LFA 80 Full Coverage

LFA kicked off it’s 2020 calendar with a it’s second appearance in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Headlining the card was Steve Garcia Jr., returning from Dana White’s Contender Series to face Jose Mariscal. Live from Friday, let’s look at LFA 80.

Quick Results:

Bout 1: Sean Cerveny def. Edwin Cooper Jr. via Submission, Armbar (RD 1, 4:25)

Bout 2: Tyler Ray def. Josh Streacker via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 3:01)

Bout 3: Jordan Wright def. Gabriel Checco via Gabriel Checco via TKO, Punches (RD 2, 0:48)

Bout 4: Luis Gavinho def. Josh Marsh via Decision, Split

Bout 5: Carrington Banks def. Chris Brown via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 6: Jerome Rivera def. Kendrick Latchman via Submission, Triangle Choke (RD 2, 4:12)

Bout 7: Steve Garcia Jr. def. Jose Mariscal via TKO, Elbows (RD 2, 2:27)

Full Coverage:

Bout 1: Sean Cerveny (4-0) vs. Edwin Cooper Jr. (2-0) (Featherweight)

The evening started with two undefeated featherweights Sean Cerveny and Edwin Cooper Jr. facing off. Cooper was a fighter coming out of Jackson Wink MMA. Cooper dropped Cerveny with a head kick early on. He tried on the ground with ground and pound. Cerveny almost had an armbar, but Cooper escaped and continued with the punches. Cerveny then tried for an ankle lock, but Cooper escaped that as well. Cerveny got a cut on his head. In side control, Cooper threw more punches and elbows. The striking on the ground continued for minutes, although Cerveny kept moving in bottom position. Cerveny tried for another armbar, with the fight ending as the referee saying Cooper Jr. tapped out. Cooper disputed this, but the referee made his decision. The ruling could not be overturned, giving Sean Cerveny the win, extending his undefeated streak. Cooper Jr. refused to stand beside the referee for the official ruling. Cerveny said after the fight that he felt a tap.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cerveny
Cooper Jr.

Bout 2: Tyler Ray (5-1) vs. Josh Streacker (6-5) (Welterweight)

After that controversy ended, the show continued with more fights. The next fight was a welterweight battle between Tyler Ray and Josh Streacker. Ray got a double leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. He got on Streacker’s back quite seamlessly. He tried for a rear naked choke, but never fully got it in. Ray landed some knees to the body when he went into side control. Despite being very active on the ground, the referee became impatient, standing up the fighters.

Ray threw some good leg kicks at the start of the second round. They both landed some good one or two punches. Ray got a takedown in the third round, getting on Streacker’s back and trying again for the rear naked choke. He locked it in, which made Streacker tap in quick time. Showcasing his ground game skills Tyler Ray put on a one-sided performance.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ray	10
Streacker	9

Bout 3: Gabriel Checco (11-4) vs. Jordan Wright (9-0) (Middleweight)

Undefeated Jordan Wright put his record on the line in the next fight, fighting the more experienced middleweight Gabriel Checco. Wright dropped Checco flat on his back in the first minute of the fight. Wright didn’t go to the ground, allowing Checco to stand back up. He got hurt in the second minute with a right hook. Checco got the fight to the ground, having a hold of one of Wright’s legs for a second. They stayed on the ground with Wright in top position. A pause came in the final minute of the first round as Checco was hit in the groin. Checco shot for a single leg takedown in the final moments of the round. Wright got top position as the round concluded.

Wright was coming forward with hard strikes early on. Wright landed a knee to the head which dropped Checco. He continued with ground and pound until the referee stopped the fight. Advancing to double digits of undefeated wins, Jordan Wright showed his undeniable striking skill. Wright showed remorse after his win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Checco	9
Wright	10

Bout 4: Josh Marsh (5-2) vs. Luis Gavinho (9-4) (Featherweight)

Moving back to the featherweight division, Josh Marsh and Luis Gavinho fought next. In the second minute, they exchanged punches, with Marsh putting in a standing clinch against the cage. They escaped that position shortly after. Marsh was landing the better punches in the first round.

Marsh had Gavinho backing up for the first few minutes of the round with punches. Gavinho had his own charge, coming forward and connecting with punches. The momentum seemingly took turns in this fight. Marsh threw a flying knee in the final minute of the round. He got a takedown as the round ended.

