After Hospital Scare, Ray J Claims He Has 10 Fights Left
William Ray Norwood Jr., better known as Ray J, is not letting a tough debut loss slow down his new journey into mixed martial arts.
The singer and entrepreneur took to Instagram to let his followers know that he is stepping right back into the ring on Aug. 23 for an event called "The Back to School Brawl." Norwood shared that he is headlining the card and moving to 215 pounds to compete for a light heavyweight title.
This quick turnaround comes just days after a rough night in Las Vegas at content creator Adin Ross' Brand Risk 14 event on May 23. Norwood faced off against comedian Supa Hot Fire in a match that ended abruptly when Supa Hot Fire landed a series of clean shots, knocking Norwood out just 30 seconds into the second round. The first round was slow, with very little action, before the second ended quickly.
The drama did not stop with the final bell. Right after the knockout, Norwood confronted Supa Hot Fire in the ring, claiming they had a specific plan for how the match would unfold and arguing that the knockout would hurt their pockets. Two days later, Norwood checked himself into a hospital so doctors could look into a potential concussion and an abnormal heart rate.
Even with the medical scare and the rough start to his record, Norwood is keeping a positive attitude and treating the whole experience as a lesson.
"I had a perfect record 0-0-0- I took a L! Period!!" Norwood wrote on his page. "Now I'm 0-1-0 - I'm training harder and I'm more focused!!"
In an accompanying video, Norwood acknowledged the difficulties of processing the loss but emphasized that he plans to remain in the sport for the foreseeable future. He stated that he visualizes competing in five to 10 more bouts against prominent fighters, viewing his initial loss as a stepping stone rather than a permanent setback. Norwood now has a three-month training window to prepare for his upcoming August appearance. Additional details regarding the venue and Norwood's opponent for the event have not yet been disclosed.