Stephane Sebisaho retained his bantamweight championship with a dominant performance against Italian challenger El Potro Schisano in a blood-soaked main event at WAR MMA's sixth installment in Alicante, Spain. The Belgian fighter showcased superior technique across all five rounds to secure a hard-fought victory.
The fight, which took place at Alicante's Plaza de Toros, delivered on the intense pre-fight rivalry that had been building for months through social media exchanges between the two competitors.
Sebisaho established his distance early with front kicks while the Italian challenger responded with powerful curved punches. As the first round progressed, Schisano's aggressive bursts began to miss their mark as the champion's defensive movement improved. The challenger managed to score a takedown in the closing seconds of the round, temporarily shifting momentum.
Fatigue became evident for Schisano entering the second round, though he surprisingly rocked the champion with a right hand that led to a wild striking exchange. Sebisaho regained control by taking the fight to the fence and securing another takedown, opening a cut on his opponent with a well-placed elbow.
By the third round, Sebisaho's dominance became increasingly clear as he controlled the distance and neutralized Schisano's explosive attacks. The Belgian's diverse striking and grappling overwhelmed the Italian, whose face was covered in blood from the substantial cut.
The championship rounds saw Sebisaho pull further ahead, landing precise combinations and securing takedowns at will. Despite the one-sided nature of the later rounds, Schisano showed tremendous heart by continuing to fight through significant blood loss and damage.
In the co-main event, Franco Tenaglia submitted British fighter Joseph Hapgood in the first round after a fierce striking exchange. The Argentine, who calls Alicante home, secured a rear-naked choke victory despite challenging conditions in the octagon, where moisture made the surface slippery for both competitors.
The event proved to be a perfect night for the Climent brothers' gym, as all their fighters emerged victorious. Luis Picó earned a unanimous decision win over Mohamed Majid, while Daniel Richardson and Manguelo Navarro dominated their respective opponents to improve their professional records to 2-0.
Another standout performer from the Climent Club stable was El Idrissi, who impressed enough to earn a title shot against current WAR MMA flyweight champion Borja García at an upcoming event in Gijón.
After months of heated words exchanged online, it was ultimately the skills inside the octagon that settled the score between Sebisaho and Schisano, with both fighters showing respect and sportsmanship following their grueling 25-minute battle.
