Xtreme Fighting Championships returned to HDNet tonight with XFC 13: “Unstoppable” from the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. The event was headlined by an XFC Featherweight Championship bout between Jarrod “The Wild Card” Card and challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino.
Also on the card, heavyweight prospect Chris “Beast Boy” Barnett looked to rebound from his first loss when he faced Mario Rinaldi, while Marianna “The Crushen Russian” Kheyfets took on Marissa “Shorty” Caldwell in a featured women’s bout. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
XFC Featherweight Championship
Luis “Baboon” Palomino vs Jarrod “The Wild Card” Card
Round 1:
The fighters circled in the opening 30 seconds until Palomino jabbed and landed a leg kick. A clinch followed and Card put Palomino up against the cage. Palomino landed a nice uppercut in close and took Card down for a split second, but the fight quickly returned to the feet. A body kick and a big left hook dropped Card, but he stood and clinched as Palomino scored with two more punches.
Card resumed the clinch against the cage and tried for a takedown. Palomino stayed on his feet and both landed short knees. Card finally got Palomino down and postured up in his guard. Palomino kept Card’s arms trapped, but Card managed to land a handful of short punches and elbows. Palomino got to his feet and drilled Card with a counter right hand as the bell sounded. 10-9 Palomino despite Card’s takedown.
Round 2:
The second round began tentatively as neither fighter was willing to commit. Palomino landed a body shot and Card clinched. Palomino broke free and threw a spinning hook kick. He landed a leg kick as Card stayed on the outside. Palomino dropped Card with a one-two, but Card managed to get back to his feet.
Palomino landed more punches, but was cut beside the eye by an accidental headbutt in a scramble that followed. Card regained his composure and dragged Palomino down with a Kimura. He let it go and struck from the top in Palomino’s half-guard. Card continued to score with short strikes and looked for a guillotine choke late in the close round. 10-9 Card, just barely.
Round 3:
Palomino hurt Card with a leg kick early in the third round and followed with a glancing head kick, but Card recovered and clinched. Palomino reversed and put him up against the cage. Card then walked Palomino across the cage and clinched, but neither fighter held an advantage and they soon broke free. Palomino landed another hard leg kick and more soon after.
A left hook scored for Palomino and he sent Card off-balance with a right. A vicious right hook to the body landed for Palomino and a left to the face followed. Card rushed in for a clinch and ate a trio of punches for his efforts. He got the clinch, but Palomino backed away and landed a flying knee. Card caught it and managed to take Palomino down. He landed short strikes in the final seconds. 10-9 Palomino.
Round 4:
A flurry of punches from Palomino prompted Card to drop down for a takedown in the fourth round, but Palomino stayed on his feet. He landed a leg kick and the fighters exchanged jabs. Card shot in for a takedown and Palomino stuffed it. Card clinched and backed Palomino up to the cage.
Palomino reversed the clinch and scored with right hands to the body. He landed a left hook and the fighters separated. Card appeared to be tired and circled away from Palomino. He tried for a takedown and Palomino stuffed it. Palomino landed a left hook and hurt Card with a leg kick. He got Card down late in the round and landed punches until the bell. 10-9 Palomino.
Round 5:
A leg kick from Palomino hurt Card again in the final round and he limped backwards. Palomino began to target the other leg instead and Card was forced to resort to a diving Superman-esque takedown attempt. The takedown failed miserably and a bloodied Card wound up on his back. Palomino struck from the top, but the action was scarce.
Palomino threw punches and elbows to the body as Card was content to keep Palomino in his guard. Palomino postured up and landed right hands. After a few more strikes, Palomino stood up and taunted, then threw a spinning sweep kick to Card’s legs. Palomino returned to Card’s guard and punched until the final bell. 10-9 Palomino.
Winner: Luis Palomino by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) after five rounds. He improves to 14-6-0 and becomes the new XFC Featherweight Champion.
Chris “Beast Boy” Barnett vs Mario Rinaldi
Round 1:
The fighters clinched early on and Rinaldi took Barnett down against the cage. Barnett tried to stand and Rinaldi took his back. He flattened Barnett out and punched with his right hand while isolating Barnett’s left arm. Rinaldi continued to punish Barnett with right hands and prevented Barnett from escaping. Rinaldi landed more punches and Barnett tried to power out to his feet. He could not and Rinaldi moved from mount to back control again.
Rinaldi flattened Barnett out again and continued to punch, but Barnett finall escaped and took top position. He moved to side-control and landed left hands and a knee to the body. The fighters stood and Barnett swarmed with punches. Rinaldi fired back with a right and tried for a takedown. Barnett punched and elbowed to the body until the bell. Big momentum swing late in the round, but still 10-9 Rinaldi.
