Multiple Title bouts highlight Victory Fighting Championship’s #3Shows30Days
Multiple Title bouts highlight Victory Fighting Championship’s #3Shows30Days
Six VFC belts on the line during year-end blitz on UFC FIGHT PASS®
Victory Fighting Championship will round out its 2016 schedule with a firestorm of fights highlighted by five title bouts.
The #3Shows30Days campaign begins on November 23rd in Waterloo, Iowa, and continues on December 9th in Omaha, Nebraska, before wrapping up on December 23rd in Topeka, Kansas.
All three events will air live on UFC FIGHT PASS®. UFC FIGHT PASS is available on: personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Sony TVs with Android TV and Roku devices. Ticket information for all three events is available at www.victoryfighter.com.
“We are extremely excited to be bringing these title fights and this much first-class action to our great fans before the end of 2016,” said Ryan Stoddard, Owner and President of Victory Fighting Championship.
“These are big opportunities for all the fighters involved. They want to close the year by making a massive statement and there is no better forum for that than a title fight.”
VFC 53: Rhodes vs. Stallings – Wednesday, November 23rd in Waterloo, Iowa
Mike “Biggie” Rhodes (10-4) vs. Ron “The Choir Boy” Stallings (14-8, 1 NC)
Raufeon Stots (6-0) vs. Jeff “Big Frog” Curran (37-17)
On the night before Thanksgiving, VFC 53 will see the return newly crowned middleweight champion Mike “Biggie” Rhodes (10-4) as he makes his first title defense inside the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in his home town of Waterloo, IA.
Since a gut-wrenching 0-3 stint in the UFC®, Rhodes has rattled off four straight wins in dominant fashion, highlighted by a second-round submission victory over Rakim Cleveland to claim the title at VFC 51 back in June.
Hoping to swipe the middleweight crown and halt Rhodes’ winning streak is Ron Stallings (14-8, 1 NC), who went 1-2 in his own UFC stint but then returned to winning ways with a split-decision outcome over Rashaun Spencer. Carrying a balanced line of finishes with six knockouts and six submissions, Stallings earned a decision win over Justin Jones in the UFC, and most notably, his career log sports a first-round knockout win over Mike Massenzio.
The co-main event for VFC 53 will mark the organizational debut of longtime Midwest fighting fixture Jeff “Big Frog” Curran (36-17-1), who will square-off in a bantamweight clash against rising star Raufeon Stots (6-0).
An 18-year veteran of mixed martial arts, Curran’s career notables include challenging Urijah Faber for the WEC featherweight belt, and winning the Shooto Americas lightweight title. At the other end of the spectrum is Stots, who has blasted through three opponents under the VFC banner.
VFC 54: Pitolo vs. Kayne 2 – Friday, December 9th in Omaha, Nebraska
Maki “Coconut Bombz” Pitolo (10-1) vs. Kassius “Killa Kayne” Holdorf (8-3)
Rob “The Saint” Emerson (17-11, 1 NC) vs. Darrick Minner (15-5)
Ryan “Are You Ready?” Roberts (21-11-1, 1 NC) vs. TBA
There will be plenty of Christmas cheer when Victory Fighting Championship will enter the holiday season with a trio of title fights at the Kansas Expocentre.
VFC’s welterweight title will be at stake with Maki “Coconut Bombz” Pitolo (10-1) vies for the belt in a rematch against Kassius “Killa Kayne” Holdorf (8-3).
Not only is the native of Nanakuli, Hawaii, on a terrific tear of nine straight wins, but he has captured three impressive victories inside the VFC cage including a decision win over Kayne at VFC 52. But that was Kayne taking the fight on short notice. This time around Kayne will have a full camp to prepare for the rematch, and he’ll get another crack at the title in his own home town.
Prior to his win over Kayne, Pitolo rattled off back-to-back TKO wins as he bested Justin Guthrie in only 48 seconds at VFC 50, and finished Andrews Nakahara in the second round at VFC 49.
Kayne has won four of his last six outings – all four of those wins showcasing Kayne’s striking skills. Two of the victories came in the opening round with the other pair registered in the first minute of the second round.
Also at the top of the bill is a battle for the bantamweight belt as defending champion Rob Emerson (17-11, 1 NC) puts his title on the line against Darrick Minner (15-5).
Emerson has posted 10 stoppage wins over his career – four by knockout and six via submission. “The Saint” captured the main event of VFC 51 with a second-round submission win (via rear-naked choke)
over Shawn West. The 35-year-old veteran has won six of his last seven, and during a five-fight winning streak he recorded wins over Joe Taimanglo, Musa Tolliver, and Savant Young.
A product of Nebraska City, Nebraska, Minner has displayed impressive skills on the mat as he has racked up 12 victories via submission. During a recent run of six straight wins, Minner posted five submission wins inside the first round, taking his career total to 13 wins in opening round.
Ryan “Are You Ready?” Roberts (21-11-1, 1 NC) also has a title shot at VFC 54 as he will vie for the featherweight championship in his home town against an opponent to be determined shortly. Entering his 13th appearance with VFC, Roberts has won five of his last six outings, and has notched 11 finishes amongst his wins.
VFC 55: Lindsey vs. Nallo – Friday, December 23rd @ Topeka, Kansas
Jake “The Librarian” Lindsey (11-4) vs. Mandel Nallo (5-0)
Daniel “Big Kansas” Gallemore (5-3) vs. Derek “Marshmallow” Bohi (8-4)
Former VFC lightweight champion Jake “The Librarian” Lindsey (11-4) will look to reclaim the belt in friendly confines of the Kansas Expocentre. The Manhattan, Kansas, product captured the crown at VFC 50 with a third-round TKO against Zak Bucia. A nine-time veteran under the VFC flag, Lindsey has racked up finishes in 10 of his 11 victories, including six by knockout.
But Lindsey can expect a stiff challenge from Mandel Nallo (5-0), a top-rated prospect out of the renowned Tristar Gym in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Firas Zahabi protégé has blown through his past opposition and stayed undefeated in his most-recent outing with his fourth first-round finish in taking out Shawn Wallace in only 1:38. The win was Nallo’s fourth via submission.
Co-headlining the VFC 53 lineup is a heavyweight title bout that puts defending champion Daniel “Big Kansas” Gallemore (5-3) up against challenger Derek “Marshmallow” Bohi (8-4).
The 6-foot-5 Gallemore, who hails from Emporia, Kansas, has notched four knockouts but his submission victory is perhaps his most notable as he tapped Abe Wagner in only 1:37 at VFC 50.
Bohi, who fights out of Kansas City, Missouri, has won three of his four outings and needed just over a total of six minutes to accomplish that feat. Six of his eight wins have come inside the first round.
