Weekend Rundown: ‘Formiga’ Defends Shooto Crown

Jussier “Formiga” da Silva retained his Shooto South America 123-pound championship with a unanimous decision victory against Alexandre Pantoja in the Shooto Brazil 16 main event on Saturday at the Bennett Methodist Institute Auditorium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Pantoja entered the match on a five-fight winning streak and had never before been defeated as a flyweight.

Da Silva, the world’s top-ranked flyweight, remains perfect in six professional appearances. Spawned by the Nova Uniao Kimura camp, the Brazilian had not fought since he toppled then Shooto world champion Shinichi “BJ” Kojima in a non-title affair 11 months ago in Japan.

Other winners at Shooto Brazil 16 included Nova Uniao’s Felipe Olivieri (first-round rear-naked choke submission over Bruno Carvalho) and his teammate, Hermani Perpetuo (first-round knockout against Alexandre Andreotti).

Baszler Wins FCF Grand Prix

Shayna Baszler submitted Adrienna Jenkins with a first-round armbar to win the Freestyle Cage Fighting women’s bantamweight grand prix at FCF 43 on Saturday at the FireLake Grand Casino in Shawnee, Okla. Jenkins met her demise 2:12 into round one.

The 29-year-old Baszler has rattled off three consecutive victories since back-to-back losses to current Strikeforce champions Sarah Kaufman and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. A protégé of former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett, Baszler earned a guaranteed Strikeforce contract by winning the tournament. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native has now secured 11 of her 12 career victories by submission.

Meanwhile, UFC veteran Matt Grice submitted Rocky McNally with a guillotine choke 3:01 into round one, as he made his first appearance under the Freestyle Cage Fighting banner in more than three years. The 28-year-old Grice was pruned from the active UFC roster following his submission loss to Shannon Gugerty at UFC 100 in July. He has delivered two wins in a row since.

Kolosci Stuns Fioravanti at Hoosier Fight Club 4

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 6 semifinalist John Kolosci submitted fellow UFC castaway Luigi Fioravanti with a first-round rear-naked choke in the Hoosier Fight Club 4 “Showdown” headliner on Friday at The Steel Yard in Gary, Ind. The end came just 42 seconds into round one.

Kolosci dropped Fioravanti with a right hand, swarmed his downed foe and cinched the choke when the American Top Team product surrendered his back.

Cut by the UFC following his submission defeat to Matt Arroyo at “The Ultimate Fighter 6” Finale in 2007, Kolosci, a 35-year-old Portage, Ind., native, has delivered five wins in his past six appearances. Fioravanti has dropped consecutive fights for only the second time in his career.

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Quick Hits

Houston Alexander put the brakes on a two-fight losing streak, as he outpointed David Griffin en route to a unanimous decision at Ultra Fighter America 1 “Clash at the Coliseum” on Friday at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, S.C. The 38-year-old Alexander entered the match with losses in five of his last six fights. He was cut by the UFC following his unanimous decision defeat to Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale in December … World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Chris Mickle submitted Cory Simpson with an opening-round armbar at Midwest Cage Championships 27 on Friday at the Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. Mickle, who was victimized by current WEC featherweight king Jose Aldo in 2009, finished Simpson 2:00 into round one … Cage Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Gustavo Falciroli knocked out Sengoku veteran Hideki Kadowaki with punches 2:00 into the first round in the Shooto Australia “Superfight Australia 8” main event on Friday at the Joondalup Arena in Joondalup, Australia. The 27-year-old Falcaroli has posted eight wins in his last nine appearances. He has never been finished.