Finishers Ends the Year with a BANG! | Season's Beatings 2025 Recap

Finishers Ends the Year with a BANG! | Season's Beatings 2025 Recap

Finishers Season’s Beatings 2025 went down on Saturday, December 6 at Finishers HQ in Bethlehem, PA, and from the first match to the final toe hold, the card delivered exactly what fans were hoping for. With the first-ever BMF Belt on the line, a 135lb title match between two of the most exciting competitors in the division, and a lineup packed with Finishers regulars, this event closed out the year in style.

The entire card streamed live on FloGrappling’s YouTube channel, and the crowd inside Finishers HQ brought the energy all night long.


Undercard Results

Mike Reina def Kade Sokolis by rear naked choke
Darius Coit def Daniel Calderon by armbar

Tim Bova def Bobby Riordan  by armbar
Hana Sumita def Jewel Bolden by rear naked choke
Dallas Henderson def Eric Hughes by decision
Keren Fedida def Marissa Berzins by heel hook
Nick Willey def Nevin Langan by decision
Travis Szalay def Jon Vena by Kosovo cradle
Efrain Garcia def Diego Ortiz by heel hook


Title Matches

135lb Championship

Andrew DeGraff def Kevin Dantzler by Foot Lock

If you’re going to step into a match under CJI rules, this is the one you should study.

Both Kevin Dantzler and Andrew DeGraff pushed the pace from the very start, initiating action, advancing through positional layers, and maintaining nearly identical levels of aggression and progression. Round 1 was razor close, with DeGraff edging it out on the scorecards.

The scoring criteria this round came down to was positional control and dominant control, Andrew found enough momentum to stay ahead on the cards while Kevin continued pressing forward. The pace, decision-making, and tactical awareness from both competitors were outstanding.

Early in Round 2, DeGraff capitalized on a small opening and locked in a beautiful foot lock to secure the championship. This match had everything you want to see in elite-level jiu-jitsu: technique, pace, strategy, and heart.


BMF Championship

Pat Shahgholi def Steve “Captain America” Joachim by Toe Hold

You take two dangerous Finishers veterans known for their leg lock prowess, put the first-ever BMF Belt on the line, and you know exactly what you’re getting: high risk, high reward, and no wasted movement.

What people didn’t expect was how quickly it would end.

The match immediately turned into a leg lock shootout, which is exactly what many predicted. But Pat Shahgholi identified the opening and jumped on it instantly, snapping up the toe hold in a flash to end the match before momentum could even build.

Both Pat and Steve are incredibly skilled and extremely experienced, but on this night, Pat seized the moment and made history as the very first Finishers BMF Champion.


PDMA Award: Finish of the Night

While Season’s Beatings had several incredible performances, one finish stood out above the rest:

Finish of the Night: Travis Szalay

Szalay secured a Kosovo cradle, a move rarely seen, let alone finished, in BJJ competition. He hit it clean, fast, and with perfect mechanics, as if it were pulled straight out of an instructional. An absolutely beautiful submission and a well-earned PDMA award.


Final Thoughts

From top to bottom, Season’s Beatings 2025 delivered one of the most exciting Finishers cards of the year. The undercard produced big moments, the title matches lived up to the hype, and the debut of the BMF Belt will go down as a historic moment in the promotion’s timeline.

Finishers fans were treated to high-level grappling, creative submissions, and nonstop action, everything that makes this scene special.

Follow @peopledoingmartialarts and @finishers_subonly for more event coverage, athlete highlights, and updates on the next card.

**EVENT ALERT!* - January 17th Finishers will be hosting a qualifier event for the newest PGF Team, the Philadelphia Phenoms! This event will feature some of the best 170lb competitors in sport and will be streamed live!

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