Challenger Jon Delbrugge (8-2) submitted Champion, Micah Terrill (6-5) for the Shogun Fights Welterweight title. In an emotionally-charged fight, Delbrugge employed his superior Jiu-Jitsu against the title-holder, earning the tapout in Round 2 of their contest.
Jon Delbrugge utilized superior wrestling to take Terrill to the ground in every round.
Both Maryland fighters utilized consistent gameplans in the two rounds. Delbrugge looking for takedowns and occasionally landing big overhand rights and Terrill looking to counter.
In round 1, Delbrugge took the title-holder down twice, but was thwarted from employing his more advanced Jiu-Jitsu. Rather than fight on the ground, Terrill grabbed the fence to pull himself back to his feet. The referee Fernando Yamasaki, stopped the fight to take a point away, giving Delbrugge a substantial lead on the judges scorecards.
Delbrugge put a scare into his fans when he dropped to the mat twice in the guard position. When asked if he slipped or if he was dazed, the new Shogun Fights champion said, “SLIP!!! Both times. I would have no problems saying I ate a shot but I slipped both times. I was totally coherent. I was even waving him on like ‘OK – Let me come up or you come down.'”
He concedes, “I guess from certain angles it was hard to tell. I fell backwards from shooting a a takedown and he rushed in and the second one, I just threw an overhand and slipped.”
In round 2, Delbrugge scored another takedown, this time in the middle of the cage. Delbrugge, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt with victories in high-level IBJJF competition, ended the fight within a minute of hitting the ground. He opened the closed guard, passed, mounted, and choked his opponent.
There was some additional excitement after the finish due to some of the pre-fight trash talk. Micah claimed that he would “baptize” Delbrugge and had all his contingent wearing shirts to that effect.
After the submission, Delbrugge fell to the floor and shouted, “I’m saved. I’m saved.” as his corner baptized him as the new Champion. Despite the active participation in the trash talk before the fight, Terrill’s corner was so infuriated that they tried to rush the cage afterwards.
As the great Georges St-Pierre once said, “Its easy to talk. Its harder to fight.”
Jon Delbrugge channeled the spirit of Daniel Day-Lewis after the fight
After the fight, Delbrugge was succinct, “Success is the best revenge.”
“A lot of hard work went into this. It was a good night for the team. We all took another step forward. THANK YOU so much to everyone that supported. Seriously, this doesn’t do it justice. I am overwhelmed with positivity. I have the best family, team and friends anyone could ask for. You guys kick ass plain and simple.”
Delbrugge improves to 9-2 professional and should be on the radar of the UFC brass at this point, having won two major belts in the last few months.
Photos courtesy of Steven Meyer and Shogun Fights.
Within 60 seconds of hitting the ground in round 2, Delbrugge passed the guard and achieved back mount, getting the tapout.
Jon Delbrugge now holds the Shogun Fights and Ring of Combat Welterweight titles.