RFA 31: What to Watch For RJ Gardner October 5, 2015 Events, Previews, Promotions, RFA, RFA Events, Spotlight On Friday, Oct. 9, 2015, the RFA heads to the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center in Las Vegas for RFA 31: Smith vs. Marunde where two RFA titles will be up for grabs. Over the past couple of years, the RFA has become the premier developmental league in MMA and they continually send fighters to the UFC. That alone should be reason enough for fans to tune in and watch, but if you need some specifics as to why RFA 31 is “Must See” TV, here you go. Top Young Talent First and foremost, the reason to watch any RFA event is to see the young talent. The RFA has a strong history of developing talent and sending them off to larger organizations; namely the UFC. Every RFA card is filled with some of the best and brightest future stars MMA has to offer. This is a fan’s chance to get in on the ground floor and witness the development and progression of young talent. Prospect Watch: Matthew Lopez Currently undefeated as a pro with all of his RFA wins coming by way of first round stoppage, Lopez is prospect who is quickly rising up the ranks. A solid wrestler with good hand and an evolving ground game, Lopez continues to look better and better each time he steps into the cage. A Women’s Strawweight Champion Will Be Crowned In the co-main event of the evening, the RFA will crown a new champion as Zoila Frausto takes on Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger. As the first and only women’s champion in Bellator history, Frausto has long been one of the top female fighters in the world. But considering she has lost three in a row and has not competed since December of 2013, it’s surprising to see her competing for a title. Jones-Lybarger on the other hand has won three in a row and is undefeated in the RFA cage. Welterweight Title Fight In the main event of the evening, newly crowned champion Gilbert Smith looks to defend his welterweight title for the first time against experienced veteran Bristol Marunde. After a disappointing run with Strikeforce and then the UFC – going 0-3 – Marunde has won four in a row to earn this opportunity. Smith on the other hand is coming off of an impressive performance to win the title in his last outing and now he will look to send a message to the rest of the division. This one is a great opportunity to make some cash from the leading sportsbook for betting on MMA, too.
