Category Archives: LFA

LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA HEADS TO NEBRASKA WITH LFA 25 COCHRANE vs. RODRIGUES

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MAIN EVENT:
DAKOTA COCHRANE
vs.
CIRO “BAD BOY” RODRIGUES
 
WELTERWEIGHT WAR
 
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20th LIVE on AXS TV
RALSTON ARENA in OMAHA, NEBRASKA
 
Tickets are on sale NOW through CAGETIX.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will head to Nebraska, the birthplace of RFA, next month at LFA 25.

The main event of LFA 25 will feature the battle-tested Nebraskan and RFA mainstay Dakota Cochrane. He will face the explosive Brazilian powerhouse Ciro “Bad Boy” Rodrigues in a welterweight war. LFA 25 – Cochrane vs. Rodrigues takes place Friday, October 20th at the Ralston Arena in Omaha, Nebraska. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to bring LFA to Nebraska, the birthplace of RFA,” stated Soares. “RFA hosted six events in the Cornhusker State and LFA will continue our great history in the state on October 20th. Dakota Cochrane is one of the most accomplished fighters in Nebraska. He will headline LFA 25 against Ciro Rodrigues, who is coming off a huge knockout win last month in his LFA debut.”
Tickets for LFA 25 – Cochrane vs. Rodrigues are available for purchase online NOW at CAGETIX.com and will be available at the box office at 10:00 am on Monday, September 18th.
Cochrane (29-12) was the most active fighter in RFA history before the promotion merged with Legacy FC earlier this year to form LFA. He made his debut for the promotion at its inaugural event RFA 1 in December 2011. Cochrane went on to compete for RFA at five of its first six events and holds the record for most fights in RFA history with eight RFA fights to his credit. During his time with the promotion, Cochrane headlined three RFA events and fought for the inaugural RFA lightweight title. The proud Nebraskan also fought for Legacy FC last October and made his LFA debut in April. Cochrane now looks to add another chapter to his lengthy history with the promotion by headlining LFA 25 in his hometown of Omaha. He will be looking for his thirtieth career win in the process.
Rodrigues (21-6) signed with LFA this summer after making a name for himself in his native Brazil for the past 11 years. The Brazilian known as “Bad Boy” made his professional MMA debut when he was 17-years-old and rose to prominence in his home country. The Nova União trained fighter won one of Brazil’s most prestigious titles, when he captured the Jungle Fight world title in 2015. That win came during an impressive streak, which has seen Rodrigues win eight of his last nine fights over the past four years. The biggest of those wins, however, came last month in his LFA and international debut. In that fight, Rodrigues knocked out three-time UFC vet David Michaud in less than two minutes in the main event of LFA 19. He now looks to double-down in the main event of LFA 25.
RFA visited the state of Nebraska a total of six times and produced an incredible amount of talent at those six events. Fourteen fighters went on to sign with the UFC. Tim Elliott, James Krause, Derrick Lewis, Jessamyn Duke, Jordan Rinaldi, Julian Marquez, Mirsad Bektic, Pedro Munhoz, Kamaru Usman, Efrain Escudero, Andrew Sanchez, Luke Sanders, Grant Dawson, and Anthony Smith are the fourteen fighters that competed for the RFA in Nebraska before signing with the UFC.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Dakota Cochrane (29-12) vs. Ciro Rodrigues (21-6)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 25 will serve as the first LFA event to take place in the state of Nebraska. RFA visited the “Cornhusker State” six times before the merger. That includes the inaugural RFA event in December 2011. Further information about LFA 25 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 25 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA BRINGS  LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT TO THE “SOONER STATE” IN NOVEMBER LFA 27 – WATLEY vs. WILSON

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MAIN EVENT:
 
LFA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION
ROBERT WATLEY
vs.
LFA #1 CONTENDER
DARYL WILSON
 
LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
MYRON DENNIS
vs.
RYAN SPANN
 
LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
 
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10th LIVE on AXS TV
FIRELAKE ARENA in SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA
 
