Blog - 247 Fighting Championships

Podcast: Wait, Where Has Julian Flenory Been?!

Julian Flenory doesn’t like sitting on the sidelines.

A lifelong athlete, Flenory likes to stay active and put on a show –– and that’s certainly worked well for him throughout his young MMA career.

The Mat Factory Wrestling Club product is 4-0 with four stoppage victories inside the cage. His latest, a nine-second knockout of Sheldon Neighoff in the main event of Flood City Fight Night 2, was pure insanity.

But it came at a price.

Flenory discusses that bout, his career motivations, his background and much more with 247 FC GM Hunter Homistek on the latest episode of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast.

Watch the full video right here on 247 Live or listen below.

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Meet (or meat?) the newest butcher in town, Fat Butcher’s Steve Dawson.

Steve, a purple belt who trains at Stout PGH, just opened Fat Butcher in Lawrenceville, and he joins the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast to break down his journey in full. Buckle up.

Watch the full video right here on 247 Live or listen below.

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Fat Mactory Challenge Update: Who’s Missing Weight?

Losing weight is fun.

…said no one ever.

We made a deal and accepted the Fat Mactory Challenge two weeks ago (details here). We’re not backing down from the challenge, either.

In fact, there’s some progress across the board! Woo!

Since we’re two weeks in, we figured it’d be a good time to provide an update.

Here’s where we stand:

Fat Mactory Challenge Update No. 1:

Ryan | Starting Weight: 241.2 | Current Weight: 232.4 | Goal Weight: 205 | 27.4 pounds to lose
Hunter | Starting Weight: 241.4 | Current Weight: 229.6 | Goal Weight: 205 | 24.6 pounds to lose
Jim | Starting Weight: 220.0 | Current Weight: 209.0 | Goal Weight: 185 | 24.0 pounds to lose
Dylan | Starting Weight: 225.8 | Current Weight: 221.8 | Goal Weight: 205 | 16.8 pounds to lose
DannyPalm | Starting Weight: 198.0 | Current Weight: 195.6 | Goal Weight: 185 | 10.6 pounds to lose

Who likes math?

I don’t –– but I’m going to do some for you anyway to put this into context.

Obviously, the old guard –– myself, Ryan, and Jim –– has the most left to lose.

But the young bucks –– Dylan and DannyPalm –– don’t seem to be trying. Their pace is pathetic, frankly. They’re Johny Hendricks and Anthony Johnson over here. Unreal. The audacity of kids these days…

Let’s crunch some numbers further. We have 37 days left, so…

Ryan | 8.8 pounds lost in 14 days = 0.63 pounds per day | On pace to lose 23.31 pounds more … He will miss weight at his current rate.
Hunter | 11.8 pounds lost in 14 days = 0.84 pounds per day | On pace to lose 31.18 pounds more … He will make weight at his current rate.
Jim | 11.0 pounds lost in 14 days = 0.79 pounds per day | On pace to lose 29.01 pounds more … He will make weight at his current rate.
Dylan | 4.0 pounds lost in 14 days = 0.29 pounds per day | On pace to lose 10.57 pounds more … He will miss weight at his current rate.
DannyPalm | 2.4 pounds lost in 14 days = 0.17 pounds per day | On pace to lose 6.34 pounds more … He will miss weight at his current rate.

Wow.

That’s not the standard we wanna set, gentlemen.

Only two of us –– myself and Jim –– are on track to make weight at our current rates. It’s about to get serious. Can the rest of the crew turn it around and hit the mark on Dec. 16?

We’re about to find out. Stay tuned.

Lucas Seibert is undefeated –– and he wants more.

So much more.

The 2-0 Stout PGH/Immortal Martial Arts product rocketed out of the gates in his MMA career, defeating Andy Ssutu at Brawl in the Burgh 12 (video here) then taking out Theodore Savitt at Brawl in the Burgh 14 (video here).

Now, it’s time to get serious.

On the latest episode of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast, Seibert describes his goals in detail. He’s mapped out his journey, and his sights are set at the very top.

At the time of the recording, Seibert didn’t have a fight booked, but he has since accepted a fighter against a 4-0 featherweight in Indiana.

As we said: Seibert is here for the challenge.

But what makes him so confident? How has he transitioned to MMA from collegiate wrestling so smoothly?

We answer all that and more.

Watch the full video right here on 247 Live or listen below.

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Khama Worthy ain’t quite done.

