Mixed martial arts is in full swing this year, as another card of action is ready to be presented tonight at World Series of Fighting 8. There are a number of reasons to watch this event: Two titles will be awarded, and the organization continues to build towards what it considers a great year of growth.
WSOF 8 will crown two champions to join Steve Carl as the first fighters to hold belts in their respective weight classes. Undefeated lightweight Justin Gaethje will face Richard Patishnock for the opportunity to hold the belt at 155 pounds. Gaethje has looked phenomenal since joining the promotion, as he’s rattled off three straight stoppages.
Gaethje was scheduled to face two other opponents who were forced off the card due to injury, creating the opening for Patishnock to get a shot at the strap. The 26-year-old fighter is on a two-fight win streak since joining the promotion in 2013. His grinding style can cause problems for the very aggressive Gaethje, so while he may be a vast betting underdog, it will be interesting to see if he can pull off the upset.
Long time women’s MMA competitor Jessica Aguilar will make her promotional debut in an attempt to become the first strawweight champion of the WSOF. With 20 professional fights, the Houston native has faced some of the greatest female fighters the sport has ever known. She most defeated Megumi Fujii for the second time in her last fight, defeated Carla Esparza in 2011, and lost a close split decision battle to Zoila Gurgel in 2010. Aguilar is widely considered one of the top pound-for-pound competitors in women’s MMA, and it will be quite a moment to see her fight on what may be her biggest stage yet.
WSOF light heavyweight Anthony Johnson is walking into a storybook moment in his MMA career. He’s due to face Mike Kyle, and while there isn’t a title on the line, he’s in a position with many risks.
This is Johnson’s last contracted fight with the promotion. He’s made it clear that he intends to assess the situation after this fight and make a decision based on the best financial opportunity presented to him. While other promotions haven’t made any comments on whether or not they will seek the services of “Rumble” in this new weight class, he has strung together a six-fight win streak since leaving the UFC. He’s had well documented struggles with making weight, but in moving up to light heavyweight )and sometimes heavyweight), it seems that the onetime welterweight has put all of those problems behind him.
One additional aspect of Johnson’s decision is that he’s been promised the chance to fight for the WSOF light heavyweight title against an unnamed opponent in the event that he re-signs with the company. Being one of the first champions of an aggressively-growing fight organization could open up lucrative deals for Johnson further along in his fight career. Even still, he assures the fight public that he’s not looking past the experienced Mike Kyle in the card’s co-main event.
In addition to those fights, there are other reasons for watching the action. Cody Bollinger and Tyson Nam will face off in an important bantamweight.fight that features two talented, but lesser-known, competitors. Freddy Assuncao and Brenson Hansen are paired off in what should be an action-packed featherweight matchup as well. In the past, cards such as these have created some exciting fights, even if the competitors were not as well-known as the big name stars in the sport.
World Series of Fighting 8 is the organization’s first offering in the year 2014. Those unfamiliar with the promotion should take the time to enjoy this fight card. WSOF President Ray Sefo has promised some developments within his organization that will get fight fans to care about the fighters that are under his employ. With two titles on the line, this fight card features some of the best athletes that the promotion has to offer.
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World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock will take place on January 18, 2014 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
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