[autotag]James Gonzalez[/autotag] stepped in on short notice and captured the Cage Fury Fighting Championships featherweight title Saturday night in Bensalem, PA. with one of the nastiest armbars you’ll see all year, but be warned, this one isn’t for the faint of heart.
Gonzalez (6-3) challenged defending champion Pat Sabatini (11-3) in the main event of CFFC 81, which was streamed live on UFC Fight Pass, and finished his man in just 46 seconds with a stomach-churning injury TKO.
The pair clashed in the center of the cage from the opening bell as the action went to the canvas almost immediately. Gonzalez found himself on the bottom but, crucially, grabbed a hold of Sabatini’s right arm. Then, after manoeuvering himself on the mat, the Serra-Longo prospect tightened his hold on Sabatini’s arm and started to torque it backwards, as he contorted the champion’s arm into the sort of unnatural position that had everybody watching – including MMA Junkie’s own John Morgan, who was on play-by-play duties with CM Punk and Jessica Penne – grimacing and gasping in shock at the armbar, which evoked memories of Frank Mir’s infamous finish of Tim Sylvia at UFC 48 back in June 2004.
Remarkably, Sabatini didn’t tap, but Gonzalez knew the fight was over as he shouted to the referee that he had broken the champion’s arm. The referee, who had the best vantage point of all, swiftly moved in, stopped the contest and freed the injured Sabatini, who looked down at his contorted arm seemingly more in disappointment than immediate pain.
Medics quickly entered the cage to assess Sabatini’s injury, which was later diagnosed as a suspected dislocated shoulder and elbow. The full extent of his injuries will be discovered when he receives further evaluation next week, but it’s fair to say he’s going to be out of action for a few weeks, at least.
After the bout – and after Punk had tried to calm down the pro-Sabatini crowd – Gonzalez said he wants to become a two-division CFFC champion, with his sights now set on the promotion’s 135-pound belt. But he also said he’d relish the opportunity to showcase his skills on the next season of Dana White’s Contender Series.
“First, I would like to say I wish that didn’t happen. I wish he could have tapped and saved his arm from breaking like that,” he said. “I respect Pat Sabatini. He’s been on the circuit with me since I started and I always thought I was going to fight him sooner. But we fought him tonight, and this is what happened. But I wish him a speedy recovery.
“I’ve been trying to get fights as much as possible. It’s really hard to find guys who want to fight me, in either weight class, and I guess you guys saw why. But I just want to say I’m happy for the opportunity for CFFC. I’d love to get a shot at that 135-pound belt, too, because I’m not messing around, guys. I do this because I love it. I took this fight on six days’ notice, I had the flu, I still came through and did what I had to do. If I don’t get that 135-pound shot, I wouldn’t mind getting on that Contender Series in the summer. Give me some good fights, I’m here to put on a show.”
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