LFA 98 results: Josh Fremd earns middleweight title shot with massive knockout

Josh Fremd is the first man to advance to the finals of the LFA middleweight tournament.

Fremd (7-1) scored a brutal first-round knockout of Bruno Oliveira (7-3) in Friday’s LFA 98 headliner, solidifying his spot in the championship round of the four-man grand prix.

LFA 98 took place at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. The entire card streams on UFC Fight Pass.

Goodnight! Josh Fremd showing off the power! #LFA98 pic.twitter.com/YwcOUtabHJ

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) January 30, 2021

Fremd wasted no time locking up Oliveira with a trip takedown and planting him on his back inside the first 30 seconds of the fight. The Brazilian stayed patient, and climbed back to his feet to break away into striking range.

The pair threw some blows back-and-forth, but then Fremd found his desired target. Fremd scored with a clean left hook that instantly rocked and dropped Oliveira. Fremd pounced with a few hammerfists on the ground, and the referee dove in to halt the action.

An ecstatic, who trains out of Factory X in Colorado, reveled in the biggest victory of his career.

“This is the biggest win of my career,” Fremd said in his post-fight interview with Alan Jouban. “You don’t know my striking, you don’t know my boxing. I’ve always had (power), I just haven’t shown it.”

Fremd now moves on to an opportunity to fight for the vacant LFA middleweight title later this year. He will fight the winner of Anthony Adams (8-2) and Gregory Rodrigues (7-3), who will meet in the other semifinal bout at LFA 100 on Feb. 19.

“Both of those guys that are in that fight,” Fremd said. “I look forward to fighting either one of them. No preference.”

Full LFA 98 results included:

• Josh Fremd def. Bruno Oliveira via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:37
• Lucas Clay def. J.J. Okanovich via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Richard Palencia vs. Jeimeson Saudino via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
• Dakota Bush def. Austin Clem via TKO (head kick, punches) – Round 1, 0:57
• Tabatha Ricci def. Vanessa Grimes via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:07
• Joshua DaSilveira def. Matt Paul via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:46
• Zac Pauga def. Ashby Thomas via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:21