Join us at Bloody Elbow tonight at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT for live play-by-play and discussion of the World Series of Fighting 10 main card from the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. The main card will be airing live on NBC Sports Network in the United States. The prelims begin at 7 p.m ET/4 p.m PT and will be streamed. You can catch the stream here. If you live outside the United States, you can watch the entire card on that stream.
Tonight’s card features three title fights. Jessica Aguilar will meet Emi Fujino for the women’s strawweight belt in the first one. The second will see Georgi Karakhanyan putting up his featherweight title against Rick Glenn. And in the main event, David Branch will meet Jesse Taylor for the promotion’s inaugural middleweight title.
Check out Patrick Wyman’s excellent preview of the card to learn a little more about the combatants.
Nick LoBosco vs. Lance Palmer
Round 1 – Palmer with a winging left. LoBosco stuffed a takedown. High kick and a takedown from Paler. He took the back and landed a few punches to the head. He flattened him out and opened up some more. He kept looking at Herb Dean to stop the fight as LoBosco was completely immobilized, but Dean was having none of it and told him to keep fights. Palmer looked for a chole but couldn’t get the arm under the chin. He flattened him out and and pounded away. He finally got his arm under the chin aand got the submission finish.
Lance Palmer defeats Nick LoBosco by submission (rear naked choke), 4:15 of round 1
Luiz Firmino vs. Tyson Griffin
Round 1 – Leg kick from Griffin. Big uppercut from Griffin but he was off balance and got taken down. Firmino jumped on his back and immediately looked for a chile. He settled for back control from the bottom. Griffin rolled into his guard, but got overaggressive and ended up on his back instead. He tried to take Griffin’s back but he escaped back to his feet. Head kick from Griffin. Both connected with rights. Griffin landed two rights and dropped for a guillotine. Firmino popped out and worked from the top. They returned to the feet. The two men brawled to the horn. 10-9 Firmino.
Round 2 – Front kick scored for Griffin. Low kick from Griffin. Nice right inside from Firmino. Both land big shots, but Griffin got the best of it. Firmino immediately jumped on his back and dragged it to the ground though. Griffin reversed position and held Firmino down. They eventually returned to the feet halfway through the round. Big shots from Griffin. Griffin stuffed a shot and worked from the top. It stayed there for a while but Firmino eventually got around to Griffin’s back and worked some elbows to the head. Close round, but I’ll go 10-9 Griffin.
Round 3 – Leg kick and short right from Griffin. Front kick from Griffin. Firmino with a takedown. He worked in Griffin’s guard for a while with punches and short elbows. Griffin was just stifled forever. Griffin tried to power out but Firmino had a good grip on him. Firmino looked for a kimura and landed a few punches. 10-9 and 29-28 Firmino.
Luiz Firmino defeats Tyson Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Jessica Aguilar vs. Emi Fujino
Round 1 – Leg kick from Aguilar. Aguilar with a right. They clinched up against the cage and Aguilar landed a few knees. Gujino landed a few straight rights after they separated. Rights and jabs from Aguilar. Fujino’s nose was bleeding. Knee to the body from Aguilar. Not a lot going on. 10-9 Aguilar.
Round 2 – Fujino was coming forward to try and score with punches but Aguilar was getting the best of it. Jabs, straight rights and right hooks all connecting for the champion. It’s not exactly super exciting though – to the point where the announcers aren’t even talking. No clinching and no takedown attempts. Fujino landed a few punches and got some blood out of Aguilar’s nose. Still Jessica’s round though. 10-9 Aguilar.
Round 3 – Aguilar with a solid right. Fujino countered a leg kick with a straight right that found the mark. Aguilar finally went for a takedown and got it. She immediately moved to mount and looked for an arm-triangle choke. Aguilar jumped out to the side and squeezed bt Fujino managed to stay awake. Aguilar held it for a long time. Finally she gave it up and went back to mount. She dropped a few punches onto Fujino’s face. Hard elbows. Hammerfists. Blood is pouring out of Fujino onto the mat. Aguilar couldn’t put her away though. 10-8 Aguilar.
Round 4 – Hard combo from Aguilar ending with a right hook. Fujino got eye-poked. The doctor came in to talk to her. She let her continue. Fujino continued to bring pressure to Aguilar but wasn’t landing a lot of note. Aguilar was responding well with combinations and leg kicks. They clinched against the cage for a little while. Aguilar landed a few knees but the pace was pretty slow. They finally separated with a minute to go, but Aguilar brought it right back to the fence. More knees. 10-9 Aguilar.
Round 5 – Right from Fujino. Leg kick from Aguilar. Spinning back kick from Aguilar. Combination from Fujino, and another. Aguilar clinched up against the cage. Foot stomps and knees. They finally separated with 90 seconds to go. Another spinning back kick from Aguilar. Takedown from Aguilar. 10-9 Aguilar, 50-44 overall in my books.
Jessica Aguilar defeats Emi Fujino by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44)
Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Rick Glenn
Round 1 – Karakhanyan got an immediate takedown. Glenn looked to reverse but Georgi kept him in place. A few punches from the top. Karakhanyan took the back and looked for the choke. He locked up a body triangle. He switched to an armbar but Glenn somehow survived and worked from the top position with big punches. Karakhanyan looked for a leg lock but ate some big punches. Lots more shots from Glenn. Good round. 10-9 Karakhanyan.
Round 2 – Karakhanyan immediately looked for a takedown once again but Glenn didn’t go down. They battled in the clinch against the cage for a while. Finally they separated and Karakhanyan landed an elbow. Then they went right back to the same position. Karakhanyan finally got a takedown but Glenn reversed and worked from the top. Big punches from Glenn. He didn’t even have to enter the guard, he just dropped punches from outside and his long arms made it effective. He beat Georgi up for a while before Karakhanyan finally returned to the feet. He went back down though and was taking a hellacious beating. Back up, but ended up on his back again. Glenn’s pace slowed. 10-9 Glenn.
Karakhanyan’s corner stopped the fight in between rounds due to an apparent injury to their fighter. Rick Glenn is the new featherweight champion.
Rick Glenn defeats Georgi Karakhanyan by TKO (injury), 5:00 of round 2
David Branch vs. Jesse Taylor
Round 1 – After some posturing, Taylor dropped for a guillotine. Branch popped out and worked from the top. Branch looked to secure a D’Arce choke. And wow, he has it. Taylor tapped out and just like that David Branch is the first WSOF middleweight champion.
David Branch defeats Jesse Taylor by submission (D’Arce choke), 1:41 of round 1
Preliminary Card
Derrick Mehmen defeated Dave Huckaba by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-27)
Timur Valiev defeated Adam Aquaviva by TKO (flying knee),1:35 of round 3
Krasimir Mladenov defeated Angel DeAnda by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ashlee Evans-Smith defeated Marciea Allen by TKO (elbows), 3:01 of round 3
Jimmy Spicuzza defeated Justin Jaynes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
A.J. Williams defeated Tanner Cowan by TKO (strikes), 0:44 of round 1
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