Last weekend proved one of the roughest for fighters looking to work their way back to the Octagon, with UFC vets managing a paltry 2-5 record against regional competition. Granted, some of those losses came to high-potential prospects who may soon enough be UFC-bound themselves.
Case in point: TUF 18’s Peggy Morgan (4-4, 0-1 UFC) fell to strikes in the opening round of her featherweight contest at Invicta FC 18. This loss (the only one by TKO in her career) came at the hands of hard-hitting Australian product Megan Anderson (7-2-0), who has won three straight, all by (T)KO. Her last loss came in her Invicta debut last year, when she submitted to Cindy Dandois. Speaking of whom…
In 2009, Dandois (7-2-0) kicked off her MMA career with a huge upset win over former Strikeforce champion Marloes Coenen and would end up putting together a 5-1 mark in her first two years of competition. She then faded from the rankings due to a three-year break from competition and returned in 2014 under Invicta. A loss to future champion Tonya Evinger would prove a minor set back, as Dandois has since won twice in a row–first the aforementioned victory over Anderson and, as of last weekend, a submission of Jessamyn Duke (3-5, 1-3 UFC). Duke, another of the TUF 18 class, has now lost five in a row and is 0-2 since being cut from the UFC.
And in Manila, Philippines, at WSOF Global Championships 3, Evgeny Erokhin (15-4-1NC, 2-0-1NC WSOF) faced Richard Odoms (11-3, 1-0 WSOF, 1-0 Bellator) in the headlining bout. Erokhin is easily one of the best heavyweights currently fighting outside the UFC; he managed a mere 5-4 mark in his first years of competition, but has remained undefeated in the years since, a stretch that includes knockouts of Brett Rogers, Mike Kyle, Tim Hague, and Jeff Monson. Odoms had a bit of his own momentum heading into last weekend’s bout, having won three straight, but he would ultimately go the way of so many other Erokhin opponents, falling to strikes in the opening round. Erokhin’s last 11 wins have all come by (T)KO.
And at Art of War FC 18 in Beijing, Junior Assuncao (16-6, 2-3) saw his chance at a third-straight victory go up in smoke following a TKO loss (injury) to Adam Townsend (16-4-0). Assuncao, brother of perennial Top 10 bantamweight Raphael Assuncao, is 3-1 since being released from the UFC. Townsend has won two in a row.
Other Results
RFA 41
– Trevin Giles (7-0-0) defeats TUF 19 alum Josh Clark (11-3, 0-1 Bellator) by rear-naked choke in Round 2. Clark slips to 2-1 since his appearance on the show.
Premier FC 20
– TUF 16’s Matt Secor (8-3, 1-2 Bellator, 2-0 WSOF) defeats Ricardo Funch (9-6, 0-4 UFC) by second-round kneebar.
ACF 23
– Tetsuo Kondo (2-8-0) defeats Daijiro Matsui (13-29-7, 5-8-2 PRIDE). After three years away from competition, Matsui has now fought three times in 2016, going 1-1-1.
Shooto Brasil 65
– In his first fight since being released by the UFC, Hernani Perpetuo (18-5, 0-2 UFC) defeats Cleber Souza (5-5-0) by TKO in Round 1.
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