He’s done with MMA. That much is true.

But is he done with fighting altogether? Probably not.

The UFC vet and longtime Pittsburgh MMA superstar Worthy joined the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast to discuss his next steps and so much more.

Boxing vs. Jake Paul? OK, don’t say that (unless you want a Snickers thrown at your head).

But boxing in general?

Maybe. Just maybe.

Watch the full video right here on 247 Live or listen below.

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Jake Paul Will Make Anderson Silva Look Silly in Boxing Showdown

I mean it: Jake Paul will make Anderson Silva look silly when they box Saturday, Oct. 29, in Glendale, Ariz.

…silly for not getting into boxing sooner, that is.

C’mon. I had to.

This Paul vs. Silva showdown is so absurd, it’s actually perfect.

Yes, yes. Silva’s boxed twice already since leaving the UFC in November 2020.

In those contests, he wiped out Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., and Tito Ortiz, setting up the epic throwdown with Paul.

This one, though, is so much bigger.

Paul commands a massive audience. It hurts, but it’s true.

Actually, you know what? It doesn’t hurt. It’s awesome.

Recently, I sat down with Integrity Fighter Management’s Michael McSorley for a podcast at 247 Studios. Inevitably, our attention turned to Le’Veon Bell boxing Uriah Hall, Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva, and the wild world of these pro boxing showcase fights.

By the end of the talk, we both agreed: It’s pretty damn fun.

Not only that: It’s good for combat sports.

If Paul vs. Silva brings an influx of casual fans to watch, there is a high probability at least some of them will stick around and become hardcore, paying fans.

This is how it works.

McSorley himself shared that he originally got into boxing because of this legendary story (no, seriously watch this and enjoy):

Incredible.

Now, Billy Conn flatlining a would-be robber isn’t identical to a Paul vs. Silva-type fight, but the idea remains the same: A novelty act made McSorley pay attention to the boxing world, then he fell in love from there.

That’s huge for the sport.

With Paul vs. Silva, the side benefit is this: Silva is going to love every second of it.

Remember peak Anderson Silva? I certainly do.

At his best, Silva was unlike any other fighter. He dominated –– and he made opponents look like Day 1 amateurs while doing it.

Against Paul, Silva has the opportunity to recapture some of that magic. The 47-year-old legend is a kid at heart.

I mean, just look at this:

Anderson Silva’s Toy Collection 🕷️ pic.twitter.com/ELs7nnToGb

— Ben Davis (@BenTheBaneDavis) October 24, 2022

He just wants to have fun, man.

Against Paul, win or lose, I guarantee he accomplishes that goal.

Silva went 2-7 over the last nine fights in his UFC career. He tested positive for steroids after one of those wins (against Nick Diaz, who also tested positive for marijuana –– what a joke), so the official record reads 1-7 with one no-contest.

Needless to say, Silva was not having a good time by the end of his run inside the historic UFC Octagon.

In boxing post-UFC, though?

Silva’s 2-0 and he’s about to cash in a mega payday in a fight against a celebrity who is more than willing to have a little fun of his own:

Jake Paul and Anderson Silva agreeing a bet ahead of their fight on Saturday night. If Silva wins, Jake rematches him in kickboxing. If Jake wins, Silva joins him to start an association to help UFC fighters get better pay and healthcare…

[📽️ @ShowtimeBoxing] pic.twitter.com/MRgqPI3OtD

— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 27, 2022

When the fight is over and the winner is announced, Silva’s going to have one thought running through his head:

Why wasn’t I doing this years ago?

The fight game is wild.

And that certainly extends to boxing.

On the latest edition of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast, 247 Fighting Championships General Manager Hunter Homistek digs into the wild world of combat sports promotion with Integrity Fighter Management’s Michael McSorley.

McSorley is a veteran of the game on all levels. He promotes fights (check out his next card Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows!). He manages fighters. He trains fighters.

And now he’s in the 247 Studio to talk about the journey in full.

Enjoy the audio of the show below or watch the full video on 247 Live (or click the photo below).

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Brawl in the Burgh 14 was nuts.

From start to finish, the stacked pro-am fight card brought the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center to its feet.

And while each fight delivered plenty of hype-inducing moments, some highlights stand out over others.

Today, I’m going to break down what I think were the five craziest moments at Brawl in the Burgh 14.

<<< WATCH BITB14 FULL REPLAY >>>

Disagree? Leave a comment! Let’s talk about this hot-fire fight card.

Annnnnnnd here we go:

5. This Slam Was Cold

Indio Dojo’s Ken Burrs gave 247 FC owner Ryan Middleton some elite dad-joke ammo in the pre-fight lead-up.

If you missed that clip, here you go. Also, I’m sorry you have to hear that.

That said, the jokes ended when Burrs took the cage to face Connellsville’s Jayson Mulnix in the second fight of the night at Brawl in the Burgh 14.

Mulnix displayed some crisp striking and nice potential for an amateur debut in this one, but the story of the fight was Burrs’ wrestling.

A former D3 wrestling standout at Waynesburg University, Burrs is a problem once he gets his hands on you.

Mulnix learned this the hard (and painful) way.

I particularly enjoy the reaction from Burrs’ coach, the legendary Danillo Villefort, in the corner on this one. Check him out (gray hoodie), courtesy of our photographer Paul Luc:

Good stuff.

4. Lucas Seibert Just Did That

Wrestling, dudes.

That’s the message here: Wrestling.

That’s all I even gotta say about this highlight from Lucas Seibert’s unanimous decision win over Theodore Savitt.

I could try to do it justice, but this gif speaks louder than words:

Freaking wrestlers, man.

Kid has a future in front of him. Stay tuned.

3. Hoot Lee vs. Dan Walters

Can an entire fight be an “insane moment”?

Because uhh… this fight. Holy crap.

Indio Dojo’s Clayton “Hoot” Lee took on High Ground Jiu-Jitsu’s Dan Walters in our fourth fight of the night. The energy inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center was never the same.

From that point on, the crowd entered turbo-mode, and it’s all thanks to Lee and Walters biting down on their mouthpieces and throwing down for three full rounds.

<<< WATCH BITB14 FULL REPLAY >>>

Lee eventually took home the decision victory, but this is one of those fights that neither man lost. As amateurs, these are exactly the type of fights that give you the experience and tape to run back, learn from, and come back stronger.

Even better, both fighters were actually disappointed in their performances. These two have bright, bright futures ahead of them.

Commentator and former 247 FC amateur middleweight champion Cole Macek even noted that it looked like a low-level pro fight at times. That’s how advanced these two looked, despite just one fight of experience between them.

Huge. Look out for both of them moving forward.

2. Dem Finishes Doe

It’s always hard to ignore a great knockout or submission –– and Brawl in the Burgh 14 brought both to the table in full.

First up was Miguel Francisco with this beautiful fight-finishing sequence against Awstin Martinez in the night’s lone advanced amateur bout.

Initially, Francisco set up the triangle, but he sensed Martinez defending and transitioned perfectly to the armbar.

Moments later, the fight was a wrap:

That’s gorgeous stuff, no doubt to the delight of his coaches on site: the Academy’s David Sachs and Stout PGH’s Mike Wilkins and Will Morrill.

West Virginia’s Tom Kizer must’ve been inspired by Francisco’s finish just one fight before his own.

Facing Ohio’s Damoane Hawkins in a rematch of their Brawl in the Burgh 9 amateur welterweight title fight, Kizer decided to take a different route.

Previously, he finished Hawkins via third-round submission. Now, however, the two squared off in their respective pro debuts –– and Kizer couldn’t wait to show off his new tricks.

About halfway through Round 1, this happened:

That’s a crushing elbow, friends.

It got even better after the fight. Hawkins was in good spirits after the bout, and he and Kizer shared some laughs at the 247 FC afterparty at Bacon, Bourbon, and Beer.

Good sportsmanship always wins in the end, and these two certainly earned each other’s respect through two tangles inside the steel cage. That was awesome to see.

1. Khama Worthy lays down the gloves

There was no other choice for No. 1.

You knew it was coming. And here it is.

Following his split-decision victory over Josh Rohler in the Brawl in the Burgh 14 main event, Pittsburgh MMA legend Khama Worthy called it a career.

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A post shared by 247 FC – Pittsburgh MMA Events (@247fightingchampionships)

Worthy finishes his pro MMA journey at 19-10 (5-0 with 247 FC). He made it to the UFC, where he went 2-3 from August of 2019 to October of 2021.

That UFC run included an Upset of the Year knockout over Devonte Smith in his promotional debut and a wicked guillotine finish of Luis Pena in his sophomore appearance.

Worthy set out to do the damn thing back in February of 2009.

Nearly 14 years later, he can comfortably say he accomplished that goal. He retires as one of the most accomplished pro MMA fighters in Pittsburgh’s history.

Legend.

<<< WATCH BITB14 FULL REPLAY >>>

247 FC Accepts the Fat Mactory CHALLENGE!

We’re fat.

And now we’re putting our money where our fried-chicken-loving mouths are.

247 Fighting Championships officially accepts the Fat Mactory Challenge.

“But Hunter … What is the Fat Mactory Challenge?”

That’s a fantastic question, hypothetical reader.

In short, we all realized we packed on the pounds a little too quickly throughout 2022. On top of that, fighters miss weight for us (and every other promotion on earth), and we’re never thrilled about it.

How can we complain if we’re not putting in any work though? Seems a little unfair, eh?

Now, we’re going for it.

Our next show, Brawl in the Burgh 15, takes place Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville, Pa.

Fighters will weigh in Friday, Dec. 16 –– and we will step on the scale that day, too.

Between today (Monday, Oct. 24) and Friday, Dec. 16, the 247 Fighting Championships crew will be shedding pounds.

It’s probably a good idea to watch the full podcast from that clip as well.

You can check it out on 247 Live right here.

For those interested in the exact details, our crew isn’t going to cruise easily through the Fat Mactory Challenge. We have some legitimate weight cuts ahead.

Here’s the skinny:

Ryan | Starting Weight: 241.2 | Goal Weight: 205 | 36.2 pounds to lose
Hunter | Starting Weight: 241.4 | Goal Weight: 205 | 36.4 pounds to lose
Jim | Starting Weight: 220.0 | Goal Weight: 185 | 35.0 pounds to lose
Dylan | Starting Weight: 225.8 | Goal Weight: 205 | 20.8 pounds to lose
DannyPalm | Starting Weight: 198.0 | Goal Weight: 185 | 13 pounds to lose

For some reason, the young bucks took it easy on themselves, while the old guard decided to make things extra challenging.

Now, we have 54 days as of this blog post to get it done.

Will we make weight or will the commissioner call off the bout?

We’re about to find out.

Brawl in the Burgh 14 ruled.

Khama Worthy put on a Fight of the Night-worthy performance against Josh Rohler –– then left his gloves in the cage.

<<< FULL EVENT REPLAY >>>

On the latest edition of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast, 247 Fighting Championships Matchmaker Jim Mooney, GM Hunter Homistek, and Owner Ryan Middleton break down everything that went down on that stacked fight card at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows.

Besides the full fight card breakdown, they share some behind-the-scenes goodies as well, of course.

If you want to know what goes into fight night, here’s your chance.

Oh, and they unleash a new challenge for the entire 247 FC crew. You’re going to like this one (and its name). That’s a promise.

Listen to the show embedded below or click the image to watch the full show on 247 Live.

<<< FULL EVENT REPLAY >>>

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Should We Make This a Tag Team Match at Brawl in the Burgh 14?

A tag team match is on the table this Saturday, Oct. 22, at Brawl in the Burgh 14.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission probably wouldn’t like it. So it’s not actually happening.

But, in a different universe called Mississippi… it could. The stage is set.

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Check it out:

Joshua Perreira & Lucas Seibert vs. Orlando Ortega & Theodore Savitt

It just makes sense.

Perreira and Seibert both represent Immortal Martial Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio. While Seibert now lives in Cranberry Township and trains at Stout PGH, he got his start at Immortal and still works with the Columbus crew as well.

In his MMA debut back at Brawl in the Burgh 12 (watch here) Seibert flew the Ohio flag and specifically shouted out his Columbus roots in his post-fight interview, so yeah. He’s an Ohio boy living in the Steel City.

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Perreira, meanwhile, solely represents Immortal Martial Arts and will be cornered by the legendary Matt Brown at Brawl in the Burgh 14 as he makes his pro debut.

Now, this is where it gets awesome.

Perreira faces Warriors Nation MMA’s Ortega Saturday night inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, and –– you probably see where this is going –– Seibert faces the other Warriors Nation product Savitt.

Teammates vs. Teammates. Tag-team style inside the cage.

Hey, a boy can dream, right?

Even though an actual tag-team matchup won’t happen Saturday, this dynamic does matter.

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All four fighters have reached out to express some additional hype in the team vs. team dynamic going on here. It really does add some extra juice for them, and I fully expect that to show on fight night.

