We are on the scene at the Albuquerque Convention Center for RFA 18, a 11 bout card headlined by Alexandre Pantoja challenging Matt Manzanares for the RFA Flyweight title.
Amateur Card
Bout number 1: Ernesto Salvidrez 1-0 vs. Ian Velasquez 1-0 – Lightweight
R1-Salvidez in the first took the fight right to the ground threatening with the guillotine in 1/2 guard an mount. Velasquez survied crambled an ended round 1 fighting of an rear naked choke.
R2- Velasquez lands a hard body kick, Salvidez catches it takes the battle back to the ground and wins with a mounted guillotine.
Result- Ernesto Salvidez by submission (guillotine choke) 1:11, R2
Bout number 2: Jess Martinez 2-0 vs Bronson Mitchell 1-1 – Lightweight
R1- Mithell with a hard body kick an a quick right did have offense in the round but Martinez hit 2 takes downs to control the majority of the action.
R2- Martinez cut the cage off forced Mitchell into a corner a unloadedn, putting Mitchell on the ground and the ref stepped in shortly after
Result- Jess Martinez by TKO (punches) 0:43, R2
Bout number 3: Nicco Montano 3-0 vs. Allison Price 0-0 – Women’s Bantamweight
R1- Montano landed a pairnofnleg kicks got to the clinch on the cage an in spaced ripped knees to the legs an body. They separated an Montano landed 3 big over hand lefts before changing levels scoring the take down moving to mount an ending the fight with punches.
Result- Nicco Montano by TKO (punches) 1:26, R1
Pro Undercard
Bout number 4: Jesse Long (0-0) vs. Federico Betancourt (0-0) – Featherweight
R1- Long comes out looking to get off some kicks. After one sloppy take down leads long figting off a guillotine. After a failed head kick an slip hthe two are scrambling an Long u has a 3 quarters an transitions to a darce choke that eventually puts Betancourt to sleep.
Result- Jessie Martinez by technical submission (darce choke) 3:35, R1
Bout number 5: Tim Sosa (1-2) vs. Zack Riley (1-1) – Flyweight
R1- Riley his Sosa wi th left high kick they clinch, Riley lands a knee. They battle for positon Riley score a take down with a trip. Not being able advance Riley lets Sosa stand. Riley lands a hard elbow an upper cut. Sosa drops to his knees scores a take down defends against an armbar an remainsnonntop the last 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
R2- Sosa land a left thy kick an then a follow up teep kick strays a little low. Sosa lands a high kick with his foot, charges in and Riley again hits an inside trip. No damage done an sosa is ba k to his feet, riley quickly clinches .sosa lands a quick right to riley eye and they clinch with Sosa landing knees from the thia clinch. Sosa adds a right elbow cross just before the bell.
R3- Both fighters look tired as Sosa slips on a high kick attempt. They get in close start trading bbut neither lands clean. Riley clinches but Sosa force the bturn an completes his own take down to north south. Riley tries to scrambl to Sosa bmoves to side control before Riletbretains half guard. From half Sosa bfires off 4 strong strikes befor3bRilet tries to work rubber guard. In the full gurad Sosa drops down a big pair of elbow as thebround ends.
Result- Tim Sosa by (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) unanimous decision
AXS TV Main Card (live at 8 PM MT)
Bout number 6: Adrian Cruz (5-1-1) vs. Justin Linn (6-1) – 141 lbs. Catchweight
R1- A big left kicknfrom Cruzbis checked by Linn. Cruz has an injured left leg. Linn storms in on a Cruz who is bouncing on one leg. Cruz goes down a few punches later the fight is stopped.
Result- Justin Linn by TKO (strikes) 0:22, R1
Bout number 7: Evan DeLong (13-7) vs. Mehdi Bagdad (9-3) – Lightweight
R1- DeLong firstvto land with anright leg kick. Baghdad slips and DeLong njumps onna guillotine. Baghdad escapes. Baghdad backs DeLong to the cage opens with 6 punches a head kick and Delong backingnupp hands down gets knocked out by a huge left hook.
Result- Mehdi Baghdad by KO (strikes) 1:55, R1
Bout number 8: Brenda Gonzales (4-1) vs. Heather Bassett (2-1) – 139 lbs. Catchweight
R1 – Gonzales isnset on establishing her left jab. Basettblookingbto counter with kicks. Bassett shots on Gonzales scoresnthe takedown, Gonzales npopsnback to her feet an isbtakenndown a 2nd time. Gonzales eating punches sets up an get the tap with a straight armbar.
Result- Brenda Gonzales by submission (armbar) 2:48, R1
Bout number 9: Steve Hanna (5-1) vs. Chidi Njoukani (10-4) – 174 lbs. Catchweight
R1- before the first strike it thrown Hanna is shooting for a takedown. Njokuani aviods the 1st shot. Hanna muscles his waynto the clinch annisbworking hard on a single, Njokuani defends. Njokuani quicklynlands an inside leg kick and jab before defending another takedown. The echo of a hard right outsidenleg kick ring through the arena. A charging Hanna rushingbin is knockedndown by an Njokuani jab. Njoukani lets Hanna back up an Hanna clinches Njokuani againstbthe cage for the last 30nseconds of the round.
R2- HHanna tries to be aggressive coming forwad but is eating strong rights from a backing up Njokuani. Hanna clinches with double underhooks andbends on his back fishing for an armbar. Njoukani in guard is landing some strikes while his corner screams for him to stand and not play on the ground. There stood up Hanna eats a punch clinches an has Njoukani on the fence . Njoukani misses a head kick at the 10 second mark and follows with a teep to keep Hanna at distance.
R3- Hard riht outside leg kick followed by a stinging jab and left hook from Njokuani open upnthe round. A tired Hanna clinches but is not firing. Hanna goes for a trio slips an is on his back with Njokuani in full guard. Njoukani backs out stands and is eating jabs. Hanna shoots in again and Njokuani force Hanna to his back and is dropping bombs. Njokuani nstands with 10 seconds left Hanna shoots in Njoukani defend s with a guillotine as the bell rings for 4he final time.
Result- Chidi Njokuani by (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) unanimous decision
Bout number 10: Abel Cullum (18-6) vs. Ulysses Gomez (9-4) – Bantamweight
R1- leftbjad an left insidenleg kick from Gomez gets us started. Cullum blitzs in takes Gomez down, Gomez sweeps to being on top and is then trapped in a guillotine.
Result- Abel Cullum by submission (guillotine choke) 1:29, R1
Bout number 11: Matt Manzanares (8-2) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (14-2) – RFA Flyweight Title Fight
R1- Manzanares is first tonland with stiffnleg kicks. The first landed Manzanares punch has Pantoja bleeding from his mouth. Panjota clinches with a body lock. After an exchange of knees the ref resets them in the center . Panjota lands a pair of leg kicks a onenpunch but eats a soild rightnhook before the round end.
R2- Pantoja triesnto clinch an eats a pair of uppercuts. Panjota drags Manzanares to the ground bgoes for an armbar, Manzares defends an escapes back to his feet. Panjota again gets Manzanares to the ground, takes Manzanares back and wins the RFA Flyweight btitle with a rear naked choke.
Result- Alexandre Pantojanby submission (rear naked choke) 2:38, R2
Of all the events I have been too at the Albuquerque Convention Center RFA set the arena up the best for , TV, audio, and the fan viewing experience, the photos prove it. Photos from the nights action can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.846039225415450.1073741923.344785238874187&type=1
Best wishes on a speedy recovery go out to Adrian “Killa” Cruz who suffered a broken Tibia in his left leg as result of having a low kick checked, connecting shin to knee.
