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Matt Bessette defends featherweight belt vs. Jamall Emmers at CES MMA 48
The featherweight title will be on the line when CES MMA returns in the new year.
Champion Matt Bessette (22-7) will put his 145-pound title up for grabs against Jamall Emmers (12-3) in the CES MMA 48 main event in February, the promotion today announced. It will be Bessette’s promotional record third title defense.
CES MMA 48 will take place Feb. 2 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. The main card will air live on on AXS TV.
Bessette won the CES MMA featherweight title in August 2016 with a second-round submission of Joe Pingitore. He defended the belt twice earlier this year with TKOs of Kevin Croom and Rey Trujillo.
That got him some notice from the UFC, and he was given a shot on the first installment of Dana White’s Contender Series. Against UFC and Strikeforce vet Kurt Holobaugh, he suffered his first loss in nearly two years – a first-round knockout. But that setback was wiped from his record as a no-contest after Holobaugh was found to have run afoul of the NSAC with an illegal IV use before the fight.
That gives Bessette seven straight wins, even though it’s on a no-contest technicality. Bessette, who will turn 33 next week, also is an eight-fight Bellator veteran with a 6-2 record for that promotion.
“I’m always training and always trying to improve, but it’s much more motivating when you’ve got a date – it all makes sense after that,” Bessette stated. “Now all I’ve gotta do is train and focus.”
California’s Emmers has won three straight fights, including a pair of victories on AXS TV for RFA and LFA. In February, he took a unanimous decision from Cory Sandhagen at LFA 5 in his first action in about seven months. And in November, he took a decision from UFC and WSOF veteran Chris Avila at Global Knockout 11 in California.
“He’s a really tough veteran who’s been running through a lot of his opponents,” Emmers stated. “I’m impressed by what he’s done, but I’m going to get that ‘W.’ Winning this belt will show everyone how good I am, and it’s going to help me get my hands on a UFC contract in 2018.”
For more on CES MMA 48, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
Filed under: News
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