Gil de Freitas Kneebar Nets Vacant Welterweight Title in CES MMA 31 Main Event

The Classic Entertainment and Sports welterweight championship has a new address.

Team Link’s Gil de Freitas captured the vacant 170-pound title, as he submitted Chip Moraza-Pollard with a first-round kneebar in the CES MMA 31 headliner on Friday at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. The end came 4:37 into round one, the pain too much for Moraza-Pollard (10-9) to bear.

De Freitas (18-5) stalked the Team Sityodtong product from the outset, walking through kicks high and low while waiting for an opportunity to present itself. The 32-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt executed takedown, fed Moraza-Pollard elbows, punches and forearms from half guard and framed a kimura. De Freitas then transitioned to the kneebar, forcing an immediate tapout for his fifth consecutive victory.

In the middleweight co-main event, Daniel Vizcaya tapped favored “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 graduate Chuck O’Neil with a first-round rear-naked choke. O’Neil (15-8) conceded defeat 2:19 into round one, firing his mouthpiece in disgust.

Vizcaya (9-3) walked through an early head kick and overhand right, delivered a takedown and shifted from side control to the back. The 30-year-old M-1 Global alum then set the choke, secured his position with hooks and clamped down with his grip, prompting the tapout from the former CES MMA champion.

A Prime Muay Thai representative, Vizcaya has won six of his past seven fights.

Meanwhile, Kody Nordby submitted rival Dinis Paiva with a first-round rear-naked choke in an emotionally charged featured attraction at 135 pounds. Paiva (7-6) yielded 2:42 into round one, his career-best four-fight winning streak at an end.

Nordby (5-3) struck for a takedown inside of the first 30 seconds, moved to the back and locked a body triangle in place. The 22-year-old was persistent from start to finish, mixing punches and elbows with rear-naked choke attempts. Nordby ultimately threaded the choke and coaxed the tapout after a brief struggle.

Elsewhere, Eric Spicely remained undefeated with a one-sided unanimous decision over Bellator MMA veteran Aaron Johnson in a three-round middleweight showcase. All three cageside judges arrived at the same ruling: 30-27 for Spicely (8-0).

Johnson (13-10) offered little in the way of meaningful resistance, his offense limited to a handful of unsuccessful submission attempts off his back. Spicely achieved full mount in all three rounds and battered the Darkside MMA export with steady elbows and punches from a kneeling position. Johnson had no answer for his counterpart’s top game and spent the majority of his time playing defense.

In other action, Blackzilians rep Andre Soukhamthath (9-3) dispatched Carlos Galindo (10-4) with elbow-laced ground-and-pound 3:46 into the second round of their showdown at 135 pounds; Team Sityodtong’s Greg Rebello (19-6) wiped out Mike Mucitelli (7-3) with an overhand left 3:24 into round one of their cruiserweight pairing; World Series of Fighting alum Darren Mima (7-4) knocked out Remo Cardarelli (5-3) with a slam 27 seconds into the first round of their flyweight confrontation; Buck Pineau (1-2) suffered a gruesome arm injury while being slammed by Pat McCrohan (1-0), resulting in a tapout 58 seconds into round one of their scrap at 185 pounds; Team Bombsquad’s Shane Manley (3-2) submitted Taylor Trahan (5-4) with a rear-naked choke 4:09 into the first round of their featherweight tilt; Carlos Candelario (2-0) pocketed a unanimous decision against Jesse Gutierrez (1-2) in their three-round encounter at 125 pounds; and Dave Baxter (1-0) tapped Brandon Warne (1-1) with an armbar 2:37 into round one of their flyweight clash.