Tag: USA

Bellator 229: Koreshkov vs. Larkin Live Coverage

Bellator returned to the Pechanga Resort and Casino for Bellator 229. Headlining the card was Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin in a three round fight. Stay tuned to JackWannan.com throughout the night for live coverage.

Bout 1: Adel Altamimi (8-5) vs. Salim Mukhidinov (6-3) (Featherweight)

The first preliminary fight was Adel Altamimi versus Salim Mukhidinov in a featherweight bout. The entrances for both fighters aired, something which is rare for the Bellator prelims. Altamimi got a takedown, but the referee stood them up due to inactivity. Altamimi got another takedown as the round ended.

A pause came early in the second round as Altamimi was kicked in the groin. Altamimi took his time to recover, but eventually did get up and continue. Mukhidinov had strong striking in the second round, making sure the fight stayed in stand-up where he excelled. Mukhidinov reversed a takedown, taking top position halfway through the round. The second round ended on the ground.

Altamimi tried to take the fight to the ground again in the final round, but just like before failed to do so. Mukhidinov got top position after a sprawl. Mukhidinov stayed in top position, throwing strikes from above until the final seconds of the round.

Heading to the scorecards, it was Salim Mukhidinov who got the victory via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Altamimi 9 9 9 27
Mukhidinov 10 10 10 30

Bout 2: Anatoly Tokov (28-2) vs. Hracho Darpinyan (17-8-2) (Middleweight)

The second preliminary fight was between two experienced fighters in Anatoly Tokov and Hracho Darpinyan. Tokov took Darpinyan down with strikes early, although they got back up. Tokov kept applying the pressure and threw more strikes. Darpinyan was swinging wildy, though he did connect with a good hook. In the third minute of the fight, Tokov dropped Darpinyan again with a punch. Tokov continued ground and pound on the ground until the round ended.

Tokov got another takedown a minute and a half through the second round. Just like last time, Tokov went back to work with ground and pound. Once Tokov started to let elbows go on the ground, the referee stepped in and called a stop to the bout.

Anatoly Tokov picked up his fifth straight Bellator win, and the second in a row via stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tokov 10
Darpinyan 9

Bout 3: Joe Schilling (4-5) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) (Middleweight)

The first main card fight was Joe Schilling fighting to escape a negative pro MMA record against Tony Johnson. Early in the first round, Schilling tripped Johnson with a leg kick. Schilling was clearly the better striker, although Johnson clearly had a good chin. Johnson surprisingly dropped Schilling in the final minute of the first round. In a matter of seconds, the round went in favour of Johnson. The fight didn’t end, but it came real close to ending in favour of Johnson.

In the second minute of the second round, Schilling showed that he is still in the fight by landing a strong left straight. Johnson scored a takedown halfway through the round, although they got up moments later. Other than that, it was a round well dominated by Schilling.

The third round saw a pause due to Johnson getting poked in the eye. Schilling threw a spinning backfist in the final round. In the third minute of the round, Johnson landed left hook counter-punch which took Schilling out cold. In his return fight in Bellator, Tony Johnson got a victory through a vicious knockout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Schilling 9 10
Johnson 10 9

Bout 4: Keri Taylor Melendez (3-0) vs. Mandy Polk (6-4) (Catchweight 118 lbs)

The fourth fight was the first women’s MMA bout of the evening. Undefeated fighter Keri Taylor Melendez fought Mandy Polk. In the opening seconds, Polk came running at Melendez and ate a punch. Melendez went to the ground in attempt to finish the fight but found herself in the bottom position instead. Melendez tried for a triangle choke and threw elbows while Polk’s head was trapped.

The second round showcase more of Melendez’s stand-up, as the fight stayed there for most of the time.

Polk got a takedown in the first minute of the final round. Melendez tried for the triangle choke again but let it go eventually. Polk took the back of Melendez and tried for a rear naked choke. They went back to stand-up where Melendez landed knees to the stomach. Remaining undefeated, Keri Taylor Melendez took a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27) After the fight she said Bellator should start a 115 pound division.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Melendez 10 10 10 30
Polk 9 9 9 27

Bout 5: Saad Awad (23-11) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (23-4) (Lightweight)

Before the next fight, we saw an interview with Ilima-Lei MacFarlane who will fight on December 21st against Kate Jackson. The co-main event of that show will be a Featherweight Grand Prix fight between A.J. McKee Jr. and Derek Campos. The co-main event of the evening was Bellator veterans Saad Awad and Goiti Yamauchi facing off. Yamauchi got shook by a right hook then was taken down shortly after. Yamauchi tried for an armbar on the ground which made Awad tap out. Moments after being shaken on the ground, Goiti Yamauchi earned a victory, being the first fighter to submit Saad Awad in years.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Awad
Yamauchi

Bout 6: Andrey Koreshkov (22-3) vs. Lorenz Larkin (20-7) (Welterweight)

The main event of the show was welterweights Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin battling. Larkin tried for a takedown early on with a body lock. Koreshkov kept Larkin against the cage for a minute before they returned to stand-up. Koreshkov landed a spinning back kick which dropped Larkin. A few more punches landed, but Larkin recovered and stayed in the fight.

Larking caught Koreshkov during a spinning back kick attempt, putting him against the cage in a clinch. When they went back to stand-up, Koreshkov landed a good overhand right. He also later landed a spinning back elbow. In clinch, Larkin landed a knee which dropped Koreshkov. Larkin landed more elbows from top position. Koreshkov got up but was dropped with another knee to the head. Koreshkov was hit with more elbows in the final seconds of the round but was able to survive.

Koreshkov got a takedown in the final round, although from bottom position Larkin tried for a guillotine. Koreshkov eventually slipped out. They stood up in a clinch with two minutes left. Koreshkov got another takedown with a minute remaining.

The fight went all scheduled fifteen minutes. With a split decision, Lorenz Larkin pulled off the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Koreshkov 10 8 10 28
Larkin 9 10 9 28

Bout 7: Derek Anderson (15-3) vs. Guilherme Bomba (10-5) (Welterweight)

After the main card, the postlims started with Derek Anderson and Guilherme Bomba. The first round was a striking focused one, with Anderson landing the good combinations. A pause came when Anderson was accidentally poked in the eye. The resumed shortly after, with Anderson seemingly not missing a beat. Anderson’s striking was ended by Bomba landing a takedown. Anderson got a takedown for a few seconds as the first round came to a close.

Both fighters were trading hard, audible punches early in the second round. Bomba got a single leg takedown and took the back of Anderson. Anderson flipped himself over and took top position.

The third round was another dominant one for Anderson. The fight went to the ground with two minutes left in the final round, with Anderson in the dominant position. Both fighters lasted all three rounds, with Derek Anderson prevailing via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Anderson 10 10
Bomba 9 9

Bout 8: Joey Davis (5-0) vs. Jeff Peterson (10-6) (Welterweight)

Staying in the welterweight division, the next fight was undefeated Joey Davis and Jeff Peterson. Early in the fight, Peterson tripped after getting hit by a leg kick. A minute into the fight, Davis scored a flying knee to drop Peterson and win the fight. Joey Davis extended his undefeated record with a chilling KO.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Davis
Peterson

Bout 9: Johnny Eblen (5-0) vs. Mauricio Alonso (13-7) (Middleweight)

Moving on, the next postlim fight was middleweights Johnny Eblen and Mauricio Alonso. Eblen got a takedown early on. Eblen stayed in top position, sometimes standing up, but throwing punches throughout.

Eblen got a second takedown a minute into the second round and did more ground and pound. The third round was the same story yet again, with Eblen getting a takedown and landing strikes. For a moment it looked like he could close out the fight, but it never happened. They stood up in the final minute of the fight and Alonso actually landed a few good strikes. Eblen got another takedown but was being hit from Alonso, who was on the bottom position.

The fight went all three rounds. Winning quite decisively, Johnny Eblen got his sixth win as a professional (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Eblen 10 10 10 30
Alonso 9 9 9 27

Bout 10: Vladimir Tokov (6-0) vs. Brandon Hastings (6-3) (Lightweight)

After his big brother picked up a win on the preliminary card, Vladimir Tokov aimed to do the same against Brandon Hastings. Tokov chased a takedown early but was stopped. The referee stepped in during a grappling exchange since Hastings was holding the fence to resist takedown. They resumed in stand-up, which is odd since that seemingly favours Hastings. Tokov got a takedown and stayed in top position for the rest of the first round.

Tokov had a dominant second round, landing numerous takedowns and staying in control throughout. The third round was much of the same, including many slams by Tokov. Vladmir Tokov prevailed on the scorecards (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tokov 10 10 10 30
Hastings 9 9 9 27

Bout 11: Jordan Newman (1-0) vs. Riley Miller (0-0) (Middleweight)

The next fight saw undefeated Jordan Newman face the debuting Riley Miller. Newman brought the fight to the ground and took top position early on. Newman stayed on top of Miller, continuing ground and pound until the final seconds of the round when the referee stepped in to conclude the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Newman
Miller

Bout 12: Sunni Imhotep (2-0) vs. Kelvin Gentapanan (0-0) (Lightweight)

The next matchup was a lightweight battle between 2-0 Sunni Imhotep and debuting Kelvin Gentapanan. In the first minute of the fight, Gentapanan got a takedown. Gentapanan stayed the dominant fighter on the ground until the round ended. Imhotep had a better second round, landing tons of strikes on the ground. The final round saw Gentapanan in control most of the time on the ground. Going to the scorecard, Kelvin Gentapanan won via split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Imhotep 9 10 9 28
Gentapanan 10 9 10 29

Bout 13: Jay-Jay Wilson (3-0) vs. Jorge Juarez (4-1) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the card was Jay-Jay Wilson facing Jorge Juarez. Early on, Wilson put Juarez up against the cage, landing a takedown shortly after. He took the back of Juarez and put in a rear naked choke, getting a quick victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Wilson
Juarez

 

Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta Full Report

While Bellator held two shows this weekend, Bellator 228 was clearly the bigger event. The show featured first round fights in the stacked Featherweight Grand Prix, and was also headlined by MMA stars Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida in a rematch. Bellator as usual also had a very packed undercard.

