Foster takes advantage of second chance to earn WSOF title shot

Veteran lightweight Brian Foster didn't have to wait long for a rematch after losing to Joao Zeferino.

After submitting to Zeferino in the the quarterfinals of the World Series of Fighting eight-man lightweight tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., on Friday night, Foster lobbied for another chance when two of the winners couldn't continue due to injury.

Foster was granted a second chance by WSOF officials and took full advantage.

He knocked out Luis Palomino in the second round of the semifinal bout and then knocked out Zeferino in the second round of the championship match to earn a title shot against WSOF lightweight champion Justin Gaethje sometime in early 2016.

"I'm here to make a statement. I know I've got some stuff to work on," Foster said after winning the tournament. "I'm not perfect, but when you put the work in, good stuff happens."

Foster said he made a mistake trusting his ground skills against Zeferino in the first fight.

"I got cocky. I came out here with a samurai and he got me," Foster said. "But we went to the back and re-evaluated. We knew some people were going to fall off, hoping for another chance, and we came out and stuck to our gameplan (the second time)."

Zeferino advanced to the final by submitting Jorge Patino in the semifinals. Patino had lost in the first round, but also received a second chance.

Mike Ricci suffered a hip injury and couldn't continue after knocking out Joe Condon in the quarterfinals. Islam Mamedov tore his ACL in a quarterfinal victory over Patino.

Palomino advanced with a first-round knockout of Rich Patishnock.

In a non-tournament bout, UFC veteran Jason High returned to the cage with a second-round knockout of Estavan Payan.

High was released from the UFC and suspended a year from competition for shoving an official after a loss to Rafael dos Anjos in June 2014.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj