credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Check out the complete play-by-play for WSOF 22 here.
The WSOF put on an exciting event this past weekend at Planet Hollywood AXIS theater crowd, with majority of winners defeating their opponents in decisive fashion with expert submission grappling skills being put on display. The Welterweight champion was no exception to this trend as he defeated Jake Shields via kimura at 2:02 of round 3. The fight was marred with controversy as Palhares twisted Shields’ shoulder after he had tapped out and near physically restrained by referee Steve Mazzagatti. Shields was rightfully upset by this clear violation of the rules and retaliated hitting Palhares with a right hand after the fight was over. The champ is now to 3-0 in the WSOF.
Rousimar Palhares defeats Jake Shields in controversial fashion, retaining Welterweight championship
In the first title fight of the night, Marlon Moraes successfully defends his Bantamweight championship against Sheymon Moraes by submitting the challenger with a rear naked choke at 3:46 of round 3. The end started with a wild exchange by both fighters with the champ connecting with a left hook that sent the other Moraes spinning and falling to the canvas. Marlon quickly reacted, took Sheymon’s back while he was attempting to stand and sunk in the choke for the win.
“He’s a high level striker, good Muay thai so I knew it would be a battle on the feet,” Moraes told me in a post-fight interview. “He was good on the feet but I was faster and had more power, which is how I took the fight to the ground for the win.”
This is the champion’s tenth straight win.
Late replacement Clifford Starks grinds out a unanimous decision win against seasoned veteran Mike Kyle. “Big Cat” was able to take down the team AKA fighter at every opportunity, ultimately keeping the fight on the ground for the majority of the three rounds. He moves to a 12-2 record overall.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov makes his WSOF debut in impressive fashion gaining a unanimous decision victory over Jorge Moreno. The Combat Sambo and Freestyle Wrestling specialist used a combination of boxing and takedowns to take the fight wherever he wanted with Moreno. The cousin of top ranked UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov, Abubakar now sports a 10-1 record overall.
In the first fight of the main card, Islam Mamedov defeats local favorite Jimmy Spicuzza via TKO at 4:47 of round 1. Mamedov is able to get Spicuzza down, flatten him out and land at least a dozen unanswered shots before the ref halts the fight towards the end of round 1.
All five undercard matches end in submissions, with the first four via guillotine. Jake Huen is the lone winner to submit his opponent via arm triangle late in round 3.
Below are the full results of the card:
- Rousimar Palhares def. Jake Shields via submission (Kimura) at 2:02 of round 3
- Marlon Moraes def. Sheymon Moraes vis Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:46 of round 3
- Clifford Starks def. Mike Kyle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov def. Jorge Moreno via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
- Islam Mamedov def. Jimmy Spicuzza via TKO (Ref Stoppage) 4:47 of round 1
- Jake Huen def. Davin Clark via Submission (Arm Triangle) 2:46 of round 3
- Donovan Frelow def. Carlos Garcia via Submission (Guillotine) 2:49 of round 1
- Marcos Simmons def. Jimmy Jones via Submission (Guillotine) 2:23 of round 2
- Corey Hendricks def. Julio Hinojosa via Submission (Guillotine) 1:08 of round 1
- Gil Guardado def. Pete Martin via Submission (Guillotine) at 3:31 of Round 1