Tickets are on sale NOW through 

HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will be bringing a lightweight world title fight to Oklahoma in November.
The main event of LFA 27 will feature the return of LFA lightweight champion Robert Watley. He will put his title on the line against LFA lightweight #1 contender Daryl Wilson in battle between two of the hottest 155-pound prospects in MMA. LFA 27 – Watley vs. Wilson takes place Friday, November 10th at the FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“LFA is bringing a lightweight world title fight to Oklahoma at LFA 27,” stated Soares. “Robert Watley is the LFA lightweight world champion and one of the top prospects in the sport. He won the title by defeating the final RFA lightweight champion Thiago Moisés at LFA 17. Watley will now defend his title for the first time against Daryl Wilson, who earned his title shot with a highlight reel 64-second knockout of Jarrod Card at LFA 18.”
Tickets for LFA 27 – Watley vs. Wilson are available for purchase NOW at FireLakeArena.com. You can also support your favorite fighter by purchasing your ticket through CombatTickets.com and selecting their name at checkout.
Watley (8-1) was considered one of the top lightweight prospects in the sport before signing with LFA earlier this year. His fight résumé consisted of multiple regional titles throughout the east coast and an impressive seven-fight win streak. That earned him an immediate shot at the inaugural LFA lightweight title against the final RFA lightweight champion Thiago Moisés in the main event of LFA 17 in July. The Maryland native capitalized on that opportunity by shutting down the highly-touted RFA champion on every score card en route to his eighth consecutive victory. Watley now looks to put a stamp on his divisional dominance with his first title defense at LFA 27.
Wilson (7-1) is a home grown Oklahoma talent that made his pro debut for Legacy FC two years ago after competing twice for the organization as an amateur. In August, he made his LFA debut at LFA 18 on the heels of four straight wins. He fought longtime Oklahoma City lightweight standout Jarrod Card and needed only 64-seconds to dispatch the former Bellator fighter. Wilson stopped the 11-year MMA vet Card with a stunning one-punch KO that is now a popular pick for “KO of the Year”. More importantly, that KO catapulted him to #1 contender status. The Sapulpa, Oklahoma native will now get a shot at the title in front of his home crowd in the main event of LFA 27.
The co-main event of LFA 27 will feature a long-awaited showdown between two of the biggest names in the LFA light-heavyweight division. Myron Dennis (15-6) returns to the LFA Octagon against Ryan Spann (11-5), who is the man he was originally scheduled to face in the main event of LFA 9 in April. Spann was injured while training for that fight and Dennis ended up fighting Brazilian standout Danilo Marques instead. The change of opponent did not change Dennis’ desired outcome as the former Legacy FC light-heavyweight champion picked up the hard fought decision win. Spann fought less than two weeks ago at LFA 23 and earned arguably the biggest win of his career. Spann battered LeMarcus Tucker before choking him out via Rear Naked Choke in Round 1. Now the table is set for Dennis and Spann to meet once and for all at LFA 27.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Lightweight Title Bout (155 lb)
– Robert Watley (8-1) vs. Daryl Wilson (7-1)
Co-Main Event | Light-Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
– Myron Dennis (15-6) vs. Ryan Spann (11-5)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Derrick Adkins (10-4) vs. Alex Hernandez (7-1)
Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Tyler Shinn (8-4) vs. Kendrick Latchman (6-3)
Women’s Strawweight Bout (115 lb)
– Micol DiSegni (2-1) vs. Morgan Solis (1-0)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Kyle Driscoll (5-3) vs. Ken Coulter (5-3)
In January 2017, Legacy FC and RFA merged to form LFA, which is the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Legacy FC and RFA have launched the careers of over 125 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 27 will serve as the fourth LFA event to take place in the state of Oklahoma after the merger. Legacy FC visited “The Sooner State” seven times before the merger. Further information about LFA 27 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 27 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA BACK IN HOUSTON FOR LFA 26 ODOMS vs. HUGHES

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MAIN EVENT:
LFA HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION
RICHARD “THE BLACK EAGLE” ODOMS
vs.
JEFF “LIGHTS OUT” HUGHES
HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD LIVE on AXS TV
ARENA THEATRE in HOUSTON, TEXAS
Tickets are on sale NOW through at Arena Theatre

HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) officials announced today LFA will return home to Houston, TX for LFA 26.
The main event will feature LFA Heavyweight Champion Richard “The Black Eagle” Odoms defending his title for the first time since he won it at LFA 15. Standing opposite him in the cage will be Ohio’s Jeff “Lights Out” Hughes. LFA 26 – Odoms vs. Hughes takes place Friday, November 3rd at the Arena Theatre in Houston, Texas. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Tickets for LFA 26 – Odoms vs. Hughes are available for purchase NOW at Arena Theatre.
Odoms (13-3), a full time San Antonio police officer, is currently riding a two-fight win streak, both of which were in LFA, and has finished both opponents. The latest win culminated in Odoms, who also is a veteran of Legacy FC, winning the vacant LFA Heavyweight Title when he submitted previously undefeated Jared Vanderaa (6-1) in the fifth round.
Hughes (7-1) will look to capitalize on his nickname “Lights Out” when he tries to take away Odoms’ heavyweight title. Hughes is currently ranked as one of the top regional heavyweights in the Midwest and has wins over Strikeforce and Bellator veterans, including a highlight reel KO when he knocked out Strikeforce veteran Jason Riley with a spinning wheel kick.
The co-main event will feature LFC and LFA veteran Bilal Williams (8-4) moving up in weight to take on another LFC veteran in Larry “Tae Kwon” Crowe (9-6) in what is sure to be a very fun fight for everyone watching, as both fighters rarely go the distance. Williams fought five times in one year for LFC, even taking fights on short notice and became a fan favorite with his relentless style. Crowe was another LFC favorite who was always looking for the knockout with his explosive power, which earned him two shots at the LFC Middleweight Title. Williams and Crowe are coming off of losses to recently-signed UFC fighters, and are looking to prove they belong in the big show.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Heavyweight Title Bout (265 lb)
– Richard Odoms (13-3) (champion) vs. Jeff Hughes (7-1)
Co-Main Event | Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
– Bilal Williams (8-4) vs Larry Crowe (9-6)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Kolton Englund (5-2) vs. Thomas Webb (13-4)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Cameron Graves (5-1) vs. Charles Cheeks (11-6)
Women’s Strawweight Bout (115 lb)
– Itzel Esquivel (2-1) vs. Nicolle Caliari (3-1)
Light Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
– Jon Harris (10-6) vs. Aaron Davis (8-5)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Adrian Yanez (5-2) vs. David Acosta (5-2)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 26 will mark the third LFA event to take place in Houston, where Legacy Fighting Alliance is headquartered. Further information about LFA 26 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 26 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA, women's MMA

MACKENZIE DERN RETURNS AT LFA 24 – FRINCU vs. MILLENDER

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FEATURE FIGHT:
 
MULTIPLE-TIME JIU-JITSU WORLD CHAMPION
MACKENZIE DERN
vs.
IFBB PROFESSIONAL FITNESS COMPETITOR
MANDY “MISSDEMEANOR” POLK
 
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
 
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13th LIVE on AXS TV
COMERICA THEATRE in PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Tickets are on sale NOW through ComericaTheatre.com
 
HOUSTON, Texas –  Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the MMA super prospect Mackenzie Dern will return to the LFA Octagon in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona at LFA 24.

The previously announced main event of LFA 24 will feature a welterweight war between two of the division’s marquee names when Australian annihilator Matthew “Thunder From Down Under” Frincu faces off with southern California juggernaut “Curtious” Curtis Millender. LFA 24 – Frincu vs. Millender takes place Friday, October 13th at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“Mackenzie Dern will return to the LFA Octagon in front of her hometown crowd at LFA 24,” stated Soares. “Dern is one of the most accomplished jiu-jitsu competitors to ever crossover into MMA. OnOctober 13th, she will face RFA vet and IFBB professional fitness competitor Mandy Polk in the flyweight division.”
Tickets for LFA 24 – Frincu vs. Millender are available for purchase NOW at ComericaTheatre.com.
Dern (3-0) is the daughter of legendary jiu-jitsu and judo black belt Wellington “Megaton” Dias. She began training with her father at an early age in the Phoenix area and is now widely considered one of the most accomplished jiu-jitsu practitioners to ever compete in MMA. The multiple-time jiu-jitsu world champion has won a world title at every rank (blue belt through black belt) and in 2015 added an ADCC Submission Wrestling World title to her trophy case. Dern will look to defend that ADCC title this weekend in Finland. After ADCC 2017, the woman who former UFC champion Benson Henderson famously stated “will be bigger than Ronda Rousey”, will return to the LFA Octagon in front of her hometown crowd at LFA 24.
Polk (3-3) will be the woman waiting to welcome Dern to the flyweight division. This is the UFC’s newest weight class that is currently being featured on the current season of the UFC’s hit reality television series The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 26). “MissDemeanor” is a native of the Memphis, Tennessee area and holds a purple belt in jiu-jitsu. She is also a high school wrestling coach and IFBB professional fitness competitor. Polk competed at the final RFA event (RFA 46) before RFA merged with Legacy FC. Upon signing with RFA and knowing about the eventual merger, Polk made her intentions clear that she would love the opportunity to compete against Dern, who was competing for Legacy FC. Polk will now get her wish at LFA 24.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Matthew Frincu (11-2) vs. Curtis Millender (12-3)
Co-Main Event | Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Joey Miolla (9-2) vs. Vinicius Zani (10-4)
Women’s Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Mackenzie Dern (3-0) vs. Mandy Polk (3-3)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– LaRue Burley (7-3) vs. Maycon Mendonça (6-2)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Cory Sandhagen (5-1) vs. Randy Steinke (18-11-1)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Kevin Natividad (4-0) vs. Glen Baker (3-2)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Keoni Diggs (4-0) vs. Nick Chasteen (0-0)
In September, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 24 will serve as the second LFA event to take place in the state of Arizona. The promotion’s first trip to “The Grand Canyon State” took place in May. The entire main card of LFA 24 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA RETURNS TO ARIZONA WITH LFA 24 – FRINCU vs. MILLENDER