It’s Perreira and Seibert vs. Ortega and Savitt. It’s Ohio vs. New York. It’s Immortal Martial Arts vs. Warriors Nation MMA.

And it’s all going down LIVE this Saturday at Brawl in the Burgh 14.

Buckle up. We’ll see you there.

Note: Since this is the internet and people can’t and/or don’t read fully, I want to be extremely clear: There is not a tag team match happening at Brawl in the Burgh 14. It’s just a fun idea. These fights are happening separately on the card. Cool? Cool.

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Brawl in the Burgh 14 is almost. here. friends.

This fight card is just preposterously stacked from top to bottom –– and we’re here for it. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows is going to be insane. That’s a fact.

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On the latest edition of the Pittsburgh Combat Sports Podcast, 247 Fighting Championships GM Hunter Homistek and Owner Ryan Middleton break down everything that makes this card a can’t-miss affair.

There’s plenty to talk about.

From Khama Worthy vs. Josh Rohler to the stacked pro portion of the fight card in general to the amateur beasts on the undercard, Brawl in the Burgh 14 promises to bring the heat early and often.

Ryan might sing, too. And talk about Hooters (the restaurant, obviously).

So yeah. There’s that.

<<< GET BITB14 LIVE STREAM >>>

Watch the podcast in full on stream247live.com by clicking this link or the image below or listen in the player embedded at the bottom of this post.

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3 Hot-Fire Pro Fights Cap Off Brawl in the Burgh 14 Fight Card

Brawl in the Burgh 14 takes over the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows this Saturday, Oct. 22.

And what a fight card this promises to be.

<<< GET TICKETS! >>>

Top to bottom, this Brawl in the Burgh 14 lineup is just bonkers. We recently dove into the amateur portion of the card.

With several collegiate wrestlers and top prospects littering the undercard, BitB14 will set a high-energy, electric tone from the jump.

That’s a fact.

But it all builds up to the pro portion of the fight card. And holy jeebus are these pro fights awesome.

Let’s break ’em down.

Main event: Khama Worthy vs. Josh Rohler

Yeah, I already talked about this one at length. Multiple times.

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You’ve heard about this fight –– and for good reasons. It’s simply as good as it gets on the regional level. The winner will almost certainly go on to bigger and better things. It will be impossible to deny either man that opportunity with a victory Saturday night.

You can read all about this fight right here or listen to Ryan and me break it down.

Get some.

Joshua Perreira vs. Orlando Ortega

These flyweights are going to get after it Saturday night. And I am here for it.

Joshua Perreira makes his long-awaited professional debut at BitB14. And this is a wild challenge ahead.

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Fighting out of Immortal Martial Arts Center (yes, that one) in Columbus, Ohio, Perreira is the No. 1-ranked flyweight and No. 1-ranked bantamweight in both Ohio and Kentucky per Tapology. His 7-1-1 amateur record looks incredible on paper, but it becomes even better when you realize he improved dramatically throughout.

He lost his amateur debut then said, “Nah. I’m not doing that again.”

And he didn’t.

Now, Ortega greets him with a smile.

After initially being booked against another opponent, Ortega accepted the switch-up without hesitation. With three fights of professional experience (including a Bellator bout against 145-pound beast Cody Law) Ortega doesn’t care about Perreira’s amateur run.

The JacksonWink/Warriors Nation MMA product is back at his natural weight class of 125, and he’s here to make a statement.

Saturday at BitB14, he gets that opportunity against Perreira.

Tom Kizer vs. Damoane Hawkins

Does this fight ring a bell?

If you’ve followed 247 Fighting Championships for a year or longer, it should.

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Kizer and Hawkins previously competed for the 247 FC amateur welterweight title back at Brawl in the Burgh 9 on Oct. 23, 2021 (watch the full fight right here).

Almost one year to the day at BitB14, they will rematch –– this time at pro.

Get hyped.

Here’s the interesting thing about this one: Kizer won the previous encounter convincingly with his powerful wrestling and overall grappling skill set.

His pace overwhelmed Hawkins, leading to the eventual third-round submission.

Here’s the other thing: Hawkins wanted seconds.

Like, he specifically asked for this fight again.

That tells me he knows something. He felt something about Kizer in that fight he felt he could exploit but just didn’t that night.

Both men took that Brawl in the Burgh 9 title fight on short notice, so it’s possible Hawkins feels that with a little more preparation he has Kizer’s number.

