LFA 137 Main Event Breakdown: Chase Gibson vs. Hyder Amil

Live coverage of Friday’s main card streams exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s subscription-based video service, beginning at 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT from Commerce, CA, and the Commerce Casino.

Barring any unforeseen cancellations on the card between now and Friday evening, LFA 137 will feature a 13-fight card, topped off by an all-California showcase at featherweight in the LFA 137 main event.

Northern California Collides With Southern California in LFA 137 Main Event

Chase Gibson (11-5 MMA, 2-0 LFA), a veteran of Combate Global who represents Los Angeles, will meet undefeated Hyder Amil (6-0 MMA, 2-0 LFA), a veteran of Bellator MMA who represents San Francisco, this Friday in the LFA 137 main event.

With no championship at stake, Friday’s headliner will be an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the evening’s activities.

LFA 137 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into Friday’s headlining bout, both men stand level in height at 5-foot-8, so it’s in the reach category where these two competitors gain some separation from one another.

Los Angeles’ Chase Gibson owns a 2 1/2-inch reach advantage over San Francisco’s Hyder Amil going into the main event on Friday.

No Title Necessary: A Score Will Be Settled on Friday

Even though the LFA 137 main event won’t be a title fight, there’s still plenty for Chase Gibson and Hyder Amil to scrap for on Friday night, as pride for the entire state of California will be there for the taking.

LFA CEO Ed Soares laid down the proverbial gauntlet when LFA 137 was officially announced last month.

“We are excited to bring the LFA back to my home state of California with a classic SoCal vs. NorCal rivalry,” Soares began. “Chase Gibson and Hyder Amil are two of the most exciting prospects in MMA and will give the state another chapter to its long sports rivalry. The Los Angeles Rams just won the Super Bowl and the Golden State Warriors just won the NBA Finals, so the winner of this match will be the tie-breaker for state bragging rights in 2022.”

With Soares’ comments, the stakes have been raised for the LFA 137 main event.

Chase Gibson’s Goal in MMA: Honoring His Late Twin Brother

Chase Gibson comes into this bout having gone 4-1 in his last five fights and is currently on a two-fight winning streak, which was extended most recently by way of a unanimous decision against Javier Garcia back in March of this year during LFA 127.

MMA ran in the Gibson family, as Chase’s twin brother Cooper, who died in September of 2020 at 30 years of age, also fought in the sport.

“I love my brother more than anything and it feels like I died alongside him,” Gibson wrote in an Instagram post following his brother’s passing. “I owe my life to my brother for being that example to me when I was completely lost and giving me hope. Showing me what I could be and how I could live, pursuing my dream and being a better person.”

Win or lose in the LFA 137 main event on Friday night, Cooper Gibson will be looking down on his brother from heaven, smiling.

Could Hyder Amil Use LFA 137 Main Event as a Springboard to Major MMA Return?

In the other corner, Hyder Amil has yet to lose thus far in his career as a professional MMA fighter, having emerged victorious from seven consecutive fights dating back to amateur MMA.

Last time out, Amil scored a split decision win after three rounds back on Tax Day against Devante Sewell in LFA 129, but he’s got some experience with top promotions.

Prior to joining the LFA in November of 2021, Amil spent a three-fight stint in Bellator, winning all of his fights in Scott Coker‘s promotion, including two by stoppage.

Given the LFA’s status as a feeder organization to major promotions like Bellator, a strong performance from Hyder Amil could make the LFA 137 main event his last fight before returning to the big leagues.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

Stylistically, the LFA 137 main event favors Chase Gibson, but only slightly, as he is a striker and wrestler, compared to Hyder Amil’s status as a former high school wrestler.

Thus, it stands to reason that we could be looking at a contest fought on the ground this Friday.

Chase Gibson Can Be Brutal With Punches

One aspect of Chase Gibson’s fight acumen that shows up on video is his ability to score the knockout with punches, as he did against Kevin Widdoes in his last amateur fight.

During the second round of a scheduled three, Gibson caught Widdoes with a kick to knock him down, scoring some leg kicks on his downed opponent, with Gibson landing some body kicks on Widdoes upon returning to his feet.

Although the action was tempered momentarily by an accidental eye poke, Gibson stormed right back by landing a nasty left-right combination to stun Widdoes, ending the fight with a flurry of punches against the cage fence, knocking Widdoes out to stay.

If Chase Gibson can connect on serious punches, the LFA 137 main event will be his.

Hyder Amil is Just as Nasty With Strikes

In the other corner, Hyder Amil has been known to be equally brutal with his strikes, as he was versus Adam Cruz in his pro debut.

Although the fight was scheduled to last three rounds, Amil needed less than one and a half to dispose of Cruz.

Round two of the fight saw Amil land some leg kicks on Cruz, whose legs were already badly damaged by welts from earlier attacks in the first round, and although Cruz did manage to return fire with a right-handed punch, it was already clear that the contest would belong to Hyder Amil, who effectively counterpunched to the head and body, scoring the TKO about a minute into the round.

If Hyder Amil is successful in his counterstrikes, he’ll be able to walk away victorious.

Final Thoughts

A rivalry contest is always intriguing, and it’s what the LFA is serving up this Friday night in the LFA 137 main event, so don’t miss it.

Prediction: Chase Gibson by Unanimous Decision.

Featured image credit to LFA