Three title fights topped BTC 6: Night of Champions on Saturday in Burlington, ON — with flyweight, women’s strawweight, and even super lightweight gold on the line!
MMA got back some of its regional flavor in Ontario on Saturday, with BTC 6 going down in Burlington, ON. The card, entitled Night of Champions, boasted a scheduled three title fights. Among them, James Clarke would face fellow Canadian Dave Henry for the vacant flyweight title. Clarke was predicting a first-round submission, but only time would tell.
Scott Hudson and Dawond Pickney, meanwhile, were set to clash for the super lightweight championship (165lbs), a division many fighters would like to see make the big leagues. And finally, interim strawweight gold was on the line between Lindsay Garbatt and Cheyanne Vlismas.
Check back come fight time (6PM ET) for full results from Saturday’s event!
Teshay Gouthro vs. Paul Fisher
Featherweight action kicked off BTC 6 as Paulie Fisher took on Teshay Gouthro. Both fighters were making their pro debuts. Fisher connected first, which seemed to open the flood gates for a moment. Gouthro launched a high kick, and the pair engaged in a couple of exchanges. Gouthro was taking some hefty swings, and Fisher was cut open, but grazed his opponent with a high kick. Gouthro appeared to have hurt Fisher along the cage, and turned things up a notch. Fisher remained in it, but ate a right hand, which led to a little showboating with Gouthro raising his hand in celebration. He continued to attack, going to both the body and head with punches; Fisher answered with kicks and jabs but was getting the worse of the exchanges.
After an extra look at Fisher by the doctor between rounds, the pair got back underway with Gouthro immediately going on the attack, bloodying the other side of Fisher this time. He’d then fire a knee in the clinch, and trap Fisher against the cage, covering up. Fisher would circle out, and try to walk Gouthro down, but the ref then paused to action to check on the cut. It was bad enough to wave the affair off, giving Teshay Gouthro the first win of the night, and his pro career.
Teshay Gouthro def. Paul Fisher by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 2:15
Marc Gillespie vs. Ariel Zuniga
A spirited battle to start the first round of this bantamweight fight. After some early grappling and a quick knockdown, Gillespie got the fight to the canvas. Zuniga would battle back up, and land a blistering right hand. Zuniga would later fence his opponent in, unloading, but Gillespie escaped. Zuniga then worked in a spinning kick upstairs, and they exchanged as the round closed out.
In round two, Zuniga began to come on strong, peppering his opponent with punches. Gillespie, however, continued to march forward, and was finding at least some succcess with his kicks, low and to the body. Zuniga attempted to change things up, latching on with a body lock by the cage, but Gillespie went hunting for a kimura, briefly taking the fight to the ground. Coming out of that sequence, Gillespie backed Zuniga up, unloading with lefts and rights. Zuniga covered up, weathering the storm. Zuniga then battled back, returning the favor, and launching a knee to the body in an absolutely insane sequence that ended with another barrage and a knockout blow!
Ariel Zuniga def. Marc Gillespie by TKO, Round 2, 3:54
Julius Trimmeliti vs. Kyran Cameron
A pair of undefeated welterweights met in the third fight of the evening at BTC 6. One man was going to keep that perfect record intact.
Leg kicks came early in this one, and Kyran Cameron found a home for his left hand a number of times. Trimmeliti looked to tie things up against the cage, with Cameron firing off some knees in the clinch. The grinding approach would go on for some time before the ref stopped the action and restarted them in center. Cameron then caught Trimmeliti with a punch that clearly wobbled him. He pressed for a takedown in response as the round closed out.
Round two was a continuation of the clinch-along-the-wall game by Trimmeliti. Not a ton of action, but a lot of grappling for position, head position, and pressure. Cameron had his back to the cage throughout, which is not where he had been effective. The ref finally broke them up, and Cameron sprawled to avoid a takedown attempt. Cameron would later go upstairs with a head kick attempt that was blocked, and back Trimmeliti up. However, he was mostly firing single strikes, and it was Trimmeliti launching a high kick before the buzzer.
