YACHI TAKES BELT, KADESTAM RETAINS TITLE

By Robert Balajadia

Swedish fighter Zebaztian Kadestam retained his welterweight title belt and Japan’s Yusuke Yachi snatched the featherweight belt from Jang Yong Kim in the PXC 47 main event fights.

The fight between USA’s Cortney Casey and UK’s Helen Harper ended in bazaar fashion, and local favorite Frank “The Crank” Camacho dominated the fight early, but Japan’s Yusuke Kasuya slipped in a sneaky choke late in the round to force Camacho to submit.

The only two fights that went to the judges ended in split decision. Check out all the action from Friday night at the UOG Calvo Field House below!

Tyrone Jones (Guam) def. Peter Cepeda (CNMI) via TKO 1st round.

Round 1: Jones opens with a strong leg kick. Cepeda responds with a takedown. Jones fights back to his feet with Cepeda still holding on to the back of Jones. Cepeda latching on to Jones back as Jones is pressed against the cage. Cepeda looking for an opening with elbows. Jones turns Cepda around, lifts him up and slams him hard to the canvas. In a crucifix, Jones wales away on Cepeda ending the fight.

Tyrone Jones gets a highlight-reel finish on Peter Cepeda. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Vince Masga (CNMI) def. Scotty Eclavea (Guam) via 3rd Round Submission (Rear-naked choke)

Round 1: Fighters exchange punches as Eclavea attempts a takedown. Enclave holding on the to the neck of Masga, but Masga transitions on top and opens up with elbows. Eclavea fights to his feet, but is in the clinch of Masga. Eclavea holding on to the leg of Masga, who his no pressed against the cage. Scotty taking knees from Masga against the cage. Scotty take knees to the body while still holding on to the body of Masga. Fighters still against the, separate briefly and give off a short exchange. Masga drops Scotty with a knee, Scotty still holding on the leg. Masga opens up Scotty with a flurry, Scotty bleeding from the nose. Masga now pressing Scotty against the cage and picking away with shots. Masga getting the better of the striking exchange. Masga wrestles Eclavea to the ground ending the round.

Round 2: Masga looking for the highlight reel finish, Scotty avoids much damage and grabs on the leg of Masga. Scotty pressing Masga against the cage, and Masga response with elbows. Scotty tries a knee but its the groin of Masga for a brief stoppage. Masga gets a clean combination before pressing Eclavea against the cage. Scotty takes knees from the clinch as both fighters wrestle to the ground. Masga owning top position in side control. Masga peppering away with shots as Scotty defends. Masga lands knees from the clinch, Scotty still fighting and defending well. Round ends with a brief exchange in standup.

Round 3: Both fighters working the standup game with Masga getting more shots. Scotty eats a left from Masga and tries to counter. Masga encouraging the standup game, lands more shots that leads to more knees form the clinch. Masga gets a takedown, fighters get back their feet with Scotty pressed against the cage. Scotty bloody from the nose and mouth. Scotty presses Masga against the cage, Masga transitions to a rear naked choke, forcing Scotty to tap.

Vince Masga bloodies and submits Scotty Eclavea late in the 3rd round. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Yusuke Kasuya (Japan) def. Frank Camacho (CNMI) via 1st round submission

Round 1: Fighters come for an exchange. Kas lands a strong kick to the body and Frank responds with dirty boxing getting the crowd excited. Frank lands a strong left to drop Kas. Frank now holding top position against the cage. Kas trying to takedown Frank, but is eating elbows from the top. Kas lands a takedown on Frank and takes his back. Frank walks to the cage carrying Kas. Kas sinks in the choke from the top as both fighters fall to the ground. Kas locks in the rear-naked finish.

