HFC Best of the Best IV Results!

 

 

HFC Best of the Best IV Quick Results:

HFC Bantamweight Championship: DJ Fuentes (11-9) defeats Ray Rodriguez (5-4) via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).
HFC Middleweight Championship: Hayward Charles (11-5) defeats Brandon Farran (12-9) via submission (arm-triangle) at 1:05 of the first round.
HFC Featherweight Championship: Rey Trujillo (18-13) defeats Jamall Emmers (7-2) via submission (triangle choke) at 1:28 in the second round.
Alex Hernandez (5-1) defeats Jacob Capelli (2-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Gilbert Urbina (3-0) defeats Roldan Abundis (3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Travis Cox (2-1) defeats Clark Adams (3-1) via TKO (ground and pound) at 2:19 of the second round.
Guillermo Gonzalez (2-0) defeats Julio Cantu (0-1) via TKO (ground and pound strikes) at 2:02 in the second round.
Cesar Del Angel (2-1) defeats Michael Saucedo (1-1) via TKO (punches) at 2:30 of the second round.
Daniel Duran (1-1) defeats Juan Piña (0-2) via submission (triangle choke) at 1:38 of round one.

TGS Awards:

TGS Fight of the Night: Charles defeating Farran for the championship.

TGS KO of the Night: Gonzalez’s ground and pound from the mount on Cantu.

TGS Submission of the Night: Trujillo’s triangle choke submission victory for the championship.

Play-by-play:

The main event of the evening involved the HFC bantamweight champion and star DJ Fuentes defending his crown against Ray Rodriguez. The opening frame begins with Fuentes trying some jabs to the body and a legkick. A headkick by Rodriguez is blocked. The same thing repeats but the other way around, with Fuentes attempting a headkick. A legkick by Fuentes does connect, however. Rodriguez responds with a kick of his own and a quick takedown. Fuentes is defending well on the bottom. Both are trying to land elbows on one another. Rodriguez trying to hit a few shots to the body. Fuentes tries to get a guillotine choke in a few times but can’t do it. A few strikes from Rodriguez, as he continues. Fuentes does the same, but neither fighter is getting much on those ground strikes. Fuentes manages to get on top after going after a guillotine choke. Fuentes in half-guard, landing a few strikes as the round ends.

The second round starts by a legkick by Rodriguez, and a straight right from Fuentes. Rodriguez shoots in and takes Fuentes down again. Fuentes turns over, and Rodriguez tries to take his back, but ends up in half-guard. From there, it looks like Rodriguez wants to set up the D’Arce choke. He does, but Fuentes rolls over to escape and get back on his feet. Fuentes hits a nice right hand, and jab on Rodriguez. Fuentes lands a variety of strikes, including a jab and legkick. Rodriguez shoots in after landing a combo of his own, to get a takedown. Rodriguez is trying to set up a choke while on top, but lets go after a while. Fuentes is landing a few strikes from the bottom. A scramble develops, Rodriguez tries another choke, but Fuentes slams him down hard. Fuentes gets side control, and lands some good punches from there. Rodriguez puts Fuentes back in his guard. Fuentes is landing some good strikes, while Rodriguez attempts a guillotine choke from off his back, but isn’t close at all. The round ends with Fuentes on top.

Rodriguez starts the third frame with a pair of good punches. Fuentes connects with a spinning kick on Rodriguez’s body. Fuentes hits a legkick, but Rodriguez counters upstairs with some punches. Rodriguez shoots but doesn’t get a takedown. Fuentes gets a front-headlock, considers a choke, but then goes for some double underhooks. He uses that to slam Rodriguez down hard. Instantly secures side control from that slam. Rodriguez puts him back inside his guard. Both working a few short strikes. Rodriguez still going after the guillotine choke but can’t come close. Some nice elbows and strikes from Fuentes. Rodriguez tries the choke again but the hold slips off. Fuentes lands a good, hard elbow and some additional ground and pound strikes. Fuentes is controlling him on the mat, in half-guard now. They both get back up, as the time ticks away and round ends.