Cameron worked his jab early in the third round. A combination off a leg kick knocked the mouth guard out of Trimmeliti. Going again, he’d shoot for a takedown, only to have it stuffed. A second takedown, however, was successful, and Trimmeliti looked to make something happen with Cameron on his back against the fence. Cameron would look to isolate an arm from the bottom, while Trimmeliti would work on a choke. Scrambling up in the final ten seconds, Cameron would swing away, and they’d go to the buzzer.
Kyran Cameron def. Julius Trimmeliti by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Patrick Connors vs. Mike McAloon
Featherweight action saw Patrick Connors and Mike McAloon go toe-to-toe early, before Connors took the fight to the ground. From bottom, McAloon latched onto an arm, transitioning to the arm-bar smoothly and wrenching back on the limb. That earned the tap, and this one was over in a flash!
Mike McAloon def. Patrick Connors by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:29
Vladimir Kazbekov vs. Jacob Bohn
Kazbekov, a Russian fighting out of Toronto, clipped Bohn early, putting his power on display. He’d launch a nifty looking spinning back fist later in the round. Much of the frame, however, was spent with the pair tied up against the fence, which was clearly where American Bohn preferred it. It was Kazbekov however the worked to muscle his opponent down, only to wind up on bottom until he was able to reverse.
Round two saw a return to the grappling game, but Kazbekov landed a heavy kick to the body as Bohn though to change levels. He’d fire a knee up the middle later, and eventually take Bohn down. Bohn was looking tired but was able to sweep and get on top, dropping ground n’ pound. Kazbekov escaped, got on top himself, and launched some heavy shots. That got the crowd on its feet. Both men were now looking fatigued and throwing wild. Bohn would get on top again later in the round, but was too tired to really land much of significance. Kazbekov would reverse, but would up in the same situation.
The fight, however, was called off when Kazbekov was unable to answer the bell for the third round. The end result there was a TKO win for Bohn.
Jacob Bohn def. Vladimir Kazbekov by TKO, Round 2, 5:00
Adam Assenza vs. Mark Coates
Burlington’s own Adam Assenza closed out the undercard at BTC 6, taking on American Mark Coates. It wasn’t Assenza’s original opponent, as he had initially been booked opposite Thomas Webb.
Coates opened fire with a kick, and Assenza immediately answered with his hands. He got the better of the first exchange, which led to Coates pulling a little “didn’t hurt” motion, waving him in. The bout devolved into a firefight, and when Coates went down, Assenza got on top, landing some ground n’ pound. Coates hung in there, but was getting softened up. He struggled back to his feet, but was eating punishment at every turn, with Assenza then landing blows from behind and forcing him back down. Assenza would pick up the pace later in the round, but ate an upkick for his troubles, and Coates would make it to the buzzer.
Adam Assenza def. Mark Coates by TKO, Round 1, 5:00
Lindsay Garbatt vs. Cheyanne Vlismas
In the first of three title fights atop the BTC 6 card, interim strawweight gold was on the line. Competing for the belt, America’s Cheyanne Vlismas and Canada’s own Lindsay Garbatt.
The pair traded early, with Vlismas launching a high kick. She would also attack the lead leg of Garbatt off a combination. Going to the ground, it was Vlismas on top, working to improve position. Garbatt had a leg trapped, keeping her in half-guard for the time being. The pair would finish the round without ever making it back up, Vlismas in control to the end.
A quick start on the feet in the second saw Vlismas displaying solid footwork and changing stances. Garbatt went to the body, and looked to move in-and-out, only to be taken down again and planted on her back. She looked to tie Vlismas up, closing he rguard but eating a few shots to the ribs. Again, Garbatt was unable to escape. She squirmed, scrambled, Vlismas added in some hammer fists, but it was a few minutes before some space was created, and ultimately Vlismas backed off a bit. Back on the feet, however, Garbatt had little time to work, and wound up planted on her back to finish the frame.
Round three saw Garbatt slip, one of a handful in the night. Vlismas drove her opponent into the cage early on, looking to get the fight back in her domain. Which she did, soon enough. Garbatt attempted to defend with a guillotine, didn’t have it, but would at least escape. Vlismas would try to take the fight down again later in the round, but Garbatt scrambled, staying up even as Vlismas held on to a limb. At one point, Garbatt hoisted her opponent right off her feet, but eventually, had to set her back down, and wound up sat down in the end. She finished the frame jockeying for position with Vlismas on the ground. That was it – despite being a title fight, it was a three rounder, and Vlismas easily won the decision, and belt.