Round 2:
Barnett landed a leg kick and missed with a wild Superman Punch in round two. He scored with a kick to the liver as Rinaldi looked to be fatigued. Rinaldi clinched and Barnett tried to break free with an elbow over the top. Rinaldi attempted a slam and could not get Barnett up. Rinaldi fell to a knee against the cage and Barnett absolutely teed off with right hands. Many were blocked, but some found the mark and the fight was stopped after close to two dozen punches.
Winner: Chris Barnett by TKO (Punches) at 1:44 of round two. He improves to 6-1-0.
Marianna “The Crushen Russian” Kheyfets vs Marissa “Shorty” Caldwell
Round 1:
After a quick exchange of strikes, Kheyfets took Caldwell down and postured up in Caldwell’s guard. Kheyfets stood up and Caldwell followed. A front kick and spinning back kick to the body scored for Kheyfets and Caldwell answered with a right hook. Kheyfets landed a spinning backfist and Caldwell dropped down for a heel hook. Kheyfest spun out, but Caldwell took her down. Caldwell moved to mount, but Kheyfets impressively used both legs to hook Caldwell’s arms and kicked her off.
The fighters stood and Kheyfets threw another spinning backfist. A straight right scored for Kheyfets and she defended a takedown. Caldwell got Kheyfets down and Kheyfets landed a pair of illegal upkicks. She was warned but not penalised a point. The fight resumed on the feet and Kheyfets took Caldwell down. From mount, she blasted Caldwell with hard right hands, then settled into Caldwell’s half-guard and landed more punches. Good round. 10-9 Kheyfets.
Round 2:
Kheyfets opened round two with a head kick and a spinning back kick. The fighters clinched and Caldwell landed a knee. Caldwell took advantage of a spinning backfist from Kheyfets by taking her back and dragging her to the mat. Caldwell partially secured the choke and Kheyfets punched with her left hand. Kheyfets spun free and stood up. Caldwell followed and Kheyfets landed a three-punch combination to the head and body. Caldwell responded with a right hook. Caldwell punched her way into a clinch and tried for a takedown.
Kheyfets threw an elbow over the top and backed away. A nice one-two landed for Kheyfets and she followed with a glancing head kick. More right hands scored for Kheyfets and Caldwell landed one of her own. An overhand right and a stiff jab snapped Caldwell’s head back and Kheyfets cracked her with a kick to the jaw. Caldwell was unfazed and countered Kheyfets’s punches with strikes of her own. Kheyfets just missed with a head kick at the bell. Close round. 10-9 Kheyfets.
Round 3:
Caldwell rushed in with a flurry in the final round, but Kheyfets took her down and punched from the top. She stood up and backed away and Caldwell also got to her feet. Caldwell landed a lunging right and Kheyfets answered with a kick-punch combo. Caldwell caught a kick and took Kheyfets down. She pinned her against the cage and isolated Kheyfets’s right arm. Caldwell tried to move to mount, but Kheyfets narrowly retained control of her lower leg.
Caldwell punched and moved to mount. Kheyfets rolled over and Caldwell took the opportunity to tee off with punches. Kheyfets rolled again and ate more strikes. Seconds later, she once again used her legs to hook Caldwell’s arms and kicked her off. Both fighters stood and Kheyfets dropped Caldwell with a front kick to the body. A lead right hand landed for Kheyfets and she scored with a Superman Punch and a right hook. Kheyfets took Caldwell down in the final seconds. 10-9 Caldwell.
Winner: Marianna Kheyfets by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 2-0-0.
Gabriel Salinas-Jones vs Parker Porter
Round 1:
Both heavyweights landed leg kicks early in the first round and Salinas-Jones rushed in with a clinch. The fighters traded knees and Salinas-Jones scored a takedown. He moved to side-control and landed a knee to the body, then postured up in Porter’s half-guard and scored with two solid punches. Porter looked for an armbar and a triangle choke from his back, but Salinas-Jones escaped and landed knees to the body. Porter stood briefly, but Salinas-Jones put him on the ground again.
The fighters scrambled and Salinas-Jones pulled half-guard with a guillotine choke. Porter managed to roll forward and escaped. Both stood and Salinas-Jones attempted another guillotine choke. Porter evaded and took Salinas-Jones’s back. He struck from back control until Salinas-Jones scrambled to his feet. Salinas-Jones used an impressive judo throw to slam Porter on his head and followed with hammerfists. He moved straight to mount, then took Porter’s back and secured a neck crank that forced Porter to submit with mere seconds left in the round.
Winner: Gabriel Salinas-Jones by Submission (Neck Crank) at 4:50 of round one. He improves to 3-0-0.
Ian Stephens vs Joe “The Deal” Heink
Round 1:
Stephens opened the fight with quick jabs and a right cross and Heink answered with a counter hook and a knee. Stephens clinched and pressed Heink against the cage. Heink landed two hard elbows and fought off Stephens’s takedown attempts. More elbows scored for Heink and Stephens answered with knees. Stephens kneed to the legs and Heink countered with knees to the body.
