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Join us tonight (December 15th) as we cover Karate Combat 43: Pettis vs. Henderson 3, which is kicking off kicks off live from Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will be capped off by a trilogy bout between ex-UFC champions, Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis and Benson ‘Smooth’ Henderson. Before that, the co-main event will enjoy Karate Combat’s middleweight champ, Ross ‘TURBO’ Levine, doing the man dance weith UFC veteran ‘Smilin’ Sam Alvey for the promotion’s inaugural heavyweight title (205-pounds). The start time for this Karate Combat 43 fight card is set for 9:00 pm ET.
Who could ever forget when Anthony Pettis landed that sport-changing Showtime kick on Benson Henderson back in the WEC, or when he sparked out Stephen Thompson with that Superman punch off the UFC Octagon? If there were ever a person that I would bank on to dazzle us with some Karate Combat pit theatrics, it’s AP.
In the Karate Combat ruleset, leg kicks are only allowed to the lower leg, and not the thigh area, which is something Benson has been perfecting for quite some time now. If you remember correctly, Bendo was one of the pioneers of the calf kick in MMA. He’s also the king of the no-sell. Yeah, you’re probably going to hit him, but chances are it’s going to look like you didn’t.
Ross ‘Turbo’ Levine has the opportunity to become Karate Combat’s first ever double champion. He already holds the KC middleweight crown, and now he’s competing against ‘Smilin’ Sam Alvey for the inaugural heavyweight title. Levine is the more well-rounded striker, by far, and with his last fight ending in a one-punch walkoff knockout, I expect his power to follow along with him up to 205.
The longtime UFC veteran in Alvey will be the larger human out there, and there’s a great chance that he’ll have at least 20-pounds on Levine. It might even be closer to 30. Sam isn’t really known for his kicks, so he’ll want to keep this fight on the inside of kicking range. You have to crowd a kicker, otherwise you give them the space they need to set up their legs. Ross should hold the speed advantage as well, so getting into close quarters for Alvey will a fight in and of itself.
Other intriguing matchups on the undercard include the legend Raymond Daniels throwing down with a one-days-notice Bruno Souza. That one just screams fun! Also on the Karate Combat 43 docket, Lyoto Machida’s brother, Chinzo Machida, the 44-year-old 9Round Kickboxing Fitness founder, Shannon Hudson. Before you scoff at the age Hudson, keep in mind that this is a one-off for the retired kickboxer, and Chinzo is actually 46-years-old.
Bloody Elbow will be on location for this event, so make sure to follow along on our social media platforms to see and hear some of the hustle and bustle. The start time for this KC 43 fight card is set for 9:00 pm ET.
Free Live Stream
The entire Karate Combat 43 event can be watched below for free, from Karate Combat’s YouTube accounts.
Karate Combat 43 fight card
- – Anthony Pettis def. Benson Henderson by unanimous decision: 170-pounds
- – Sam Alvey def. Ross Levine by unanimous decision: Vacant Heavyweight Championship
- – Raymond Daniels def. Bruno Souza by unanimous decision: Catchweight
- – Brandon Jenkins def. Gorjan Slaveski by TKO in round 1: Welterweight
- – Melinda Fábián def. Omaira Molina by TKO at the end of round 3: Vacant Bantamweight Title
- – Batgerel Danaa def. Freddy Masabo vs. By KO in round 2: Lightweight
- – Omar Morales def. Armus Guyton by unanimous decision: Catchweight
- – Shahzaib Khan def. Federico Avella By KO in round 1
- – Chinzo Machida def. Shannon Hudson by unanimous decision: Catchweight
- – Saidyokub Kakhramonov def. Gabriel Stankunas by TKO in round 3: Bantamweight
- – Elijah Everill def. Javier Arteaga by unanimous decision: Lightweight
- – Loxbey Montalvan def. Gabriel Diaz def. by split decision: Bantamweight
- – Jordan Lee Barker def. Damian Villa by unanimous decision: Bantamweight
Disclosure: Karate Combat is covering the author’s travel expenses to this event.
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