Professional Fighters League “Fitch vs. Foster” comes to Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., TONIGHT (Fri., June 30, 2017)w immediately after the Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race live on NBC Sports.
PFL is the successor to World Series of Fighting, born out of the ashes after champions like Marlon Moraes, David Branch and Justin Gaethje left to ply their trades in UFC. This card is the “kickoff event” for PFL as it ranks fighters in each weight class before the 2018 tournament-style season begins.
Stay tuned tonight as MMAmania.com delivers real-time results and play-by-play action below for the four-fight main card scheduled for NBC Sports. Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action. Feel free to leave a comment and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
Professional Fighters League “Foster vs. Fitch” quick results:
Welterweight: Jon Fitch vs. Brian Foster — Fitch via sub (choke) 3:12 R2.
Light Heavyweight: Ronny Markes vs. Smealinho Rama — Markes UD 29-28 X2, 30-27
Welterweight: Herman Terrado vs. Joao Zeferino — Terrado SD 28-29, 29-28, 30-27.
Lightweight: Caros Fodor vs. Jason High — High UD 29-28 X3.
Professional Fighters League play by play:
Jon Fitch vs. Brian Foster
Foster is out first in the black trunks with red trim and blue gloves. Fitch sports the solid black trunks and red gloves for this bout. Fitch is 39, Foster 33. 6’0 to 5’10”. 74” to 72” reach. In other words everything is NOT virtually identical. Foster is 27-9 and fights out of Englewood, Colorado. Fitch is 29-7-1, 1 NC and fights out of San Jose, California. Our referee is Andrew Glenn.
Round one: Both men are throwing leather early. Foster appears to hurt Fitch with a left hook as he was pressuring Foster into the cage, and Foster pulls guard for a guillotine and gives up a single leg in the process. Fitch pops his head free and is more than happy to work on top. He drives right hands into the body as Foster tries to spin his way to an armbar but Fitch pops out of it at 1:38. Fitch mails Foster on top for the next minute and a half. Rights to the body and head. Foster tries to push off the cage with his feet again at 3:36 but Fitch stays right down the middle in guard. 10-9 Fitch.
Round two: Foster throws a spin kick and nearly slips to the ground in the process. Foster cracks Fitch with a big right hand at 28 seconds and once again tries to go for a submission, Fitch scrambles to survive, but Foster gets on top at 1:10 and Fitch is sporting a shiner on his left eye. Foster lets him stand back up and pummels Fitch with uppercuts. Foster tries to go to the ground but Fitch winds up on top again, leading the announcers to speculate they butted heads and Foster might have been momentarily stunned. Fitch tries to pin Foster against the fence, Foster goes for an armbar, Fitch escapes, Foster looks to scramble at 3:04 but Fitch takes his back and lighting quick Foster is tapping out to a choke. This one is over! Fitch does a victory dance, black eye and all.
Final result: Jon Fitch wins via submission via side choke at 3:12 of the second round.
Ronny Markes vs. Smealinho Rama
The fights started early due to the NASCAR race being rained out so we join this fight 60 seconds into round one. Rama is 10-2 and hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Markes is 16-5 and hails from Natal, Brazil. Rama has on the blue trunks and Markes the black.
Round one: Rama is on top in the early going but Markes gets back to his feet at 1:45 and has Rama against the fence. Rama spins out at the two minute mark and throws a left body kick and a hard left hook. Markes responds with a head kick that’s hand checked. Rama throws a right hook and another left kick to the body. So far Rama seems to be firmly in control of this fight. Markes continues to try to slide along the fence but is eating jabs from Rama. Rama shoots at 3:27 and throws knees as they clinch against the cage. Rama shoves him away 20 seconds later. Markes snaps off a loud body kick.Rama paws with the right hand. Rama continues to pressure Markes backward toward the fence. Rama knocks him down but nearly gets caught in a leg lock as he gets overly eager to pounce. He rains down hands as the rain falls in Daytona Beach. 10-9 Rama.
Round two: Rama opens the second round as aggressively as he ended the first, coming forward and tagging Markes with kicks. Referee Josh Rutgers calls time as rain has blown sideways through the fence onto the canvas even though there’s a cover above the cage. The infield being covered is the reason the fights could start early even though the race won’t be concluded until tomorrow (they only got 11 laps in). The fights clinch and it’s Markes who gets the leg trip at 1:13 and moves to full mount six seconds later. Rama gets back half guard but he’s still in trouble with a jiu-jitsu expert on top. Markes gets the full mount back at 2:25 and loses it again. Markes tries to raise up and blast Rama with a left elbow. Rama is controlling the arms and keeping Markes chest to chest. Markes breaks free for another full mount at 3:20, again he loses it, and now he’s content to stay in half and posture up for shots. Rama gets Markes back to full guard briefly but Markes quickly takes the half and is smothering Rama from the top. 10-9 Markes.
Round three: Both fighters tap gloves and hug it out to start the third and final round. Rama tags him with a left hand and comes forward, Markes trips him to the ground and then takes him down at 30 seconds with a single leg right as Rama tried to get back up. The third round is turning into a repeat of the second — Markes takes full mount, loses it, and continues to punish Rama when he gets his hands free. Rama scrambles at 1:56 but he’s taken down AGAIN. The longer this goes the more Markes is dominating, even if in a rather unspectacular way. 2:30 gone. Markes looks to pass to side control but realizes Rama could scramble if he does and puts all his weight back on Rama in half. If Rama can’t shake him off he’s done for. Josh Rutgers calls for more action but it’s a little late to ask for it now. Still he stands them up with a minute left. Rama starts winging punches hoping he can steal the round back with short time. They clinch with under half a minute left. Markes controls Rama in a headlock until the bell. 10-9 Markes.
Final result: The judges score this contest 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 all for Ronny Markes.
Herman Terrado vs. Joao Zeferino
Terrado is out first in the black trunks and blue gloves. His record is 14-3-1. Zeferino has on the blue/white trunks and red gloves. His record is 21-8. Zeferino is 31, Terrado 27. 5’11” to 5’9”, 73” to 70” reach. Terrado fights out of San Diego, California. Zeferino fights out of Middletown, New York. Our referee in charge is Andrew Glenn.
Round one: Terrado lands a stiff 1-2 combo in the first 20 seconds. Zeferino responds by shooting for a single leg. He finally gets Terrado off his feet at 58 seconds but he quickly pops back up. Zeferino takes him down again at 1:17. Zeferino tries to pull his legs out and his body away from the cage so he can’t get up again. Terrado blatantly grabs the fence but the ref doesn’t see it. Zeferino lands elbows from the top. Terrado tries and tries to scramble but can’t shake Zeferino loose as he floats from one position to the next on top. After a ref stoppage because Terrado had his foot caught in the string of Zeferino’s shorts, Terrado is finally able to scramble with 40 seconds left. They start winging punches at each other and Terrado hurts him badly with a right, forcing Zeferino to shoot and try to recover with short time left. Terrado tries to take the back with short time left but Zeferino survives. 10-9 Terrado.
Round two: Terrado is walking forward winging punches at Zeferino to open R2 and once again Zeferino has to drop levels hoping to get a takedown. Terrado sprawls and has a front headlock. He drives knees into Zeferino’s shoulders. Zeferino tries to turn out but Terrado ends up on top in guard. Terrado continues to work on top as a tired Zeferino tries to bait him into a submission position. Terrado backs up to avoid upkicks at 3:20 then goes over the top with a diving punch. He backs away again to avoid the kicks then gets on top dropping heavy hands and elbows. One more time Terrado gets up with 20 seconds left but gets right back down to hurt Zeferino some more. Another 10-9 for Terrado.
Round three: Zeferino opens R3 with some hard right hands and throws a left high kick. Terrado eats everything and keeps coming straight forward. Zeferino gets a takedown at 55 seconds. Terrado nearly gives up his back but scrambles to his feet at 2:07. Terrado comes forward swinging lefts and rights. Zeferino looks punch drunk as he wobbles trying to walk away from the big blows. They clinch and Terrado digs shots into the body then drops for a double. Zeferino fends it off until 3:22 and gets right back up, then runs away from Terrado with 90 seconds to go. Terrado stalks him across the cage. Zeferino goes for a spinning backfist when they break. Terrado with a knee to the body as he pushes Zeferino into the fence. They break again, they clinch again. Terrado throws hands as Zeferino dives for a takedown late and can’t get it. Terrado and Zeferino are both completely exhausted.
Final result: The judges score it 29-28 Zeferino, 29-28 Terrado, 30-27 for Terrado by split decision.
Caros Fodor vs. Jason High
High is in the black trunks and red gloves. Fodor is in the black trunks and blue gloves. High is the elder, 35 to 33, both are 5’9”, Fodor has a one inch reach advantage at 72”. Fodor is 11-5 and fights out of Seattle, Washington. High is 20-6 and fights out of Kansas City, Missouri. Our referee in charge is Josh Rutgers.
Round one: The two start throwing leather immediately. Fodor is taken down and High has full mount against the cage 1:12 in. Fodor gets back to half guard and High throws left hands at his head from on top. Fodor tries to escape but High gets back on top and CRACKS Fodor’s chin with a left hand. Fodor scoots backward toward the fence with blood running down his left eye. High looks to take the back as High tries to stand up and gets both hooks in. Fodor rolls but gives up his neck and High goes for a guillotine. Fodor pops his head out at 3:50. Fodor tries to get up but High puts him right on his back immediately. Fodor gets up again at 4:25. Fodor spins of the fence at 4:49 and comes forward but High has his back standing as R1 ends. 10-9 High.
Round two: High goes for a takedown and gets it 12 seconds into the round. Fodor kicks him away and gets back up 12 seconds later. Rutgers stops the fight as Fodor landed an accidental low kick, giving him a warning not to do it again.High recovers and throws a hard head kick after the restart. Fodor sprawls on a double leg, Fodor scoots him across the slip-n-slide canvas, but Fodor stays heavy on his back and spins around to a takedown of his own at 1:20. High looks to butterfly and keep him off, gets a warning for linking his toes in the cage, but gets Fodor back to full guard as they rotate around. High finally shakes Fodor off at 3:17. Fodor comes forward swinging, High takes his back standing, and he throws knees from behind until rushing Fodor across the cage for a double leg at 4:08. High pummels him on top until the bell. 10-9 High.
Round three: High drops levels at 29 seconds but Fodor sprawls on top looking to stop the single leg. Fodor is peppering him with lefts and rights to the body and sneaking a few to the head under the armpit. They stand at 1:40 and High still has his hands around that single leg like a dog on a bone. Fodor keeps putting all his weight on High to keep him from getting the takedown. High has a cut that is smearing blood on the canvas anywhere they move. Fodor breaks the grip on the single leg with two minutes left. He completes the top position with 1:35 left but he needs to have a really dominant third round or a finish here. Fodor lands some nice round and pound in the last minute until High tries an omoplata late and can’t secure it. We go to the judges.
Final result: The judges score this contest 29-28 X3 for Jason High by unanimous decision.