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ROC 68 results – Buenafuente vs. De Jesus for featherweight title
Former Ring of Combat champion Frankie Buenafuente will look to wear gold once again as he meets John de Jesus in the main event of ROC 68 on UFC Fight Pass.
The 145-pound belt was recently vacated when champion Bill Algeo got the call to compete on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
Former UFC welterweight George Sullivan was lucky the promotion was able to find a replacement for him on short notice as Dustin Long was removed from the card and replaced by Thomas Powell.
Hard-hitting Art of War star and Balance Studios prospect Joseph Pyfer meets battle-tested Elijah Gbollie.
ROC 68 results below:
Frankie Buenafuente vs. John de Jesus – for featherweight title
Round 1
Nice exchange as both guys score but Buenafuente holds on to the single leg and gets the takedown. Buenafuente has him against the cage and is landing ground strikes. Buenafuente to the back and back to the guard while landing heavy hands. It’s a mauling thus far. DeJesus trying to stand back up. Dominant round for the former champ, Buenafuente
Round 2
DeJesus looking to land head kicks. Buenafuente does a nice job blocking 2 of them. Buenafuente circling. Nice leg kick from DeJesus. To the clench. Now they break. Another nice leg kick from DeJesus. Pace has slowed. Big right cross right before the end of the round from Buenafuente
Round 3
Nice left and right from Buenafuente followed up by a double leg takedown and now ground and pound. DeJesus trying to get back up. Buenafuente lands a knee and is looking to take the back. Buenafuente will not let go. Takes him back down. Buenafuente posturing up to score. The Praying Mantis dominating the final round. To the judges scorecards.
Frankie Buenafuente recaptures the ROC featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory 29-28 on all cards
George Sullivan vs. Thomas Powell 185 lbs
Round 1
Powell, the southpaw is the aggressor early. Now to the clinch. Sullivan landing some tight knees. Powell still has him against the cage. Lots of clenching and dirty boxing as the first round ends
Round 2
Sullivan comes out and gets the takedown. Sullivan looking to pass as he lands ground strikes. Still in half guard. Nice escape from Powell. Low blow from Sullivan delays the action. Nice body kick from Sullivan, but Powell lands a nice left from behind as round 2 ends
Round 3
Powell comes out throwing combinations. Gets Sullivan against the cage and secures a takedown. Powell controlling the position. Ref stands them up. Powell with Sullivan against cage once again. Sullivan defending with some knees. Nice elbow from Powell. Going to the judges.
29-28 on all 3 judges scorecards for George Sullivan
A very questionable decision. I thought Powell won the fight
Joseph “Bodybagz” Pyfer vs. Elijah Gbollie, Jr. 185 lbs
Round 1
Pyfer hunting. Huge pickup and slam. To the back for Pyfer. Looking for the RNC. Gbollie doing a good jo defensively. A blow to the back of the head makes the referee stand them up and give Pyfer a warning. Nice powerful trip and takedown for Bodybagz Pyfer. Round ends with Pyfer on top
Round 2
Pyfer the aggressor. Throwing back kick and hands chasing. Lands a vicious standing front elbow. and another cross elbow to finish. Extremely nasty finish. Pyfer is a beast
Joe “Bodybagz” Pyfer via TKO at 1:36 of round 2
Hanging in there but how much more can a person take?#ROC68 pic.twitter.com/mCgEhl1FAM
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) June 1, 2019
Jaime Drago vs. Lirim Rufati 170 lbs
Two huge ticket sellers who fought each other as amateurs. Should be a great fight
Round 1
Rufati goes for the clinch. Has Drago against the cage. Drago separates and lands a couple punches. Back against the cage and Rufati is grinding. As Drago tries to stand, Lenny “the Gorilla” Rufati lands a huge left hook in a highlight reel KO.
Lenny “the Gorilla” Rufati via TKO at 3:12 of round 1
Watch below:
Sometimes the half-court shot goes in.#ROC68 pic.twitter.com/9v5c1mqPHQ
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) June 1, 2019
Mike Gonzalez vs. Kanat Tassybay 135 lbs
Round 1
Tassybay wastes no time and misses with a spinning back kick but follows it up with a left and right combination that rocks Gonzalez and knocks him out.
Kanat Tassy bay via KO at :09 of round 1
Jerome “the Mechanic” Mickle vs. Nick Rodrigues 155 lbs
Round 1
Early clench and Rodrigues scores the takedown. Rodrigues does a nice job posturing up to land. Round ends on the feet very quietly
Round 2
Rodrigues lands a big right and then into a takedown. Mickle escapes. Fight back to the feet. Some exchanges from both. Mickle misses on a spinning backfist.
