A fighting chance for WSOF
World Series of Fighting president Ray Sefo walked up to the podium inside Madison Square Garden wielding a big grin and took in the scene in front of him. Standing in the middle of the press conference stage, Sefo could see a room full of fight fans applauding loudly, cheering on the moment that wasn’t guaranteed to happen.
To his immediate left and right sat the fighters who would headline the WSOF’s first fight card in the Theater at Madison Square Garden, bringing the promotion into the spotlight on New Year’s Eve just four years after being founded.
“Whoever has any doubts whatsoever, let me tell you this,” the 2016 International Marshal Arts Hall of Fame inductee said two days before WSOF hosts an 11-bout card that includes four title fights. “World Series of Fighting is here to stay.”
And the WSOF is doubling down on his words with a card filled with the promotion’s best fighters including Bronx native David Branch, and decorated MMAveterans Jon Fitch and Jake Shields along with event headliner, Justin Gaethje.
While the WSOF won’t be setting the type of gate records the UFC did last month with a $17.7 million receipt, it won’t be without excitement. At 16-0, Gaethje might have a claim at being one of the best lightweights in the world and the 28year-old seemed ready for the spot- light, stealing the show at the press conference leading up to the fight.
Gaethje talked down to his title challenger Luiz Firmino (19-7), saying that he’s there to entertain and the result of the bout is not in question.
“This is the biggest city in the country and I’m a performer,” Gaethje said. “I’m going to entertain. It doesn’t matter who it’s against. This guy right here [Firminio] is going to get knocked out.”
The confidence of the former All-American wrestler at the University of Northern Colorado isn’t just bluster, either. Like another current MMA star, Conor McGregor, Gaethje has backed up his trash talk in the decagon.
Gaethje has recorded eight wins via a knockout or TKO in nine bouts under the WSOF banner while recording 14 finishes in his professional career overall.
“Luiz Firmino has 19 fights and just one finish. That’s pathetic for him to even say [he’s going to finish me],” Gaethje said. “One TKO in 19 fights, that’s not we do in this sport. We go in there, we’re exciting, we’re entertainers and we finish people. So that’s what you’re going to see on Saturday, me finishing him. He has no chance.”
But that won’t be the only bout that should bring excitement.
Branch, just the third fighter alongside McGregor and Dan Henderson to hold two title belts simultaneously, brings an exciting style of fighting to the ring in his defense of the middleweight title against No. 1 contender Louis Taylor (13-3). The 35-year-old, who has overcome early childhood demons that caused him trouble with the law, has finished his last six opponents, five of those in the first round.
He said the streak won’t change either.
“I’m going to finish him Saturday night,” Branch said. “I can’t rush it. I can’t try to force something to happen. Bad things happen when you do that, but I’m going to go out there and do what I do.”
If he and the rest of the fighters deliver, the WSOF could back up Sefo’s opening remarks, leading to more attention and bigger venues in 2017.