Steven Nguyen entered LFA 100 having not fought since a brutal knockout loss on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019.

Friday, there was another brutal knockout in his fight. However, this time, Nguyen (7-1) wasn’t on the receiving end of the punishment. Nguyen knocked out opponent Jorge Juarez 30 seconds into their fight.

The finishing sequence began when Juarez (5-3) threw a left hook, which whiffed. Nguyen countered with a hard right hand that faceplanted Juarez. From there, Nguyen landed a Dan Henderson-esque follow-up hammerfist, but the damage had already been done.

OVER AND OUT!#LFA100 pic.twitter.com/pNxAVfAO2N

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) February 20, 2021

The finish was Nguyen’s sixth in seven professional victories. He recently made the switch to Fortis MMA and is training under esteemed coach Sayif Saud.

LFA 100 took place Friday at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. The main card streamed on UFC Fight Pass after prelims on Facebook.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/lfa-100-video-steven-nguyen-vs-jorge-juarez

LFA 100 marked a big milestone for the promotion, which, for the entirety of its existence has served as an unofficial feeder league for the UFC, Bellator and more.

LFA launched in January 2017 following a merger between RFA and Legacy FC. Since that time, LFA has promoted fights involving numerous competitors who went on to sign contracts with the UFC and Bellator.

A vacant flyweight title fight between Victor Altamirano and Nate Smith headlined Friday’s card. The bout was a one-way championship fight. Altamirano (9-1) was the only fighter of the two who could walk away with LFA gold because Smith (6-2), who took the fight on five days’ notice, missed weight by 2.6 pounds.

Altamirano won a unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-44) after 25 minutes of competition. It was Altamirano’s striking that proved to be the difference. Although Smith had his moments and secured a few takedowns, he wasn’t able to muster up any significant offense.

9-0 in the LFA, Flyweight champ, flawless performance.

What a night for Victor Altamirano!!

Good night from #LFA100!!!! pic.twitter.com/Ck1RsMPvyY

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) February 20, 2021

As LFA title gold was wrapped around his waist, things came full circle for Altamirano, who competed as an amateur at LFA 1 in January 2017.

Altamirano, 30, has won three straight fights. His only professional loss came to former UFC flyweight Jarred Brooks in October 2019.

The co-main event was a back-and-forth scrap and the finishing sequence was a turning of the tides. When Charles Johnson was dropped by Karlee Pangilinan, he not only got back to his feet; he found a way to win. Johnson got up, grabbed hold of Pangilinan, and submitted Johnson with an anaconda choke.

“They ain’t seen nothin’ like me!!”#LFA100 pic.twitter.com/lJoPZVu2Oo

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) February 20, 2021

In the card’s most violent moment, Steven Nguyen returned from a nearly two-year layoff and violently face-planted opponent Jorge Juarez with a brutal knockout punch. As Juarez’s unconscious body laid facedown on the canvas, Nguyen followed up with a vicious hammerfist. The fight was stopped 30 seconds into the opening round.

Earlier in the night, Tony Ferguson protege Tommy Aaron channeled his inner “El Cucuy” flinging a barraged of wild and whacky strikes at opponent Gerald Scott. A high-paced battle ended in Round 3 when Aaron (7-4) submitted Scott (4-1) via rear-naked choke.

Gerald Scott and Tommy Aaron…

Definitely two guys to keep an eye on!#LFA100 pic.twitter.com/oMFI3CpHbu

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) February 20, 2021

On the Facebook prelims, Maria Henderson, wife of former UFC lightweight champion and current Bellator fighter Benson Henderson, won her amateur MMA debut. She defeated fellow debutant Amanda Mitchell by unanimous decision.

LFA 100 took place Friday at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. The main card streamed on UFC Fight Pass after prelims on Facebook.

