A quick snapshot at the weekend that was.
Biggest Upset: Derek Brunson +300 over Edmen Shahbazyan
Notable New Champions:
- Legacy Fighting Alliance Lightweight Champion: Bryce Logan
- IBF International Junior Middleweight Champion: Ted Cheeseman
- BBBofC British Lightweight Champion: James Tennyson
- BBBofC British Heavyweight Champion: Fabio Wardley
- WBO World Junior Featherweight Champion: Angelo Leo
- WBC Mediterranean Welterweight Champion: Ilhami Aydemir
A Few Storylines Going Forward:
- Not So Fast, My Friend: Whoa, Nelly! The Ronda Rousey-managed hype train known as Edmen Shahbazyan got its brakes beaten off by Derek Brunson, ending in a third-round TKO after weathering some early heat from the Glendale product. In his third consecutive win, Brunson reminded the fight world why he’s one of the toughest SOBs out there.
- Dropping Like Flies: Good god, was Saturday’s card cursed. Ray Borg and Timur Valiev were removed the day before and the day of the event. Eric Spicely was removed on weigh-in day because of health issues with his cut, to be replaced by Charles Ontiveros, who in turn was removed himself. Both Trevin Giles and Joanne Calderwood fainted in the locker room before and after their fights, respectively. I don’t know what ancient burial ground APEX was built on or what witch doctor they wronged, but that was brutal to watch.
- It’s Showtime!: In a warmly-welcomed return, Showtime presented its first card since the shutdown and with a world title fight atop it (albeit, one that had to be reshuffled after a positive COVID-19 test), but it went off without a hitch, had a knockout of the year contender, a new first-time world champion, and a little more normalcy and a welcome re-addition to the combat sports landscape.
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