TAMPA, Fla., Nov.13, 2009— The Real Fighting Championships (RFC) lightweight title belt is moving to the U.K. after challenger, Jason Ball, defeated defending champion, Edson Berto, during five grueling rounds last night at a sold out A La Carte Pavilion.
Berto surprised Ball with an unprecedented level of aggressiveness and a whole new fight strategy that included a ground game as much as a well-rounded stand-up arsenal of kicks and punches in the first round.
It took Ball until the end of the first round to adjust to Berto's new and more intense style, which he then countered: for every one of Berto's punches Ball shot back at least five of his own. While Berto was unloading his fists on Ball at a rate of a semi-automatic weapon, Ball unleashed the fire of a machine gun on Berto.
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2009.