LFA 194: Magomedov vs. Leyva is a mixed martial arts event promoted by Legacy Fighting Alliance and that will take place on October 18, 2024, at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, New York, United States.
Fight Card
Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Welterweight Shamidkhan Magomedov (ic) vs. Alfonso Leyva Welterweight Championship
Lightweight Scottie Stockman vs. Mirafzal Akhtamov
Featherweight Busurmankul Abdibait vs. Erick Viscondi
Women's Strawweight GiGi Canuto vs. Ershirley Kessy
Welterweight Uelliton Silva vs. Josiah Harrell
Featherweight Jacob Bohn vs. Lance Lawrence
Preliminary Card (LFA Fight Network)
Heavyweight Matt Adams vs. Saulo Cavalari
Lightweight Jake Hixenbaugh vs. Adam Livingston
Featherweight Vincenzo Iannuzzo vs. Derrick Patterson
Light Heavyweight Freddy Vidal vs. Mike Kennedy
Lightweight Kevin Carrier vs. Carlo Ricci
Women's Bantamweight Beatriz Mesquita vs. Shannel Butler
Amateur bouts
Welterweight Melvin Jovel vs. Brian Torres
Background
LFA 194 will feature a total of fourteen fights, which includes a pair of can’t miss prospects that will be making their promotional debut. Both will be in action prior to the previously announced championship headliner between Shamidkhan Magomedov (8-1) and Alfonso Leyva (7-1).
Austin Vanderford (11-2) will return to action two years after ascending the ranks of the Bellator middleweight division. “The Gentleman” signed with Bellator after winning a bout at welterweight on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018. He then proceeded to win his first five bouts at middleweight for the promotion to improve his record to 11-0. This earned Vanderford a Bellator middleweight world title shot against all-time great Gegard Mousasi in 2022. Prior to MMA, Vanderford was an NAIA national champion and two-time NAIA All-American, while wrestling at Southern Oregon University. The decorated athlete now looks to reinvent himself back at welterweight as he comes from an uber-competitive household as he is married to former UFC star and reality television personality Paige VanZant.
Bia Mesquita (1-0) will be making one of the most anticipated American soil debuts in MMA this year. The Brazilian super-prospect began training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 5. By the time she was 10, she had won the Brazilian National Junior Championships, three State Championships, and several other major tournaments. After receiving her black belt from Jiu-Jitsu legend Leticia Ribeiro thirteen years ago, Mesquita would embark on a black belt career that would earn her the nickname “BJJ Lady G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time)” as she is now a member of the Guinness World Records and International Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Hall of Fame. She accomplished this by becoming the only person to win 10 gold medals, which is the record for the most IBJJF World Championship titles at the black belt level. The Jiu-Jitsu phenom made the switch to MMA earlier this year and is now eager to build her name in the sport by competing internationally for the LFA.
LFA 194: Magomedov vs. Leyva, presented by Monster Energy, takes place Friday, October 18th at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, New York. The main event will feature an interim welterweight title fight when interim champion Shamidkhan Magomedov defends his title against two-time Olympic wrestler Alfonso “Sniper” Leyva.
“We are excited to bring another explosive title fight to New York at LFA 194,” stated LFA CEO Ed Soares. “Our incredible American and Canadian fan base give us an incredible international atmosphere at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, which is a world-class venue and worldwide destination. The venue will now host two of our biggest international stars in the championship headliner. Shamidkhan Magomedov won the LFA interim welterweight title at this venue in February. He was then invited to compete on the thirty-second season of The Ultimate Fighter. He will now defend his title against Alfonso Leyva, who is a two-time Olympian in Greco-Roman Wrestling from Mexico. The winner will get a chance to unify the title against current champion Vanilto Antunes depending on the outcome of his fight on Dana White’s Contender Series this summer.”
