The LFA ended the calendar year with an exciting card that crowned a new lightweight champion. All but one fight ended in a finish, with hot prospect Youssef Zalal extending his unbeaten streak, Demarques Jackson making a case for the next title shot and Austin Hubbard upsetting Killys Mota for that lightweight title.
Middleweight Bout: Dante Schiro def. Robert Gidron via submission (arm triangle) 2:25, R1
Schiro immediately went for the takedown and worked his way into an arm triangle for the win, almost made it look too easy.
Featherweight Bout: Youssef Zalal def. Steven Merrill via submission (D’Arce choke) 3:22, R1
The first round began with a bad break in the action after Zalal held on to the fence where Merrill was working on a single leg; when Merrill went for another single leg, Zalal caught him with a knee coming in but Merrill got up and rocked Zalal with a right. Shortly after, the fight found it’s way to the ground where Zalal was able to lock in a D’Arce choke. In the post-fight interview, the undefeated prospect told Sean Shelby to give him a call.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Alton Cunningham def. Erick Murray, Jr. via TKO (punches) 1:53, R2
After a 1st round full of grappling exchanges, Cunningham brought the fight to the mat in the 2nd and finished off Murray, Jr. with ground and pound. During the post-fight interview, Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum Cunningham called for another shot in the UFC.
Welterweight Bout: Jonathon Thomson def. Ange Loosa via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-27)
Thomson hands Loosa his first professional loss in the first fight of the night to go the distance.
165lb. Catchweight Bout: Demarques Jackson def. Bobby Lee via submission (guillotine choke) 2:11, R1
Bobby Lee shot for a takedown and when Jackson was trying to get himself up at the cage he was able to lock in a guillotine. Could a fight with the next lightweight champion be next?
LFA Lightweight Championship: Austin Hubbard def. Killys Mota via TKO (punches) 4:45, R5
After a fairly dominant 1st round for Killys Mota, Austin Hubbard took over in the second and didn’t let up, winning the next three rounds. In the 5th round, Hubbard had Mota finished, but the ref wouldn’t call it, it took about over a minute and the crowd booing to get the referee to finally call it off. Austin Hubbard is your new LFA lightweight champion.
MMAMotion 