Out of Obscurity: Weekend Review (Feb. 9 – Feb. 12)

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 Feb. 9 and Feb. 12:

[tabgroup][tab title=”Spotlight Event”]

Xtreme Fighting Championships 16: High Stakes (Knoxville, Tenn.; Feb. 10)

UFC veteran and former WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner (19-6-1) made quick work of UFC and Dream veteran Drew Fickett (41-17), submitting Fickett via strikes just 40 seconds into the headlining bout…No. 10-ranked 125-pound female fighter Marianna Kheyfets (5-0) remained undefeated with a first-round doctor’s stoppage TKO of Heather Clark (4-2)…Bellator veteran Josh Samman (9-2) used strikes to coax a tapout in the first round from Bellator and EliteXC vet Mikey Gomez (12-9)…UFC veteran Chase Gormley (8-4) earned a unanimous verdict over Brandon Sayles (2-1).

[/tab][/tabgroup]

Varner vs. Fickett

Samman vs. Gomez

UFC veteran Sean McCorkle (15-2) locked in an arm-triangle choke to submit Mike Williams (3-2) in the first round…Ray Lopez (7-3) submitted UFC veteran Chris Price (19-4) in the second round by way of strikes…Chico Camus (10-3) earned a unanimous decision over Daniel Aguirre (5-2).

TUF 12 alum and Bellator veteran Jeff Lentz (9-2-1) earned a unanimous decision over Giovanni Moljo (4-5) in a ROC regional featherweight title bout…UFC veteran Pete Sell (10-6) took a unanimous nod over Strikeforce vet Mitch Whitesel (17-21)…Tom DeBlass (7-0) became a two-division ROC champion, needing only 41 seconds to claim the promotion’s heavyweight title with a heel hook submission of Bellator veteran Randy Smith (14-10-1). DeBlass also holds the ROC light heavyweight title.

Ryan Ford (17-4) scored a first-round TKO of Ricky Goodall (9-5)…UFC veteran Victor Valimaki (17-8) picked up his first win since 2009 with a second-round TKO of Tim Chemelli (8-2).

Graham Spencer (8-1) submitted Shawn Albrecht (7-5) in the fourth round of a featherweight title tilt via rear-naked choke.

Mats Nilsson (8-1-1) secured an arm-triangle choke in the second round to submit TUF 6 alum and UFC veteran Tom Speer (19-6)…Juha-Pekka Vainikainen (19-5-1) scored a second-round doctor’s stoppage TKO of TUF 12 alum and UFC veteran Kyle Watson (13-8-1)…Ben Alloway (10-3) earned a unanimous decision over Mauro Chimento Jr. (14-8).

Graham vs. Gluhov (black ankle wraps)

K-1 kickboxer and Sengoku veteran Peter Graham (5-5) knocked out Konstantin Gluhov (20-9) in the first round of a fight that made Sherdog’s 10 February Tussles Worth Watching.

Strikeforce vet Christian Uflacker (4-0) eked out a split decision victory over WEC and IFL veteran L.C. Davis (16-5).

Dream veteran Myung Ho Bae (13-5) earned a unanimous decision over Jingliang Li (6-2)…Michael Mortimer (16-4) was awarded the victory over Sengoku veteran Taiyo Nakahara (12-7), who was disqualified for throwing punches to the back of Mortimer’s head…Tuerxun Jumabieke (10-0) maintained his spotless record with a split decision victory over Honggang Yao (6-2)…Mark Striegl (7-0) remained perfect as well, submitting Ev Ting (3-1) in the first round by way of a rear-naked choke.

In a fight that made Sherdog’s 10 February Tussles Worth Watching, Rafael Silva (14-3) scored a second-round TKO of Diego D’Avila (7-3).

Gracie vs. Sapp

UFC and IFL veteran Rolles Gracie (6-1) needed just 78 seconds to submit Pride and Dream vet Bob Sapp (11-10) via strikes…Gustavo Falciroli (12-3-2) secured a rear-naked choke in just 72 seconds to submit Soo Chul Kim (4-3)…Bae Young Kwon (7-2) needed just 56 seconds to secure a rear-naked choke and submit Honorio Banario (6-1) in a fight that made Sherdog’s 10 February Tussles Worth Watching…Rustam Khabilov (13-1) took home a unanimous verdict over Rodrigo Ribeiro (9-9).

M-1 Challenge veteran Alexander Sarnavskiy (18-0) kept his unblemished record intact with a first-round triangle choke submission of TUF 13 alum and Strikeforce veteran Len Bentley (10-5).

Strikeforce veteran Zak Cummings (14-3) submitted fellow Bellator vet Lamont Stafford (3-3) by way of a first-round rear-naked choke.

No. 5-ranked 145-pound female fighter Yana Kunitskaya (6-1) scored a first-round TKO of Ekaterina Saraykina (0-1).

Keinosuke Yoshinaga (12-4) needed just 29 seconds to knock out Yoshihiro Saegusa (5-4).

Takasuke Kume (11-1-4) secured a rear-naked choke in the second round to submit TUF 8 alum and UFC veteran Shane Nelson (15-6).

Photo: Jamie Varner pounds on Drew Fickett at XFC 16 (Xtreme Fighting Championships)