Tag: lfa

The Legacy Fighting Alliance returns to Phoenix, Arizona for the second time in 2025, bringing a stacked card full of prospects and veterans alike to the valley of the sun. Headlining the card is 8-1 Bantamweight and DWCS veteran Kasey Tanner, taking on the streaking 8-1 Michael Cyr. The co-main event features top Flyweight prospect Christian Natividad taking on El Salvadorian fighter Jostin Quilca, just two fights after Christian’s brother and UFC veteran Kevin Natividad returns vs Ryan Kuse. The action packed main card is rounded out by top flyweight Kyle Estrada taking on Mexican standout Ernesto Ibarra, and 5-0 local prospect Chance Ikei taking on the 6-2 former collegiate wrestler Jordan Burkholder. All of the action can be found on UFC Fight Pass, and we will break down the 5 exciting main card bouts here, as well as the professional and amateur prelims.

Kasey Tanner (8-1) vs Michael “The Mullet” Cyr (8-1) – Bantamweight Main Event

In the headlining bout, Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Kasey Tanner returns to the LFA cage for the third time, his second main eventing for the promotion. Tanner has his work cut out for him in his hometown, as he faces submission ace Michael Cyr, who looks to make a statement in his first LFA main event slot.

Kasey Tanner is a fundamentals fighter. He has a fantastic jab, good footwork, and solid striking. He can wrestle as well, and remains active on the ground, having three wins by submission and another by ground and pound. His only loss came in a closely contested match in which he lost a decision to Jean Matsumoto on DWCS, who has gone on to have a very successful early UFC career. Across from Tanner awaits one of the most dangerous ground fighters in the promotion, as Michael Cyr comes in with two wins by twister submission. Most of his finishing skill is on the ground, but he showcases an excellent Muay Thai style striking game, with kicks, punches, and clinch knees on the feet. He tends to leave his head on the centerline when advancing, leaving him susceptible to counter shots. He has shown an excellent chin and toughness after getting hurt. The twister position is his bread and butter, with two finishes coming by this submission, and set up a rear naked choke with a twister attempt vs Alden Coria.

This is a very competitive matchup, and for both men it will depend on the gameplan and execution more than their skills. If Cyr can out Tanner on the back foot and get the fight to the ground, he has a very good chance of landing one of his signature submissions. On the flip side, if Tanner can use his wrestling and jab, and keep Cyr uncomfortable he will most likely cruise his way to a decision. Look for the winner of this fight to be in the UFC before the year’s end.

Prediction: Kasey Tanner By Decision

Christian “Hawaiian Punch” Natividad (7-0) vs Jostin Quilca (9-2) – Flyweight Co-Main Event

In the co-headliner, top Flyweight prospect Christian Natividad returns, looking for his 8th win in his professional career. He will be fighting in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona when he faces El Salvadorian fighter Jostin Quilca, who is making his US debut.

Christian Natividad is an extremely well rounded fighter with exceptional power in his hands. A former collegiate wrestler at Southern Oregon University, Christian has yet to taste defeat in his MMA career. Despite only having two knockouts on his record, he has knocked down every fighter he has faced, the finishes just seem to slightly evade him. He has recently switched camps from Fight Ready to the MMA Lab. He’ll be looking to end the night early against Jostin Quilca, a veteran of the South American scene. Quilca is primarily a grappler who is more than happy to mix it up on the feet, throwing a variety of wild strikes with the intent of getting to the ground by any means necessary.

Christian Natividad is without a doubt one of the top unsigned flyweights outside the UFC, and he is looking for that statement win that will get him signed. Although Quilca is tough and game, his level of competition is far below anything Natividad has faced. Expect a coming out performance for the Hawaiian Punch in this flyweight feature.

Prediction: Christian Natividad by Second Round KO

Kyle “The Hoosier” Estrada (14-8) vs Ernesto Ibarra (10-1) – Flyweight Bout

Coming off his fantastic 3rd round TKO at UFL 7, LFA veteran Kyle Estrada looks to make it two finishes in a row as he faces Mexican prospect Ernesto Ibarra. Ibarra comes in with an impressive 10-1 record, but has no social media and is a bit of an unknown entering this bout. He has primarily fought across Mexico and most notably with the Combate Global Promotion.

Estrada is a dynamic fighter both on the feet and the ground. He uses an array of kicks and punches, and is very adept in movement around the cage, constantly switching stances. On the ground he’s a fantastic scrambler who is an opportunist when it comes to finishes. His most recent win came by ground and pound after he dominated the bout on the feet, forcing his opponent to grapple which led to his demise. On the other side of this matchup, Ibarra is a traditional southpaw striker, looking to land his rear hand and kick while building off the jab.

This bout will be the most combined fights between two fighters on the card (31 total fights) and both fighters are bound to deliver when they enter the cage. Estrada has mentioned in this past this is his last run at the UFC, so look for the veteran to make a statement in this main card bout.

