UNLEASHED 1: THE REAL WINNERS AND LOSERS

[Mark Bishop]

UNLEASHED 1: THE REAL WINNERS AND LOSERS
Mark Bishop
Clash Entertainment™ Media Correspondent

If you've been living under a rock the last month and missed all the hype surrounding the launch of something new in MMA, welcome to your crash course in all things UNLEASHED. Let's assume you weren't able to crawl out from the winter hibernation in time to see your shadow or even roll aside that rock you've been sleeping under like a certain religious figure leaving the tomb - here's what you missed in a nutshell.

Spiral, arguably one of the most controversial fighters in pro wrestling, came back with a vengeance, dominating his side of the grand prix tournament bracket. If that's not enough to get you hyped, former Deathcore Wrestling superstar Lara Chambers swept her bracket as well, looking like she hadn't lost a step since the controversial promotion closed its doors over a year ago. If that doesn't sell itself, you don't buy much of anything in MMA. Later on in the evening, the two collided in the main event in a match that screams for a rematch.

And those are only a select few of the evening's fights. As usual, the final stats only reveal so much. These are the real winners and losers from the premiere live event in Russia.

WINNER: Fizz Raab's Chin

For her first attempt with making the transition from quasi-retired wrestler and stay-at-home mommy to MMA fighter, Raab did a hell of a job. The wife of infamous wrestler Konrad Raab has never really been known for her stamina or endurance - that is until now. She ate everything thrown her way by Chambers and came back for more. Definitely one of the fights that could have gone either way. Don't give up, Raab. You've got a future in this sport for sure!

LOSER: Spiral's Right Eye

Jackson versus Spiral almost hit the fifteen minute round time limit and probably would have gone to judges' decisions if not for the dirty eye rake that ultimately cost Spiral the final bout against Lara Chambers.

The bad blood between these two was over the top, the hatred palpable in every blow swapped. I'll preface this by saying that I've known Jackson for seventeen years and Spiral for twelve - the rivalry between these two has played out over numerous wrestling companies over the years. I was there reporting on the Terrordome match in PCW that almost crippled Jackson. I was there when Spiral put Jackson through a glass table and almost ended his career. I watched their Terrordome rematch in HiWF that ended in an absolute bloodbath and the company closing its doors soon after.

Nothing has changed. If anything, I'd say that the years have added fuel to the fire and I can't wait to see what happens the next time these two clash.

WINNER: Lara Chambers' Waist

Rust: absent.
Dominance: asserted.

When the odds-makers in Vegas caught wind of the fights, they had her marked down as a favorite for good reason. That didn't change when she passed through the first round opponent in Fizz Raab only to collide with a relative rookie, the most recent graduate from Jan Van Der Roost's Squires Academy in Ethan Thompson. The two had been cozy earlier on in the week over social media and some (myself included) were expecting the tattooed beauty to falter against a friend. Instead she showed the same ruthlessness that reared its head against Raab, coasting through to the finals as the only undefeated fighter. Some might say that the first two matches were an unfair gauge of talent or ability, given the opponents. This reporter disagrees and I'll tell you why. It's no easy feat to fight three matches in one night. There were no rest holds here and given the punishment unleashed during the Raab fight, a lesser fighter would have been gassed. Her dominance becomes even more apparent, more impressive given that she was in the cage for a total of 27:27, fighting the entire time against not one but two seasoned fighters in Raab and Spiral. To be fair, Thompson is untested but his dominance of veteran Kitty Petrova should be noted here. Watch that kid. I predict good things.

UNLEASHED 1: From Russia With Love Quickie Results

First Round Fights
Spiral defeats Amber Wheeler via technical submission at 2:15.
Jackson defeats Aria Powell via knockout (punches) at 4:11.
Ethan Thompson defeats Kitty Petrova via knockout (punches) at 5:01.
Lara Chambers defeats Fizz Raab via technical knockout (punches) at 4:03.

Second Round Fights
Spiral defeats Jackson via submission (triangle choke) at 11:11.
Lara Chambers defeats Ethan Thompson via knockout (punches) at 8:12.

Main Event
Lara Chambers defeats Spiral via technical submission (rear naked choke) at 15:12.

Mark Bishop writes about MMA for Clash Entertainment™. For more, follow Mark on Twitter.