Former UFC fighter Spike Carlyle continued his explosive run on the regional scene Sunday, scoring a second-round stoppage win over veteran JJ Ambrose.
Carlyle delivered a walk-off finish win in the main event of Cage Warriors 130, dropping Ambrose with a two-punch combination of hooks. The stoppage win headlined a card that took place at Humphrey’s on the Bay in San Diego, California, USA.
The first round was tough for Carlyle, suffering a brutal cut on his head and being tested with submissions by Ambrose on the ground. His flashy striking style earned him the win a round later.
Carlyle has been on a strong run since departing the UFC roster in late 2020. He has now earned three stoppage wins in 2021, including a victory over Batsumberel Dagvadorj on an LFA card.
Carlyle’s UFC run was just one year, wrapping up after one win and two losses.
Ambrose was on an impressive five-fight winning streak before Sunday, although he had not competed since 2019. The experienced fighter has competed as a pro since 2005, including numerous appearances in Bellator.
UFC Alum Rohskopf Sweeps Scorecards Against Bailey
Max Rohskopf had a controlling win in the co-main event, using his wrestling to pitch a shutout against Jordan Bailey.
All three rounds in the fight were quite the same for Rohskopf. The former UFC fighter scored a takedown early in every round, then kept a dominant position on the ground for the rest of the round.
Bailey was upset after the fight, shouting at Rohskopf and needing to be calmed down by others.
Rohskopf earned a first-round stoppage win against Jeff Creighton in his previous fight. The bout was his first appearance after a one-fight UFC run last year.
Bailey was fighting for the first time since 2018. The Bellator alum has now lost two consecutive fights.
Pauga Remains Undefeated, Beats Former UFC Fighter Perez
Zac Pauga prevailed in the biggest test of his career thus far, defeating former UFC fighter Markus Perez via unanimous decision.
Pauga and Perez were engaged in a close, back-and-forth battle on the feet in every round. Pauga connected with punches throughout, although Perez often avoided shots and answered back.
Perez had strong kicks during the fight, connecting more than once with a spinning shot to the body.
Pauga now has five wins as a pro. He won his Cage Warriors debut in August, defeating Terrance Jean-Jacques on scorecards.
Perez was making his first appearance since departing the UFC roster earlier this year. He fought seven times in the UFC from 2017 to 2019, wrapping up his run in the promotion with a record of two wins and five losses.
Wang-Kim Ends Dominant Performance With Strikes
Josh Wang-Kim had an impressive performance for his fourth pro win, showcasing his skills against Jose Hernandez before stopping him in the second round.
The fight came to a close in the second round after Wang-Kim dropped Hernandez with a knee to the head in a clinch position. He then scored with hammerfist strikes on the ground, eventually convincing referee Herb Dean to end the bout.
Wang-Kim showed his grappling skills in the round before, threatening Hernandez with a triangle choke and armbar on the ground.
Wang-Kim has now earned four pro wins since turning pro last year. Of those wins, three have come via finish.
Hernandez now has an even pro record of four wins and four losses. He entered Sunday on a two-fight winning streak.
Miranda Extends Undefeated Record With Early Submission
Richie Miranda picked up his third pro win to open the main card, submitting Jamie Lynch early. Miranda took the back of Lynch on the ground, setting him up to secure a rear naked choke for a tap.
Miranda now has three wins since turning pro earlier this year. His two prior wins have come via stoppage as well.
Lynch won at the previous U.S. Cage Warriors show, defeating Joshua Nakagawa in August.
The Rest of the Card
Undefeated featherweight Damon Wilson won his fight in just over 10 seconds, flooring Theodore Macuka with a right hook and finishing him on the ground only seconds after.
Justin Barry had a strong showing in his pro debut, stopping Alan Benson in the second round with strikes. He was able to end the fight with a front kick that hit Benson under the chin and knocked him out. Benson was stretchered out following the finish, giving the crowd a thumbs up while he was carried away.
Cesar Gonzalez spoiled the pro debut of Tyler Escoto in the first bout of the evening, going three rounds and working towards a split decision win.
Quick Results:
Main Card (11:00PM EDT / 8:00PM PDT) (UFC Fight Pass)
Bout 8: Spike Carlyle def. JJ Ambrose via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:18)
Bout 7: Max Rohskopf def. Jordan Bailey via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 6: Zac Pauga def. Markus Perez via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 5: Josh Wang-Kim def. Jose Hernandez via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 3:22)
Bout 4: Richie Miranda def. Jamie Lynch via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 1:29)
Preliminary Card (9:30PM EDT / 6:30PM PDT) (UFC Fight Pass)
Bout 3: Damon Wilson def. Theodore Macuka via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 0:11)
Bout 2: Justin Barry def. Alan Benson via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:07)
Bout 1: Cesar Gonzalez def. Tyler Escoto via Decision, Split
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