On Saturday at Neal Blaisdell Arena, Hilo’s Russell “Da Muscle” Mizuguchi defeated Honolulu’s Shojin Miki by unanimous decision at the X-1 Events 49 card.
That’s an undisputed fact.
It’s on the x1events.com website, and anything on the web, especially from the MMA world, is unimpeachable, right?
So there was a fair amount of head-scratching out of Mizuguchi’s camp, his Boss MMA club, when the following statement showed up on the X-1 website: “Russell Mizuguchi def. Shojin Miki via Unanimous decision, for the Flyweight (125 lbs.) State Title (3×5 min. rounds)”
Mizuguchi said he has it on contract and text message that the fight was for the X-1 World title. (He earned the X-1 State title against Oahu’s Michael Nakagawa last August.)
In the main event, Japan’s Suguru Nii applied a first-round submission against Honokaa’s Kaeo Meyers for the X-1 Lightweight (155 pounds) World Title.
The last X-1 Lightweight World champion was Max Holloway, who’s now lording over the UFC featherweight (145 pounds) division.
There’s a chance that the X-1 website had a big-time typo and placed “State” instead of “World” next to Mizuguchi’s name.
After all, Meyers’ name was misspelled. On the website, he’s referred to as Kaeo Meyer.
It’s probably a good thing that Mizuguchi has the X-1 contract on hand and saved the text message.
“They told us it would be for the World title, 3×5, and we got a text message, 3×5 minute rounds. The contract says World and 3×5.
“I have no idea why they’re saying that. They said I was actually defending the state title. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Mizuguchi (4-0) felt that he won the first two rounds and thought the third could have gone either way.
“The difference was my pressure and top game. He never took control the whole fight,” he said. “I had him on his back and almost choked him out at the end of the second, but time ran out.
“In the third, he started landing some heavy shots, but I took a moment to recover and went shooting to take him down at the end of the round.”
Miki (3-2) is known for his ground game, and he offered good defense from his back. But it’s better be on top, and from there Mizuguchi fed him a dinner of punches and elbows.
“I was pretty much getting him on the ground. His ground was good. From his back, he was active and hard to pass,” Mizuguchi said. “I landed some good shots on the ground, and I cut him in the first with an elbow. I got in some heavy elbows and shots.”
Before the decision was announced, Mizuguchi had already knocked out any doubt, which was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
“I knew I won,” he said. “The first two rounds were kind of dominant.
“I feel good. It’s a big win for me. The only thing is it’s a big difference between the State and World title. That’s what the whole big deal is.”
He noted that his camp will send an email to the UFC, which could use any morsel of good news, and Bellator about his X-1 victory.
Mizuguchi will likely defend his X-1 World title? Or X-1 State title? He’s also looking to hop on a Just Scrap card in August in his hometown.
Before that, he’s heading to California for a vacation after his seven-week camp and scrambled egg X-1 title status.
“I finally get to relax,” he said. “I’ll be gone for about a week. When I return, I’ll be training again as soon as possible.
“Being unbeaten feels the same to be, to be honest. Nothing has changed. It’s still the same motivation and same desire to keep winning.”