Full LFA 100 results include:

• Victor Altamirano def. Nate Smith via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-44)
• Charles Johnson def. Karlee Pangilinan via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 2, 1:41
• Steven Nguyen def. Jorge Juarez via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:30
• Tommy Aaron def. Gerald Scott via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:57
• Christian Natividad def. Evan Woolsey via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
• Emmanuela Moliere def. Amber Danielson-Smith via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-26)
• Maria Henderson def. Amanda Mitchell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) – amateur bout

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/lfa-100-results-victor-altamirano-vs-nate-smith-flyweight-title

(Click on the fight below and then scroll down to see in-fight live stats and full results, courtesy of Fight Analytics. Full UFC Vegas 19 live results for the first Blaydes vs. Lewis bout from The Apex in Las Vegas is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT on Saturday, Feb. 20, on MMAWeekly.com)

UFC Vegas 19: Blaydes vs. Lewis start times

• UFC Vegas 19 main card start time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on ESPN+
• UFC Vegas 19 prelims start time: 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT on ESPN+

NOTE: To select the appropriate fight, click on the images with the yellow name plates at the bottom of the Fight Analytics window and drag until you see the fight you are interested in. Quick results are located below the Fight Analytics window.

UFC Vegas 19 Live Results

UFC Vegas 19: Blaydes vs. Lewis takes place on Saturday, Feb.20, at The Apex in Las Vegas.

UFC President Dana White and Company restarted the professional sports world with UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje on May 9, 2020, followed by two more events in Jacksonville, Fla., all within an eight-day span.

UFC Vegas 19 features a pivotal heavyweight bout between No. 2 ranked Curtis Blaydes and No. 4 ranked Derrick Lewis. The winner hopes to remain in the conversation for a shot at the title.

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is slated to face Francis Ngannou next. The winner of that bout is then likely to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Blaydes and Lewis hope to disrupt those plans.

UFC Vegas 19 Live Results

UFC Vegas 19 Main Card

• Main Event – Heavyweight Bout: Curtis Blaydes vs Derrick Lewis
• Co-Main Event – Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Ketlen Vieira vs Yana Kunitskaya
• Featherweight Bout: Charles Rosa vs Darrick Minner
• Heavyweight Bout: Aleksei Oleinik vs Chris Daukaus
• Middleweight Bout: Phil Hawes vs Nassourdine Imavov
• Heavyweight Bout: Andrei Arlovski vs Tom Aspinall

UFC Vegas 19 Prelims

• Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon vs Danny Chavez
• Lightweight Bout: Drakkar Klose vs Luis Pena
• Bantamweight Bout: Eddie Wineland vs John Castaneda
• Featherweight Bout: Nate Landwehr vs Julian Erosa
• Featherweight Bout: Rafael Alves vs Patrick Sabatini
• Women’s Flyweight Bout: Shana Dobson vs Casey O’Neill
• Featherweight Bout: Chas Skelly vs Jamall Emmers
• Bantamweight Bout: Aiemann Zahabi vs Drako Rodriguez
• Heavyweight Bout: Serghei Spivac vs Jared Vanderaa

UFC Vegas 19: Blaydes vs. Lewis face-offs

(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-vegas-19-live-results-curtis-blaydes-vs-derrick-lewis

Derrick Lewis is ready for anything ahead of his main event fight with Curtis Blaydes at UFC Vegas 19 on Saturday.

Everyone who has watched the sport knows what his stand-up game is like.

Lewis has the most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history and is also tied for the most knockouts in UFC history with 11.

But what about his ground game? Lewis is up against an outstanding wrestler in Curtis Blaydes in Saturday’s main event. 

Blaydes chuckles at Lewis’ comments about “The Black Beast” being able to take him down and punish him on the ground. For maybe the first time ever, Lewis doesn’t understand what all the laughing is about.

Speaking with MMAWeekly.com at the UFC Vegas 19 virtual media day, Lewis said he welcomes Blaydes to take the fight to the ground.

“I really do believe I can have more takedowns than him in this fight,” Lewis said. “I really do believe that.”

