFightPromotions.com, and start at just $50.

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Primal MMA’s reprise event unfolds Saturday in New Jersey

Primal Fight Promotions returns to New Jersey this Saturday night (11/3) for its reprise MMA extravaganza, featuring the Main Event in which Josue “The Saiyan Prince” Del Rios (3-3) defends his lightweight title against Efren “The Mexicutioner” Escareno (5-1).

Del Rios, representing Rare Breed MMA of Bloomfield, in August defeated Brett Floyd by way of unanimous decision in Primal’s premiere at The Claridge-Atlantic City.

Indeed, it was his third consecutive win—a victory streak that followed, however, three consecutive losses (Read more about his amazing comeback in our article “Despite slowcareer start, MMA fighter comes out on top.”

Escareno, representing Lionheart Modern Martial Arts of South Amboy, similarly started his career with a debut loss, but is now on a five-bout win streak. He most recently fought in May on Dead Serious 29, defeating Andrew Smith by way of armbar in the second round.

The co-main event features light heavyweights Manny Morales (1-0)—who defeated Collin Charyszyn by way of unanimous decision at the Primal premiere—and newcomer Charlie Grab.

The event takes place at Pond Road Middle School in Robbinsville, NJ (Mercer County). Doors open at 6 p.m., with the first fight slated to begin at 7 p.m. Entry: $50 General Admission or $75 VIP. Tickets are available here. 

The remainder of the bout card, in reverse order, is as follows:

6

Lightweight Bout:

Joseph Musse vs. Amir Elbanna

5

Welterweight Bout:

James Ferren vs. Kyle Hannigan

4

Light Heavyweight Bout

Pete DiFabio vs. Connor Dixon

3

Super Cruiserweight Bout

Pete Mattocia vs. Ethan Burst

2

Welterweight Bout

Ismael Rios vs. Mike Goodlow

1

Lightweight
Jorge Betancourt vs. Chris Notte

Steve Peacock

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Despite slow career start, MMA fighter comes out on top

KO'd in 2015 debut, Josue Del Rios emerges as Primal MMA champ

Josue Del Rios Celebrates his Recent UD Victory Over Brett Floyd

When a fighter gets KO’d in his debut bout—14 seconds into the first round, no less—then suffers defeat in the next two contests—the average human understandably might reevaluate his combat-sports career plans.  

But 25-year-old mixed martial artist Josue “Saiyan Prince” Del Rios, who subsequently won his next three fights—including a lightweight title belt—is not your average human being.

As fight announcer of the Primal Fight Promotions premiere on Aug. 13, this writer was amazed to watch the now 3-3 amateur MMA fighter standing in The Claridge fight cage, title belt raised above his head, smiling exultantly as hundreds of audience members cheered in salute of his victory.

Ring Announcer and Journalist Steve Peacock at Primal Fight Night 1

This scenario was surprising and yet…. simultaneously unsurprising. 

The specific outcome of the title bout was no shock, as Brett Floyd—who otherwise battled tenaciously with Del Rios—nonetheless fell short of securing the judges’ favor, who ruled unanimously against him.

But this writer three years ago also had been a first-hand witness, working as Fight Club Champion announcer, to two-thirds of the Saiyan Prince’s early career losses.

So, The Weigh-In asked Del Rios, among other questions, “How did you succeed in mustering enough tenacity and resilience to break this streak?” 

The Newark, N.J.-born-and-raised Del Rios took the time in a post-event telephone interview to explain that metamorphosis.

Del Rios admitted that along the path toward victory, there had been moments—even if just briefly—when he himself had been unsure whether to continue pursuing the MMA life. 

The Debut and Reprise Contests

Del Rios knew right away that he wanted to compete. 

After initiating training with Jerry Jones MMA of Bloomfield, N.J. when he was about 16, he first gained experience through North American Grappling Association, or NAGA, events in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

He then began training (and continues to train) at Rare Breed MMA, also of Bloomfield, and by the summer of 2015 was ready for his first public fight.

Rob “Billy” Fletcher, whose bout against Robert Cerebona had been cancelled in that Aug. 29 Fight Club Champion 5 event, became Del Rios’ opponent. 

Though not much more experienced, the 1-0 Fletcher was seeking to build upon his competition debut victory seven weeks earlier in FCC 4: an astounding five-second, round-one KO of Byron Sierra. 

As Del Rios in the past had trained with Fletcher and was familiar with his style and ability, he entered the cage prepared to win.

Nonetheless Fletcher KO’d him 14 seconds into the bout.

On the way back to the dressing room, Del Rios was puzzled as to what just happened. 

“I trained with him,” Del Rios thought. “How did he get the best of me?”

Fortunately he had a strong woman beside him: one who provided the necessary encouragement to help him pick up the pieces in this post-loss period. 

His then-girlfriend Melissa (now his wife) emphasized that the debut defeat was already behind him. Getting beaten in that bout was simply that: he lost that one bout. It did not mean he was beaten forever, Melissa told him.

Del Rios soon resumed training, ready for victory and simultaneously willing—as any great athlete must do—to risk the possibility of defeat. 

Though aiming for victory, his attitude toward future opponents was, as he put it, “If you’re going to beat me, you’re going to beat me by decision.”

Reflecting on the Fletcher-inflicted KO, he continued, “No one is going to beat me like that again.”

Josue Del Rio Enters the Cage Last Weekend

Road to Recovery 

A little less than a year later, Del Rios made plans for a reprise appearance via FCC 6 against Anthony Rosamilia, a newcomer.

