Ilir “The Sledgehammer” Latifi vs Tanner “The Bulldozer” Boser

Round 1:
Boser landed three body kicks in the early stages of round one and Latifi answered with a short uppercut. He caught a kick and took Boser down, then passed to half-guard and threw short punches from the top. Boser eventually battled back to his feet and he landed two stiff jabs as Latifi looked to close the distance. The round ended just as Boser threw an overhand right. 10-9 Latifi due to control.

Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of punches and Boser scored with a nice right hook. He followed that with a body kick and Latifi answered with an overhand right. Both men landed kicks to the body and Boser kept Latifi at bay with quick jabs. Boser landed a right hand to Latifi’s left eye and Latifi dropped to a knee against the cage. Boser unloaded with punches until Latifi got back to his feet, with blood coming from a cut near his eye. Boser walked him down with a body kick and an overhand right, but Latifi landed a right hand of his own late in the round. 10-9 Boser.

Round 3:
Latifi countered early left hands from Boser with a trip takedown and he went to work with right hands to Boser’s ribs. He kept Boser down and began to target his face with punches. Boser eventually began to throw hammerfists from his back, but he did not appear to make any attempts to stand up and Latifi stayed busy enough from the top to avoid being stood up. In the final minute, Latifi passed to half-guard and he threw short hammerfists until the end of the fight. 10-9 Latifi.

Winner: Ilir Latifi by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-29) after three rounds. He improves to 15-8-0, 1 NC.

 

Muslim “King of Kung Fu” Salikhov vs Francisco “Massaranduba” Trinaldo

Round 1:
Salikhov landed a right hand early in the fight and he countered a body kick from Trinaldo with a spinning back kick. Salkihov landed a hard body kick and followed with a head kick attempt. Trinaldo blocked it and threw a quick combination. A big right hook scored for Salikhov and he followed with another body kick. Trinaldo punched his way into a clinch and Salikhov pushed him away. Trinaldo connected with a pair of overhand lefts, but Salikhov dropped him with a flurry of hooks and an uppercut as Trinaldo closed in and tried to clinch. Trinaldo fell to his back and Salikhov landed punches while standing over him. Trinaldo recovered and attempted a heel hook just before the bell. 10-9 Salikhov.

Round 2:
Punches were exchanged throughout the first two minutes of the second round until Salikhov wobbled Trinaldo with a big right hook. Trinaldo appeared to recover quickly and he pressed forward with wild, looping hooks. Salikhov backed up to avoid them and that led to a clinch against the cage. Salikhov circled away and he landed a straight right hand. Trinaldo blocked a head kick and he clinched with Salikhov once more. Salikhov circled out and he landed a front kick to the body late in the round. 10-9 Salikhov.

Round 3:
Time was called very early in the final round when Salikhov was poked badly in his right eye. He was able to continue after a delay of more than two minutes and Trinaldo landed an overhand left. He followed with a head kick attempt and Salikhov landed a hard body kick. Trinaldo remained aggressive and he moved forward with winging overhand punches. Salikhov caught a body kick and tripped Trinaldo to the mat, but he did not follow him to the ground. Referee Mark Smith stood Trinaldo up and Salikhov landed a left-right combo followed by a spinning back kick. Trinaldo replied with a solid kick to the body and he kept Salikhov backing up. As Trinaldo rushed in with punches, Salikhov picked him up and dumped him to the mat. Both men landed short strikes on the ground until the final bell. 10-9 Salikhov.

Winner: Muslim Salikhov by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 18-2-0.

 

Kamuela “The Jawaiian” Kirk vs Makwan “Mr. Finland” Amirkhani

Round 1:
Kirk countered a jumping switch knee from Amirkhani with two leg kicks and he fought off an Amirkhani takedown attempt. Amirkhani closed the distance again and elevated Kirk into the air, then slammed him down. Kirk managed to stand against the cage and he broke free from the clinch. Time was called when Amirkhani was poked in the eye. The action resumed and Amirkhani landed a body kick. Kirk fired back with a hard right hook and landed one more before the bell. Uneventful round until the final seconds. 10-9 Amirkhani.

Round 2:
Both men had success on the feet with combinations in the second round and Amirkhani eventually shot in for a takedown. Kirk countered with a guillotine choke on the way down, but Amirkhani landed in Kirk’s half-guard and quickly freed himself from the choke. He stood up and Kirk tried for a heel hook on Amirkhani’s left ankle. Amirkhani spun free and dropped down into Kirk’s guard, where he threw short punches to the head and body. Kirk punched from the bottom and threw his legs up for a triangle choke. He trapped Amirkhani and then switched to a triangle armbar. Amirkhani was clearly in some trouble, but he refused to tap out and escaped from the hold in the final seconds. 10-9 Kirk due to the late submissions.

Round 3:
Amirkhani dropped down to his knees and dragged Kirk down to the mat in the final round. He kept him pinned down until Kirk tried to get back to his feet with two minutes to go. Amirkhani took Kirk’s back on the feet, but Kirk reversed position as Amirkhani tried to take him down and Amirkhani wound up on the bottom. Kirk postured up and Amirkhani attempted an ankle pick sweep. Kirk regained top position and passed to half-guard. He threw short elbows and prevented Amirkhani from sweeping him. 10-9 Kirk.

Winner: Kamuela Kirk by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-4-0.