A superman punch from Fuentes misses to open the fourth round. A good straight right from Fuentes connects, as does a legkick. Fuentes is landing with his punches. Rodriguez comes back with a left. After an exchange of punches, Rodriguez ends up holding Fuentes in a front headlock position. Fuentes just shakes him away. Rodriguez his a pair of punches and a hard legkick. Fuentes comes back with a legkick of his own. Rodriguez shoots but Fuentes ends up on top of him. Fuentes is in half-guard, and Rodriguez tries to sweep him but can’t. In a scramble, Fuentes gets up, while Rodriguez is still down. Fuentes drops forward with a diving punch, and some hard punches as the round ends.

The final frame begins with Rodriguez rushing in to try to take Fuentes down. So aggressive but Fuentes winds up on top in half-guard. The referee stands them up after a while due to inactivity. Rodriguez tries to land some punches, and ends up on top of Fuentes on the ground. He goes back to the guillotine choke, but a scramble ensues. Fuentes is trying to land strikes from an awkward position but Rodriguez is trying to reposition him on the mat. Rodriguez is now on top, and Fuentes is throwing short punches from the bottom. Fuentes manages to reverse the position, and ends up on top, in Rodriguez’s guard. He immediately lands a good elbow on Rodriguez. Fuentes starts punching away, and sneaks in an elbow at the end. Rodriguez tries some small strikes from the bottom but they have little to no effect. Fuentes moves from being in Rodriguez’s guard to half-guard. Some more small strikes from Fuentes before the referee stands them up. They go back down, and Fuentes gets up, and kicks at Rodriguez’s legs. Fuentes dives in again, fist first on Rodriguez’s face, and some ground and pound as the fight closes. Fuentes wins the fight via judges decision, with the three judges scoring it 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46.

Fireworks flew in the HFC middleweight championship involving promotion kingpin Brandon Farran and challenger Hayward Charles. As soon as the fight started, Farran rushed in, threw a kick, and blitzed Charles. Charles goes down hard. He gets up, and Farran is blitzing him against with wild strikes. The pace is incredible. A big left seems to stun Charles. Then out of nowhere, Charles counters Farran with a huge right hand that sends him crashing to the mat, violently. Charles gets on top, secures mount, and locks in the arm-triangle for the submission victory at 1:05 of the first round.

Jamall Emmers hoped to regain the title he was stripped of. To do that, he would have to defeat Rey Trujillo in a HFC featherweight championship bout. The fight started with a bodykick by Emmers. Trujillo lands a punch, side kick, but when he tries a headkick, Emmers gets in his double underhooks. Emmers lands a body knee that the referee ruled low. After a brief stop, the two exchange solid punches, but Emmers gets the better of it with a big right and some hard knees to the body. He gets in a double leg takedown as well. Then Emmers knees Trujillo, who is down. The referee signals to the judges, taking away one point from Emmers. After that pause in action, Emmers hits a bodykick. Trujillo sneaks in a left, and takes him down. Emmers gets back up, and both clinch up. Emmers lands some knees to Trujillo’s thigh. Trujillo does a trip to get the takedown and side control. Emmers rolls over and gets back on his feet. Trujillo is aggressive, getting behind Emmers to attempt to take his back. Trujillo lands some punches from behind, throwing them through the underneath of Emmers arm. Emmers ends up being poked in the eye, causing another delay. After the restart, Trujillo lands some good punches. Emmers connects with a good knee, but then gets taken down by Trujillo. Trujillo tries to take Emmers back, but Emmers gets back up. Trujillo drags him down. Emmers briefly considered a kimura, but then switched it up, and is trying to reverse, to put Trujillo on his back. But Trujillo is still on top, and stands up. Trujillo goes after him with a hard, diving punch that seems to have hurt Emmers. Emmers rolls over, and Trujillo is landing great punches from behind, Henderson-Emelianenko style. Emmers manages to get up as the round ends.