Bout 1: James Barnes (11-4) vs. David Duran (8-5) (Catchweight 133 lbs)

The preliminary card started with a catchweight fight between James Barnes and David Duran. The first round was a good one for Barnes, landing good shots and keeping it in stand-up, where he wanted it. Barnes tried for a takedown and secured it with a minute and a half left in the round. Barnes opened the second round with another takedown. In the second minute of the round, Barnes put in a rear naked choke which gave him the victory. Dominant performance throughout for Barnes. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Barnes 9
Duran 10

Bout 2: Joshua Jones (8-4) vs. Dominic Clark (14-8) (Lightweight)

The next fight saw lightweights Joshua Jones and Dominic Clark clash. Clark went for a takedown in the second minute but Jones put in a guillotine. It stayed in for more than a minute, with Jones staying persistent and eventually getting the win from it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Jones
Clark

Bout 3: Weber Almeida (2-0) vs. Castle Williams (4-2) (Featherweight)

The highly touted Weber Almeida faced Castle Williams in the next fight. Right off the bat in the first round, Almeida got a slam takedown. They stood back up and landed a left hook which dropped Williams. The commentary team likened Almeida to Lyoto Machida. A cut opened above the right eye of Williams. Williams tried for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Williams was dropped by a spinning back fist later. Williams showcased a great chin, eating tons of hard shots in the first round. He was dropped again with punches in the final minute. Almeida failed to finish the fight on the ground. Almeida dropped Williams early in the second round to get the W. It was impressive that Williams made it out of the first round. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Almeida 10
Williams 8

Bout 4: Shawn Bunch (9-3) vs. Leandro Higo (18-5) (Bantamweight)

Going down a weight class from the previous bout, the next fight saw the much more experienced pro Leandro Higo face Shawn Bunch. Both fighters had their moments in the first round, showcasing good hands. Bunch tried for a takedown as the round was concluding but couldn’t get it. Bunch’s hard fists continued in the second round. Higo chased a takedown, putting Bunch against the cage for quite some time. After they both got good punches in, Bunch put Higo against the cage. Higo put in a guillotine while standing which made Bunch tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bunch 10
Higo 9

Bout 5: Mike Jasper (13-5) vs. Johnny Cisneros (12-7) (Catchweight 175 lbs)

The next fight was a catchweight bout between Mike Jasper and Johnny “The Tattooed Terror” Cisneros. Cisneros got dropped in the first minute, putting Jasper in top position side control. Jasper stayed on the attack the whole round, staying in a dominant position and throwing strikes. It was clear early in the second round that Jasper had hurt one of his feet. Cisneros tried for a takedown but couldn’t get it. They took turns in control up against the cage. Cisneros became aware of the situation, targeting the feet of Jasper. Jasper was dropped by a leg kick and hit with a few more strikes before the referee stepped in. It was hard to watch afterwards as Jasper stayed on the ground in what looked like horrible pain. He stayed for the official result announcement but had to be helped out of the cage afterwards. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Jasper 10
Cisneros 8

Bout 6: Antonio McKee (29-6-2) vs. William Sriyapai (14-8) (Catchweight 167 lbs)

Making his return to MMA, Antonio McKee fought William Sriyapai on the prelims of a card which his son fights on later as well. McKee went into this fight at 49 years old, as Sriyapai was 47. McKee scored a takedown with a minute and a half left in the first round. McKee got a takedown in the second round and took the back of Sriyapai. He threw unanswered punches until the referee stepped in to give him his 30th professional victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
McKee 10
Sriyapai 9

Bout 7: Ava Knight (0-0) vs. Shannon Goughary (4-3) (Strawweight)

The next fight was a special one, as 18-2 boxer Ava Knight made her MMA debut against Shannon Goughary. She had a special walkout, being accompanied by O.T. Genasis. The rapper is most known for his 2014 song “Coco.” As expected, Knight was out-boxing Goughary from the start. Goughary went for a takedown in the second minute, but Knight was able to keep it on the feet. Upon second attempt, Goughary was able to get a takedown and top position. While Knight was able to get some ground and pound in, Goughary was the better fighter on the ground. Back on their feet in the second round, Knight was able to get more punches in. Goughary started to show that she was getting hurt by the punches. A right straight dropped Goughary, bringing the fight to the ground. They stood back up, with Knight continuing to show skills in the striking department. Knight dropped Goughary with punches in the first minute, then got up from the ground-game to force the fight back into stand-up. Knight landed a left jab to the mid-section which gave her the victory. In her MMA debut, Ava Knight passed with flying colours against Shannon Goughary.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Knight 9 10
Goughary 10 9

Bout 8: AJ Agazarm (1-1) vs. Jonathan Quiroz (3-3) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the prelims was featherweights AJ Agazarm and Jonathan Quiroz competing. Agazarm got a takedown early in the first round. They got back up a minute later. Quiroz had some good combinations of punches in stand-up. In the second round, Agazarm tried for a rear naked choke on the ground on the back of Quiroz. They got back up with a minute left in the second round. It was easily a much better round for Agazarm. Back in stand-up in the final round, Quiroz was landing some good shots. Agazarm got a takedown and held the position until the final minute of the fight where they went back to stand-up. With 40 seconds left, Agazarm got another takedown, taking the back of Quiroz and trying again for the rear naked choke. When looking to the scorecards, it was AJ Agazarm who got his second Bellator victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Agazarm 9 10 10 29
Quiroz 10 9 9 28

Bout 9: Daniel Weichel (39-11) vs. Saul Rogers (13-2) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The main card kicked off with the final four fights in the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix. The first of four fights was Daniel Weichel and Saul Rogers. This was the 50th professional MMA fight for Weichel. Rogers had some good punch combinations early on. Weichel was able to block a takedown attempt in the second minute. Rogers was winning the round until he was rocked by a punch which made him wobble and go into a defensive mode for the final moments of the round. Rogers had good striking in the second round. Weichel made Rogers fall by tripping him with a leg kick. He got back up quickly and they stayed in stand-up. Weichel did a good job and defending a double leg takedown early in the third round. The final round was easily the best one for Weichel as he quickened his striking output. Before we saw the decision, we were shown Paul George, Mickey Rourke and others sitting in the crowd. All three judges chose Daniel Weichel to move on in the tournament (29-28, 30-27 & 29-28). This was Weichel’s 40th professional win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Weichel 10 9 10 29
Rogers 9 10 9 28

Bout 10: Darrion Caldwell (13-3) vs. Henry Corrales (17-3) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The second of four Featherweight Grand Prix matches saw former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Darrion Caldwell face Henry Corrales. Caldwell looked to return to winning in this fight after losing twice to Kyoji Horiguchi, once in Bellator and once in RIZIN. Caldwell got a takedown in the second minute of the fight, getting side control. He eventually went into full guard and kept Corrales on the ground until the final 10 seconds of the fight. Corrales was cut open on the head while on the ground. Caldwell chased a takedown for a few minutes but never fully secured it. While Caldwell never got a solid takedown in the second round, he was on offense for the whole round. In the final round, Caldwell was given a warning for not engaging. Caldwell got a takedown in the final minute. Corrales was trying for a guillotine but couldn’t secure it. Caldwell was getting booed afterwards, though he seemingly adopted a heel character, egging on the booing. Via unanimous decision, it was Darrion Caldwell moving on (29-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Caldwell 10 10 10 30
Corrales 9 9 9 27

Bout 11: A.J. McKee (14-0) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (28-9-1) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

After his father won his respective fight on the prelims, A.J. McKee fought Georgi Karakhanyan in the next Featherweight GP matchup. In the opening seconds, McKee landed and overhand left that dropped Karakhanyan. After a few more ground and pound punches, McKee got the victory and moved on to the second round. On the fence, he shouted “write me my check!” There was some incident in the crowd that caught McKee’s attention before the official result was announced.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
McKee
Karakhanyan

Bout 12: Patricio Pitbull (29-4) vs. Juan Archuleta (23-1) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

Before the next fight it was announced that Cris Cyborg would face Julia Budd for the Bellator Featherweight Championship in January. The final Featherweight GP First Round matchup was the Featherweight Champion Patricio Pitbull facing Juan Archuleta. Unlike the other first round matches, this one was a five round fight. A low kick to Pitbull cause a pause in the first round. Archuleta slipped in the first round and found himself in a guillotine. He got out of the guillotine after a few minutes. Pitbull stayed on top position until the end of the round, letting punches go at the end. Archuleta tried for a takedown early in the second round, with Pitbull keeping the fight on the feet. Pitbull was able to flip the position and put Archuleta against the cage in a standing clinch until the round ended. Pitbull dropped Archuleta in the third round, trying for a guillotine on the ground afterwards. A cut opened on Archuleta’s head that was bleeding quite a bit. Pitbull showcased more good striking throughout the round. Pitbull tried for the guillotine again near the end of the round. Pitbull dropped Archuleta again in the fourth round. Archuleta was able to block a takedown near the end of the fourth round. Pitbull ended the fifth round with a takedown. Before the decision, Darrion Caldwell shouted at Pitbull, saying he will fight him any month. Patricio Pitbull’s dominant performance was validated by the scorecards, which read in favour of him (49-46, 50-45 & 49-46).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Pitbull 10 9 10 10 10 49
Archuleta 9 10 8 9 9 45

Before the main event of the evening, Bellator presented a Featherweight World Grand Prix “Selection Show.” The show saw all eight of the second round fighters onstage, drawing their second opponents for the quarter-finals. Fighters were given cards to choose their picking order. Fighters were given four dates to pick their fight (December, January, February and March). After the picking, these were the matchups made:

  1. A.J. McKee vs. Derek Campos (December)
  2. Adam Borics vs. Darrion Caldwell (January)
  3. Daniel Weichel vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (February)
  4. Patricio Pitbull vs. Pedro Carvalho (March)

Bout 13: Lyoto Machida (26-8) vs. Gegard Mousasi (45-7-2) (Middleweight)

The main event of the evening was a rematch between Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi. Machida prevailed in their first meeting back in 2014. Mousasi landed a counter-punch right in the second minute of the bout which rocked Machida. Mousasi was consistently the fighter who pushed forward and threw the better punches. The fight went to the ground for the first time in the final two minutes when Machida tripped and fell. Machida tried for a guillotine choke in the final moments of the fight. After fifteen minutes, the fight went to scorecards with Gegard Mousasi earning the split decision victory (29-28 Machida, 29-28 Mousasi & 30-27 Mousasi).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Machida 9 9 9 27
Mousasi 10 10 10 30

Bout 14: Emilio Williams (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (6-6) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

