Tag: Evan Cutts

On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make UFC with February wins

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey starts long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves.

Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey begins long before they strap on UFC, Bellator, or PFL gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, few will succeed.

This month, five fighters on the verge of achieving major promotion notoriety – one for the second time – return to the cage for what could be their stepping-stone fight. There are dozens of fighters close to making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.

  • An exciting Australian flyweight was hindered by visa issues when the UFC first showed interest, but when the promotional brass attend his fight Saturday he aims to make his signing undeniable.
  • A featherweight from a small Louisiana town plans to welcome  striking and make his opponent pay on the ground en route to a UFC contract through Fury FC.
  • Day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-year, a seasoned Texas-based welterweight has put in the works – and he thinks he’s on the verge of finally cashing in his street credit for a UFC contract.
  • A Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus from Spain continues his mission to prove his loss on the show was not a representation of his actual abilities.
  • A proud Kazakh looks to continue his country’s momentum with a big win in the Middle East.

CFFC 98 results: Yohan Lainesse wins belt with body shots; Solomon Renfro scores violent TKO

Yohan Lainesse is the new welterweight champion after a body-shot TKO of Evan Cutts at CFFC 98.

[autotag]Yohan Lainesse[/autotag] claimed the CFFC welterweight title from [autotag]Evan Cutts[/autotag] on Saturday with a stoppage that some viewed as questionable.

After a back-and-forth striking fight for seven minutes, Lainesse (7-0) got the TKO of Cutts (12-5) at the 2:17 mark of Round 1 in the CFFC 98 headliner courtesy of a plethora of body shots.

Referee Gasper Oliver stopped the fight before Cutts dropped to the ground or folded due to the body shots, which caused the now ex-champion to protest in the immediate aftermath.

Nevertheless, Lainesse was awarded the belt to take back home to Canada after the main event bout, which took place at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia and streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Lainesse started the fight with an incredibly high striking output coming from both the hands and feet. Cutts stayed out on the outside and picked his counter shots to damage the face of his opponent. Lainesse began to bleed around the left eye late in the round, and it was revealed post-fight that he’d sustained that cut initially in training camp.

It wasn’t a huge worry for Lainesse apparently, though, because in the second round he came out on fire. He hurt Cutts with a big uppercut after minutes of striking exchanges, and put him in major trouble. Cutts retreated toward the cage while covering his head, so Lainesse teed off to the body.

As Lainesse backed up against the cage, the referee decided he’d seen enough and waved it off.

“I feel amazing,” Lainesse said in his post-fight interview with CM Punk. “The first time in my career I was scared in the locker room. I feel a lot of fear, a lot of stress. A lot of things happened in my life in the last two or three months, but I’m always pushing and I pus myself, my body and my mind. I never stop dreaming, I never stop working and believing.

Renfro puts out Lilly in 69 seconds

[autotag]Solomon Renfro[/autotag] (8-1) continued to build on his prospect status with a violent first-round knockout of [autotag]Lee Henry Lilly[/autotag] in their welterweight bout.

A jab started the final sequence, then Renfro quickly finished the job at the 1:39 mark of Round 1.

Check out the finish (via Twitter):

After the win, a jubilant and confident Renfro, 24, sent a message about his aspirations in MMA.

“UFC, what’s up baby? I’m the future of the sport right here,” Renfro said. “The future of combat sports right here, right now. …. UFC be coming soon. We taking over. You already know.”

Complete CFFC 98 results included:

  • Yohan Lainesse def. Evan Cutts via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:17
  • [autotag]Santo Curatolo[/autotag] def. [autotag]Dilshod Zaripov[/autotag] via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:59
  • Solomon Renfro def. Lee Henry Lilly via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:39
  • [autotag]Ryan Rizco[/autotag] def. [autotag]Feraris Golden[/autotag] via verbal submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:47
  • [autotag]Miles Lee[/autotag] def. [autotag]Liam Anderson[/autotag] via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
  • [autotag]Isa Dalipaj[/autotag] def. [autotag]Tyson Craig[/autotag] via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 3:57