Event Preview: Legacy FC 28 brings top MMA talent to Arlington

By TXMMA Staff | Texas MMA Event Photo Galleries

Bubba Bush vs. Rakim Cleveland for middleweight belt; Damon Jackson, Cosmo Alexandre and Damacio Page highlight stacked undercard

Legacy Fighting Championship 28 takes place on February 21, 2014 at the UT Arlington College Park Center in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, TX.

The second professional MMA show of the year for Legacy FC features a middleweight title defense with current 185-pound titleholder William “Bubba” Bush (6-2) defending his belt for the first time against Rakim Cleveland (8-3).

A newly-minted BJJ brown belt under AFC’s Jarrod Clontz, Bubba Bush won the belt with a  convincing TKO win over Larry Crowe at Legacy FC 21 this past July. That win was his second in a row and would have been his fifth straight had it on not been for a DQ loss to Artenas Young in May 2012. Elbows to the back of the head notwithstanding, Bush’s lone clear-cut loss of his career came way back in early 2011 against now-UFC veteran Andrew Craig. Fast forward three years later and he’s now looking to get to the same place as Andrew but has to get back Cleveland to get there.

Speaking of Rakim Cleveland, the late replacement for planned challenger Roger Narvaez boasts an 9-4 record, most recently besting Armando Herrera by first round TKO at Fury Fighting 1.  A native of Houston, TX, Cleveland started off as a heavyweight in 2010 but has slowly dropped down in weight as his career has progressed. He moved to Des Moines, IA about a year ago and has won six straight since then after starting his career off at 2-3 so he’s only gotten better and better as his career has progressed.

Very interesting fight here between these two rising stars.

As for the rest of the Legacy Fighting Championship 28 Fight Card, it definitely features some additional matches of note.

This includes Octagon MMA’s undefeated young star Damon Jackson making his case for future title contention in the weight class currently owned by UFC vet Leonard Garcia as he takes on another would-be contender in Hunter Tucker.

Another bout features Brazilian kickboxing star and Bellator vet Cosmo “Good Boy” Alexandre debuting for Legacy FC against West Texas slugger Luis Luna while UFC vet Damacio Page also returns fresh off his KO win over Patrick Ybarra when he faces Chris Brennan pupil and 2013 TXMMA submission of the year winner Matt “SMG” Lozano.

Additional fights pitting undefeated bantamweight Eli Tamez against Nelson Salas and undefeated middleweights Jacob Brannan and Evan Thompson round out Legacy FC’s first DFW offering of the year set for broadcast on AXS TV.

Check out the full Legacy Fighting Championship 28 fight card below as it stands today.

Legacy Fighting Championship 28 Main Card (AXS TV)

• 185 lbs.: Bubba Bush (6-2) vs. Rakim Cleveland (9-4)
• 145 lbs.: Hunter Tucker (7-1) vs. Damon Jackson (7-0)
• 155 lbs.: Cosmo Alexandre Rocha (5-1) vs. Luis Luna (9-4)
• 130 lbs.: Damacio Page (16-8) vs. Matt Lozano (4-1)
• 135 lbs.: Nelson Salas (4-2) vs. Eli Tamez (6-0)
• 185 lbs.: Jacob Brannan (3-0) vs. Evan Thompson (3-0)

Legacy Fighting Championship 28 Prelims

• 135 lbs.: TBD vs. Steven Peterson (8-4)
• 185 lbs.: TBD vs. Phil Hawes (0-0)
• 170 lbs.: Victor Reyna (3-1) vs. Charles Byrd (5-3)
• 185 lbs.: Jason Perrotta (0-0) vs. Bobby Moore (0-1)
• 170 lbs.: Melvin Jordan (2-1) vs. Sean Holden (2-0)
• 155 lbs.: David Elizondo (0-0) vs. Casey Williams (0-1)