Fury FC 112 promises to be a pivotal night in the promotion’s history, with three title fights. From the return of unbeaten Mansher Khera to the rise of contenders like Anna Melisano and Jonathan Martin, the event features a compelling mix of surging prospects and tested champions. With gold on the line across three divisions, the matchups offer a glimpse at the next generation of regional talent on the brink of breaking into the global MMA spotlight.
Welterweight Championship: Sam Kilmer (9-4) vs Mansher Khera (9-0)
Khera had a pretty smooth jump in transitioning from jiu-jitsu to mixed martial arts back in 2021. The 9-0 fighter hailing from Hoboken, New Jersey, will look to capture the title from the streaking Sam Kilmer. Kilmer has had a difficult rise so far in professional MMA, running into top prospect Isaac Moreno and current UFC fighter, Kody Steele. He’s since shown improvement, winning five of his last six fights. Unfortunately for Kilmer, the sole loss in that time came from the challenger, Khera. Khera is an older prospect at 33 years old, with a polished jiu-jitsu background and a developing striking game. Here, he’s making the move up to welterweight for his second belt at Fury FC.
In their first encounter, Khera’s grappling pedigree proved to be the decisive factor. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Marcelo Garcia, Khera threatened with chokes. Kilmer showed tenacity and solid defense to survive each dangerous position. Kilmer had some success in scrambles and defended several submissions, demonstrating his toughness. However, he struggled to mount any sustained offense under Khera’s suffocating top control, losing a unanimous decision.
At Fury FC 112, the fight will be a weight class up from their first meeting, as well as five rounds. With how talented Kilmer is, Khera’s grappling is too high-level to give his back up and be finished. I think we will see a competitive opening round with high-level exchanges on the mat. Ultimately, Khera will outwork him as the fight goes, finding the finish via ground strikes in the championship rounds.