Rowe had a bit of a scare at Friday’s official weigh-ins, coming in heavy for the welterweight fight on his first attempt. That, after missing weight twice previously in his UFC career. Luckily, he was able to use some extra time and weigh in successful on his second attempt.

Early in Round one, Lebosnoyani struggled a bit to find his range. Rowe wasn’t opening up much, leaving Lebosnoyani as the more active fighter. Lebosnoyani timed a sharp double-leg takedown and secured solid control time, threatening a D’Arce choke while mixing in effective elbows. Rowe worked back to his feet with under a minute remaining and landed a good knee, but Lebosnoyani stayed aggressive. He answered with heavy, clubbing shots, and the two exchanged big punches right at the bell.

Round two saw both fighters more comfortable at kickboxing range. Lebosnoyani continued to outwork Rowe, mixing his attacks better and throwing at a higher volume. He exploded into a takedown attempt, but Rowe used his size advantage to defend. Rowe’s low output began to cost him, while Lebosnoyani compensated for the reach disadvantage with frequent kicks and explosive entries. Though Rowe defended another takedown initially, Lebosnoyani’s pressure against the cage eventually brought the fight back to the mat. Rowe returned to his feet again but slipped while throwing a knee, stalling his momentum.

In Round three, Rowe appeared to understand he needed a finish. Lebosnoyani continued landing his go-to combination of a leg kick into an overhand, a sequence he had success with throughout the fight. Rowe stuck behind the jab, while Lebosnoyani stayed patient at range, chopping at the lead leg. Lebosnoyani was wearing some visible damage from Rowe’s long strikes but timed a clean takedown in open space and secured it.

During a wild scramble, Lebosnoyani floated on top and consistently threatened the neck whenever Rowe tried to explode out of position. With under a minute left, Rowe managed to stand as his corner urged him forward. He pressed the action and landed solid shots in the pocket, but it was too little, too late.

Official Result: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Phil Rowe by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

The post UFC Houston: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani Takes Split Over Phil Rowe in Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

Lebosnoyani (9-2) got the call to fight at DWCS following a first round submission victory at LFA 206. Turning a 7-1 LFA run into a call to the big show was perfectly timed for the welterweight.

“I’m so excited to be here. It’s a bit surreal, but at the same time I feel like the timing’s right,” Lebosnoyani told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I’m where I belong now.”

The wild part about the fight for many is that Lebosnoyani is primarily a grappler with a very high-level Jiu Jitsu game. Guess they’ve added head kicks to BJJ 101?

“I’m a Jiu-Jitsu guy right? That’s what I’ve been growing up doing, but I put a lot of time and effort into my striking. In that moment, I’ve actually been there before in one of my other fights, and I kind of took a second and didn’t seize the moment right away,” he said.

“As soon as I saw him dazed I was like oh we got to go. I ran in, threw the overhand I’ve been working on this entire camp, and got the win.”

Lebosnoyani had an aura of confidence throughout the short process that is getting to the UFC APEX and actually fighting on DWCS, but the video packages the promotions put together showed that even more. For the welterweight it’s all part of the process towards improving and performing.

“I feel like fighting is like a wave of being confident, being insecure, and you just have to ride that wave. You have to speak what you think into existence and back yourself 100%,” he told Cageside Press.

“In terms of confidence I feel like more than confident I was present. I tried to be as present as possible. I was just like in the moment as much as possible, and I think the confidence follows.”

So what would be ideal for the newly-signed UFC welterweight? A home game would be nice.

“I’m down for whatever. I’m from Los Angeles so I would love to fight in my city. I think there’s a card there in January. I’m literally in camp all year,” he said.

“I keep my weight right on point so the UFC doesn’t have to worry about that. You give me a call I’m going to show up and I’m going to perform.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani above.

The post Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani Hopes To Debut On LA Card In January appeared first on Cageside Press.

You’ve got a couple of undefeated prospects facing off as well — here’s a look at week four as we approach the halfway mark of the season.

