WSOF targeting Palhares-Fitch, Gaethje-Guillard for WSOF 16 on NBC
LAS VEGAS – On the eve of weigh-ins for Saturday’s WSOF 12 event, promotion officials said late December is being targeted for WSOF 16.
The event would take place Dec. 27 and be televised on NBC, though a venue and location have not yet been established. WSOF hopes, however, to have a pair of title fights at the top of the bill in the welterweight and lightweight divisions.
Welterweight titleholder Rousimar Palhares (16-6) would headline against No. 1 contender Jon Fitch (26-6-1) in a bout that has been planned for some time. Palhares was set to fight in July after winning the title in March, but pulled out to care for his mother. An expected defense against Fitch next month didn’t come to fruition, either. Now it appears the bout will head to the Christmas holiday.
And lightweight champ Justin Gaethje (12-0), who defended his title this past month at WSOF 11, is expected to put his belt on the line against Melvin Guillard (32-13-2), who won a top contenders fight on the same night.
Neither fight has been made official by WSOF, but both are being targeted for the card.
Palhares made his WSOF debut in March and submitted champion Steve Carl in the first round with the heel hook he has become famous – or, infamous – for. With a reputation for holding on to leg holds too long, Palhares was fired by the UFC in October 2013 when he submitted Mike Pierce in 31 seconds in his welterweight debut, but held too long for one final time. WSOF offered to give him a fresh start, and he took advantage straight away.
Fitch, who challenged for the UFC’s 170-pound title six years ago this weekend, was one of the more surprising UFC releases in recent memory when he was cut after a loss to Demian Maia at UFC 156. He signed with WSOF and was choked unconscious by Josh Burkman at WSOF 3 in June 2013. But he since has rebounded with decision wins over Marcelo Alfaya and Dennis Hallman, the latter coming a month ago at WSOF 11 in a middleweight bout.
Gaethje stayed unbeaten when he topped Nick Newell at WSOF 11 with a second-round TKO, bringing the Arizona native to 5-0 in the promotion with five knockout or TKO finishes. Overall, 11 of his 12 wins have come by stoppage, and at 25, the Grudge Training Center-based fighter is one of the brightest young talents in MMA’s lightweight division.
Guillard made his WSOF debut at WSOF 11 and stopped Gesias Cavalcante in the second round with a TKO. That was his first fight after the UFC released him on a 2-5 run that included a no-contest. Three of those losses were first-round setbacks to Joe Lauzon, Jim Miller and Donald Cerrone. But determined to turn things around, he stopped “JZ” Cavalcante – despite missing weight for the fight.
LAS VEGAS – On the eve of weigh-ins for Saturday’s WSOF 12 event, promotion officials said late December is being targeted for WSOF 16.
The event would take place Dec. 27 and be televised on NBC, though a venue and location have not yet been established. WSOF hopes, however, to have a pair of title fights at the top of the bill in the welterweight and lightweight divisions.
Welterweight titleholder Rousimar Palhares (16-6) would headline against No. 1 contender Jon Fitch (26-6-1) in a bout that has been planned for some time. Palhares was set to fight in July after winning the title in March, but pulled out to care for his mother. An expected defense against Fitch next month didn’t come to fruition, either. Now it appears the bout will head to the Christmas holiday.
And lightweight champ Justin Gaethje (12-0), who defended his title this past month at WSOF 11, is expected to put his belt on the line against Melvin Guillard (32-13-2), who won a top contenders fight on the same night.
Neither fight has been made official by WSOF, but both are being targeted for the card.
Palhares made his WSOF debut in March and submitted champion Steve Carl in the first round with the heel hook he has become famous – or, infamous – for. With a reputation for holding on to leg holds too long, Palhares was fired by the UFC in October 2013 when he submitted Mike Pierce in 31 seconds in his welterweight debut, but held too long for one final time. WSOF offered to give him a fresh start, and he took advantage straight away.
Fitch, who challenged for the UFC’s 170-pound title six years ago this weekend, was one of the more surprising UFC releases in recent memory when he was cut after a loss to Demian Maia at UFC 156. He signed with WSOF and was choked unconscious by Josh Burkman at WSOF 3 in June 2013. But he since has rebounded with decision wins over Marcelo Alfaya and Dennis Hallman, the latter coming a month ago at WSOF 11 in a middleweight bout.
Gaethje stayed unbeaten when he topped Nick Newell at WSOF 11 with a second-round TKO, bringing the Arizona native to 5-0 in the promotion with five knockout or TKO finishes. Overall, 11 of his 12 wins have come by stoppage, and at 25, the Grudge Training Center-based fighter is one of the brightest young talents in MMA’s lightweight division.
Guillard made his WSOF debut at WSOF 11 and stopped Gesias Cavalcante in the second round with a TKO. That was his first fight after the UFC released him on a 2-5 run that included a no-contest. Three of those losses were first-round setbacks to Joe Lauzon, Jim Miller and Donald Cerrone. But determined to turn things around, he stopped “JZ” Cavalcante – despite missing weight for the fight.
Props:
B-Buzz and B-Buzz