Prediction: Kyle Estrada by Third Round Submission

Kevin “Quicksand” Natividad (9-4) vs Ryan “Third Street Savage” Kuse (7-2) – Bantamweight Bout

Christian will not be the only Natividad on this card, as his older brother Kevin will make his return to the LFA cage. Coming off a 3 fight run with the UFC, Kevin has had a very difficult time finding fights as many have fallen through, to no fault of his own. He finally has a dance partner as the Florida man Ryan Kuse makes the trip to Arizona, coming off a win at Karate Combat in June.

Kevin Natividad is a well rounded fighter with power in his hands similar to his brother. A brown belt in jiu jitsu, he has tremendous submission ability and his flying knee is a dangerous weapon on the feet. Despite not fighting for nearly 3 years, Kevin has stayed active assisting Henry Cejudo, Alateng Heili, Aoriqileng, and other fighters prepare for their UFC bouts. On the other side of this fight, Ryan Kuse is facing the toughest fighter of his career, and looks to show he’s UFC level with a finish against Natividad. Training out of the Goat Shed in Miami, Florida, Kuse is a hard nosed fighter with power in his hands. He was 5-0 for the now defunct Titan FC promotion, and will be making his LFA debut. Kuse also had a very successful amateur career, racking up 8 wins in 10 bouts.

This fight will be an explosive matchup on the feet, with Natividad looking to prove he is a name to remember for LFA fans, and for Kuse, he is looking to show that he is one of the top level bantamweights in the US. The primary difference in this matchup is the level of competition between both fighters. Kuse has combined opponents record of 41-52-1 while Natividad has a combined opponents record of 70-37.

Prediction: Kevin Natividad by Second Round KO

Chance “The Typhoon” Ikei (5-0) vs Jordan “Butters” Burkholder (6-2) – Flyweight Bout

Chance Ikei has spent virtually his entire amateur and professional career with the LFA. A life long combat sports competitor, Ikei is an elite athlete from a family of fighters. His sister, Rosalani Ikei, recently won her pro debut for Fury FC. Ikei is extremely well rounded and has tremendous cardio to rely on. He takes on his toughest test as a pro as he faces former collegiate wrestler Jordan Burkholder. Burkholder is another exceptional athlete, who will be looking to take Ikei down and impose his will in this fight. Coming off a title win at Front Street Fights, Burkholder looks to stake his claim to a future LFA title shot.

Both fighters come from outstanding wrestling backgrounds, and have both proven ability on the feet. This is a matchup of top camps as well, with Ikei representing the MMA Lab and Burkholder fighting out of Jackson Wink in New Mexico. Ikei will most likely be more fluid in his gameplan, while Burkholder should rely on his strengths and attempt to keep Ikei off his game with constant pressure and takedowns.

Prediction: Chance Ikei by First Round Submission

Prelims

Leslie “Dora The Destroyer” Hernandez (4-3) vs Flor Hernandez (4-3) – Strawweight Bout

Leslie Hernandez makes her return to Arizona and the LFA as she faces off with Mexican fighter Flor Hernandez. The elite striker enters on a two fight losing streak, looking to right the ship after a loss to Julieta Martinez on DWCS and Cara Greenwell at LFA 207. Flor Hernandez is currently riding a three fight losing street in MMA, most recently losing by armbar to GiGi Canuto at LFA 211.

Prediction: Leslie Hernandez by Decision

Livio Ribeiro (4-0) vs Richard Mahan (3-1) – Flyweight Bout

In a matchup of top grapplers, the MMA Lab’s Livio Ribeiro looks to remain unbeaten as he takes on Yuma, Arizona prospect Richard Mahan. Mahan is coming off an electric first round submission over Patrick Cornett at UFL 7, securing the win in his home state. This all Arizona showdown will pit top grapplers against each other, and expect an exciting match primarily contested on the ground.

Prediction: Richard Mahan by Decision

Jarom Woodbury (7-1) vs David Gladfelter (7-4) – Middleweight bout

Jarom Woodbury makes his return to the MMA cage after 13 years to face Nevada prospect David Gladfelter. Woodbury was 7-1 fighting from 2010-2012, but has taken time off from competing to pursue a career in physical therapy. He has been coaching throughout this time, and believes this is potentially his last shot to make the walk at 41 years old. His opponent will be looking to make it four wins in his last five fights, as Gladfelter boasts a dangerous submission game with 6 finishes by tap out in his career.

Prediction: David Gladfelter by First Round Submission

Nolan Linebaugh (0-0) vs Will Hughes (0-0) – Bantamweight Bout

Another fighter who has spent time away from competing, Nolan Linebaugh looks to make it a successful first pro fight as he takes on the fellow debutant Will Hughes. Both fighters come in with plenty of amateur experience, with Linebaugh boasting an 8-1 record and Hughes with a record of 6-3. Linebaugh will be the hometown fighter in this matchup. Most notably, Linebaugh has not fought since 2016 and Hughes last fought on August 2nd.

Prediction: Will Hughes by Decision

Delton Kaufmann (0-0) vs Caleb Jensen (1-2) – Middleweight Bout

Delton Kaufmann will be making his pro debut at just 18 years old, boasting an exceptional amount of combat sports experience. He is a two time Arizona High school wrestling champion, 2 time IMMAF champion, and 4 time Pan American BJJ champion. He looks to show he’s one of the future stars in MMA as he takes on Caleb Jensen, who makes his third appearance for the promotion looking for his second victory.

