CES MMA 41 results: Matt Bessette makes easy work of gritty Kevin Croom to retain 145 title

CES MMA featherweight champion Matt Bessette ate a punch or two from a challenger in Kevin Croom who didn’t want to go quietly into the Rhode Island night, but still put on a dominant performance to retain his title.

Bessette (21-7) lit Croom (16-8) up on the feet with punches, kicks and knees through two full rounds in the CES MMA 41 main event, then decided, perhaps mercifully, to put the challenger away quickly in the third. Bessette got the knockout stoppage 32 seconds into the round.

CES MMA 41 took place at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. The main card aired on AXS TV.

Croom got in the champion’s face quickly and tried to brawl with Bessette. He was able to get some dirty boxing in along the fence before Bessette broke things off to get back to the center. The champ ate a kick to the body after throwing a straight right, then ducked just barely under a spinning back kick from Croom that could’ve been a fight-ender had it landed. A Bessette knee appeared to hurt Croom, and the champ tried to take advantage with a combination just ahead of the midway point in the round. Bessette threw a jumping knee that was just off the mark, and not long after he found himself on his back with Croom trying to pound him on top – despite Bessette holding on to his left foot. Bessette landed a hard right hand, then a left down the stretch before heading to the second.

In the second, Bessette tried to pour things on early, but Croom refused to go away. Bessette worked several knees and kicks to the body. Croom’s face was bloodied up, and for a second time in the round he dropped his mouthpiece. Still, though, he kept pushing forward and throwing punches, even though he was eating more than he was dishing out. Midway through, Bessette tied Croom up in a Thai clinch and landed big knees. A series of right hands from Bessette staggered Croom with about 90 seconds left in the round, and a combination had him looking like he was done. Somehow, he stayed around to see the third, though.

In the third, Croom threw a spinning backfist right away, and when it missed, Bessette landed a right, then a head kick. Croom stayed on his feet, but ate knees to the head and another head kick, and with his back to the fence and looking out of it, referee Kevin MacDonald stepped in to shut things down.

After the fight, Bessette said he believes his next fight needs to be in the UFC. Bessette won for the sixth straight time, all by stoppage, including two wins for Bellator. Croom lost for the second straight time.

Walsh stops Haley in first cruiserweight fight in MMA history

In the co-main event, some history was made with the first cruiserweight fight in MMA history. The division is one found in boxing, but hasn’t been used in MMA. The weight class bridges the gap between light heavyweight (205 pounds) and heavyweight (a 265-pound max) with a 225-pound division. The thinking is that it keeps lighter heavyweights from trying to cut an unhealthy amount of weight to make the 205-pound limit – and it keeps them from being so grossly outweighed by the heavyweight division’s biggest fighters.

Patrick Walsh (10-2) had little trouble with Kevin Haley (6-4), pulling off a second-round submission. The fight hit the canvas quickly in the first round, and Walsh soon found himself on top looking for a choke. He gave it up and moved to half-guard and attacked Haley’s left arm, then moved to elbows to the side of the head. He returned to the arm and worked for an elbow lock, but Haley defended and forced Walsh to throw elbows again. He got to side-control and returned to attacking the arm, but Haley survived in the first round’s closing seconds to see the next frame.

In the second, it took Walsh no time at all to get things wrapped up – perhaps because of the groundwork he laid in the first. Haley went after a takedown and put his head down, but Walsh easily grabbed his neck. Rather than working his way around to the back, he simply pulled up on a guillotine choke and used his power to force the tap just 23 seconds into the middle stanza.

Paiva edges Espinosa on cards

It was Jordan Espinosa (8-5) who was throwing the type of stuff highlight-reel finishes are made of early in the first and second rounds. But it was Dinis Paiva (9-6) who was staying patient, dodging the big stuff, then marching Espinosa down most of the fight. The result was the first decision of the main card after four straight stoppages, and it went Paiva’s way with a trio of 29-28 scores, perhaps largely thanks to coming forward most of the fight.

Nordby submits Garcia, Bell knocks King stiff in first round

Kody Nordby (7-4) had to work for it against David Garcia (4-1-1) in their bantamweight fight, but when all was said and done he had a slick submission in the second round to show for it. Nordby spent enough time with Garcia on top in the first round that coach Mark DellaGrotte was concerned he was down on points. So Nordby took care of that in the second. He scooped Garcia up for a nice slam two minutes in, then worked on a choke. Garcia reversed, eventually, to get on top, but Nordby scrambled back to his feet and got a guillotine. Garcia tried to move out of it, but there was no way loose and he had to tap at the 4:20 mark of the second.

As soon as their heavyweight fight started, there was the feeling that either Keith Bell (7-8-1) or Tyler King (12-5) was going to be removed from consciousness. It was King who wound up on the wrong end of it in the first round. Bell and King each kicked early, but when King threw a right kick, Bell countered with a massive right hand that had King out. But a few more follow-up punches came on the ground before the referee could get in. King went stiff and it took several minutes before officials were able to get him back onto a stool. The end came at the 1:38 mark of the first round. King had a three-fight winning streak going into the bout, including submission victories under the WSOF and Bellator banners, but he was knocked cold by a sub-.500 foe.

Candelario taps Restrepo, Rebello tears through Williams

Flyweight Carlos Candelario (5-0) dealt with a game Miguel Restrepo (4-3-1) in the first round, but then found his opening in the second. Candelario finally got Restrepo to the canvas. After briefly getting to mount, he found his way to Restrepo’s back. From there, it wasn’t long before he was able to lock in a rear-naked choke. Restrepo fought it initially, but Candelario adjusted his grip, got under the chin and squeezed to get the tap at the 2:11 mark at the second.

Greg Rebello (21-7) had to fend off an early blitz from Danyelle Williams (8-6-1) in the main-card opener, but ultimately made things look pretty easy with a first-round TKO win. Williams kicked high early, then threw a Superman punch and backed Rebello up with a combination. But Rebello stayed calm and worked out of it to land a pair of nice counters, then a minute in worked for a takedown. He couldn’t get it, but Williams clearly was slowing down just two minutes into the fight. Rebello started to pour it on with knees, and Williams’ right eye was closing up from a punch. Rebello took his time, then finally took Williams off his feet. A few seconds later, after a few punches on the ground, it was done. The stoppage came at the 2:59 mark of the first.

CES MMA 41 results:

MAIN CARD (AXS TV)

• Matt Bessette def. Kevin Croom via knockout (strikes) – Round 3, 0:32 – to retain featherweight title
• Patrick Walsh def. Kevin Haley via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 0:23
• Dinis Paiva def. Jordan Espinosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Kody Nordby def. David Garcia via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 4:20
• Keith Bell def. Tyler King via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:38
• Carlos Candelario def. Miguel Restrepo via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:11
• Greg Rebello def. Danyelle Williams via TKO (strikes) – Round 1,

PRELIMINARY CARD (Untelevised)

• Kris Moutinho def. Jason Rine via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 0:10
• Connor Barry def. Travis Foster via split decision (29-27, 28-29, 29-28)
• Richard Santiago def. Raymond Yanez via submission (injury) – Round 2
• Mike Rodriguez def. Hector Sanchez via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 0:07
• David Baxter def. Dan Cormier via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:42
• Maria Rivera def. Sarah Click via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:40

For more on CES MMA 41, check out the MMA Events section of the site.