The postlims started with Emilio Williams and Ian Butler. In the first 10 seconds of the fight, Butler got a takedown. Williams got back up halfway through the round. Butler looked for another takedown but when they went down it was Williams taking the back of Butler. With a minute left in the first, the referee stepped in as Butler was kneed in the ground. The fight eventually resumed with both fighters landing hard shots. Butler tried for a single leg takedown but never fully got it. Williams landed lots of shots as the first round was ending. Butler was potentially saved by the bell. Butler got a takedown early in the second round, teeing off with strikes on the ground. After many unanswered strikes the referee eventually stepped in. With a past record of 0-5 in Bellator, Butler finally saw himself get his first promotional win. After the fight ended it looked like Williams injured a knee in the fight. Butler’s victory was announced while Butler was still on the ground.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Williams 10
Butler 9

Bout 15: Andre Walker (5-2) vs. Ozzy Diaz (3-1) (Middleweight)

The next fight saw middleweights Andre Walker and Ozzy Diaz battle. Diaz scored a takedown early on, although Walker was quick to get back up. When getting another takedown, Diaz was able to take the back of Walker and put in a rear naked choke to earn a tap out victory. Diaz moved to 2-0 in Bellator in his early career.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Walker
Diaz

Bout 16: Johnny Santa Maria (3-4) vs. Benji Gomez (8-13) (Catchweight 130 lbs)

The final catchweight bout on the show was Johnny Santa Maria and Benji Gomez facing off. Both fighters went into the bout with a negative record. The first round was a close one as both fighters showcased fast striking. Gomez got a takedown in the final seconds of the first round. Gomez had Santa Maria retreating early in the second round. Santa Maria failed at the rare imanari roll, staying on the ground until the referee forced him up. After Gomez caught a stomach kick, Santa Maria also tried for a rolling thunder kick. Gomez was clearly the better striker. Gomez got the fight to the floor in the final round for a few minutes. When looking at the scorecards, all three judges saw it as a win for Benji Gomez (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Santa Maria 9 9 9 27
Gomez 10 10 10 30

Bout 17: Adrian Najera (1-0) vs. Jason Edwards (2-0) (Bantamweight)

The evening wrapped up with two undefeated professionals colliding. Adrian Nejera faced Jason Edwards in a classic “Two O’s one’s got to go” matchup. Najera stubbornly landed numerous takedowns within the first few minutes of the bout. Edwards landed a good knee in the clinch late in the first round. He tried for a guillotine choke but let go eventually. While Najera continued to land takedowns, Edwards’ striking in the second half of the round worked well for him. Halfway through the second round, Najera had one of his better takedowns, taking the back of Edwards. Edwards was able to fight out of the predicament and take top position. When they got back up, Najera landed a knee which dropped Edwards and sent his mouthpiece flying. Najera put in an ambar in the final 10 seconds of the fight, with Edwards being able to endure until the bell. The fight went back to the ground in the final round when Edwards tried for a guillotine choke. Najera started to land tons of punches, getting a victory when he slipped in a rear naked choke. Adrian Najera added a second win to his career, capping off a widely successful night for the Body Shop MMA gym.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Najera 9 10
Edwards 10 9

Bellator will return this weekend with Bellator 229, headlined by Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin, the show will take place from the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California, USA. Overall the card is 13 fights, with four of them being on the main card.

Bellator 226: Bader vs. Kongo Full Report

It worked out perfect for MMA fans on Saturday, as Bellator 226 started just after the UFC 242 PPV had wrapped up. Broadcasted in full on DAZN, the card featured 20 bouts including the main event, featuring Ryan “Darth” Bader and Cheick Kongo. Bader attempted to defend his Bellator Heavyweight Championship in that fight. The show included some of the Featherweight Grand Prix first round fights, and it had mansy bouts with young MMA prospects in action. Live from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, USA, let’s look at how Bellator 226 went down.

Bout 1: Luis Vargas (2-3) vs. Chris Gonzalez (2-0) (Lightweight)

Starting off the evening was a battle between a fighter who was undefeated and a fighter who aimed to even his record. While eating punches, Gonzalez landed a takedown right off the bat. Gonzalez stayed in top position for quite some time, landing an elbow which cut Vargas open. Vargas was able to take top position for a moment before they stood back up. Gonzalez landed another takedown before the round ended. Gonzalez was able to put Vargas on the ground in the second round and land more strikes. Vargas actually had control earlier in the round, but it was less relevant. Gonzalez tried for a rear naked choke in the final round but couldn’t secure it. Vargas got in top position with a minute left and started to land shots in hopes to make an impact. After clinching up, they traded blows in the final moments. Gonzalez landed one last takedown before the fight ended. All three judges gave the fight to Chris Gonzalez (30-27, 30-26 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighting Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Vargas 9 9 9 27
Gonzalez 10 10 10 30

Bout 2: Hyder Amil (3-0) vs. Ignacio Ortiz (2-0-1) (Featherweight)

The second fight saw two undefeated athletes face off. Both fighters got busy with punches only seconds into the fight. Amil was landing combinations of strikes, including knees to the stomach. Amil landed a takedown in the second minute. He got off some ground and pound in the position before they stood up for the last minute. Early in the second round, Ortiz secured a takedown but had the position turned over by Amil eventually. They stood up later, with Amil getting another takedown, although they got up right after. In a fatigued final round, both fighters had their moments. Amil scored a couple of takedowns in the round. Ortiz tried for a kimura but couldn’t secure it. Another takedown was landed before the fight concluded. When going to decision, Hyder Amil extended his winning streak to four in a row after a split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Amil 10 10 10 30
Ortiz 9 9 9 27

Bout 3: Abraham Vaesau (5-2) vs. Renato Valente Alves (5-4) (Catchweight 178 lbs)

In the first catchweight bout of the evening, Abraham Vaesau faced Renato Valente Alves. Alves was making his Bellator debut in this fight, while Vaesau was riding a two fight winning streak within the promotion. The first round had stand-up trades spaced out between five minutes. The second round was quite similar. While both of the rounds were slow paced, it was Alves who was landing the more important shots. Early in the third round, Vaesau was landing tons of kicks. Alves scored a takedown with two minutes left in the fight. He put in a rear naked choke which eventually got the victory due to it. Despite the new scenery of being in Bellator, some things never change for Renato Valente Alves who got his fourth career rear naked choke win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Vaesau 9 9
Alves 10 10

Bout 4: James Terry (20-10) vs. Batsumberel Dagvadorj (5-0) (Welterweight)

The next fight saw the more experienced James Terry face a flawless Batsumberel Dagvadorj. Terry chased a single leg takedown after a minute of stand-up but had it successfully defended. Halfway through the round, Dagvadorj landed a left which dropped Terry. After some grounded strikes, Dagvadorj put in a bulldog choke which made Terry tap out. Batsumberel Dagvadorj had an impactful Bellator debut, beating promotional veteran via submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Terry
Dagvadorj

Bout 5: Cass Bell (3-0) vs. Isaiah Rocha (3-0) (Bantamweight)

Two undefeated bantamweights in Cass Bell and Isaiah Rocha faced off. Similar to the fight on the card before, Bell dropped Rocha with a left and then put in a choke, this time a guillotine choke to get the win. Rocha went out cold in the choke. All via finish, Cass Bell extended his record to 4-0.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bell
Rocha

Bout 6: Amber Leibrock (3-3) vs. Jessica Borga (2-2) (Featherweight)

In the first (and only) female fight of the evening, Amber Leibrock faced Jessica Borga. Leibrock had a clear height advantage. Borga tried for a takedown early on but was stopped, staying clinched against the cage. With a minute and a half left in the first, they went back to stand-up. Leibrock landed some good punches. Borga got a takedown, throwing punches before putting in an armbar that made Leibrock tap out. Making her Bellator debut, Jessica Borga earned her first professional MMA submission victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Leibrock
Borga

Bout 7: Adam Piccolotti (11-3) vs. Jake Smith (7-2) (Lightweight)

Lightweights were up next, as American Top Team’s Jake Smith faced Adam Piccolotti. Both fighters had very sharp striking, having their moments. Piccolotti got a takedown halfway through the first round. In the second round, Piccolotti got a takedown. He took the back of Smith and put in a rear naked choke to win the fight. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Piccolotti 10
Smith 9

Bout 8: John Macapa (22-4-2) vs. Ashleigh Grimshaw (20-10-1) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card, two experienced featherweights in John Macapa and Ashleigh Grimshaw competed. The first round had explosive striking, with Macapa landing lots of hard combinations. Grimshaw developed a big cut above his left eye. Macapa had even more highlights in stand-up in the second round. After scoring a takedown, Macapa focused on ground and pound from top position. With many more cuts on his face, the doctor decided to stop the fight in-between rounds, giving a win to John Macapa.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Macapa 10 10
Grimshaw 9 8

Bout 9: Gaston Bolanos (5-1) vs. Daniel Carey (6-3) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card was the first of many featherweight fights. In this bout, Gaston Bolanos faced Daniel Carey. In stand-up, it was Bolanos who was doing most of the work. Carey jumped in for a guillotine during the stand-up, bringing the fight to the ground. He kept the guillotine in until the referee stopped the fight, as Bolanos went out cold. While Daniel Carey was not a part of the featherweight grand prix, he made a good case to be in the next one with his victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bolanos
Carey

Bout 10: Emmanuel Sanchez (18-4) vs. Tywan Claxton (5-0) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The first of four featherweight grand prix matches were up next. The undefeated Tywan Claxton faced the experienced Emmanuel Sanchez. Claxton earned a takedown early in the fight. They got back up shortly after with both fighters landing some decent punches. Claxton got another takedown, and while he didn’t do much he stayed in the dominant position on the ground. They got up with a minute left in the round. Sanchez got a takedown in the final moments, doing ground and pound to a seemingly defenseless Claxton. Claxton got a takedown halfway through the second round. In bottom position, Sanchez put in a triangle choke which Claxton endured for some time before tapping out. Emmanuel Sanchez became the first one to hand Tywan Claxton a loss, and advanced to the next round of the featherweight GP.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Overtime Total
Sanchez 10
Claxton 9

Bout 11: Sam Sicilia (17-9) vs. Pedro Carvalho (10-3) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The second of four Featherweight Grand Prix fights on the card was Sam Sicilia versus Pedro Carvalho. Sicilia got a takedown in the first minute of the bout. When they stood back up, Sicilia landed some shots against the cage. He went for a second takedown halfway through the round. Carvalho got in top position. As the round was nearing it’s finish, Carvalho tried for a choke but couldn’t get it. Both fighters traded clean punches early in the second round. Carvalho reversed a takedown and took the back of Sicilia. Carvalho put in a rear naked choke which made Sicilia tap out quickly. 24-year-old Pedro Carvalho advanced into the second round of the Grand Prix via submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Overtime Total
Sicilia 10
Carvalho 9

