By: Jonathan King The Clinch Report • Photos By: John Walsh The Clinch Report
Hype can be a fickle word in the fight business. Often it ends up being hyperbole, rarely delivering on a quarter of the expectation. Going into last nights event California Xtreme Fighting’s ‘Gold Rush’ event the hype behind the Terrion Ware vs Rob Gooch fight had built for so long, it was literally overflowing. Rarely do these bouts every live up to expectations. In this case, the fight exceeded the lofty expectations and ended up being one of the most entertaining bouts of the year.
To understand the genesis of this fight, you have to cast back to almost a year ago. Under another promotion this fight was booked as a main event. All of the media jumped on the bandwagon of a fight that could produce a future UFC star. However a staph infection hospitalized Gooch leaving the fight in limbo. Months went by Gooch healed; Ware kept training and again the fight was booked. Cursed, once again the fight ended up on the scrap heap. The promotion was forced to cancel the event due to injuries, and again both fighters were left all dressed up with no place to go. However this time the cancellation coincided with the ‘Gold Rush’ event, and after reaching an agreement the bout was again signed. The featured scrap would also produce the number one contender for the CXF Bantamweight Title.
So finally after a year of waiting, both fighters were healthy on weight, and the bout was set. Once the cage door closed the the excuses and the hype quickly faded. The anticipation became a violent reality that lived up to the billing. For three rounds Rob Gooch and Terrion Ware danced. For 15 minutes they engaged in a bloody tango that had the crowd on their feet the entire time.
The back and forth first round was closely contested, with Ware scoring more effectively in the stand up department, however a takedown from Gooch was able to give him dominate position for a good chunk of time. Once back up, Ware began landing with counter right hands, that inspired a mouse under the eye of his surging opponent.
In the second round, Ware continued to loosen up with his hands catching Gooch several times that buckled his knees. However Gooch refused to break, instead he coiled like a rattlesnake before springing back to life with punches that testified to his resolve. The first of these surges, rocked Ware with an uppercut. However the offensive production just wasn’t on a par for Gooch. As the fight progressed, Ware continued to pile up points, landing two or three times at a time with combinations that were answered back with singular shots. Towards the middle of the final round, Gooch’s eye began to swell shut as Ware tactfully pieced him apart with counter right hands. Ware hit him with everything but the kitchen sink, yet Gooch remained standing.
Ware cruised to a one sided decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) however the score does not exact the contest any justice. The fight itself was one of the most entertaining bouts of the year. In victory the Terrion Ware remains on the cusp of the big show. He continues to evolve as a fighter and this win certainly puts him on a short list of UFC hopefuls in the 135 lbs division. Rob Gooch ends up with a loss on the score sheets, but his stock continues to rise. The heart, fire and desire this guy displayed is certain to carry him past the loss. Simply put people with that kind of fortitude never stay down long.
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