Alas, there are no UFC results to chew over today, but maybe results from last weekend’s regional action, which includes a couple would-be prospects, a TUF winner, and a Titan FC card stacked with UFC vets, will tide you over.
In the main event of CFFC 60, welterweight prospect Jonavin Webb (9-2-1NC, 0-2 UFC) wasted little time in rebounding from his UFC release, besting Isaac Steele (5-1-0) by way of a buzzer-beating rear-naked choke in the final second of Round 1. The submission keeps Webb undefeated outside the Octagon while making for the first loss of Steele’s career.
The night’s co-main event featured Eddie Gordon, likewise looking to rebound from his UFC release. “Truck” bested Cathal Pendred and Dhiego Lima (among others) to become the TUF 19 champion but would lose all of his subsequent bouts in the Octagon; he was finally released after putting together a 1-3 mark with the organization. For his comeback bout, Gordon was tasked with Chris Lozano (10-4, 2-3 Bellator), who was himself looking to make a comeback of sorts, as he hadn’t fought in over four years. The fight would prove narrowly contested and go the full three, with Gordon walking away with a split-decision victory. Gordon gets his post-UFC career off to a good start at 1-0; Lozano stands at 1-1 since a 2012 appearance in Bellator.
Also on the card, Julio Arce (9-2-0) submitted Francisco Isata (8-4, 0-1 WSOF) with a rear-naked choke in Round 2.
Meanwhile, in the main event of Florida’s Titan FC 40, Gesias Cavalcante (20-9-1-1NC, 2-2 WSOF, 1-2-1NC Strikeforce, 7-0 K-1 HERO’s) looked to make his first defense as lightweight champion against Freddy Assuncao (10-1, 1-0 WSOF), brother of top UFC bantamweight Raphael Assuncao.
Cavalcante’s career has been plagued with inconsistency these past few years, but his title winning knockout of Pat Healy earlier this summer offered a look at the brutal brilliance that made him a star in K-1 HERO’s ten years ago. That promising momentum would, however, come to a surprising halt against Assuncao, with Cavalcante struggling to establish any steady offense in the first three rounds of their championship bout. Then, in the opening minute of Round 4, Cavalcante fatefully shot for a takedown, which Assuncao countered with a guillotine that would render “JZ” unconscious. This latest setback puts Cavalcante at 2-1 since his last appearance in WSOF. Assuncao, meanwhile, has won nine straight.
Also on the card, former Titan FC featherweight champ Des Green (18-5, 3-2 Bellator) moved up to welterweight for a bout with the undefeated James Freeman. Green’s grappling acumen more than made up for any size disadvantage, with ample takedowns and top control winning him a unanimous decision. Green has won three straight; Freeman slips to 5-1-0 overall.
Earlier in the night, Farkhad Sharipov (16-7, 1-2 Bellor) improved to 3-2 since his last appearance in Bellator, taking a split-decision over Bruce Lutchmedial (5-2-0).
And in heavyweight action D.J. Linderman (20-11, 0-1 WSOF, 1-1 Bellator) pulled himself out of a two-fight slump with a unanimous decision victory over former WSOF heavyweight contender Derrick Mehmen (19-8, 3-2 WSOF, 1-1 Strikeforce, 0-1 Bellator). Linderman, who was knocked out by UFC alum Fabiano Scherner two months ago, is 1-1 for 2016; Mehman’s year stands at 0-1.
And TUF 21’s Sabah Homasi (11-5, 1-2 Bellator, 0-1 Strikeforce) extended his recent winning streak to three with a second-round TKO of Jorge Patino (38-19-2, 1-3 WSOF 0-1 PRIDE, 0-1 UFC). It’s easily the most significant win of Homasi’s career, and it puts him in a position to win an unprecedented fourth fight in a row. Patino, meanwhile, has dropped four in a row–the worst stretch in his twenty-year (!) career.
Bellator tournament finalist Alexis Vila (15-7, 1-2 WSOF, 2-2 Bellator) escaped his own fourth straight loss, as he captured a unanimous decision over then-undefeated Jorge Calvo Martin (8-1-0). Vila, who has beaten former Bellator champions Joe Warren and Marcos Galvao, improves to 1-2 since a brief stint with WSOF.
Finally, Ronald Stallings (14-7, 1-2 UFC, 0-1 Strikeforce) made a successful return to regional action, taking a split decision over Rashaun Spencer (8-9, 0-1 WSOF). Stallings had been signed to the UFC for a short notice fight with Uriah Hall and was released that same year following a disqualification loss to Joe Riggs.
Other Results
Grachan 24, Japan
– Shigeki Osawa (16-6-5, 5-1 Sengoku) defeats Hakkamunoi Sgym (0-1-0) by unanimous decision. Osawa, who holds victories over Caol Uno and current UFC bantamweight Kyung Ho Kang, is undefeated in his last six.
Kunlun Fight 49 x REBELS 45, Japan
– Zhang Weili (7-1-0) scores a major upset with her second-round TKO of former WSOF title challenger Emi Fujino (18-10, 0-1 WSOF, 0-1 Sengoku). Zhang has won seven straight.
KOTC: Provoked, USA
– Tony Lopez (43-23, 0-1 Bellator) defeats Mike Hayes (20-12-2, 0-1 WSOF, 2-1 Bellator, 1-0 Strikeforce) by five-round unanimous decision. With the win, Lopez adds the KOTC light-heavyweight title to his resume and moves to 4-3 for the year, while Hayes slips to 1-2.
Thunder Fight 8, Brazil
– Washington Nunes (6-2, 0-1 WSOF) defeats Elias Silverio (12-3, 3-2 UFC) by rear-naked choke in Round 2. Silverio falls to 1-1 since his UFC release.
– Lucas Martins (17-3, 4-3 UFC), who was curiously released from the UFC following a victory over Robert Whitford, defeats Sergio Leal (13-5-0) by unanimous decision, thus winning the organization’s interim featherweight title.
Tachi PF 28, USA
– Danny Navarro (16-6, 0-1 Bellator) defeats Brian Cobb (20-9, 1-1 WSOF, 1-0 Sengoku, 0-1 UFC) by guillotine in Round 2. The bout marks Cobb’s return from a three-year hiatus.
– Cain Carrizosa (8-3, 0-2 UFC) defeats Matt Hagge (6-5-0) by second-round armbar.
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