Tim Means Makes it Two in a Row at LFC 29
The weekend is packed with sports but it was tonight’s LFC 29 that gets it all started. Besides the main event, the LFC 29 fight card wasn’t filled with “names” to grab you attention. That didn’t stop the fights from being entertaining though and here is what stood out to me.
Caio Machado: A scorching fight for two rounds, Machado and Pilarte are both young lions in this game, but Machado took the decision win with a superior performance. Both guys need some major polish and expansion, yet for budding regional prospects, they both showed grit, power, and several other attributes of top fighters the world over. Machado had a great deal of composure in the cage and showed where that can get you against a simple power striker. Machado went from getting tagged early, to picking off strikes, to countering those same strikes in the course of three minutes, and from there it was all his fight. Knowing when to block, how to interrupt an opponent’s offense, and having the chin to cover your mistakes can get a growing fighter far. Machado has the tools to go far, and now it’s a matter of getting in cage time, expanding his arsenal and seeing how far he can go.
Henry Cejudo: A fighter who is making no ground yet still winning, Cejudo missed weight for his bout and continues to show he’s a wrestler and nothing but. Nearly finished in the first round by a clean right hook, Cejudo survived the scare to work three rounds of takedowns, achieving mount a handful of times, yet losing position and having little offense. Cejudo’s style of wrestler just hasn’t translated to MMA as of yet, and considering he doesn’t seem to be taking this very seriously, I’m not sure he’ll be putting the effort in the change that. One thing is clear though: No one has a toolbox to deal with Cejudo at Flyweight at the moment, and it will take a perfect opponent to play within Cejudo’s wheelhouse and win.
Tim Means: While his UFC run didn’t go so well, Means he seemed to find new life at Welterweight on the regional circuit. Artenas Young came out looking to light Means up, but a rising knee from the lanky fighter found its mark early and set up a ten punch combo that forced a stoppage. While Artenas protested from his rubbery perch, the fight was not going to improve for him without the referee breaking off Mean’s relentless attack.
Means cut a lot of weight in the UFC and he appears to be far more crisp with the extra weight on him. Considering his length and power, this should be the weight class for him and a win in his shot at the LFC title could well be his ticket back to the UFC.
LFC 29 Results:
Tim Means defeated Artenas Young by 1st rd. TKO (1:38)
Henry Cejudo defeated Elias Garcia by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Larry Crowe defeated Terrance Ferguson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Alex Black defeated Charles Cheeks by 2nd rd. Triangle Choke Submission (1:33)
Caio Machado defeated Domingo Pilarte by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Kamaru Usman defeated Steven Rodriguez by 1st rd. TKO (1:31)
Category: Featured, Legacy Fighting Championship, MMA, Results