Frank Camacho had the early start, but the strong finish by Yusuke Kasuya forced Camacho to submit. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Kwan Ho Kwak (Korea) def. Trevin Jones (Guam) via split decision

Round 1: Jones opens with a leg kick, fighters grab hold of each other. Jones lifts and slams Kwak, Kwak recovers and works his way to a standup pressed against the cage. Jones using knees, Kwak separates. Kwan attempts a wild kick and falls. Jones eats a flying knee, but shakes it off and lands a takedown. Jones in full guard, Kwak trying to escape. Jones takes the back of Kwak, Kwak stands up. Jones lands another big slam on Kwak, fighters in full guard. Jones pressing on Kwak on the ground, Kwak trying to respond with strikes from the bottom of full guard. Jones trying to land streaks from the top. Kwan gets back to his feet. Jones presses Kwak against the cage where the round ends.

Round 2: Kwak and Jones exchange kicks and knees, Jones presses Kwak against the cage. Kwan separates and lands an outside leg kick. Kwan continues to kick forcing Jones to back up. Jones not looking to trade with Kwak. Kwan using more kicks to get Jones staggered. Jones responds by pressing Kwak on the cage. Kwan finding more success with leg kicks. Kwan lands a kick that gets the crowd excited. Jones pressing Kwak against the cage. Jones scores a takedown with a sweeping leg. Kwan gets back up quickly and wants to strike. Kwan throwing heavy hands but Jones avoids. Jones pushing Kwak back on cage. Kwan takedown defense proving tough ending round.

Round 3: After sizing each other up, Kwak lands a kick. Kwak gets a left counter and Jones keeps pressing Kwon on the cage. Kwan trying to break free from Jones cage grasp. Kwan lands a spinning heel kick that stumbles Jones, Kwak stumbles trying to chase. Jones recovers and presses Kwak against the cage. Jones looking for a takedown, but Kwak defending well while landing elbows. Kwan landing more elbows trying to break free. Round ends with Kwak pressed on the cage.

Despite spending most of hist time pressed against the cage, Kwon Ho Kwak dominated the stand up game to get the split decision win over Trevin Jones. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Cortney Casey (USA) def. vs Helen Harper (UK) via 1st round referee stoppage

Round 1: Harper looking for short jabs, Casey responds with a combination. Casey presses Harper against the cage as Harper holds on in the clinch. Harper closing the distance, pressing Casey on the cage. Casey knocks down Harper with a clean strike. Casey takes the back of Harper, but Harper recovers and presses Casey against the cage. Casey lands an overhead right, ands more shots to score points. Casey goes up top with a leg kick but misses. Casey using her reach advantage to get in shots and escape damage. Casey brings a strong right, but Harper still fighting back. Fight stops in an odd manner as Harper hits the deck, clinching her mid section in a turtle position – Casey refuses to hit a defenseless opponent. Referee Tony D’Angelo stops the fight and calls it off. Fight was initially called off, but then both girls agree to keep going. Fight is officially stopped for “safety of fighters.”

Cortney “Cast Iron” Casey won in a weird stoppage, but walked away a winner none-the-less. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Darren Uyenoyama (USA) def. Kentaro Watanabe (Japan) via split decision

Round 1: Fighters feeling each other out, Darren missing on kicks as Kentaro opens with pinches. Kentaro escape a takedown and lands a shot. Kentaro using the left hand efficiently. Darren lands a leg kick, but Kentaro quick on the counter punches. Kentaro showing life, bouncing around the cage. Kentaro lands a clean body shot that backs up Darren. Kentaro mixing up the strikes, tags Darren. Kentaro escaping the takedown attempts form Darren. Kentaro landing more clean body shots and gets Darren on the head going upstairs. Kentaro blocking last second head kicks from Darren to end the round.

Round 2: Darren not connecting on head kick attempts. Kentaro now countering on Darren’s head kick attempts. Kentaro escapes another takedown. Kentaro pressing action looking to exchange in stand up. Darren beginning to bleed from left nostril. Darren trying to mix up striking game. Darren lands a body kick but eats counter punches shortly after. Kentaro lands a clean right hook, Darren shakes it off. Darren scoring on a leg kick, but Kentaro showing reserve. Kentaro trying to sink in the rear naked choke before the round ends, but Darren survives.

