At 46 years old, Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring, not to reclaim a throne, not to prove doubters wrong, but to remind us what it means to defy time with faith, discipline, and love.
He trained for two months, not casually, not half-heartedly, but with the hunger of a young man and the wisdom of a warrior who’s seen every corner of the fight game. While others were easing into retirement, he was sharpening his tools for battle.
To go a full twelve rounds at his age, against a dangerous champion like Mario Barrios in his prime, is something most will never fully grasp. This wasn’t just another fight. This was a man stepping back into the fire, not because he needed to, but because he still could.
Round after round, he pressed forward. Footwork that whispered of old rhythms. Combinations that still sang. Timing, pressure, poise, it was all still there. If you watched closely, Manny was one step ahead more often than not.
And when the final bell rang, and the judges called it a draw, the world felt divided. But the real ones saw it clearly. Pacquiao was one round up. He should’ve had his hand raised. He should’ve been called champion once again.
Still, in true Pacquiao fashion, he didn’t protest. He didn’t cry injustice. He smiled. He raised his hands to heaven. He thanked the fans. He thanked God. Because Manny knows something deeper, Glory needs not to be chased, for we’re already glorious.
The draw was more than a result. It was a reminder. A symbol. A sacred pause in a world that obsesses over winners and losers. Sometimes the lesson isn’t in the belt. It’s in the grace to walk away unshaken.
In victory, Manny is humble. In defeat, Manny is humble. And in this moment — in this draw — humility became the message.
Part of me hoped to hear it. Just one last callout to close the circle. “Floyd Mayweather. Let’s fight one more time.”
But, Pacquiao didn’t return for legacy, he is legacy. He didn’t need a title, he is the title. Eight divisions. Twenty-five years of greatness. A life fueled by purpose, family, and faith.
What we witnessed wasn’t just a fight. It was a sermon. A reminder to fight with joy. To stand with grace. To live with meaning.
MAIN EVENT: GILBERT BURNS vs MICHAEL MORALES MORALES WINS VIA TKO IN ROUND ONE
ROUND ONE: Burns begins the fight staying on the outside. Both fighters measuring each other. Vicious leg kick lands for Burns. Attacking the lead leg. Morales lands one back in return. Burns lands a flush straight right. Morales lands a right hand of his own. Head kick gets blocked by Morales. Nice jab lands for Morales. Big overhand right lands for Morales. Burns lands a left hook. leg kick by Burns. Morales is twitching his right hand, showing Burns. Morales starts doubling up his jabs. Leg kick lands for Morales. Morales lands a big uppercut. Burns shoots for a takedown and lands it. Morales pops right back up. Morales lands two elbows and breaks away. BIG overhand right lands for Morales. Pummeling Burns over and over again. Towering over Burns, dropping absolute BOMBS. Ref steps in and stops the fight!!! Morales looks incredibly impressive!
Michael Morales wins via TKO in Round ONE.
#6: Sodiq Yusuff vs Mairon Santos
ROUND ONE: Yusuff starts off the round on the backfoot. Santos landing some kicks. Tipes to the body. Usuff attmpts a strong/fast leg kick. Another Santos tipe to the body. Fight is starting off slow. Both fighters very measured. Good leg kick lands for Santos. Great check by Santos, hurt Yusuff. Santos is checking Usuff’s leg kicks. Santos stalking Yusuff now. Yusuff backs him up a bit via left hook. Yusuff attempts a clinch but Santos is too strong and breaks away. Nice jab an footwork by Santos. Good jab again. Lands a spinning back kick to the body does Santos, but falls to the ground. Yusuff get the better of Santos in this moment and pushes him against the cage. Great takedown defense by Santos. Flips Yusuff to the cage and escapes. End of Round ONE. (Slow start to this fight, unlike the fights previously. Santos was the busier fighter in my opinion, and takes round one)
ROUND TWO: Yusuff opens up with a good head kick, but then gets caught with a head kick by Santos. Immediately begins to retreat. Santos misses a flying knee. Back in the center of the ocatagon are both fighters. Both keeping their range like in the first round. Yusuff has a cut over the eye by Santos’s head kick in the beginning of the round. Santos lands a stiff leg kick, so much power that Yusuff falls to the ground. Santos maintains his range. They end up against the cage and Santos had Yusuff against the cage. Santos has two underhooks onto Yusuff. Yusuff is pawing at Santos’s head. Strong shoulder strike by Santos. Kneeing Yusuff to the knee against the cage. Ref calls for more aciton. Vicious elbow on the breakaway by Santos. Good hook lands for Santos. Checks a leg kick by Yusuff. End of Round TWO. (Santos definitely won this round)
In order for Yusuff to win, I believe he needs a knockout or submission. However, he’s losing the stand up game, and is unable to take down Santos. A big moment needs to happen for him, and he needs to either take advantage or create it.
