Titan FC flyweight champion Juan Puerta (17-6) outlasted a gritty Claudio Ledesma (16-8) to net a blood-soaked defense of his title.
The contest served as the main event of Friday’s Titan FC 55, which streamed live on UFC Fight Pass from Xtreme Action Park Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Puerta was in control of the action from the start, methodically controlling the pace and positioning of the fight. But the bout took on some real character in the third, when Ledesma suffered a cut over his right eye, and blood began to pour freely over both men.
On the floor, Puerta eventually slipped around to the back and began hunting for a rear-naked choke. The two men were covered in blood, actually sliding on the canvas and smearing the plasma all over the cage. Still Ledesma refused to be submitted.
As blood continued to stream down his face in the fourth round, Ledesma did his best to attack the neck, but Puerta was able to slip free and again return to the dominant position. His white trunks turned completely pink by the blood, Ledesma refused to quit, turning and rolling at every necessary occasion to stay safe, but the offense was completely one-sided.
Puerta continued his efforts until the end of the contest, where he was awarded a decision win, 50-45, 48-47 and 49-46.
In the night’s co-main event, 19-year-old featherweight prospect Chase Hooper (8-0-1) kept his undefeated record intact with an impressive win over Luis Gomez (7-4).
The action hit the canvas in the opening seconds, and Hooper immediately began looking for submission options. Gomez defended well, but Hooper continued to move from position to position, eventually sweeping to the top and advancing to mount, where he began unleashing a barrage of elbows and punches. Gomez eventually turned to his belly, and Hooper immediately locked in the rear-naked choke and scored the submission win at the 3:31 mark of the first frame.
Afterward, Hooper, who is on a UFC developmental deal following a 2018 win at Dana White’s Contender Series 14, said he hopes his next fight takes place in the octagon.
“It looks like the UFC is next, hopefully,” Hooper said after the fight. “I’m waiting to see what they want to do with me.“
In a featured contest, Irwin Rivera (8-4) claimed Titan FC’s vacant bantamweight title with an impressive fourth-round stoppage of Matt Wagy (13-6), utilizing a pinpoint liver kick to shut down his opponent and then finishing with punches on the floor.
Titan FC 55 results include:
- Champ Juan Puerta def. Claudio Ledesma via unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 49-46) – defends flyweight title
- Chase Hooper def. Luis Gomez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:31
- Irwin Rivera def. Matt Wagy via TKO (body kick, punches) – Round 4, 4:18 – claims vacant interim bantamweight title
- Bruno Oliveira def. Jared Gooden via TKO (elbows and punches) – Round 1, 0:53
- Jeremie Holloway def. Marc Stevens via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Timothy Teves def. Caio Uruguai via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
For more on Titan FC 55, check out the MMA Events section of the site.
Story By: John Morgan | MMAJunkie