Round 3: Darren lands a head kick, but Kentaro shrugs it off. Darren lands a body kick, but Kentaro still pressing. Kentaro lands a superman punch. Both fighters looking for an advantage in the standup. Both fighters throwing but not connecting. Kentaro gets points on a body shot. Kentaro swarming in, Darren grabs hold and tries a takedown attempt. Darren scores on a takedown and is in half guard. Kentaro thought about a submission attempt, but Daren sniffs it out. Darren controlling the fight on top, scoring points. Round ends with both fighters exchanging punches from the ground.

A late takedown in round 3 was enough to get Darren Uyenoyama the victory. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Welterweight Title Fight

Zebaztian Kadestam (Sweden) def. Han Seul Kim (Korea) via 2nd round TKO to retain the PXC Welterweight belt

Round 1: Kim lands an early leg kick, Zeb dodges other kicks and shots from Kim. Kim lands a big body kick. Kim dodges Zeb kick. Zeb lands a right hook. Zeb lands a counter left, Kim recovers. Kim creates contact on a short flurry. Kim pressing the fight, throws a strong leg kick. Zeb blocking combinations. Zeb lands a head kick and dodges shots from Kim. Zeb throwing combos off kicks. Zeb swings wildly, misses Kim. Fighters taunt each other briefly. Zeb lands an overhead. Kim working on uppercuts nicely, Zeb avoiding damage. Zeb lands a solid inside leg kick. Zeb attempts a spinning heel kick as Kim throws an overhead to end the round.

Round 2: Zeb dodges Kim combination. Kim eats a right hand. Kim lands an uppercut that sparks a brawl. Zeb lands a flurry of shots that drops Kim repeatedly. Kim somehow surviving the flurry. Zeb looking to finish the fight, swings and lands more shots on Kim. Zeb looking to the referee for a stoppage, ref D”Angelo yelling to finish the fight. Kim stands showing heart, but is woozy in his steps, Zeb picks Kim apart to force the referee stoppage.

Zebaztian Kadestam showed precision striking in the 2nd round to defeat the tough Han Seul Kim by TKO. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)

Featherweight Title Fight

Yusuke Yachi (Japan) def. Jang Yong Kim (Korea)via 3rd round TKO to obtain PXC featherweight belt.

Round 1: Fighters lock up against the cage after a feeling out process. Kim takes Yachi downed gains full guard. Kim working around from half guard to full guard. Fighters back to standing and are separating. Yachi attempts a kick, but Kim checks it and scores a takedown. Yachi pressing Kim against the cage. Kim trying to score on takedowns. Yachi trying to counter as both fighters get back to their feet. Kim grazes Yachi with an overhead. Kim presses Yachi against the cage and lands some knees. Yachi lands a spinning elbow to the thigh of Kim, Kim reacts and presses Yachi back on cage. Round ends with both fighters using knees.

Round 2: Yachi lands a straight left that backs Kim up. Yachi using his reach to score on has. Kim attempts a hook but Yachi dodges. Yachi lands a body kick and fluent combinations to stumble Kim. Yachi finding success in the straight rights and jabs. Kim not defending his face, absorbing shots from Yachi. Kim taking more punishment in the standup game. Kim grabs a hold of Yachi’s arm and brings him down for a near armbar. Yachi escapes by rolling into the hold and breaks free. Fighters get back to standing up with Kim pressing Yachi against the cage. Yachi getting the better of Kim in the exchange. Kim lands an uppercut to the body. Yachi lands another straight to end the round.

Round 3: Yachi blocks a shot and responds with a head kick to back up Kim. Yachi looking to stand and trade. Yachi lands a left hook. Kim shakes it off. Yachi hits Kim with a vicious hook that sends Kim stumbling,Kim fighting for his life as Yachi picks him apart. Kim swinging wildly and gets a few shots in, but Yachi lands more hits as Kim is no longer defending ending the fight via referee stoppage.

Japan’s Yusuke Yachi owned the standup game and took the featherweight belt away from Jang Yong Kim via 3rd round TKO. (photo by Richard Camacho IV)