Legend Fighting Championship returned to the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, China on Friday night for Legend FC 8. The event featured two title fights and was headlined by Jadamba Narantungalag defending his Legend Lightweight Championship against “The Korean Bulldozer” Yui Chul Nam.
Also on the card, Yusuke “Bancho” Kawanago and Xian “The Executioner” Ji faced off to determine the first Legend Featherweight Champion. Japanese veteran Keita “K-Taro” Nakamura battled Hoon Kim in his Legend debut. MMARising.com has play-by-play for the entire Legend FC 8 card.
Legend Lightweight Championship
Jadamba Narantungalag vs “The Korean Bulldozer” Yui Chul Nam
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Thomas Fan. Nam landed a leg kick and punches, then dropped levels for an early takedown. Narantungalag secured a front headlock and stood up. Nam landed a nice right hook, but Narantungalag dropped him with a right-left combo. Nam stood and tried to slam Narantungalag to the mat. He postured up and looked to land punches, but Narantungalag worked for an inside shoulder lock from the bottom.
Narantungalag switched to a triangle choke and attacked with hammerfists. The fighters were moved to the centre of the ring and Nam tried to pass to half-guard. Narantungalag sprung back to his feet and a clinch followed in the corner. The referee broke the fighters apart and Narantungalag looked to set up a big right hook. Narantungalag scored with four power punches, but Nam walked through them and clinched. Narantungalag briefly tripped him before the bell. 10-9 Narantungalag.
Round 2:
Huge left hooks landed for both fighters early in round two and Narantungalag hurt Nam with a follow-up right. Nam stood, but Narantungalag locked on a guillotine choke and pulled guard. Nam tapped out just before he was about to lose consciousness. Impressive title defence for Narantungalag.
Winner: Jadamba Narantungalag by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:58 of round two. He improves to 8-2-0 and remains the Legend Lightweight Champion.
Legend Featherweight Championship
Yusuke “Bancho” Kawanago vs Xian “The Executioner” Ji
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Roger Chau. Kawanago landed a huge right hand to open the fight and Ji quickly clinched. He landed a hard right hook of his own and began to chase Kawanago around the ring. Ji took Kawanago down and locked on a guillotine choke as Kawanago stood. The fighters fell through the ropes and were repositioned in the centre of the ring. Kawanago escaped the choke and punched from the top.
Ji postured for a triangle choke, but Kawanago countered with punches to the head and body. Kawanago landed a flurry of punches and took Ji’s back. Ji stood and looked to roll for a kneebar. He missed with a reverse elbow and fell to the mat. Kawanago blasted him with knees to the face, but Ji stood again. Kawanago dragged Ji back down two more times before the end of the round. 10-9 Kawanago.
Round 2:
Ji immediately shot in for a takedown in round two, but he wound up on the bottom with Kawanago on top in side control. A scramble ensued and Ji found himself on the bottom again with Kawanago in his guard. Kawanago landed punches and elbows as Ji tried to set up submissions or kick him away. Kawanago stayed close and landed another elbow.
Kawanago passed to side control and then to a top-side crucifix. He landed punches, but Ji scrambled out and the fighters stood up. A counter left hook scored for Kawanago and he dropped Ji with an overhand right. Kawanago locked on a power guillotine choke and Ji tapped out.
Winner: Yusuke Kawanago by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:18 of round two. He improves to 12-3-1 and becomes the first Legend Featherweight Champion.
Sam “Striker” Brown vs Yuki Niimura
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Thomas Fan. Brown landed a right hook and followed with more punches early on. Niimura threw a body kick and kept his distance. The fighters traded punches and Niimura landed a nice leg kick. Brown took his back on the feet and Niimura countered with reverse elbow strikes. Brown kneed to the thighs as Niimura stomped on his feet.
Niimura reversed the clinch and landed a knee. The fighters separated and traded leg kicks and right hooks. Brown landed a glancing one-two and blocked a head kick. Power punches were exchanged and Brown stunned Niimura with a right hook. Niimura reversed a clinch in the corner and threw knees to the body until the bell. Close round. 10-9 Brown.
Round 2:
An early leg kick from Niimura set off an exchange of right hooks in round two. The fighters clinched, but they were separated soon after. Both just missed with uppercuts, but Brown landed an overhand right seconds later. He countered leg kicks with a knee to the body and an uppercut. Brown followed with a right-left combo to the body and head.
Brown slowed down, but he still backed up Niimura with a jab. Niimura threw a left hook to the body and a kick to the chest. He clinched and tried for a takedown, but Brown stayed on his feet. The fighters briefly exchanged strikes in the clinch until Niimura backed away. He threw more leg kicks and Brown responded with a combination. Another close round. 10-10.
Round 3:
The fighters were cautious in the final round. Niimura stuck to leg kicks from the outside and Brown seemed content to counterpunch. He landed a left hook as Niimura pushed forward. Niimura attempted to clinch, but Brown had none of it and shrugged him off. Single punches landed for both fighters and Niimura scored with a left hook to the liver.
