Adelbai takes out Taisacan in opening round

Six months of training came down to a mere 28 seconds in the ring for Slade “The Rage” Adelbai in his semi main event bout against Neil “Lion Heart” Taisacan in Trench Warz VIII-Kontra Saturday night at the Trench Tech Gym.

Adelbai, who lost more than 80 lbs. and entered the Octagon a slim 188 lbs., came out the aggressor against the 210-lb. Taisacan.

He rushed out like raging bull from his blue corner a split second after the opening bell ran and pummeled the Haga Team fighter with a variety of head blows and kicks.

A few seconds later, the Palauan powerhouse—fighting out of Trench Tech—body-slammed Taisacan to the mat with a force heard by the more than 300 spectators that crammed the converted garment factory in San Antonio.

Adelbai then proceeded to deliver blows to Taisacan’s head who appeared to be defenseless as he was unable to raise his arms to block his opponent’s punishing blows.

Taisacan eventually tapped out and the referee had no choice but to declare the fight, “done.”

Adelbai initially couldn’t believe his opponent had given up so quickly and called him out to resume the fight, but after the smoke of battle cleared, it was revealed that Taisacan had suffered what was suspected to be a dislocated shoulder, rendering him unable to continue.

“I went through six months of training and I though it was going the distance but it was unfortunate that he popped his shoulder due to the take down I did to him,” Adelbai said in an interview with the Saipan Tribune following the fight.

Taisacan, for his part, said although he doesn’t believe the injury was a dislocated shoulder it was really painful nonetheless.

“I don’t think it’s dislocated but it’s really painful. That’s why his knee came into my face. I cannot move it (arm). I was going to continue but the problem is my shoulder and what’s the use if I cannot defend myself,” he said.

Taisacan said he is willing to fight Adelbai again and would “love a rematch.”

Told that his opponent was hoping for a return engagement, Adelbai’s answer was short and straight, “I’m willing to give him a rematch—anytime and anywhere.”

Taisacan’s injury followed an announcement that the main event between Myron “The Natural” San Nicolas and Jason “Rush” Tarkong in the 170-lb. weight class was called off after San Nicolas failed to shed 28 lbs.

South Syde Syndicates’ Nick “The Slick” San Nicolas also proved true to his moniker when he failed to show up in his heavyweight grudge match against Ton “Butdosa” Sablan.

San Nicolas called out Trench Tech’s Sablan weeks prior to Trench Warz VIII and even joked with the 300-pounder during the weigh-in Friday at the Hard Rock Café Saipan.

Other than San Nicolas failing to make weight and the other San Nicolas’ no-show, the rest of the bouts in Trench Tech VIII had the crowd cheering and on their feet at the sweltering hot Trench Tech Gym.

In the first bout, Trench Tech’s Shane “Pikaboo” Alvarez defeated Predators’ Brandon “Commotion” Camacho via referee stoppage 2:51 into the second round.

Spike 22 Guam’s Jun “Shockerraba” San Nicolas’ armbar, meanwhile, forced Zalaka’s Lyle DL Guerrero to tap-out as the first round was about to end in Trench Warz VIII’s second bout.

Another Guamanian was victorious in the third bout of the evening, as Team Fight to Win’s Ryan “The Dentist” Urquizu beat Zalaka’s Arnold “Killer B” Balbin 35 seconds into the first round using his patented guillotine choke.

Andrew Sablan finally won a bout for Zalaka when he used a triangle choke to upend Trench Tech’s “Badd” Bradd Palacios 4:33 into the third round.

Chris Layug of Trench Tech was also a winner in his fight against Zalaka’s Derrek Chen when the referee stepped in and stopped the fight 57 seconds in the first round after a flurry of punches by Layug had Chen backing off.

Trench Tech’s Giovanni Sablan, for his part, utilized a rear-naked choke to take out Marianas Elite’s Matai “The Charger” Charly in the 3:37-mark of the opening round.

The biggest upset of the day, however, saw Trench Tech’s Darryl “The Derailer” Salas beat “Kill” Bill Saures after a flurry of punches forced the referee to halt the fight 4:36 into the first round.

Rudy “The Uzi” San Nicolas scored another win via arm bar submission for Spike 22 Guam when he forced independent fighter “Tabi” Jay Muna to tap out 40 seconds into the first round.

“Brutal” Bryson Sablan of the Predators, on the other hand, used a knee-lock submission to force Trench Tech/Grappling Unlimited Hawaii’s “No Way” Jose Mafnas to retire 3:29 into the opening round.

Marianas Elite’s Syl “The Deal” Teregeyo, meanwhile, cut the taller Rob “Pitbull” Palacios down to size after beating the South Syde Syndicates fighter with an arm-lock submission 2:20 into the first round.