LFA 173 Results, Bekoev & Kuziutina claim Gold
For the first time Legacy Fighting Alliance is in Sin City. The Pearl at the Palms hosts LFA 173. The card built around a championship doubleheader as the LFA Middleweight title will be unified and an interim Women’s Strawweight champion will be crowned.
Taking the path of least resistance is the easiest way to achieve a goal. After dealing with early leg kicks Azamt Bekoev consistently took Lucas Fernando down. Fernando defending enough to not take damage but unable to get separation. A workman like performance from Bekoev did little to en dear himself to the crowd but it did earn him the LFA Middleweight title belt.
A grappling battle between master’s is what the co-main event was billed as, and he got so much more. Giovanna Canuto constantly throwing up submissions including being close to an armbar in the first and triangle in the fifth. Natalia Kuzitina started to get the better of the striking exchanges in the middle of the fight. Kuziutina then put herself in a hole losing a point for a pair of illegal knees. Canuto with new life after the restart found a home for her right hand. Kuzitina regaining control with her wrestling. The top time securing the victory and the interim LFA Women’s Strawweight Championship.
Mitch Ramirez defeated Aireon Tavarres by first round TKO. There was very little feeling out process as Tavarres was throwing kicks and meeting Ramirez’s takedown attempts with knees. The continual pressure of Ramirez put Tavarres on the fence. A knee up the middle from Ramirez stunned Tavarres, firing off hooks from either side Ramirez finds the finish.
It had been a year since Alfonso Leyva has been in the LFA Octagon. A year spent rebuilding coming off of his first loss. Sarek Sheilds on the other hand was on a three-fight win streak with two wins in 2023. Both fighters sharing the thought of wanting to be in top position. Both would score takedowns but were unable to keep the other down. Both men looking for a big overhand right until Leyva pulled a jump knee out of his pocket detonating an explosion on Sheilds chin that had him out before hitting the ground.
Jordan Harris a Muay Thai vet came out showing the extent of his dynamic kick game attacking all levels. A perfectly placed body kick stopped Apuni Pagao in his tracks, dropping the Hawaiian fighter into the fetal positioned. As Harris followed to the ground to finish Pagao tried to fend off the attack to no avail as the ref stopped in.
Trent Miller opened up the main card by submitting Oseyiomon Oiyemhonlan in the first. Miller blitzed in with punches attempting to get through Oiyemhonlan’s reach advantage only to get brought into Oiyemhonlan clinch and meeting a few knees. Oiyemhonlan changed tactics shooting in for a takedown right into an arm in guillotine. The first submission win of Miller’s pro career keeping his hundred percent finishing rate in tack.
Eduardo Penha had a clear plan for how he wanted to attack Ronny Hauser. Penha going right in to make the fight a grappling battle. Penha getting the back and securing a rear naked choke for the third submission win of his career.
Israeli prospect Ilay Barzilay put Tyler Jones on the fence firing off combinations of hook to the body finishing to the head. Barzilay turned to his grappling in the second and third to win a unanimous decision. Running his unbeaten record to 3-0.
Patrick Cornett got out to an early lead putting Shad Walters on his back in the first round. The lead would grow as Cornett would score a knockdown in the second off a left hook. The third round was a 360 from the first two as Walters secured a takedown got the back finding a rear naked choke with 24 seconds left in the fight.
Shane Shapiro opened up the card by submitting Pat Jones. Shapiro put Jones on his back early and often frustrating Jones into a rushed attempt to cause a scramble leaving the opening for Shapiro to secure an arm-triangle choke. Shairpo is now two stoppages wins in two professional fights.
Main Card
Middleweight Title: (Now Champ) Azamat Bekoev (17-3) def. Lucas Fernando (9-3) by (50-45, 49-46, 48-47) Unanimous Decision
Interim Women’s Strawweight Title: (Now Interim Champ) Natasha Kuziutina (5-1) def. Giovanna Canuto (4-1) by (48-46 x3) Unanimous Decision
Lightweight: Mitch Ramirez (8-1) def. Aireon Tavarres (5-1) by TKO (Punches) 2:19 R1
Welterweight: Alfonso Leyva (7-1) def. Sarek Shielfs (5-2) by KO (Knee) 2:25 R1
Flyweight: Jordan Harris (4-0) def. Aupuni Pagaoa (4-2) by TKO (Body Shot & Ground Strikes) 3:23 R1
Middleweight: Trent Miller (5-0) def. Oseyiomon Oiyemhonlan (2-1) by Submission (Guillotine choke) 3:03 R1
Prelims
Bantamweight: Eduardo Penha (4-0) def. Ronny Hauser (3-3) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:20 R2
Lightweight: Ilay Barzilay (3-0) def. Tyler Jones (1-1) by (29-28, 30-27 x2) Unanimous Decision
140 lbs. catchweight: Shad Walters (2-0) def. Patrick Corbett (2-2) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:36 R2
Lightweight: Shane Shapiro (2-0) def. Pat Jones (0-1) by Submission (arm-triangle choke) 2:17 R2
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