Schiavello on Delarosa ‘career suicide’

AXS TV Fights announcer Michael Schiavello appeared recently on MMAjunkie Radio and discussed a bizarre episode from Legacy FC 61 on October 14, 2016, in Dallas, TX. Mark Delarosa was scheduled to fight promotion bantamweight champion Steven ‘Ocho’ Peterson in the main event. An exciting win would make him 8-0, and an obvious choice for the UFC to sign.

However, Peterson initially missed weight by three pounds and was given the hour that is customary in Texas to make weight. When Peterson returned, the scale was moved to a more flat and stable surface than the stage, and he made weight. Delarosa disputed the process, and then no showed the fight, something Schiavello called “career suicide.”

On Thursday, we go to the fighter interviews and watch the weigh-ins and everything, said Schiavello, as transcribed by MMAjunkie. Delarosa walks up for his fighter interview, and he’s a kid who is 7-0. He’s obviously going places. He comes in and tells us a great gameplan to beat Peterson. He had Peterson figured out in certain ways, and said, ‘I think Peterson is going to gas out because he’s struggling with the weight, so I’ll lead him to deeper water, and this is how I’m going to finish him.’

It was cool. It’s going to be a great main event for the championship.

(Peterson) goes up to his hotel room or sauna or wherever he went and comes back an hour later, and some commotion happens onstage while ‘Ocho’ is re-weighing in. His trainer flips out at Delarosa’s manager, and lights are about to fall on stage and whatnot. The commissioner moves the scale off of the stage because they’re not getting an accurate reading, I think, with all the hoo-ha that was going on.

They put it on the floor just outside the weigh-in area, where myself and Pat Miletich and [Legacy FC owner] Mick Maynard are all there. The commission was there. They get a sheet out. He strips down and makes weight. We all see it. But then Delarosa cries foul that some shady stuff was going on and why did they move the scales and he didn’t really make weight and there are no witnesses to it. And now he’s not going to fight.

The next day, Delarosa no showed, and Schiavello himself tried to track down the 22-year-old.

I said, ‘Give me his number. I’ll give him a call,’ said Schiavello. I left a message saying, ‘Hey Mark, it’s Michael Schiavello. I don’t know what you’ve got in your head and you think something shady happened with the weigh-in, but Pat and I and Ron Kruck, we were all there. We saw ‘Ocho’ weigh in. Come and fight. Don’t do this, man. You’re the main event on national television. You’re 7-0, not some bum who hasn’t got a chance.

‘You’re going to commit career suicide if you don’t fight. Do you not understand? You’re committing suicide by not being main event on TV, so you’re screwing over AXS TV, you’re screwing over your fans, and you’re screwing over Legacy FC, which carries over into Legacy Fighting Alliance next year. And Mick Maynard is now the matchmaker for the UFC. So you’re screwing over any chance you have of the guy that’s going to get you into the UFC in the future getting you in there. I’m telling you, take the fight.’

We never heard back from him. Nothing. Nobody heard anything. As I said on TV, he pulled a heart muscle. Dude, you’re a fighter. That’s what you do – fight. And even if you think your opponent is one pound over the limit, you’re fighting for a title.

You’re 7-0 and not some bum that’s being paid $200 to show up and make up the numbers. You’re looking toward the UFC. Now you can rule that out because there’s no way Mick Maynard is going to sign him for the UFC. There’s no way Legacy Fighting Alliance is going to become such a force next year and carry some real sway is going to sign you to fight next year.

Delarosa’s girlfriend Montana Stewart lost to Mackenzie Dern on the same card, and he missed that too.