Unleashed 53

[Jackson]

UNLEASHED 53
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

UNDERCARD

Opening Fight
Brandy Danielle vs Emma MacNamara

Danielle looks hesitant, almost scared as the fight gets underway. MacNamara is immediately all over her, laying into her with some stiff shots that backs her into the cage before she barely misses on a one-two combination. MacNamara lands a Superman punch as Danielle charges in. Danielle tries to shake it off, but her right eye is really starting to swell. MacNamara lands a low kick, and Danielle is obviously now on the defensive during the stand-up exchanges. MacNamara lands a vicious spinning back fist, a right hand and then shoves Danielle to the floor to unload a quick flurry of punches. The damage is starting to mount, and MacNamara is dominating her opponent. MacNamara stands and allows Danielle back up, almost as if toying with her. When Danielle shoots, MacNamara pops her with a big right hand, right between the eyes. Danielle drops to her knees and MacNamara pounces, absolutely destroying her with a flurry of strikes before the referee is forced to intervene. Very, very impressive performance for MacNamara.

MacNamara defeats Danielle via technical knockout at 2:01.

Second Fight
Sasha Brenshov vs Drina Dumas

Dumas lunges with a couple jabs, but Brenshov side steps them. Dumas definitely has the reach advantage in this one. Brenshov shoots, picks up Dumas and slams her down. Dumas gets to her feet, but Brenshov grabs her from behind, only to have her slip away. Dumas puts her back into the cage and then reverses the position to put Brenshov into the fence. Dumas trips her to the mat and works from inside full guard. Brenshov pulls her close. The pace slows as Dumas can do little with her top position. Brenshov gets back to her feet and then lands a knee to the body. Dumas spins away, barely feeling the impact before retaliating with a leaping knee to the body. Dumas looks to take the fight to the mat and drags her opponent down. Brenshov frees a leg but can't get to side control with the fence blocking her path. However, she moves into mount, but Dumas kicks off the fence. She's forced to give up her back before rolling over. Dumas, though, continues jockeying for position and uses her educated limbs to sink in a triangle choke and armbar and then possibly into an omoplata. She transitions to a triangle choke, though, and forces the tapout with the quick submission.

Dumas defeats Brenshov via submission at 4:12.

Third Fight
Brody O'Connor vs Oliver Queen

O'Connor catches a kick and then sweeps Queen's other leg out from under him in the opening seconds of the fight. O'Connor doesn't follow him to the mat, and after getting back to his feet, Queen gets underhooks and scores his own takedown. O'Connor is pressed against the cage and eats some punches as he tries to get back to his feet. While in the kneeling position, Queen delivers more shoots and looks briefly like he's going to take his opponent's back. O'Connor, though, gets back to his feet, but Queen's on him like glue, working more dirty boxing. Queen creates distance and throws some punches before O'Connor tries a leaping knee from close range. It doesn't work, and the fight hits the mat. O'Connor's on his knees again, and Queen tries to take his back. Instead, O'Connor reverses, takes top position and then dives in with a right. Hammerfists rain down from O'Connor. Queen ties him up initially, but O'Connor postures up and rains down a big right that connects. O'Connor takes side control and moves into the north-south position, can't get the choke, and goes back to the side. Queen corrals him in a near piledriver before O'Connor escapes back to his feet. Queen fakes a shot and shoots, but O'Connor defends and tosses Queen to his back. The crowd boos at the exhausted effort. O'Connor, though, follows him to the mat, and Queen uses the opportunity to take the top position and nearly the back. Queen gets the crucifix position and delivers a couple quick elbows to the head before O'Connor breaks free. With Queen on his back, O'Connor tries to dive in with a right but his opponent deflects it. O'Connor escapes a grapple attempt and drops elbows from the top position before the fight comes to a close.

O'Connor defeats Queen via knockout at 6:22.

Fourth Fight 
Sinn vs Jamie Rose-Lee Sinclair

Sinclair paws a jab and throws a soft leg kick. Sinn lands a right that definitely stuns Sinclair briefly. Sinclair clips Sinn with a wild shot, but she recovers and tries a trip takedown. Sinn clinches, and the fighters wrestle for position. On the break, Sinn uncorks a knee to the head, but Sinclair goes down, complaining of a possible eye injury, though the knee CLEARLY hit her arm. Enraged, Sinn checks a head kick and whiffs on a couple rights. Sinclair again throws leg kicks and pushes Sinn back with a front kick. Sinn shoots, Sinclair defends, but Sinn pushes her into the cage and looks for the takedown. She gets it after a brief scramble and takes Sinclair's back. Sinclair kneels so Sinn can't get her hooks in, but Sinn pulls her back and uses her fingernails for leverage, tearing up Sinclair's throat. Sinclair, though, scrambles and escapes.

