Legacy Fighting Alliance returns in a big way this week with a pair of title fights for the fans in Owensboro, Ky. at LFA 160. John Sweeney and Allan Begosso will face off for the vacant bantamweight crown in the main event, while Dylan Budka and Azamat Bekoev vie for the interim middleweight championship in the co-main event.
Fight fans can catch LFA 160 with the main card set to stream on UFC Fight Pass beginning 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Ron Kruk and Gilbert Melendez will have the call.
LFA Bantamweight Championship — Sweeney vs. Begosso
Both Sweeney and Begosso are veterans of the LFA cage, though Begosso is coming off an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. The Brazilian took a tough assignment against Farid Basharat, but went the distance and is now primed to get back on the winning track and add a title belt to his resume. He also has some pressure on his shoulders to get the win, as a defeat to Sweeney will mean three defeats in his last four fights and set him back as far as potentially signing with a major organization.
LFA is bringing a Championship Doubleheader to Kentucky at #LFA160! 🏆🏆@ItsHollywood_ 🇺🇸
vs.@AllanBegosso 🇧🇷+@DylanBudka83kgs 🇺🇸
vs.@AzamatBekoev 🇷🇺🗣️: @Eli_Harris
FRIDAY!@OboroSportCtr#Owensboro, #Kentucky
🎫: https://t.co/tWKb8C182q#MMA#LFANation@UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/3IYnDkinWd
— LFA (@LFAfighting) June 15, 2023
Sweeney, meanwhile, has seen more recent success and is 6-0 since 2021. He’s scored victories in XMMA, Combate, and LFA and put a pace on fellow bantamweight contender Ary Farias in his most recent outing earlier this year. He stands a decent chance of bestowing a similar fate on Begosso, though he will need to avert plenty of hazards in the meantime as Begosso is a proven finisher with an excellent killer instinct. The Brazilian owns finishes in six of his seven wins, and has shown an ability to get it done in different ways. He boasts decent power in his limbs as well as a nasty guillotine. If the outspoken Sweeney is mindful, he, himself has shown all the tools necessary to become a champion in an organization like LFA and has fought equally stiff competition.
LFA Interim Middleweight Championship — Budka vs. Bekoev
Budka has shown himself to a be a streaky fighter throughout his professional and amateur career, but is in the midst of another hot streak with five consecutive wins coming into Friday’s interim title fight. Three of those wins have come inside the LFA cage and one by finish. The 23-year-old former Notre Dame College wrestler, nicknamed “The Mindless Hulk,” was a much more sophisticated finisher as an amateur. However, despite his age, he has gotten acquainted to the fight game rather quickly with 15 pro and amateur fights since the start of 2021.
Now that the #LFA160 weigh-in is in the books, which fight are you looking forward to most?
📸: https://t.co/J8zOsiysYJ@BetOnline_AG@OnlyFans@RealFlexCBD@TheMMAShark@TeamSmartStop@VetTix@KYArmyGuard@OboroSportCtr@UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/awh9qmAZgy
— LFA (@LFAfighting) June 16, 2023
Bekoev lacks the invincibility narrative that many of his Russian cohorts possess, but he is an excellent fighter in his own right and will represent the toughest test in the young career of Budka. While he has his speedbumps fighting in Eastern Europe, he had no problem in his North American debut when he cruised to a Unanimous Decision victory over Renato Valenta. Bekoev can do it all. He can hold his own in all facets of MMA, but has had his best success on the ground where he has traditionally finished his fights. As a result, Friday’s co-main event will make for an interesting style matchup between Russian/Dagestani style wrestling and NCAA Division II level wrestling. The fight could end up playing out on the feet, and if it does, the fans in Owensboro could be in for a treat.
Incumbent middleweight champion Lucas Fernando likely awaits the winner of Friday’s co-main event.
Rest of the Card
The remainder of Friday’s card features a slew of fun fights. Veteran Nathan Williams takes on Cortavious Romious in the featured fight. The fight will be contested at a 150-pound catchweight, which is notable with Romious, who stands at 5-foot-3, having fought at 135 pounds in the past. Erion Zekthi of Shamrock FC called his amateur fight with Romious “one of the toughest tests of his MMA journey.” Speaking of catchweights, Mike Roberts is set to meet Josiah Harrell at a 162-pound catchweight after Harrell missed weight by two pounds as the only fighter to miss weight on Friday’s show. Harrell is looking to move to 7-0 in his professional career with a win over Roberts.
Elsewhere on the main card, heavyweights collide with Aaron Bush set to take on Cameron Kinzig. The 2-0 Kinzig will have a six-inch height advantage over Bush, who stands at just six feet tall in the heavyweight division. Aline Pereira, the sister of former UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira, will open the main card against Chelsea Conner in the women’s flyweight division. Pereira will look to rebound after dropping her professional debut against TUF 30’s Helen Peralta back in November 2022. A five-fight preliminary card will precede tonight’s ceremonies.
With the card subject to change as always, be sure to stay plugged into MMA Sucka for up-to-the-minute updates.
LFA 160 Results
Main Card
John Sweeney def. Allan Begosso (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — For the Vacant LFA Bantamweight Championship
Azamat Bekoev def. Dylan Budka via Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) — For the Interim LFA Middleweight Championship
Cortavious Romious def. Nathan Williams via Submission (Armbar) at 2:08 of Round 1
Josiah Harrell def. Mike Roberts via TKO (strikes) at 3:27 of Round 3
Cameron Kinzig def. Aaron Bush via TKO (Retirement) at 5:00 of Round 1
Aline Pereira def. Chelsea Conner via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Card
Brooks Black vs. Dieye Papa Badara
Damon Bell vs. Alonzo Turner
Trent Nott vs. Mataeo Garner
Izik Yakobov vs. Joshua Perreira
Jayde Sheeley vs. Diamond Long
