Born vs. Gjonaj: What To Expect

All eyes are on Gjonaj's return to the ring 10 months after his breakout performance at the SM4 PG's.

It’s been almost a year since Gjonaj’s earth-shattering PG showing versus Gutta, and his long-awaited return battle will be in his home league, Bar Wars, against veteran pen Born in Detroit on July 18. Born has done little deserving of criticism since his resurgence in the scene following choke artist accusations, but it still seems to be an uphill battle for him to get his respect. That said, this match-up has the ingredients of a classic.

The elephant in the room is that Gjonaj has been praised so highly for his breakout battle that it almost seems like he’s needlessly settling for Born. While that notion might seem logical, particularly if you take the ready and willing Dizaster as an example of a potential opponent, it unduly sells Born short. Whether or not Born is one of battle rap’s best writers is not up for discussion, and that’s likely an extremely important consideration for Gjonaj.

Make no mistake: Born has been phenomenal in his recent showings. If you’re sleeping, check his near-classics versus Brixx Belvedere and Xcel. He also hasn’t actually been battling much, which inevitably equals a mountain of material for someone of his tenacity. We’ve heard from numerous battlers that Born dissuades them from clashing with him through pure over-eagerness, or “thirst,” if you will. Understandable, but not much of a reason not to battle, and it evidently wasn’t an issue here.

Born vs. Brixx Belvedere.
Born vs. Brixx Belvedere on GO-Rilla Warfare.

Despite having already faced the debatably bigger name that is JC on this league, Gjonaj probably sees this as another major opportunity. By now, he must be aware that his buzz is through the roof, and most of his fans likely already appreciate Born for the elite writer that he is. Anyone worth a damn knows that Born is dangerous and determined, and beating him would actually be significant in many fans' eyes. It would mean, determinatively, that he can not only move a rambunctious URL crowd but also be equally impressive on paper. He displayed some technical wizardry in his second round versus Gutta, but Born is likely to push him even further on that front.

Gjonaj vs. Gutta at the SM4 PGs.
Gjonaj vs. Gutta at the SM4 PGs.

Much of what has been said regarding Gjonaj also applies to Born: he obviously respects his opponent’s pen and recognizes his hunger. Born is at his most effective when he zones in to bar his opponents' lives away, and he’s wise to continue to brand himself in such a way. Here, that ambition should be in full effect.

Barring any chokes or other mishaps, it’s hard to imagine this battle not being insane on both sides. It seems likely that Born will bring nearly 100% bars-only while Gjonaj comes with headier content and angles, but there’s no telling what exactly will happen when both emcees involved take their crafts so seriously.

I've got Gjonaj taking it 2-1. Let me know your predictions in the comments below.

Born vs. Gjonaj goes down Saturday, July 18 at The Old Miami in Detroit. Get your tickets here or at the door. There are also some interesting match-ups on the undercard. Check those out below.

KingPen-flyer

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