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MAIN EVENT:
 
MATTHEW “THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER” FRINCU
vs.
“CURTIOUS” CURTIS MILLENDER
 
WELTERWEIGHT WAR
 
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
JOEY “THE BEAST” MIOLLA
vs.
VINICIUS “DON” ZANI
 
BANTAMWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
 
 
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13th LIVE on AXS TV
COMERICA THEATRE in PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Tickets are on sale NOW through ComericaTheatre.com
 
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the LFA is headed back to Arizona in October with a pivotal pairing at the top of the LFA welterweight division.

The main event of LFA 24 will feature an explosive welterweight war between two of the division’s marquee names. The headliner will see the Australian annihilator Matthew “Thunder From Down Under” Frincu face southern California juggernaut “Curtious” Curtis Millender. LFA 24 – Frincu vs. Millender takes place Friday, October 13th at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to bring LFA back to Arizona on October 13th,” stated Soares. “Matthew Frincu has been sensational in his first two LFA bouts. He will face Curtis Millender, who specifically asked for this fight. They are both coming off big wins in LFA headliners that took place just four weeks apart and the winner of this fight will make a huge statement at the top of one of our deepest divisions.”
Tickets for LFA 24 – Frincu vs. Millender are available for purchase NOW at ComericaTheatre.com.
Frincu (11-2) looked incredible in his LFA debut in late February at LFA 5. The native of Gold Coast, Australia assaulted Kris Hocum for fifteen minutes in a wildly entertaining display of striking brilliance. Frincu taught a masterclass on how to effectively utilize range and Muay Thai technique to dismantle a high-level grappler. Ten weeks later, the Arizona Combat Sports representative offered a crash course on the same subject, as he needed only 96-seconds to stop Brazilian prospect Maycon Mendonça in the main event of LFA 11. Now “The Thunder From Down Under” looks to strike a third time inside the LFA Octagon at LFA 24.
Millender (12-3), like Frincu, also rides the momentum of a four-fight win streak heading into their showdown in the LFA 24 headliner. The Anaheim native and three-time Bellator vet impressed many in his LFA debut in early June, when he earned a Unanimous Decision victory over Kevin Holland in the main event of LFA 13. The win helped “Curtious Curtis” politely remind the world why he is still one of California’s top welterweight talents. The CSW standout now looks to take his show on the road when he heads to the Arizona state capital to battle the top Australian welterweight prospect in the sport in the main event of LFA 24.
The co-main event of LFA 24 will feature the LFA debut of former RFA bantamweight title challenger Joey “The Beast” Miolla (9-2). The Power MMA product fought for the RFA three times, but this will be the first time Miolla will get to fight on AXS TV in front of his hometown crowd in the “Valley of the Sun”. Miolla was the lone member of Team USA to earn a win against Team Brazil at RFA 29. He then fought Leandro Higo for the RFA bantamweight title at RFA 37 in a bout that was featured on Dana White: Lookin’ For A Fight. Miolla’s final RFA fight took place at featherweight at RFA 44, where he picked up a submission win over T.J. Brown.
The man looking to spoil Miolla’s homecoming is the same man who was scheduled to face Miolla earlier this year before an injury delayed their inevitable confrontation. That would be fellow RFA standout Vinicius “Don” Zani (10-4). The Brazilian Muay Thai wrecking machine made a huge first impression in his RFA debut when he dominated Joe Murphy in the co-main event of RFA 38. That bout, like Miolla’s title fight at RFA 37, happened with UFC President Dana White sitting cageside filming his hit reality television show Dana White: Lookin’ For A Fight. Miolla and Zani now look to remind the UFC boss of who they are with a clear and decisive win at LFA 24.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lbs)
– Matthew Frincu (11-2) vs. Curtis Millender (12-3)
Co-Main Event | Bantamweight Bout (135 lbs)
– Joey Miolla (9-2) vs. Vinicius Zani (10-4)
In September, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 24 will serve as the second LFA event to take place in the state of Arizona. The promotion’s first trip to “The Grand Canyon State” took place in May. Further information about LFA 24 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 24 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF  NICK NEWELL

