CES 60 results: Matt Bessette regains featherweight title with vicious KO
On Friday night, CES MMA returns to kick off their 2020 fight campaign with CES 60. The event takes place at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI.
In the main event, Matt Bessette and Charles Cheeks III battle it out for the vacant CES featherweight title. Bessette will look to regain the title he vacated after signing with the UFC. After an 0-2 run in the UFC, Bessette returned to the CES cage in March at CES 55, defeating Tim Dooling via unanimous decision. Bessette has won his last eight fights on the New England regional scene, six of which took place for CES.
Cheeks III, a fighter out of Houston, Texas, is coming off of a unanimous decision win at Fury FC 34 in August over Josh Davila. The multiple time LFA veteran has won three out of his last four fights as he makes his first New England appearance in hopes of heading back to Texas with CES gold intact.
Here is how the CES 60 main event went down for the vacant featherweight title between Matt Bessette and Charles Cheeks III, including round-by-round scoring. For full results of the card, check them out right here.
ROUND 1
They tie up quickly and head towards the fence. They exchange positional advantage against the fence before Cheeks III lands a knee to the body. The fight hits the mat and Cheeks takes Bessette’s back momentarily before the former champion gets on top, to side control. Bessette with short punches as he tries to take Cheeks’ back now. Cheeks lands a back elbow before they get back to their feet. Bessette lands a knee, Cheeks separates, and they start swinging. Bessette with a high kick with under two minutes to go. Cheeks with a right hand and a short elbow as they clinch against the cage. Cheeks with a short right hand, Bessette moves out and lands a hard knee to the body. Bessette just misses a hard elbow upon separation from the clinch. Bessette looks to have tripped and falls to his back. Triangle attempt from Bessette as the bell rings. Close round.
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Bessette
ROUND 2
They touch gloves and Bessette tries to throw a flying knee. Cheeks catches it and takes Bessette down. Nice elbow from the bottom by Bessette as he throws a leg up looking for a triangle. Bessette traps Cheeks’ leg and looks to crank it. Both guys land punches from the ground. The positional battle on the ground continues with both guys trying to land big punches. They scramble and get back to their feet. Bessette smothers Cheeks immediately against the fence before being reversed. Approaching the final minute, Cheeks lands a knee to the body and to the thigh before the fight hits the mat for a few seconds. Cheeks has the back of Bessette and looks to suplex him. Bessette showing good balance and reverses the position. They separate and trade punches as the bell sounds. Another close round.
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Cheeks III
ROUND 3
Leg kick from Cheeks and Bessette answers with a left hand. Bessette with a combination as they head back to the cage wall. Cheeks reverses, Bessette is able to separate and land a body kick. Right hand from Bessette and showed good head movement on the Cheeks return. Cheeks shoots for a double and Bessette locks in a guillotine. Cheeks is able to get out of the hold with two minutes gone in the round. Bessette gets back to his feet and eats an elbow from Cheeks. Good shot to the body from Cheeks, right hand behind it. Bessette changes levels and grabs a single leg. They battle against the cage and Bessette lands a shoulder strike. Cheeks comes up short on a right hand, Bessette with a good left hook. Body kick from Bessette, left hand behind it. Both guys are bloodied up. Bessette with a huge right hand and Cheeks is out! Matt Bessette is once again the CES featherweight champion.
Official result: Matt Bessette def. Charles Cheeks III via KO – Round 3, 4:01
