Another long weekend is almost here if you’re inside the United States. On Monday, it’ll be Presidents’ Day, and just like every year, this third weekend in February is packed with sports.
Surrounding the NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis and NASCAR‘s season-opening Cup Series race, the Daytona 500 on Sunday, there are four title fights in combat sports on Friday and Saturday. While ONE Championship returns to Amazon Prime Video on Friday, the MMA action keeps kicking stateside.
It’s been almost six weeks since former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman‘s Lights Out Xtreme Fighting opened up the 2024 MMA slate with LXF 13, a card that was recently rebroadcast on the Bally Sports regional cable networks depending upon where you are. This Friday night, 41 days removed from that event, the promotion returns to live action.
LXF 14 begins Friday night at 9:55 pm ET/ 6:55 pm PT on Fubo Sports Network, live from Thunder Studios in Long Beach, CA. As had been the case with LXF 13 a month ago, this event will also be simulcast on YouTube and Freevee, Amazon Prime Video’s free tier. Barring any late cancellations between now and then, eight pro fights will make up the card.
Championship Doubleheader Begins with Bantamweight Fight in LXF 14 Co-Main Event
Highlighting the night’s activities is a championship doubleheader. Up first in the twin-bill is a battle for supremacy at 135 lbs, UFC and Bellator MMA alumnus Albert Morales (14-9-1 MMA, 2-1 LXF) returns to try for his third straight win when he takes on Emran Tara Khail (8-2 MMA, LXF promotional debut.)
Atypical of most title fights, the LXF 14 co-main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round.
If next next Friday wasn’t big enough for @LightsOutXF it just got bigger. We’re going to introduce our Tech glove to this amazing combat sports industry. Even though we will be in the testing phase this is what we hope to accomplish:
•Enhanced Metrics:
Punch Dynamics: Precise… pic.twitter.com/EpEeYV6PvN— Shawne Merriman (@shawnemerriman) February 9, 2024
LXF 14 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the LXF 14 co-main event on Friday night, Albert Morales stands as the taller contender at 5-foot-9, compared to the 5-foot-7 frame of Emran Tara Khail. Morales owns a 71-inch reach, with no such information accessible for Khail.
Can Albert Morales Capture Championship?
Albert Morales, who, as previously mentioned, spent time in both the UFC and Bellator, comes into the LXF 14 co-main event having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five MMA fights. At the present time, he’s on a two-fight winning streak, extended last time out with a first-round knockout of Luciano Ramos (8-11 MMA), an alum of the LFA, where he went 1-2 between March of 2021 and August of last year.
Morales is a man who has made quick work of his opposition of late. Out of a possible 30 minutes of fight time in his last two contests, he’s only needed a combined five minutes and 48 seconds to knock out Musa Toliver (10-14-1) and Luciano Ramos.
Recently, Morales spoke to Michael Hernandez on this bid at a championship. He hopes to use a win in this title fight as a springboard to greener pastures.
“I’m looking for big fights,” Morales said. “I’m looking for title fights, but you know, I want to get back to the big show as soon as I can.”
When you can finish an opponent during a three-round fight and do so inside the opening round of the fight, something that Albert Morales has done twice in a row, that’s impressive stuff. He’s already had one stint in the UFC, but will he be able to secure another chance in Dana White’s promotion with a win on Friday in the LXF 14 co-main event?
Emran Tara Khail Makes LXF Promotional Debut After Six-Week Delay
In the other corner, Emran Tara Khail has gone 3-2 in his last five fights. It’s been a while since he last fought, however. Almost a year ago, he needed just 18 seconds to stop Johnny Robles (5-3 MMA) with a first-round knockout during UNF 5.
After that Feb. 25, 2023 fight, Khail was supposed to make his LXF promotional debut on Jan. 6 against Sal Bruno (2-2 MMA, 0-1 LXF), but the fight was scrubbed ahead of the show. In his stead, Bruno fought Tre Alvarado (2-0 MMA, 1-0 LXF) on that evening, with Alvarado winning (unanimous decision) after three rounds.
It’s never easy for a fighter to be out of action for close to a year, get booked to fight on the first show of the new year and see that fight get postponed. This is the road that Emran Tara Khail has come to, so what kind of a training camp has he had in the run-up to this LXF 14 co-main event?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Both of these fighters can get the assignment done inside the distance. A slight edge in the LXF 14 co-main event can be given to Albert Morales, a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Morales Can Get the Win in a Hurry
Sometimes in a fight, you’ve got to go to the mat in order to add a number to the win column. This is what happened with Morales in his last fight against Ramos.
Right after the command to fight in round one, Morales uncorked a right-handed punch before completing a takedown. From there, he used his BJJ background to take full mount and later Ramos’ back.
It looked like Ramos would get submitted, but Morales unloaded with ground and pound from the top to score a knockout. If Albert Morales can get Emran Tara Khail on the mat, it’s his world in the LXF 14 co-main event.
Emran Tarik Khail Has One-Punch Power
In the other corner, don’t blink when Emran Tarik Khail gets in the cage. You just might miss everything in the LXF 14 co-main event on Friday night. A prime example of this was found in his battle against Robles.
As soon as the fight opened, Khail went in for the knockout, zeroing in on Johnny Robles and landing a crisp punch to put him down on the mat. Although he wanted to add a ground and pound shot, the referee saved Robles from further damage.
Final Thoughts
This is a fight between two men at a crossroads here. Albert Morales is trying to fight his way back into the UFC, while Emran Tara Khail tries to bolster his MMA resume with a championship victory. Who will come out victorious?
Prediction: Emran Tarik Khail by First-Round Knockout.
