MFC 39 results: Hamilton defends heavyweight title, Gallicchio wins – but gets no lightweight belt

In a dominant display, though not one that was overly exciting, Anthony Hamilton retained his Maximum Fighting Championships heavyweight title.

Hamilton grinded out “Ultimate Fighter” veteran Darrill Schoonover for a fairly easy unanimous decision in the MFC 39 main event on Friday.

MFC 39 took place at Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The main card aired on AXS TV.

Hamilton locked up a single-leg early on, and seconds later, Schoonover was tumbling out of the ropes. After the restart, Hamilton put together a good combination, but Schoonover landed a solid counter hook. Not long after, though, Hamilton was putting Schoonover back on the canvas with relative ease, where he kept after him with short punches.

In the second, Hamilton was dominant right away. Midway through, he finally took Schoonover’s back and went after a rear-naked choke. Schoonover alternated between his back and his knees, but in either spot, he was in trouble. But Hamilton couldn’t find the finish, despite complete control in the frame.

It was more of the same from Hamilton in the third. He was all over Schoonover until late in the round, when Schoonover threatened. But after the bell in the third, Shoonover threw a punch up from his back. The referee threatened to take a point away, then brought the two together in the fourth to warn both of them for unsportsmanlike behavior going forward.

But after 20 minutes, it was Schoonover who looked much more fresh after the fourth round – and Hamilton looking worn down. Still, though, Hamilton was solid in the fifth before apologizing to the fans for not putting on as exciting of a fight as they’d hoped for. And he forgave Schoonover’s third-round

“He’s a real tough guy, and I’ve got to be careful standing up against a guy like him,” Hamilton said. “I just think he was getting frustrated and he wasn’t thinking (when he threw the late punch), but it’s all good.”

Hamilton (12-2) won for the sixth straight time, but had to go to a decision for the first time in that stretch after five straight finishes. Schoonover (13-6) had a three-fight winning streak snapped.

Gallicchio wins title fight – but belt will have to wait
Tom Gallicchio came in two-tenths of a pound heavy at Thursday’s weigh-in – and because of a rule on the books in Alberta, he was not given any additional time to make weight since it was a title fight.

So because he missed, his fight against Kurt Southern in the co-main event was a title fight – but just for Southern. A Gallicchio win would be just that – a win, but not for a belt. And wouldn’t you know it? Gallicchio tapped Southern in the second round – and now he’ll have to wait until May 9, when he’ll fight (again) for the lightweight strap.

“Point blank, it sucks. But I’m the best in Canada now at lightweight, and you guys are just going to keep it warm for me,” Gallicchio said.

Southern landed some nice punches early, while Gallicchio peppered his jab. Southern caught a kick, and then dropped Gallicchio with a right. Gallicchio shot for a takedown, but Southern latched on to a guillotine choke. Gallicchio was able to pop his head out.

In the second, Gallicchio turned things up, and Southern looked like he was running out of steam. A couple solid punches seemed to take the wind out of Southerns’ sails. Gallicchio locked up a tight body triangle and stayed after a choke for the last 90 seconds of the round. And finally, Southern had to tap.

Gallicchio (18-8) won for the second straight time. Southern (13-5) had a two-fight winning streak snapped.

Gilbert Smith dominates Jason South for decision win
Jason South(10-2) looked to latch on to a guillotine choke right away in the first. But Gilbert Smith (8-2) was able to defend. When South had to let go of it, it was Smith looking for an arm-triangle choke, then a north-south choke. Shortly thereafter, Smith took South’s back standing. but South shrugged off the rear-naked choke and slipped him off and onto the canvas. Once there, South delivered some elbows while trying to get a body triangle. After some scrambles on the ground, Smith again looked for a choke, but had to bail on it. South landed some solid elbows from his back down the stretch.

The second was a slightly slower pace, but Smith spent most of the frame on top. He didn’t do tons of damage, but he kept working for submissions and with a minute left, he had a solid rear-naked choke attempt that he couldn’t finish. South was cut by his right eye, and Smith continued to punish him with short punches. But South survived to see the third.

In the third, Smith landed a giant overhand left right away that put South on the canvas. Smith went down looking for the finish, but South recovered and went to work on some submission attempts. But Smith stayed much stronger on the ground. South’s right eye was bleeding profusely, and Smith stayed after him relentlessly. But looking for a miracle, South nearly got one. He had a deep and lengthy guillotine choke, then a triangle choke as the fight came to a close. But when the scores were read, it was Smith taking a pair of 30-27s and a 29-28.

McInnes, O’Connell, Edwards get RNC wins to start main card
Andrew McInnes(4-1) had to leave the first round for the first time in his career, but the end result was more of the same. McInnes continued his impressive early submission streak to start his career by tapping out Dan Ring (5-3) at the 2:01 mark of the second round. McInnes kicked high early, but 20 seconds in the two clinched up. Ring wasn’t afraid to throw, then shrugged off an early McInnes takedown attempt. Ring did well to work his jab, and when McInnes again shot in, Ring sprawled through it and kept the fight on the feet. Nearly halfway through the round, McInnes finally got the takedown he had been working for. After a minute on the ground playing defense, Ring got back to his feet, and he threw a solid left high kick. A McInnes takedown attempt was seen from a mile away, and he stayed down there, asking Ring to go to the ground. But Ring waned none of it. In the second, McInnes fired off a big knee that seemed to daze Ring. He pounced on him, clinched up, took his back standing and tied up a rear-naked choke. He latched on to Ring’s back with a body triangle, fought his way past the ropes, dropped down and Ring had to tap.

Marcus Edwards (6-2) came out swinging right away against Sean Powers (8-4), but Powers avoided the early shots on the feet. Soon after Edwards had the fight on the ground and was raining down punches and elbows. Powers was able to play defense and briefly got to his feet. But Edwards had him right back on the ground soon after. Edwards continued to pile the pressure on, and on the ground he went after a choke finish late in the frame. He couldn’t get a rear-naked choke on his first try, but on the second, he latched it deep. Powers had to tap with just 10 seconds left in the first frame.

Sean O’Connell (15-4) and Markhaile Wedderburn (11-11) swung for the fences early, and Wedderburn tried to take the fight to the ground. But that proved to be the wrong move. O’Connell quickly mounted Wedderburn – though Wedderburn escaped to the top position. O’Connell looked for a kimura, but Wedderburn managed to defend. Still, O’Connell rolled over to full mount and when he landed a few punches, Wedderburn gave up his back. The tap from the rear-naked choke came quickly.

MFC 39 results:

MAIN CARD

• Anthony Hamilton def. Darrill Schoonover via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) – to retain heavyweight title
• Tom Gallicchio def. Kurt Southern via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:31
• Gilbert Smith def. Jason South via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Marcus Edwards def. Sean Powers via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:50
• Sean O’Connell def. Markhaile Wedderburn via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:48
• Andrew McInnes def. Dan Ring via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:01

PRELIMINARY CARD

For the latest on MFC 39, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Anthony Hamilton)