LFA 13 heads to California with Curtis Millender vs. Kevin Holland

For the first time, midway through its first year in existence, LFA is heading to California.

The promotion, formed after the merger of the RFA and Legacy FC in 2016, will take LFA 13 to the Los Angeles Area next month. The event takes place June 2 at the Los Angeles-Burbank Marriott Convention Center in Burbank. The main card will air live on AXS TV.

The main event will feature a pair of local welterweights. Curtis Millender (11-3), from San Bernardino and fighting out of nearby Anaheim, will take on Ontario, Calif., native Kevin Holland (9-2) in the headliner. The co-main event is a welterweight bout between Karen Darabedyan (12-6) and Alex Reyes (12-2).

Millender, who has gone 2-2 for Bellator, will be making his LFA debut on the strength of three wins in his past four fights. After back-to-back losses to Brennan Ward and Fernando Gonzalez at Bellator 134 and Bellator 137 in 2015, he took a decision from Steven Ciaccio at Bellator 141. After a loss to UFC and Strikeforce veteran Eddie Mendez later that year, he picked up a decision over Casey Greene in regional competition and a TKO of Johnny Cisneros at Bellator 170 in January.

After consecutive losses in 2015, including a submission to Rafael Lovato Jr. at Legacy FC 46, Holland has been on a tear the past year and a half. He has five straight wins, all by stoppage. Most recently, he has back-to-back TKO wins over Geoff Neal in January and David Gomez in March, the latter under the King of the Cage banner.

Darabedyan, a West Hollywood-based fighter with three WEC bouts under his belt, will fight for the first time in a year. At RFA 38 in June 2016, he was stopped by Christos Giagos in the first round. That setback snapped a three-fight winning streak of first-round guillotine choke finishes in regional competition.

Reyes, whose brother Dominick also fights on the main card, is based in Hollywood, as well. After losing the first two fights of his pro career, he has been a perfect 12-0 – and has all 12 of those wins by stoppage with eight knockouts and four submissions. It’s been nearly 10 years since those initial losses.

Reyes’ resume is an interesting one. After the back-to-back losses to open his career, he had eight straight first-round knockout wins. Then in late 2014, he had back-to-back rear-naked choke wins, followed by back-to-back arm-triangle choke wins in 2015. But when he steps in against Darabedyan, it’ll have been nearly two years since he most recently fought. The four submission wins all have been under the King of the Cage banner.

The LFA 13 card includes:

• Curtis Millender vs. Kevin Holland
• Karen Darabedyan vs. Alex Reyes
• Trent Meaux vs. Boston Salmon
• Jordan Powell vs. Dominick Reyes
• Khadzhimurat Bestaev vs. Alonzo Menifield
• Kyler Phillips vs. Jonathan Quiroz

For more on LFA 13, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.