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HONOLULU -- Icon Sport middleweight champion Kala Hose (Pictures) pulls main event duty again when the promotion returns to the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena Saturday with "Hard Times."

Hose, who won the title over a grueling five rounds with Phil Baroni (Pictures) last March, is looking to get back on track after a disappointing loss to Robert McDaniel (Pictures) at an EliteXC event in June. On Saturday, Hose will face Rolando Dominique in a 180-pound non-title affair.

“For me, it’s just important for me to win this fight,” Hose said at a press conference Wednesday.

Never one to take things too seriously though, the 26-year-old former heavyweight broke the tension with his sense of humor.

“Hopefully I just don’t get rear-naked choked,” Hose said, in homage of his last loss. “But I think it’s going to be a good fight.”

A relative unknown, Rolando Dominique is trying to stay cool in the days before the biggest fight of his young career.

“To me it’s just another day on the job. I’ve been here before,” said Dominque. I’ve never really fought anywhere as big as Icon, so it’s exciting, but I try to stay calm. It’s just another fight.”

In the most intriguing matchup of the night, Bao Quach (Pictures) will challenge former 135-pound Icon champ Mark Oshiro (Pictures) for the newly formed 140-pound title.

“I expect some explosive hands from [Oshiro], and I think he should expect the same from me. It’s going to be a toe-to-toe fight and it’s going to be a good bout,” said Quach.

“I’m coming in as maybe the underdog, to me, I don’t mind that. I’m just coming in to prove myself and fight a top-notch fighter like Bao over here,” said Oshiro.

After a string of disappointing losses, including the one that cost him the belt against Hose in March, Phil Baroni (Pictures) looks to get his second win in just three weeks when he takes on Ron Verdadero (Pictures) in a 175-pound matchup.

Baroni’s initial foray into the lower weight class was a success, as he knocked out the less experienced Scott Jansen (Pictures) in the first round of their Cage Rage bout earlier this month in London.

“I feel stronger at this weight. I don’t think I’ve really lost anything,” said Baroni. “I just feel a little bit faster and I think I’m hitting even harder. I learned the hard way that Hawaiian guys are tough.

They got coconut heads and they don’t give up and they go hard.”

Baroni’s intended victim Verdadero is also moving down in weight, and is eager to test himself against the likes of the “New York Bad Ass.”

“I feel great right now. I’ve never been in better shape,” said Verdadero, who has previously only fought at 185 and 205 pounds. “I’ve always wanted to make this move. I just never had the motivation, [but] this fight is pretty good motivation.”

Icon Sport “Hard Times”
Saturday, Aug. 2
Blaisdell Arena
Honolulu

Rolando Dominique vs. Kala Kolohe Hose

140-Pound Title Bout
Bao Quach (Pictures) vs. Mark Oshiro (Pictures)

Ron Verdadero (Pictures) vs. Phil Baroni (Pictures)
Hideto Kondo vs. Sidney Silva (Pictures)
Jose Diaz (Pictures) vs. Mario Miranda
Eddie Rincon (Pictures) vs. Dean Lista (Pictures)
Kurrent Cockett vs. Sadhu Bott (Pictures)
Maui Wolfgram vs. Richard Desforge
Ed Newalu (Pictures) vs. Ricky Hoku Wallace
Kyle Miyahana vs. Brewski Lewis
Ian Dela Cuesta vs. Ola Silva
Brad Tavares vs. Devin Kauwe
Mark Tajon vs. Alan Lima (Pictures)