Bellator 15 4/22 Re-Cap

Bellator 15
Bellator Fighting Championships
Mohegan Sun Arena
Uncasville, CT
April 22, 2010
Fox Sports South

This is the third week of the second season of the Bellator Fighting Championships. This week we will be seeing the final fights in the Featherweight and Welterweight Quarterfinals. Ryan Thomas lost last week by a controversial stoppage but this week he gets a chance to step back in due to a travel issue for another fighter. Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith are the announcers for the show.

Featherweight Quarterfinal Fight- Will Romero (5-0) vs. Patricio Pitbull (12-0)

This is the US debut for both fighters. Romero is Canadian and Pitbull is Brazilian. Romero has 4 stoppages in his 5 wins (2 KO and 2 Submissions). Pitbull has finished 9 of his 12 fights (6 by submission and 3 by KO). Pitbull trains with the Team Nogueira. The winner of this fight will face Wilson Reis in the semi-finals of the Featherweight tournament.

R1- Pitbull got a take down in the first minute after landing some strikes. Pitbull went for an ankle lock and then grabbed a heel hook and Romero tapped out. Very impressive showing for Pitbulls. I'm definitely looking forward to his fight with Wilson Reis.

Winner: Patricio Pitbull by Submission (Heel Hook) R1 2:01

Welterweight Quarterfinal Fight- Ryan Thomas (10-4) vs. Jacob McClintock (6-0)

For some reason McClintock chooses "Wild Boys" from Duran Duran as his theme music. I'm guessing he's a huge Cro Cop fan because there is no other reasonable excuse (besides losing a drunken bet) for choosing that music. Thomas is getting a second chance in this tournament after he was a victim of a poor referee stoppage last week. McClintock has finished all of his fights (6 KO and 2 Submissions) and fights out of Arizona Combat Sports. Thomas has also had stoppages in all of his wins (3 KO and 7 submissions). Dan Mirgliatta is the referee so we could see another early stoppage.

R1- McClintock comes in hard early and landed some strikes. McClintock used a kimura to get a take down and then took his back. Thomas was able to turn McClintock over and take his guard. Thomas lands some good Ground and Pound. Thomas gets a partial crucifix and lands some good shots to McClintock's face and bloodies him up. McClintock tried to grab a triangle but is getting hurt with the Ground and Pound and the ref steps in and stops the fight.

Winner: Ryan Thomas by TKO (Strikes) R1 4:11

Post-fight Ryan Thomas calls out Ben Askren and says he didn't beat him and everybody knows he didn't beat him.

Welterweight Quarterfinal Fight- Tyler Stinson (17-5) vs. Dan Hornbuckle (19-2)

Stinson beat out 78 other pro MMA fighters in last months open tryouts to get this chance. Hornbuckle has wins over Akihiro Gono and Nick Thompson in Sengoku. Stinson has 16 finishes in his 17 wins (12 being by KO). Hornbuckle has finished 16 of his 19 wins (9 by KO and 7 by submission). Hornbuckle looks like a huge favorite on paper.

R1- Stinson looked decent on his feet and then stuffed a take down but got caught in a triangle once Stinson took the fight to the ground. Stinson tried to hold on but had to tap out. Really good showing by Hornbuckle as he went to the finish as soon as the fight went to the ground.

Winner: Dan Hornbuckle by Submission (Triangle Choke) R1 2:03

Welterweight Quarterfinal Fight- Steve Carl (12-1) vs. Brett Cooper (12-5)

This is the final Welterweight Quarterfinal fight. Cooper is 10-2 in his last 12 fights. Carl has 8 submissions and 2 KOs out of his 12 wins. Carl is 7-0 since returning from a serious car accident that he had in 2006.

R1- Cooper got an early slam in the first thirty seconds of the fight. Carl was able to scramble out of the position and ended up getting a take down of his own. Back to their feet and Carl landed some strikes before clinching against the cage. Cooper briefly got a take down but Carl quickly got back to his feet and then got a take down. Carl 10-9.

R2- First half of the round was even and mostly uneventful. Carl got a take down with a minute and a half left in the round. Carl went for a triangle and Cooper slipped out and into side control but Carl quickly got back to his feet. Close round, this is one I would put at 10-10 if it was allowed in the scoring. Otherwise I go 10-9 Carl due to the take down and submission attempt and the strikes he landed towards the end of the round. Neither guy really did any damage in this round.

R3- Carl landed a couple of kicks early and then Cooper had a take down reversed. Cooper popped right back up and was able to land some strikes. Cooper got a take down only a minute and a half into the final round. Cooper briefly got mount but Carl quickly got back to his feet. Carl lands some kicks. Cooper got a take down with about a minute left in the fight. Cooper landed some Ground and Pound from full guard. Cooper landed a couple of really good shots and looked like he could have finished but didn't. Cooper takes this round but I've got Carl 29-28. I smell a split decision. Very close fight. Cooper did more damage but I think Carl took rounds one and two.

Judges score cards: 29-28 Cooper, 29-28 Carl, 29-28 Carl

Winner: Steve Carl by Decision (Split)

From what I've seen in the Welterweight division I'd have to say Dan Hornbuckle looks like the odds-on favorite with Ben Askren as my runner-up.

Featherweight Fight- Brylan Vanartsdalen vs. Rich De los Reyes

Due to time being left on the broadcast this fight is joined in progress going into round two. It is a fight from the preliminaries of this show. This is the pro debut for Vanartsdalen.

R1- Vanartsdalen went for a throw but got mounted instead and then De los Reyes took his back and went for a choke. Vanartsdalen got to his feet and De los Reyes clamped in the choke and Vanartsdalen slammed him to briefly break up the submission. De los Reyes rolled him back over and clamped in the Rear Naked and got the victory.

Winner: Rich De los Reyes by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) R2 2:03