LFA 178: Satybaldiev vs. Assis (Santa Cruz, California)

We’re back this week with our second show in Santa Cruz. This week 6 different nations will be represented on the main card (Brazil, USA, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, & Afghanistan) and the Interim Light Heavyweight Title will be on the line in our Main Event.

Bruno Lopes is our current champ at 205lbs and he’s coming off a successful title defense in January. This week another Brazilian Bruno, Bruno Assis (13-6) returns to take on towering Kyrgyzstan fighter Uran Satybaldyev (6-1) for the Interim Strap. Assis fought for the LFA Middleweight title in 2022 and lost to Ozzy Diaz. He has since moved up to 205lbs. He is a DWCS-vet and has Black Belts in BJJ, Judo, and Karate. He brings in a 77% finishing rate into this matchup with 9 wins coming by way of Submission. Satybaldyev is coming off a win in his LFA Debut in August in this same building. The Kyrgyzstan fighter is a National Champion in Judo and has been training with Urijah Faber at Team Alpha Male. He brings in 5 KO wins in 6 Pro victories and is looking to be the first ever Kyrgyzstan fighter to win an LFA title. These two have combined for 11 first-round finishes and both men are fighting in their 3rd career Professional Title Fight.

The co-main event is an intriguing matchup between 2 Southern California transplants Miguel Jacob (8-2) and Jeff Creighton (9-2-1). Jacob comes in on a 3-fight win streak and is a kickboxer from Rio now training out of Kings MMA in Los Angeles. He is making his fourth LFA appearance and is coming off his first win in the LFA Octagon in April. He is a 4-time Amateur National Kickboxing Champion in Brazil and a 3-time Pan-American Kickboxing Champ, but he also has a Brown Belt in BJJ. Creighton has won 4 fights in a row and will be making his LFA Debut. Proudly hailing from North Carolina, Creighton now trains out of Dan Henderson and Joe Stevenson’s Team Quest in Temecula. Creighton comes from a wrestling background and has 1 KO and 4 submissions in his 9 wins. These two have combined for 6 first-round finishes.

Also on the card:

– After having his fight fall through at LFA 177 two weeks ago, Diego Bianchini (8-1) gets another chance to make his LFA debut, this time against tough Uzbekistan fighter Bakhromjon Mashrapov (7-3). Bianchini trains out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima in Sao Paulo alongside Charles Oliveira and is coming off his first loss as a Pro. He comes in with a 75% finishing rate and will be making his U.S. debut. Mashrapov is making his third appearance with the LFA. He lost a decision to now Interim Welterweight Champ Shamidkhan Magomedov in his last LFA outing. Mashrapov comes from a Karate background and has 6 KOs in his 7 wins.

– In a battle between LFA newcomers, Afghanistan’s Hussain Bakhsh Safari (7-2) meets Israel’s Stav Koren (3-0). Safari is a huge celebrity in Afghanistan, but is fighting for the first time in the U.S. He came to California in December and has been training at Team Alpha Male. He is a 3-time World Jiu Jitsu Champion and has 4 wins via submission. Koren is from Israel, but has been in Las Vegas the last few months training at Syndicate MMA. He is a Brown Belt in BJJ and an Israeli National Champion in BJJ.

– Former LFA Middleweight Champion Ozzy Diaz (7-2) returns in our second fight of the night to take on Bellator and PFL-vet Chuck Campbell (6-3, 1 NC). Diaz won the 185lb strap versus main event fighter Bruno Assis in March 2022 and then went on DWCS where he was knocked out by Joe Pyfer. He has since changed camps from CMMA to Kings MMA and this will be his debut at 205lbs. Campbell trains out of AKA in San Jose and was a former D-1 Defensive End at the University of Iowa. These two have combined for 8 KO wins and 7 first-round finishes.

– We kick off the main card with former title challenger Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (5-2) and Nor-Cal’s own Adam Wamsley (4-3). Lebosnoyani is coming off a loss to JaCobi Jones in a Lightweight Title fight in May. He has since moved camps from CMMA to Kings MMA and he will be competing a weight class up. He is a BJJ Black Belt and all 5 of his wins are via submission. Wamsley is originally from Napa and also comes from a grappling background. He is a Brown Belt in BJJ and a IBJJF Bronze Medalist. He comes in with a 75% finishing rate and has one appearance with Bellator.