Nine up, nine down for Sean Brady.
The undefeated welterweight prospect kept his perfect professional record intact and made a successful Legacy Fighting Alliance debut, as he put a unanimous decision in the books against Gilbert Urbina in the LFA 49 headliner on Friday at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. All three judges struck 30-27 scorecards for Brady (9-0).
Outside of a flying knee that landed flush and a few standing elbows on clinch break in the first round, the long-limbed Urbina struggled to string together meaningful offense. Brady forced him out of his comfort zone with a variety of takedowns and strikes, countered effectively and nearly sealed the deal with a rear-naked choke in the second round. Though he settled for a decision, the 25-year-old left no doubt about his being a name worth watching at 170 pounds.
In the welterweight co-main event, former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jonavin Webb improved to 3-0 since being released by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2016, as he cruised to a unanimous decision over Tanner Saraceno. Webb (11-2) swept the scorecards with 30-27 marks from the judges.
Saraceno (7-3) enjoyed some success while standing, only to be woefully outclassed on the ground. Webb executed repeated takedowns, sliced through South Carolinian’s guard and attempted multiple submissions, from an anaconda choke and an armbar to a kneebar and a rear-naked choke. While he was unsuccessful in securing a finish, he racked up points, chewed up clock and handled his business.
The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak for Saraceno.
Meanwhile, former Pancrase champion Andy Main proved superior in all phases, as he claimed a unanimous decision against Team Sityodtong’s Saul Almeida in a three-round featherweight showcase. All three cageside judges scored it for Main (12-3-1): 29-28, 29-28 and 29-28.
Almeida (19-10) tried and failed to impose his will. The Bellator MMA veteran pecked away from the perimeter with jabs and leg kicks but changed course after Main sat him down with a jarring straight left in the second round. Almeida closed the distance, engaged his counterpart in the clinch and hunted takedowns. His efforts proved futile. Main cut off his advances and put his stamp on the fight late in the third round, where he snared “The Spider” in an inverted triangle choke from the bottom and smashed away with elbows to the face.
Webb, 29, has won four of his last five fights.
In other action, Stephen Regman wiped out Will Santiago Jr. with punches 4:34 into the first round of their catchweight clash at 175 pounds; John de Jesus was awarded a unanimous verdict over Adi Alic in a three-round featherweight confrontation, earning 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 marks from the judges; Ahmet Kayretli took a unanimous decision from Andrew Salas in a three-round bantamweight encounter, drawing 29-28 scores across the board; and Dakota Bush submitted Patrick Rivera with a rear-naked choke 4:49 into the third round of their catchweight tilt at 160 pounds.