AFC 9 takes place Saturday, May 17, from the Big Top regal 8 marquee at the North Football Club in Albury, NSW.
The event will be headlined by a welterweight title fight between KMA Top Team’s Corey Nelson and Callan Potter from the Renegade MMA gym in Melbourne. In the co-main event, meanwhile, Gustavo Falciroli and Kai Kara-France will face off in a heated rematch after fighting to a controversial no-contest result back at AFC 7, with the winner of this one taking home the promotion’s bantamweight title.
AFC 9 will be streamed live via Go Fight Live and if you’re planning to watch the event online you can now help support Fight News Australia by purchasing the stream at our Live Fights page. You can also view the live stream there.
Results:
- Corey Nelson vs Callan Potter
Round 1: Left hand from Nelson to begin. Kick to the body from Nelson lands now. Potter connects with a left hook and Nelson stumbles to the canvas. Potter locks up a guillotine choke as they hit the ground however both men are soon standing. Potter forces Nelson up against the fence and trips him, landing into half guard. Potter works to mount but Nelson reverses position however Potter searches for a triangle choke. Nelson defends well and lands with some big right hands from full guard and Potter is out as the ref jumps in and stops the fight. Nelson claims the AFC welterweight title.
Result: Corey Nelson def Callan Potter via KO (Punches), Rd 1, 3:15
- Gustavo Falciroli vs Kai Kara-France
Round 1: Bantamweight title on the line here. Kara-France throws first but doesn’t connect. Falciroli keeping his distance. Leg kick from Kara-France lands. And another however this time Falciroli hangs on to the leg and ties Kara-France up against the cage. He lands some nice shots to the head of Kara-France before they separate. Kara-France circling backwards as Falciroli picks his shots. Leg kick from the kiwi lands but Falciroli lands a right hand and takes him down. Full guard now as Falciroli works short elbows. Big shots from Falciroli. Kara-France rolls and Falciroli takes his back. Both hooks in now as Falciroli looks to sink in the rear-naked choke. Kara-France scrambles and Falciroli locks up a d’arce choke and forces the stoppage. New bantamweight champ Gustavo Falciroli.
Result: Gustavo Falciroli def Kai Kara-France via Submission (D’Arce Choke), Rd 1, 4:55
- Daniel Way vs Steve Kennedy
Round 1: Middleweight champ Steve Kennedy vs Daniel Way up next at a catch-weight of 86kg. Kennedy sporting bleached hair for this one. Way lands a leg kick and Kennedy returns fire with a wayward head kick. Way charges forward throwing punches but kennedy turns him and drives Way back to the cage as he searches for a takedown. Way landing heavy elbows from this position and Kennedy goes down. Way tees off on a grounded Kennedy but lets him up. Great start for Way. Way with a visible size advantage comes forward again with punches. He ties Kennedy up and lands a knee but Kennedy does well and gets the takedown before moving to half guard. Kennedy looking to free his leg now. Way locks up a head-arm triangle and the round ends.
Round 2: Head kick from Kennedy. Way wraps Kennedy up and slams him to the ground however Kennedy winds up on top and moves to mount. Kennedy lands a nice elbow. Punches now from Kennedy and another elbow. Kennedy landing some good shots here as Way rolls. He rolls back and Kennedy continues with the short shots. Kennedy takes his back as Way turtles up. Way’s flat out now and Kennedy unleashes before Way reverses. They stand again and Way lands a big right. He gets it to the ground now however the round ends.
Round 3: One round a piece here you would imagine. Way comes forward with a superman punch. Spinning back fist misses from Way. Way breathing heavy here. Left hook lands from Way. Kennedy lands a right hand before Way lands one of his own and Kennedy goes down but once again he lands in top position and takes Way’s back. Both hooks in for Kennedy. Way stands now with Kennedy stuck to his ribs. Takedown from Kennedy into side control. Great work from the champ against a bigger opponent. He moves to mount before taking Way’s back and locking up a body triangle. Seconds remain. And that’s the end of an entertaining scrap.
Result: Steve Kennedy def Daniel Way via Decision (Unanimous), 29-28, 29-28, 29-28
- Daniel Kelly vs Ben Kelleher
Round 1: Kelly takes centre cage. Both men exchange punch combinations. Leg kick from Kelly lands. Kelleher pawing jabs as Kelly comes forward. Kelly drives in and dumps Kelleher to the canvas. Kelleher on one knee now as he looks to regain his feet but Kelly takes his back. Kelly wrestles Kelleher back down but Kelleher does well to stand and they exchange punches and Kelly is cut. Kelly scores another takedown and gains mount before unleashing with elbows and punches as Kelleher covers up. Kelleher survives and the round ends.
Round 2: The second round begins with Kelleher throwing more punch combinations. Kelly with another takedown as he trips Kelleher to the canvas, landing in side control. Kelly looking to trap Kelleher’s arm now. He gains mount once again and goes to work with ground and pound but his punches aren’t enough for the ref to call a stop to the fight, however Kelleher rolls and Kelly takes his back and sinks in the rear-naked choke and forces the tap. Following the fight, AFC Promoter Adam Milankovic announces Kelly will now go on to face middleweight champ Steve Kennedy for the title.
Result: Daniel Kelly def Ben Kelleher via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 2, 3:41
- Peter Davenport vs Kael Coster
Round 1: No touch of gloves for this one. Both men exchange kicks to begin. Coster getting the better of this battle of kicks. Davenport drives him back looking for a double leg takedown but Coster does well to defend. Davenport picks him up and slams him to the floor and moves into side control. Back to half guard now. Coster gets it to full guard before the reff stands them up. More kicks from Coster. Leg kick from Davenport lands. Coster really non stop with kick combinations and the round closes out.
Round 2: Davenport with a front kick to the body and Coster fires back one of his own. Davenport lands with a solid left hand before getting the takeodwn. Coster with a high guard as he looks to control the wrists of Davenport. Davenport stands and lands leg kicks to a grounded Coster. Ref stands them up now. Davenport unleashes with punch combinations as Coster continues with the kicks. Coster drops Davenport with a big head kick and pounces, mounting Davenport before finding his back and sinking in a rear-naked choke and Davenport taps.
Result: Kael Coster def Peter Davenport via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 2
- Rodolfo Marques vs Alex Volkanovski
Round 1: Touch of gloves. Marques comes forward and Volkanovski lands with a leg kick. Volkanovski drives Marques back to the cage however Marques reverses position. Volkanovski reverses now and lands short knees to the legs of Marques. More knees from Volkanovski. Short right hand lands from Volkanovski before he looks for a double leg but he’s unsuccessful. They break and Volkanovski throws a head kick and a left hook which lands. Volkanovski drives Marques backwards once more. Big right hand up close from Volkanovski lands and sends Marques crashing to the canvas and that’s it the fight is stopped.
Result: Alex Volkanovski def Rodolfo Marques via KO (Punch), Rd 1, 3:41
- Anthony Cowley vs James Londrigan
Round 1: Two lightweights on debut first up at AFC 9. Nice leg kick from Londrigan and Cowley response with a straight right. Londrigan gets it to the ground and gains mount soon after. He lands with some right hands from there and Cowley rolls however Londrigan takes his back and sinks in the rear-naked choke. Cowley reverses position and winds up in half guard. Cowley locks up a triangle choke and Londrigan now trying to escape but taps and Cowley gets the win.
Result: Anthony Cowley def James Londrigan via Submission (Triangle Choke), Rd 1
* Image via the AFC Facebook Page
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