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UFC Fightpass Invitational Results and Highlights

Ben Coate

The inaugural UFC Fightpass Invitational took place on Thursday, December 16. The event featured a four-team submission-only tournament that included a number of former and current MMA fighters, as well as some accomplished jiu-jitsu competitors. In addition to the Quintet-style team competition, the card also showcased several high-level superfights.

Each match, whether a superfight or part of the team tournament, was an 8-minute submission-only match. In the team competition, in the event of a draw, both competitors leave the mat; if there is a winner, that winner stays on the mat to compete against the opposing team’s next grappler.

Team LFA was the favorite going into the team competition, and for good reason; the squad included ADCC champion Davi Ramos and IBJJF world champions Rafael Lovato Jr. and Ary Farias. Just one submission was needed for Team LFA to capture the $25,000 in prize money, first defeating Team FAC on the strength of a Gregory Rodrigues armbar, then defeating Team Fury FC by judges’ decision.

Elsewhere on the card, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson earned a clear-cut decision over 10th Planet black belt Ben Saunders, and Alexa Yanes earned an upset win over perennial top competitor Danielle Kelly.

Full UFC Fightpass Invitational 1 results and highlights:

Team tournament finals

Team LFA def. Team Fury FC via unanimous decision

  • Gregory Rodrigues (LFA) vs. Kody Steele (Fury FC) – Draw
  • Rafael Lovato Jr. (LFA) vs. Travis Tooke (Fury FC) – Draw
  • Davi Ramos (LFA) vs. Daniel Pineda (Fury FC) – Draw
  • Ary Farias (LFA) vs. Ricardo Evangelista (Fury FC) – Draw

Superfights

  • Benson Henderson def. Ben Saunders via unanimous decision
  • Alexa Yanes def. Danielle Kelly via split decision
  • Shane Shapiro def. Bobby Green via submission (kneebar)

Team tournament semifinals

Team LFA def. Team CFFC (1-0)

  • Davi Ramos (LFA) vs. Anton Berzin (CFFC) – Draw
  • Rafael Lovato Jr. (LFA) vs. Jonathan Piersma (CFFC) – Draw
  • Rafael Lovato Jr. (LFA) def. Mike Wilcox (CFFC) via submission (rear-naked choke)
  • Gregory Rodrigues (LFA) vs. Joe Solecki (CFFC) – Draw

Team Fury FC def. Team FAC (1-0)

  • Ricardo Evangelista (Fury FC) def. James Krause (FAC) via submission (reverse armbar)
  • Daniel Pineda (Fury FC) vs. Grant Dawson (FAC) – Draw
  • Travis Tooke (Fury FC) vs. Mikey England (FAC) – Draw
  • Kody Steele (Fury FC) vs. Jason High (FAC) – Draw

Superfights

  • Brenadan Allen def. Gabriel Checco via unanimous decision
  • Christian Guzman def. Jerry Shapiro via unanimous decision

Ben Coate

Ben has been involved with grappling, whether through wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, essentially his entire life. After wrestling throughout his childhood, Ben found Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a young adult and quickly fell in love. He has been training for over ten years and currently holds the rank of brown belt, and remains involved in both the MMA and BJJ scene. Ben has been writing about combat sports since 2017. He has interviewed and profiled some of MMA's biggest stars, including multiple UFC champions.

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