Brawl in the Burgh 16 is stacked, ladies and gentlemen.
From top to bottom, 247 Fighting Championships’ Saturday, April 15 fight card at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center brings the thunder.
We have insane amateur scraps, gym rivalries, and so much more on tap for the capacity crowd –– but nothing quite tops the thrill of high-level pro fights.
And at Brawl in the Burgh 16, we have three for you to sink your teeth into on fight night.
Let’s break down the stakes in each of these professional MMA matchups.
<<< How to Watch Brawl in the Burgh 16 >>>
Live, in-person: Get tickets here (extremely limited!)
Online: Live stream via 247 Live (PPV – $29.99 ; annual subscription $89.99)
Live stream available on iOS, Roku, and Apple TV or any web browser at stream247live.com
Ethan Goss (champion) vs. Calvin Harbaugh – pro featherweight
Who’s in the mood for a pro title fight?
Awesome. We thought so.
In the main event of Brawl in the Burgh 16, 247 Fighting Championships featherweight king Ethan Goss returns to take on the insanely hungry, talented, and motivated Calvin Harbaugh for 145-pound gold.
On one side, Goss looks the part of a next-level pro. By that, we mean he can and should expect a call-up to Bellator/the UFC with another victory April 15. He’s won four straight, and it appears everything is clicking into place for him at this stage in his career.
Don’t wanna take our word for it? That’s cool. We have evidence. Just watch his title-winning performance against Kevin Barberena from Brawl in the Burgh 11 right here (it’s free just for you).
Here’s the thing: Harbaugh isn’t coming into Pittsburgh to leave empty-handed.
The Michigander impressed everyone back at Brawl in the Burgh 15 back in December, defeating Chaka Worthy via second-round submission.
That win marked his third straight –– all via finish –– and, like Goss, it looks like Harbaugh is hitting his stride as a professional fighter right now.
This is an ultra-high-level matchup, and the winner very likely will be staring down a big-name promotion after snagging the belt inside the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center.
Justin Patton vs. Derrick Patterson – pro featherweight
Speaking of high stakes…
One fight before Goss and Harbaugh slug it out for the 247 FC featherweight title, Pittsburgh fan favorite Justin Patton returns to the 247 Fighting Championships cage to take on New York’s Derrick Patterson.
If you’ve never seen Patton compete in Pittsburgh, well… It’s probably time to change that:
Still just 29 years old, Patton made his amateur debut back in 2015, and he’s since established himself as one of the most talented and popular fighters in Pittsburgh. A Patton fight is a party –– and this one comes with a little extra confetti.
Now 3-2 as a pro, Patton’s rattled off back-to-back impressive wins. A third straight victory might earn him a shot at Goss’ or Harbaugh’s title…
There’s just one thing about that: Patterson presents a unique and dangerous challenge.
At 5-foot-10, Patton generally enjoys a height/reach advantage over his opponents.
That won’t be the case against the 6-foot-2 Patterson. A long, lanky striker, Patterson can put the lights out in a flash or utilize his length to dictate the pace and range of the fight.
Patton will need to crack that code on fight night.
Can he do it?
<<< How to Watch Brawl in the Burgh 16 >>>
Live, in-person: Get tickets here (extremely limited!)
Online: Live stream via 247 Live (PPV – $29.99 ; annual subscription $89.99)
Live stream available on iOS, Roku, and Apple TV or any web browser at stream247live.com
Victor LiPari vs. Cody Matthews – pro flyweight
It’s not often you see somebody fighting out of Las Vegas taking on somebody out of Maryland … in Pittsburgh.
But this fight makes all the sense in the world once you dig deeper.
At 3-0 as a pro, Xtreme Couture’s Victor LiPari represents one of the hottest pro flyweight prospects in the U.S.
So why isn’t he fighting on the West Coast?
Well, he’s from Houston … Pennsylvania. Yes, like three steps from the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington.
This showdown at Brawl in the Burgh 16 represents LiPari’s homecoming, as he’s never competed for his local fans to this point in his nine-fight pro-am career.
And you will know when he’s making that walk to the cage. That’s a promise.
LiPari sold a ridiculous amount of tickets to this event, and you can guarantee the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows Event Center will shake when his music begins.
All this, of course, sets the stage for Cody Matthews to play the role of spoiler. It’s a spot he embraces, and he certainly boasts the skill set to make it happen on fight night.
Now 2-2 as a pro, Matthews is coming off a massive head-kick KO victory, and he expects to take the next step forward at Brawl in the Burgh 16.
Digging in a little more, Matthews went 6-0 as an amateur, with all six of those victories coming via first- or second-round stoppage.
He lost his pro debut via razor-thin split-decision and suffered his second pro defeat via armbar at Bellator 261.
Oh, did we mention he’s still just 24 years old?
Yeah, this dude is an absolute stud, and there’s a very real chance he will silence the crowd and send LiPari’s fans packing with a box of tissues in hand.
You’ll have to tune in to find out…
<<< How to Watch Brawl in the Burgh 16 >>>
Live, in-person: Get tickets here (extremely limited!)
Online: Live stream via 247 Live (PPV – $29.99 ; annual subscription $89.99)
Live stream available on iOS, Roku, and Apple TV or any web browser at stream247live.com