Tag: WSOF

World Series of Fighting 9: Recap and Full Results from Carl vs. Palhares

The World Series of Fighting promotion brought out several of its biggest names, old and new, for WSOF 9, held Saturday in Las Vegas.
Rousimar Palhares, who was banned from the UFC last fall amid allegations he held onto a dangerous submission hold for…

The World Series of Fighting promotion brought out several of its biggest names, old and new, for WSOF 9, held Saturday in Las Vegas.

Rousimar Palhares, who was banned from the UFC last fall amid allegations he held onto a dangerous submission hold for too long, didn’t even need half a round to submit Steve Carl with his patented heel hook and take the WSOF welterweight title in his debut for the promotion. 

But the Palhares win was, again, met with some controversy on social media. He appeared to hold the heel hook once again for just a beat longer than was necessary. Fighters are coached to maintain a submission hold until the referee stops the fight, but referee Yves Lavigne seemed compelled to push for an extra instant on Palhares, who in turn appeared to ignore Carl’s tapping hand. 

In any event, Palhares won the fight and the title, and he moves to 16-5 as a pro.

In the evening’s co-main event, bantamweight phenom Marlon Moraes continued to steamroll, winning his seventh straight bout and becoming the first man to don the WSOF bantamweight strap with a dominant decision win over Josh Rettinghouse.

Moraes hurt Rettinghouse with punches and then leg kicks. Down the stretch, Rettinghouse had difficulty moving and even standing, falling to the mat more than once in pain and in the vain hope of initiating a ground exchange. While it seemed the referee or Rettinghouse’s corner could have justifiably ended the bout, he continued to the final horn.

Palhares wasn’t the only UFC veteran making his WSOF debut Saturday. Yushin Okami was in the same boat, and he made the most of a fairly easy matchup by submitting Svetlozar Savov via second-round choke-out. Okami spent much of the bout to that point in full mount, and the fight was never seriously in question.

Also on the main card, Josh Burkman returned to the winner’s circle after losing to Carl in October for the vacant WSOF welterweight title. Burkman landed a heavy lead right hook that dropped well-regarded youngster Tyler Stinson and then closed him out by swooping down with a single ground strike that shut off Stinson’s lights.

Here are the full results from the evening:

Main Card

Division Fighters and Result Method
Middleweight Rousimar Palhares def. Steve Carl Submission (heel hook), 1:09, Rd. 1
Bantamweight Marlon Moraes def. Josh Rettinghouse Unanimous decision
Middleweight Yushin Okami def. Svetlozar Savov Submission (arm-triangle choke), 4:46, Rd. 2
Welterweight Josh Burkman def. Tyler Stinson KO, 2:15, Rd. 1
Lightweight Jonathan Nunez def. Ozzy Dugulubgov Split decision

 

Preliminary Card

Division Fighters and Result Method
Featherweight Mike Corey def. Shane Kruchten Submission (rear-naked choke), 2:59, Rd. 2
Bantamweight Bryson Hansen def. Sean Cantor TKO, 0:46, Rd. 1
Featherweight Chris Gruetzemacher def. John Gunderson Unanimous decision
Featherweight Brenson Hansen def. Boostayre Nefarios Unanimous decision
Welterweight Danny Davis def. Phil Dace Unanimous decision
Lightweight Jimmy Spicuzza def. Gil Guardado Submission (rear-naked choke), 3:14, Rd. 1

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

World Series of Fighting 9: Recap and Full Results from Carl vs. Palhares

The World Series of Fighting promotion brought out several of its biggest names, old and new, for WSOF 9, held Saturday in Las Vegas.
Rousimar Palhares, who was banned from the UFC last fall amid allegations he held onto a dangerous submission hold for…

The World Series of Fighting promotion brought out several of its biggest names, old and new, for WSOF 9, held Saturday in Las Vegas.

Rousimar Palhares, who was banned from the UFC last fall amid allegations he held onto a dangerous submission hold for too long, didn’t even need half a round to submit Steve Carl with his patented heel hook and take the WSOF welterweight title in his debut for the promotion. 

