Mike Russow vs Jon Madsen

Round 1:
Madsen landed lead right hooks early on and shrugged off a clinch. Russow closed the distance, but Madsen fired back with another right hook. Single punches landed for both fighters and Russow connected with an uppercut. Madsen’s right hook continued to keep Russow at bay, but Russow remained aggressive.

Both fighters landed hard right hands and Russow countered leg kicks with two uppercuts. Madsen nailed him with a knee and an exchange of powerful right hooks followed. Russow backed Madsen up to the cage, but little transpired. Both landed one-twos before the bell. Even round. 10-10.

Round 2:
Russow backed Madsen up with punches in round two and landed uppercuts in close. Madsen’s eye began to swell as Russow bled from the ear. Russow dragged Madsen to the mat and nearly took his back, but Madsen escaped and stood. Russow took him down again and secured partial back control. He landed punches with his free hand as Madsen’s eye continued to swell.

Russow used a front headlock to drag Madsen away from the cage, but referee Anthony Hamlett stood the fighters up for no reason. Russow landed a knee and backed a weary Madsen up with punches. The fighters clinched, but were soon separated. Russow pushed forward with a right cross and pressed Madsen up against the cage. He took Madsen down and landed short punches to close out the round. 10-9 Russow.

In between rounds, the cageside doctor stopped the fight due to Madsen’s swollen left eye. Russow was awarded the TKO victory as a result.

Winner: Mike Russow by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 5:00 of round two. He improves to 14-1-0, 1 NC.

 

Mackens “Mack da Menace” Semerzier vs Alex “Bruce Leroy” Caceres

Round 1:
After an exchange of head kicks, Semerzier took Caceres down and punched from the top. He continued to score with strikes on the ground until Caceres worked back to his feet. Semerzier took Caceres back down and landed more punches, but Caceres stood again. Once more, Semerzier dragged him to the mat and this time landed in mount.

Semerzier took Caceres’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke. He landed punches and hammerfists as well, but Caceres fought off the choke and tried to escape out the back. Semerzier readjusted and secured back control again. He locked on the rear-naked choke and Caceres was forced to submit.

Winner: Mackens Semerzier by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:18 of round one. He improves to 6-3-0.

 

John “The Hitman” Hathaway vs Kris “Savage” McCray

Round 1:
McCray opened the fight with a leg kick and uppercuts as Hathaway countered with effective jabs. McCray tried to drag Hathaway to the mat, but Hathaway rolled for a kneebar. He switched to a toe hold and McCray was in trouble. McCray managed to escape and wound up on top. Hathaway scrambled to his feet, but ate punches on the way up.

McCray countered a knee by taking Hathaway back down. Hathaway threw elbows from the bottom, but McCray stayed busy with punches to the head and body. Hathaway landed more elbows and tried for an armbar. McCray scored with a soccer kick to the body as Hathaway stood, but Hathaway nailed him with a big knee in return. Close round. 10-9 Hathaway by a small margin.

Round 2:
Right hands landed for both fighters in the second round and McCray tried to take Hathaway’s back. A scramble followed and the fighters returned to their feet. McCray took Hathaway down and fought off a triangle choke and an armbar. He passed to half-guard, but Hathaway quickly regained full guard. Hathaway again tried for an armbar and used elbows from his back to keep McCray from landing anything damaging.

Hathaway battled back to his feet and McCray kept him pressed up against the cage. McCray looked for another takedown and Hathaway circled out. He landed stiff jabs that backed a fatigued McCray up. Hathaway scored with a knee in close and two right hands. He took McCray down, but McCray reversed and wound up in mount. He landed short punches before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 McCray.

Round 3:
Hathaway opened round three with a knee and easily took McCray down. He moved to half-guard and landed short elbows. He stayed busy on top, but McCray managed to sweep and took top control. McCray punched from Hathaway’s guard until Hathaway used the cage to get back to his feet.

