KEARNEY, Nebraska — Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) had a busy month of May, which consisted of plenty of fight announcements for their third event, scheduled for the last day of June. The main event will see former UFC lightweight #1 contender and TUF 2 champion Joe "Daddy" Stevenson return to the cage for the first time in 12 months to face two-time RFA veteran and hometown favorite Dakota Cochrane in the main event of RFA 3.
The event, which is set to take place on Saturday, June 30th in Kearney, Nebraska, also confirmed the return of former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice "Mo" Smith in the evening’s co-main event. In March, Smith returned to MMA at age 50, after nearly 4 years of inactivity. He made his return at RFA 2 and thrilled the crowd in the co-main event, when he knocked out Jorge Cordoba with a highlight reel Head Kick in his light-heavyweight debut.
After a few names surfaced and fell through as possible opponents for Smith in his sophomore appearance for the RFA, Ryan "The Hunter" Lopez signed on the dotted line to face Smith at RFA 3. Lopez, who competed against UFC star Tom Lawlor on TUF 8, is a big step up in competition from Smith’s most recent opponent. He is bigger in size, strength, and brings in a lot more experience than Cordoba.
Lopez trains at American Top Team in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and also runs his own bounty hunting business, which has earned him his nickname. That is only fitting for a man looking to hunt for a rare MMA bounty. The chance of beating a former UFC heavyweight champion and MMA pioneer.
Smith and Lopez will meet in the co-main event of RFA 3 in a light-heavyweight bout (205-pounds). This bout and the lightweight headliner between Stevenson and Cochrane will be anchored by a bunch of other familiar names and top prospects from around the country.
NCAA Division I wrestling champion Bubba Jenkins will face decorated amateur boxer Jesus Adame, while NCAA Division I wrestling finalist and TUF 15 – Team Faber coach Lance Palmer meets the heavy-handed Colorado native and FactoryX Muay Thai fighter Nick Macias. James Krause and Mark Dickman will also return to the RFA to face TUF alum Amir Khillah and Jordan Rinaldi respectively.
Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) was founded in 2011 and includes a number of prominent businessmen, fight promoters, matchmakers, and others with successful careers in hosting Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) shows across the United States. To learn more, check out their website at www.RFAfighting.com.