Bout 12: Pat Curran (23-8) vs. Adam Borics (13-0) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

Before the next fight, Cris “Cyborg” Justino did an interview in the octagon, discussing her newly signed contract with Bellator. The third Featherweight Grand Prix fight saw undefeated Adam Boris faced Pat Curran. The first round included pretty even striking. Early in the second round the crowd started to boo. With a minute left in the second round, Boris landed a knee which dropped Curran. Boris landed hammerfist strikes on the ground, finally finishing the fight in the final seconds of the fight. Continuing his undefeated career, Adam Boris will be seen again in the next round of the Featherweight Grand Prix.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Overtime Total
Curran 9
Borics 10

Bout 13: Daniel Straus (26-8) vs. Derek Campos (19-9) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The final fight of the evening from the Featherweight Grand Prix was Daniel Straus versus Derek Campos. The fight went to the ground early after Straus slipped from throwing a kick. Campos was in half guard in top position for quite some time, attempting a head and arm choke at one point. Campos got another takedown in the first minute of the second round. The rest of the round was seemingly identical to the one before. On the ground in the final round, Campos really started to apply pressure with a choke. Straus was able to endure it somehow, despite how tight the choke became. Campos had a flurry of strikes on a helpless Straus until the fight came to a close. Going to the judges, all three had Derek Campos advancing to the next round (30-26, 30-25 & 30-25). The next four Featherweight World Grand Prix matchups will take place on September 28th.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Overtime Total
Straus 9 9 9 27
Campos 10 10 10 30

Bout 14: Ryan Bader © (27-5) vs. Cheick Kongo (30-10-2) (Bellator Heavyweight Championship)

The main event of the evening was Ryan Bader attempting to defend his Bellator Heavyweight Championship about Cheick Kongo. Bader was on a seven-fight winning streak, and Kongo went into this fight after eight-straight wins. Bader was working a jab early in the fight. Kongo shot for two takedowns but Bader stopped both of them. Bader scored a takedown in the second minute of the fight. Bader was smothering Kongo on the ground. With a minute or so left in the round, referee Mike Beltran paused the fight due to an eye poke. A doctor came into the cage to check on Kongo and ruled that he couldn’t compete. Due to it being an accidental poke, the fight was ruled a no contest. After Bader’s interview, he got into an altercation with Rampage Jackson. It didn’t look like there was any actual physical exchange between the two, as numerous people were there to separate them.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Bader
Kongo

Bout 15: Cornelius Savage (0-0) vs. Evan Gubera (0-1) (Middleweight)

For those who weren’t satisfied with the main event, Bellator had some postlims to showcase. The first of six fights was a pro debut for Cornelius Savage, facing Evan Gubera who aimed to get his first pro victory. The way Savage moved in the cage was very stiff, but not due to an injury or anything like that. Savage got a double leg takedown in the third minute. In the final minute of the round he got a single leg takedown too. The second round was a pretty slow one, with both fighters having their moments in stand-up. In the final round, Savage seemed to be the more fatigued fighter. Gubera tried for a triangle choke and an armbar in the final moments of the fight but failed to get Savage to tap out. The scorecards were split, but two of the three gave that fight to Cornelius Savage (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). After the fight the crowd voices their displeasure, as did Mauro Ranallo and John McCarthy on the English commentary.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Savage 10 10 9 29
Gubera 9 9 10 28

Bout 16: Daniel Gonzalez (2-2) vs. Jon Adams (0-0-1) (Flyweight)

Flyweights took the octagon next, as Daniel Gonzalez and the winless Jon Adams faced off. The first round was pretty fast paced between the two, with both of them staying in stand-up throughout. In the second round it was Gonzalez who was the aggressor. He landed a knee at the end of the round which dropped Adams. The referee stepped in eventually to give Daniel Gonzalez his second Bellator win, leaving Adams winless.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gonzalez 10
Adams 9

Bout 17: Peter Ishiguro (1-1) vs. Elias Anderson (0-1) (Catchweight 140 lbs)

The next fight was a catchweight bout between Peter Ishiguro and Elias Anderson, who was hunting for his first pro win. Both fighters had a good first round, being somewhat evenly matched in stand-up. Late in the round Anderson caught a kick and nearly got the fight to the ground because of it. Ishiguro had quite a vocal fanbase in the somewhat empty crowd, chanting his nickname “Wasabi.” Ishiguro’s left jab was utilized quite well in this fight. Late in the second round, Ishiguro was able to counter a takedown attempt, earning top position as the round concluded. Anderson had the better final round, keeping a fast tempo of punches while Ishiguro had clearly gotten fatigued. The fight went the distance with all three judges ruling it in favour of Peter Ishiguro (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ishiguro 10 10 9 29
Anderson 9 9 10 28

Bout 18: Favian Gutierrez (2-2) vs. Alan Benson (0-1) (Middleweight)

The next post-lim fight saw Favian Gutierrez aim to snap a losing streak against Alan Benson, who was chasing his first pro victory. The first round was somewhat inactive, although Gutierrez was the one dictating the pace. In the second round, Benson was dropped by punches. He was able to recover on the ground, with Gutierrez in top position on the ground. They stayed in this position until the round ended. The final round was a pretty slow one. In a split decision, it was Alan Benson who was given the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). This was the second decision of the night that had people up in arms. Maybe the judges got tired as the broadcast was reaching the seventh hour.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gutierrez 10 10 9 29
Benson 9 9 10 28

Bout 19: Albert Gonzales (1-1) vs. Tyson Miller (0-0) (Catchweight 180 lbs)

In the second last post-lim of the night, Albert Gonzales and Tyson Miller made their Bellator debut. After a minute or so of competition, Gonzalez broke his leg after a kick was checked, ending the fight. While it was through an unfortunate outcome, Tyson Miller made his professional debut. Gonzalez was stretchered off.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gonzales
Miller

Bout 20: Ivan Batinich (3-1) vs. Daniel Compton (2-1) (Middleweight)

Concluding the evening was Ivan Batinich facing Daniel Compton in a middleweight fight. Compton immediately shot for a takedown in the first round. Batinich contested the takedown attempt, eventually being the one who scored a takedown and took top position. Batinich landed a suplex and then tried for a rear naked choke. He also attempted an armbar but it didn’t work. Before trying for a choke, a cut above the left eyebrow of Batinich appeared. Compton got some elbows in when clinched against the cage just before the first round ended. The second round had a hectic ground game from both fighters. Batinich took the back of Compton with a minute and some left in the round. He went after the rear naked choke, finally putting it in after Compton was fighting it for a minute or so. With 30 seconds left in the round, Compton tapped out, giving Ivan Batinich his fourth professional victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Batinich 10
Compton 9

Bellator has a hectic fall scheduled after a somewhat quiet summer. With eight shows scheduled over the next three months, Bellator has their hands full. Later this month, the promotion will put on a double header on September 27th and 28th. The first show, Bellator 227 will take place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, including big names like James Gallagher, Michael “Venom” Page and Benson Henderson. The next day, Bellator will come back to The Forum in Inglewood, California, USA, for Bellator 228. The main event of that card will see Patricio Pitbull put his Bellator Featherweight Championship on the line against Juan Archuleta. The card will also include the second half of the Bellator Bantamweight GP First Round.

Cody Stamann versus Yadong Song Set For UFC on ESPN 6

It was reported on Wednesday by Gene Wang of the Washington Post that ranked UFC bantamweights Cody Stamann and Song Yadong would face off on December 7th. The fight joins seven other bouts scheduled for “UFC on ESPN 6,” which will be live from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., USA.

Song Yadong is riding a seven-fight winning streak, being 4-0 within the UFC. He is currently ranked 13th in the bantamweight division.

While Cody Stamann doesn’t have as flawless as a recent record, he sure comes close to it, holding a 4-1 UFC record, recently defeating Alejandro Perez. Before his loss to Aljamain Sterling in 2018, the “Spartan” had won 10 bouts in a row.

The show is currently headlined by UFC veterans Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris. Overeem previously main evented a card against Alexey Oleinik, getting a finish near the end of the first round. Coincidentally, Walt Harris also beat Oleinik in his last fight, but in a much more sudden 12-second finish.

Here’s the full card for UFC on ESPN 6:

  1. Alistair Overeem (45-17) vs. Walt Harris (13-7) (Heavyweight)
  2. Aspen Ladd (8-1) vs. Yana Kunitskaya (12-4) (Bantamweight)
  3. Claudia Gadelha (17-4) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (8-1) (Strawweight)
  4. Stefan Struve (29-11) vs. Ben Rothwell (36-12) (Heavyweight)
  5. Carlos Condit (30-13) vs. Mickey Gall (6-2) (Welterweight)
  6. Cortney Casey (8-7) vs. Virna Jandiroba (14-1) (Strawweight)
  7. Bryce Mitchell (11-0) vs. Matt Sayles (8-2) (Featherweight)
  8. Cody Stamann (18-2) vs. Yadong Song (Bantamweight)

Fights Announced For PFL Playoffs

The full lineups for the PFL opening playoff fights were unveiled on Wednesday. The three events over the course of October in the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA will determine the finalists for every weight class. The grand finale of the tournament is set to take place on New Year’s Eve.

The first of three nights will be on October 11th. The evening will feature the women’s lightweight and men’s welterweight tournament. The prelims will air on ESPN+, with the main card on ESPN2. Here’s the current lineup:

  1. Sarah Kaufman (#1) vs. Larissa Pacheco (#4) (Women’s Lightweight)
  2. Kayla Harrison (#2) vs. Genah Fabiam (#3) (Women’s Lightweight)
  3. Glaico Franca (#1) vs. Andre Fialho (#8) (Men’s Welterweight)
  4. Magomed Magomedkerimov (#2) vs. Chris Curtis (#7) (Men’s Welterweight)
  5. Sadibou Sy (#3) vs. Ray Cooper III (#6) (Men’s Welterweight)
  6. John Howard (#4) vs. David Michaud (#5) (Men’s Welterweight)
  7. Men’s Welterweight Semi-Final Match #1
  8. Men’s Welterweight Semi-Final Match #2

The second night in Las Vegas will be just under a week later on October 17th. The evening will feature the tournament bouts for the male featherweight and lightweight brackets. The first hour and a half of the broadcast will take place on ESPN2 before the broadcast flips to ESPN+.