 

Mason “The Dragon” Jones vs Alan Patrick “Nuguette” Silva Alves

Round 1:
Alves landed a knee in an early clinch and he tried for a takedown, but Jones shrugged him off. Alves connected with a spinning backfist and another knee, but Jones prevented him from getting a takedown. Alves fell while attempting another spinning backfist and Jones maintained his composure. He jabbed and landed a one-two. Alves rushed forward with two power hooks of his own and Jones landed a right hand on the break. He backed Alves up with a right-left combo and just missed with a head kick. Jones threw Alves down and postured up with punches and elbows from Alves’s guard. That forced Alves to scramble up against the cage and Jones dragged him down again. Alves bled from a cut beside his right eye and Jones targeted the cut with more ground and pound. He stood up and rained down heavy punches, but Alves stood and threw looping hooks in return. 10-8 Jones due to the late-round dominance.

Round 2:
Jones countered a clinch from Alves by sweeping out his leg and tripping him to the mat. Jones punched to the head and body as Alves tried to tie him up from the bottom. He got back to his feet and sloppily tried for a takedown. Time was called when Alves was poked in the eye. The cageside doctor entered the cage and Alves indicated that he could not see, so the fight was waved off.

Result: No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) at 2:14 of round two. Jones moves to 10-1-0, 1 NC, while Alves is now 15-3-0, 1 NC.

 

Manon “The Beast” Fiorot vs Tabatha “Baby Shark” Ricci

Round 1:
Fiorot opened with side kicks to Ricci’s body and lead right hands. She held a huge size and strength advantage over the much smaller Ricci, who circled to her left on the outside. Fiorot landed a body kick and a grazing one to Ricci’s face, then followed with a quick punching combination. Fiorot backed Ricci up with a left cross, then followed with a three-punch combo. Late in the round, Fiorot landed a one-two and Ricci responded with a short right uppercut. 10-9 Fiorot.

Round 2:
The second round began with Fiorot landing more side kicks and a clinch followed against the cage. She tripped Ricci, but allowed her to stand and the fighters separated. Fiorot landed a four-punch combo and a side kick to the body. She remained the aggressor and continued to score with flurries of punches and elbows. Ricci began to bleed from her nose and Fiorot dropped her with a right hand. She swarmed with punches as Ricci returned to her feet and referee Herb Dean intervened to rescue the overmatched Ricci from any further punishment.

Winner: Manon Fiorot by TKO (Punches) at 3:00 of round two. She improves to 7-1-0.

 

Sean “The Sniper” Woodson vs Youssef “The Moroccan Devil” Zalal

Round 1:
Woodson landed two long jabs to begin the fight and Zalal kicked at his lead leg. Quick punches were exchanged and Zalal shot in for a takedown after landing a pair of lead left hooks. Woodson broke free and he landed a body kick and a leg kick, then stunned Zalal with a right-left combo. Spinning kicks were exchanged and Zalal landed one to the body. He worked for a takedown and Woodson defended with elbows to the side of his head. Zalal finally got Woodson down in the final seconds, and Woodson rose to his feet before time expired. Close round. 10-9 Zalal.

Round 2:
Zalal darted forward with lead left hooks in the second round and he sidestepped Woodson’s knees and jabs. Zalal clinched and backed Woodson up against the cage. Woodson eventually broke free and he kicked at Zalal’s body. Woodson secured a clinch of his own and he held Zalal against the fence. Zalal pushed him off and pawed out with more lead left hooks. He tried once again to take Woodson down, but Woodson countered by pulling guard with a guillotine choke. He trapped Zalal in a body triangle and cranked on the choke until the bell. Another back-and-forth round. 10-9 Woodson by a slim margin.

Round 3:
Woodson defended against Zalal’s takedown attempts in the final round and he landed quick strikes each time he was able to create space. When Zalal shot in again, Woodson landed elbows to the side of his head. Zalal gave up on the takedown and backed away, then shot in once more to try to get Woodson down. Woodson pulled guard with a guillotine choke and used it to roll into mount. Zalal scrambled free from the bottom and took Woodson’s back, only for Woodson to turn into his guard. He punched from top position in the dying seconds. 10-9 Woodson.

Winner: Sean Woodson by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 8-1-0.

 

Claudio “El Niño” Puelles vs Jordan “The Monkey King” Leavitt

Round 1:
Leavitt landed strong leg kicks in the opening 30 seconds and Puelles landed a body kick in return. Leavitt attempted a takedown and Puelles almost took his back. Leavitt shook Puelles off and he managed to get him down. Puelles stood back up and Leavitt briefly dragged him down again. He tripped Puelles once more after he stood up, but Puelles quickly returned to his feet and the fighters separated. Puelles shot in for a takedown and a scramble ensued on the ground. Leavitt wound up on the bottom and he postured for an omoplata. Puelles avoided danger and Leavitt punched from the bottom. 10-9 Leavitt.

Round 2:
Puelles clinched after landing a kick to the body in round two and Leavitt broke free with an elbow to his face. Puelles stuffed a takedown and took Leavitt’s back. Leavitt countered by rolling forward while grabbing on to Puelles’s leg, and he hunted for a heel hook. Puelles spun free and took top position, and the fighters traded leg submission attempts before Puelles returned to Leavitt’s guard. He stood up, then dropped down with a hard right hand and took Leavitt’s back once more. Puelles punched with his right hand and trapped Leavitt in a body triangle. He landed palm strikes to Leavitt’s face until the bell. 10-9 Puelles.

Round 3:
Puelles got Leavitt down very early in the final round and he easily escaped from a loose guillotine choke. Leavitt powered out from the bottom and almost got to his feet, but Puelles pushed him back down and went to work from Leavitt’s guard. He passed to side control and Leavitt tried to counter with an inverted triangle choke from the bottom. He was unable to trap Puelles’s arm in the triangle and Puelles moved to North-South position. Referee Chris Tognoni stood the fighters up and Puelles took Leavitt down immediately. He postured up with left hands to Leavitt’s face and upper body, and stayed on top until the end of the fight. 10-9 Puelles.

Winner: Claudio Puelles by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-2-0.