CES 71 Results

fcfirbnbCES returns to action tonight with CES 71, going down live from the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island as two title fights are still set to headline the show despite some last-minute reshuffling of the card.

CES 71 was originally set to be headlined by a lightweight title fight between Eddy George and Ali Zebian. Zebian subsequently pulled out and was replaced by Bellator and Brave CF veteran Chris Padilla. Padilla then was forced out of the fight and replaced by Titan FC and Combate Global prospect Angel Alvarez. After it became clear yesterday that Alvarez would be unable to make the lightweight championship limit, a 160-pound catchweight bout was offered to both instead. Once Alvarez missed weight for the catchweight bout, the matchup was scrapped altogether.

Taking its place in the main event is the originally-scheduled co-main event, a flyweight title fight between TUF 29 alum Mitch Raposo and the 7-4-1 Brazilian Flavio Carvalho. After losing in the opening round on TUF 29, Raposo then fought Jake Hadley on Dana White’s Contender Series 43, losing by second-round submission. The 24 year old Massachusetts native returned to the win column in March, and is at long last set to make his CES debut after being scheduled to compete at both CES 69 and CES 70. The 37 year old Brazilian “Cavalo” Carvalho returns after over a year away, and will look to get back in the win column after only winning one of his last four fights.

The new co-main event was originally scheduled to be a featherweight fight between prospect “Nasty” Nathan Ghareeb and 31-fight veteran Antonio Castillo Jr. After the aforementioned weigh-in mess, both fighters eventually weighed in at 149 pounds and are now set to fight for the lightweight title. Ghareeb lost a decision to Dan Dubuque for the featherweight title in his last fight at CES 70, but will get another shot at CES gold up a weight class tonight. “Mexican Muscle” Castillo Jr. holds an unimpressive 13-18 professional record, although he has won two MMA fights in a row.

Elsewhere on the card, Rhode Island lightweight Dion Rubio and 26 year old light heavyweight “Russian Polar Bear” Yuri Panferov will try to maintain their 100% win and finish rate as professionals in their fourth career fight, facing Kaecy Raddon and Brian Imes respectively.