Trio of changes to Friday’s LFA 71
LFA CEO Ed Soares has announced a pair of major changes to the top of this Fridays LFA 71 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Originally the main event was to see Jason Jackson battling Junior Marques for the vacant LFA Welterweight title. Brazil’s Marques has been pulled from the fight after he was denied entrance to the United States.
The Welterweight title is still going to be on the line as Jason Jackson is now set to face Hemerson “Toco” Souza. Both fighters come in having won their last two fights. Jackson hails from Jamaica and trains out of 365 Hard Knocks in South Florida, under Henri Hooft. Souza is an Andre “Dida” Amado protégé from Colombo, Parana, Brazil, training out of Evolução Thai MMA. Jackson nicknamed “The Ass Kicking Machine” has four of his seven finishes by knockout, while “Toco,” which translates to “Stump” has three of his five finishes by knockout.
Demarques “Scrap Iron” Jackson the teammate of Jason Jackson, is now going to face Hugh “The Wolverine” Pulley in the co-main event. Jackson is 3-1 in his last four fights. “Scrap Iron” has won three of his last four fights, including submitting Booby Lee at LFA 56. Pulley is 2-2 in his last four fights with both wins by TKO.
With Pulley being moved to the co-main event, Tyler Ray needed an opponent and Pedro Paulino will be taking the opportunity to make his promotional debut. Ray is on a three-fight win streak. At LFA 37 “Wolverine” bettered Theron Martin by decision and submitted Sam Garrett at LFA 64. Paulino is an unbeaten Brazilian with five of his seven wins by submission.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
- Main Event | Vacant Welterweight Title Bout (170 lb)
– Jason Jackson (9-3) vs. Hemerson “Toco” Souza (7-4) - Co-Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Demarques Jackson (10-3) vs. Hugh Pulley (7-4) - Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Devante Sewell (7-3) vs. Ary Farias (7-2) - Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
– Tanner Saraceno (7-3) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (5-2) - Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Tyler Ray (4-1) vs. Pedro Paulino (7-0) - Catchweight Bout (160 lb)
– Robert Hale (6-4) vs. Zach Fears (10-4) - Catchweight Bout (160 lb)
– Yemi Oduwole (5-1) vs. Chris Brown (3-1)