Welterweight, Jack Congdon (7-1) Vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (8-2)

Notable Notes

• The only career loss Congdon has is to RTU alum Jonathan Piersma
• Congdon has a win over Jay Ellis (16-111), who is more wins than any of his other wins
• Congdon has never gone the distance
  Six of his wins come in round one
• Lebosnoyani is undefeated at welterweight (4-0)
• Lebosnoyani is 2-2 to the TKO/KO
• Lebosnoyani has won by KO/TKO, Submission, and Decision

Jack Congdon

I understand why Congdon was brought onto the Contender Series. He has a 100% finish rate and consistently delivers exciting fights. But when you dig into his résumé, it’s immediately clear that the level of competition leaves a lot to be desired. He’s based out of Massachusetts, a region not exactly known for producing top-tier talent, and the fighters he’s faced have been, frankly, abysmal. The most “accomplished” opponent he’s beaten is Jay Ellis, who now holds a 16-111 record. Most recently, Congdon went to war with a 36-year-old journeyman sitting at 9-6. Not exactly ideal when scouting for legitimate prospects.

Congdon himself isn’t without talent, but his game is built on problematic traits. At 6’2″, with a karate background, he throws a lot of side kicks and wheel kicks, though they’ve largely been ineffective. His best weapon is a sharp teep, and at range, he can be productive, stabbing the body with teeps and jabs, throwing long strikes from distance.

However, his striking is riddled with defensive flaws. He tends to reach, leaving his chin exposed, and relies on a classic “tall man’s defense,” which becomes more pronounced as the fight wears on. He does carry power and can land from both range and the inside, targeting all levels, but he often has to step into the fire to find success— and that’s not a sustainable style.

Congdon is simply too hittable in the very areas where he prefers the fight to take place. He loads up recklessly, leaving himself wide open to counters. On top of that, his cardio is a major liability. After five minutes, his defensive flaws become even more obvious and exploitable.

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani

Lebosnoyani might be the most underrated prospect on this season of the Contender Series. Early in his career, he fought with relentless aggression, constantly hunting for the finish. But since his 2023 loss to JaCobi Jones and subsequent move up to welterweight, he’s shown a much more composed, mature approach, without losing that killer instinct.

A black belt in jiu-jitsu, Lebosnoyani is at his most dangerous on the ground. He’s an aggressive submission hunter who attacks from both top and bottom, chaining together submissions and constantly threatening all limbs. His transitions are fluid, and he never stops looking for an opening. That said, like many BJJ specialists, his wrestling still lags behind. He’s not a strong offensive wrestler; most of his grappling entries come from scrambles, reactive sequences when he’s taken down, or club-and-sub scenarios.

While he’s clearly a jiu-jitsu specialist, he’s also fallen in love with his striking, and in his case, that’s not a bad thing. On the feet, Lebosnoyani is smooth and creative. He moves laterally with purpose, frequently shifts stances, and throws a wide variety of kicks from all levels. He sets them up with slick feints, often using his hands as a distraction before dipping his head and whipping a high kick upstairs.

He’s hard to close the distance on, thanks to his movement and ability to stick and move. He’s a subtle but effective counter striker with solid vision during pocket exchanges. While his style does carry some risk (he can be clipped), his head movement has steadily improved, and his hands are fast enough to beat most opponents to the punch.

Physically, he might be at a slight disadvantage at 170, but he’s 4-0 as a pro in the division and had prior experience there as an amateur. It may pose some challenges in the wrestling department, but most opponents won’t be eager to engage him on the mat anyway.

Prediction: Congdon is only live in this fight due to his size advantage. Beyond that, Lebosnoyani is leagues ahead in terms of skill. Congdon’s best (and probably only) path is to close the distance and land something big, but that’s easier said than done.

More than likely, Lebosnoyani will use his superior movement, speed, and cardio to pick Congdon apart from the outside. While Congdon’s takedown defense is a concern, I don’t think wrestling will be Lebosnoyani’s primary approach here. Even though he’s clearly the better grappler, it wouldn’t make sense to burn energy chasing submissions against a much bigger opponent.

Instead, I see Lebosnoyani staying technical on the feet, out-kickboxing Congdon early and gradually wearing him down. As Congdon starts to fade, look for Lebosnoyani to turn up the volume and score a late TKO. Lebosnoyani via TKO in round three.

