Many of MMA’s top flyweight fighters will be in action in featured bouts at Tachi Palace Fights 10 on August 5th in Lemoore, California. Reigning KOTC and former two-division Shooto champ Mamoru Yamaguchi will face the former number one flyweight in the world, Jussier “Formiga” da Silva.
The TPF Flyweight Championship will also be on the line in August when Darrell “The Mongoose” Montague defends against Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall, while former champ “Useless” Ulysses Gomez takes on Drew “Lil Bitt” Bittner. Sherdog.com first reported on the matchups today.
Yamaguchi (26-5-3) formerly held the Shooto Bantamweight and Featherweight Championships, and is now the reigning KOTC Junior Flyweight Champion. He made his Tachi Palace Fights debut earlier this month and knocked out Kevin Dunsmoor late in the second round. The win was Yamaguchi’s tenth by way of knockout and he has never been stopped by strikes.
Da Silva (9-1-0) is best known for his submission skills and currently holds the Shooto South America Championship at 123 pounds. He ascended to the top of the flyweight division by upsetting former Shooto world champion Shinichi “BJ” Kojima in a July 2009 non-title bout, but recently suffered his first loss at the hands of Ian McCall at TPF 8 in February.
Montague (9-1-0) has won six straight fights and captured the TPF Flyweight Championship with a Unanimous Decision victory over Ulysses Gomez at TPF 8. The Californian has only gone to a decision twice and is equally adept at stopping opponents with strikes and submissions. He has not tasted defeat in over two years and will look to make the first defence of his new TPF title.
McCall (10-2-0) is coming off of two big victories in Tachi Palace Fights. The former WEC competitor upset Jussier da Silva in February and earned a Unanimous Decision against the previously unbeaten Dustin Ortiz two weeks ago. The wins have led McCall to a shot at TPF gold, but the Team Oyama standout will face yet another tough test when he takes on Montague.
Gomez (7-2-0) now finds himself on the rebound trail after losing his TPF title in his most recent fight. The submission specialist has finished five of his opponents and made a successful Bellator debut in September. In Bittner (4-0-0), he faces an unbeaten but less experienced opponent who will be competing for the first time in over a year.
Tachi Palace Fights 10 takes place on August 5th at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California.
(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)
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