Healy Armbars Ford, Captures MFC Belt
Rob King Jul 26, 2008
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Pat Healy
(Pictures) silenced the sold-out River Cree
Resort and Casino with a third-round armbar submission victory over
local favourite Ryan Ford on
Saturday in the main event at Maximum Fighting Championship 17.
Accepting the fight on short notice, Healy braved hostile territory
and walked out as the MFC welterweight champion.
Healy (19-14) -- who stepped in on a week’s notice after UFC veterans Drew Fickett (Pictures) and Joe Jordan (Pictures) were forced out of the fight -- used his slick submission skills and the previously unbeaten Ford’s inexperience in the ring to snatch an exposed arm three minutes into the third round.
Throughout the fight, Ford (6-1) used his brute strength to gain an
advantage over his seasoned foe. Healy tried to catch Ford in a
number of submission attempts at various points in the match, but
the Canadian managed to power out of them. A number of slam
takedowns and strong strikes from the top seemed to have Ford well
on his way to a decision, but Healy saw an opening and
capitalized.
Ford powered Healy to the mat but in doing so left his arm trapped in Healy’s possession. Healy took advantage, rolled Ford and secured the armbar. Though Ford tried to defend the hold, he was left with no choice but to concede defeat, a development which silenced the crowd. Fans did not expect their undefeated hometown prospect to crash and burn.
In the MFC 17 co-main event, Donald Sanchez (Pictures) returned to the MFC ring with a submission victory over Jason Maxwell (Pictures).
Maxwell (15-9) scored early and often with takedowns but appeared to tire as the bout wore on, allowing the Albuquerque, N.M.-based Sanchez (13-7) to finish him with a fight-ending triangle choke 4:03 into the second round. Sanchez, who stepped in on a few weeks notice, replaced Santino Defranco (Pictures) and forced his way back into contention for the vacant MFC lightweight title. He has won three straight fights.
Meanwhile, the well-traveled Ron Faircloth (Pictures) made his MFC debut a successful one with a submission win against fellow American Levi Avera. The 26-year-old Avera tried a guillotine attempt early, but the rest of the match belonged to Faircloth (31-17). In the end, he coaxed a tapout from Avera (10-4) with a rear naked choke midway through round two.
Maxwell and Faircloth were not the only competitors to choke their way to victory.
Benson Henderson may have earned himself a shot at the vacant MFC lightweight title with a submission victory over Ricardo Tirloni, a rising prospect who entered the bout unbeaten as a professional. Tirloni (2-1) tried to impose his will with his submission skills throughout the fight, but it was Henderson (5-1) who pulled guard and caught Tirloni with a finishing guillotine choke 3:49 into the second round.
Aaron Lofton opened the televised portion of the show with a thunderous knockout of Dwayne Lewis. The first punch of the fight, an overhand right, landed on Lewis’ temple, and Lofton (3-0) followed him to the mat, landing blows until referee Yves Lavigne called a stop to the action just 17 seconds in. Lewis (3-5) has dropped four of his last five fights.
In preliminary action, Ryan Machan (Pictures) (5-2) won his welterweight bout with Ryan Heck (5-2) via TKO 4:19 into the first round, while Jay Whitford (2-0) picked up his second career victory and submitted Jason Kuchera (3-2) with an armbar 4:31 into the second round. Elsewhere, Gavin Neil (4-0) kept his undefeated record intact and stopped Jason MacDonald (Pictures) protégé Evan Sanguin (1-2) on strikes 4:11 into the first. Finally, Mike Sorensen (4-1), Elliott Duff (2-0) and Jason Zorthian (3-2) were all victorious. Zorthian’s win snapped a two-fight losing streak.
Healy (19-14) -- who stepped in on a week’s notice after UFC veterans Drew Fickett (Pictures) and Joe Jordan (Pictures) were forced out of the fight -- used his slick submission skills and the previously unbeaten Ford’s inexperience in the ring to snatch an exposed arm three minutes into the third round.
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Ford powered Healy to the mat but in doing so left his arm trapped in Healy’s possession. Healy took advantage, rolled Ford and secured the armbar. Though Ford tried to defend the hold, he was left with no choice but to concede defeat, a development which silenced the crowd. Fans did not expect their undefeated hometown prospect to crash and burn.
A possible rematch between Healy and Ford may be in the works for
an upcoming MFC event in September or November.
In the MFC 17 co-main event, Donald Sanchez (Pictures) returned to the MFC ring with a submission victory over Jason Maxwell (Pictures).
Maxwell (15-9) scored early and often with takedowns but appeared to tire as the bout wore on, allowing the Albuquerque, N.M.-based Sanchez (13-7) to finish him with a fight-ending triangle choke 4:03 into the second round. Sanchez, who stepped in on a few weeks notice, replaced Santino Defranco (Pictures) and forced his way back into contention for the vacant MFC lightweight title. He has won three straight fights.
Meanwhile, the well-traveled Ron Faircloth (Pictures) made his MFC debut a successful one with a submission win against fellow American Levi Avera. The 26-year-old Avera tried a guillotine attempt early, but the rest of the match belonged to Faircloth (31-17). In the end, he coaxed a tapout from Avera (10-4) with a rear naked choke midway through round two.
Maxwell and Faircloth were not the only competitors to choke their way to victory.
Benson Henderson may have earned himself a shot at the vacant MFC lightweight title with a submission victory over Ricardo Tirloni, a rising prospect who entered the bout unbeaten as a professional. Tirloni (2-1) tried to impose his will with his submission skills throughout the fight, but it was Henderson (5-1) who pulled guard and caught Tirloni with a finishing guillotine choke 3:49 into the second round.
Aaron Lofton opened the televised portion of the show with a thunderous knockout of Dwayne Lewis. The first punch of the fight, an overhand right, landed on Lewis’ temple, and Lofton (3-0) followed him to the mat, landing blows until referee Yves Lavigne called a stop to the action just 17 seconds in. Lewis (3-5) has dropped four of his last five fights.
In preliminary action, Ryan Machan (Pictures) (5-2) won his welterweight bout with Ryan Heck (5-2) via TKO 4:19 into the first round, while Jay Whitford (2-0) picked up his second career victory and submitted Jason Kuchera (3-2) with an armbar 4:31 into the second round. Elsewhere, Gavin Neil (4-0) kept his undefeated record intact and stopped Jason MacDonald (Pictures) protégé Evan Sanguin (1-2) on strikes 4:11 into the first. Finally, Mike Sorensen (4-1), Elliott Duff (2-0) and Jason Zorthian (3-2) were all victorious. Zorthian’s win snapped a two-fight losing streak.
