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Interim Lightweight Gold at Stake Saturday in Long Beach

Interim Lightweight Gold at Stake Saturday in Long Beach
UFC

Interim Lightweight Gold at Stake Saturday in Long Beach

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If you haven’t had your fill of competitive violence after GLORY 92‘s main event and UFC on ESPN+ 99’s headliner on Saturday, there’s still a bit more room left on your plate because Shawne Merriman‘s Lights Out Xtreme Fighting is back for the first time in a month and a half. While LXF returns to a Saturday evening timeslot this weekend, it’ll do so on a new streaming home.

Effective with Saturday’s LXF 16, all subsequent Lights Out cards will now be broadcast over Lights Out Sports TV, a new, free streaming service launched just this past Monday by Merriman, a former linebacker for the NFL‘s San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers. Here’s the best news you’ll hear all week:

Unlike a number of other combat sports/ MMA promotions whose cards are on premium subscription-based services, Lights Out Sports TV is completely free of charge to its viewers. All you’ll need to do to gain access to LXF 16 on Saturday night and other content on the service throughout the year is provide a valid email address and password.

Interim Lightweight Title At Stake in LXF 16 Co-Main Event Saturday Night

Live coverage of LXF 16 begins at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT on Lights Out Sports TV from Thunder Studios in Long Beach, CA. Highlighting the professional portion of the card is a championship doubleheader, beginning in the LXF 16 co-main event. Eugene Correa (5-2 MMA, LXF promotional debut), a veteran of Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat and Bellator MMA, will return to the cage for the first time in over a year when he meets Chris Pena (4-4 MMA, 0-1 LXF), himself an alum of A1 Combat.

As per the new California State Athletic Commission policy regarding fights in regionally-based promotions operating out of the state, the LXF 16 co-main event is an advertised three rounds at five minutes per round. Back at the top of the year, CSAC mandated that all fights contested on the regional circuit had to be three rounds, with no exception for championship fights.

LXF 16 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the LXF 16 co-main event on Saturday night, Eugene Correa stands as the taller man at six feet even, compared to the 5-foot-8 frame of Chris Pena. Correa owns a 75-inch reach, with no such information available at press time.

Currently, no betting odds have been released for this card. If you plan on betting on any fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

“Conquistador” Steps Into Cage For First Time in 14 Months for LXF 16 Co-Main Event

Eugene Correa enters the LXF 16 co-main event this weekend having posted a record of 4-1 in his last five MMA fights. Currently, he’s on a four-fight winning streak in the sport dating back to December of 2019.

Last time out, he scored a second-round submission by way of guillotine choke against Owen Craugh (2-1 MMA) during A1 Combat 9 on March 18, 2023. Before that, he needed just 18 seconds to finish off a heel hook versus David Douglas (10-12 MMA) in A1 Combat 6 the previous October.

When the cage door shuts for the LXF 16 co-main event in Long Beach on Saturday night, exactly 14 months will have passed between fights. Lengthy layoffs between fights aren’t anything new for Correa, nicknamed “Conquistador”.

Prior to this layoff, he had a 20-month hiatus between February of 2020 and October of 2021 due to the pandemic before returning for a grappling match in Texas. Correa then was out of action for close to another full year ahead of the Douglas fight.

He’s been here before so he knows how to adequately deal with ring rust. Will he run his winning streak to five? Tune into the LXF 16 co-main event for the answer.

Chris Pena Looks to Build Off Decision Win From January

In the other corner, Chris Pena has gone 2-3 in his last five contests. Back at the start of the year, he bested Ray Ostrander (3-6 MMA, 0-1 LXF) during LXF 13 on Jan. 6 on Fubo Sports Network and YouTube.

Unlike Correa, he’s had a challenging time inside the cage. Pena’s January win snapped a two-fight losing streak and he hasn’t had a winning streak since 2013, 11 years ago. During that time, he scored two consecutive wins after dropping his promotional debut.

A victory here would match Pena’s two-fight streak from 2013. Only time will tell what happens on Saturday.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

Expect another strength vs. strength matchup in the LXF 16 co-main event. Who will take the title?

Eugene Correa Can Make Quick Work of Anybody

MMA fighters aren’t guys who get paid by the hour. Eugene Correa knows that one moment can end a contest. One need look no further than his fight against David Douglas.

Right after the opening bell tolled, Correa connected on a kick to immediately drop Douglas before applying the torque to lock up the heel hook in 16 seconds, It would behoove Eugene Correa to land the first strike of the LXF 16 co-main event.

If he scores the first big strike, it could be the opening he needs to win the belt.

Chris Pena’s Ground Game Could Tell the Tale

In the other corner, Chris Pena has an equally-impressive ground game. It was on full display in his January fight vs. Ostrander. During the third and final round of the fight, Pena had Ostrander in the clinch, landing knees and elbows in the process.

After a brief separation, Pena put Ostrander in another clinch and took him down, landing ground and pound strikes to soften him up, eventually securing full mount and controlling the pace of the fight. While he didn’t get the stoppage, it was more than enough to win on the scorecards.

Look for Chris Pena to beat Eugene Correa to the takedown in the LXF 16 co-main event on Saturday. He can do amazing things on the mat.

Final Thoughts

Although this is only a three-round championship fight in the LXF 16 co-main event, you can bet that Correa and Pena will bring the intensity as though it were a five-round affair. Make the fridge run before the fight starts.

Prediction: Eugene Correa by First-Round Submission.





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