PHOENIX– With featherweight fighter Ezra Elliot’s last matchup canceled the day of fight night, the rising contender wanted to put on a dominant showing to cement his name at the next level. 

The moment the opening bell rang during his co-main event bout at RUF 68, Elliot showcased various weapons in his arsenal. This included dominant wrestling, skull-cracking elbows from half-guard and a high-kick that cracked his opponent. 

With a mix of weapons, Elliot turned in one of his most dominant performances as a pro, earning a first-round technical knockout that improved his record to 7-0. 

Elliot thanked his teammates for their constant trust in him and said he’s ready to reach greater heights.

“It’s like a family man, I’d do anything for the guys on my left and right,” Elliot said. “Superstar status to me is just being me and being authentically me. Art doesn't try to be cool for anyone, I'm just being myself and letting the work show.”

Alongside his performance, Elliot now looks for a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series, a premier outlet for regional fighters to earn a chance at a UFC contract in front of White. 

The Contender Series has brought in plenty of Elliot’s teammates into the UFC, with some names including former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’ Malley, Tommy McMillen, Jose Miguel Delgado and Clayton Carpenter.

McMillen and Elliot often draw comparisons because they both have exciting styles and are known for finishing fights.

Both fighters are trending toward a superstar-level type of path. 

“I see similar things ahead of me soon and I’m hoping to follow the same path.” Elliot said. 

RUF 68 blew the roof off the building with every single matchup on Saturday, May 2, at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix. Throughout the main card section of the fight, almost every bout ended in a finish. 

One of these fights included the MMA Lab prospect Roderick “Karate Roddy” Agyeman making his professional debut. 

Going into the matchup, Agyeman’s last fight captured an amateur belt at RUF 65. So expectations were high for the prospects' first professional fight.

Throughout the course of the fight, Agyeman not only showcased improved striking but also an elite ground game, putting his opponent in multiple different submission attempts. 

Subsequently, with the final seconds of the match coming to a close, Agyeman acted fast and secured a last-second rear-naked choke, not only winning his pro debut but bringing an uproar from the fans. 

Still, the main goal, Agyeman said, was to enjoy himself while getting better. 

“I’m trying my best to think about what I did right, but I want to be better,” Agyeman said. “I’m kind of hanging up on what I need to work on right now, but that was fun!” 

Agyeman credited coach Jarrett Aki at The MMA Lab and his determination down the stretch to finish the fight. 

Similar to Agyeman, practicing attorney and fan favorite fighter Alex “The Most Educated” Preissing returned to the promotion for the third straight time since turning pro. 

Preissing entered the matchup as a sizable betting favorite against his opponent Kendall Ward, who, prior to this bout, had fought only a singular time as an MMA fighter, being primarily a bare-knuckle boxer. 

Due to the lack of experience, Preissing worked off his back to put Ward in a tight triangle choke. 

After adjusting his legs to make the choke tighter, Preissing forced the tap, earning his third straight first-round submission victory in a row. 

The decision of Ward shooting a takedown on the grappler shocked the Red Hawk Academy fighter, Preissing said.

“I kind of gave up my back a little bit and turned around on him,” Preissing said. “So like it was there to grab.” 

As a result of another quick finish and short turnaround, Preissing looks to take time before cutting down to 125 or making a short turnaround if a 135-pound fight is offered to him. 

In comparison, Preissing’s coach and current UFC head coach Tim Welch showed up to support his fighters going into battle.

Originally a fighter himself, Welch said being on the journey of the next generation of fighters is important to him.

“Every fight is important in a fighters career, you get so much growth from every single fight that you are in,” Welch said. “It’s my passion too, I love my group of guys. Coming out here is a treat for me too.” 

In comparison, RUF 68 showcased Arizona’s homegrown amateur talent. Three title fights took place on this card, all of which were in the amateur section of the card. 

RUF continues to be Arizona’s largest promoter, providing fighters with a platform to perform and creating an electric environment at the Celebrity Theatre. 

The Celebrity Theatre opened around 60 years ago, and RUF has provided Arizona with over 20 years of combat sports. The pairing between the venue and the promotion is a match made in heaven.  

“The Celebrity Theatre in general is such a sick venue, every seat is a good seat,” Elliot said. “The cage is very small, there’s nowhere to run around. You’re right there in the fire fight right away.”