Long Beach has proven to be a city that many people are willing to fight to represent. But for Donavin Morris and Eugene Correa, fighting is literal.
Like many kids growing up, both of the Long Beach natives faced different unique paths filled with their own struggles, but both found the same way out; fighting MMA.
The pair were able to return to their hometown in Long Beach at Thunder Studios on Saturday, fighting on Lights Out Sports’ 16th professional MMA card where either fighters captured wins in front of a large crowd built of prideful Long Beach fans. Morris defeated Ian Miller via submission, meanwhile Correa defeated Chris Pena by way of decision to capture the lightweight interim belt.
“It’s great, it’s amazing. Words can’t describe,” said Correa about his win in his hometown. “I hope I made my mom proud, my students, and my coaches, everybody. It’s just a lot of respect and I’m honored.”
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“It feels dope, just to have the culture around me and coming from that and being able to show people that there’s a way out,” said Morris. “Doesn’t matter if you come from poverty or a wealthy family, but when you truly lock in and believe in what God made you to be you can do anything. I want to put on for Long Beach but not just Long Beach, it’s for anybody to see.”
Morris’s bout was the first of the two, fighting out of the bantamweight division with Morris coming off of a three fight win streak. Morris received greetings from his family and friends before taking the cage, and took over the fight merely seconds after the first round bell. After finding his way to the ground with Ian Miller, Morris quickly sunk in a guillotine before eventually forcing a tap. Morris defeated Miller by submission at just the two minute mark of the first round.
“In my mind I wanted to put him against the cage first but I thought don’t rush it. I wasn’t expecting a first round win, but I wasn’t expecting a long fight, I was just ready for anything. I thought whatever he gives me he gives me.”
Known as the “machinegun,” Morris has shown strong abilities in his stand-up with polished experience in Muay Thai. However leading up to the fight Morris said a submission became part of the plan, and when the opportunity came on Saturday night Morris listened to his corner and took it.
“We drilled that (guillotine) up, it was drill-to-kill with that one. I didn’t really recognize it at first until my coach said ‘push the head’ and then I realized it was there. So I went for it and got the submission.”
Morris said that he feels like he still has room to grow and said he’ll be back training as if this fight had never happened.
“I just want to keep getting better. On Monday we’ll lock back into the gym and act as if I didn’t win this fight. I’ll work on what I can improvise in, and how I can get better. I even feel like the fight could have even ended a bit sooner if I had listened to my coach.”
In the co-main event, Eugene Correa was similarly greeted by friends and family on his walk to the cage for his interim lightweight championship bout against Chris Pena. The two put on a show with three rounds of stand-up fighting in what could have been the most evenly matched fight of the night. After going to the judges scorecards Correa was announced the winner via split decision, and was handed the lightweight championship belt to hold up in front of his hometown crowd.
Leading up to the fight Correa received surgery on both his hand and nose from injuries he battled in his previous fight, and said it was all worth it while reflecting after his championship bout.
“It feels amazing. It feels like I overcame a lot of adversity,” he said. “A lot of hatred, a lot of wounds. My last fight I broke both my hand and my nose but, hey, I’m here. I’m here and I’m representing Long Beach. I’m the first ever Long Beach MMA fighter to win a professional belt in Long Beach.”
Correa came out as a clear favorite in the first round and looked like the better stand-up fighter, however Pena slowly began standing his ground in the second round. Despite the decision in favor of Correa, portions of the crowd protested against the decision after two debatable rounds that could have arguably gone either way.
“The first round was great, I didn’t want to rush on it in case I walked into something stupid which I’ve done in the past. But I also know that I could have ended it. I could have thrown more hands, thrown more fakes, maybe even shot right away and gotten him in the cage. I could have done a lot of things, but this is what the Lord wanted. I’m walking out a better person after this fight.”
Five of the nine main card fights fell short of the distance, including TKO’s from each Matheus Moreas and Rick Zelada along with a second round knockout by Steven Sainsbury. Benjamin Orozco also ended his fight early via submission in the second round.
The final four fights of the night ended by way of decision, including the flyweight main event between Pablo Caballero and Roy Echeverria. The pair showed exactly why their fight was scheduled as the main event as they battled an even-kill three rounds with the decision in favor of Pablo Caballero to end the night.
Full Lights Out 16 Results:
Heavyweight – Matheus Moraes def. Paea Tukuafu, TKO
Welterweight – Steven Sainsbury def. Steven OBryant, KO
Cruiserweight – Benjamin Orozco def. Yoanse Mejias Valdes, Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Cruiserweight – Rick Zelada def. Alberto Garcia, TKO
Bantamweight – Donavin Morris def. Ian Miller, Submission (Guillotine)
Cruiserweight – Keenan Lewis def. Ramon Vizcarra, Decision
Featherweight – Eddie Bernal def. Steven Almeida, Decision
Lightweight – Eugene Correa def. Chris Pena, Decision
Flyweight – Pablo Caballero def. Roy Echeverria, Decision