A quick restart later, and the fighters trade jabs. Both swing wildly, and an open-hand shot from Sinn pokes Sinclair deep in the eye. Sinn rides her to the floor, digging her thumb in deeper until the blood begins to flow. Screaming, Sinclair rolls away but Sinn drops a few short elbows to the head. Sinn continues with the effective strikes as Sinclair's pressed into the cage. Sinclair's bleeding from the nose and eye while still trying to get to her feet. Sinn tries to get in her hooks, but Sinclair remains on her side, defending by curling into a fetal position. Sinn gets in the hooks and locks in the rear-naked choke, and Sinclair is forced to tap out seconds later.

Sinn defeats Sinclair via submission at 6:33.

Due to the injury to her eye, Sinclair has been dismissed from The Circuit.

Fifth Fight FIGHT OF THE NIGHT
Clayton Hughes vs Lilah Hurst

Hughes moves in and almost seems reluctant as he lands a body shot. Hurst reverses and puts Hughes against the fence and delivers some knees. The fighters break, and we restart in the center of the cage. Hurst lands a right during a collision. Hurst counters with a right and then fends off a few deadly bombs from Hughes. The fighters trade jabs. Hurst mixes in jabs and inside leg kicks. Hurst is knocked off balance during a clash in the center of the cage but lands a knee to the body before a wicked punch from Hughes puts her down.

Both miss with wide rights as Hurst dives from her knees at her opponent. Hughes fires back with a nice left, and Hurst staggers back. Hughes bear-hugs her and drops her down on her back. More punches rain down from Hughes. Hurst pulls him close, and Hughes moves to half guard. Hurst, though, escapes once again when Hughes tries to improve his position. Back to the center of the cage. Hughes telegraphs an uppercut that Hurst sniffs out.  Hurst works the butterfly guard but goes back to full as Hughes lands a nice elbow and then another. Hurst is bleeding near her left eye. Hurst pulls Hughes close once again, but Hughes scores a couple elbows that cut open Hurst badly. Hurst reverses and takes top position, and the crowd comes alive. Hurst throws a burst of short elbows, but they don't seem to have a much on them.

Hurst works with a sense of urgency and throws kicks and punches form a variety of angles. Hurst with a couple low kicks that definitely take their toll on the larger man. Hurst with a nice right-left combo that backs up Hughes. Hughes has slowed a bit, and Hurst gets to throw some more shots. A right-left combo lands for Hurst. Hurst is starting to pick apart Hughes while moving in and out with punches. Hughes charges, but Hurst stuffs it, and Hughes retreats. Hurst with a low kick. Hurst working more punches through Hughes's defenses. Hughes isn't hurt, but he's got no answer right now. Hurst with a nice right-punch right-kick combo. Hurst goes high and partially connects on a kick to the head. Hughes eats another kick, wobbling while Hurst uses the cage to spring off, nailing Hughes in the face with a knee that knocks him out like a light.

Hurst defeats Hughes via knockout at 8:51.


Headline Fight
Jackson vs Cormack O'Cahan

Jackson lands a quick right before clinching. He knocks O'Cahan off balance with another shot. O'Cahan gets to his feet and pushes Jackson into the cage. Jackson reverses and delivers a stream of blows as O'Cahan tries to secure the clinch. On the break, Jackson continues throwing and lands a couple, but O'Cahan appears fine. O'Cahan pulls Jackson in close and takes the fight to the fence. The fighters trade short punches while jockeying for position. Jackson with the takedown, and he stands over O'Cahan, who pulls him in close. Jackson eventually backs away, and we restart. O'Cahan with a front kick that lands before they clinch against the cage again. Jackson tries a guillotine and throws body shots but eats a right from O'Cahan. Clinched against the cage again, O'Cahan land a nice knee from the clinch. A second misses but the third lands, and Jackson dips for the single leg.

Jackson's faced is pretty battered already as O'Cahan immediately unloads a combo, leaving Jackson wobbly. O'Cahan clinches and puts him in the fence and then backs up as Jackson misses on a wild left. Jackson's jawing but eats a shot as blood begins to pour from a cut under his eye. The fighters again clinch, and O'Cahan works knees from the clinch. He backs and lands a body kick and then front kick. Jackson answers with an overhand right. O'Cahan clinches and pushes the action into the cage. O'Cahan lands a couple punches before closing the distance again. Jackson fires off a left-right combo, but O'Cahan answers with a combo of his own. Both fighters are bloodied. O'Cahan creates distance and then goes high with a kick that Jackson only partially blocks. Some dirty boxing by both before Jackson catches a kick and knocks O'Cahan briefly off balance with a soft right. A sloppy exchange in the center of the cage, and we can see the cut from O'Cahan's forehead.