Prediction: Delton Kaufmann by First round KO

Amateur Prelims

Brayan Mancila (1-0) vs Emmanuel Hill (0-0) – Amateur 215 lb Catchweight Bout

Alex “El Perro” Ortiz (1-0) vs Matthew Chenault (1-1) – Amateur Lightweight Bout

Issouf Doumbia (0-1) vs Quayshan Randelson (2-1) – Amateur Middleweight Bout

LFA 220: Tanner vs Cyr will take place October 25th, at Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. Prelims are scheduled to begin at 4 pm MST, with the main card scheduled for 7 pm MST. Select preliminary bouts will be aired on the LFA YouTube Channel, while the main card can be streamed on UFC Fight Pass. Tickets for this event can be purchased at Live Nation.

The top regional promotion in the United States will return to the Valley of the Sun for LFA 220 on October 25th, at Arizona Financial Theatre. This card will be stacked with both prospects and talented veterans, and during the LFA 218 broadcast on September 27th the promotion announced the first batch of matchups for their return to Arizona.

Headlining the card will be top local prospect Kasey Tanner (8-1), taking on fellow LFA veteran Michael Cyr (8-1). This will be Tanner’s second main event for the promotion, securing a unanimous decision victory in his last headline feature vs Micais Urena. Tanner is one of the most skilled bantamweights in the southwest, and although he suffered his only loss on Dana White’s Contender Series, there is no doubt with a win here the UFC could come calling.

His opponent Michael Cyr, is a submission ace who also comes in with an 8-1 record. Cyr has finished two fighters by twister, which is nearly unheard of in mixed martial arts. He will no doubt be looking to take Tanner down and drown him with his adept submission skills.

In the currently scheduled co-main event, Christian “Hawaiian Punch” Natividad (7-0) will be taking on El Salvador’s Jostin Quilca (9-2). Natividad is undefeated as a professional, with a collegiate wrestling background and fantastic striking. What makes this even more special, is Christian’s brother Kevin Natividad will also be returning to the cage for the first time in over 2 years, following his stint with the UFC.

Kevin Natividad (9-4) was scheduled to face Ryan Kuse at United Fight League 7 on October 10th, but the event was suddenly cancelled, leaving both men without a fight. Luckily the LFA stepped in and rebooked this matchup, for 2 weeks later in the same city. Natividad had great difficulty finding opponents since his UFC stint, suffering multiple cancellations of bouts on the regional scene. “Quicksand” is looking to remind LFA fans what made him so exciting in his first run with the promotion, a well rounded game with fantastic power and strong wrestling. This will be the first time the Natividad brothers will be on the same card since Iron Boy MMA 7 in 2017. On that night, both won by KO.

LFA veteran Kyle Estrada (14-8) will be taking on streaking Mexican fighter Ernesto Ibarra (10-1). Ibarra is riding a five fight winning streak coming into this matchup, primarily on the Mexican regional scene. Estrada is coming off a fantastic third round TKO victory at UFL 6 over Joao Camilo, and looks to prove his is among the elite flyweights in the world. Estrada trains with both the Natividad brothers at both Fight Ready and Arizona Combat Sports.

Chance Ikei (5-0) returns to the LFA cage after winning a fight for California’s 559 Fights promotion. The MMA Lab product is one of the most talented and highly touted prospects from Arizona, with most of his career taking place in the LFA octagon. Currently riding a 10 fight winning streak including his amateur career, there is no doubt “The Typhoon” has his eyes set on the next level. He will be facing Jordan Burkholder (6-2), a fighter out of Jackson Wink who will be returning for his 4th LFA appearance. Burkholder is the reigning Flyweight Champion for the Idaho based Front Street Fights promotion.

Making his LFA debut will be the Yuma, AZ based grappler Richard Mahan, taking on the Brazilian Livio Ribeiro. The homestate favorite Mahan secured a fantastic submission victory at his last bout at UFL 6, and his only professional loss has come to Yevgeni Shinkarevsky, another highly regarded young fighter. He will have his hands full with the undefeated Brazilian Ribeiro, but with a win here Mahan can secure himself as a name to watch on the national stage.

Rounding off the fight accouterments will be Leslie Hernandez (4-3) taking on Flor Hernandez (4-3). Leslie is another representative of the MMA Lab, but has had some difficulty as of late, losing to Julieta Martinez on the contender series and suffering a submission loss at LFA 207 in her last bout. Despite this, she remains extremely talented and one of the most entertaining female strikers to watch on the regional scene. She looks to get back to her winning ways vs Flor Hernandez, who is currently riding a four fight losing streak across MMA and Muay Thai.

The LFA remains a breeding ground for some of the top MMA prospects, and without a doubt will deliver more action when the promotion touches down in Phoenix, Arizona on October 25th. You can buy tickets at Arizona Financial Theatre’s website, and watch the prelims live on YouTube with the main card airing on UFC Fight Pass.