By TXMMA Staff // Dez Moore // Photos by Mike Calimbas Photography
“Bad Boy” Leonard Garcia headlines LFC 33 with featherweight title defense vs. undefeated Damon Jackson; Blackzillian Kamaru Usman faces off against “Wrecking Ball’ Marcus Hicks
AXS TV viewers will also see Dallas’ Evan Thompson looking to keep his undefeated record intact as he takes on Fort Worth’s Victor Reyna. Steven “Ocho” Peterson will look for his second win against a fighter named Ray Rodriguez, but “The Judge” Ray Rodriguez is hoping to avoid the same fate that Ray “El Torito” Rodriguez once met. Rounding out the main card will be Eli Tamez fighting Kory Vialet in a bantamweight bout and Andrew Parker facing 38-year-old Melvin Jordan in a welterweight bout.
Let’s take a look at all these fights in further detail:
Legacy FC 33 – Main Card Preview and Predictions
This fight is the reason Allen, Texas is in for a treat. After six years with the UFC and WEC, current LFC feather weight champion Leonard Garcia, found his way to the Legacy stage, a stage where he has been perfect performing on. Since being released from the UFC and leaving Team Jackson’s MMA, Garcia has found success in the Legacy cage winning all three of his fights and capturing the featherweight title against Kevin Aguilar by KO in the first round. Standing across the cage from Garcia will be 25-year-old Damon Jackson, a promising fighter who has never seen the third round. Training out of Octagon MMA, Jackson has spotless 8-0 record all by way of TKO or submission. This has ‘Fight of the Night’ written all over it.
PREDICTION: Damon Jackson by Split Decision
The LFC 33 co-main event is an intriguing matchup. Kamaru Usman has so much knockout ability he could give Marcus Hicks some and still have plenty to use. Usman’s last three victories have all been by way of TKO. Now, Hicks is no pushover either. The WEC veteran has eight submission victories and is currently riding a two-fight winning streak by you guessed it, submission.
PREDICTION: Kamaru Usman by TKO, RD 3
After a dominating Legacy debut at LFC 28, a TKO finish 23 seconds into the first round, Victor Reyna looks to stop Evan Thompson in his tracks. Thompson may not have as an exciting finish on his record, but has put together a perfect 4-0 record all with Legacy. Expect this one to go the distance as many of Thompson’s fights have.
PREDICTION: Evan Thompson by Split Decision
It is only right that these two fight. Both have victories over Ray Rodriguez and Nelson Salas. They both have fought Ernest de la Cruz as well, but “The Judge” wasn’t as successful as Peterson. The XKO and Legacy veteran Steven Peterson is on a two-fight winning streak both by way of TKO. Rodriguez recently won his last fight by unanimous decision.
PREDICTION: Steven Peterson by Split Decision
Octagon’s Eli Tamez is looking to get his eighth win matching the amount of vertices his team name has. He is a perfect 7-0 in the cage, 3-0 with Legacy. Kory Vialet brings some knock out power to the cage with three of his wins by way of TKO. Tamez has the Legacy experience and seems to be the better fighter overall.
PREDICTION: Eli Tamez by Unanimous Decision
After dropping his Legacy debut by decision, Melvin Jordan has won two straight with his most recent win being a first round rear-naked choke. Not to mention he is 38 years old and shows no signs of slowing down. Andrew Parker, a fighter from Florida, is looking to get back to his winning ways in his Legacy debut after dropping his last fight by submission, his first loss as a pro.
PREDICTION: Melvin Jordan by Unanimous Decision
LFC 33 – Preliminary Card Preview and Predictions
155 lbs.: Darius Yancy (3-3) vs. Brad Mitchell (3-1)
Darius Yancy lives or dies by the submission, he either wins or loses by submission. Brad Mitchell has three wins, one win by TKO and two wins by judge’s decision. His lone loss was a first round rear-naked choke
PREDICTION: Darius Yancy by Submission, RD 2
135 lbs.: Kashif Solarin (5-7) vs. George Pacurariu (6-3)
After winning his Legacy debut, George Pacurariu has dropped two straight to the likes of Aaron Cerda and freshly signed by the UFC, Thomas Almeida. Kashif Solarin steps in on short notice for Tristan Grimsley. He looks to capitalize on his most recent win, a split decision at XKO 21.
PREDICTION: George Pacurariu by submission, RD 3
185 lbs.: Jason Perrotta (1-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0)
This is a pick em’ fight with the potential to go either way. No matter the result somebody’s O has to go here.
PREDICTION: Logan Nail by TKO, RD1
125 lbs.: Robert Ricks (0-0) vs. Keeton Gorton (0-0)
One of the great things about Legacy is the blend of well-known fighters with up-and-comers who make their professional debut with the promotion. These two rookies to engage each other and put on a fun scrap to kick off a great night of fights.
PREDICTION: Keeton Gorton by TKO, RD 2