The Fight Report: LFC 25
It’s another night of Texas showdowns, as Legacy Fighting Championships puts on a title fight with local pride on the line at Friday’s LFC 25. Jorge Patino will bring his Lightweight belt to the cage for another challenge, as he takes on rising force in Texas MMA, Carlos Diego Ferreira. We also have another bout featuring freestyle wrestling ace Henry Cedjudo as he looks to gain crucial experience and climb the ladder in MMA. With Bubba Jenkins and Shawn Bunch having dropped that wrestling torch this year, can Cejudo keep his undefeated streak intact?
Let’s take a look at the action and find out.
Jorge Patino vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira: An impressive fighter, even as he enters his forties, Jorge Patino will look to defend his 155lb strap against surging newcomer Carlos Diego Ferreira. Patino is a bit of a throwback fighter, but in the best way possible, having a simple game of power punching and effective grappling, with each technique being honed to a fine edge. Ferreira is the opposite in many ways, but a fighter with a massive and sometimes flashy arsenal, throwing many techniques in hopes that something sticks. Both men have had success with their relative styles and this pairing will be an interesting one as it plays out in the LFC 25 main event.
With technique being different, yet of equal quality, this comes down to athletics, and it’s hard to pick against youth here. While Patino is spry and strong for forty years old, he’s not as fast as the majority of men lurking in the 155lb division, and Ferreira has a considerable speed advantage here. Look for Ferreira to be the busier fighter overall and do damage over time with his outside striking, working takedowns, and grinding away at Patino. It’ll take some doing, but Ferreira should break the elder opponent down and find a finish late in the third or fourth round, snatching his first title.
Henry Cejudo vs. Humberto DeLeon: One of the most accomplished wrestlers in the game today, Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo will look to keep the ball rolling in his budding MMA career, taking on Humberto DeLeon. Cejudo has the pieces to be a great fighter in MMA, but needs some real ring and gym time to get everything in sync, and needs hand-picked opponents in this crucial build-up. DeLeon fits that bill very well, being a weight class below Cejudo and having been on the shelf for two years, yet he does have elements of danger in his fast submission game and love of brawling. I don’t think Cejudo has a great upside in the grand scheme of things, but feel this is one he can win easily, provided he doesn’t make any major mistakes. Some forward pressure and clinch lead to Cejudo hitting takedowns, ultimately trapping DeLeon against the cage for a ground and pound finish late in the first.
Lester Batres vs. Frank Trevino: Undefeated with ten wins across several weight classes, Frank Trevino will look to make a statement and work his way into the big leagues, taking on tough-as-nails local Lester Batres. Trevino brings a technical boxing style to the cage, working best in the pocket and on the counter, as well as working a takedown game, mainly to score and keep opponents guessing. Batres is cut from a similar cloth and likes to work an aggressive dirty boxing game himself, though he lacks experience at this point and is fairly new to the game. On paper, you’d think Trevino walks away with this one, but it’s much closer than you’d expect simply for the fact it will play out as a grinding war where either man can break. I slightly favor Trevino and his strength, but don’t sleep on Batres getting his licks in and coming away with the upset.
Jonathan Harris vs. Artenas Young: Coming off a rough decision loss to Eric Davila, Artenas Young will look for the rebound win, taking on fellow LFC vet Jonathan Harris. Harris is a decent brawler that’s never been able to crack the top crust at this level of competition, and I don’t see this match being any different considering Young’s size and natural athletic ability. Harris will come out swinging but Young will move and counter hard, putting Harris out cold within the first two minutes.
Jon Kirk vs. Larry Crowe: A fun fight between two Middleweight monsters, Jon Kirk will look for a career-defining win, taking on former title challenger Larry Crowe. Kirk is a tough dude, but one that never put a real functional MMA game together, instead relying on being able to take punches while giving them back or working a simple top game. Crowe himself is a highly unrefined combatant, but one that has a big upside in terms of athletic ability if he could get with a legitimate camp to train. Even at his worst, Crowe has every out to win this fight with his blazing hand speed, and a refocused Crowe will stop Kirk within a round.
Kaileb Cummins vs. Charles Ontiveros: A fighter with an inspiring story, Kaileb Cummins started his career after a near-fatal run-in with a staph infection on his brain, having come back from the brink with early success. A simple fighter just learning the game, Cummins uses sound footwork and functional boxing, along with a bit of counter-wrestling submissions and light grappling to flesh out his fledgling game. His opponent isn’t a spring chicken though, as karateka and BJJ ace Charles Ontiveros looks to make a statement. Having dropped a fight to Texas MMA powerhouse Todd Moore, Ontiveros saw the holes in his game and will be back better than ever before. Cummins is a decent fighter, but Ontiveros is a stone-cold killer on the feet and simply better suited for MMA. Short of landing a sweeping left hook, Cummins doesn’t have an out to win this one as Ontiveros lights Cummins up for the eventual TKO win.
LFC 25 will take place at the Arena Theatre in Houston,TX and the night’s main card will air live on AXS TV.
Category: Featured, Legacy Fighting Championship, MMA
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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