But the Palhares win was, again, met with some controversy on social media. He appeared to hold the heel hook once again for just a beat longer than was necessary. Fighters are coached to maintain a submission hold until the referee stops the fight, but referee Yves Lavigne seemed compelled to push for an extra instant on Palhares, who in turn appeared to ignore Carl’s tapping hand. 

In any event, Palhares won the fight and the title, and he moves to 16-5 as a pro.

In the evening’s co-main event, bantamweight phenom Marlon Moraes continued to steamroll, winning his seventh straight bout and becoming the first man to don the WSOF bantamweight strap with a dominant decision win over Josh Rettinghouse.

Moraes hurt Rettinghouse with punches and then leg kicks. Down the stretch, Rettinghouse had difficulty moving and even standing, falling to the mat more than once in pain and in the vain hope of initiating a ground exchange. While it seemed the referee or Rettinghouse’s corner could have justifiably ended the bout, he continued to the final horn.

Palhares wasn’t the only UFC veteran making his WSOF debut Saturday. Yushin Okami was in the same boat, and he made the most of a fairly easy matchup by submitting Svetlozar Savov via second-round choke-out. Okami spent much of the bout to that point in full mount, and the fight was never seriously in question.

Also on the main card, Josh Burkman returned to the winner’s circle after losing to Carl in October for the vacant WSOF welterweight title. Burkman landed a heavy lead right hook that dropped well-regarded youngster Tyler Stinson and then closed him out by swooping down with a single ground strike that shut off Stinson’s lights.

Here are the full results from the evening:

Main Card

Division Fighters and Result Method
Middleweight Rousimar Palhares def. Steve Carl Submission (heel hook), 1:09, Rd. 1
Bantamweight Marlon Moraes def. Josh Rettinghouse Unanimous decision
Middleweight Yushin Okami def. Svetlozar Savov Submission (arm-triangle choke), 4:46, Rd. 2
Welterweight Josh Burkman def. Tyler Stinson KO, 2:15, Rd. 1
Lightweight Jonathan Nunez def. Ozzy Dugulubgov Split decision

 

Preliminary Card

Division Fighters and Result Method
Featherweight Mike Corey def. Shane Kruchten Submission (rear-naked choke), 2:59, Rd. 2
Bantamweight Bryson Hansen def. Sean Cantor TKO, 0:46, Rd. 1
Featherweight Chris Gruetzemacher def. John Gunderson Unanimous decision
Featherweight Brenson Hansen def. Boostayre Nefarios Unanimous decision
Welterweight Danny Davis def. Phil Dace Unanimous decision
Lightweight Jimmy Spicuzza def. Gil Guardado Submission (rear-naked choke), 3:14, Rd. 1

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

World Series of Fighting 9 Results: Live Blog & Play by Play

LAS VEGAS—World Series of Fighting 9 hits the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday night, and Bleacher Report is in attendance and reporting live.
The preliminary card begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the main card airing on NBC Sports at 9:00 p….

LAS VEGAS—World Series of Fighting 9 hits the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday night, and Bleacher Report is in attendance and reporting live.

The preliminary card begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the main card airing on NBC Sports at 9:00 p.m. ET.

The main event features a WSOF welterweight championship bout between champion Steve Carl and challenger Rousimar Palhares, who was released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship for holding a heel hook too long during a win over Mike Pierce in October.

Carl won the welterweight title with an October win over Josh Burkman.

The card also features a bantamweight title bout between Marlon Moraes and Josh Rettinghouse, plus the debut of former UFC middleweight title contender Yushin Okami.

Join Bleacher Report at 6:30 p.m. ET as we begin our coverage of the preliminary card, and stick with us throughout the evening for live results.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

World Series of Fighting 9 Results: Live Blog & Play by Play

LAS VEGAS—World Series of Fighting 9 hits the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday night, and Bleacher Report is in attendance and reporting live.
The preliminary card begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the main card airing on NBC Sports at 9:00 p….

LAS VEGAS—World Series of Fighting 9 hits the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday night, and Bleacher Report is in attendance and reporting live.