Understandably, with the decorated wrestling background that he possesses, Blaydes has not taken kindly to comments like these in the lead-up to this fight.

Blaydes said he believes Lewis does not take the necessary steps to be great. But in what appears to be a recurring theme here, Lewis is not concerned.

“That’s fine. How many fights I got and how many fights he got? What’s goin’ on with me and what’s goin’ on with him? My resume speaks for itself,” Lewis said. “He could say what he wants, that’s fine. Whatever it takes for him to show up fight night, that’s fine. So I don’t care.”

Despite welcoming a fight on the ground with Blaydes, the Black Beast predicted a quick finish against Razor Blaydes.

“I’ll knock him out in the first round,” Lewis said. “First exchange, I’ll knock him out.”

TRENDING UFC Vegas 19 weigh-in results: Several fighters miss weight, record miss causes cancelation

UFC Vegas 19 face-offs: Curtis Blaydes vs Derrick Lewis

(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/derrick-lewis-predicts-first-exchange-ko-of-curtis-blaydes-at-ufc-vegas-19

Blaydes
vs.
Lewis
Kunitskaya
vs.
Vieira
Minner
vs.
Rosa
Daukaus
vs.
Oleinik
Hawes
vs.
Imavov
Arlovski
vs.
Aspinall

MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 12-11

Blaydes
(58%)

Vieira
(66%)

Rosa
(78%)

Oleinik
(66%)

Hawes
(76%)

Aspinall
(56%)

Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 15-8
2017 Champion

Lewis

Vieira

Rosa

Oleinik

Imavov

Arlovski

John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 15-8

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Imavov

Arlovski

George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 15-8

Lewis

Vieira

Rosa

Oleinik

Hawes

Arlovski

Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 14-9
2020 Champion

Lewis

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 14-9

Lewis

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 14-9
2014 Champion

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Oleinik

Imavov

Aspinall

Simon Head
@simonhead
2021: 12-11
2019 Champion*

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 12-11
2018 Champion

Lewis

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 11-12

Lewis

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 11-12

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 11-12

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Oleinik

Hawes

Aspinall

Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 11-12

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Hawes

Aspinall

Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 10-13

Blaydes

Vieira

Rosa

Daukaus

Imavov

Arlovski

The UFC stays in its home base this week with a key heavyweight bout atop the bill.

UFC Fight Night 185 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, Curtis Blaydes (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) takes on former heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC). The winner is expected to stay in the hunt for a title shot. Blaydes is the biggest favorite on the entire card at -450 at BetMGM, but he’s only got a narrow 7-6 picks lead from our 13 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-feature, Yana Kunitskaya (13-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on Ketlen Vieira (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in a key women’s bantamweight fight. Vieira is a -275 favorite at the betting window, and she’s one of two unanimous picks on our main card at 13-0.

The other unanimous pick is Charles Rosa (13-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) in his featherweight bout against Darrick Minner (25-11 MMA, 1-1 UFC). Rosa only is a mild favorite at -190, but he’s got unanimous love from our staff members.

Chris Daukaus (10-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is a 2-1 favorite in his heavyweight bout against Aleksei Oleinik (59-14-1 MMA, 8-5 UFC), and he’s got a decent lead in the picks at 9-4.

The closest fight on the main card from an odds perspective is between Phil Hawes (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Nassourdine Imavov (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at middleweight. Hawes is just a slight favorite at -125, but he’s got a sizable picks lead at 9-4.

And to open the main card, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (30-19 MMA, 19-13 UFC) meets Tom Aspinall (9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC). Aspinall is a -250 favorite and has a 9-4 lead in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Blaydes (58 percent), Vieira (66 percent), Rosa (78 percent), Oleinik (66 percent), Hawes (76 percent) and Aspinall (56 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/02/ufc-fight-night-185-predictions-picks-curtis-blaydes-vs-derrick-lewis