Patino Outpoints Bronzoulis, Retains LFC Welterweight Title

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HOUSTON -- Jorge “Macaco” Patino’s relentless takedowns and iron chin helped him win a unanimous decision over Mike Bronzoulis to retain the Legacy Fighting Championships welterweight title at LFC 9 in Houston on Friday night.

Patino landed takedown after takedown to control Bronzoulis for the majority of the five-round affair. However, it was Bronzoulis that did the most damage. When the fight moved into the fourth and fifth rounds, Patino was clearly winded. Bronzoulis took advantage, tagging him with stiff combinations.

He even landed a slick 1-2 head kick combo in the fourth, but Patino was unfazed. He took everything Bronzoulis could dish out and continued looking for takedowns.

When the bell rang for the fifth, Patino immediately went for another takedown and landed it, but only momentarily. Bronzoulis immediately got to his feet, but Patino remained relentless in his pursuit of takedowns throughout the round.

He eventually took Bronzoulis’ back with both hooks locked in. Bronzoulis defended, reversed the position and got back to his feet. The round ended with Bronzoulis rushing forward for one last flurry. It was to no avail, as all three judges scored the contest 49-46 in favor of Patino.

Earlier, Jeff Rexroad finished Larry Crowe in their 175-pound catch-weight contest late in the third round with a slick armbar from his back.

Rexroad used counter hooks and overhand rights to bloody Crowe’s nose early in the third round. Crowe was visibly gassed in the final frame, leaving his hands low and telegraphing his punches.

Rexroad took advantage, landing crisp shots in their exchanges and locking up a few Thai plums to land solid knees to Crowe’s bloodied face. It was after one of those knees that Crowe shot for a takedown in desperation. Even though he landed it, Rexroad pulled guard and locked up a triangle. He quickly transitioned to a modified arm bar, forcing Crowe to tap with less than two minutes left in the third.

For the first four and a half minutes of their bantamweight bout, Cody Williams dominated Steve Garcia. Williams’ combinations and leg kicks were getting the best of Garcia, and he also outclassed his opponent on the ground.

Then Garcia turned the tide, landing a left hook that stopped Williams in his tracks. When Garcia moved to finish, the referee stepped in to stop the fight at 4:39 of the first round.

In other action, Jonathan Harris used an impressive mix of standup, takedowns and ground-and-pound to stop Ricardo Talaverra in round three of their welterweight contest.

Both men were tired going into the final frame, but Harris had a little more left in the tank. He quickly landed a takedown and moved to mount. From the top he landed an assortment of punches and elbows, but Talaverra weathered the storm, and bucked Harris off into side control. From there, Harris continued the onslaught, forcing the stoppage.

Daniel Pineda ended his 150-pound catch-weight fight with Gilbert Jimenez in spectacular fashion, finishing the San Antonio native with a spinning backfist at 1:27 of round two.

To begin the professional card, heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Rakim Cleveland fought into the third round before Lewis capitalized on a takedown and some vicious ground-and-pound to force a referee stoppage at the 3:12 mark.