XFC 23 results: Luis Santos makes quick and easy work of Shamar Bailey

Luis Santos made remarkably quick work of Shamar Bailey – and it probably could have been much quicker.

Santos got started early in the main event of “XFC 23: Louisville Slugfest” with a kick to Bailey’s head, and from there it was all offense from Santos until referee Gary Copeland mercifully shut things down 62 seconds into the fight.

Friday’s card took place at Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. The night’s main card aired on AXS TV.

Santos landed a right kick to Bailey’s head right out of the gate. The kick stunned Bailey, a veteran of the UFC, “The Ultimate Fighter” and Strikeforce, and he went after a takedown to try to defend.

But that didn’t seem to matter to Santos, who went to work landing power punches with Bailey doing whatever he could to defend. Copeland looked like he could have stopped the fight several times earlier than he eventually did, and Santos continued to rain down the damage with punches and elbows, including one that opened up a massive gash on the left side of Bailey’s face.

At one point, Santos even looked to Copeland as if to ask him to shut things down, believing he had done enough damage already as the blood began to pour from Bailey’s cut onto the canvas.

Santos (55-9-1) is back in the win column after going 2-2 under the Bellator banner, but with two straight losses there. Bailey (15-9) had a two-fight win streak snapped with the loss, and now has lost four of his past six, six of nine and eight of his past 12 fights since starting his career 11-1.

Underwood makes easy work of Ribeiro for unanimous decision upset

Deivison Ribeiro came in with more than twice the experience as Zach Underwood, but that didn’t seem to make a bit of difference. Underwood, an underdog in the fight, took it to Ribeiro throughout the fight and grinder out a unanimous decision win in Friday’s co-main event.

Underwood came out quickly and after a short flurry, the two fighters clinched up with Underwood keeping Ribeiro pressed along the fence. After more than 90 seconds there, Underwood got the takedown he was looking for. But Ribeiro defended well and locked on a guillotine choke from his back. Underwood worked to pop his head out and tried to land some body punches. Eventually, Underwood got loose and out of danger.

In the second, it was Ribeiro who quickly took the fight to the floor. And there, Underwood looked for his own choke. He gave his back, and Ribeiro took it and started to soften him up. But Underwood recovered and tried to go to work on top in Ribeiro’s guard. Underwood then took Ribeiro’s back, but Ribeiro spun him away and recovered to top position.

It was more of the same in the third, with Underwood hanging out on top delivering short ground and pound throughout the round, essentially riding the clock out on his way to the decision win using an attack that wasn’t necessarily thrilling, but was effective. He picked up the win with a pair of 29-28 scores and a 30-27.

Underwood (11-4), a Strikeforce and Bellator veteran, now has won three straight. Ribeiro (23-9) lost for the second straight time after a TKO setback against Dakota Cochrane in January.

XFC 23 results:

MAIN CARD

• Luis Santos def. Shamar Bailey via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:02
• Zach Underwood def. Deivison Ribeiro via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Stephanie Eggink def. Brianna Van Buren via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Joey Diehl def. Eric Moell via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 0:31
• Gerardo Julio Gallegos def. John Troyer via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 1:41
• B.J. Ferguson def. Charles Stanford via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 0:59

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Eugene Perrin def. Augusta Tindall via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Scott Hope def. Joshua Blanchard via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:25
• Brandon Sandefur def. Josh Cooper via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:35
• Brandon Hurst def. Eric Jarvis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For more on XFC 23, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Luis Santos)