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 LFA ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF NICK NEWELL
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) officials announced today that Nick Newell (13-1) has signed a multi-fight deal with LFA.
Nick Newell was born with congenital amputation of his left arm. As a result, his left arm ends just below his elbow. Newell did not let this deter him, as he went on to have a successful collegiate wrestling career, earning over 300 victories throughout high school and college.
After going 5-1 in his amateur MMA career, Newell turned pro and took the MMA world by storm with his inspiring story. Newell would go on to amass an undefeated streak of 11-0, finishing all but one of his opponents in that time. His lone professional defeat was against former World Series of Fighting Lightweight Champion and currently ranked #5 UFC Lightweight, Justin Gaethje (18-0). Newell won two more bouts after his loss to Gaethje and subsequently retired from MMA in 2015 after suffering numerous injuries.
A date and opponent for Newell’s LFA debut are still undetermined at this time.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA RETURNS TO LOUISIANA WITH CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER AT LFA 23

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MAIN EVENT:
 
LFA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
DERRICK “D-ROCK” KRANTZ
vs.
LFA WELTERWEIGHT #1 CONTENDER
JAMES NAKASHIMA
 
WELTERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
LFA FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION
ANDREA “KGB” LEE
vs.
82nd AIRBORNE ARMY VETERAN
JAMIE “PRETTY ASSASSIN” THORTON
 
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd LIVE on AXS TV
HORSESHOE CASINO & HOTEL in BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA
 
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will return to Louisiana in the third week of September with a championship doubleheader.
The main event of LFA 23 will feature the first title defense of LFA welterweight champion Derrick “D-Rock” Krantz. The Texan powerhouse will defend his world title against undefeated super prospect James Nakashima. The co-main event of LFA 23 will feature the first title defense of LFA women’s flyweight champion Andrea “KGB” Lee. The charismatic cowgirl will defend her title against 82nd Airborne Army veteran Jamie “Pretty Assassin” Thorton. LFA 23 takes place Friday, September 22ndat Horseshoe Casino & Hotel in Bossier City, Louisiana. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“Derrick Krantz and Andrea Lee will defend their LFA world titles in Bossier City onSeptember 22nd,” stated Soares. “Krantz is a ruthless finisher that can end a fight with one punch. He will face the top welterweight prospect in the sport in James Nakashima. Lee is the first female champion in LFA history and will defend her title against the battle-tested U.S. Army veteran Jamie Thorton. LFA 23 will be another great night of MMA in Louisiana with a pair of fantastic world title fights.”
There are a limited amount of tickets still available, and can be reserved by calling318-453-3730
The main event of LFA 23 will feature one of the most intriguing and high-stakes title fights of the year. The LFA welterweight title will be contested between a proud no-nonsense champion and a can’t miss blue-chip title challenger.

