UFC BJJ 13: Fonacier beats Kleber Barboza for the title

Jalen Fonacier won the UFC BJJ bantamweight title on Thursday night, beating Brazil’s Kleber Barboza by unanimous decision at UFC BJJ 13 at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. In the main event, William Tackett choked out Jay Rodriguez in 86 seconds to claim the vacant middleweight belt. Brazil’s João Nicolite picked up his first win in the promotion.

Fonacier evens the rivalry with Kleber

It was the fourth meeting between the two, this time with a belt on the line and no gi. Kleber came in with two wins over Fonacier from their colored belt days, as he told VF Comunica in an exclusive interview before the match. This time the American got the better of him, and the rivalry now sits at 2-2.

The match hit the mat right away. Fonacier pulled guard and went after the legs, but Kleber escaped and threatened a leg lock of his own. Still in the first round, Fonacier took the back, locked a body triangle and hunted the rear-naked choke until the horn, but Kleber stayed tight and survived.

Round 2 was a leg lock exchange. Fonacier cranked a foot lock to a nasty angle, Kleber refused to tap, worked free and finished on top. In Round 3, the Brazilian pushed the pace on position, while Fonacier kept chasing submissions. After 15 minutes, the judges gave Fonacier the unanimous decision.

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Tackett joins his brother as champion

In the main event, William Tackett needed just 1 minute and 26 seconds. Jay Rodriguez opened with an explosive double leg, but Tackett popped right back up, took the back and squeezed the rear-naked choke until Rodriguez tapped. With the win, William and his brother Andrew, the welterweight champion, became the first siblings to hold UFC BJJ belts at the same time.

After the match, Tackett called on his fellow athletes to take more risks. “I’m seeing all these matches in this Bowl – you guys are not taking the chances that the UFC is giving you. Take the chance, get the sub, or die trying. We want exciting matches, guys. We’ve got to push this sport,” he said.

How the Brazilians did

João Nicolite dropped to middleweight after losing to Nick Rodriguez in his light heavyweight debut. Against Mexico’s Martin Gonzalez, he survived a wild start, when Gonzalez took his back and nearly switched to an armbar, then took over with heavy top pressure for the next two rounds and won a unanimous decision.

Natã Tenca held off Nicky Rod for two rounds, but lost a point for stalling in the third and was submitted with an arm triangle at 3:07. Rodriguez, profiled by VF Comunica before the match, left the Bowl calling for a rematch with Mason Fowler for the light heavyweight title.

In her debut, Jaine Fragoso was submitted by Ffion Davies with an arm triangle at 2:07 of the first round. Davies pulled guard, swept, passed to side control and mounted before locking the choke. She wants another shot at the bantamweight title and a possible rematch with Cássia Moura, who beat her for the inaugural belt.

Karen Antunes lost to Jasmine Rocha in 38 seconds by armbar at flyweight. Antunes protested right away, saying she had slapped Rocha rather than tapped, but referee Chris Brennan stood by his call, and the replay backed him up.

The rest of the card

Pat Downey edged Ian Daube by unanimous decision at heavyweight, winning on top pressure in the last two rounds. Liam Crelinsten submitted Seilkhan Bolatbek with a heel hook in the second round, moved to 2-0 in UFC BJJ and says he wants a shot at Andrew Tackett’s welterweight belt. Opening the night, 19-year-old Tristan Sainz choked out David Weintraub in his debut and asked Claudia Gadelha for a contract right there in the Bowl.

UFC BJJ 13 full results

• Middleweight (title): William Tackett def. Jay Rodriguez by submission (rear-naked choke), R1 1:26
• Bantamweight (title): Jalen Fonacier def. Kleber Barboza by unanimous decision
• Light heavyweight: Nick Rodriguez def. Natã Tenca by submission (arm triangle), R3 3:07
• Women’s bantamweight: Ffion Davies def. Jaine Fragoso by submission (arm triangle), R1 2:07
• Women’s flyweight: Jasmine Rocha def. Karen Antunes by submission (armbar), R1 0:38
• Heavyweight: Pat Downey def. Ian Daube by unanimous decision
• Welterweight: Liam Crelinsten def. Seilkhan Bolatbek by submission (heel hook), R2 1:26
• Middleweight: João Nicolite def. Martin Gonzalez by unanimous decision
• Lightweight: Tristan Sainz def. David Weintraub by submission (rear-naked choke), R1 4:53

Did Fonacier settle the rivalry, or do these two need a fifth match? Tell us in the comments.

Read also

• Kleber Barboza beat Fonacier twice. Now he wants the belt
• Who is Nicky Rod, the wrestler who became a grappling star
• Jaine Fragoso debuts at UFC BJJ 13 against Ffion Davies