EFL Backson and Melps making a name

[Ikkitakeda]

Slo: Ladies and gentlemen I give you your winner by Kimura in the VERY first round Phichael Melps!

Melps: Thanks Slo.

Slo: Impressive piece of work there. Was it always the game plan to get the fight to the ground and walk us through the fight.

Melps: Yeah Slo it was always the game plan. The guys at Old School Training did a great job getting me ready for this fight. We knew I had the advantage on the ground so that is what we trained for but they have also been working a bit on some striking for me too just in case. As far as the fight; the bell rang and I immediately rushed in and dove straight for the takedown right away and landed it right into his guard. I smacked him with an elbow and then passed to half guard. After that I went for Kimura but he was prepared for it so I hit with a little more ground and pound and faked another big shot to take his mind off the arm and attacked it again and landed the Kimura. Like they say the rest is history.

Slo: It certainly was. So what is next for you in the EFL?

Melps: Well there aren't a lot of options in the 155 division right now but I heard Lamos is taking some time off but maybe he comes back and we go at it, or maybe the 2 25 year olds who are set to fight each other I get the winner out of, or they sign someone and we fight. So there are options.

Slo: At 18 years old should you really be fighting 25 year olds at this stage in your career?

Melps: Look when it comes to fighting experience and knowledge are they going to have an edge? You betcha, I'm finishing up my senior year in high school. But I want to be a fighter and fighters fight and it don't matter who. That's what we do.

Slo: Couldn't have said it better myself. Look forward to whatever the future holds for you and hope I get to announce your next fight too.

Slo: Ladies and gentlemen I give you the winner via TKO at 4 minutes and 27 seconds in the final round Jo Backson!

Backson: Thanks Slo.

Slo: You are quite welcome. Man listen to this crowd they are still hollering and on their feet and the fight is over. Must make you feel good.

Backson: You have no idea Slo. I mean to end a fight quickly and do something special to do it and fans going crazy is more common than going to the final round and almost the end and the fans being this enthusiastic by your performance is something really special to a fighter.

Slo: I bet. So what if anything surprised you in this fight?

Backson: Well he kept going for takedowns and landing them. We didn't work a whole lot on that in this fight. We heard he was also a really good boxer and I won golden gloves back home for my area. So we were expecting a solid stand up war so to see him be that determined to take it to the ground really surprised me and I guess the other thing was his lack of footwork.

Slo: Now we didn't see too much of your left in this fight, is there a reason for it?

Backson: Yeah I still used it and going to go get my hand looked at but towards the beginning of the first round when I hit his forehead, well that was my left and I think I may have broken these two knuckles right here. (Points to the ring and middle finger knuckles.)

Slo: Well hopefully it's nothing serious. What do you think is next for you?

Backson: Well first off I'm going to take some time off to tend to my hand. After that who knows. I do know you won't be seeing me and Knutson going at it anytime soon. Given his record and mine I'd say I'm a couple wins away from that fight. Being 4-1 even if he is 1-0 in EFL just has him way ahead of most of us here. Unless some more guys get hired he's probably sitting a while. Not to mention if a fellow boxer was taking me down with that kind of ease Knutson who is a grappling prodigy would just eat me alive. A couple more wins under my belt and I'll probably be at least some competition for him.

Slo: Well get that hand checked out and can't wait to see you back in here and judging by the roar of this crowd that can't either.

Backson: Thanks Slo and thank you everybody here tonight supporting us in what we do.