When fighters are given their release from a major North American MMA promotion like the UFC, Bellator, WSOF or Titan – unless they’re a major star – they often fall into obscurity on the regional/overseas circuit unless they rack up a few wins and end up signing with one of the aforementioned promotions. In this regular feature for MMAOddsBreaker, I take a look at some regional/overseas matchups for the month of August and rather than listing off the top fights outside these major organizations, I highlight some familiar names that you might recognize on upcoming events. Aug 1st – Warrior Fight Series 4 (London, England) Karlos Vemola (16-4-0) vs. Jack Hermansson (9-2-0) Six time UFC veteran Vemola looks for his eighth win in a row when he meets former Bellator fighter Hermansson. Since his UFC release in 2013, Vermola has remained undefeated and has finished five of his last seven opponents. His Swedish opponent has won four straight, including three finishes in that span. The winner of this fight will be crowed the vacant middleweight champion. Aug 2nd – Destiny Na Koa 10 (Honolulu, Hawaii) Tyson Nam (12-8-0) vs. Arnold Berdon (2-0-0) WSOF veteran Nam looks to snap his four fight losing streak when he faces off with 24-year old Berdon. Since losing two in a row in WSOF to Marlon Moraes and Cody Bollinger, Nam continued his losing streak with setbacks to Jeremiah Labiano and Fernando Vieira. Now searching for his first win since 2012, Nam faces Berdon who has just two pro fights. Aug 6th – Tachi PF 24: Summer Brawl (Lemoore, California) Poppies Martinez (29-11-0) vs. Tony Llamas (14-15-0) Former Bellator featherweight Martinez looks to snap a two fight skid when he meets fellow American Llamas. Martinez lost two straight in Bellator to Bubba Jenkins and Julio Cesar Neves and was subsequently released from the promotion. Llames meanwhile has won three straight fights. Jared Papazian (11-3-1) vs. Jeremiah Labiano (8-2-0) UFC veteran Papazian looks to bounce back from a split decision loss last month as he faces 28-year old Labiano. Papazian was released from the UFC in 2012 and since then has fought for WSOF and BAMMA. Labiano has won five of his last six fights, with his only blemish during that run, a TKO loss to UFC bantamweight Joe Soto. Ulysses Gomez (9-5-0) vs. Martin Sandoval (9-4-0) Former UFC flyweight Gomez looks to snap a three fight losing streak against fellow California native Sandoval. Following his UFC release in 2013, Gomez lost to Abel Cullum by first round submission at RFA 18 last September. Sanvodal has won three of his last four fights. Aug 7th – SteelFist Fight Night 36: Conflict ( Salt Lake City, Utah) Brock Jardine (11-5-0) vs. John Heath (10-6-0) Canadian and former UFC fighter Jardine aims for his first three fight win streak since 2012, as he meets American foe Heath. Following two straight losses in the UFC, Jardine fought for Titan FC losing back to back fights against Daniel Roberts and Steve Montgomery. He’s coming off two straight knockout victories and meets Heath who has won two straight fights. DaMarques Johnson (16-14-0) vs. Joe Rodriguez (6-3-0) Johnson fights for the first time this year when he battles 37-year old Rodriguez. The TUF 9 contestant has lost five straight fights and will be looking for his first win since 2011. Rodriguez lost to Brock Jardine in his last fight at SteelFist Fight Night 31: War Zone, which also snapped his four fight win streak. Aug 8th – WXC 59: Homeland Pride (Taylor, Michigan) Johnny Bedford (19-12-1) vs. Josh Robinson (12-9-0) Bedford competes for the first time since his UFC release in February and meets Ohio native Robinson. After winning his UFC debut against Marcos Vinicius at the TUF 16 Finale in 2012, Bedford went 0-3-NC with losses to Bryan Caraway, Cody Gibson and Rani Yahya. His 30-year old opponent Robinson meanwhile has won three straight fights and holds a win over Dustin Ortiz on the regional scene. Aug 9th – Pancrase 269 (Tokyo, Japan) Will Chope (24-7-0) vs. Isao Kobayashi (17-2-4) UFC veteran Chope looks for his fifth win in a row as he battles 26-year old Kobayashi. Chope was slated to fight Miguel Torres last month at Rebel FC 3, but the fight was cancelled due to Chope missing weight. Kobayashi is coming off the biggest win of his career – a split decision victory over Bellator veteran Marlon Sandro at Pancrase 266 – which also was his 11th victory his last 12-fights. Eric Prindle (8-6-0) vs. Mitsuyoshi Nakai (1-1-0) Bellator tournament finalist Prindle looks for his first win since 2013 when he meets Japaneise fighter Nakai. Prindle has lost three straight fights to Peter Graham, Javy Ayala and James Thompson. Nakai made his MMA debut in 2007, but has only fought twice since then and hasn’t competed since a 2013 loss to Landon Vannata. Aug 14th – CES 30 (Lincoln, Rhode Island) Dan Lauzon (17-5-0) vs. Chip Moraza-Pollard (9-8-0) UFC and WSOF veteran