Straight lefts landed for both men at the same time and Niimura remained aggressive. He walked forward with a right-left combo that connected. Brown caught a leg kick and took Niimura down. He immediately transitioned to back control and landed two punches as Niimura scrambled up. Brown kneed at Niimura’s thighs and dragged him down again. He tried for a rear-naked choke, but Niimura escaped and punched until the bell. 10-9 Brown.
Winner: Sam Brown by Unanimous Decision (30-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-5-2.
Keita “K-Taro” Nakamura vs Hoon Kim
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Thomas Fan. Nakamura opened the fight with a lead right hook and quickly clinched. A stalemate followed and the fighters were separated. Nakamura punched his way back into the clinch and landed knees to the body. Kim backed away and both fighters landed hard right hands. Nakamura took Kim down, but Kim tried to set up a gogoplata.
Kim switched to an omoplata and then returned to guard. Nakamura passed to half-guard and used punches to set up an arm-triangle choke. He continued to punch away with his right hand while setting up the choke with his left. Kim offered little defence against the strikes, but he managed to fend off Nakamura’s submission attempt and got back to guard. Nakamura punched until the bell. 10-9 Nakamura.
In between rounds, it was announced that Kim had suffered a broken hand and that he was unable to continue. Nakamura picked up the TKO victory as a result.
Winner: Keita Nakamura by TKO (Broken Hand) at 5:00 of round one. He improves to 23-5-2.
Haotian Wu vs Daniel Hooker
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Roger Chau. Kicks were exchanged in the opening 30 seconds and Wu closed the distance near the ropes. He took Hooker down and tried for a guillotine choke on the way up. A big right hook dropped Hooker to a knee. He stood, but Wu took him down and landed some solid punches from side control. Wu looked to set up an armbar, but Hooker scrambled to his feet.
Wu ducked right into a knee, but did not appear to be fazed by the strike. He took Hooker down again and landed punches, but Hooker again battled back to his feet. Hooker, now bleeding from near the left eye, ate another right hand from Wu. He clinched and landed a knee. Wu attempted a throw, but Hooker stuffed it and landed a stiff jab. Hooker pulled half-guard with a guillotine choke late in the round. 10-9 Wu.
Round 2:
Wu missed with an overhand right in round two and the fighters traded more kicks. Wu took Hooker down, but Hooker swept out his legs and stood up. Wu wasted no time in taking the fight back down to the mat. He landed a big hammerfist and tried to pull guard with a guillotine as Hooker stood. Hooker escaped and kicked at Wu’s legs. The referee stood Wu up and Hooker landed single punches.
Wu clinched and tried for a takedown. Hooker initially defended, but Wu got him down on the second try. Hooker got back to his feet, only to be slammed down again. Wu fired off a series of elbows, then postured up with punches and hammerfists. He took Hooker’s back and secured a rear-naked choke. Hooker refused to tap out and tried to make it to the bell, but he was eventually choked out cold.
Winner: Haotian Wu by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:52 of round two. He improves to 14-1-1.
Rob Hill vs Yusuke Kasuya
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Gene Yu. The fighters traded cautious punches in the opening minute until Hill landed a nice overhand left. Kasuya tried for a takedown and took Hill’s back while standing. He flattened Hill out on the ground and worked for a rear-naked choke. Kasuya locked on a body triangle and nearly got the choke, but Hill escaped.
Kasuya continued to try for rear-naked chokes, but Hill defended well. Kasuya looked to isolate one of Hill’s arms, but Hill used the opportunity to sweep. He took top position in Kasuya’s guard and landed some solid punches. Kasuya gave up his back and Hill locked on a rear-naked choke of his own. Kasuya tried to hold out until the bell, but eventually tapped out. Excellent fight.
Winner: Rob Hill by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:55 of round one. He improves to 10-5-1.
Chengjie Wu vs Leonard “The One” Delarmino
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Thomas Fan. Wu scored a takedown into side control right away. Delarmino tied him up on the ground and eventually got a standup. Wu wasted no time in slamming him back down again. From side control, Wu landed elbows as Delarmino countered with knees from the bottom. Wu mixed in knees of his own from the top.
The fighters were stood up for no apparent reason and Wu rocked Delarmino with a right hook. He sent him to the mat with a follow-up body kick and resumed striking from side control with elbows. Wu nearly passed to mount, but Delarmino kept him in place. Wu landed a knee late in the round and the fighters stood just as the bell sounded. 10-9 Wu.
Round 2:
Wu scored another big takedown in the second round and once again took top position in side control. He methodically worked his way into mount with punches, but Delarmino scrambled and got to his feet. Delarmino tried for a standing guillotine choke and Wu slammed him to the mat. He moved back to mount and used elbows to set up a Kimura attempt, but let it go. Delarmino fought free and stood up. He pulled guard with a tight guillotine choke, but time expired. 10-9 Wu.
