Legacy FC 28 results: 'Bubba' Bush bests Cleveland, retains title

Legacy Fighting Championship middleweight title holder William “Bubba” Bush (7-2) retained his title in impressive fashion, dominating an overmatched Rakim Cleveland (8-4) en route to a submission win.

The bout served as the headlining bout of Friday’s Legacy FC 28 event, which took place at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, and aired on AXS TV.

Bush took the fight quickly to the floor and looked destined for an instant finish, first securing a rear-naked choke attempt before transitioning to an armbar that extended his opponent’s appendage but did not earn a tap.

The second was marred early by an ugly (but inadvertent) Bush kick to the groin. On the restart, Bush again took the fight to the floor, working to the back and locking in another rear-naked choke. This time, Cleveland was trapped and was forced to tap at the 1:38 mark of the second frame.

In the night’s co-feature, featherweight Damon Jackson (8-0) kept his undefeated record intact with an impressive submission win over Hunter Tucker (6-2).

Jackson took the fight quickly to the floor in the opening round and looked certain to end the fight with a series of deep rear-naked choke attempts. Despite his face turning purple, Tucker refused to tap and would survive to the second frame.

It wouldn’t matter.

Jackson went quickly back to the choke in the second round, and this time he was able sink it fully and earn the tap at the 3:24 mark.

In a battle of striking specialists, Cosmo Alexandre (6-1) delivered a highlight-reel finish of Rey Trujillo (14-13).

Trujillo (perhaps foolishly) elected to stand and trade with the muay Thai specialist from the start, and would cost him. Late in the frame, Alexandre grabbed a Thai clinch and delivered a stunning short elbow to the temple before driving a massive knee up the middle that sent Trujillo crashing to the floor. Punches followed, but the damage was already done, and the fight was waved off at the 3:38 mark of the first.

Despite the loss, Trujillo delivered a successful marriage proposal to his girlfriend following the conclusion of the bout.

UFC and WEC veteran Damacio Page (17-9) had a tough time with a game Matthew Lozano (4-2) for the opening round and a half of their featured bout, but a stiff right hand changed all that.

After scoring the key blow in the second round, Page pounced on his downed opponent with a non-stop barrage of big punches and hammerfists. While Lozano bucked and rolled and twisted while trying to recover, he couldn’t slow the onslaught, and Page was awarded a TKO win at the 3:31 mark of the round.

In a bantamweight rematch between a pair of fighters who first met as amateurs, Eli Tamez (7-0) outpointed Nelson Salas (4-3).

Tamez’s grappling proved the superior skill, as he was able to consistently work to a dominant position. His efforts were rewarded with a clean sweep on the judges’ cards, and he remains undefeated through seven professional contests.

In the night’s first fight, which was only approved for three-minute rounds due to the experience level of its participants, Evan Thompson (4-0) earned a unanimous-decision win over Allen Nelson (2-2).

Despite the shorter rounds, the pace of the fight was rather tentative. Still, Thompson – brother of UFC welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson – was the more effective striker in the brief exchanges and was rewarded with a decision win, 30-27 on all three cards.

Legacy FC 28 results include:

• Champ William Bush def. Rakim Cleveland submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:33 – to retain Legacy FC middleweight title
• Damon Jackson def. Hunter Tucker via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:24
• Cosmo Alexandre def. Rey Trujillo via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:38
• Damacio Page def. Matthew Lozano via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:31
• Eli Tamez def. Nelson Salas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Evan Thompson def. Allen Nelson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For more on Legacy FC 28, check out the MMA Events section of the site.

(Pictured: William “Bubba” Bush)