Despite heavy rains during the day which created challenging conditions, fans flocked to the Rough Fight League event on Saturday night at Funland, Hope Gardens, where intense matchups and special guests made for an unforgettable evening of MMA. Among the highlights was the appearance of Bellator and PFL World Champion Jason Jackson, who thrilled the crowd with a special exhibition bout against promoter and fellow MMA fighter Kyle Chin.

Inside the cage, Shaienie ‘Da Great’ Blake, Theron ‘Iron Prince’ Rose-Green, and Tyrece ‘Tank’ Thompson emerged victorious, demonstrating grit and skill. Blake dominated Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir, ending the fight in the second round with a decisive KO following a series of punishing leg kicks and a perfectly-timed hook, prompting the referee to stop the bout.

Rose-Green claimed victory over Jaheim ‘Imru Makonnen’ Morrison with a choke submission in the third round, while Thompson defeated Samuel Campbell in the first round by TKO with relentless ground-and-pound.

The night’s action also saw Khalil Gordon secure a dramatic victory over Joshua Myers, who had dominated the first two rounds with superior technique and control. However, Gordon turned the tide in the third, catching Myers in a guillotine choke and forcing the tap-out, completing a remarkable comeback.

In another intense matchup, Jordan Mitchell faced off against Chevon Gordon. Mitchell wasted no time, swiftly taking Gordon to the ground in the first round and unleashing a powerful sequence of strikes. His ground-and-pound overwhelmed Gordon, prompting the referee to stop the fight, awarding Mitchell the TKO win.

Chris McNair also claimed a notable victory, taking on Sanjae Hudson in a heated bout. McNair’s relentless body attacks in the second round proved too much for Hudson, with a series of punishing blows leading to a TKO stoppage, securing McNair’s win.

Meanwhile, Demar ‘Force’ Haslam displayed explosive power in his bout against Nakia Anderson. In just the first round, Haslam connected with a precise, devastating strike and securing one of the night’s most decisive victories.

Promoter Kyle Chin, reflecting on the night, expressed satisfaction despite the hurdles caused by the day’s rain. “It was a fantastic night borne out of determination and the will to keep going on,” Chin said. “The torrential rain (earlier in the day) was challenging, especially on the grass venue for setting up the cage and trussing. Despite the delays, fans arrived promptly, and the energy was incredible.”

Chin highlighted the enthusiasm of special guest Jason Jackson, whose participation added a thrilling element to the night. “Jason was really happy to be there, and we could not have been happier to have him,” Chin noted. “We ended up with a decent turnout, proving there are true die-hard fans for MMA here.”

The Rough Fight League continues to make waves in Jamaica’s MMA scene, with fighters and fans alike showing dedication to the sport, rain or shine.

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.