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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, May 17, 2008

Inoue makes speedy work of foe in return

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

As it turns out, Egan Inoue's 10-year-old daughter, Tia, spent more time in the ring than her father last night.

Inoue made a successful comeback to mixed martial arts, defeating Hans Marrero Jr. of Arizona in the first round of the main event of the X-1 World Events "Legends" card last night at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

Inoue lifted Marrero early in the round, then slammed him to the canvas. He then unleashed a series of punches and kicks, prompting the referee to stop the bout, 59 seconds into the first round.

"Faster than I wanted — I was hoping to test myself a little more," Inoue said. "I felt the slam take some air out of him ... then there was one punch that I hit him with and he froze, so I knew it was over."

The bout was scheduled for three 3-minute rounds, and no titles were on the line.

Inoue was fighting for the first time since December 2003. At age 42, he was 19 years older than Marrero.

"I don't know what's next," Inoue said. "I'll have to sit down and talk it over with my family."

Tia opened the night by singing the national anthem.

"I have more confidence in my daughter than myself," Inoue said. "She's the talented one."

Inoue improved to 13-8; Marrero dropped to 15-7.

In the co-main event, Kailua's Brandon Wolff won the X-1 welterweight (170 pounds) championship by split decision over Chad Reiner of Nebraska.

The bout lasted five 5-minute rounds, and featured several back-and-forth exchanges in each round.

"I brought the belt back to Hawai'i, and that was my mission," Wolff said.

Wolff, who improved to 7-2, dropped Reiner to the canvas early in the fifth round with punches, but Reiner was able to last the round.

"He hurt me a few times," Wolff said. "But you train for fights like this. I hit the wall in there, but I fought through it."

Two judges scored it 48-47 in favor of Wolff, and a third judge scored it 48-47 for Reiner.

"If this were his hometown, it probably would have gone his way," Wolff said. "I'm not going to say it was a cake walk. It was a tough fight that could have gone either way."

Reiner, who dropped to 17-4, won the title last year by defeating Kalihi's Mark Moreno.

Also on the undercard, Alaska's Richie Whitson spoiled the comeback of Pearl City's Ray "Braddah" Cooper with a first-round knockout.

Whitson dropped Cooper with a combination of punches, and the referee stopped it 3:54 into the first round.

Whitson, who improved to 4-0, was awarded the vacant X-1 lightweight (155 pounds) championship with the victory.

Cooper, who dropped to 14-9, was fighting for the first time since April 2006.

A replay event of the event at 7 tonight can be ordered through Oceanic pay-per-view.

FINAL RESULTS

185 pounds: Egan Inoue def. Hans Marrero Jr. by TKO, 0:59 into first round. 170: Brandon Wolff def. Chad Reiner by split decision. 155: Richie Whitson def. Ray Cooper, KO punches, 3:54 into first round. 170: Kolo Koka def. Michael Brightmon by unanimous decision. 170: Dylan Clay def. Ronald Jhun when Jhun unable to start second round due to eye injury. 135: Mike Pedro def. Kana Hyatt by armbar submission, 0:14 into first round. 150: Brandon Visher def. Lorenzo Moreno when Moreno unable to start third round due to rib injury. 170: John Vistante def. Sean Sakata when Sakata suffered a knee injury 0:10 into first round.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.