With their RFA merger set to take effect in 2017, only three cards remain in the history of Legacy FC. The most prominent regional promotion in the Southern US has done a great job of funneling talent through to the UFC, and Legacy FC 61 should provide a couple of opportunities to continue that. In the main event, Steven Peterson will be putting his bantamweight title on the line against unbeaten Mark de la Rosa. Despite being just 26, Peterson is one of the true Legacy veterans. His debut with the promotion came all the way back at Legacy FC 8 as a 21-year-old, and this will mark his 11th appearance in the organization. He is currently enjoying the best run of his career, bringing a six-fight winning streak into this bout. The 7-0 de la Rosa has had an impressive start to his career since turning pro late in 2014. Not only are the seven wins impressive, but he holds victories over UFC veteran Joseph Sandoval, and in April became the first man since 2010 to beat solid Brazilian bantamweight Arthur Oliveira. MMAOddsBreaker’s James Lynch sat down with de la Rosa prior to this fight:
Legacy FC 61 also features a second title bout in the featherweight division. After being cut by the UFC, Damon Jackson returns to Legacy looking to recapture his 145lb belt. He went 3-0 back in 2013 and 2014 for Legacy, submitting all his opponents, and becoming featherweight champion in the process. His opponent will be undefeated prospect Levi Mowles, who took a decision over UFC veteran Edwin Figueroa back in June to earn his shot. The other notable bout on Legacy FC 61 is in the women’s strawweight division, as ADCC and BJJ world champion Mackenzie Dern continues her foray into MMA. Dern’s last opponent was also making her MMA debut, but she could be in much tougher this time around against Montana Stewart. Stewart has a solid wrestling background, eight professional fights, and has won her last six bouts, so Legacy isn’t wasting much time in testing out Dern’s progress in MMA. MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened the betting odds for Legacy FC 61 today at Several Bookmakers: ——————– Legacy FC 61: Peterson vs. De La Rosa OCTOBER 14, 2016 The Bomb Factory | Dallas, Texas Main Card AXS TV, 10 p.m. ET Bantamweight Title: Mark De La Rosa +150 Steven Peterson -190 Featherweight Title: Levi Mowles +250 Damon Jackson -350 Montana Stewart +335 Mackenzie Dern -505 ——————– Brad’s Analysis: I’ve doubted Steven Peterson on a couple of occasions during his recent streak, and he’s continually proven me wrong. The Manny Vazquez and Caio Machado wins in particular made me take notice. De la Rosa has a more well-rounded game than those two previous opponents, and should be the quicker fighter here, but Peterson has proven to be extremely durable and well-conditioned. I think Peterson’s experience will show as this fight goes on, and his pressure could come into play if the fight goes the distance. De la Rosa is certainly a live dog, but if he can’t hurt Peterson I think it may be difficult to win a decision. Levi Mowles is talented, but I think jumping up to featherweight for this fight will prove a bit too much for him. Damon Jackson wants a tight grappling match, and having a size advantage should help him get this fight to the ground where his top control, ability to find the back, and finishing will allow him to capture the Legacy title for a second time. This is an interesting test for Dern, as she is still extremely one-dimensional and may struggle to get this fight to the ground against a decent wrestler. Being the superior athlete in this fight may be enough to get Dern through, and she may have also developed since her last appearance (although three months isn’t a ton of time to improve drastically), but I’m curious what happens if she is unable to get Stewart to the ground. In the end, the fact that Stewart is also a grappler may be Dern’s saving grace, as that will naturally be where both women want the fight and she has an obvious advantage, but a smart gameplan here could see Dern get handed the proverbial “prospect loss”. James Lynch spoke with both Dern and Stewart prior to their bout, and you can check those videos out below: