It’s been over six months now since Ryan Chiappe last competed for King of the Cage, and the Revolution fighter is hoping to change that next month. In Chiappe’s last KOTC appearance on November 28th, the former Prince George resident laid claim to the Canadian KOTC middleweight belt, by tapping out Jason Volpe in the first round. After an injury prevented Chiappe from fighting Jarid Bussemakers at KOTC Canada’s “Fearless” event in April, the renowned grappler is now hoping to compete on the promotion’s annual Rexall Place show, July 30th.
“This would be my third Rexall show,” said Chiappe while discussing KOTC Canada’s upcoming July 30th event in Edmonton, Alberta. “It’s the biggest venue I’ve fought in and it’s always nice. I realize the history of the building with the Oilers winning all the cups there. So anytime I can fight on a big show like that, and with it probably being a title fight for me, it should be a main event, co-main event, it’s going to be very special. When I heard about the opportunity to fight at Rexall again I definitely jumped at it.”
While no official announcement has yet been made regarding Chiappe’s next bout, the veteran did reveal that despite his current status as the Canadian middleweight champ, the fighter believes he’s better suited for competition at 170lbs.
“Naturally I’m a 170lb. fighter,” Chiappe noted. “I don’t think I’m a particularly big 185lb. guy. When the middleweight title bout came I took it as it was a great opportunity, and in saying that, if my next fight is at 185, I’ll defend the title no problem. Whatever they want me to do; if it’s to defend the 185lb. title or to fight for the welterweight title. When I first started in the sport I envisioned myself at 170lbs. to go far, so, I think that’s probably what I need to do.”
Chiappe’s only fight in 2010 to date took place recently on May 29th, when while competing for KOTC Canadian Light-Heavyweight Champion Bill Mahood’s Extreme Fighting Challenge event; he stopped Tim Skidmore in less than one minute.
“It was a good experience,” said Chiappe. “It was Bill Mahood’s retirement fight, and with Bill being my first trainer I had an opportunity to go fight in front of my hometown.”
“The fight went how I wanted it to go,” Chiappe added. “I was looking to put on a quick dominating performance for the Prince George fans. I immediately took him down with a big double leg, passed, there was a little scramble; ended up getting to mount, threw a bunch of punches and it was over shortly thereafter.”
The win was Chiappe’s third in four fights, and aside from a DQ loss last July to the aforementioned Volpe (the middleweight couldn’t continue after getting inadvertently poke in the eye ), the Revolution fighter hasn’t loss since 2008.
“If you look back, my last real loss was against Brandon MacArthur by armbar,” Chiappe recalled. “I’m a completely different fighter now, mentally, physically, everything. I’ve been putting a lot of work into this and I plan to keep on rolling with the w’s.”
“Now that I’m healthy, after my next fight, I’d like to get 3 more bouts done in 2010; two more for sure and possibly a third.”