Stephens finally scored a takedown and worked from the top in Heink’s half-guard. He threw weak punches to Heink’s ribs and Heink tried to fight back to his feet. Stephens kept him down and postured up before raining down punches with his right hand. Heink could not move and Stephens continued to pepper him with short rights. Stephens tried for a guillotine choke late in the round. Stephens steals it late. 10-9 Stephens.
Round 2:
Punches and knees scored for both fighters in round two and Stephens clinched. Heink countered with strikes to the body, but Stephens took him down. Stephens moved back to Heink’s half-guard and once again punched with his right hand. Heink regained full guard and Stephens pressed him up against the cage. The crowd grew restless as the action slowed and Heink tried to utilise rubber guard from the bottom.
After a few more short punches from Stephens, the referee stood the fighters up and Stephens rushed in to clinch again. Knees were exchanged and Heink looked to counter Stephens’s takedown attempts with a standing guillotine choke. Stephens took Heink down anyway and Heink quickly countered with an omoplata. He tried to switch to a gogoplata, but Stephens escaped and punched until the bell. 10-9 Stephens.
Round 3:
The fighters traded leg kicks in the final round and Heink snapped Stephens’s head back with a jab. Heink landed a body kick and Stephens took him down. Stephens threw short punches from the top and Heink once again looked to set up an omoplata. Stephens moved to half-guard and kept busy with punches.
The crowd again grew restless as Stephens was content to stay on top and throw occasional punches while alternating between Heink’s half- and full guard. Heink looked for submissions from his back and Stephens finally postured up. He rained down hard right hands in the final seconds, but the bell sounded to end the fight. 10-9 Stephens.
Winner: Ian Stephens by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 2-0-0.
Jeremy “Pitbull” Smith vs Joe Ray
Round 1:
Smith scored with a flurry early on as Ray threw a knee. Both landed punching combinations to the head and body and Smith clinched. He tried to take Ray down, but Ray landed a knee and stayed on his feet. Both fighters threw knees to the thighs as they battled for position against the cage, then broke free with elbows over the top. Ray just missed with a spinning back elbow and Smith countered with a left hook. The fighters clinched again and Smith slammed Ray to the mat.
Ray quickly transitioned into an armbar attempt, but Smith fought his way out. Smith looked for a Brabo Choke and used a front headlock to put Ray on his back. He pressed Ray against the cage and landed knees, but Ray upkicked and stood. Big punches were exchanged and Ray landed a right hook and a head kick. He followed with a one-two and Smith clinched. Ray landed knees and a standing elbow before the bell. Smith controlled the action, but Ray did all of the damage. 10-9 Ray.
Round 2:
Ray landed a stiff leg kick in the second round and the fighters traded one-twos. Ray scored with a right cross to Smith’s left eye, which continued to swell. He followed with another spinning back elbow, but Smith punished him for his efforts with a flurry of punches. Ray secured a Thai clinch, but Smith dropped down and looked for a takedown. He picked Ray up and tried for a slam, but Ray returned to his feet. Punches were exchanged in close and Ray continued to batter Smith’s left eye.
Smith’s eye closed up and began to bleed, but he fired back with punches as Ray threw combinations. Smith clinched and punched in close. Ray broke free of the clinch with a one-two and the fighters resumed punching in the centre of the ring. Ray threw a flying knee, but Smith took him down. Ray attempted a guillotine choke and Smith pulled his head out. Smith punched from the top and secured a tight guillotine choke. Ray stood and climbed up the cage with his feet. He then went limp and dropped to his knees as Smith landed punches at the bell. Ridiculous end to the round. 10-9 Smith.
Round 3:
The pace slowed somewhat early in the final round as the fighters exchanged single punches and kicks, but both landed hooks and continued to look for a knockout. Smith landed a right hook and Ray countered with crisp punches in succession. Time was called after a kick from Smith strayed low, but the fight resumed and Ray landed a knee in a Thai clinch. Smith tripped him to the mat and fought off a triangle choke attempt.
Smith punched from the top and Ray answered with upkicks. Smith scored with elbows and short punches from Ray’s half-guard and kept the pressure on with more strikes as Ray rolled to his side to try to defend. Smith kept him pressed up against the cage and landed elbows to the head and body. Ray tried for a Kimura from his back as Smith punched to the body. Ray used the Kimura to sweep just before the bell sounded to end the final round. Amazing fight. 10-9 Smith.
Winner: Jeremy Smith by Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 3-0-0.
Undercard Fights
Jason “The Ronin” Hicks defeated Mike Milmerstadt by KO (Punch) at 1:36 of round one. He improves to 2-0-0 with the win.
Joe “Kage” Calavitta defeated Horacio “Hollywood” Rodriguez by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:16 of round one. He improves to 4-4-0 with the win.
Sammy “Diesel” Rodriguez defeated Joe Johnson by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:01 of round one. He improves to 1-0-0 with the win.
Avery “The Irish Hurricane” McPhatter defeated Mark “Predator” Brown by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:50 of round two. He improves to 1-1-0 with the win.