RFA 22 Topped by Smith vs. Njokuani for Vacant Welterweight Title
RFA 22 will be taking place on January 9th, at the Southwest Event Center in Colorado Springs, and will be headlined by TUF vet Gilbert Smith (10-3) of Team Victory and Chidi Njokuani (11-4-0-1nc) of One Kick’s Gym and Sergio Penha BJJ battling for the vacant RFA Welterweight Title.
Since a submission loss to Bubba McDaniel at the TUF 17 finally, Smith has won 5 of his last 6 including back to back wins over Ben Brewer (SUB) and Bojan Velickovic (MD). Smith has earned all 6 of his career stoppage victories by submission.
Njokuani at RFA 18 scored a unanimous decision win over Steve Hanna. One bout prior Njokuani nailed Chris Heatherly with an illegal elbow to the spine that led the bout to being called a no contest. Njokuani is (6-1-0,1 nc ) in his last 7. “Chidi Bang Bang” has 8 of 9 stoppage wins by (T)KO.
In the co-main event at 145 lbs. Jackson’s/ Winkeljohn’s fighter Donald Sanchez (30-14) faces Mark “Tricky” Dickman (9-2) of One Kick’s Gym and Sergio Penha BJJ. Sanchez a former KOTC champion and vet of Bellator and One FC, has won 5 of his last 6 coming off a Legacy FC 36, unanimous decision win over Charles Cheeks III. Dickman has won 4 of his last 5 coming off a RFA 17, unanimous decision loss to Justin Lawrence.
Also officially announced for the event and at Featherweight Alvin Robinson (14-8) meets Ricky Musgrave (14-3). Coming off a RFA 20, 1st round submission of Fabio Serrao, Robinson seeks consecutive victories for the first time since 2010. Musgrave makes his RFA debut on a 3 fight winning streak with a pair of those wins being scored inside the Bellator cage.
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