Round 3:
Wu landed a flying knee and took Delarmino back down in the final round. He moved to side control and then attempted a leg scissor choke, but Delarmino escaped almost immediately. Both fighters landed knees to the head on the ground and Wu continued to score with elbows from side control.
Wu moved to mount and landed short punches, but referee Thomas Fan bizarrely stood the fighters up. Wu picked Delarmino up and slammed him down to the canvas. Delarmino managed to get back to his feet briefly, only to be taken down once more. Wu struck from the top, then closed out the round with a diving punch. 10-9 Wu.
Winner: Chengjie Wu by Unanimous Decision (30-24, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 5-3-0.
Danaa Batgerel vs Jazor “The Razor” Ablasi
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Gene Yu. Power punches were exchanged immediately and Ablasi scored a slam takedown into half-guard. Both fighters landed elbows on the ground and Batgerel fought back to full guard. That did not deter Ablasi, however, and he battered Batgerel with punches and elbows for nearly three minutes. Batgerel attempted a guillotine choke, but Ablasi escaped and postured up with two big hammerfist strikes in the final seconds. 10-9 Ablasi.
Round 2:
Ablasi briefly wobbled Batgerel with a trio of hooks in round two, but Batgerel took him down near the ropes. From Ablasi’s guard, Batgerel landed punches and elbows until Ablasi attempted to sweep with a Kimura. Batgerel escaped and continued to strike from the top until the fighters were stood up. Batgerel shot in for a takedown, but wound up on the bottom.
Ablasi took mount, but Batgerel swept him and resumed striking from the top in guard. Batgerel flurried with punches until Ablasi stood up. He took Batgerel’s back and dragged him down, then worked for a rear-naked choke. Batgerel rolled over and Ablasi punched from mount, but Batgerel swept him yet again. He closed out the round strong with punches. 10-9 Batgerel.
Round 3:
Ablasi landed a nice right hook early in the final round and he took advantage of a slip from Batgerel by moving to half-guard on the ground. He cut Batgerel badly above the left eye with an elbow, but the fight continued and Batgerel tried to battle back to his feet. Ablasi kept him down, but the referee called for a standup.
Batgerel threw Ablasi out of the ring while defending a takedown and time was called. Action resumed in the centre and Batgerel sprawled out of a takedown attempt. He landed knees to the head for over a minute as Ablasi struggled to escape. Ablasi finally stood and clipped Batgerel with a right hook. Very close final round. 10-9 Ablasi, barely.
Winner: Danaa Batgerel by Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29) after three rounds. He improves to 3-1-0.
Agustin “Demolisher” Delarmino Jr. vs Kai Kara-France
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Roger Chau. Kara-France took Delarmino down right away and eventually fought his way out of a guillotine choke by passing to side control. The fighters scrambled up and traded hard punches before Kara-France tripped Delarmino near the ropes. He took Delarmino’s back as he stood up and dragged him to the mat again. Kara-France landed short elbows and took Delarmino’s back. He attempted a modified rear-naked choke, but time expired. 10-9 Kara-France.
Round 2:
Delarmino scored with a lead left hook in round two and secured a guillotine choke as Kara-France clinched, but Kara-France slammed him to the mat. He took Delarmino’s back, but Delarmino escaped to his feet. Kara-France took Delarmino back down and moved to side control. He attempted to spin into an armbar, but Delarmino stood and rained down diving left hooks. Kara-France swept and landed punches and elbows of his own from the top. He landed another series of elbows at the bell. 10-9 Kara-France.
Round 3:
Big punches were exchanged in the second round and Delarmino stunned Kara-France with a pair of left hooks. Kara-France dropped to a knee and Delarmino continued to blast him with left hands. Kara-France turtled up on the ground and Delarmino knocked him out cold with three final punches. Nice comeback.
Winner: Agustin Delarmino Jr. by KO (Punches) at 0:29 of round three. He improves to 6-1-0.
Terrence Chan vs Alex Lee
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Gene Yu. Chan scored a quick takedown and moved to mount, but Lee swept and took top position. Chan countered with an omoplata attempt from the bottom and transitioned to a modified back crucifix, then landed hammerfists. Lee used reverse elbow strikes to fend off Chan’s submission attempts.
Lee returned to top position and evaded an armbar, then postured up to land punches. Chan scrambled up and took Lee down into half-guard. The fighters stood and Chan tried to pull guard with a guillotine choke. The submission failed, but Chan managed to move to mount in a scramble and landed elbows. He tried for another armbar before the bell. 10-9 Chan.
Round 2:
Lee stunned Chan with a counter hook in the second round, but Chan took him down and effortlessly passed to mount. Lee swept and landed some solid punches as Chan attempted another armbar. Chan trapped Lee in a triangle choke seconds later. When Lee did not tap out, Lee switched to a final armbar and Lee was forced to submit.
Winner: Terrence Chan by Submission (Armbar) at 1:55 of round two. He improves to 1-0-0.