The post DWCS 2025: Episode 4 Breakdown and Predictions appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kicking off this UFC Kansas City edition of TTP is our interview with UFC lightweight, Evan Elder. Elder discusses his long layoff leading to his fight this weekend and why he trusts that things are going the way that they were intended to go. Plus, he talks about some of the training he’s done to prepare for this hometown fight. He also gives a shoutout to a teammate and training partner who appears later on in the show.

Fights, Dogs, and Parlays: UFC Kansas City (12:17)

Now two weeks removed from UFC 314, we are back on the road for UFC Kansas City. The main event will help determine the pecking order at welterweight as Ian Machado Garry tries to solidify his spot against Carlos Prates. Plus, in the co-main event, Anthony Smith gets his retirement fight against Zhang Mingyang. Will Smith ride off into the sunset following a win or is Mingyang going to build his name on the veteran’s back? We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani Interview (19:55)

Closing out this UFC Kansas City edition of TTP is our interview with LFA welterweight, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani. Lebosnoyani is coming off a huge with in the LFA 206 main event over Keegan Gennrich. He picked up a triangle choke and now has himself in the perfect position to call his next shot. He talks to us about what that shot might just be. Plus, he reacts to the kind words shared earlier in the episode by UFC veteran Evan Elder.

The post TTP Ep. 477: Evan Elder, Jean Paul Lebosnoyani and UFC Kansas City appeared first on Cageside Press.

That welterweight showdown saw former LFA champion “Machine Gun” Kegan Gennrich (9-3) and ex-Legacy Fighting Alliance title challenger Jean-Paul “Mufasa” Lebosnoyani (7-2) face off in an attempt to work their way back to the top of the 170lb division. The hefty (quite literally) six-fight main card also featured a pair of heavyweight scraps, with Alvin Hines vs. Billy Ray Valdez serving as the night’s co-main event.

Hines entered the night a perfect 6-0, with four of those wins coming under the LFA banner.

LFA 206 also featured Steven Asplund looking for his fourth victory inside the LFA cage as he took on Raiden Kovacs in the main card’s other heavyweight fight.

Where to Watch LFA 206

Legacy Fighting Alliance is in action on Friday, April 11, 2025 at the Mystic Showroom at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The main card gets underway on UFC Fight Pass at 6:00PM PT, 9:00PM ET, following online and dark prelims. Full results from the event can be found below.

LFA 206: Gennrich vs. Lebosnoyani Results

Main Card

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Kegan Gennrich by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 4:00
Alvin Hines def. Billy Ray Valdez by KO (Head Kick), Round 3, 2:09
Adam Vigil def. Starling Simmons by KO (right hook to ground n’ pound), Round 1, 1:09
Martin Camilo vs. Perry Stargel by KO (elbow) Round 1, 0:35
Steven Asplund def. Raiden Kovacs by TKO (punches and elbows), Round 2, 1:53
Joey Hart def. Omoyele Gonzalez by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 5:00

Preliminary Card

Taner Trembley def. Kyle Zimick by KO (left hook), Round 1, 3:13
Santos Verdinez def. Tim Bender by TKO (right hook to ground n’ pound), Round 2, 1:22
Lizzy Gevers def. Natalya Speece by submission (arm-bar from Kesa-Gatame), Round 2, 1:25

Early Preliminary Card

Noah Gasho def. Todd Box by KO (knee), Round 1, 0:51
Ezayah Gomez def. Hector Porter by TKO (punches), Round 2, 1:39
Mac Kukowski def. Blair Phillips by TKO (left hook to ground n’ pound), Round 1, 1:45

The post LFA 206: Gennrich vs. Lebosnoyani Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I feel like there’s been times in my career where I felt like I was ready to make that next step, and life taught me that, you know, that wasn’t my time,” Lebosnoyani told Cageside Press.

“Going into this one there’s definitely a lot of voices that are like ‘Oh you’re ready. It’s your time to go to the UFC’. Honestly, I’m not too focused on that. I think that me getting to the UFC is inevitable whether it’s after this fight or whether it’s after 5-6 fights from now.”

Lebosnoyani (7-2) is clear about what his mindset is when it comes to the fight game, and life. You stay focused on what’s in front of you and nothing else.

