By: Jonathan M. King The Clinch Report • Photos By: John Walsh The Clinch Report
According to Hemingway people with ‘guts’ always show “grace under pressure.” Coming in to his fight against Andrew Natividad, Alfred Kashakyan personified that saying. Returning off of a loss in his last fight and fighting with the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide as the back drop, Kashakyan was shouldering a ton of weight. He was not only fighting for the CXF Bantamweight title, but he was also fighting for a nation people who still to this day, continue to fight for themselves. Despite the pressure Kashakyan performed with grace, and showcased his power along the way.
Once Kashakyan made his way into the ball room it became clear who the crowd was there to see. Once he made his way into the cage it became clear who he was see! Charging to a halt an inch from his opponent Kashakyan stomped defiantly in front of him before circling away to take his corner. The aggressive display was not a taunt as much as it was a precursor for the chaotic storm on the horizon.
As the fight began Natividad looked to stay low, and after a few strikes from Kashakyan he shot in an attempt to take the fight to the mat. However Kashakyan was able to fend off the takedown, and once out of danger, he separated and looked to get busy with his hands. Each punch he threw was meant to end the fight. Although Natividad was able to block a few, in retreat a head kick backed him up against the cage and once there Kashakyan unleashed a flurry of strikes that dropped him a couple of times. The stoppage came moments later as grounded strikes went unanswered forcing the referee to stop the bout.
After the win an emotional Alfred Kashakyan spoke to the crowd about how personal the fight was for him. He spoke of his struggle, and of the Armenian struggle and vowed to continue his reign as CXF Champion declaring “This belt is mine, and its not going anywhere”.
The win moves Kashakyan to 6-2 as a pro and also earns him his first mixed martial arts title. As with most of the CXF fighters, Alfred is on a short list of UFC hopefuls in the bantamweight division. It would not be a surprise to see both Kashakyan and fellow 135 lbs prospect Terrion Ware in the UFC in the near future, if not perhaps we will see them square off in the CXF cage. Only time will tell!
Wherever Kashakyan fights next is only a guess, however as he starts to get bigger and bigger fights you can expect a seasoned fighter, one used to the pressure. A fighter who Hemingway himself would say has ‘guts’ in spades, a fighter with ‘Grace’!
The next CXF show is scheduled for June make sure you follow Lights Out Promotions and Bash Boxing for more information.
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