Fury Fighting Championship, a leading regional MMA promotion based in Texas, took its event on the road this past weekend, hosting a special show at Minot Air Force Base in Minot, North Dakota.
In the main event of Fury FC 125: Fight Force, former PFL tournament finalist and UFC hopeful Dilano Taylor delivered a powerful second-round left hook knockout of Nick Meck to claim the vacant Fury FC Welterweight title. The first round was closely contested, with Taylor eventually securing a takedown and controlling Meck on the ground. Known as “The Postman,” Taylor threatened with submission attempts and maintained relentless ground-and-pound until the round ended. Then, early in round two, Taylor landed the decisive finishing blow.
Taylor remains one of the top unsigned welterweights outside the UFC, and this impressive highlight-reel finish could finally earn him a call-up to the big league. Fury FC’s Vice President and head matchmaker Rich Burmaster echoed this sentiment, telling MMAmania.com that the card was stacked with fighters ready to make the jump to the UFC. He emphasized that both Meck and Taylor are among the best unsigned welterweights, and believes Taylor is next in line for a UFC opportunity.
Currently on a five-fight winning streak with four finishes—three in the first round—Taylor (15-5) also boasts a notable first-round knockout over former UFC title contender and Bellator champion Rory MacDonald, a victory that eventually prompted MacDonald’s retirement.
Taylor wasn’t the only rising prospect making waves at Fury FC 125. Jacobe Jones, a former Contender Series competitor and reigning LFA Lightweight champion, captured Fury FC’s interim Lightweight belt by knocking out Yehia Riles in under three minutes.
Fury FC has clearly built Fight Force around fighters poised to move up to the next level, and both Taylor and Jones demonstrated they belong among the sport’s elite prospects.
Fan Take: This event highlights how vital regional promotions like Fury FC are for discovering and showcasing the sport’s future stars. With performances like Taylor’s and Jones’, fans can anticipate fresh, exciting talent making the jump to major promotions, injecting new energy into MMA’s competitive landscape.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