Lauzon looks for his seventh win in his last eight fights when he meets Moraza-Pollard. Lauzon hasn’t competed since a 2013 loss to Justin Gaethje at WSOF 6, which snapped his five fight win streak. Moraza-Pollard is coming off a loss to Matt Secor at WSOF 20 in his last fight, and has gone 2-2 in his last four fights. Pat Walsh (5-2-0) vs. Jesse McElligott (5-2-0) TUF 19 contestant Walsh fights for the first time since his UFC release in April and meets WSOF veteran McElligott. After winning his UFC debut against Dan Spohn at the TUF 19 Finale, Walsh dropped his next fight to Dan Kelly and was subsequently cut from the promotion. McElligott is coming off a second round submission loss to WSOF middleweight champion Dave Branch, which snapped his two fight win streak. Peggy Morgan (3-3-0) vs. Jessy Miele (4-1-0) UFC and Invicta veteran Morgan takes on Miele in what will be both fighters’ promotional debuts. Morgan, a contestant of TUF 18 went 1-2 in Invicta and asked to fight for CES so she can gain some more experience. Miele has won four in a row including three finishes. Julian Lane (9-3-1) vs. Luis Felix (13-8-0) TUF 16 veteran Lane faces off with Felix in a rematch from their fight last year at CES 25. Lane is currently riding a four fight win streak, while Felix has won two straight since his loss to the 27-year old last year. Aug 15th – Fight Night At The Corral (Calgary, Alberta) Roland Delorme (9-4-0) vs. Jesse Arnett (7-4-0) Delorme competes for the first time since his UFC release as he meets fellow Canadian Arnett. Delorme suffered three straight defeats to Alex Caceres, Michinori Tanaka and subsequently earned his pink slip from the Las Vegas based promotion. Arnett meanwhile has won four in a row and a win over a big named opponent like Delorme could land him in the UFC. Aug 22nd– WFC 42 (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Kyle Bradley (20-11-0) vs. David Bosnick (6-2-0) Former UFC fighter Bradley squares off with fellow American featherweight Bosnick. Bradley competed in the UFC’s lightweight division from 2008-2010, with his lone octagon win coming against Phillipe Nover at UFC 98. Bosnick is coming off a first round submission loss to Brennan Sevin at RMMA32 last November which snapped his three fight win streak. Aug 28th– Prize FC 11: Rock N Rumble (Williston, North Dakota) Lloyd Woodard (13-5-0) vs. Jos Eichelberger (13-9-0) Bellator veteran Woodard looks to get back on the winning track as he meets Eichelberger, who has won two in a row. Since his Bellator release in 2013, Woodard has gone 1-2 and is coming off a first round TKO loss to Kurt Holobaugh at Titan FC 29. Eichelberger has fought primarily for the MAX Fights organization and has only gone the distance once in 22 career bouts. Aug 29th – Rocky Mountain MMA 11: Fist of Fury 2 (Rock Springs, Wyoming) Nick Mamalis (25-10-0) vs. Matt Manzanares (7-5-0) Bellator veteran Mamalis aims for his second straight victory when he meets 28-year old Wyoming native Manzanares. With 35 fights on his resume, Mamalis has fought the likes of Raphael Assunção, Steven Siler and Zach Makovsky throughout his career. Manzanares meanwhile has lost four of his last five fights. Aug 29th – Absolute Action 43 (Highland Heights, Kentucky) Oli Thompson (14-8-0) vs. Chris Barnett (13-1-0) UFC veteran Thompson looks for his first three fight win streak since 2010 when he meets XFC veteran Barnett. Since losing three straight last year, “The Spartan” has gone 2-0 with wins over Ikuhisa Minowa and Kamil Bazelak. Barnett is on an eight fight win streak with seven of those victories coming inside the distance. Aug 29th – Absolute Action 43 (Highland Heights, Kentucky) Roger Bowling (11-5-0) vs. Eugene Perrin (2-2-0) Former Strikeforce and UFC fighter Bowling competes for the first time since 2013 when he battles Perrin. Bowling was given his release from the UFC following three losses under the Zuffa banner to Tarec Saffiedine, Anthony Njokuani and Abel Trujillo. Since winning his first two pro fights, Perrin has lost two in a row and also hasn’t competed since 2013. Carlo Prater (31-15-1) vs. Robert White (6-1-0) WEC and UFC veteran Prater looks for his first win since 2013 when he meets White who has won three in a row. Prater has lost five of his six fights suffering setbacks to the likes of Rick Hawn, Carlos Diego Ferreira and T.J. Grant. White has finished his last two opponents and looks for his second straight win this year. Aug 29th – Title Quest ( Danbury, Wisconsin) Jens Pulver (27-19-1) vs. Cleber Luciano (11-5-0) Former UFC lightweight champion Pulver looks for avoid three losses in a row as he squares off with Brazilian Luciano. Since his release from the WEC in 2010, the 40-year old American has gone 5-5 and looks for his first victory since 2012. Luciano is coming off a win over Aaron Miller at Bellator 136 this past April and has won six of his last seven bouts.
