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| Stephen Loman connects on a left hook to Elias Boudegzdame's face. Brave CF |
By Ivan Saldajeno
PASAY—Stephen Loman remained as the Brave bantamweight champion after knocking out Elias Boudegzdame at Brave 22: Storm of Warriors at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday night.
Loman recovered from an early disaster and finished off his French-Algerian opponent, the former Brave featherweight champ, just before the fourth round ended.
Boudegzdame had a chance to silence the MOA Arena crowd when he landed a right straight to Loman that apparently rocked the latter down.
Boudegzdame looked to perform a rear naked choke on Loman, but Loman succeeded in his takedown defense and even opened cut at the right side of Boudegzdame at the end of Round 1.
Loman then unleashed crisp strikes at Boudegzdame in Rounds 2 and 3, especially body shots when the latter began to keep his wounded face from inflicting more damage.
Boudegzdame eventually succumbed when Loman unleashed a right hook that eventually forced the knockout with only one second left in Round 4.
The marked the first title defense win by Team Lakay for 2019 following Joshua Pacio and Geje Eustaquio's painful defeats that forced them to give up their One Championship belts.
Team Lakay was actually 4-1 on Friday night as Jeremy Pacatiw, Harold Banario, and Jomar Pa-ac also scored wins.
Pacatiw completed an armbar to submit fellow Filipino Mark Alcoba, Banario scored a rare heel hook submission over fellow Filipino Ariel Oliveros, and Pa-ac defeated India's Satya Behuria.
The lone loss came from John Cris Corton, who fell to Palestine's Abdul Hussein via guillotine submission.
Meanwhile, mixed martial arts star Gab Dy made it five wins for the Philippines with a sensational knockout over Mehmosh Raza.
Dy showed that the genes of former world boxing champion Rolando Navarette run in his veins as he delivered a devastating right hook that knocked Raza out with only six seconds left in Round 1.
In the co-main event, John Brewin of New Zealand shocked Conor McGregor's stablemate Cian Cowley of Ireland via split decision.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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