The second stanza begins with Trujillo trying out his jab. Emmers responds to a Trujillo legkick with a counter punch. A nice body shot from Emmers, and a knee to the body follows. Emmers starts opening up with his strikes. Trujillo attempts to stop Emmers flow with a big jab and straight right. Trujillo tries to take Emmers down, and both end up clinched against the cage. Emmers gets a big takedown slam from a great high angle. He’s in Trujillo’s half-guard, but Trujillo gets him back inside his guard. From there, Trujillo throws up his legs, and secures the triangle choke off his back. Emmers taps out at 1:28 of the second round.

Before the title fights began, Alex Hernandez took on Jacob Capelli. The fight began with Capelli trying to take him down. He couldn’t so he tries to overwhelm him with strikes, mostly punches. They clinch, and Hernandez seems like he landed a good punch. Both fighters are jockeying for position. Hernandez gets in deep against the cage, and takes him down. Hernandez lands a few good punches but Capelli gets back up. Hernandez connects with a headkick. A combination by Hernandez ends with a legkick. Capelli shoots in but Hernandez catches him with some good strikes that landed hard. Hernandez is following through, landing legkicks, multiple knees to the head, elbows and an uppercut. Hernandez is dominating right now with his strikes.

In the second round, Hernandez opens up with a legkick and straight right. A few jabs by Hernandez, then Capelli responds with a combo. Capelli lands some good punches, and takes Hernandez down. Some light ground and pound, and briefly tries the guillotine choke, but then both get back up. They are clinching against the fence, and Hernandez lands some good elbows, then takes him down. Hernandez lands some solid elbows from inside of Capelli’s guard. Capelli trying to land elbows off his back. Capelli tries an armbar but doesn’t come close to securing it. Hernandez passes to side control as the round ends.

Hernandez continues with his striking, starting with a nice right that lands, and a legkick. A hard right by Hernandez sends Capelli down. Hernandez is in Capelli’s guard, working slowly and landing a few punches. He moves to half-guard, and lands a nice elbow to Capelli’s body. Referee stands them up due to lack of action. A couple of punches land good for Hernandez. A bodykick by Hernandez is answered back by a headkick and bodykick from Capelli. Hernandez catches him with the same hard right hand again. They move in close, and clinch up against the cage. Hernandez lands a solid knee and punch to end the fight. Hernandez is awarded the unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 30-27.

In a big fight between two undefeated fighters, Gilbert Urbina took on Roldan Abundis in a battle of Weslaco vs Brownsville. Urbina started stalking him, trying to work in his jab. Abundis caught him coming in with a good counter punch that stumbled Urbina a bit. Urbina tried to clinch. Abundis hits a legkick, but Urbina responds with a headkick and knee. During an exchange, Abundis lands a good punch or two. Urbina lands a few good jabs. Abundis tries to clinch, but Urbina presses him against the cage and slams him down hard. Urbina is trying to take his back, and starts punching from behind. Urbina attempts a rear-naked choke but Abundis defends well. Urbina transitions to side control as the round ends.

Round two opens with Abundis landing a legkick and a huge left hand that knocks down Urbina. In a scramble, Abundis takes Urbina’s back. Urbina manages to slip out and get on top. Urbina briefly considers taking his back, but then picks him up and takes him down again. Urbina going after Abundis back again. The Brownsville fighter reverses and gets on top briefly, before they both get back up to their feet. Abundis lands a couple of punches, but Urbina lands a better one, and then takes him down. Urbina takes his back, then gets the mount and starts pounding away. Urbina transitions back and forth from that, to trying to take Abundis back. While doing this, he is landing some short shots on Abundis. Round ends while Urbina was attempting to transition from back mount to something else, possibly a submission attempt.

Urbina opens round three with a jab. Abundis counters him with some good punches. He tries a big overhand right that doesn’t connect. He follows that up with a right that does connect on Urbina. The Weslaco wrestler decides to take him down, and quickly takes his back. He starts transitioning from half-guard, full guard, and to the back again. Urbina is sneaking in punches while on the ground, as he controls Abundis. A scramble ensues and Abundis gets on top. Abundis tries a heel hook but it doesn’t work. Abundis tries to take Urbina’s back, but Urbina gets right up. Urbina tries taking him down, but while doing so, Abundis lands some good elbows. Urbina finally takes him down, gets mount, and lands some good ground and pound as the fight closes. All three judges had it 30-27 for Urbina.