Round 3
Rodrigues catches a kick and scores a takedown. Mickle trying to defend as Rodrigues looks to posture up and land. To the mount for Rodrigues. Landing body shots. Mickle is doing a nice job protecting. Back to the feet. Another takedown from Nick. Ends the round throwing punches.
30-27 unanimous decision for Nick Rodrigues
Edwin Smart vs. Terrance Jean-Jacques HWT
Round 1
Smart comes out throwing. TJJ grabs a leg. Smart defends but TJJ finishes the takedown. Smart back to feet but TJJ still has a single leg. Smart looking for the kimura. Back to the feet, but TJJ quickly clenches. End of round
Round 2
TJJ immediately to the clench and gets the takedown. TJJ landing body shots. Slow pace to this fight. Ref finally stands them up. TJJ right back to the clench looking for the takedown. Ends the round on top as Smart once again looking for a kimura
Round 3
TJJ does not want to stand and trade. Immediately to the clench. Referee separates them. Smart lands 2 leg kicks then back to the clench for TJJ. Referee once again with the separation and Smart lands a few rights as the bell ends the fight
29-28 28-29 29-28 split decision victory for Ed Smart
I thought they gave the win to the wrong fighter. A boring fight, but TJJ dominated position for a majority of the fight
Matt Caracappa vs. Snipes George 145 lbs
Pro debut for both fighters.. Matt’s brother, Phil, is the reigning ROC bantamweight champion
Round 1
Matt comes out immediately looking for the takedown but George takes him down. Caracappa doing a good job defending. Looking for a triangle. George out and in mount. Back to feet. Nice escape from Matt. George takes him down as the bell rings
Round 2
Caracappa comes out and clenches and secures the takedown. Landing ground and pound. More ground strikes and now side control. George is out and up. What a grind this fight is thus far. Clenched against the cage. Referee Gasper Oliver seperates them. George lands a big right and a takedown to the back as the round ends.
Round 3
Big slam and takedown from Caracappa as the round begins. Reverse from George. Not much scoring from the top for George as Caracappa is holding tight. George finally scores some ground and pound. Caracappa back to feet. Caracappa with a few big scoring punches. Back to the clinch. Guillotine attempt as the fight ends. Very good match-up. Both guys left it all in the cage. Great battle..to the scorecards
30-27 28-29 29-28 Split decision victory for Anthony “Snipes” George
Cody Zappone vs. Charlie “the Cannibal” Campbell 145 lbs
Round 1
Both guys come out aggressive. Campbell scores on the double leg takedown. Place is sooo loud. @ huge ticket sellers. Ground and pound scoring from the Cannibal. Campbell in the mount and now has the back. Zappone is tough as shit. He gets it standing and secures his own double leg. Campbell back to feet. Non-stop action. What a round
Round 2
Campbell has him against the cage and lands 2 knees and then a takedown. More ground strikes. Back to feet. Campbell with a body kick on the exit. Zappone with a takedown. Landing some punches to the body. Pace has slowed some. Campbell gets it back to the feet as the bell rings.
Round 3
Early clench and Zappone with the takedown. reversal for the Cannibal. Back to a stand-up fight. Zappone clenching looking for the takedown. Good defense from Campbell. Zappone does finish the takedown. What a great fight. Tough to judge.
29-28 28-29 29-27 Charlie “the Cannibal” Campbell via split decision
Nazim Sadykhov vs. William Dill 150 lbs
After landing with a few right hooks, Dill was on the receiving end of a left hook and went down. The referee stopped the fight very quickly. :57 seconds of round 1 and Sadykhov gets the KO victory
Sadykhov via TKO :57 round 1
Taniesha Tennant vs Despina (Dianna) Karavas 136-140 lbs
This is a rematch from when both ladies were amateurs. Tennant came away with the decision victory in that fight. Tonight we shall see if there are different results.
The round was all trading in the stand-up. Both women scoring until Tennant landed a brutal kick to the ribs to end the fight by TKO at 2:17 of round 1
Tennant via TKO 2:17 round 1
Zac Krulikowski vs. Victor Azeredo 135 lbs
Azeredo comes out throwing kicks. Kulikowski looks for a takedown, but Azeredo anticipates and gets the takedown himself. Azeredo looking for a north south choke, then transitions to a tight guillotine to finish the fight via technical submission as referee Keith Peterson stops it at 1:47 of round 1
Azeredo via sub 1:47 round 1
