Verbal agreements are in place for three bouts at the May 11 Legacy Fighting Championship event, officials from the Texas-based promotion announced on Monday.
Legacy welterweight champ Jorge “Macaco” Patino (Pictured) will drop to 155 pounds and face Jesus Rivera for the vacant lightweight title. Also, the recently signed Robert Drysdale will face Isaac Villanueva at middleweight, while Chad Robichaux and Joseph Sandoval will clash at featherweight.
A 39-fight veteran who has competed for the UFC, Pride FC and Strikeforce, Patino captured the Legacy welterweight crown by defeating Pete Spratt via split decision last September. At LFC 9, he defended the belt, earning a unanimous nod over Mike Bronzoulis over five rounds. The 38-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt began his career in 1995 and notably defeated Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the former Strikeforce champion’s 2003 MMA debut.
A four-time Legacy veteran, Rivera will look for his third consecutive win after stopping Reynaldo Trujillo with strikes and submitting Randy Hauer with a rear-naked choke in 2011. Only one of Rivera’s six career triumphs has gone to a decision.
Drysdale -- the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships absolute division winner -- is unbeaten as a mixed martial artist. The Las Vegas resident has fought three times under the Armageddon Fighting Championships banner, submitting each of his opponents inside the first round. Most recently Drysdale elicited a tap out from “Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 alumnus Mike Nickels via guillotine choke last June.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Patino ... C-11-40443
