Qualifier Recap
PGF Veterans Oranday and Crump Lead Houston Qualifier Champions
Returning PGF veterans Austin Oranday and Caleb Crump win in Houston and head into the Season 10 Draft with their next teams undecided. Ramiro Lopez, Derin Yusufi, and Francisco Lo also claim titles.
HOUSTON — Two familiar PGF names are headed back to the draft. Austin Oranday, who competed for the Vegas Kings last season, and Caleb Crump, who represented the Colorado Wolverines, won their divisions at the Houston Wranglers qualifier on September 12. Both returning veterans will be in the Season 10 Draft; neither knows which team he will represent next.
Oranday won at 205 pounds and also reached the 185-pound final, while Crump put together four wins at 170. Ramiro Lopez, Derin Yusufi, and Francisco Lo completed the five-champion slate at 145, 155, and 185 pounds. Across all five divisions, Houston produced 52 contested matches.
Houston championship results
| Division | Champion | Runner-up | Final result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 145 lbs | Ramiro Lopez | Jesmael Troche | Decision, 6:00 |
| 155 lbs | Derin Yusufi | Noah Wyatt | Break, 1:41 |
| 170 lbs | Caleb Crump | Matias Jimenez | Decision, 6:00 |
| 185 lbs | Francisco Lo | Austin Oranday | Break under 1 minute, 0:25 |
| 205 lbs | Austin Oranday | Ethan Wagner | Break, 2:56 |
Lopez wins three decisions at 145
Ramiro Lopez advanced through an opening-round no-show, then earned his championship with three contested victories. He defeated Giovanni Rubio in the quarterfinals, Nate Hernandez in the semifinals, and Jesmael Troche in the final, each by decision after six minutes. Troche reached the final with a semifinal Kill over Aaron LeJeune at 2:00. LeJeune and Hernandez finished joint third.
Yusufi finishes strong at 155
Derin Yusufi opened with a six-minute decision over Logan Marshall before recording a Break under one minute against Preston Elder at 0:30. He then defeated Noah Wyatt by Break at 1:41 in the final. Elder and CJ Murdock took the division's two third-place finishes.
Former Wolverine Crump goes four-for-four at 170
Caleb Crump won the 170-pound title with a four-match run. He opened with a Kill against Kai Pavez at 2:45, defeated Zach Cothren by decision, and stopped Noah Roland with a Kill at 1:26 in the semifinal. A six-minute decision over Matias Jimenez completed the championship run. Jimenez had reached the final by defeating Colorado qualifier champion Clayton Wimer by Break at 5:05. Wimer and Roland finished joint third.
Lo records three finishes at 185
Francisco Lo finished all three of his opponents. He defeated Nolan Rodrigue by Kill at 4:03, Ruben Alaniz by Break at 1:41, and Austin Oranday by Break under one minute at 0:25 in the final. Oranday's path to the final included Break victories over Alec Guevara and Pedro Menezes. Alaniz and Menezes finished joint third.
Former Vegas King Oranday takes the 205-pound title
Austin Oranday completed his 205-pound run with three Break victories: Drew Linscott at 0:19, James Johnson at 1:32, and Ethan Wagner at 2:56 in the final. Wagner earned his finalist position with wins over Reed Shelger, Kemoy Anderson, and Matthew Paul. Johnson and Paul finished joint third. Across both divisions, Oranday recorded five wins from six contested matches.
The Season 10 qualifier pathway continues
For Oranday and Crump, Houston creates a new chapter rather than a confirmed return to their former franchises. Both bring PGF experience into the Season 10 Draft, and their next teams remain undecided. Houston joins Colorado, Brisbane, and Carolina on the completed qualifier slate as the league prepares for its eight-team season. Winning a qualifier earns a place in the Draft pool; it does not guarantee a team roster position.
All results and match times in this report come from the completed Smoothcomp brackets. The 52 contested bouts comprise 33 submission finishes and 19 decisions. Four recorded no-shows and all byes are excluded from match and XP totals. Break and Kill are the official recorded finish categories; specific submission techniques have not been independently verified.