Victory FC 53 results: Raufeon Stots takes decision over Jeff Curran, who retires following loss

Jeff Curran returned to the cage for the first time since March 2015 to face Raufeon Stots at Victory FC 53.

The event took place at Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo, Iowa. The main card streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Stots (7-0) did not provide a warm welcome back to the cage in the bantamweight showdown, cracking Curran (36-18-1) with heavy leg kicks and quick striking transitions with punches and knees to the body. Curran did manage to get the fight to the floor in the opening round, but did nothing after pulling guard, allowing Stots back to the feet where the striking assault continued.

Curran opened up with strikes in Round 2, throwing punches and occasionally scoring. However, Stots’ striking remained more effective and allowed him to push Curran around the cage while he picked spots to throw hands or legs his way.

Stots picked and poked with strikes through the final round of the bout. Kicks to the body became the big weapon, forcing Curran out of range where he never established any effective offense before pulling guard one final time and eating ground and pound to the final bell.

The official scorecards read 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 all for Stots, who remains undefeated in his short professional career. The 27-year-old has four stoppages in seven career victories.

Curran is now 0-3 in his three most recent fights. The WEC and UFC veteran announced his retirement from the sport following the loss.

Plazola taps Bartles with choke

The lightweight co-headliner was the fourth consecutive first-round stoppage of the event when Mike Plazola (13-6) took advantage of Nick Bartles’ (5-2) aggression to score an early takedown. Plazola worked on the ground to force Bartels into a scramble.

Bartles left his neck open as he tried to work to his feet and Plazola took the opportunity to lock up a rear-naked choke. With Bartles in an awkward position, half-sitting up, Plazola squeezed and forced the tap at the 1:53 mark of Round 1.

The submission victory closed out a 2-2 2016 for Plazola.

A 195-pound catchweight fight between Rakim Cleveland (16-8-1) and Calley Kruger (5-2) went south quickly for Kruger. Cleveland’s strength and striking left Kruger looking lost from the opening moments of the bout.

A failed desperation takedown attempt from Kruger left him wide open to the powerful top game of Cleveland. As the punches came down, Kruger covered up in a feeble attempt to defend himself before verbally submitting to strikes at the 1:37 mark of Round 1.

Cleveland is now 6-1 in his previous seven bouts.

Dunn demolishes Mujakic in first

Featherweight Chris Dunn (13-8) wasted no time in dispatching of Adem Mujakic (8-10). A right hand from Dunn dropped Mujakic early, and follow-up shots brought the fight to a close at the 0:46 mark of Round 1.

Dunn has alternated wins and losses over his previous five bouts.

Zach Rosol (3-2) scored with a huge slam takedown against Kyle Noblitt (3-0) early in their heavyweight bout, but could not maintain position. After Noblitt took mount, Rosol got to his feet and almost locked in a guillotine choke before landing a big punch. Another Rosol takedown attempt was where things went off the rails, however, because Noblitt quickly locked up a leg and finished the fight with a kneebar at the 1:48 mark of Round 1.

• Raufeon Stots def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Mike Plazola def. Nick Bartles via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:53
• Rakim Cleveland def. Calley Kruger via submission (strikes) – Round 1, 1:37
• Chris Dunn def. Adem Mujakic via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:46
• Kyle Noblitt def. Zach Rosol via submission (kneebar) – Round 1, 1:48
• Clarence Jordan def. R'Mandell Cameron via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

For more on Victory FC 53, check out the MMA Events section of the site.