KSW 65’s co-main event featured a featherweight title fight rematch — one that was thrown for a loop on Friday when champ Daniel Torres missed weight and was subsequently stripped of his title.
That left only Salahdine Parnasse eligible to win the title Saturday, after losing the belt to Torres earlier in the year. Torres, in essence, was fighting for pride.
Even that didn’t go well for the Brazilian on Saturday.
In the opening round, Torres was swinging for the fences. While he came close on a number of occasions, he was unable to connect — often leaving himself badly out of position. France’s Parnasse fought at a more measured pace, a pace he could likely keep up throughout five rounds.
To open the second, Parnasse went to the leg, then fired a head kick that Torres ate— a strike that brought about an explosion of cheers from the crowd in Gliwice, Poland. When the pair came together in a clinch, Torres was able to reverse and push Parnasse up against the cage.
Torres, however, could not land the takedown. A short time later, Parnasse would, changing levels out in the open and planting Torres on his back. Torres would not accept that position, however, quickly scrambling back to his feet.
The third round turned out to be a very closely contested five minutes. Both men looked to secure submission attempts, and heading into the championship rounds, it felt as if gas tanks were going to become key. The close back-and-forth, with a lot of hand fighting, continued into round four. But midway through the frame, Parnasse managed to plant Torres on his back. Parnasse was starting to show some damage, and while he escaped back up, he ate a couple of shots for his trouble.
A bloodied Torres was trailing by the time the fifth round was fully underway. Parnasse was flowing, having figured out the timing of Torres. His jab was on point, his counters were on point, and Torres’ only bright spot was in the clinch, putting Parnasse on his back in the final 30 seconds of the fight. Too little, too late as it turned out.
With the win, Parnasse avenges his lone loss, reclaims his title, and is once again in the conversation for best featherweight outside the major promotions.
Official Result: Salahdine Parnasse def. Daniel Torres by unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 49-46)