“I’m not really focused on that at all I’m focused more on my self-development as a human and as a fighter. I’m trusting in God’s plan and the universe of when my time is right,” he said.

“Obviously I believe in myself, and I back myself 100%. I check all the boxes, but ultimately at the end of the day, nothing matters. You can do everything right and go out there and lose. You can miss training and not take it seriously, and go out there and win.”

This Friday he gets Gennrich who’s had 7 fights in LFA. The former LFA lightweight champion makes his return to the promotion after taking a fight outside of it. It makes for a very big fight for Lebosnoyani who would love to add a former champion to his resume.

“I’m very aware that he’s a very skilled guy. Very experienced. At the same time I think that part of my approach to victory is honestly not really focusing on what he’s good at. I’m focusing more on what I’m good at. Just kind of looking forward to how the fight will play out,” he said.

‘Mufasa’ is one of the more well-rounded welterweights, not only in LFA, but in the world. Google the name ‘Lebosnoyani’ and you’ll see he’s not only one of the best Jiu-Jitsu fighters on the planet.

He’s part of royalty.

“I’m definitely blessed to have been born into the sport. Specially with so many legends that I’ve learned from. It’s a privilege and an honor to have a foundation, a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu foundation, that I’ve sort of built my style on top of,” he said.

“I’m super grateful for it, and I remember it throughout my learning process and my career and it allows me to build off of it.”

Legends like Helio Gracie who Lebosnoyani’s father trained under before going on to train Royce Gracie. It’s a legacy that the younger Lebosnoyani is proud of, and carries, but it’s time to create his own.

“I’m going to try to enjoy the process as much as possible and not focus too much on the outcome, or what comes after that, and just be present every punch, every kick, every grappling exchange. Just enjoy it because this is what I love to do. I do it every day,” said Lebosnoyani

“On this Friday expect the unexpected. No matter what I’m going to find a way to get my hand raised.”

Watch the entire interview with Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani above. He headlines LFA 206 this Friday night against Kegan Gennrich in Prior Lake, Minnesota on UFC Fight Pass.

The post Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani Focused On LFA Main Event With UFC Looming appeared first on Cageside Press.

On the newcomer front, what names should the UFC be looking at in 2025? Let’s take a look!

Where possible, we’ve included insight from teammates/coaches, or statements from the fighters themselves.

Lightweight, Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga
Nerima, Tokyo, Japan
25-years-old
10-0
6 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions
Combined opponents’ record: 92-77-6

Ephoeviga was rumored to fight on the Contender Series this last season but it didn’t happen due to visa issues, reportedly. It shows the UFC is interested, as they should be. Ephoeviga is a big athletic lightweight who’s looked solid so far. He’s a product out of Tribe Tokyo MMA, a prominent gym in Japan. With Japanese MMA it’s tough to gauge how good a fighter is. Ephoeviga though has beaten Emmanuel Sanchez who is a Bellator vet (and former title challenger). Ephoeviga became the first person to stop Sanchez by KO/TKO which is super impressive.

“Yuji is a very talented MMA fighter. He is skilled in all positions, but his striking is definitely what stands out. He has a great understanding for his distance and blends footwork and feints to always manipulate the range. He is very efficient with his shot selection, and when he has someone hurt he jumps on it. A hard worker with tons of confidence. He has faced high-level competition and is ready to be on the big stage!!” – Teammate, Austin Clayton

Welterweight, Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani
Hermosa Beach, California, US
25-years-old
7-2
2 KO/TKOs, 4 Submissions
Combined opponents’ record: 21-11

Lebosnoyani is now a welterweight that’s moved up from lightweight. Naturally, I like him better at 155 but he’s undefeated at welterweight. Lebosnoyani started as just a submission specialist but he’s grown into a quality striker. Still though, he comes from a grappling background and you see it in the cage. He’s a BJJ black belt who had over 500 grappling matches and was a world champ at the age of ten. His only losses are JaCobi Jones and Spike Carlyle but I believe Lebosnoyani is finally over that hurdle.

“Being a UFC champion has been my dream as long as I can remember. I have been patiently working hard to sharpen all of my skills so that when I sign to the UFC, I will be ready to make my run to the title.”