The preliminary card begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the main card airing on NBC Sports at 9:00 p.m. ET.

The main event features a WSOF welterweight championship bout between champion Steve Carl and challenger Rousimar Palhares, who was released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship for holding a heel hook too long during a win over Mike Pierce in October.

Carl won the welterweight title with an October win over Josh Burkman.

The card also features a bantamweight title bout between Marlon Moraes and Josh Rettinghouse, plus the debut of former UFC middleweight title contender Yushin Okami.

Join Bleacher Report at 6:30 p.m. ET as we begin our coverage of the preliminary card, and stick with us throughout the evening for live results.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

WSOF’s Carl on Palhares: ‘He’s a Bad Matchup for Me, and He’s a Dirty Fighter’

World Series of Fighting welterweight champion Steve Carl walks the walk. 
In an age when fighters are quick to call out opponents on Twitter and engage in verbal sparring online without repercussion, Carl backs away from his smartphone and c…

World Series of Fighting welterweight champion Steve Carl walks the walk. 

In an age when fighters are quick to call out opponents on Twitter and engage in verbal sparring online without repercussion, Carl backs away from his smartphone and computer, buttons his big-boy pants and lives up to his status as the WSOF welterweight champion. 

Nothing exhibited these traits more than Carl’s recent decision to accept a fight with UFC castoff Rousimar Palhares, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist with a checkered history of cranking submissions well beyond the referee’s stoppage in fights, in practice and in grappling competitions. 

Now under the WSOF banner, Palhares finds himself thrust into title contention, and he is set to take on Carl March 29 at WSOF 9. 

Carl admits that he was not thrilled about this matchup, but dangerous fights come with the territory when one is champion, and he must accept all responsibilities and burdens that come with the shiny belt. 

“He’s a bad matchup for me, and he’s a dirty fighter,” Carl told Bleacher Report. “But at the same time, I am the champion now, and I have to be willing to fight anybody.” 

When Palhares‘ signing was announced to the public, one of the promotion’s top welterweights, Jon Fitch, boldly exclaimed that he simply would not fight the Brazilian ground ace. 

Talking to MMAoddsbreaker’s Brian Hemminger, Fitch said,  “It [a fight with Palhares] would be the first time in my career that I turned down a fight.”

Carl said that he felt the same about the prospect of facing Palhares inside the cage. 

“I absolutely thought twice, and I’m 100 percent on board with Fitch,” Carl said. “I kind of wanted to jump on board with him [Fitch] and say, ‘I don’t want to fight that guy.'” 

To Carl’s delight, he was initially offered a bout against Fitch, not Palhares, for his first WSOF title defense. 

However, the promotion offered him that matchup in June, and Carl expressed interest in fighting sooner. He had snagged the belt from Josh Burkman at WSOF 6 in October 2013, and he wished to stay active and keep in the groove of fighting every few months. 

June was just too far away, and the WSOF brass reassembled, whipped up a plan and offered their champ a new fight. 

Palhares. 

Despite his initial reluctance, Carl said yes, and the WSOF 9 main event was booked. 

“I’m the champion now, and I have to be willing to fight anybody,” Carl said. “When they offered me that fight, regardless, if I beat Fitch, I’m going to have to fight him [Palhares] anyway. Besides, I was requesting to fight sooner, and that’s what they offered me.”

The welterweight titleholder said that he does not have a strict game plan heading into this bout with Palhares. Rather than fearing his opponent’s strengths on the ground, he is focusing on what he can do and where he can impose his will. 

And there’s one area in particular where Carl feels he holds a significant advantage. 

“I would definitely like to use my hands,” Carl said. “If he gets a little too confident and sticks his head out there a little too far, I think I can put him to sleep.” 

Should Carl seize victory at WSOF 9 and emerge unscathed, a fight with Jon Fitch looms in July. 

This is a fight that Carl has already thought about, and it’s one that he eagerly anticipates. 

“I have to go through Palhares to get it, but I think I match up really well with Fitch,” Carl said. “I think it’d be not only a good win, but it’d be a hard-fought fight. It’d be action-packed, and everyone would love watching it.” 

