Missed Fists: Leonard Casotti ends fight with horrific calf slicer submission

Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists where we shine a light on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there’s an MMA show every other day.

We love to showcase the freakiest of fights and occurrences here at Missed Fists headquarters, but this weekend a freak show fight is actually the biggest matchup of the weekend (year?). Jake Paul is fighting Anderson Silva! What?!? Did you guys hear about this???

Anyway, before we dive head first into this unlikely/intriguing/potentially depressing crossover boxing bout, let’s focus strictly on the mixing of the martial arts, starting with maybe the most evil calf slicer I’ve seen in my life.

Leonardo Casotti vs. Mahmoud Mando

From an MMA Series event in Russia this past Saturday… just, no. I want no part of this.

That’s Leonard Casotti finishing Mahmoud Mando with a truly vile calf slicer variation, set up in a scramble as Mando just tries to twist and push his way out of the maneuver without ever actually getting his leg free. Instead, he ends up face-down on the mat with Casotti’s full weight bending his leg in towards his body.

Again: How about NO.

Other than transitioning into a John Cena STF, I don’t see how this hold could have been any more painful. One can only hope that Mando tapped out in time before suffering any further damage.

MMA Series 58 is available for free replay on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

Let’s just move on, please.

Ayan Tursyn vs. Tunzala Imanly

When last we featured Ayan Tursyn, she was smoking an opponent with a spinning backfist at an amateur tournament in Kazan, Russia, last year. She turned pro this past June and is 2-0 now, scoring her second win at Octagon 36 in Izmit, Turkey, with this knockout sequence.

I’m not a doctor, but when a punch has you stumbling back with your arms windmilling, that’s usually a bad sign. Even if Tunzala Imanly wasn’t that hurt by that shot, Tursyn had to be smelling blood and sure enough she ended the fight moments later with a sneaky counter left hand.

I don’t know if the UFC or Bellator will ever implement an atomweight division, but this 5-foot-2 Kazakh power puncher should definitely be signed if they do.

Also at this event, Kaan Kazgan won in just nine seconds when Mohammad Reza Naseri began the fight with his hands completely down before getting Aljo’d.

“Aljo’d” in this case meaning accidentally shooting into a knockout head kick, not winning a title by disqualification after taking an illegal knee to the face nor unwittingly entering a title fight against an opponent with one good arm. Man, Aljamain Sterling has had a weird run of it lately.

Octagon 36 is available for free replay on YouTube.

James Foster vs. Chris Lee Byrne
Edwards Walls vs. Michael Imperato
Kyle Pepolec vs. Marco Antonio Elpidio

Speaking of odd knockouts, we had a trio of Humpty Dumpty award candidates at a Prospect Fighting Championships show in London, Ontario, Canada.

Middleweight James Foster unleashed a one-shot backfist that instantly flattened opponent Chris Lee Byrne (Chris Leben under an alias?).

Earlier on the card, Finland’s Edward Walls snapped a three-fight skid with a body-bouncing left hand.

Walls hasn’t had a knockout since an awesome head kick of Manolo Scianna back in April 2018, but he was in fine form here.

In the main event, former UFC fighter Kyle Prepolec also got back in the win column, taking Marco Antonio Elpidio’s soul with a head kick.

Eugene Correa vs. David Douglas
Bruno Assis vs. Jesse Murray
Jake Pilla vs. Josh Krejci

Back to the submission game, there were plenty more impressive tap-outs this past weekend all available on UFC Fight Pass, perhaps none better than Eugene Correa’s 17-second heel hook submission of David Douglas at Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat 6 in Commerce, Calif.

Correa, a former Bellator competitor, improved to 3-2, while 18-year veteran Douglas fell to 10-11 with none of his fights going to a decision. Respect to both fighters.

At LFA 145 in Oshkosh, Wisc., Bruno Assis closed the show with a slick armbar that may have broken something, according to the commentary team.

I’d still take that over the calf slicer, but it’s close.

And at Combat FC 2 in Wilmington, Mass., Jake Pilla gave opponent Josh Krejci zero chance to get anything going, hurting him with a flurry and then slapping on a fight-ending guillotine just 25 seconds into Round 1.

Jeka Saragih vs. Won Bin Ki

It’s not often that we miss fights that have the UFC name attached to them, but one couldn’t be blamed for missing the semifinal shows of the Road to UFC tournament, which took place in Abu Dhabi after UFC 280.

Indonesia’s Jeka Saragih – who scored the best finish of the quarterfinals with an incredible spinning backfist KO – again stole the show, advancing to the lightweight finals with another huge knockout.

The winner of each tournament wins a UFC contract and Saragih (13-2) will likely be a considerable favorite when he takes on India’s Anshul Jubli (6-0) in the finals.