Krantz (20-9) captured the inaugural LFA welterweight championship in May with a tour de force that left MMA purists in a state of exhilaration and his opponent Ben Neumann in a complete daze. The Texan powerhouse unleashed his loaded fistolas early in the second round of their title fight and left Minnesota with a second world championship. Two years earlier, Krantz accomplished a nearly identical feat in the same state against UFC vet Brock Larson to win the Legacy FC welterweight title. Now that Krantz once again has gold firmly wrapped around his waist, he plans on adding some shine to that strap with his first title defense at LFA 23. The LFA kingpin now has his sights set on a blue-chip super prospect in one of MMA’s most pivotal title fights of the year.
Nakashima (7-0) is a special talent. His wrestling pedigree, fearless striking ability, and willingness to engulf himself in every aspect of martial arts has made him the surefire welterweight prospect that MMA pundits have eagerly been waiting for. Some experts argue, that no one in the division has started their career by dominating the level of competition that Nakashima has faced since Georges St-Pierre and Ben Askren. While the Illinois native and University of Nebraska wrestling standout has a long way to go before having his MMA accolades compared to “GSP” and “Funky”, he has undoubtedly taken his division by storm. The John Crouch protégé is not one to rest on his laurels. He has now signed on the dotted line to challenge the feared LFA world champion Derrick Krantz at LFA 23.
Lee (7-2) is one of the most talented female fighters in the world and a popular pick among fight fans to be the face of the newly announced UFC women’s flyweight division once the division takes hold later this year. “KGB” possesses a dynamic skill set, undeniable southern charm, and signature cowgirl accoutrements that has made her one of the most recognizable and adored fighters in the sport. The 28-year-old champion is now ready to defend her title on her adopted home turf of northern Louisiana. Lee is a dead shot on the feet and a submission savvy opportunist on the ground. She now looks to add a successful title defense to her résumé after a lengthy list of potential challengers pulled out, were denied travel visas, got injured, or decided against facing the fierce champion.
“I am more than ready to defend my LFA world title and put on a show for the fans,” Lee exclaimed. “This will be my fourth fight this year. I will show everyone why I am the best flyweight in the world on September 22nd!”
Thorton (4-3) is only one of a few women who was up to the task of challenging the champion Andrea Lee. The 33-year-old 82nd Airborne Army veteran has seen it all when it comes to combat. According to Special-Ops.org, the 82nd Airborne Division is an elite airborne infantry division of the U.S. Army, specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areas. That expertise will come in handy as she prepares to enter hostile territory to dethrone Lee at LFA 23. Everything about Thorton’s career points to the fact that she is an all-or-nothing kind of fighter. “Pretty Assassin” won four of her first five fights, including three straight finishes in under one minute. The most telling sign of Thorton’s go for broke style is the fact she has never seen a fight go out of the first round in seven pro bouts.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Title Bout (170 lb)
– Derrick Krantz (20-9) vs. James Nakashima (7-0)
Co-Main Event | Women’s Flyweight Title Bout (125 lb)
– Andrea Lee (7-2) vs. Jamie Thorton (4-3)
Light-Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
– Ryan Spann (10-5) vs. LeMarcus Tucker (5-2)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Brandon Shavers (4-0) vs. Bryan Billiot (4-0)
Women’s Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Sabina Mazo (3-0) vs. Linsey Williams (1-1)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Kendrik Williams (4-0) vs. Peter Stanonik (4-2)
Catchweight Bout (177 lb)
– Nick Jackson (5-4) vs. Brandon Martin (4-3)
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. Legacy FC and RFA have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 23 will be the second LFA event to take place in the Shreveport-Bossier City metro area of northern Louisiana. LFA 23 will also mark the promotion’s third visit to the “The Pelican State”. Further information about LFA 23 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 23 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA, UFC

LFA LAUNCHING PAD: LFA SENDS 9 FIGHTERS TO UFC IN 30 DAYS

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THE SUMMER OF LFA

 
 
LFA ALUM IMPRESS IN THE UFC:
TITLE SHOTS, BONUSES and RECORD BREAKERS
 
 
4 SHOWS IN 4 WEEKS:
LFA SET TO VISIT 4 STATES IN 4 WEEKS 
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) has had a busy summer. In last month’s newsletter, it was reported that LFA alum accumulated $200,000 in UFC bonus money in the month of June, former RFA headliner Zach Freeman secured an “Upset of the Year”  nominee in New York City, and three inaugural LFA titles were awarded to get the summer started.

