Cheyanne Bowers needed just a little more than two minutes to claim her first regional MMA title on Friday evening.
Bowers scored a first-round submission win to capture the interim LFA Flyweight Championship this weekend, snapping the undefeated record of Veronika Borisova with an armbar. The quick performance headlined LFA 193 from the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota, USA.
Bowers, who grew up in Minnesota and now trains in the neighbouring state of South Dakota, found the submission after finding herself in some trouble. A hard right cross from Borisova dropped Bowers to the canvas just a little under two minutes into the fight, putting the American on her back.
Bowers snatched an arm of Borisova as the Russian talent followed her to the ground and attempted to score with shots. Bowers set up an armbar while on her back, fully applying the submission and forcing a submission.
“I knew if she tried to take me down or I tripped, nobody wants to be in my guard,” Bowers said in her post-fight interview. “I’m lethal with armbars.”
The fast finishing sequence earned Bowers a win in her biggest test yet. While she had previously faced fighters with similarly small levels of pro fight experience, this weekend put her against a pro who had a flawless record of six wins.
Borisova had previously earned a title in Kazakhstan-based promotion Naiza FC and was coming off a successful LFA debut in June.
Bowers has now strung together five victories since early last year, including four different finishes.
After the fight, Bowers set her sights on either getting a UFC opportunity or unifying LFA’s flyweight titles in a clash against Canada’s Shannon Clark.
“I want that next level,” she said. “If that doesn’t come, I want Shannon Clark.”
An even quicker performance took place in the co-main event, as undefeated bantamweight Mitchell McKee stopped Ashton Caniglia in 39 seconds with strikes to secure his seventh pro victory.
Here are the quick results from Friday’s card:
Main Card (9:00PM EDT / 8:00PM CDT) (UFC Fight Pass)
Bout 15: Cheyanne Bowers def. Veronika Borisova via Submission, Armbar (RD 1, 2:10) (Vacant Interim LFA Flyweight Championship)
Bout 14: Mitchell McKee def. Ashton Caniglia via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 0:39)
Bout 13: Denzel Freeman def. Steven Asplund via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 1:17)
Bout 12: Devon Lozej def. Nate Smith via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 11: Michael Blockhus def. Roland Pruden via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 10: Alvin Hines def. Taylor Escamilla via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 2:40)
Preliminary Card
Bout 9: Santos Verdinez def. Felipe Martinez Donis via Submission, Heel Hook (RD 1, 3:24)
Bout 8: Jackson McVey def. Ben Fowler via Submission, Brabo Choke (RD 1, 0:33)
Bout 7: Steve Collins def. Richard Daffron via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 3:33)
Bout 6: Ashkan Morvari def. Coty Milhausen via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 4:30)
Bout 5: Danny Somers def. Clay Uddley via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 0:19)
Bout 4: Kendall Sandifer def. Mitchell Wilson via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 0:19)
Bout 3: Ryan Motley def. Aaron Skipitaris via Decision, Unanimous (Amateur)
Bout 2: Ezayah Gomez Oropeza def. Conor Hoy via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 2:05) (Amateur)
Bout 1: Stephen Lesko def. Isaiah Joans via Submission, Arm Triangle Choke (RD 2, 1:46) (Amateur)
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