Will history repeat itself –– or was Hawkins’ instinct correct?

Saturday, Oct. 22, we find out.

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Brawl in the Burgh 14 is going to be insane –– and these ultra-talented amateur fighters play a huge role in making this event pop.

We recently talked about the massive pro main event between Pittsburgh MMA legend Khama Worthy and Ohio wrestling standout Josh Rohler.

Yeah, that fight rules.

<<< GET BITB14 TICKETS >>>

And yeah, we have two more beautiful pro fights –– Joshua Perreira vs. Orlando Ortega and Tom Kizer vs. Damoane Hawkins –– on tap for this Oct. 22 event, too.

But today I want to focus on the amateur fighters of Brawl in the Burgh 14.

Wait, what’s so special about these amateur fights?

I’ll tell ya what’s so special, friends.

The advanced amateur fight on the card, Miguel Francisco vs. Awstin Martinez, is just madness.

<<< ORDER BITB14 LIVE STREAM >>>

Longtime fans of 247 FC will recognize Martinez, who went three hard rounds with the Mat Factory standout Edwin Vera back at Brawl in the Burgh 10. While that one didn’t go his way, Martinez has been putting in that work, and he tells us he’s on a different level than the last time we saw him.

Francisco wants to put those words to the test.

A talented and dangerous fighter anywhere the fight goes, Francisco is looking to push his record over .500 and move to 3-2 with a big win over Martinez at Brawl in the Burgh 14.

Even better, Francisco is a Washington, PA boy through and through. Expect the hometown crowd to show up in a big, big way for him when the lights go down inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows. This one’s going to bring the noise.

HUGE prospects fill out the undercard

This is the most exciting undercard in 247 Fighting Championships history. Top to bottom, this is one of the most –– if not the most –– stacked cards in promotional history.

And this undercard? *chef’s kiss*

You can’t beat this.

<<< GET BITB14 TICKETS >>>

Former WVU wrestler Lucas Seibert is back. The Immortal MMA and Stout PGH product finished Andy Ssutu back at Brawl in the Burgh 12 in impressive fashion (watch here), and now he wants to run it back against the 1-2 Warriors Nation MMA beast Theodore Savitt.

Savitt is not only more experienced than Seibert with four amateur bouts to his name, but he’s physically larger, too, previously competing at 145 pounds. Now back at bantamweight, Savitt looks to halt the high-profile prospect Seibert’s momentum where it stands.

Who will get it done on fight night?

Tony Welsh vs. James Joint = Potential Future Title Bout

We’ve heard nothing but good things about Prodigy MMA’s James Joint. His coach, Jay Lawrence, gushes over Joint’s skill set and work ethic –– and they’ve certainly backed up those words.

Joint won his MMA debut in impressive fashion, submitting Skylar Neathery in just one round. Following that fight, he and his team hit us up and said he wanted Welsh next. He never blinked. Never thought twice.

Give. Me. The. Best.

You gotta love that mentality.

Welsh put on a similarly dominant performance in his own MMA debut, finishing Marquise Darnell with an arm-triangle choke at Brawl in the Burgh 12 (watch here).

<<< ORDER BITB14 LIVE STREAM >>>

A former WPIAL champ and PA wrestling standout, Welsh hones his MMA skills at Indio Dojo under the legendary eye of Danillo Villefort.

Many believe Welsh will one day achieve greatness inside the cage.

But he’ll need to get through Joint first –– and this is no gimme by any stretch. Buckle up.

The fun doesn’t stop there

• Dan Walters finished Jordan Snow with an aggressive, swarming onslaught back at Brawl in the Burgh 12 (watch here). Now, he’s back for more at Brawl in the Burgh 14.

He faces a tough test in Indio Dojo wrestler Clayton “Hoot” Lee, who many little birdies say has a bright, bright future in the sport.

Walters is absolutely no joke, and training at High Ground Jiu-Jitsu, he’s only getting better every day. He doesn’t care about the hype around Hoot Lee at all, either. This one is going to bring the ruckus.

• Queavaughn Napier and Derrick Brown both suffered tough defeats back at Brawl in the Burgh 12 (full event replay here), and they thought, “Why not throw down against each other to see what’s up?”

Great idea.

These two are full of energy and enthusiasm, and they’ve both reached out to us to talk about their improvements. To hear them tell it, you might not even recognize them as the same guys who made that walk back in July. That’s promising. I personally love their mentalities and cannot wait to see what they have in store for us.

<<< GET BITB14 TICKETS >>>

• Ken Burrs makes his MMA debut against Jayson Mulnix. Oh yes.

The Indio Dojo product Burrs has a test in front of him, ladies and gents. After a successful collegiate wrestling career at Waynesburg University, Burrs wants to step into the cage –– and Mulnix said, “Aight, bet.”

A Japanese jiu-jitsu black belt, Mulnix is a beast on the ground, so if Burrs wants to utilize that wrestling, he better beware. This one will get interesting quickly, and it is just a perfect matchup of debut fighters.

When the debut amateur fights on a card are this good, you know you have something special brewing.

Brawl in the Burgh 14 is that special brew through and through.

• We have another announcement to make, and you’re going to like it. Stay tuned.

Dalton Rosta is built different.

I don’t just mean the fact he looks like a Gears of War character, either.

I mean the fact he doesn’t touch alcohol. Won’t smoke weed. Breaks down the science of his workouts with a master’s precision.

His drive and his focus is on a different level, and throughout this podcast, you’ll see and hear exactly what I mean.

Want to be the best? Get on Rosta’s level.

He’s 7-0 as a pro after a 7-0 amateur MMA career –– and none of that comes as a surprise after you listen to him speak.

He’s a top-five middleweight in Bellator’s middleweight division … and it feels like he’s only getting started.

Watch the podcast in full on stream247live.com by clicking this link or the image below or listen in the player embedded at the bottom of this post.

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Khama Worthy fights Josh Rohler Saturday, Oct. 22, at Brawl in the Burgh 14 inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center.

Read that sentence again.

Oh yes, friends. It’s happening. This pro lightweight fight is huge –– and if you’re not hyped, I’m here to change that for you.

Let’s break it down in three simple steps.

<<< GET BITB14 TICKETS >>>

1. It’s a Khama Worthy Fight

This is a layup.

Every time Khama Worthy makes that walk in his hometown, it’s special. The energy is electric. The crowd is deafening.

And the results?

Pretty dang positive for the Pittsburgh product.

Worthy’s competed four times for us at 247 Fighting Championships, going 4-0 with three knockout victories and one decision in the process.

It’s looked something like this:

Not bad. Not bad at all.

He knocked out tough competition in Jeremiah Scott, Kaheem Murray, and Adam Ward in his last three appearances inside the 247 FC cage. Now, he’ll look to do it again against Rohler.

Here’s the thing…

2. It’s a Josh Rohler Fight

Strong Style’s Josh Rohler doesn’t care about Worthy’s past success. He views this fight as an opportunity –– and he’s exactly right.

If he walks into the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows and wipes out a local legend and UFC veteran, he’ll perk up ears around the country.

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The last person to defeat Worthy, Trevor Peek, received an invite to Dana White’s Contender Series, won, and promptly signed a UFC contract.

See how that works?

Rohler undoubtedly sees a similar path if he secures the victory Oct. 22.

And he has the skills to make it happen.

Rohler was a top-15 wrestling recruit in the nation and one of the best wrestlers in Ohio state history. He was a four-time All-American and Division II National Champ at the next level.

Most recently, Rohler wiped out UFC veteran Jordan Griffin back in April at NAFC: Colosseum.

Now, he looks to make it 2-for-2 in this massive Brawl in the Burgh 14 main-event showdown against Worthy.

3. Now, add it up…

This is the fight Pittsburgh MMA deserves.

Two top-level pro lightweights throw down with massive stakes on the line. It’s the biggest pro fight in a long, long time in the Steel City.

And, oh yeah… It’s Pennsylvania vs. Ohio.

No –– It’s Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland.

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For Worthy, a second straight loss at the age of 35 could mean anything. He still believes he has what it takes to compete at the highest level of the sport –– and a win over Rohler would prove it.

For Rohler, the stakes are slightly different –– but no less monumental.

A win over Worthy would mark consecutive wins over legitimate, multi-fight UFC veterans. It would be impossible to ignore him and his skill set any longer if he takes out the hometown legend.

Worthy’s been inside the UFC Octagon. Rohler’s out to prove he should be there, too.

It’s pretty simple: Saturday, Oct. 22, at Brawl in the Burgh 14, one of these fighters will cement himself as the alpha lightweight in our region.

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And you’re invited to the party.