WSOF targeting Lance Palmer for Rick Glenn's first featherweight title defense
LAS VEGAS – After a big upset to win WSOF’s featherweight title on Saturday, Rick Glenn already may have the opponent for his first defense locked up.
Glenn (15-2-1) got a TKO victory over champion Georgi Karakhanyan (23-4) in the co-main event of WSOF 10 when Karakhanyan couldn’t answer the bell with a broken rib after the second round. Karakhanyan was more than a 4-to-1 favorite in the fight, his first title defense after winning the belt against Lance Palmer in December.
Palmer (8-1) was in action on Saturday, as well, and picked up an impressive first-round submission win over Nick LoBosco (7-1). You see where this is going already.
According to a source close to WSOF, the promotion is leaning toward pitting new 145-pound champion Glenn against Palmer for Glenn’s first title defense later this year. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the potential fight booking.
WSOF 10 took place at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The main card aired live on NBC Sports Network following prelims on MMAjunkie.
Glenn, an Iowa native who trains with Duke Roufus’ team in Milwaukee, has been on an absolute tear. His most recent loss came by split decision more than four years ago, part of a 3-2 start to his pro career.
But since then, he has eight straight wins and is unbeaten in his past 13 fights. Just a draw in 2011 is the lone blemish. Since coming on board with WSOF in 2012, the 25-year-old new champion has a knockout win over Alexandre Pimentel at WSOF 2 and a decision win over Artur Rofi at WSOF 5 to go with his TKO over Karakhanyan to win the belt Saturday night.
Team Alpha Male’s Palmer had a title shot in December against Karakhanyan for the inaugural title, but he was submitted in the third round with a guillotine choke – the first loss of his pro career, which also was his WSOF debut.
Prior to that, he had a perfect 7-0 start, including a pair of wins for RFA. But his submission win over LoBosco on Saturday night was the most prominent of his young career since it opened the main card live on NBC Sports Network.
Had Karakhanyan beat Glenn, putting Palmer right back in with him might not have made sense so quickly after his December loss. But with a new champion crowned, Glenn vs. Palmer later this year appears to be the promotion’s direction.
