WSOF 34 Results: Justin Gaethje Retains Lightweight Championship Over Luiz Firmino

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display today(Saturday, December 31st, 2016) will come from WSOF 34. Headlining the card are Justin Gaethje and Luiz Firmino, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the rest of the card.

Justin Gaethje and Luiz Firmino meet in a WSOF Lightweight Championship bout in the main event. In round 1, Firmino came right at him, but Gaethje took him down and got guard. Gaethje worked him over with strikes but was stood up after Firmino held onto him. They had a wild exchange, which both fighters dropped but they got to their feet. Gaethje missed a kick, Firmino took him down, and Gaethje lost his mouthpiece. Gaethje got to his feet, and they exchanged. Firmino took him down halfway through the round, but Gaethje got right back to his feet. Firmino clinched with him up against the fence. Firmino got his back, but Gaethje stayed on his feet. Gaethje got out of it and hit a flipping head kick to end the round. Wow. In round 2, Firmino went for a takedown, but Gaethje stuffed it. They started exchanging. Firmino was aggressive and was tagged him with a left hook over and over. Firmino landed a flying knee to the head. Gaethje was back peddling as Firmino walked him down. Gaethje stuffed a takedown attempt. Gaethje was getting tired, and Firmino kept blasting him. Gaethje dropped his mouthpiece for the third time in this fight. Gaethje followed up with two big right hands. They had a wild exchange with two minutes to go. Firmino shot in for a takedown, but Gaethje stuffed it. Every strike that Firmino was throwing was connecting. Both guys were bloody and beaten up. In round 3, Firmino pulled guard early in the round, but Gaethje just stood up. Gaethje landed a big uppercut halfway through the round. Firmino clinched and pulled guard, but Gaethje was not having any of it. Firmino clinched, and they had a slugfest. Firmino went for a takedown, but Gaethje stepped out of it. This was an insane pace and such a fun fight. Firmino shot in but stuffed it and got on top in half guard. They were stood up. Both guys were exhausted. The doctors checked on Firmino, and the fight was stopped due to him not being able to see out of his right eye. Gaethje retains the title by third round TKO.

Jon Fitch and Jake Shields met in a WSOF Welterweight Championship bout. In round 1, Shields came right at him but was taken down by Fitch, who got guard and worked him over with strikes. After spending nearly four minutes in that position, they were stood up and started striking. Fitch started throwing kicks and then clinched with him up against the fence to end the round. In round 2, Shields came out and clinched with him up against the fence and landed some knee strikes. Shields took him down just over a minute into the round and got guard. Shields got full mount and punched his face in. Shields got his back and worked him over with strikes while going for a choke. In round 3, Fitch comes out, and clinches with them ultimately set up the takedown. Shields got back to his feet with under three minutes to go, and Fitch worked for a takedown. Shields clinched and failed to take him down. Fitch fell on him, and Shields got back up. They clinch up against the fence. In round 4, Shield came out and scored a takedown. Fitch scrambled got on top and worked him over with strikes from guard. Shields went for a kneebar, but Fitch got out of it. They were stood up to close this round. In round 5, Fitch took him down early in the round and Shields went for a kneebar but Fitch got out of it. They scrambled but stayed on the ground to end this fight. It was not very good as pointed out by the commentators. The judges gave the win to Fitch, who retained the title, by decision.

Opening the main card on NBC was Marlon Moraes vs. Josenaldo Silva for the WSOF Bantamweight Championship. Moraes opens up with a big elbow strike. Moraes dropped him with a combo that dropped him the swarmed on him with strikes on the ground. Moraes with hammer fist then went for a guillotine choke, but Silva scrambled to his feet and clinched with him up against the fence. Sila with a combo that dropped Moraes but as they fell, Silva blew out his knee and the fight was stopped.

Here are the results:

MAIN CARD (NBC/4 p.m. ET)

WSOF Lightweight Championship: Justin Gaethje (c) def. Luiz Firmino via TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage), Round 3 – 5:00

WSOF Welterweight Championship: Jon Fitch (c) def. Jake Shields via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

WSOF Bantamweight Championship: Marlon Moraes (c) def. Josenaldo Silva via TKO (Injury), Round 1 – 2:30

PRELIMINARY CARD (NBC Sports Network/3 p.m. ET)

WSOF Middleweight Championship: David Branch (c) def. Louis Taylor via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:00 of R5

Caio Alencar def. Jared Rosholt via KO (punches) at 1:17

PRELIMINARY CARD (WSOF.com/2 p.m. ET)

Shane Krutchen def. Jeremy Mahon via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Smealinho Rama def. Jake Heun via second-round TKO (3:30)

Bruno Santos def. Vagab Vagabov via split decision (28-29, 29-29, 29-28)

Andre Harrison def. Bruce Boyington via submission (RNC) (R1, 1:54)

Tom Marcellino def. Matt Denning via submission (guillotine) (R1, 3:30)