Jake Shields (31-7-1) will soon challenge WSOF welterweight champion Rousimar Palhares after earning a quick first-round submission win over Brian Foster (22-7).
The bout served as the headlining contest of Saturday’s “WSOF 17: Shields vs. Foster” event, which took place at Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and aired on AXS TV.
Shields worked hard to move into the clinch at the start of the fight, though Foster’s takedown defends was solid as he looked to box. However, after some scrambling, Shields slipped a punch and scored a textbook takedown to gain top control. From there, he moved to side mount and then mount. Foster tried to roll, but Shields was tight on the back and got his arm wrapped around the neck. The chin appeared to be tucked, but Shields squeezed hard and got the tap.
With the victory, Shields earns a title shot against champ Palhares, and the two will meet later this year.
Joe Condon scores shocking upset, Krasimir Mladenov powers way to win
In the night’s co-feature, late replacement Joe Condon (12-7) – who took a fight with Johnny Nunez (5-1) on just one day’s notice when Brian Cobb was injured cutting weight – scored an incredible come-from-behind upset win.
Nunez came out swinging, but Condon looked to tie thing sup and implement his preferred jiu-jitsu attack. Perhaps surprisingly, it was Nunez who scored a trip in the position and took the action to the floor. As Condon tried to escape from the position, Nunez was able to slip around to his back, where he immediately went to work on a rear-naked choke. While it looked deep, Condon was able to survive, and they returned to the feet. There, it was Nunez who held the advantage, and he outboxed his foe until the bell.
Nunez muscled his way into a takedown early in the second and then stayed tight when Condon moved back to his feet. Nunez eventually backed away, but not before landing a slick high kick from behind his opponent. Nunez would eventually score another takedown, but he couldn’t hold Condon on the floor. Instead, he continued to be the busier striker on the feet, overcoming his opponent’s reach to score points.
Nunez went immediately for the takedown in the third, but Condon again refused to stay on the floor. Forced to settle for a standup fight, Nunez moved well and darted in and out of range. And just when it looked like he would cruise to a decision win, Condon defended a takedown and locked in a standing guillotine choke. With the arm pulled high, he dropped to the floor and torques his opponent’s neck, who was forced to tap just as he went unconscious.
In middleweight action, Krasimir Mladenov (12-0) used a controlling grappling game to overwhelm Brendan Kornberger (5-1) for 15 minutes.
While Kornberger moved well in the early going, Mladenov eventually just bullrushed into the clinch, where he scored a trip takedown. Kornberger scrambled to his feet but ate a few power punches to the ear as Mladenov stayed tight in the clinch. Kornberger tried to create room to counter, but Mladenov stayed tight and kept constant pressure with takedown threats.
The pattern continued in the second, as Kornberger tried hard to find offensive opportunities, but Mladenov’s power game was just too overwhelming.
Kornberger worked hard to keep his distance in the third, but Mladenov simply wouldn’t be denied. Giving his opponent absolutely no room to breathe, Mladenov controlled the action from start to finish and cruised to the win.
Bryson Hansen, Danny Davis Jr. cruise to decision wins
In a bantamweight contest, Bryson Hansen (8-2) outworked an injured Rudy Morales (3-2), cruising to a decision win in a bout that was heavy on blood but a little light on entertainment.
Hansen scored first in the fight, kicking hard to his opponent’s knee and later was able to take the fight to the floor. Morales did a good job of controlling his opponent’s wrists on the floor, but Hansen was able to drive in a few elbows and slice his foe’s face.
Hansen continued to grind away from top position, and Morales’ blood flowed freely, covering both men in plasma. Referee Kim Winslow briefly stopped the fight and asked the cageside doctor to take a look, at which point Morales also complained about his knee, which was injured in the first kick of the night, but the fight was allowed to continue. For some reason, Winslow started to the fight on the feet, but Hansen got a quick takedown and finished the round in complete control.
Morales nearly landed a flying knee to open the second, but Hansen took him immediately back to the floor. Hansen wasn’t incredibly busy in the controlling position, but Morales simply couldn’t get back to his feet. When he finally did in the final minute, Hansen stayed right on top of his opponent and didn’t allow any room for a counter.
Morales came out looking to score a knockout in the third, but Hansen walked through his strikes and took the fight to the floor. Winslow let Hansen enjoy top position despite doing relatively little with the control. Morales eventually got to his feet, but Hansen simply drug him again to the canvas, where he cruised to a controlling, though not necessarily exciting, decision victory, 30-25, 30-26 and 30-27.
In the night’s first main-card matchup, Danny Davis Jr. (11-8-1) earned his fifth consecutive win with a dominating decision win over Adam Cella (6-3).
With both fighters pushing the pace to start, it was Davis Jr. who struck first, scoring an early knockdown and then later taking the fight to the floor and working strikes from top position. Cella returned fire late in the frame when he was allowed to return to his feet, but it wasn’t enough to steal Davis Jr.’s momentum.
Davis Jr. was the crisper striker to start the second, but he lost a point when he dropped Cella and then illegally kicked him in the face as he was starting to rise. Cella seemed energized on the restart, but Davis Jr. put him back on the floor shortly after and rattled off punches from the dominant spot.
Davis Jr. went to the takedown much faster in the final round, taking the action to the floor early in the frame. Referee Steve Mazzagatti brought them quickly to their feet, but Cella couldn’t stay up for long. Davis Jr. again took the fight to the floor and cruised to the decision win, 29-27 on all three cards.
Official WSOF 17 results include:
MAIN CARD (NBCSN, 9 p.m. ET)
- Jake Shields def. Brian Foster via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:51
- Joe Condon def. Johnny Nunez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 4:22
- Krasimir Mladenov def. Brendan Kornberger via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Bryson Hansen def. Rudy Morales via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27)
- Danny Davis Jr. def. Adam Cella via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Jordan Rinaldi def. Soslan Abanokov via submission (armbar) – Round 3, 3:02
- Donavon Frelow def. Taylor McCorriston via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Trey Williams def. Jamie Point via technical submission (anaconda choke) – Round 1, 3:52
WSOF 17 Results: Jake Shields Scores Quick Submission Win to Earn Title Shot
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