LFA LAUNCHING PAD
The summer continued to heat up in July. The UFC hosted 5 events along with the first 3 episodes of UFC President Dana White’s new weekly web series titled “Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series” throughout the month.
The number of LFA alum that participated in those events was staggering. 19 fighters that have fought for LFA or the two promotions that merged to create it (RFA and Legacy FC) competed in the UFC. UFC 213 headliner Valentina Shevchenko would have made that 20 fighters, but Amanda Nunes withdrew from their title fight on the day of the fight.
The presence of LFA alum on Dana White’s new show was just as impressive. In the first three episodes that aired in July, 17 of the 30 competitors (56.6%) had previously competed for LFA, RFA, or Legacy FC.  Each of the three episodes also featured two “LFA vs. LFA” matches. The most impressive stat, however, is the fact that an LFA fighter was signed by Dana White off of each episode.
That trend carried over into August with a fourth LFA fighter being signed to the UFC off of the fourth episode of “Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series”. The four LFA stars signed off of the show so far are Boston Salmon (Week 1), Sean O’Malley (Week 2), Geoff Neal (Week 3), and Julian Marquez (Week 4). There are currently 32 fighters from LFA scheduled to compete on theTuesday might summer series. LFA also currently has 19 alum ranked in the latest UFC fighter rankings.
LFA ALUM IMPRESS IN THE UFC
While former LFA fighters impressed in the UFC last month with the sheer number of participants, what they accomplished in those bouts is even more important. Perhaps the biggest shining star of the bunch was former RFA featherweight champion Brian Ortega. The man known as “T-City” improved his perfect record to 12-0 and saw his UFC fighter ranking move up to #6 in the world.
Ortega did this by breaking his own UFC record at UFC 214 on July 29th. Going into his bout with fellow unbeaten star Renato Moicano, Ortega held the UFC record for most consecutive third round finishes. He extended that streak by submitting Moicano in the final frame with a $50,000 UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus winning Guillotine Choke.
The following Saturday at UFC Fight Night 114, RFA great Dustin Ortiz broke another UFC record to secure his own $50,000 UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus. Ortiz accomplished this feat by knocking out Hector Sandoval in 15-seconds to record the fastest finish in UFC flyweight history. His teammate and former RFA flyweight champion Sergio Pettis happened to headline the same card. Pettis won his marquee bout against Brandon Moreno unanimously in a pivotal battle between two Top 10 ranked UFC flyweights.
The UFC will be off for the next few weeks, but September looks to be just as big for the LFA greats competing inside the famed UFC Octagon. UFC 215 on September 9th will feature two LFA alum challenging for UFC world titles. Legacy FC great Ray Borg will headline the card for a shot at the UFC flyweight title, while Shevchenko will finally get a crack at the UFC women’s bantamweight title in the co-main event. Seven other LFA alum have UFC bouts already announced for next month as well.
4 SHOWS IN 4 WEEKS
LFA started August with the first title defense in the promotion’s history. Two of the inaugural LFA champions that were just crowned in June (Eryk Anders and Roberto Sanchez) have already made their UFC debut, but LFA featherweight champion Kevin “Angel of Death” Aguilar was able to defend his title in the main event of LFA 18 this past Friday. He did so by sweeping the scorecards against a very game challenger in #1 contender and world-class BJJ black belt Justin Rader.
LFA is now set to end the summer with four shows in four weeks in four different states. The quadruple-header starts next week in South Dakota at LFA 19. The promotion then heads east to Minnesota the following week at LFA 20. LFA kicks off first day of September in Missouri at LFA 21. Then the final leg of the four week trip will go down in Colorado at LFA 22.
LFA 19 – Michaud vs. Rodrigues takes place Friday, August 18th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The event will serve as the second LFA event to take place in the state of South Dakota. RFA visited “The Mount Rushmore State” four times before the merger. LFA 19 is headlined with a welterweight war between three-time UFC vet David “Bulldawg” Michaud (11-3) and Brazilian powerhouse Ciro “Bad Boy” Rodrigues (20-7).

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO LFA 19

LFA 20 – Curry vs. Barnes takes place Friday, August 25th at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The event will serve as the third LFA event to take place in the state of Minnesota. RFA and Legacy FC hosted a combined nine events in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” before the merger.  LFA 20 is headlined with a welterweight showdown between rising star Chad “Blitz” Curry and former RFA title challenger Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes.
LFA 21 – Noblitt vs. Branjão takes place Friday, September 1st at the Branson Convention Center in Branson, Missouri. The event will serve as the first LFA event to take place in the state of Missouri. RFA visited the “Show Me State” four times before the merger. LFA 21 is headlined with a light-heavyweight battle between undefeated American prospect Kyle James Noblitt (8-0) and undefeated Brazilian prospect Antônio Paulo “Montanha” Branjão (4-0).
LFA 22 – Heinisch vs. Perez takes place Friday, September 8th at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The event will serve as the third LFA event to take place in the state of Colorado. RFA visited “The Centennial State” eight times before the merger. LFA 22 is headlined with an LFA middleweight title fight between Colorado’s own Ian “The Hurricane” Heinisch (8-0) and Brazilian dynamo Markus “Maluko” Perez (8-0).
The entire main card of these four events will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.