Out of Obscurity: Weekend Review (July 14 – July 18)

Every Monday, The MMA Corner takes a look – with video footage when possible – at the previous weekend’s action at small regional and international shows with a focus on UFC and Pride veterans, consensus-ranked fighters and up-and-coming prospects. Here’s what went down between July 14 and July 18:

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Shooto: Shootor’s Legacy 3 (Tokyo; July 18)

In a fight that made Sherdog’s list of 10 July Tussles Worth Watching, No. 10-ranked bantamweight Masakatsu Ueda (13-1-2) scored a first-round TKO of Rumina Sato (26-15-2)…No. 1-ranked flyweight Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6) successfully defended his 123-pound Shooto world championship against No. 5-ranked flyweight Yuki Shojo (11-6-2). Urushitani landed a head kick 24 seconds into the second round for the knockout win…UFC and Dream vet Kuniyoshi Hironaka (19-8) captured the vacant Shooto 154-pound world title with a unanimous decision victory over Dream veteran Kotetsu Boku (18-7-2)…Yuta Sasaki (7-0-1) kept his spotless record intact with a majority decision over Kosuke Kindaichi (4-2-2).

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Rodriguez vs. Williams

In a fight that made Sherdog’s list of 10 July Tussles Worth Watching, Jake Rosholt (12-3) avenged a 2010 TKO loss in his rematch with fellow UFC and Bellator veteran Matt Horwich (26-19-1). Rosholt took all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards to earn the unanimous verdict…UFC and Pride veteran Ricco Rodriguez (47-11) withdrew from his catchweight bout with Karl Knothe (19-6) after Knothe didn’t come anywhere near making weight for the fight. Rodriguez instead locked horns with Bellator vet Doug Williams (5-13). The former UFC heavyweight champion secured a rear-naked choke on Williams in the first round for the submission win…MFC and IFL veteran Emanuel Newton (15-6-1) earned a unanimous decision over Ilir Latifi (4-2).

The first two rounds of Rosholt (white trunks) vs. Horwich

Third round of Rosholt (white trunks) vs. Horwich

UFC and Pride veteran Jeremy Horn (88-21-5) claimed the vacant Elite 1 MMA light heavyweight crown by coaxing a tapout, via rear-naked choke, from Shawn Marchand (8-7) in the first round. Marchand announced his retirement following the contest.

In a fight that made Sherdog’s list of 10 July Tussles Worth Watching, Dream veteran Myung Ho Bae (12-5) dethroned Rodney MacSwain (12-4) as the LFC welterweight champion. Bae utilized ground-and-pound throughout the second and third periods to secure a unanimous decision and capture the title…M-1 Challenge veteran Yui Chul Nam (11-3-1) scored a second-round TKO of Rob Hill (8-5-1)…Fransino Tirta (10-0-1) remained undefeated with a unanimous decision victory over Chengjie Wu (0-2).

Jim Hettes (7-0) maintained his unblemished record and became the first-ever MASS featherweight champion with a second-round triangle choke submission of Jacob Kirwan (8-3).

Cassiano Tytschyo (21-9) edged out Sergio Junior (22-9-3) via split decision in a welterweight title bout…Thiago Perpetuo (8-1-1) scored a third-round TKO of Edgar Castaldelli Filho (7-4).

IFL veteran Chris Clements (9-4) landed a spinning back kick in the second stanza to score a TKO of Travis Briere (8-2) in a fight that made Sherdog’s list of 10 July Tussles Worth Watching…TUF 13 alum Javier Torres (3-0) sneaked out with a split decision over Ali Mokdad (4-1).

Strikeforce veteran Chris Gruetzemacher (8-1) scored a second-round TKO of Jeff Fletcher (6-5).

ShoXC veteran Orville Smith (12-3) secured a rear-naked choke on Zachary Harvey (0-4) in the first round for the submission win.

Sengoku veterans Shunichi Shimizu (20-6-10) and Shigeki Osawa (6-1-2) fought to a time-limit draw.

Top Photo: Kuniyoshi Hironaka (top) rains down punches on Kotetsu Boku in the Shootor’s Legacy 3 154-pound title bout (Taro Irei/Sherdog)