It’s a rare Sunday of MMA to cap off a packed first weekend of October in the world of competitive violence, so while the foliage begins to play its part, you can pull up a chair and pour yourself a nice glass of apple cider as you watch the fights.
This Sunday features two UFC Fight Pass mainstays in action, with their respective cards being highlighted by championship fights. We’ll begin the day in the Lone Star State.
In the midst of the Texas State Fair’s second weekend (it runs through Oct. 20, so you have plenty of time to check it out if you’re in or visiting the state over the next few weeks,) not everyone will be headed to the fairgrounds for fun and frivolity. Houston’s Imagen Venues is the site for Fury FC’s only date in the month of October.
Vacant Featherweight Championship At Stake Sunday in Fury FC 97 Main Event
Live coverage of Fury FC 97 begins Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm ET/ 11:30 am PT on the promotion’s official YouTube and Facebook pages with the undercard before switching over to UFC Fight Pass at 5:30 pm ET/ 2:30 pm PT for the main card.
All told, absent of any late postponements to the card, the final version of Fury FC 97 features a full 15-fight card. At the top of the bill on Sunday is the battle for the newly-vacant Fury FC Featherweight Championship in the Fury FC 97 main event.
Justice Torres (9-2 MMA, 9-2 Fury FC) battles Vilson Ndregjoni (10-3 MMA, Fury FC promotional debut.) As with all main events in the promotion, the Fury FC 97 main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close out the show.
Its winner succeeds recent Contender Series alumnus Michael Aswell (9-2 MMA, 9-1 Fury FC), as featherweight champion.
Fiiiiiight Week#FuryFC97 pic.twitter.com/iSxFNa9vQj
— Fury FC (@FuryFightingTX) September 30, 2024
Fury FC 97 Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the Fury FC 97 main event on Sunday evening, Justice Torres stands as the taller man at 5-foot-8, compared to the 5-foot-7 frame of Vilson Ndregjoni. Torres owns a 69-inch reach, with no such information accessible for Ndregjoni.
Currently, the oddsmakers have yet to release money lines for Fury FC 97 on Sunday. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Torres’ Shot at Title Delayed, But Not Deferred
Justice Torres enters the Fury FC 97 main event on Sunday having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights. At the moment, he’s on a two-fight winning streak. Last time out, he scored a unanimous decision victory over Earl Young (7-3 MMA, 5-2 Fury FC) back in April.
Initially, Torres had been booked to fight Yadier DelValle (7-0 MMA, 5-0 Fury FC) a couple of weeks ago during Fury FC 96 on Fight Pass but the fight was delayed to this Sunday upon Torres sustaining a minor cut.
“I had a little hiccup to where I had to postpone the date a little bit,” Torres said in an interview with ViolentMoneyTV. “It was on my end, not his.”
Subsequently, DelValle withdrew from Fury FC 97 upon getting added to this season’s class of Contender Series fighters, having been booked to appear on the season finale versus Antonio Monteiro (17-4-1 MMA) in less than two weeks.
While he had to wait a little while longer to get in the cage for a title shot, it’ll be his this Sunday, but his new opponent provides a tough challenge.
Ndregjoni Comes in On Short Notice
In the other corner, Vilson Ndregjoni, the onetime Cage Fury Bantamweight Champion, has posted an undefeated 5-0 record in his last five bouts. Back at the end of July, he scored a unanimous decision victory over Trent Girdham (14-6, 1 NC MMA) in UAE Warriors 51.
Ndregjoni has had slightly over three months between fights, compared to north of five for Torres. The former is also stepping in on only a few weeks’ notice.
With Ndregjoni only having a limited amount of time to prepare, how will he do on Sunday? Only time will tell.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Expect both of these fighters to bring the heat this coming weekend.
Torres Can Put People Away
Justice Torres has scored four wins via stoppage including three by knockout. Thus, he’s been known to get the job done before the final bell, as he did earlier this year against Joel Madak. Upon dropping him in the third round, Torres went to work, punishing Madak with brutal elbow shots to bust him open.
Ultimately, the barrage of shots proved to be too much for Madak to handle that night and the referee called the fight off in just over two minutes. All Justice Torres has to do this weekend is get Vilson Ndregjoni down to the mat in the Fury FC 97 main event.
Ndregjoni Works Quickly
In the other corner, don’t blink when Vilson Ndregjoni enters the cage. You just might miss the end of the fight. During the opening round of his fight against Mark Grey in April, after he worked his way back to the feet, Ndregjoni stalked Grey before placing a well-timed kick to the head.
A burst of ground and pound shots ended the fight as a contest. If Vilson Ndregjoni lands one kick square and true, the title is his.
Final Thoughts
Although there will be football and baseball on this Sunday, take time out for the Fury FC 97 main event. You won’t want to miss it.
Prediction: Justice Torres by Third-Round Knockout.
