Weekend Rundown: Burkman Wins Second Straight

UFC veteran Josh Burkman outpointed Jake Paul en route to a unanimous decision in the Showdown Fights “Burkman vs. Paul” headliner on Friday at the David O. McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah.

The 29-year-old Burkman, jockeying for a potential return to the Octagon, has delivered back-to-back wins since being cut by the UFC following his unanimous decision loss to Pete Sell in October 2008. Spawned by Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, he has never been knocked out in 28 professional appearances and owns notable victories against Drew Fickett, Josh Neer and Kyacey Uscola.

The defeat snapped a four-fight winning streak for Paul, a Gladiator Challenge and King of the Cage veteran who has hovered around the .500 mark for much of his career.

Meanwhile, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 quarter-finalist Brandon Melendez stopped JT Taylor on second-round strikes in the co-main event. The 27-year-old Melendez has posted a 4-4 mark since he last set foot inside the Octagon.

Williams Taps Kirwan at ‘Locked in the Cage 3’

The undefeated Tim Williams submitted Ultimate Warrior Challenge veteran Joey Kirwan with a first-round rear-naked choke to capture the Extreme Force middleweight championship at “Locked in the Cage 3” on Saturday at the John M. Perzel Community Center in Philadelphia. The end came 4:14 into round one.

Williams, a 23-year-old Delaware-based prospect, has submitted all three of his opponents as a professional.

Other winners at “Locked in the Cage 3” included Bo Coleman, Scott Heckman and Chris Wright.

Cage Force 16: Ishikawa Outpoints Miyazawa

Japanese journeyman Eiji Ishikawa recorded his fourth victory in five fights, as he defeated Dream veteran Motoki Miyazawa by unanimous decision in the Cage Force 16 main event on Sunday at the Differ Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The defeat snapped Miyazawa’s two-fight winning streak.

Ishikawa -- who owns a victory over Ryo Chonan and once battled former middleweight King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt to a draw -- has now secured 13 of his 19 career wins by decision. The 31-year-old Deep and Pancrase veteran has not finished an opponent since he stopped Ryuta Sakurai on a first-round cut in October 2007.

Other victors at Cage Force 16 included Kenta Takagi, who knocked out Akihiro Murayama with an elbow in just 48 seconds, and Seiji Otsuka, who stopped Kazuki Itaya on third-round punches.