Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson vs Junior Assuncao

Round 1:
Assuncao scored a takedown early in the first round and pressed Pearson up against the cage while landing occasional elbows. Pearson got back to his feet and both fighters landed hooks. Assuncao seemed to get the better of the exchange and he circled away. Assuncao landed a kick to the upper body, but Pearson stuffed a takedown with a knee.

Pearson threw a leg kick and Assuncao used the opportunity to clinch. Pearson broke free and walked Assuncao down. Assuncao continued to circle away, but Pearson closed in and landed a knee. Pearson countered a leg kick with a right hand. Assuncao put together a quick combination and ended with two kicks. 10-9 Assuncao.

Round 2:
Assuncao opened round two with kicks to the leg and body and a one-two. He took Pearson down very briefly, but Pearson stood and backed away. Assuncao clinched again, but Pearson defended against a takedown with an uppercut and Assuncao dropped to his back. The fighters stood and Assuncao landed a right hand. After a clinch, both fighters landed right hands.

More hooks were exchanged and Pearson put the pressure on with a left hook to the liver and a jab that dropped Assuncao to a knee. Assuncao stood and Pearson fired off another flurry. Assuncao landed an elbow and a looping right hook. He attempted a takedown, but it was Pearson who tripped Assuncao. The fight returned to the feet and Assuncao took Pearson down. Very close round. 10-9 Pearson.

Round 3:
Assuncao landed a stiff jab and took Pearson down in the final round. He moved to back control and looked to set up a rear-naked choke. Pearson scrambled to his feet and landed a standing elbow. Another jab scored for Assuncao and he took Pearson down again. Assuncao landed a knee and looked for a double-leg takedown. Assuncao got Pearson down for a second and landed another knee as he stood.

Assuncao was relentless with his takedown attempts, but Pearson finally escaped the clinch and landed a leg kick and a knee. Assuncao countered a standing elbow with a short hook, but Pearson blasted him with a head kick and a big knee. Pearson punched to the head and body as Assuncao appeared to fade. More short punches landed for Pearson before the final bell. Another very close round. 10-9 Pearson, barely. Fight could go either way.

Winner: Ross Pearson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 13-5-0.

 

Danny “Last Call” Castillo vs Anthony “The Assassin” Njokuani

Round 1:
Castillo looked to close the distance early on, but Njokuani countered nicely with two right hands. Castillo landed a leg kick and slammed Njokuani down twice. He took his back as Njokuani stood up the second time. Castillo landed hard knees to the thigh and tripped Njokuani to the mat. He moved to mount and slammed Njokuani down again after he stood.

Each time Njokuani got to his feet, Castillo took him right back down. He retained back control throughout and eventually tried for a rear-naked choke. Njokuani spun into Castillo’s guard and locked on a guillotine choke as the fighters stood. Castillo slammed out of the choke and wound up in side control. Njokuani stood up shortly before the end of the round. 10-9 Castillo.

Round 2:
Njokuani landed stiff jabs and a short right hook in the second round. Castillo tried for a takedown and ate a knee. Njokuani looked to reverse the takedown with a hip toss and the fight returned to the feet. Njokuani punched to the body and stuffed a takedown, then punished Castillo with a series of knees and a standing elbow.

Castillo connected with a counter left hook, but Njokuani hurt him with a right hook. He followed with knees as Castillo tried to recover. Castillo managed to take Njokuani down and he landed short punches and elbows. Njokuani used butterfly guard to escape to his feet and reversed a takedown, but Castillo wound up on top. Close round. 10-9 Njokuani.

Round 3:
Njokuani threw a three-punch combo in the final round and stuffed a takedown attempt from Castillo. Njokuani sprawled out of another takedown and Castillo backed him up to the cage. Castillo finally took Njokuani down, but was unable to mount any offence on the ground and Njokuani eventually made his way back up.

Njokuani threw a front kick to the face and was taken down again. Njokuani got to his feet, but Castillo took his back and landed knees to the thigh. Njokuani broke his grip and circled away. He pushed forward with jabs and leg kicks, then a flying knee right before the bell. 10-9 Castillo.

Winner: Danny Castillo by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 13-4-0.

 

Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim vs Sean “The Punisher” Pierson

Round 1:
The fighters traded leg kicks early on and Pierson clinched. Kim broke away and both fighters landed quick kicks and punches. Kim landed a combination and Pierson answered with more kicks. A left cross scored for Kim and he followed up with a one-two and jabs. Pierson countered with a quick flurry and Kim threw a front kick. Kim landed punches and tried for a guillotine choke. He threw Pierson to the mat, but Pierson reversed into back control and landed punches. Very close round. 10-9 Pierson.