ROUND THREE: Yusuff comes out aggresive. Aggresive with footwork but not with punching output. Santos continues to check those leg kick by Yusff. Yusuff attempts to elbow, Santos gets out of the way. Leg kick finally lands for Yusuff. Santos now the aggressor though. Another leg kick lands for Yusff. Tipe up the middle of the gut for Santos. Another leg kick lands for Yusuff. Santos is sitting on his punches more, which is why they’re beginning to land. Tipe again to the body for Santos. Santos feints and backs up, blocks a big overhand by Yusuff. Yusuff shoots for a takedown and doesn’t get it. Now up against the cage. Santos is hammer fisting Yusuff’s back, as he’s against the cage. Yusuff is just holding Santos against the cage, similar to the second round. Santos meanwhile remaining busy hammering anything he can. Santos flips and pushes Yusuff against the cage. Break away by fighters. Middle of the cage, tipe to the gut by Santos. Body kick by Santos. Aggressor in the end. (I give this last round to Santos, Yusuff, unable to produce and big moments for himself in the final round)
Mairon Santos wins via Decision.
BREAKING NEWS: RODOLFO BELLATO VS PAUL CRAIG IS CANCELLED DUE TO BELLATO SUSTAINING AN INJURY.
#5: Nursulton Nuziboev vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
ROUND ONE: Stoltzfus opens up the round with a leg kick that misses. Both fighters are feeling each other out, throwing some feints. Lots of leg kicks by Ruziboev. Both of these men have tons of power. Ruziboev landing the cleaner shots so far. Overhand lands. Stoltzfus DROPS Ruziboev! With a cross to the head. Stoltzfus gets a guillotine on Ruziboev as he falls to the ground. Ruziboev trying his best to hold on. He thought about tapping but hung in there. Ruziboev able to revers, and now is on top. Stoltzfus in full guard. They eventually rise to their feet. Ruziboev slugging but missing. Lands a spinning back kick against Stoltzfus’s guard. Big overhands by Ruziboev. Nice hook lands. Ruziboev closing the round strongly. Takes down Stoltzfus. Round ENDS. (This was a tough fight to score, both fighters did damage. Ruziboev ended the round nicely, but too much damaged was produced by Stoltzfus. I give Stoltzfus the first round)
Even though I gave Stoltzfus the first round, I am concerned for his stamina entering the SECOND.
ROUND TWO: Big head kicked thrown by Ruziboev, blocked by Stoltzfus. Big uppercut lands for Ruziboev. Stoltzfus immediately tries to take down Ruziboev. Ruziboev attempts to pull a kimura while being pressed against the cage but fails and gets taken down. On the ground, Stoltzfus is in side mount, and is dripping blood out of his nose. Perhaps broken? Stoltzfus is now trying set up a Darce choke but fails. Ruziboev tries standing up but Stoltszfus pulls a guillotine. Ruziboev escapes and is now on top. Raining in shots from up top. Coaches are calling for elbows. Stoltszfus wraps himself around Ruziboev for a leg lock, but loses control. Ruziboev back on top and landing mean punches, predominately with his right hand. ROUND ENDS (Stoltszfus started off the round great, but ultimately it’s Ruziboev who takes momentum away and walks away dealing the most damage in round two. I give it to Ruziboev)
ROUND THREE: Ruziboev lands a body kick to begin the round. Beautful sweep by Stoltzfus and hits Ruziboev with a big right hand on his way up. Stolstzfus gets caught by a right straight and a hook moments later. Ruziboev now starting to put it on, great right hand straight to the body, followed by a spinning back head kick. Big right straight lands on Stoltzfus. Stoltzfus tries a spinning back kick of his own, too slow and out of range. The right hand is there for Ruziboev. Earlier in the rounds, landed a great uppercut, would like to see him go back to that a couple of times. Stoltzfus shoots for a takedown and gets it. Stoltzfus was able to gain full mount for a few seconds, and lands a couple of shots. Both fighters are up, Stoltzfus tries locking in a standing guilloine but Ruziboev escapes. ROUND THREE ENDS. (This round was hard for me to judge, control goes to Stoltzfus, but damage goes to Ruziboev. In the end, I give this round to Ruziboev)
Nursulton Ruziboev wins vis Decision,,, Calls out Bo Nikal in post fight interview.