Observers via Tapology.com, a website where MMA fans discuss their favorite fights and make predictions, were not hopeful for a Del Rios victory. Indeed, 92 percent of respondents predicted that Del Rios would lose—and the vast majority of them saw it coming by way of KO/TKO.

Though Rosamilia ultimately emerged victorious by way of unanimous decision, Del Rios indeed went toe-to-toe with the debut fighter and battled until the end of the three, three-minute round contest. 

Not the outcome for which Del Rios had hoped, but a step in the right direction nonetheless.

Six months later, however, when he lost his next fight at Dead Serious 23 to Phumi Nkuta—also via unanimous decision—struggle with self-doubt dangerously crept in.

“When I got my second loss, I got discouraged,” Del Rios said. “But when I lost at [DS #23 on December 10, 2016], I was devastated.” He wondered whether he could fight anymore.

One again, Melissa told him not give up.

She exhorted him to leverage those losses as a means of fueling, rather than destroying, his dreams.

Del Rios listened. 

He would take one month off, but after that he was “Training twice as hard,” Del Rios said. 

In addition to strengthening his body and sharpening his fighting skills, “The people I surrounded myself with were key,” he added.

Though still training at Rare Breed, he extended his efforts by also preparing with Miller Brothers a few days a week. He even began training at UFC Gym-New Brunswick, but cut that short solely due to a burdensome and counterproductive commute. 

“Time to push myself,” he said. 

His efforts began to pay off.

He beat James DeLillo by way of 2nd round arm bar at Ring of Combat 23 AM, about seven months after loss #3 (July 15, 2017).

Two months ago, by way of 1st round, rear naked choke, he defeated George Melendez at Extreme Cage Fighting 21.

Then on Aug. 13, Del Rios became Primal lightweight champion.

The Primal Fight Promotions Lightweight Title

The Future? 

Despite occasional doubts, Del Rios had developed habits and established a positive work ethic early on—and therefore is better prepared and eager for future growth.

“I always wanted to show that I was the best out there,” he said. “I was humble, and yet I was also filled with a competitive spirit.”

In high school, for instance, no matter if it was baseball or water polo, Del Rios was driven by a desire to perform as excellently as possible.

“My attitude was ‘I can block more shots than you can shoot,’” he explained.

He applies that competitive spirit to MMA—though admittedly needs a push from time to time. 

“Melissa has to deal with me, and help me get focused,” he said. If he’s on the computer for too long, for instance, he can count on Melissa to get him back on track.

“She always helps me focus on getting a step ahead,” Del Rios added.

Intermittent computer usage aside, Del Rios lives a life of martial-arts immersion: rather than squeezing in training when he is not earning a living elsewhere, he instead pays the bills by working as a trainer.

“My whole life revolves around training,” he said. “It always involves fitness and fighting.” He thanks pro MMA fighter Sean “Shorty Rock” Santella for encouraging him to take that training-centric approach. 

He is likewise inspired by fighter Frankie Edgar, whose entire life focuses on the sport and business of MMA. He noted how Edgar, when not fighting in the UFC, works as a trainer and also is proprietor of the Iron Army sports-nutrition and athletic-apparel company.

Del Rios now intends to “collect [title] belts” and make the transition from amateur to pro MMA fighter.

“I know I’m going to become a UFC superstar,” he said.

Primal Fight Promotion's New Lightweight Champion, Josue Del Rios

Steve Peacock

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Primal Fight Promotions MMA Fight Night 1 Results

EVENT - Primal Fight Promotions Presents Primal MMA Fight Night 1 
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Class B Amateur MMA
The Claridge Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey

BOUT #6 
LIGHTWEIGHT (135) TITLE

Josue Del Rios (133.1) vs. Brett Floyd (134.1)

Ref. Carlos Rodriguez

Del Rios wins unanimous decision in three rounds, 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27. Floyd suspended 14 days no contact.

BOUT #5 
Travis Douglas (206.6) vs. Edmir Sokoli (203.7)

Ref. Vince Dudley

Sokoli wins via tap due to standing guillotine at 2:47 of round three. Sokoli suspended indefinite pending ophthalmologist clearance of left eye.

BOUT #4 
Israel Encarnacion (127.7) vs. Adam Prieto (128.7)

Ref. Carlos Rodriguez

Encarnacion wins majority decision in three rounds, 29-28, 29-28 and 29-29 Azeredo. Prieto suspended 15 days no contact. Encarnacion suspended 45 days for left eyelid laceration

BOUT #3 
Collin Charyszyn (168.2) vs. Manny Morales (169.1)

Ref. Vince Dudley

Morales wins unanimous decision in three rounds, all three judges scored it 29-27.

BOUT #2
Sebastian LaRocca (184.1) vs. Luis Padilla

Ref. Vince Dudley

LaRocca wins via tap due to rear naked choke at 2:18 of round one.

BOUT #1 
Carmen Carangi (151.8) vs. Damion Gilleo (153.1)

Ref. Carolos Rodriguez

Gilleo wins split decision in three rounds, 29-28, 29-28 and 28-30 Azeredo. Carangi suspended 15 days no contact.

OFFICIALS:
Judges: Julius Proenza, Henry Krawiec and Luis Azeredo.
Referees: Vince Dudley and Carlos Rodriguez
Ringside Physicians: Dr. Ian Wendel and Dr Dave King
Medical inspectors: Steve Cirone and Hayward Reeder
Inspectors: Bob Levy, Torres Mayfield, Giovanna Scano and Joe Pinto
Shadow Inspector: Ron Reighn
Timekeeper: Fred Blumstein
Scorekeeper: Prairie Rugilo

Steve Peacock

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