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The growth that the Legacy Fighting Championships has experienced in recent years from regional MMA promotion to a national promotion is mainly due to the talent that comes through the cage. The upcoming Legacy FC 40 event is no different, with the heavyweight title being up for grabs as Cody Eats defends against Brice Ritani-Coe. Also, top MMA mainstays like Dave Vitkay, UFC veteran Clay Harvison and Rodrigo Lima all will be stepping into the cage.
Main Card
Main Event
Legacy FC Heavyweight Title Fight
Cody “The Freight Train†East (9-1-0) (Champion) vs. Brice Ritani-Coe (4-2-0)
East will be making the first defense of his championship, which he won by defeating Vernon Lewis at Legacy FC 36. Ritani-Coe is actually a late replacement for the injured Joe Cason, but he is undefeated in Legacy FC competition. East has spent the majority of his career in the King Of The Cage promotion, where he defeated Bellator MMA veteran Nick Rossborough. Ritani-Coe has only competed one time in the last four years, which was his Legacy FC debut at Legacy FC 39. East is an absolute demolisher on the feet and he will quickly knockout Ritani-Coe in the first to keep the gold.
Co-Main Event
Legacy FC Welterweight Division Fight
Tommy “Ghetto†Jones (6-2-0) vs. Dave “The A-Town Ogre†Vitkay (14-12-1)
Jones will be making his Legacy FC debut in this bout, but he has previously competed against UFC veteran Nissen Osterneck. Vitkay is coming off of a successful three fight run in Bellator MMA, where he earned a notable win over Keith Berry at Bellator 116. Jones enters the fight riding a three fight winning streak and he is a veteran of the Wild Bill’s Fight Night promotion. Vitkay is a longtime veteran of MMA competition, he has competed against the likes of UFC veterans Joe Riggs and Jesse Forbes. Vitkay has seen a career resurgence after his run in Bellator MMA, he submits the vastly under experienced Jones in the second.
Legacy FC Bantamweight Division Fight
Matt Betzold (6-4-0) vs. Rodrigo “Ratinho†Lima (11-3-0)
Betzold will be making his Legacy FC debut in this fight and he has previously fought against UFC veteran Anthony Birchak. Lima will also be making his promotional debut in this fight and he is a longtime veteran of the Watch Out Combat Show promotion. Lima will have a decided advantage on the ground when compared to Betzold, Lima gets the decision in this one.
Legacy FC Lightweight Division Fight
Joe “Hitman†Elmore (9-6-0) vs. Clay “Heavy Metal†Harvison (12-5-0)
Elmore will be making his Legacy FC debut in this fight and he is coming off of a loss to WSOF veteran Jordan Rinaldi. Harvison is a UFC veteran who is also making his Legacy FC debut and he will be doing so on a three fight winning streak. Harvison has been on a tear since his UFC exit in 2011, Harvison uses his ground game to grind out a decision in this one.
Legacy FC Featherweight Division Fight
Rusty Crowder (4-4-0) vs. Gui Cury (4-3-0)
Crowder has won two of his last three fights and this fight will be marking his Legacy FC promotional debut. Cury will also be making his Legacy FC debut in this fight and he is a longtime veteran of the Wild Bill’s Fight Night promotion. This fight should be nowhere near the main card, but it will be Cury winning a close decision with a stalemate on the ground.
Legacy FC Middleweight Division Fight
Aaron Conway (4-4-0) vs. Doug “Yamato†Usher (3-2-0)
Conway will be making his Legacy FC debut in this fight and he has only competed one time in the last three years. Usher will also be making his Legacy FC debut in this fight and he will be doing so on a three fight winning streak. Usher has started to come into his own in his last few fights, Usher uses his striking to get a second round finish.
Legacy FC Welterweight Division Fight
Wesley Barnes (2-1-0) vs. Amir Dadovic (2-1-0)
Barnes will be making his Legacy FC debut in this fight after spending his entire career until this point in the Conflict MMA promotion. Dadovic will also be making his promotional debut in this fight and this fight will be his first bout in two years. The majority of this fight should be contested on the feet, which is where Dadovic will score a first round TKO.
Preliminary Card
Devorious Tubbs over Derrick Brown
Dee Melton over Josh Koser
Alen Mulahmetovic over Ralph Ospina
Zac Cooper over Nathan Williams
Andrew Ballenger over Jared Gooden
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