Welterweight, Isaac Moreno
Los Fresnos, Texas, US
27-years-old
6-0
3 KO/TKOs
Combined opponents’ record: 17-10

Moreno had a big 2023 but missed the entire 2024 year with an injury. I went from not even thinking Moreno was UFC-level to thinking he’s top-25 in the UFC’s welterweight division right now. He’s easily one of my favorite welterweight prospects around. Moreno has made a name for himself in Texas as his entire pro and amateur career has been for Fury FC. Moreno has a high ceiling and the UFC should lock him up after he knocks off this ring rust coming up. Moreno gets more credit for his striking where he’s been effective with various weapons. His grappling is underrated and the last thing he did was a grappling bout last July.

“God always provides and there’s gonna be some big news soon. Don’t blink!” – Moreno

Light heavyweight, Julius Walker
Springfield, Missouri, US
25-years-old
6-0
4 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions
Combined opponents’ record: 36-26

Walker is easily one of the better prospects at 205. In his last three fights, he beat good regional names in Nyle Bartling, Bevon Lewis, and Myron Dennis — with all being title fights. Walker will go far with his wrestling, athleticism, and jiu-jitsu especially. His last three fights have been title fights winning 205-pound gold for Peak Fighting and Synergy. Walker is a breath of fresh air at 205 we all need.

“I should be in the UFC because I am a young and exciting fighter with a high ceiling. The 205 division has been declining for years and needs new blood to spice it up and I’m that guy.” – Walker

Welterweight, Thomas Gantt
Raleigh, North Carolina, US
31-years-old
8-0, 1 NC
3 KO/TKOs
Combined opponents’ record: 51-95

Gantt may have fought some bad competition but in the year 2024 he fought twelve times. With an insane strength of schedule, there is no way the UFC doesn’t know who this guy is. Gantt was a Division 1 All-American wrestler at NC State. He was an ACC champion and won a few international tournaments on the Olympic wrestling scene. He ranked as high as fourth on the Team USA ladder. For a wrestler, it’s what you can do when you get the takedown. For Gantt, it’s been smashing who he’s fighting. The relentless pressure and damage he displays have been unstoppable.

“I’m relatively new to the sport, but I am more than ready to test myself against the best in the world. I have the physical and mental capabilities to be a problem for anyone in my division right away.”

The post 50 Prospects The UFC Should Sign in 2025 appeared first on Cageside Press.

The card featured a lightweight title fight in its main event, as three-time NCAA All-American wrestler JaCobi “Big Toe” Jones threw down with dangerous submission fighter Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani with the promotion’s vacant 155lb title on the line.

In the co-main event, standout flyweight prospect An Ho looked to maintain his perfect record when he took on Brazil’s Edwin De Los Santos.

LFA 158 goes down Friday, May 19, 2023 with the main card airing live on UFC Fight Pass following select online prelims. Full results from the event can be found below. The main card broadcast gets underway at 10PM ET.

LFA 158: Lebosnoyani vs. Jones Results

Main Card

JaCobi Jones def. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani by TKO, Round 2, 2:18 — for the vacant LFA lightweight championship
An Tuan Ho def. Edwin De Los Santos by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Aupuni Pagaoa def. Humberto Duarte by knockout, Round 2, 0:47
Cedric Katambwa vs. Austin Wourms ends in a No Contest (accidental low blow), Round 1, 0:53
Ivan Tena def. Riley Wiseman by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Eric McConico def. Kevem Felipe by unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary Card

Chance Ikei def. Joe Stafford by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Tyler Jones def. Alex Martinez by TKO, Round 1, 1:43
Paul Marghitas def. Kyetin Lindquist by TKO, Round 1, 0:14 — amateur bout
Anthony Cruz def. Adrian Muñoz by TKO, Round 2, 2:20 — amateur bout
Grace DiFrancesco def. Maia Schmidt by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) — amateur bout
Ezra Elliott def. DeShawn White by submission (D’arce choke), Round 1, 1:20 — amateur bout
Leon Mackey Jr. def. Chris Putton by KO, Round 2, 0:16 — amateur bout

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