Round 2:
Kim countered a one-two from Pierson with leg kicks in the second round. Pierson closed the distance and punched to the body. Kim circled away and avoided a left cross. He landed one of his own and shrugged off a clinch attempt. The fighters exchanged punches and Kim landed a lead right hook. Kim landed a jumping front kick to the face and a follow-up right hand. Pierson countered with knees. Kim floored Pierson with another jumping front kick and punches, but Pierson narrowly made it to the bell. 10-9 Kim.

Round 3:
Pierson clinched briefly in the final round, but Kim broke free and landed leg kicks. He took Pierson down and Pierson scrambled to his feet. Kim looked for another takedown and got it against the cage. He used short punches to try to move to side control, but the fighters were stood up after a lull in the action. Pierson closed the distance and clinched with short punches. Kim circled away and landed a Superman Punch and a flying switch knee. 10-9 Kim.

Winner: Dong Hyun Kim by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 15-1-1, 1 NC.

 

Jacob “Christmas” Volkmann vs Efrain “Hecho en México” Escudero

Round 1:
Leg kicks were exchanged early on and Volkmann took Escudero down. He fought out of a guillotine choke and moved to side control. Escudero scrambled back to guard, but Volkmann stood and moved to half-guard. He tried for a guillotine of his own, then let it go and punched to the body. Volkmann prevented Escudero from standing up and again hunted for a guillotine choke.

Escudero tried to fight his way back to full guard, but could not. Volkmann continued to throw short strikes to the head and body from half-guard. The crowd grew restless, but Volkmann stayed active. He secured a loose guillotine from the top, but let it go in favour of more short punches at the belll. 10-9 Volkmann.

Round 2:
Volkmann took Escudero down very early in round two and again avoided a guillotine choke. Volkmann moved to side control, then back to half-guard and threw short punches. Escudero got back to full guard as Volkmann punched to the body. The fighters were stood up and Volkmann clinched. He took Escudero’s back and slammed him to the mat.

Escudero turned into butterfly guard, but Volkmann took his back again and worked for a rear-naked choke. He nearly got it, but Escudero managed to pry his grip apart. Volkmann eyed a move to mount, but settled for a partial back control and landed right hands as the round came to a close. 10-9 Volkmann.

Round 3:
Just as in the first two rounds, Volkmann took Escudero down and escaped a guillotine choke in the final round. He took Escudero’s back and used punches to try to set up a rear-naked choke. Volkmann retained the position with more strikes until referee Herb Dean stood the fighters up in a questionable move. Volkmann wasted no time in clinching and taking Escudero’s back again.

Volkmann latched onto a leg and tried for a takedown, but Escudero locked on an extremely tight power guillotine choke. Volkmann dropped to the mat and spun into a North-South Choke. He was in all sorts of danger, but held on. Escudero switched to another power guillotine choke and Volkmann looked to be trapped, but he somehow managed to spin and survive until the bell. 10-9 Escudero, barely, due to the late rally.

Winner: Jacob Volkmann by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-2-0.

 

Diego “The Gun” Nunes vs Manny “The Anvil” Gamburyan

Round 1:
Nunes stayed on the outside early on and landed kicks as Gamburyan looked to set up a big right hand. Nunes landed leg kicks and shrugged off a takedown. Gamburyan threw an uppercut and Nunes circled away. Gamburyan clinched after a leg kick from Nunes and tried for a takedown.

Gamburyan managed to get Nunes down against the cage and punched from the top. Nunes stood and both landed knees. Nunes connected with a one-two and a leg kick and stuffed a takedown. More kicks to the leg and body scored for Nunes late in the round. 10-9 Nunes.

Round 2:
Gamburyan landed punches early in round two and rocked Nunes with a right hook. Nunes recovered and Gamburyan clinched against the cage. Gamburyan took Nunes’s back in a scramble and landed knees. Nunes spun into the clinch against the cage and circled out. Nunes closed the distance with two kicks and the fighters exchanged power punches.

Gamburyan took Nunes down and punched from the top. He used short elbows to try to set up a guillotine choke from the top. Nunes scrambled to his feet and scored with some nice knees in close. Gamburyan fired back with punches to the body and the fighters exchanged single punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Gamburyan.

Round 3:
A right hook landed for Gamburyan early in round three and Nunes responded with a body kick and a knee. Nunes switched stances and continued to land leg kicks while keeping his distance. Gamburyan dropped down for a takedown, but Nunes defended with a knee and a right hook. He tried for another takedown and Nunes again landed a knee. Nunes stayed on the outside and the fighters traded punches.

Gamburyan landed a right hook, but Nunes continued to outstrike him with kicks and quick punches. A spinning back elbow landed for Nunes and he shrugged off a takedown attempt. Time was called after Gamburyan was kicked in the ground. The fight resumed and Nunes landed kicks. Gamburyan replied with a right hand and clinched, but he could not get Nunes down. 10-9 Nunes.

Winner: Diego Nunes by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 17-2-0.