The World Series of Fighting returns on Saturday night as the promotion will be holding a fight card at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona and the main card will air live on NBCSN.
The event will kick off with the online preliminary card on WSOF.com at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT with the main card on NBCSN will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will be headlined by a title fight as Justin Gaethje defends the lightweight title against Luis Palomino.
Below is a pre-fight statistical breakdown of the four fights that will take place on the main card broadcast on NBCSN.
Justin Gaethje (13-0) vs. Luis Palomino (23-9)
Gaethje became the inaugural WSOF lightweight champion last year when he defeated Richard Patishnock by TKO at WSOF 8. Since winning the title, he made a successful title defense against Nick Newell and is coming off a split decision win against Melvin Guillard in a catchweight bout.
- Tied with Marlon Moraes for the most wins in WSOF history (6).
- His victory against Patishnock is tied for second quickest stoppage in WSOF title history.
- Since entering WSOF, he has 5 TKO/KO wins and this is the most in WSOF history.
Palomino entered the WSOF on the night that Gaethje won the inaugural lightweight title and both of his victories in the promotion have come by knockout. He has won seven of his last nine fights and five of his last six wins have come by knockout.
- Tied with multiple fighters including Newell for the second most TKO/KO wins in WSOF lightweight division history.
- Holds wins over current UFC fighters Jorge Masvidal and Daron Cruickshank.
- Two career wins by submission and his last submission victory came in 2011 by armbar.
Thiago Silva (16-3) vs. Matt Hamill (11-5)
Silva is making his WSOF debut after his exit from the UFC and his last fight came against Hamill, which he won by unanimous decision. He will enter this fight with wins in back to back fights and he is 3-3, 2NC in his last eight fights.
- His win over Hamill was 535 days ago and this is the longest layoff of his career.
- Twelve of his wins have come by TKO/KO.
- Biggest victory of his career came in 2013 when he defeated former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael Cavalcante by knockout.
Hamill came out of retirement and signed with the WSOF to compete for the inaugural light heavyweight title. Just like Silva, this is the first fight since their initial meeting in the UFC and he is 1-3 in his last four fights.
- Five of his last six fights have gone to the decision.
- Six wins by TKO/KO.
- Has never won or been defeated by submission.
Jake Heun (7-3) vs. Teddy Holder (8-1)
Heun made his WSOF debut last year and defeated Kendrick Miree by unanimous decision at WSOF 11. Since that fight, he took a fight outside of the promotion and defeated Ron Fields by TKO in 20 seconds at Absolute Fighting Championship 23.
- After starting 2-2, he is 5-1 in his last six fights.
- Four wins by TKO/KO and all of those wins have come in first round.
- All of his defeats have come by submission.
Holder is making his WSOF debut and all of his fights have ended in the first round. His last fight took place in August of 2013 as he defeated Chris Davis by TKO at Strike Hard Productions 28.
- This will be his first fight in 534 days and this is the second longest layoff of his career.
- Has victories in 13 and 21 seconds.
- Both of his submission victories have come by armbar.
Timur Valiev (8-1) vs. Ed West (18-9)
Valiev made his WSOF debut last year and he has gone 2-0 in the promotion. After defeating Adam Acquaviva at WSOF 10, he defeated Isaiah Chapman by unanimous decision at WSOF 13.
- After losing his pro debut, he has won eight in a row.
- Four wins by stoppage (3 TKO/KO, 1 Submission).
- Has made it to the third round in his last four fights.
This will be the WSOF debut for West as he enters the promotion following his exit from Bellator. While in Bellator, he was a three-time tournament participant and made it to the final of the bantamweight tournament in 2010.
- 1-4 in his last five fights and enters this fight following a defeat to Mike Richman.
- Nine wins by submission.
- Record of 8-6 when the fight goes to the decision.
The current WSOF 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino fight card lineup is below.
Main Card: (NBCSN – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)
Justin Gaethje (13-0) vs. Luis Palomino (23-9)
Thiago Silva (16-3) vs. Matt Hamill (11-5) *
Jake Heun (7-3) vs. Teddy Holder (8-1) **
Timur Valiev (8-1) vs. Ed West (18-9)
Preliminary Card (WSOF.com – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
Clifford Starks (10-2) vs. Eddie Arizmendi (15-6)
Benny Madrid (7-2) vs. Jimmy Spicuzza (5-2)
Joe Gigliotti (3-0) vs. Brendan Tierney (11-6)
Juan Archuleta (5-0) vs. Andres Ponce (7-4)
Dan Huber (3-2) vs. Israel Aquino (0-0)
Matthew Frincu (5-1) vs. Eric Regan (15-24)
Joe Madrid (4-2) vs. Erik Villalobos (1-0)
* – Light Heavyweight Tournament Opening Round
** – Light Heavyweight Tournament Reserve Bout