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• “They’ll bear witness to a slaughter”- Blake promises dominant display in RFL Ocho main event on Saturday

  Rough Fight League (RFL) Amateur Lightweight Champion Shiaeine ‘Da Great’ Blake says fans can expect him to make quick work of opponent Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir when the two lock horns in the main event of RFL Ocho at Funland in Hope Gardens in Kingston on Saturday.

  ‘Da Great,’ who has held the number one spot across three weight classes in the Caribbean, will be making his professional debut against Weir, an accomplished boxer, who is now stepping into the professional MMA scene after taking this fight on short notice.

  “I envision him laying on the canvas within eight minutes looking up at me and wondering what went wrong,” Blake told Sportsmax.tv on Tuesday.

  “Fans are coming out expecting a fight but they’ll bear witness to a slaughter,” added Blake.

  Knowing that Weir is coming from a strictly boxing background and this being an MMA fight, one would think that the obvious play for Blake is to lean into a wrestling-heavy style on Saturday.

  The 29-year-old has other ideas, however, noting that his ego has got the best of him ahead of their bout.

  “Knowing that Daron’s style is boxing heavy, I’ve allowed my ego to get a hold of me and challenged myself to beat him primarily with boxing,” Blake said.

  “I’ve prepared to beat him where he’s best at. Boxing is his hope, but there cannot be despair without hope so I’ll beat him where he’s best and watch him crumble,” he added.

  Blake last fought at the IMMAF Pan American Championships in Monterrey in September, losing via kneebar submission to Mexico’s Diego Rangel in round two of their three-round fight.

  That fight is in the past and Blake says he’s going into Saturday’s fight with a clear mind.

  “The loss hasn’t really affected me mentally of physically. You win and you lose in sports. That’s given, analyze it, learn from it and move onward,” he said.

   

   

   

   

• Rough Fight League 'Ocho' set to ignite Kingston with explosive MMA and Kickboxing showdowns at Hope Gardens

  The Rough Fight League (RFL) Ocho is set to take place this Saturday, October 26, at Funland in Hope Gardens, Kingston, promising an action-packed night of mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing. The event, which starts at 8 pm, will feature eight thrilling bouts, including two high-profile main events that fans won’t want to miss.

  Headlining the card, Shiaeinie ‘Da Great’ Blake, a dominant figure in Caribbean MMA, will make his professional debut against Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir. Blake, who has held the number one spot across three weight classes in the Caribbean, will be tested by Weir, an accomplished boxer now stepping into the professional MMA scene. “We expect fireworks from that,” said event organizer Kyle Chin. Weir’s transition to MMA promises an explosive bout, as both fighters bring top-tier experience in their respective disciplines.

  In another main event, Theron ‘The Iron Prince’ Rose Green will take on Jaheem ‘Imru Makonnen’ Morrison in an amateur welterweight championship fight. Rose Green, an emerging MMA star who has already made waves with wins in Trinidad and Jamaica, will face Morrison, a skilled kickboxer building a strong reputation in the sport. “It’s a classic wrestler versus striker match-up,” Chin explained, noting Rose Green’s well-rounded skill set, honed through international competition in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, beach wrestling, and MMA.

   

  

  'Tank' Thompson

  Adding to the excitement is Tyrece ‘Tank’ Thompson, the 2024 Pan American Super Heavyweight International Mixed Martial Arts Champion, who will be competing against Samuel Campbell. Thompson, fresh off his Pan Am gold, will look to continue his dominance in the super heavyweight division.

  The event will also see the pro debut of Demar ‘Force’ Haslam, RFL’s 145-pound amateur champion, who will face Nakia Anderson in what promises to be another intense match. “It’s going to be an exciting night,” Chin said, emphasizing that the card will feature a mix of MMA and kickboxing fights, showcasing the depth of talent in the region.

  This is the first major RFL event of the year, following the pandemic-induced hiatus. “We did have a level of consistency with seven events, but we are trying to return to that now,” Chin said, adding that the sport continues to grow in Jamaica. “Jamaica has always been known as a strong striking country. We have good boxing, karate, kickboxing, and now we are seeing an evolution in our game.”

  With a new venue, a stacked fight card, and the return of some of Jamaica’s top combat athletes, Rough Fight League Ocho is set to be an unforgettable night for MMA and kickboxing fans.

  Tickets for the event can be purchased at Jacana New Kingston, Jangas Soundbar, The Life Store and Jacana Manor Park.

   

• Root propels England to five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka

  Joe Root guided England through a tricky final session as the hosts beat Sri Lanka by five runs in Manchester.

  England looked like they could collapse when they were left at 70-3 following the dismissals of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence on Saturday.

  Yet Root, along with Harry Brook, steadied the ship before the latter was caught and bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya on 32, leaving the hosts on 116-4, chasing a target of 204 to win.

  Root, however, remained nerveless, with Jamie Smith contributing an entertaining and useful 39 from just 48 balls in a brief stint at the other end.

  Smith's stand came to an end with England still 21 runs shy of their target, but Root would not let victory slip through their fingers.

  And it was Root who fittingly had the final say as he struck his second boundary to take himself onto 62 and seal a convincing win.

  Data Debrief: Root comes up big

  Root has scored 60+ in five of his last seven Test innings, after managing 42 in the first innings of this match (84, 68, 14, 122, 87, 42, 62).

  He is just one century away, meanwhile, from matching Alastair Cook's record of 33 Test tons for England.