Cheyanne Vlismas def. Lindsay Garbatt by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Scott Hudson vs. Dawond Pickney
The second title fight, and co-main event of BTC 6 saw Scott Hudson facing off against Dawond Pickney. A three round (or less) bout, with the super lightweight title on the line.
Some heavy leather thrown early, but it was Hudson both landing with leg kicks, then taking the fight to the ground. Coming back up, Pickney launched some hard shots, at least some of which grazed Hudson. Hudson would later tie Pickney up along the cage; Pickney reversed, only to be reversed himself. Off the break, a big swing by Pickney fanned. Toward the end of the round, Hudson would sink in a standing guillotine, but couldn’t finish before the bell.
Pickney came out attacking to open the second. After a brief exchange, he would drive Hudson into the cage. Pickney would trap a leg, but when they went down, Hudson managed to deftly move to the top. However, as the worked their way back up, it was Pickney taking Hudson down with authority. Hudson wouldn’t stay down, however. Back up he worked to defend and soon locked in a standing guillotine! That got the tap, and Hudson had won the title!
Scott Hudson def. Dawond Pickney by submission (guillotine choke), Round 2, 3:45
James Clarke vs. Dave Henry
Henry got the fight to the ground early in the main event of BTC 6, with the promotion’s flyweight title on the line. ‘Yakuza’ worked within Clarke’s guard, but Clarke reversed, working his way up. Henry caught him in a guillotine, and Clarke slammed him down. this led to an entertaining sequence of scrambles by the cage, with Henry winding up working from the back of his oppoennt. Clarke looked to reverse, and did as teh round came to a close.
In the second, Henry unleashed a high kick as Clarke changed levels. Henry’s kick sailed over his opponent, and Clarke finished the attempt. Clarke connected with some elbows by the cage, and worked to take the back. He had control of Henry along the fence, and added some punches in while working to flatten his opponent out. He continued with the ground strikes, looking to the ref, perhaps thinking it might be stopped, as Henry wasn’t defending much. Clarke the added elbows and hammer fists, before dragging his opponent back and looking for a choke. Henry fought the choke off for a time, and actually managed to scramble free late.
James Clarke shot a takedown right off the glove touch to open round three of the BTC 6 main event. Henry defended with a choke, but Clarke pulled free and moved to mount. Henry held on tight, hands clasped. Somehow, he managed to flip the script, ending up on top, albeit in Clarke’s guard. A scramble led to Henry getting the back, but Clarke would escape and get back in the driver’s seat. He transitioned to the back, working on a rear-naked choke and getting under the chin. Henry fought it off til the end of the round, however.
Clarke again got the early takedown in round four, finding himself in a guillotine that wasn’t about to be finished. Once he pulled free, he was in half guard along the fence. Clarke dropped some elbows from there, but Henry would break free, and work from the top briefly. A lot of back-and-forth and positional changes in the grappling.
The fifth and final round started with a swing and a miss from Henry. Clarke ducked under, taking things back to the ground. Henry would briefly take the back in a scramble, but Clarke slipped off. That allowed him to latch on with a head lock, as Henry drove him into the fence. Henry would slowly pull him back down, but it was Clarke who reversed and wound up on top. He’d finish the round there, and the fight. The effort also earned him the BTC flyweight championship!
James Clarke def. Dave Henry by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-44)
BTC 6: Night of Champions Results:
James Clarke def. Dave Henry by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-44) – for the BTC flyweight championship
Scott Hudson def. Dawond Pickney by submission (guillotine choke), Round 2, 3:45 – for the BTC super lightweight championship
Cheyanne Vlismas def. Lindsay Garbatt by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) – for the BTC interim strawweight championship
Adam Assenza def. Mark Coates by TKO, Round 1, 5:00
Jacob Bohn def. Vladimir Kazbekov by TKO, Round 2, 5:00
Mike McAloon def. Patrick Connors by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:29
Kyran Cameron def. Julius Trimmeliti by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ariel Zuniga def. Marc Gillespie by TKO, Round 2, 3:54
Teshay Gouthro def. Paul Fisher by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 2:15
