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LFA 100 results: Victor Altamirano earns flyweight gold at milestone event

nolan king
·3 min read

LFA 100 marked a big milestone for the promotion, which, for the entirety of its existence has served as an unofficial feeder league for the UFC, Bellator and more.

LFA launched in January 2017 following a merger between RFA and Legacy FC. Since that time, LFA has promoted fights involving numerous competitors who went on to sign contracts with the UFC and Bellator.

A vacant flyweight title fight between Victor Altamirano and Nate Smith headlined Friday’s card. The bout was a one-way championship fight. Altamirano (9-1) was the only fighter of the two who could walk away with LFA gold because Smith (6-2), who took the fight on five days’ notice, missed weight by 2.6 pounds.

Altamirano won a unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-44) after 25 minutes of competition. It was Altamirano’s striking that proved to be the difference. Although Smith had his moments and secured a few takedowns, he wasn’t able to muster up any significant offense.

As LFA title gold was wrapped around his waist, things came full circle for Altamirano, who competed as an amateur at LFA 1 in January 2017.

Altamirano, 30, has won three straight fights. His only professional loss came to former UFC flyweight Jarred Brooks in October 2019.

The co-main event was a back-and-forth scrap and the finishing sequence was a turning of the tides. When Charles Johnson was dropped by Karlee Pangilinan, he not only got back to his feet; he found a way to win. Johnson got up, grabbed hold of Pangilinan, and submitted Johnson with an anaconda choke.

In the card’s most violent moment, Steven Nguyen returned from a nearly two-year layoff and violently face-planted opponent Jorge Juarez with a brutal knockout punch. As Juarez’s unconscious body laid facedown on the canvas, Nguyen followed up with a vicious hammerfist. The fight was stopped 30 seconds into the opening round.

Earlier in the night, Tony Ferguson protege Tommy Aaron channeled his inner “El Cucuy” flinging a barraged of wild and whacky strikes at opponent Gerald Scott. A high-paced battle ended in Round 3 when Aaron (7-4) submitted Scott (4-1) via rear-naked choke.

On the Facebook prelims, Maria Henderson, wife of former UFC lightweight champion and current Bellator fighter Benson Henderson, won her amateur MMA debut. She defeated fellow debutant Amanda Mitchell by unanimous decision.

LFA 100 took place Friday at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. The main card streamed on UFC Fight Pass after prelims on Facebook.

Full LFA 100 results include:

  • Victor Altamirano def. Nate Smith via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-44)

  • Charles Johnson def. Karlee Pangilinan via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 2, 1:41

  • Steven Nguyen def. Jorge Juarez via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:30

  • Tommy Aaron def. Gerald Scott via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:57

  • Christian Natividad def. Evan Woolsey via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

  • Emmanuela Moliere def. Amber Danielson-Smith via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-26)

  • Maria Henderson def. Amanda Mitchell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) – amateur bout