Edwin Najmi claimed victory over Nathan Mendelsohn to earn the welterweight gi title at Fight to Win Pro 24 in Huntington Beach, California.
Najmi was able to take Mendelsohn’s back early in the match, putting him into a tight body triangle that Mendelsohn struggled to escape from. However, he managed to get out and then move to secure Najmi in side control. After the two opponents alternated between passing each other’s guard, Najmi again got Mendelsohn in a body triangle. However, time ran out before he could land a submission, and the refs awarded Najmi the victory via unanimous decision.
The last-minute matchup was arranged when Najmi’s original opponent, DJ Jackson, had to pull out of the event due to an injury. Mendelsohn agreed to take his place, making this his second Fight to Win match in a week; he defeated Igor Estrella at Fight to Win Pro 23 in San Jose, California just last Friday.
