The UFC did not hold an event this weekend, but plenty of other promotions stepped up to fill the void.
In New Jersey, Ring of Combat 42 held a solid card with a number of notable faces stepping in the cage. UFC veteran Mike Massenzio lost to Ronald Stallings in the main attraction. The knockout came via a vicious knee to the body. It is a setback that puts Massenzio on a three-fight losing streak.
Also on that card, notables Jamal Patterson and Jimmie Rivera won unanimous decisions in important bouts. Rivera, an Ultimate Fighter veteran, has been impressive enough to earn his way into the UFC.
Lastly on that card, Lithuanian star Deividas Taurosevicius beat Mike Santiago with a second-round armbar. He is on a three-fight win streak, which should be good enough to earn a call from the UFC for the featherweight stud.
In Houston, Legacy Fighting Championship 14 put on another good show headlined by a title fight.
Jeff Rexroad won the headliner with a modified triangle choke over Lucas Pimenta, dazzling the crowd with the surprising submission.
UFC and WEC veteran Antonio Banuelos made an unsuccessful flyweight debut, dropping a unanimous decision to unheralded Joshua Sampo. It is another setback that will hurt Banuelos‘ chances of returning to the UFC.
MTV’s Caged star Matt “Danger” Schnell made a successful pro debut on the card, winning a close split decision over Ryan Hollis. It is a good mark for a guy whose claim to fame was a lame reality show on MTV.
Over in Australia, PWP 5 was headlined by UFC veteran Bernardo Magalhaes. The jiu-jitsu ace added his first-ever knockout to his resume, putting Sonny Brown away in one round.
Poland’s largest MMA organization, KSW, held its 20th show over the weekend, headlined by the beloved Mariusz Pudzianowski. In just under four minutes, Pudzianowski knocked out opponent Christos Piliafas, much to the delight of Polish fans.
Another top Polish fighter, Jan Blachowicz, earned a unanimous nod with his win over Houston Alexander. The win over the UFC veteran should be enough for Blachowicz to get a call from the UFC.
In the UK, BAMMA 10 was held, headlined by Rob Sinclair and UFC veteran Andre Winner. In a close fight, Sinclair prevailed via split decision, making it his fifth straight win.
Also on the card, UK fight staples Jack Marshman and Denniston Sutherland both won their fights. Marshman submitted Andrew Punshon via triangle choke, while Sutherland won a unanimous decision over Lee Barnes.
Furthermore, UFC veteran Curt Warburton won his fourth straight fight since being released by the promotion. He won a unanimous decision over Lee Wieczorek to get that win.
At AFC 11 in Canada, UFC veterans Joe Doerksen and Kalib Starnes met in the main event. Doerksen beat the infamous “running man” via unanimous decision to stay in the win column.
Lastly, at Road FC 9 in South Korea, Melvin Manhoef headlined the card with a split-decision win over Jae Young Kim. It was a big win for the Muay Thai machine, whose striking is almost second to none.
Also, legendary giant killer Ikuhisa Minowa earned a submission victory over Jin Soo Yuk. He won via kimura, which will likely continue to extend his awesome career.
All in all, it was a great weekend if you are into regional MMA. Some big names won and others lost. Either way, they entertained all who watched.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com