Empire MMA 12 Delivers a Night of Explosive Finishes in Barranquilla
On July 19, 2025, Empire MMA returned with its 12th installment—Empire MMA 12—lighting up the Coliseo Suga Baby Rojas in Barranquilla, Colombia. The event, promoted by Empire MMA Colombia, featured ten professional MMA bouts, highlighted by an electrifying championship battle and a slew of decisive finishes. (Tapology)
Main Event: Jhon “Tacha” Rodríguez Claims Bantamweight Title
The night’s pinnacle clash saw reigning bantamweight Jhon "Tacha" Rodríguez (13‑3‑0) defend his title against challenger Miguel Ángel Sosa (8‑5‑0). Rodríguez emerged victorious via TKO after landing a devastating series of knees, forcing the referee to halt the action at 2:22 of the third round. (Tapology)
Noteworthy Performances from the Main Card
The undercard did not disappoint—with several fighters showcasing early finishes:
Juan Puerta choked out Dionel Sosa with a rear-naked choke just 2:00 into round one. (Tapology)
Carlos Tardio (now 11‑1) overwhelmed Jeisson Bayona via ground‑and‑pound TKO in the third round at 1:08. (Tapology)
In a fierce display of striking, Juan Pablo Gómez secured a TKO with elbows at 4:12 of round three against Eduardo Gil. (Tapology)
Sergio Fuentes locked in a rear-naked choke submission, defeating Hector Soler at 2:05 in round one. (Tapology)
Stiven Bedoya scored a sharp KO via punches just 3:01 into round one against Luis Pérez. (Tapology)
Future showboating continued with Mauricio Castro knocking out Ronald Castro at 4:06 of round one. (Combat Registry)
Fabián Solano wrapped up Ángel Luis Montero with a TKO (punches) in round two at 3:16. (Tapology)
On the preliminary card, Stephany Suesca also achieved a TKO (punches), finishing Isabel Chiriboga in just 1:14 of the opening round. (Tapology)
Another early finish came when Santiago Giraldo Taborda overwhelmed Naztian Arciniegas with a TKO via strikes at 1:55 in round one. (Tapology)
Event Summary at a Glance
Feature Details Date & Venue July 19, 2025 — Coliseo Suga Baby Rojas, Barranquilla, Colombia Main Event Jhon “Tacha” Rodríguez def. Miguel Ángel Sosa — Bantamweight TKO, Round 3 (2:22) Total Bouts 10 professional fights Action Highlights Several early stoppages via TKOs, KOs, and a submission Fan Buzz Tapology users nailed every pick—perfect predictions made
Empire MMA 12 delivered a rapid-fire evening of high-intensity matchups and finishes, affirming the promotion’s growing influence in Latin America’s MMA scene. Looking ahead, the momentum from these standout performances sets the stage for even bigger matchups in the future.