  1. Lance Palmer (#1) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (#8) (Men’s Featherweight)
  2. Movlid Khaybulaev (#2) vs. Daniel Pineda (#7) (Men’s Featherweight)
  3. Luis Rafael Laurentino (#3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (#6) (Men’s Featherweight)
  4. Alex Gilpin (#4) vs. Andre Harrison (#5) (Men’s Featherweight)
  5. Natan Schlute (#1) vs. Ramsey Nijem (#8) (Men’s Lightweight)
  6. Islam Mamedov (#2) vs. Loik Radzhabov (#7) (Men’s Lightweight)
  7. Chris Wade (#3) vs. Nate Andrews (#6) (Men’s Lightweight)
  8. Akhmed Aliev (#4) vs. Rashid Magomedov (#5) (Men’s Lightweight)
  9. Men’s Featherweight Semi-Final Match #1
  10. Men’s Featherweight Semi-Final Match #2
  11. Men’s Lightweight Semi-Final Match #1
  12. Men’s Lightweight Semi-Final Match #2

The final appearance in the desert for PFL will take place on October 31st, Halloween, in the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The night will showcase the playoff fights for the male light heavyweight and heavyweight fighters.

  1. Emiliano Sordi (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (#8) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  2. Maxim Grishin (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (#7) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  3. Vinny Magalhaes (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (#6) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  4. Bozigit Ataev (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (#5) (Men’s Light Heavyweight)
  5. Denis Goltsov (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (#8) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  6. Muhammed DeReese (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (#7) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  7. Alex Nicholson (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (#6) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  8. Kevin Tiller (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (#5) (Men’s Heavyweight)
  9. Men’s Light Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #1
  10. Men’s Light Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #2
  11. Men’s Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #1
  12. Men’s Heavyweight Semi-Final Match #2

Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Live Coverage

In a weekend without a UFC show, Bellator took center stage with Bellator 225. Live from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. Their first meeting wasn’t a satisfying one, as an accidental groin strike only seconds into the bout made it end in a no contest. Fighting once again, the fighters will have a chance to put on a more competitive and fairer performance. Along with the main event was 13 other fights which were broadcasted through the Paramount Network and DAZN in a simulcast. If you’re following along live, this article will be updated as the night continues.

Bout 1: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1) (Welterweight)

The first fight of the evening was Gracie family member Khonry Gracie versus Oscar Vera. Gracie got a takedown after one minute of slow stand-up. He eventually went for an armbar which made Vera tap out. This was the second armbar loss that Vera took from a Gracie in a row.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gracie
Vera

Bout 2: Aviv Gozali (2-0) vs. Eduard Muravitskiy (9-8) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

The second fight was a catchweight bout at 165 pounds between undefeated Aviv Gozali and the more experienced Eduard Muravitskiy. Immediately, Aviv went for an imanari roll. He put in a heel hook and made Muravitskiy tap out in 11 seconds. This set the new record for quickest Bellator submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gozali
Muravitskiy

Bout 3: Sabah Homasi (12-8) vs. Micah Terrill (14-7) (Welterweight)

In the third fight, two more experienced fighters in Sabah Homasi and Micah Terrill faced off. Homasi trains out of American Top Team. Homasi came forward quickly with a right hook which dropped Terrill. In 17 seconds, the fight had concluded.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Homasi
Terrill

Bout 4: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-0-1) (Middleweight)

The next bout included the significant other of UFC fighter Paige VanZant, Austin Vanderford facing Joseph Creer. VanZant was in the corner for Vanderford for this fight. He is making the move down to middleweight in this bout. After a couple of minutes of close stand-up, Vanderford landed a slam takedown. He threw punches while on top in half guard. While in the position his mouthguard fell out, which he put back in without the referee having to step in. Vanderford landed some good hammerfist punches in the final minute of the round. Creer was cut open from an elbow. For the first time in the evening, a fight left the first round. Vanderford quickly got top position in the second round. More elbows cut Creer open badly in the second round. Much worse than in the first. The two major cuts were under and below the right eye of Creer. In-between rounds, Austin Vanderford extended his undefeated streak by doctor’s stoppage. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Vanderford 10 10
Creer 9 9

Bout 5: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-3) (Bantamweight)

In the fifth preliminary fight of the evening, Bellator prospect Ricky Bandejas faced Ahmet Kayretli, who was making his Bellator debut after a stint in LFA. A notable win that Bandejas picked up was over James Gallagher last year. Kayretli was landing good low kicks early. While Kayretli was coming forward with punches, Bandejas countered with a right hook which took down Kayretli and ended the fight. After two consecutive losses, Ricky Bandejas has finally found himself in the winners column.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bandejas
Kayretli

Bout 6: Mike Kimbel (3-1) vs. Chris Disonell (3-3) (Catchweight 140 lbs)

The next fight included Waterbury’s own Mike Kimbel. Kimbel made some waves in his second Bellator fight, getting a six second KO victory over Alex Potts. He faced Chris Disonell in the next fight. Both fighters took turns charging forward with punch combinations. Disonell initiated a clinch up against the cage. When they left the clinch, Kimbel had a good flurry of strikes. Kimbel landed a takedown. When they got back up they were both landing good shots, although Kimbel was clearly ahead. Disonell was able to put Kimbel on the ground. He postured up and swung away until the referee ended the bout. It was quite a turn of events for Chris Disonell, earning him the win. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Kimbel
Disonell

Bout 7: Jon Manley (11-6) vs. Thiago Rela (13-7) (Catchweight 175 lbs)

In a double debut bout, Jon Manley faced Thiago Rela in a catchweight bout. Rela came from CFFC on a losing streak while Manley has primarily fought in the CES and AMMO promotions. Both fighters have been in the UFC before. Early on, Rela caught a caught a kick and put Manley up against the cage. Rela got on Manley’s back, taking him to the ground. Manley tried for a kimura but couldn’t get it. They got back up, but Rela mounted Manley’s back once again and took him down. Rela chased a rear naked choke until the round concluded. Early in the second round Vera was kicked in the groin. A warning was issued as the kick was accidental. Rela took his time, but was able to continue in the fight eventually. Rela got on the back of Manley again, eventually taking him to the ground again. In the third round, Manley was on Rela’s back on the ground landing punches. These shots continued for quite some time, all unanswered. In the final seconds of the fight, Manley put in a rear naked choke which got him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Manley 9 9
Rela 10 10

Bout 8: Kastriot Xhema (3-3) vs. Connor Dixon (0-0) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

Another home-state fighter in Kastriot Xhema faced Connor Dixon, who was making his professional debut. After a chaotic first minute, Dixon tried for a guillotine but couldn’t secure it. Dixon was trying for tons of takendowns although he didn’t do a ton. He was clearly tired after trying for so many takedowns. Dixon was in control on the ground through the second round. Dixon tried for an arm triangle, then went for an armbar but couldn’t get either. In-between rounds, Xhema told his corner that he broke his right thumb. Xhema got cut badly at some point in the fight. Dixon got another takedown early in the final round. Dixon put in an armbar that made Xhema tap out.  A great debut for Connor Dixon, in the final two rounds he always kept the fight where he wanted it to be.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Xhema 9 9
Dixon 10 10

Bout 9: Nick Newell (15-2) vs. Corey Browning (5-2) (Lightweights)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card, Nick Newell fought Corey Browning. Newell is known for having only one hand, and fought in his hometown on this show. Browning was coined as the “hype killer,” having a high profile win over Kevin Ferguson Jr., also known as “Baby Slice.” Newell early on took Browning to the ground and tried for an arm triangle choke. He fought for it for a few minutes, eventually making Browning tap out. Newell cut a great promo after the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Newell
Browning

Bout 10: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0) (Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card was two undefeated heavyweights in Tyrell Fortune and Rudy Schaffroth facing off. Fortune tried for a takedown in the second minute of the first round but couldn’t get it. Fortune was hit with leg kicks that seemingly affected him hard. Schafforth was caught with punches after a leg kick made him fall. Fortune hit him with tons of punches on the ground before putting in a rear naked choke which made Schaffroth tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Fortune 9
Schaffroth 10

Bout 11: David Rickels (21-5) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) (Catchweights 175 lbs)

Bellator’s greatest showman and longest-time employee David Rickels fought undefeated Yaroslav Amosov. Rickels did his best tribute to Japanese fighter turned politician Genki Sudo with his walkout. Among the many things he did to tribute Sudo was the “We Are All One” flag which a cornerman carried to the cage. Amosov landed a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. Amosov had top position for most of the round. Rickels was taken down again in the second round. Amosov put in a d’arce choke which made Rickels tap out. Yaroslav Amosov extended his undefeated record beyond the amount of pro wins that “The Caveman” has attained. This was also the first career submission loss for Rickels. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Rickels 9
Amosov 10

Bout 12: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5) (Bantamweights)

In the only women’s fight of the evening, Alejandra Lara faced Taylor Turner. Turner was known for her win over championship level boxer Heather Hardy. Lara was making her bantamweight debut in this fight. Lara got a trip takedown early in the fight. Lara landed a few punches before Turner got up and went into a standing clinch against the cage. Lara scored another takedown. She landed a lot of strikes in top position. She took the back of Turner and continued with strikes until the referee ended it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Lara
Turner

Bout 13: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Tim Johnson (12-5) (Heavyweight)

Before the co-main event of the show, we had the fighters from the Welterweight Grand Prix finals show up. Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald came to the cage for an interview with John McCarthy. They faced off at the end of the interview. That fight will take place on October 26th, being a rematch between the two. It was also announced on October 25th Frank Mir will fight Rory Nelson. In the co-main event of the evening, Vitaly Minakov faced Tim Johnson in a short notice matchup. Minakov opened with some good punches before he landed two suplexes to take Johnson down, although he got back up seconds later. They went back to striking. Johnson was stunned by a right jab, then taken out cold by a few more punches.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Minakov
Johnson

Bout 14: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7) (Heavyweight)

In the main event of the evening, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. In their faceoff at the start, referee Dan Mirgliotta ribbed on them, asking if their cups are in. Mitrione was active from the start, throwing tons of punches. Near the end of the round, Mitrione’s mouthpiece kept falling out. On the third time that it fell out, he was warned that a point could be taken away. In-between rounds, Mitrione said he was wearing the wrong mouthpiece. Mitrione’s mouthpiece fell out again in the second round. Mitrione was hit with a punch and then a knee which dropped him, then was finished shortly after. Mitrione looked distracted before he was hit with the shots, looking at where his mouthpiece went. While this fight, like their first meeting had a controversial finish, this time around a winner left the cage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Mitrione 10
Kharitonov 9

From start to finish, Bellator 225 was only stoppages. Bellator will return on September 7th, with Ryan Bader facing Cheick Kongo, with the Bellator Heavyweight Championship on the line. The event will be the first of three September events that the promotion will be putting on.

Smackdown Live 8/20/19 Results and Review

Last week, Smackdown Live ended with Daniel Bryan saying he will reveal the culprit in the attack against Roman Reigns next week. From Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, a very suspenseful Smackdown Live show started with Randy Orton.

Kofi Kingston Confronts Randy Orton

The evening began with Randy Orton coming to the ring. On the previous night at RAW, Orton interfered in a New Day tag match, taking out the trio with the help of The Revival. We were told by the commentary team that Xavier Woods is not present at tonight’s show. Speaking of the commentary, David Otunga was replacing Corey Graves this week. He talked about how Kingston dodged their championship match at Summerslam. He then bragged about his attack on Monday, continuing with the “Kofi is stupid” tagline he’s been running with for a while. New Day music hit as his promo was wrapping up. In very Orton-like fashion, Kingston came from the crowd and gave Orton a Trouble In Paradise out of nowhere. When you thought Kingston was leaving, he took a steel chair and wedged an ankle of Orton between it. He went to the second rope but got distracted by The Revival, who came down to the ring. He teed off on Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson with a chair while Orton got away. The commentary described this segment like we’ve never seen Kingston like this, although isn’t that what we got at Summerslam when he snapped? It was an okay segment though.

Before the break, we saw a video package the recent situation between Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan and Rowan. We were reminded that Bryan said he would come forward with the attacker this week. Honestly, this has been an interesting storyline so far. It’s had a legitimate cliffhanger for a week that I’ve been interested to find out about

Andrade w/ Zelina Vega vs. Apollo Crews (King of the Ring Tournament First Round Match)

In the first of two King of the Ring matches on this episode, Andrade faced Apollo Crews. Before the match, we were given the first televised announcement that NXT is moving to the USA Network on Wednesdays soon. The idea from people within the business was that it would be announced on Monday, and really that seems like the logical way to announce it, but whatever. Before the match, we saw Kevin Owens talking with Shane McMahon backstage. Owens was still torn apart about the 100k dollar fine he was given last week. Owens asked him to reconsider, to which McMahon said he will think about.

Starting off the match quickly, Crews gave Andrade a clothesline for a kickout. Isn’t that how a King of the Ring match started on Monday? Just like Monday, we got a replay of it seconds later as well. Andrade did double knees in the corner for a two count. Crews went for a rollup pin for a two count. Andrade did a hold while on the ropes. He went to the top rope but was hit with a dropkick on the way down. Crews caught Andrade outside the ring, but Andrade turned it into a huricanrana into a steel staircase as we went to break. I really liked that spot. Back from the break, Crews caught a crossbody. Crews hit a double knees for a two count. They traded strikes when they got back up. Crews did a jumping-clotheslines. Crews hit an Olympic Slam for another kickout. Andrade landed a boot after countering a move. He went to the second rope but was hit with a dropkick. Crews picked up Andrade but dropped him due to a hurt hand. Crews was thrown into a corner. Andrade tried for another double knees but Crews avoided it. Crews did a standing shooting star press after a few moves by both fighters. Crews tried picking up Andrade, but Zelina Vega held onto him from outside the ring. When they separated, Andrade hit a spinning back elbow. Andrade hit his Hammerlock DDT for the win. It’s weird how the commentators tout how good Andrade is (referencing how he made Rey Mysterio contemplate retirement), but don’t call out how he cheats to win. Even after the match they praised him.

Backstage, we saw Daniel Bryan and Rowan carry someone into a room with a towel over their head. After that, we saw Elias spot an undercover referee backstage. The referee told him that Drake Maverick was in a container. He made Maverick read a statement from Shane McMahon that suspended the 24/7 Championship for the night so that Elias could focus on his match.

A Moment of Bliss w/ Charlotte Flair

Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross hosted A Moment of Bliss with their special guest this week being Charlotte Flair. Bliss said that Flair asked to be on the show. Flair said she is the “Queen of all eras” and the “face of the Smackdown women’s brand.” Bliss claimed that “some would say” Bayley is the current face. After Flair explained why she thinks she’s better, Bayley came out to confront her. Bayley said Flair is angry that she isn’t the champ. Flair said she will restore the belt’s value when she beats her at Clash of Champions. Bayley accepts the challenge to face her at the PPV. She pushed Flair off of her chair and then left. Wow, easy night for Bliss and Cross. I don’t like Bayley being this very cocky character. It just doesn’t feel right on her, especially because of her track record as not being a super cocky character.

Daniel Bryan w/ Rowan vs. Buddy Murphy

Backstage we saw Roman Reigns confront Buddy Murphy. Murphy said he thought it was Rowan who attacked him. Reigns said he will beat him up if he lies again. A week after he faced Reigns, Buddy Murphy faced Daniel Bryan this week. Before the match, Bryan called him a liar. Similar to Bryan’s Wrestlemania 28 match, he was distracted when the bell rang, and was hit right of the bat. Murphy hit a flying knee for a two count. He gave Bryan landed tons of kicks in the corner. Later, Murphy sent Bryan outside the ring with a clothesline then landed a dive over the top rope as we went to commercials. Back from the break, Murphy landed a dropkick off the second rope. He went to the top rope again, landing a double knees this time. Bryan put in a Lebell Lock and then transitioned into a Rings of Saturn. Going back to the Lebell Lock, Murphy put a foot on the ropes to save himself. Bryan started doing Yes Kicks. Murphy avoided a kick and landed one of this own. Murphy was hung upside down in the ropes and was given a dropkick to the head. Bryan put Murphy on the top rope and did a belly-to-back superplex for a two count. He did kicks to Murphy in the corner while screaming “Liar! Liar!” Murphy reversed a move, doing a superkick in the corner and a running powerbomb for a close kickout. They got up and traded punches. Bryan tried for a move but was reversed into a rollup. Murphy did a brainbuster after a few strikes, but Bryan put his foot on the rope to kick out. Rowan got on the apron. Murphy got distracted by Rowan. Bryan tried for a rollup but was thrown off and into Rowan. Murphy tried for a superkick but hit Rowan. Bryan tried for a roll-up but couldn’t get it. Murphy landed a knee and then a Murphy’s Law to win the match.

This was a very good match. I have no real issues with it. Maybe a few too many pin attempts, but the match was great overall. It wasn’t really clear why Rowan stayed on the apron for so long, or got on it in the first place. Maybe he just wanted a better view.

After the break, Buddy Murphy was going to get interviewed backstage. He was jumped before the interview got off the ground, with Rowan beating him up. Bryan screamed at him about being a liar the whole time.

Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder (The Revival) vs. Otis & Tucker (Heavy Machinery)

The Revival came out and challenged The New Day to a Championship match. Their promo was cut off by their opponents for this week, Heavy Machinery. Both Revival members had wrapping around their mid-section due to the steel chair attack earlier. Tucker and Wilder started the bout. Tucker put Wilder in a bear hug. He tagged in Otis, and passed Wilder to him, where he continued the bear hug. Tucker got tagged back in. They did dual vertical suplexes, holding their opponents high for a long time. We went to break after that spot. After the break, Wilder and Tucker were back in the ring. Wilder did a bulldog off a corner for a two count. Dawson got tagged in and tried for a senton but Tucker avoided it. Otis got the hot tag against Dawson. He spun around Wilder before doing a slam. He did a splash in a corner, and then did his famous caterpillar elbow drop. Otis tried for a compactor but got it broken up. Tucker took down Dawson but Wilder went for a rollup to get the win because of the predicament. It was a decent match but the finish made it fall flat.

Chad Gable cut a promo backstage about being called an underdog in the King of the Ring tournament. Behind him, his opponent Shelton Benjamin put a sign on a door. The sign said “You must be at least this tall to participate in the King of the Ring Tournament.” He didn’t find that too funny.

MizTV w/ Sami Zayn

We were given another reminder that NXT is moving to Wednesdays. In the next segment, The Miz hosted another episode of MizTV with Sami Zayn. In a two-hour show, two of these talk show segments feels like too much. Zayn admits early that he only wanted to be on this show so he could get TV time. He said there is people on Smackdown who needs his help. He brought Shinsuke Nakamura out. Nakamura said Zayn speaks for him. Nakamura kicked Miz in the groin, then did tons of knees. He did a kick in the corner and a Kinshasa to end the brawl. So I guess Nakamura is a follower of Zayn now, which is weird since Nakamura has a belt and Zayn is on a losing streak.

Elias vs. Kevin Owens (King of the Ring Tournament First Round Match)

We saw Daniel Bryan and Rowan backstage again. They went into the room where the disguised attacker was. They said Roman Reigns was on the way. Shane McMahon brought Kevin Owens back into the room. McMahon asked for an apology for laying his hands on him last week. Without hesitation, he apologized. McMahon said if Owens ever touches another WWE official he will be fired. McMahon refused a handshake before Owens walked off.

In the final match of the night, Kevin Owens faced Elias in the first round of the King of the Ring. Elias landed a shoulder tackle early on. Owens send Elias over the ropes, but avoided doing a dive as Elias ran out of the way. Elias threw Owens into a barricade before throwing him back in the ring. Owens did a cannonball in the corner of the ring for a two count. After this, Shane McMahon’s music hit and he sat at ringside. Owens did a frogsplash onto the floor during the commercial break. Later on, Owens did a dropkick off the second rope and then a senton. He tried for a pop-up powerbomb but Elias reversed it. Owens went to the second rope, but Elias put him on his shoulders and landed a powerbomb for a kickout. Both on the top rope, Elias was knocked onto the canvas. Owens tried for a Shooting Star Press but Elias put his knees up. Owens sent Elias outside the ring and then did a cannonball off the apron. Outside the ring, McMahon interfered. He took off his shirt and revealed his referee shirt. Owens was back in the ring and distracted, getting attacked by Elias. Owens tried for a stunner but was almost thrown into Shane. Elias went for a roll-up, with McMahon giving him a fast count to end it. Well, I guess that’s better than being fired.

The Attacker Is Revealed

Backstage, we saw Roman Reigns arrive in the room backstage. They unmasked the person, who looked like a Rowan lookalike. Apart from balding grey hair, he had a similar face and the long ginger beard. All three of them stared at a confused Reigns as the show ended. So, quite a way to end it. Um, I guess Reigns’ emotion at the ended conveys mine as well: pure confusion. Going into next week it’s not as intriguing, but I’ll still be interested to see where they go from here.

This show had some pretty good matches. The best was easily Daniel Bryan versus Buddy Murphy and Andrade versus Apollo Crews. While this show had it’s flaws, it flew by pretty quickly.

Dana White Contender Series Season 3 Episode 9 Full Report

In the second last episode of the third season of Dana White’s Contender Series, 10 more fighters compete for their spot on the UFC roster. 

Bout 1: Ricky Steele (5-0) vs. Phil Caracappa (8-0) (Bantamweight)

The first fight of the evening was a battle of two undefeated fighters. Ricky Steele was a competitor on Season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter, but withdrew after one fight due to injury. Phil Caracappa has found eight fights in the Ring of Combat promotion. Caracappa came forward with punches early on. They clinched up against the cage for a few moments and then separated again. Caracappa tried for a takedown for a whole minute before landing it. They got back up with two minutes left. Caracappa got another takedown in the final minute of the first round. Steele got up, but Caracappa stayed on his back. They went back to the ground with Steele in top position as the round ended. Steele got a takedown in the first minute of the second round, landing an elbow from above before trying for a guillotine. They got up and went back into clinch against the cage. In stand-up, Caracappa tried for another takedown but couldn’t get it. After being in clinch up against the cage for a while, Steele let his hands go, throwing a few punches. They went back to the ground in the final moments of the round as Caracappa slipped after missing a kick. They went back up against the cage in the final round. Steele landed a good elbow in this position. Caracappa landed some elbows which had Steel retreating. Steele got a takedown but found himself in a guillotine attempt. He escaped the hold and stayed on the bottom position until the round ended. In a split decision, Ricky Steele was favoured on two of the three scorecards (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2  Round 3 Total
Steele 9 10 9 28
Caracappa 10 9 10 29

Bout 2: Micol di Segni (7-2) vs. Mallory Martin (4-2) (Strawweight)

In the lighest weight class bout of the night, Italian fighter Micol di Segni faced Mallory Martin. After a minute of stand-up, Martin scored a takedown. Martin was in complete control on top position, transitioning seamlessly from side control to half guard many times, and while doing all of this landed strikes. Segni got up against the cage eventually, but Martin brought them back down short after. When they stood back up, Martin tried for a guillotine but wasn’t successful. They went back to striking for the final seconds of the first round. The first half of the second round had both fighters showing decend striking. Martin got a trip takedown. They got back up with a minute left in the second round. Martin got a second takedown as the round ended. Segni was getting absolutely dominated. In the final round, Segni was landing knees in a standing clinch. The fight went the distance with Mallory Martin getting the win (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Segni 9 9 9 27
Martin 10 10 10 30

Bout 3: Desmond Torres (7-1) vs. Steve Garcia Jr. (9-3) (Bantamweight)

In the third fight of the evening, bantamweights Desmond Torres and Steve Garcia Jr. faced off. When the match started you could tell Garcia had a huge size advantage. Torres chased after a takedown early in the fight but didn’t get it. After both fighters threw tons of strikes in a short amount of time, Torres got a single leg takedown which Garcia got up from immediately. Near the end of the first round, Garcia started to string together lots of shots, making Torres go into total defensive mode. Torres fell on the canvas and was given a few hammerfist strikes before the fight ended. Worth noting that Garcia missed weight for this fight (139.5 lbs in a 130 lb bout).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Torres
Garcia Jr.

Bout 4: Marcos Brigagao (11-0) vs. Jamal Pogues (6-2) (Light Heavyweight)

In the co-main event of the show, undefeated light heavyweight Marcos Brigagao faced Jamal Pogues. Right off the bat they were trading hard punches. Pogues scored a takedown a minute later. Pogues was clearly the better ground fighter. He tried for an armbar but couldn’t get it. When they stood back up in the final minute of the round, Pogues landed a good knee. Pogues got a third takedown to close out the round. Brigagao threatened a triangle choke but lost it. Pogues had another great round, landing many more takedowns and strikes in many positions. The final round felt like an identical one to the two before, with Pogues landing many more takedowns and grinding away at the tough Brigagao. The fight went the distance with Jamal Pogues getting the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Brigagao 9 9
Pogues 10 10

Bout 5: Leon Shahbazyan (7-1) vs. Philip Rowe (6-2) (Welterweight)

The main event of this episode was Leon Shahbazyan versus Philip Rowe in a welterweight bout. After a minute of close stand-up, Shahbazyan caught a leg and took down Rowe, landing punches on the ground. Rowe got back up but was in full defense mode. Rowe had his moments in the round but Shahbazyan never backed down. Rowe put Shahbazyan up against the cage in the first minute of the second round. With Shahbazyan up against the cage, Rowe started to land a ton of punches. Shahbazyan possibly saved himself by landing a takedown. Rowe landed some shots in top position on the ground. Rowe had a large flurry of strikes at the end of the round, with the horn potentially saving Shahbazyan. Rowe had a quick start to the final round, dropping Shahbazyan with strikes and landing a few more before referee Herb Dean ended it. Rowe was able to overcome a failed first round, turning the tides and closing the show in the following six minutes. Philip Rowe came off as a real character in his post-fight interview.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Shahbazyan 10 9
Rowe 9 10

At the end of the night, Dana White awarded a contract to Philip Rowe.

UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 Preview

In one of the UFC’s biggest shows of the year, Daniel Cormier will attempt to repeat history, beating Stipe Miocic for the second time. Last year in the summer, Cormier earned a first-round KO victory over Miocic, ending the Ohio raised fighter’s two-year reign over the heavyweight division. In a well-deserved rematch, Miocic will try to take back the belt that he had for quite some time. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz. The polarizing fighter from Stockton will face Anthony Pettis after a few days short of a three-year absence from MMA. Along with those two fights are 10 other fights on the UFC 241 PPV card. Let’s start by looking at the preliminary card for the show.

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo (6-1) vs. Shana Dobson (3-2) (Flyweight)

Starting off the evening will be a flyweight competition between two fighters with small records. Mazo is coming back from her first pro loss, which came in her UFC debut against Maryna Moroz. Before then, she was a success story from the LFA promotion. Shana Dobson is coming back from a near year and a half layoff, losing to Lauren Mueller. Both early in their UFC runs, these fighters have something to prove on Saturday.

Bout 2: Brandon Davis (10-6) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (15-8) (Bantamweight)

The second fight of the show is a battle between two fighters who are no new faces to the UFC. Kyung Ho Kang joined the UFC in 2013 and since has racked up the respectable record of 4-2 1 NC. His recent win came over Teruto Ishihara in the February PPV in Australia. The placement of Kang on this card makes the timing work out that he can be on UFC’s end of year show in Korea. While Davis has spent less time in the UFC, his record is of a similar size, with 2-3. He’ll look to even his UFC record on Saturday against Kang.

Bout 3: Hannah Cifers (9-3) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-5) (Strawweight)

Jodie Esquibel’s run in the UFC has so far been unsuccessful. Entering the promotion with a record of 6-2, Esquibel has since lost three in a row. In what’s likely her last chance to stay in the UFC, she will face Hannah Cifers, who has a 1-1 record in the UFC. With Cifers being the favourite to win the bout, Esquibel will try to beat the odds on Saturday evening.

Bout 4: Manny Bermudez (14-0) vs. Casey Kenney (12-1-1) (Bantamweight)

Ending the early prelims and moving to the prelims on ESPN, two big bantamweight prospects will face off. Casey Kenney, a fighter who has only faced defeat once in his career, will face the undefeated Manny Bermudez. Kenney took his loss in 2017 on the Dana White Contender Series. He since then went off to LFA, where he earned four straight wins. He got signed to the UFC, and most recently in March got a win over Ray Borg. Bermudez has had quick submission losses throughout his career. With 14 wins, he has only left the first round four times. In his three-fight UFC career, he has stopped all of his opponents within two rounds. In what could be an explosive fight, these two bantamweights will likely put on a show.

Bout 5: Drakkar Klose (10-1-1) vs. Christo Giagos (17-7) (Lightweight)

Both Drakkar Klose and Christo Giagos have been successful recently in their MMA career. Klose, who has been in the UFC for a few years now, is riding a two-fight win streak currently. Same is the case for Giagos. All of those aforementioned wins came from decision. Actually, neither fighter has seen a stoppage victory since they joined the UFC. Both fighters have gotten their first UFC win, but one of them might get a first in a stoppage on Saturday. What’s more likely though is that someone’s streak will end.

Bout 6: Raphael Assuncao (27-6) vs. Cory Sandhagen (11-1) (Bantamweight)

Cory Sandhagen has had an undefeated run in the UFC thus far but will meet his biggest challenge on Saturday when he faces Raphael Assuncao. Assuncao is currently coming off a loss from Marlon Moraes, but his decade of high-level MMA experience gives him an edge over Sandhagen. With a 4-0 UFC record, Sandhagen has gotten wins via strikes, submissions and decisions. His recent win came over John Lineker in April. Who will prevail on the prelims with near perfection faces a veteran of the sport.

Bout 7: Devonte Smith (10-1) vs. Khama Worthy (14-6) (Lightweight)

Finishing off the prelims of the card on ESPN is Devonte Smith versus Khama Worthy in a lightweight bout. Smith came from the Contender Series and has gotten two first-round victories since his debut. He’s a tall order for Worthy, who will be making his UFC debut. While he’s coming in as a huge underdog, Worthy is on a five-fight winning streak, all within a two year period.

Bout 8: Derek Brunson (19-7) vs. Ian Heinisch (13-1) (Middleweight)

Starting off the main card of UFC 241 is Derek Brunson facing Ian Heinisch. Brunson is coming off a victory of Elias Theodorou, which was a bounce back from losses to high profile fighters in Jacare Souza and Israel Adesanya. Heinisch is heading into his third UFC fight, coming from the Contender Series back in 2018. Heinisch has quickly established himself in the middleweight division. A win over Brunson would make it his first win over a real gatekeeper/contender fighter.

