Missed Fists: Top heavyweight prospect Cyril Gane continues rise, more

Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists where we shine a light on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there’s an MMA show every other day.

There were no UFC or Bellator shows last week, so this time we’re focusing on some of the “mid-major” promotions (with a smattering of international action, of course). Up first, we head to Gatineau, Quebec, to check in on top heavyweight prospect Cyril Gane.

Cyril Gane vs. Roggers Souza
Taylor Lapilus vs. Nathan Maness

AL: Here’s the update on Cyril Gane from TKO 48 last Friday: He’s still terrifying.

The man tasked with halting Gane’s hype train was Brazilian Roggers Souza and while he wasn’t afraid to stand and bang with Gane, he probably should have been based on how this one ended.

JM: Now I’m no rocket doctor, but I’m pretty sure Cyril Gane has the longest arms known to man. They stretch out beyond the vast horizons. And he uses them to beat men half to death.

AL: According to the pre-fight graphic, he’s packing 83 inches of arm. Yeep!

Gane is 3-0 now and he looks all the world like a future champion. It’s amazing how far athleticism, great lateral movement, and a decent jab can take you. Let’s hope he gets a couple more fights before being called up to a bigger promotion.

JM: Man, those uppercuts had to hurt something fierce.

Speaking of things that hurt, would you like to see a man’s liver implode?

That’s Taylor Lapilus ruining Nathan Maness’s life en route to claiming the TKO bantamweight title.

AL: If the Lapilus name rings a bell to our readers, it’s because the 27-year-old has already made a few trips to the Octagon. He was actually 3-1 in the UFC and coming off of a win before parting ways with the company back in 2016. With another performance like this, he could be back there soon if he so chooses.

We so often highlight these wicked roundhouse kicks to the mid-section, so it’s amazing to see Lapilus land a crushing body shot with a blink-and-you-missed it side kick. The perfect capper to a dominant performance by the new champion.

And a big night for Fernand Lopez, who coaches both Gane and Lapilus.

TJ Brown vs. Ken Beverly
Solo Hatley Jr. vs. TeeJay Britton

AL: At LFA 67 in Branson, Missouri last Friday, TJ Brown gave us one of the year’s coolest-looking head kick KOs:

JM: Ahhhh, Branson. The Vegas of the Midwest. The live entertainment capital of the world!

I’m surprised we don’t get more fight promotions visiting the Ozarks and all their majesty. Just look at all the good things that can happen there! You can watch someone land a head-kick KO while falling down and then you can walk across the street to watch Shoji Tabuchi fiddle.

This has been your JedTalks on Branson, MO.

AL: I want to go to there.

Also bringing an explosive finish was Solo Hatley Jr. (great name), who was giving up 10 inches (10!) of height to opponent TeeJay Britton (at featherweight!). He closed the distance and then some:

JM: Much like Felicia Spencer, Hatley was not impressed by sheer length alone, making it a complete non-factor. And while Spencer’s method of getting the back and choking Megan Anderson out was quite effective, I’m partial to Hatley’s plan of just stepping in and clobbering the big tree instead.

AL: Hatley has won six straight bouts since losing his pro debut. He turns 23 in August.

Devin Haney vs. Antonio Moran

Speaking of prospects, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention boxing’s next big thing Devin Haney picking up a walkoff KO that even a filthy casual like myself had to take notice of:

This took place at a Matchroom Boxing show (available on DAZN) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on Saturday, and could have major implications if the 20-year-old Haney’s expected matchup with Zaur Abdullaev comes to fruition. The winner of that will become the mandatory challenger to the Vasyl Lomachenko-Luke Campbell WBC title fight winner, though this being boxing, there are about a dozen hurdles getting in the way of Haney fighting Loma.

But still!

JM: He should hope there are a dozen hurdles. Loma is, at worst, the third-best boxer in the world right now. Dude is on another plane of existence. I legitimately think he could beat most people in boxing, using only one hand. Except of course, Conor McGregor who is definitely gonna beat Floyd when they rematch next year.

AL: And shout-out to ex-MMA fighter Fabio Maldonado for doing his thing, though his bout with Michael Hunter didn’t go his way, to put it kindly:

Edilceu Alves vs. Wellington Kakaroto

JM: Now enough about punching people in the face, can we talk about the greatest travesty in MMA? JON JONES HAS RUINED MMA!

Just like his coach Greg Jackson, Jones is a goddamn sport killer.

Also, it’s my new least favorite thing that Kakaroto doesn’t go by “Beef” Wellington.

AL: That’s flyweight Edilceu Alves with the vile, illegal tactic, which by the way, was damned effective earning him a TKO victory here. Fans can check out Future FC 5 on the free app, which is available on the promotion’s website.

Brendo Bispo vs. Marcos Sorriso
Manoel Souza vs. Eduardo Maluco

That show took place in Sao Paulo on Friday and since we’re here anyway, why don’t we sneak a peek at the Standout Fighting Tournament show (available on YouTube) that took place the next day?

Not that there’s much to talk about here, just Brendo Bispo executing a garden variety spinning back fist-to-guillotine choke finish:

JM: Just like you draw it up in the training room.

I’m always fascinated by fighters who jump to guillotines because it’s such a boom/bust proposition. If you’re a Team Alpha Male guy, sure, go ahead on jump on that guillotine. It clearly works for you. But if you’re not one of those guys, you may well just end up Alistair Overeem-ing yourself and wasting your chance with a rocked opponent. Fortunately for Brendo, he was the former not the latter.

AL: How do you feel about countering an elbow with more elbows?

That’s the strategy Manoel Souza used against Eduardo Maluco and just based on this clip, I’d have to say, pretty effective looking!

JM: That’s some real “anything you can do, I can do better” ish right there.

Julia Polastri vs. Geisa Veloso

AL: Over in Rio on the same day at Shooto Brasil 92, Julia Polastri proved that 115-pounders can pack some serious heat by annihilating Geisa Veloso.

It’s that second angle that really accentuates Polastri’s bloodlust.

Ben Eddy vs. James Barnes

JM: You want to talk viciousness? Take a look at my guy Ben Eddy who pretzeled himself and James Barnes up in ways I’m still not sure I understand the physics of.

That defies science, right there.

AL: Barnes probably didn’t understand the physics of it either and thought he wasn’t in any immediate danger. Whoops.

Movlid Khaibulaev vs. Damon Jackson

One thing we can all understand is a well-placed flying knee, and boy was there a great one at PFL 13 last Thursday in Long Island, New York. I don’t know how overlooked PFL is these days, but just in case people weren’t aware that the 2019 season had started, Movlid Khaibulaev made sure to let everyone know that the league is back with a vengeance.

JM: What is the PFL? I’ve never heard of this thing before.

AL: I don’t have time to explain the ins and outs of the revolution to you, but you better catch up quick or you’ll be streets behind.

JM: That sounds difficult. Why catch up when instead I can just read all about it in Missed Fists?

AL: Which fans should do every week, right here on MMA Fighting! How’s that for a plug at the end of a feature that people are already finished reading?

JM: We are so effing good at our jobs.

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If you know of a recent fight or event that you think may have been overlooked or a promotion that could use some attention, please let us know on Twitter @JedKMeshew and @AlexanderKLee using the hashtag #MissedFists.