The fighters trade in the center of the cage, and Jackson lands a few decent shots followed with a nice uppercut. O'Cahan shakes it off and then delivers a barrage of knees from the clinch. Jackson, though, backs him off with a wild flurry that misses. O'Cahan closes the distance with more knees, backs off and delivers kicks and then lands a Superman punch. Jackson whiffs with a right and eats a forearm strike and another. O'Cahan backs up for a front kick and then a leaping knee to the body as Jackson covers up for it. The fighters trade stiff rights before O'Cahan lands a few more kicks and then a solid Superman punch that wobbles Jackson again. Jackson drops his hands and eats more shots and then a left to the belly and right to the hand. O'Cahan goes high with a head kick before Jackson answers with a decent straight shot. O'Cahan shoves him into the cage and tags him with an elbow, though. O'Cahan with an inside leg kick. Jackson wings a desperation right, and O'Cahan closes out the fight with knees and elbows before connecting with a solid uppercut to Jackson's jaw that knocks him out cold.

O'Cahan defeats Jackson via knockout at 10:09.

MAIN EVENT

Circuit Championship
Blackbird vs Theodore Janes

Blackbird pushes forward first and lands a right. Janes fires right back and drops Blackbird with a right when he rushes in. Janes quickly unloads dozens of punches and continues battering Blackbird. Blackbird briefly gets to his feet, is taken back down and rolls away before Janes can capitalize. Janes goes into the north-south position, then spins off, and we restart standing. Blackbird misses with a high kick. Janes patiently circles and keeps the center of the cage. Blackbird rushes in and lands an uppercut. Janes hits the mat, as Blackbird secures a leg and tags his opponent with short, quick punches. Blackbird lands a shot on the break, and they return to the center of the cage. Blackbird charges in again but misses, and then Janes does the same. Janes again sits in the pocket and seems content to counter. However, he then becomes the aggressor and engages, though neither fighter does much. Back in the center of the cage, and Blackbird works the jab. Blackbird shoots again and eats a series of punches in the process. Janes again unloads on a second attempt. Blackbird quickly recovers. After a breather, Janes connects again, and Blackbird is bleeding heavily near his right ear. Blackbird dips for a single-leg takedown and then pushes Janes into the cage, driving two elbow strikes into his face that busts him open beneath his eye. Janes pulls his leg out from under him and unloads hammerfists before Blackbird reclaims the position.

Janes pushes forward and lands a left, but Blackbird dips for the takedown again. Janes punishes him with elbows, but Blackbird clings to the leg. Janes shows remarkable balance to remain on his feet as the takedown attempt continues. Janes delivers more elbows to the head and ear area as Blackbird clings to the hold for a good minute. He finally breaks it after eating an uppercut. Blackbird grabs a leg again, but Janes keeps his balance against the cage and delivers more elbows to the head and knees to the body. Blackbird gets in a shot, but Janes punishes him with an overhand right. Blackbird's now bleeding from the mouth. The pace slows before Blackbird charges in. Janes controls his wrists and delivers knees to the body. Blackbird works punches to the midsection. Janes, though, breaks free and fires off a quick succession of punches.

Despite the damage, Blackbird comes out swinging, tagging Janes with a few deadly straight punches before he staggers back. Janes lands a left when Blackbird moves in again. Blackbird lands a nice combo before the fighters restart. Janes blocks a high kick. Blackbird shoots and eats a punch. Janes lands a big right and follows with a big left. Blackbird shoots, but Janes again easily fends him off. Blackbird lands a kick but has to move away. He regroups and shoots, grabs a leg, and again puts Janes against the cage. Janes pops him with punches and continues to avoid the takedown. He finally gives up and fires off a Hail Mary uppercut that misses wide. Blackbird throws a hook but eats one when Janes counters. Blackbird shoots for the single leg, and the crowd boos the repetition. Janes throws short punches before breaking away. Janes lands a nice one-two combo as Blackbird considers moving in. Janes lands a knee and right hand before Blackbird aggressively paws the jab and eats a body shot. Janes shoots for a single leg again, but Blackbird keeps his balance and is stopped by the cage. Janes moves up and then dips again, only to have Blackbird resist and connect with another elbow strike for his trouble. Blackbird nearly gets the takedown, but Janes takes the top position, lands a right and backs away to restart. Janes lands a high kick and a couple quick punches to the face before Blackbird dips again. Janes sprawls then batters Blackbird and cuts open a deep gash from the kick. He keeps pounding away on Blackbird's face until the referee is forced to intervene, dragging him off still swinging.

Janes defeats Blackbird via technical knockout at 24:34 to become the NEW Circuit Champion.