Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
In the shadow of two separate UFC events this weekend is a stellar line up from the World Series Of Fighting 16. The event will be headlined by a pair of title bouts as Rousimar Palhares defends the welterweight gold against Jon Fitch and Rick Glenn defends the featherweight strap against Lance Palmer. The undercard for this event is a still one as well, with UFC veteran Justin Buchholz making his WSOF debut.
Main Card
Main Event
WSOF Welterweight Title Fight
Rousimar “Toquinho†Palhares (Champion) (16-6-0) vs. Jon Fitch (26-6-1-1NC)
Palhares will be making the first defense of his championship, which comes almost a year after he won it by defeating Steve Carl at the WSOF IX. Fitch has not seemed like the top level competitor who once challenged then UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre all those years ago. Palhares has also been dealing with some family issues in the last year, most notably his mother’s health issues, which was an issue that cancelled the first meeting between the two. Fitch is coming off of a dominant victory over fellow UFC veteran Dennis Hallman, but Hallman is a shadow of his former self and he hasn’t been relevant in many years. This fight is easily the best fight that the WSOF can put together in any division right now, which is a sad thing when you think about it. Fitch’s strength has always been his wrestling game, but that wrestling game will lead him to the dreaded heel hooks of Palhares and Palhares will submit Fitch in the first round.
Co-Main Event
WSOF Featherweight Title Fight
Rick “The Gladiator†Glenn (Champion) (15-2-1) vs. Lance “The Party†Palmer (8-1-0)
Glenn will be making the first defense of his championship in the co-main event, he won the belt after defeating Georgi Karakhanyan at the WSOF X. Palmer will be getting his second opportunity at the championship, as he lost to Georgi Karakhanyan at the WSOF VII in a bout that crowned the inaugural WSOF Featherweight Champion. Glenn has not suffered a defeat in nearly five years, which includes a win over UFC veteran Johnny Case. Palmer is a member of Team Alpha Male, which has seemingly been on a major roll since TJ Dillashaw won the UFC Bantamweight Title. This fight should be identical to the Glenn/Karakhanyan bout at the WSOF X as Glenn will use his striking and range to finish Palmer in the third.
WSOF Bantamweight Division Fight
Sheyman Moraes (6-0-0) vs. Gabriel “Solo†Solorio (11-7-0)
Moraes will be making his WSOF debut in this fight after spending the majority of his career competing in his home country of Brazil. Solorio will be returning to the promotion after a year absence, winning one of two fights in between appearances. Moraes already holds a victory over UFC veteran Pedro Nobre, but he has only competed once in the last two years. Solorio has won three of his last four, with that lone loss coming to UFC veteran Ian Loveland at a World Fighting Championships event. This fight should be nothing short of a slugfest and both fighters are known as finishers, Moraes gets the opening round KO.
WSOF Featherweight Division Fight
Josh Berkovic (5-0-0) vs. Brenson Hansen (6-2-0)
Berkovic will be making his WSOF debut in this fight and he has only seen one of his five pro MMA bouts go to a decision. Hansen has won three of four fights under the WSOF banner, with that lone loss coming to Freddy Assuncao. This fight could determine the next challenger for the WSOF Featherweight Title and Hansen will get his shot after getting the decision on Berkovic. WSOF Lightweight Division Fight Justin Buchholz (15-5-0) vs. “Lethal†Lewis Gonzalez (9-1-0) Buzhholz is a UFC veteran who has won six of nine fights since getting his UFC release, which came after a loss to Mac Danzig at UFC 109. Gonzalez actually headlined the WSOF 12 in a losing effort to Luis Palomino, but he did defeat UFC veteran Antonio McKee at the WSOF IV. This fight should be contested on the ground, which is where Gonzalez will dominate Buchholz to get a decision.
Preliminary Card
Dave Huckaba over CJ Leveque
David Douglas over Sinjen Smith
Justin Baesman over David Mitchell
Martin Sano over Dominic Waters
Erick Sanchez over Drey Mitchell
Chris Avila over Jason Powell
Joseph Morales over Christian Espinosa
Justin Durham over Dylan Blakesly
