FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23
LFA 177: SMYTH vs. MAGOMEDOV
PRESENTED BY TEQUILA MANDALA
MAIN EVENT:
2023 LFA FANS’ CHOICE AWARDS: KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR WINNER
DEVIN SMYTH
vs.
TWO-TIME RUSSIAN NATIONAL CHAMPION IN WRESTLING
SHAMIDKHAN MAGOMEDOV
INTERIM WELTERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
CO-MAIN EVENT:
TOP CANADIAN PROSPECT
SHANNON CLARK
vs.
TOP BRAZILIAN PROSPECT
THAIANY LOPES
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
LIVE on UFC FIGHT PASS®
SENECA NIAGARA RESORT & CASINO
NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT TICKETMASTER.COM
LAS VEGAS, Nevada —LFA CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will return to New York in February with a Championship Doubleheader at LFA 177. The two title fights will include the interim welterweight and women’s flyweight titles being on the line. LFA 177 will be the fifth LFA event to take place in the Empire State.
LFA 177: Smyth vs. Magomedov, presented by Tequila Mandala, takes place Friday, February 23rd at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, New York. The main event will feature an interim welterweight title fight between Dana White’s Contender Series alum Devin “The Prodigy” Smyth and top Russian prospect Shamidkhan Magomedov. Then in the co-main event, top Canadian prospect Shannon “MMA Barbie” Clark faces top Brazilian prospect Thaiany Lopes for the women’s flyweight title. The entire main card will be available worldwide on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“We are excited to bring two title fights to New York at LFA 177,” stated Soares. “We have an incredible American and Canadian fan base that attend our events at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, which is a world-class venue and worldwide destination. The venue will now host four of the top prospects from around the globe competing for two world titles. Devin Smyth is the godson of UFC Hall of Famer and Niagara Falls legend Rashad Evans. He will face top Russian prospect Shamidkhan Magomedov for the interim welterweight title. The winner will get a chance to unify the title against current champion Geraldo Neto later this year. Then in the co-main event, Shannon Clark of Canada and Thaiany Lopes of Brazil will meet for the vacant LFA women’s flyweight title.”
Tickets for LFA 177: Smyth vs. Magomedov are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.
Smyth (10-3) is a man following in the footsteps of his legendary godfather “Suga” Rashad Evans and he is doing it right in the town where Evans still holds most of his high school’s wrestling records. Evans grew up in Niagara Falls before becoming the UFC light-heavyweight champion and a UFC Hall of Famer. Evans also helped guide Smyth’s transition to MMA, but has had a more direct impact and lead role on Smyth’s career over the past two years. The 28-year-old is now living and training with Evans in south Florida and the difference has been remarkable and clear for the world to see. That led to Smyth earning the 2023 LFA Fans’ Choice Awards: Knockout of the Year in the main event of LFA 167.
Magomedov (7-1) is a world-class wrestler from the famed Dagestan region of Russia and boasts some of the most impressive grappling credentials in the division. The 29-year-old is a Master of Sport in Wrestling, he is a two-time Russian National Champion in Wrestling, and he is a World MMA Association amateur champion. He also owns a pair of wins inside the LFA Octagon, which both took place in Niagara Falls. The first came against LFA veteran Kohlman Scribner via Rear Naked Choke in the first round after moving up to middleweight for their bout at LFA 155. Six months later, Magaomedov defeated top Uzbekistani prospect Bakhromjon Mashrapov via Unanimous Decision at LFA 167.
The co-main event of LFA 177 will feature the women’s flyweight championship, which recently became available after reigning champion Sabina Mazo vacated the title as she prepares to move up a weight class and make a run at the women’s bantamweight title. That sets the stage for a clash between top undefeated prospects Shannon Clark (4-0) and Thaiany Lopes (5-0). Clark is the top women’s prospect from Canada and wasted little time showing the world why in her LFA debut in October at LFA 170. The 31-year-old bullied the highly-touted Bosnian prospect Nejra Repp en route to a Unanimous Decision victory. She will now face Lopes, who is a 22-year-old native of Goiás in the Central-West Region of Brazil. Lopes, like Clark, is a regional champion in her home country and is excited to show the world what she can do in her international debut at LFA 177.
Currently Announced Fight Card:
Main Event | Interim Welterweight Title Bout (170 lb)
Devin Smyth (10-3) vs. Shamidkhan Magomedov (7-1)
Co-Main Event | Women’s Flyweight Title Bout (125 lb)
Shannon Clark (4-0) vs. Thaiany Lopes (5-0)
Light-Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
Joe Taylor (5-0) vs. Gabriel Thimoteo (6-5)
Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
Mirafzal Akhtamov (6-0-1) vs Diego Bianchini (8-1)
Heavyweight Bout (265 lbs)
Cameron Kinzig (4-0) vs Denzel Freeman (4-1)
Women’s Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
Sierra Dinwoodie (2-0) vs. Hope Chase (3-1)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
Levan Khabalaev (2-0) vs Nikolay Plazinskiy (2-0)
Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
Mus’Aib Baiyina (2-3) vs Luis Francischinelli (1-0)
In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 300 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In 2018, the promotion joined the Imperial Family Companies group (formerly London Trust Media). In 2019, the promotion announced a broadcast partnership with UFC FIGHT PASS®. In 2021, the LFA expanded internationally by hosting multiple events in Brazil.
Please visit LFA.com for bout updates and information. Visit the official LFA YouTube page at @LFAfights. LFA is on Facebook at Facebook.com/LFAfighting. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and X (formerly Twitter) at @LFAfighting.
About LFA:
LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. Based in Las Vegas, NV, LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About UFC FIGHT PASS®:
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit UFCFightPass.com.
About IMPERIAL FAMILY COMPANIES:
The Imperial Family Companies maintains a diversified portfolio with one common theme: bringing power to the people. The IFC is proud to partner with the LFA management team to showcase the greatest talents of tomorrow. Learn more about the IFC at ImperialFamily.com.
About SENECA NIAGARA RESORT & CASINO:
Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino is located just minutes from the world-famous Niagara Falls in Western New York, near the Canadian border. The property is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. Guest can enjoy 147,000 square feet of gaming space with more than 2,600 slot machines and over 60 table games, 10 restaurants, live entertainment and a AAA Four Diamond Award-winning, 26-story hotel with 604 deluxe rooms and suites, a spa and salon, fitness center, indoor pool and STIR feature bar with live entertainment, signature cocktails, and a stunning 43-foot high-definition video wall as well as the first of its kind on the East Coast-Lightning Link Lounge! More information is available by calling 1-877-8-SENECA (1-877-873-6322) or visiting SenecaNiagaraCasino.com.