#4: Costa Melquizael vs. Julian Erosa
ROUND ONE: Costa begins the fight on the backfoot. Nice and steady, slow start for both fighters. Lots of legs kicks from Costa. Erosa is the aggressor in terms of footwork, but in terms of output Costa is beating him to the punch and the kicks. Lots of leg kicks by Costa. So far, there is a stark difference in the stand up, Melquizael absolutely Costa. Lands a vicious head kick. Erosa lands a good strong hook. Momentarily back up Costa. Erosa misses an elbow fired from a mile away and pays the price for it dearly. costa landing head kicks at will. Really taking his time and picking his shots. Erosa is trying to rush Costa but is paying the price each and everytime. Erosa was able to land a takedown against Costa, and this is his path to victory. Round ONE ends. (Costa wins ROUND ONE unanimously)
Round TWO: Costa appears to have sustained a foot injury, doesn’t seem to be grave. Costa begins the round picking Erosa apart, landing jabs, straights, hooks, body kicks. Erosa takes down Costa, Costa is holding onto a guillotine. Erosa stands him up, and is attempting to take his back. Costa was able to keep Erosa off of his back, now both standing in clinch against the cage. Erosa landing knees and shoulder strikes. Costa sweeps Erosa, and escapes. Back on the feet. Nice left straight by Costa. Ones and twos. Doubling up on a pair of straights. Erosa looks depleted. Erosa starting to land some elbows. Costa gets poked in the eye but calls off Herb Dean. Straights are landing at will for the Brazilian. Erosa was able to land a vicious cross onto an unbalanced Costa, almost sending him to the ground. Not sure how hurt the Brazilian is, I think it was due to him being off balanced. (Costa wins ROUND TWO)
In between round 2 and 3: Costa has this fight in the bag, and I think he can produce a stoppage in the 3rd. That left hand is there all day. He went away from his head kicks, I think he can really catch Erosa with that strike again.
ROUND THREE: Erosa pushes Costa against the cage, landing some knees. Erosa tried to trip and bring Costa to the ground but failed. Gets caught by hook on his way up. Erosa is definitely being the aggressor in this third round though. He’s landing some elbows. Costa is not reacting well to the amplified pressure. Erosa putting his fought all the way down on the gas. Erosa is a true fighter. Costa is landing some good shots, but he cannot keep up with this pace. OR maybe he can, Costa now weathering the storm, pushes Erosa down, Erosa more fell down out of exhaustion. This is an absolute brawl. The fight comes to a close. Bravo to both warriors. (I give Costa the edge in this round, landed the cleaner shots. But great aggression displayed by Erosa throughout the entirety of the round)
(Melquizael Costa wins via Decision)
#3: Matheus Camilo vs. Gabe Green
ROUND ONE: Green starts off the beginning of the first round moving a ton. Switching stances, throwing small feints. Camilo seems like the more grounded fighter here, staying put, landing strong leg kicks. Camilo maintaining the center of the octagon. Everything Camilo throws is with intention, really planting his weight down. Still haven’t seen anything from Green. He’s not committing to throwing any shots. Camilo lands a strong overhand right. 2:40 minute mark: Green is starting to press Camilo more, but Camilo is REALLY sitting on his punches now, eventually pushing Green off with power punches. Green caught Camilo with a check right hook and drops Camilo momentarily. Camilo shot for a takedown in the midst of being stunned, now in the clinch up against the cage. Camilo was able to land a takedown off of the fence. Camilo on top, Green in guard. Camilo landing some nice ground an pound punches from the top. Round one ends. (I have Camilo winning ROUND ONE)
Green needs to sit on his punches, he’s light on his feet like a butterfly but there’s no power, no threat, really nothing offensively for Camilo to worry about.
ROUND TWO: Green comes out the obvious aggressor. Attempts a flying knee, but gets caught in the clinch immediately, and Green gets taken down. Camilo sets in a triangle. Green slams Camilo on the ground trying to survive. Camilo is really trying to gain some torque on that triangle. Green escapes, and jumps on top of Camilo’s back. Camilo lost a lot of stamina trying to lock in that triangle. Green has a triangle body lock. Constantly landing punches onto Camilo. RNC for the win! Gabe Green was able to survive the onslaught from Camilo, it appeared that all of the momentum was on Camilo’s side, but Gabe Green was able to turn it around on the ground. Survived the Triangle. Attacked Camilo’s back, and locked in a swift rear naked end choke. What a wonderful job by Gabe Green on the ground! 3:42 in ROUND TWO by RNC.
Gabe Green wins Via Submission in Round Number TWO.
thegarciareport.com 