Hathaway took McCray down and landed punches, but McCray worked for a triangle choke. The fight returned to the feet and both fighters landed strikes in close. Hathaway scored another takedown just before the final bell. Very competitive back-and-forth fight. 10-9 Hathaway.

Winner: John Hathaway by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 15-1-0.

 

Michael “Mayday” McDonald vs Edwin “El Feroz” Figueroa

Round 1:
McDonald landed a right cross and a leg kick early on, then avoided a haymaker from Figueroa. McDonald teed off with punches, which led to a wild exchange of big shots. Both fighters landed, but McDonald got the better of the exchange and scored with a knee. He backed away, then landed another combination. Figueroa threw a head kick and a big right hook. McDonald used crisp counterpunches to keep Figueroa at bay.

Figueroa landed a body kick and McDonald answered with a right hand. He followed with more punches and a knee as Figueroa backed up. McDonald took Figueroa down near the cage and punched from the top, but could not pass Figueroa’s guard and the fighters stood up. McDonald staggered Figueroa with a a looping right hook to the temple just as the bell rounded to end the round. 10-9 McDonald.

Round 2:
Figueroa landed a head kick to open round two, but McDonald caught his leg and scored a takedown. Figueroa rooled for a kneebar and switched to an achilles lock, but lost the position and McDonald took his back. McDonald secured a rear-naked choke with one arm, but Figueroa managed to fight out. McDonald partially locked on a triangle choke and then an armbar, but Figueroa again escaped.

Figueroa landed punches to the head and body from the top in McDonald’s full guard. McDonald secured a very tight triangle armbar, but Figueroa refused to give up and managed to find a way out. McDonald continued to hunt for submissions from the bottom. Figueroa stood up and landed punches, then took McDonald’s back in the final seconds. 10-9 McDonald.

Round 3:
The fighters traded punches in the final round and Figueroa scored with a combination. He continued to throw big punches, but missed the mark. Figueroa threw a head kick and a right uppercut. He landed a hard right hook just as McDonald threw a left. Figueroa remained aggressive, but McDonald clinched and took him down. Figueroa scrambled to his feet, but was promptly taken down again.

Figueroa swept and wound up on top in side-control. McDonald regained full guard and looked for an armbar. Figueroa stood and was hit by an upkick. The fight returned to the feet and Figueroa landed a knee and a head kick. McDonald took him back down and landed a handful of punches before the end of the close round. 10-9 Figueroa, barely. Excellent fight overall.

Winner: Michael McDonald by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 12-1-0.

 

Christian Morecraft vs Sean “Big Sexy” McCorkle

Round 1:
Morecraft clinched and backed McCorkle up to the cage early on. The fighters battled for position and fell to the mat. Morecraft worked for a kneebar and McCorkle escaped. A scramble ensued and Morecraft wound up on top. He landed elbows and short punches from McCorkle’s half-guard. Morecraft’s mouthpiece fell out, but he replaced it himself and landed more elbows. He stayed on top throughout the duration of the round and landed solid elbows. 10-9 Morecraft.

Round 2:
Morecraft clinched again in the second round and landed uppercuts in close. He took McCorkle down and fought off a Kimura with hammerfists. He cut McCorkle with elbows, but McCorkle made it back to his feet. Time was called after McCorkle was kneed in the groin. The fight eventually continued and the fighters traded punches. Morecraft secured a standing guillotine choke against the cage. McCorkle refused to tap out, but was soon rendered unconscious.

Winner: Christian Morecraft by Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:10 of round two. He improves to 7-1-0.

 

Undercard Fights:

Johnny Hendricks defeated Anthony “T.J.” Waldburger by TKO (Punches) at 1:35 of round one. He improves to 10-1-0 with the win.

Aaron “A-Train” Simpson defeated Mario Miranda by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 8-2-0 with the win.

Nik “The Carny” Lentz defeated Waylon Lowe by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:24 of round three. He improves to 21-3-2 with the win.