Titan FC 28 results: Brilz outworks Davis, Herman tops Starnes

He had to work for it, but Jason Brilz continued to stay hot since being let go by the UFC two and a half years ago.

Brilz won for the fourth straight time, taking a split decision from Raphael Davis in the Titan FC 28 main event.

Titan FC 28 took place at First Council Casino Hotel in Newkirk, Okla. The main card aired on CBS Sports Network.

Davis looked for an early takedown, but found himself briefly in a guillotine attempt. He broke free, but Brilz held on to him with a body lock. Just when it looked like the referee might break them apart, Brilz landed a good trip takedown, then again went after the guillotine. After a scramble that saw Brilz somersaulting across the mat, it was Davis who got the takedown and went to work on top from half-guard. He didn’t have Brilz in trouble there, but he changed the pace of the round, for sure.

Brilz wanted an overhand right in the second, but twice found it just missing early. Then, though, he landed it in a big way, and he used it get the fight to the canvas. On the ground, Brilz went after a guillotine choke, but Davis popped out. Moments later, though, he locked it on again – and again Davis escaped. After a lengthy time stoppage when Davis took a low blow, he was able to get to the top and worked on a Von Flue choke rom side control. But he couldn’t get the finish.

A big left hand early in the final round put Brilz on the advantage once again. But Davis wound up on top with four minutes left, and from half-guard, he tried to keep Brilz from getting back to his feet. But Brilz worked his way back to the standup game a minute later. The two tried to work for position throughout the next minute, but with a couple minutes left, it was Brilz who started to come on strong. He put Davis in trouble with 75 seconds left with ground-and-pound. When he did get back to his feet, it was into another guillotine attempt from Brilz.

The strong third gave Brilz a pair of 29-28 scores from the judges; a third scored the fight 29-28 for Davis.

Brilz (22-5-1) won for the fourth straight time since being released by the UFC on a three-fight skid. Davis (13-3) had a three-fight winning streak snapped.

Herman snaps skid, outlasts Starnes
Kalib Starnes didn’t know how to quit, but it was Dave Herman who survived to take a decision win in the heavyweight co-main event.

Herman used his length to keep Starnes at bay early. Then he kicked to the body, then up high. Eventually, he tied him up and landed a flurry of knees before Starnes finally could break away.

It was the left kick to the body that continued to work for Herman, and after taking several of those blows, Starnes tried to move forward more. He had to eat some shots to do it, but he at least tried to set a tone for the second.

When Starnes came forward in the second, though, Herman grabbed him and threw him. But as he got back to his feet and Herman landed a knee, it was Starnes who forced the fight back to the ground and wound up on top. Herman reversed out, though, and wanted the fight back standing.

Starnes continued to show heart in the third, walking through Herman’s punches and kicks and trying to fire back. And he landed some solid punches that had Herman covering up. Herman appeared to slow down as Starnes came forward. Starnes landed a big right with a minute left, but Herman stayed upright.

Despite Starnes’ strong third frame, he couldn’t get the finish. But one judge gave Herman the third round, anyway, for a 30-27 score to go with his pair of 29-28s.

Herman (22-6) snapped a four-fight losing skid in his first fight outside the UFC since 2010. Starnes (16-9-1) had a four-fight winning streak snapped.

Harris stops Linderman in first round
Walt Harris wanted to make a statement, and he did just that with a first-round stoppage of D.J. Linderman.

Harris and Linderman tied up early, but then they started throwing bombs. Harris landed a big left hand nearly two minutes in, and that forced Linderman to go after a takedown. He couldn’t secure it, though, and the fight moved back to the middle, where the two continued looking for a fight-ending punch. Harris continued landing his left hand, and Linderman had to work to survive.

Harris’ punches came in bunches with 90 seconds left, and when Linderman dropped his hands, Harris landed a flying knee. Still, Linderman managed to survive. But then Harris planted one more left on Linderman – a straight punch put him on the canvas. From there, it only took a few hammerfists for Harris to get the stoppage.

The end came at the 4:12 mark of the first frame.

Harris (6-3) bounced back after his back-to-back losses in the UFC. Linderman (15-8) lost for the third straight time.

UFC vet Roberts survives body shots, dominates Jardine on mat
Daniel Roberts might have been outgunned on his feet, but he ruled the mat against Brock Jardine.

A questionably called low blow gave the welterweight a break from fellow UFC vet Brock Jardine’s effective kicks in the opening frame. The shot also facilitated the clinch game he needed to take the fight to the ground, where he worked his favored submissions. While Roberts made it to back control, he was unable to cinch a choke.

Jardine again showed promise in striking in the opening moments of the second, but a slip on a kick put the fight where Roberts wanted it. Jardine escaped a dangerous mount and scored again on the feet, but Roberts again got the fight to the ground and threatened a rear-naked choke.

Jardine resisted early takedown attempts in the third and scored with big body shots before a close brush brought him to the mat, where Roberts took the mount and wailed away with punches to close out the fight.

Roberts (15-5) gets back in the win column after a decision setback to Justin Baesman 11 months ago. Jardine (9-4), meanwhile, has now lost four straight.

UFC vet Brian Foster picks up fourth straight win
Brian Fosterled confidently in the first 10 minutes of his fight with the tough Gilbert Smith, picking up a unanimous decision.

The UFC vet gave Gilbert Smith plenty of incentive to go for the takedown with a switch knee that found its target early in the fight. Smith might have worked a standard grind from top position, but Foster threatened several times with triangle chokes and put him on the defensive.

The fight grew increasingly one-sided as Foster put Smith on the mat and punched away in the second. By the three-minute mark, Smith was hunched defensively against the fence as Foster tried to find his jaw. Smith would escape that and buy himself a reprieve when he landed an uppercut to the groin that was missed by the referee. Foster managed to recover, but a finish would elude him.

Apparently buoyed by Foster’s expiring gas tank, Smith had his best round in the third, earning top position and working stiff knees to the body.

Foster (22-6) now has won four straight since a first-round submission loss to fellow UFC vet Daniel Roberts, while Smith (8-2) sees a three-fight streak snapped.

Santos adds UFC vet Robinson to resume of wins
Featherweight Gleristone Santos wasted little time taking UFC vet Alvin Robinson to the mat, where he held half-guard for most of the round before an explosive reversal forced him to look for submissions from his back.

Santos didn’t miss a step in the second round, again smothering Robinson from the top and several times rocking the vet with overhead punches before a late-round flurry prompted the referee to step in at the 4:51 mark of the frame. Santos (26-4) now has won eight straight while Robinson (13-8) has bounced between wins and losses in his past six outings.

Titan FC 28 results:

MAIN CARD

• Jason Brilz def. Raphael Davis via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Dave Herman def. Kalib Starnes via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Walt Harris def. D.J. Linderman via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 4:12
• Daniel Roberts def. Brock Jardine via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
• Brian Foster def. Gilbert Smith via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Gleristone Santos def. Alvin Robinson via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:51

PRELIMINARY CARD

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