Marsh shot in for a takedown at the start of the final round. He might have gotten hit with a spinning back elbow in the process. Gavinho was pretty quick to get back up. Marsh slung together a great combination in the second minute, going to the body and the head. He was on the attack for almost all of the round. He got another takedown with over a minute to go. Just like the takedowns before, it didn’t keep Gavinho down for long. Marsh got another one in the final minute. They stayed on the ground until the final second of the fight where they both got back up. Consulting the scorecards we had a split decision, with Luis Gavinho getting the win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). He left through the crowd after his win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Marsh	10	10	10	30
Gavinho	9	9	9	27

Bout 5: Carrington Banks (8-2) vs. Chris Brown (5-1) (Lightweight)

Before the next fight, Jon Jones did an interview on the broadcast. In the next fight, fellow gym-member of Jones, Chris Brown fought Carrington Banks. The crowd was very rowdy for this fight, lots of boos and cheers during the introductions. Banks shot for a takedown right off the bat, although Brown stopped it. He kept trying for the takedown until the referee separated them. Upon second attempt, Banks did get a takedown. Brown got back to his feet, but Banks kept ahold of him. Brown was able to sneak into top position on the ground, but Banks reversed it. Brown got back up, but Banks latched back onto him. Very dominant round for Banks, he had it where he wanted it.

Banks got another takedown to open the second round. The fight stayed on the ground, with Banks landing strikes periodically. With over a minute left in the round, the referee decided to stand them up. This happened despite lots of movement on the ground. Banks tried for another takedown but couldn’t get it before the round ended.

Banks, of course, tried for a takedown again in the third round. Brown was able to fend off the first two attempts, but didn’t too much else in the process. Brown scored some elbows to the body while in the clinch. The referee split them up after being against the cage for a while. Banks got a takedown with a minute and a half to go. The fight went the all three rounds, with Carrington Banks getting the unanimous decision win (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Banks	10	10
Brown	9	9

Bout 6: Jerome Rivera (8-2) vs. Kendrick Latchman (8-5) (Flyweight)

In the co-main event, flyweights Jerome River and Kendrick Latchman fought. Rivera tried for a takedown early on but didn’t get it. They clinched up for a lot more of the round. Rivera landed some shots in clinch. Rivera got on Latchman’s back near the end of the round.

They went into a clinch at the start of the second round again. Rivera kept trying for a takedown but couldn’t get it. When they finally left clinch, Rivera started to unleash with strikes. Latchman caught a head kick into a takedown. From bottom position, Rivera tried for a triangle choke. He turned it into a mounted triangle choke, throwing strikes while in the position. When he stopped throwing strikes and really put it on, Latchman tapped out. Showing his skill in striking and ground game, Jerome Rivera added another W to his record.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rivera	10
Latchman	9

Bout 7: Jose Mariscal (10-4) vs. Steve Garcia Jr. (10-3) (Featherweight)

 

Finally, the main event of the evening saw Steve Garcia Jr. make his return to regional MMA after last fighting on Dana White’s Contender Series. He fought Jose Mariscal. Mariscal got dropped in the opening seconds of the fight. He was rocked, seemingly falling a second time as well. In possible damage control, Mariscal clinched up against the cage. Garcia landed a spinning back kick. Mariscal tried for a leg lock but couldn’t get it, putting Garcia on his back in the process. When they got back up, Mariscal was backing up but did land his own shots as well. With that being said, it was clear he was taking more damage. After clinching for a while, Mariscal did a great judo throw to get Garcia to the ground. After the first round ended, it felt like a whole lifetime between the start of the fight.

Garcia had some good punches early in the second round. Mariscal missed a spinning back fist. Mariscal wasn’t slowing his pace, but you could see he was taking damage. Garcia got hit hard by a spinning back fist. Garcia swept Mariscal with a leg kick. On the way down, it looked almost like Garcia’s knee hit is head? He did some ground and pound on the ground. Mariscal got up and was hit with a knee and two strikes. Mariscal threw a punch, and then the referee stepped in, giving Garcia Jr. the win. As you’d expect, Mariscal protested the stoppage. Proving himself to be prospect, Steve Garcia Jr. won after a chaotic fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mariscal	9
Garcia Jr.	10

LFA returns on the 31st with LFA 81, from Costa Mesa, California, USA. Headlining the card will be Jamall Emmers and Rafael Barbosa.