Travis Cox squared off against the undefeated Clark Adams. Adams throws a punch and knee to start things of. They briefly clinch, then when separated, Adams lands a good right hand. Cox takes him down, and is in half-guard. He eventually works a few position changes but mainly stays in half-guard. They both get back up, exchange, then clinch. Cox is landing some body shots — punches and knees. He starts pressuring Adams against the cage, but Adams gets out of there. Cox is still pursuing him. A knee from the clinch by Cox, and Adams is now down on the mat. Cox is on top, in half-guard, landing a few strikes as the round closes.

The second round starts with a legkick by Cox. Cox takes Adams down, and is in half-guard again. Adams gets back up, and tries to land a knee. Nice right hand from Cox, then he takes Adams down again. Cox gets side control, and lands some nice, sharp elbows that slice Adams up badly. Cox gets the mount, then takes the back, Hughes-Gracie style, and starts pounding away from that position for the TKO win at 2:19 of the second round.

Guillermo Gonzalez and Julio Cantu stepped into the cage for the third fight of the evening. The fight opens with Cantu going after Gonzalez with some solid combinations. Very aggressive, but Gonzalez responds by slamming Cantu viciously to the mat. He tries to land some strikes, before both get back up. Cantu going after him again with combos, against the cage, then forces himself on top of Gonzalez on the ground. Cantu gets half-guard and works in some ground and pound. Gonzalez gets back up, and lands a good body knee, and Cantu is now on his back. Gonzalez tries to get in some strikes but Cantu gets up. Both look very tired. Cantu tries to take him down but gets tied up, and endures some big strikes. He tries to get away, but Gonzalez hurt him badly with punches. Cantu stumbles to the mat, and Gonzalez is landing punches as the round comes to an end.

Round two starts with Gonzalez performing a headkick. Then he takes him down, gets on top of him. Starts working on some ground and pound. Cantu tries an armbar but it’s not even close. Gonzalez gets up, and asks for Cantu to get back up. Gonzalez goes behind Cantu, and tries to slam him, but he doesn’t have enough energy. It’s target practice, and Gonzalez is landing big punches, and knees on Cantu. A huge, wild punch knocks Cantu down. Gonzalez gets the mount and after a breather, starts to unleash some good ground and pound for the TKO stoppage at 2:02 of the second round.

Cesar Del Angel looked good in his TKO victory against Michael Saucedo. Saucedo starts off the round with several solid kicks. Angel’s plan from the beginning was to pressure him. He catches a good shot on Saucedo early on, and a kick. Angel keeps attacking with punches and kicks. Saucedo gets in a kick, but Angel answers back with a front kick. Angel keeps going with a legkicks and knees. Saucedo returns with some offense of his own, including a good kick, and an attempt of a takedown as the round closes.

In the second round, Saucedo lands a pair of kicks downstairs and upstairs. Saucedo hitting some good strikes, like a punch and another legkick. Angel throws out two legkicks and a knee to the body. They clinch, and Saucedo tries to take him down, but eats a knee. A second knee follows, and Angel considers a guillotine before abandoning it. Angel is trying to overwhelm him with strikes, but then finds himself on his back. He gets back up, and sticks to his volume striking strategy. They end up clinching briefly, before Angel starts pressuring him with more strikes, including a knee to the body, and punches galore. More punches, and finally, Saucedo gets knocked down, against the cage. After a few more strikes, the referee has seen enough, to stop the fight at 2:30 of the second round.

In the opening bout of the evening, Daniel Duran defeated Juan Piña for his first professional win. Duran steps forward and connects with a good straight punch and legkick. Piña throws a kick that is caught, leading him to be slammed down. Duran passes his guard, tries to take Piña’s back, but ends up on his back. From there, he locks in a triangle choke. Piña tries to defend, powerbombs him once, but is forced to tap out at 1:38 of round one.