Bout 9: Sodiq Yusuff (9-1) vs. Gabriel Benitez (21-6) (Featherweight)

Before the AKA gym puts their focus on Daniel Cormier’s fight, they’ll have duty watching Gabriel Benitez face featherweight prospect Sodiq Yusuff. Making his UFC debut in 2014, Benitez has a record of 5-2. Yusuff has been perfect since his arrival, with 2 wins, one of them coming via first-round punches. He impressed in 2018 on the Contender Series, earning his contract. While Yusuff’s record in MMA is small, his success arguably makes him a fair opponent for Benitez, who hasn’t been doing too bad for himself either.

Bout 10: Yoel Romero (13-3) vs. Paulo Costa (12-0) (Middleweight)

In a fight that has been a long time coming, Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa will finally face off on Saturday. This matchup was first planned for November, but couldn’t happen as Romero wasn’t cleared to fight. Romero was then matched up with Jacare Souza, but pulled out of the bout due to pneumonia. Costa was offered to fight as a replacement in that bout but turned it down. Now, with tons of cancelled bouts, these two are paired up once again. Both fighters haven’t competed in over a year, but are both still valued highly in the middleweight division. Costa will be putting his undefeated record in the bout. Romero’s last fight was a championship loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 225. Will Costa continue his slow but steady climb up the middleweight division, or will Romero prove he deserves another shot at the title?

Bout 11: Nate Diaz (19-11) vs. Anthony Pettis (22-8) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event, the fan-friendly fighter Nate Diaz will make his long-awaited return against Anthony Pettis. Diaz’s last two fights were his famous original and sequel bout against Conor McGregor. Since then, he’s faded into the background of the UFC. He was expected to face Dustin Poirier back in the fall, but Poirier pulled out with an injury, he was benched once again. Pettis has remained busy as of late, recently knocking out Stephen Thompson with a superman punch in a fight night main event. He took a loss to Tony Ferguson in the Fall, defeating Michael Chiesa before then. Those two fights were lightweight bouts. While Pettis won’t have the concern for ring rust like Diaz might, he is still testing the welterweight waters.

Bout 12: Daniel Cormier (22-1) vs. Stipe Miocic (18-3) (UFC Heavyweight Championship)

In the main event of the PPV, Daniel Cormier will attempt to defend his UFC Heavyweight Championship against Stipe Miocic. He earned the belt in their first meeting, knocking out Miocic with an elbow while in a clinch. Cormier has since fought once, defeating Derrick Lewis to make the first defence of his belt. Miocic hasn’t fought since last summer.

The first fight with Miocic was an uphill battle for Cormier, being the short fighter by quite the length. His win proved that he can hang with Miocic, though the sudden fashion of the victory opened speculation about if he could do it again. On Saturday he’ll have the chance to prove it wasn’t a fluke, while Miocic will have the opportunity to do the opposite.

UFC will take a week off next weekend after having many consecutive weeks of events. The promotion will come back at the end of the month, with Weili Zhang facing Jessica Andrade for the Strawweight Championship in Shenzen, China. While there will be no fight night next weekend, the promotion will air the second last episode of Season 3 of the Contender Series on Tuesday. The show will conclude on the following week.

Invicta FC 36 Live Report

After two major MMA shows already this week, we march past the halfway point of the fight with Invicta FC, live from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, USA. The nine fight card is headlined by Pam Sorenson and Kaitlin Young, fighting for the vacated Invicta FC Featherweight Championship.

Bout 1: Megan Cawley (0-0) vs. Julia Ottolino (0-0) (Bantamweight)

The evening started off with two fighters making their professional debut. Early on, Cawley landeda good overhand right. Ottolino was consistently landing leg kicks. Ottolino stormed forward with punches in the third minute, then clinched up against the cage. The second round had Ottolino mostly on the perimeter of the octagon. In the second minute of the final round, Ottolino came forward with tons of punches. Cawley stayed in the fight, but there was a moment where it looked scary for her. The fight went the distance with all three judges picking Julia Ottolino as the winner (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Cawley 9 9 9 27
Ottolino 10 10 10 30

Bout 2: Erin Harpe (1-0) vs. Auttumn Norton (0-0) (Bantamweight)

In the next fight we had two fighters who are also very early into their careers. Harpe landed a takedown after Norton had a good minute or so of striking. Harpe was in control on the ground for most of the round. Norton was able to defend a takedown in the second round. Norton had some great striking throughout the rest of the round. At the very start of the final round, Harpe scored a takedown. From bottom position, Norton started to bleed quite a bit around her nose. Near the end of the fight they stood up from the ground, with Harpe getting hit with after the bell. Also, at some point on the ground Harpe landed a knee to Norton, although it looked like a mistake. The fight went the distance, with Erin Harpe getting the split decision win (29-28 Harpe, 29-28 Norton & 29-27 Harpe).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Harpe 10 9 10 29
Norton 9 10 9 28

Bout 3: Chantel Coates (1-0) vs. Caitlin Sammons (1-0) (Flyweight)

Two undefeated fighters faced off in only their second fight of their careers respectively. The crowd was behind Chantel Coates as she is from Kansas. Her first fight set the record for the quickest finish in Invicta history (28 seconds). With 90 seconds left in the first round, Sammons got hurt by punches. As a response, she smiled. Coates had the better striking, and the fight stayed in stand-up for the whole first round. Sammons finally scored a takedown with a minute left in the second round. She took the back of Coates and put in a rear naked choke, ending the bout. After having a rough start, once Sammons got the fight into her comfort zone she was able to close it out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Coates 10
Sammons 9

Bout 4: Alyse Anderson (4-1) vs. Katie Saull (3-3) (Atomweight)

In the first fight atomweight fight of the evening, Alyse Anderson fought Katie Saull, who is from Canada and fighting out of Ireland. Saull had UFC fighter Brad Katona in her corner. Anderson got on the back of Saull while standing, halfway through the round. She tried for a rear naked choke but couldn’t get it. Anderson was completely in control on the ground. When Saull went on her back, Anderson landed some strikes before she went back to trying for the rear naked choke. When the second round started, Anderson got it back to the ground after a minute of stand-up. Another takedown was landed with under a minute left in the second round. The final round was much like the ones before, with Anderson getting the fight to the ground and staying in the dominant position. The fight went the distance with Alyse Anderson getting the split decision win (30-27 Anderson, 29-28 Saull & 29-28 Anderson).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Anderson 10 10 10 30
Saull 9 9 9 27

Bout 5: Stephanie Geltmacher (4-0) vs. Victoria Leonardo (5-1) (Flyweight)

In the next fight, Stephanie Geltmacher put her undefeated record on the line against Victoria Leonardo. Throughout the first round it was Geltmacher who came forward with punches. Geltmacher was bleeding from the nose at the end of the round. In the first minute of the second round, Geltmacher did a judo throw for a takedown. She took the back of Leonardo and attempted a rear naked choke. Geltmacher’s bleeding was still going on. Geltmacher lost the position, not being able to get the choke under the chin of Leonardo. When they stood back up, Leonardo was the more mobile of the two fighters, still hopping around on her feet. With just over a minute left in the second round, Leonardo landed a great kick to the head. By the time the fight ended, Geltmacher was very bloody. The final round was slower paced stand-up, with the fighters throwing smaller combos. It wasn’t until the ten second clapper sounded that both fighters started to throw their fast punches from before. The fight went all three rounds, with Stephanie Geltmacher being told she was the winner (29-28 Leonardo, 29-28 Geltmacher & 29-28 Geltmacher). She was emotional in the post fight interview. After that, we were told by someone in the commission that they counted the scorecards wrong, and Victoria Leonardo actually won the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Geltmacher 10 9 9 28
Leonardo 9 10 10 29

Bout 6: Jessica Delboni (8-1) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (6-1) (Atomweight)

In the sixth fight of the evening, Lindsey VanZandt made her return to Invicta, facing Jessica Delboni, in her Invicta debut. Some people might recognize VanZandt as the fighter who choked out JMMA fighter RENA cold back in June at Bellator. Delboni scored a takedown in the third minute of the fight. VanZandt was the dominant fighter in the second round, being in control on thr ground for most of the round. Delboni got a takedown early in the final round. The referee stood them up after a minute or so of inactivity. Delboni got another takedown as the fight reached the 15th minute. In yet another split decision, Jessica Delboni got the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Delboni 10 9 10 29
VanZandt 9 10 9 28

Bout 7: Janaisa Morandin (10-2) vs. Emily Ducote (7-5) (Catchweight 120lbs)

The co-main event of the evening had somewhat experienced strawweights in Janaisa Morandin and Emily Ducote facing off. In what was originally scheduled to be a strawweight bout, it was changed to a catchweight after Morandin weighed in at 119.6 lbs on Thursday. Ducote was often the one advancing in the first round. With a minute left in the first round, Ducote anded a right cross with dropped Morandin. After a few more punches, the referee stepped in and ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Morandin
Ducote

Bout 8: Pam Sorenson (7-3) vs. Kaitlin Young (10-9-1) (Invicta Bantamweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Pam Sorenson and Kaitlin Young battled for the vacant Invicta Bantamweight Championship. Sorenson got a takedown in the second minute of the song. Young stood up, but Sorenson was still on her back. In the final minute of the song, Sorenson got another takedown and took the back of Young. When getting up, Young landed a knee to the head of Sorenson, who was grounded. A point was taken away due to this incident. Sorenson got on Young’s back and tried for a rear naked choke in the second round but had her arm above the chin. Young was able to take the top position for a minute or so before the referee stood them up. Sorenson failed at two takedown attempts before the round ended. Sorenson got a takedown after Young ruled the first two minutes of stand-up in the third round. On the ground, Young was on the top position. Sorenson caught her in an armbar, but Young escaped. Sorenson got another takedown in the first minute of the fourth round. Young got the most out of the exchange on the ground, trying for an arm and head choke it looked like. Young opened the final round with good striking, but like many times before, Sorenson landed a takedown. While on the ground, Sorenson started to bleed. She spent most of the round trying for a rear naked choke. The fight went all five rounds, leaving the fate of the fight in the hands of the judges. The judges scored it in favour of Pam Sorenson (50-44, 49-45 & 48-45).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Sorenson 10 10 10 9 10 49
Young 8 9 9 10 9 45

 

The next Invicta show will be on September 6th, with the second Phoenix Series event, which is a one-night eight-fighter tournament. This time around, it will be a flyweight bracket.