For now, a limb-snatching, Hulk of a man who goes by “Toquinho” stands in Carl’s path. It’s not a fight that the WSOF champion awaits with the same giddiness that he feels for a showdown with Fitch, but it’s part of his job. 

And to him, that’s all that matters. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

WSOF’s Carl on Palhares: ‘He’s a Bad Matchup for Me, and He’s a Dirty Fighter’

World Series of Fighting welterweight champion Steve Carl walks the walk. 
In an age when fighters are quick to call out opponents on Twitter and engage in verbal sparring online without repercussion, Carl backs away from his smartphone and c…

World Series of Fighting welterweight champion Steve Carl walks the walk. 

In an age when fighters are quick to call out opponents on Twitter and engage in verbal sparring online without repercussion, Carl backs away from his smartphone and computer, buttons his big-boy pants and lives up to his status as the WSOF welterweight champion. 

Nothing exhibited these traits more than Carl’s recent decision to accept a fight with UFC castoff Rousimar Palhares, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist with a checkered history of cranking submissions well beyond the referee’s stoppage in fights, in practice and in grappling competitions. 

Now under the WSOF banner, Palhares finds himself thrust into title contention, and he is set to take on Carl March 29 at WSOF 9. 

Carl admits that he was not thrilled about this matchup, but dangerous fights come with the territory when one is champion, and he must accept all responsibilities and burdens that come with the shiny belt. 

“He’s a bad matchup for me, and he’s a dirty fighter,” Carl told Bleacher Report. “But at the same time, I am the champion now, and I have to be willing to fight anybody.” 

When Palhares‘ signing was announced to the public, one of the promotion’s top welterweights, Jon Fitch, boldly exclaimed that he simply would not fight the Brazilian ground ace. 

Talking to MMAoddsbreaker’s Brian Hemminger, Fitch said,  “It [a fight with Palhares] would be the first time in my career that I turned down a fight.”

Carl said that he felt the same about the prospect of facing Palhares inside the cage. 

“I absolutely thought twice, and I’m 100 percent on board with Fitch,” Carl said. “I kind of wanted to jump on board with him [Fitch] and say, ‘I don’t want to fight that guy.'” 

To Carl’s delight, he was initially offered a bout against Fitch, not Palhares, for his first WSOF title defense. 

However, the promotion offered him that matchup in June, and Carl expressed interest in fighting sooner. He had snagged the belt from Josh Burkman at WSOF 6 in October 2013, and he wished to stay active and keep in the groove of fighting every few months. 

June was just too far away, and the WSOF brass reassembled, whipped up a plan and offered their champ a new fight. 

Palhares. 

Despite his initial reluctance, Carl said yes, and the WSOF 9 main event was booked. 

“I’m the champion now, and I have to be willing to fight anybody,” Carl said. “When they offered me that fight, regardless, if I beat Fitch, I’m going to have to fight him [Palhares] anyway. Besides, I was requesting to fight sooner, and that’s what they offered me.”

The welterweight titleholder said that he does not have a strict game plan heading into this bout with Palhares. Rather than fearing his opponent’s strengths on the ground, he is focusing on what he can do and where he can impose his will. 

And there’s one area in particular where Carl feels he holds a significant advantage. 

“I would definitely like to use my hands,” Carl said. “If he gets a little too confident and sticks his head out there a little too far, I think I can put him to sleep.” 

Should Carl seize victory at WSOF 9 and emerge unscathed, a fight with Jon Fitch looms in July. 

This is a fight that Carl has already thought about, and it’s one that he eagerly anticipates. 

“I have to go through Palhares to get it, but I think I match up really well with Fitch,” Carl said. “I think it’d be not only a good win, but it’d be a hard-fought fight. It’d be action-packed, and everyone would love watching it.” 

For now, a limb-snatching, Hulk of a man who goes by “Toquinho” stands in Carl’s path. It’s not a fight that the WSOF champion awaits with the same giddiness that he feels for a showdown with Fitch, but it’s part of his job. 

And to him, that’s all that matters. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com