Bellator 19 Re-Cap

Bellator 19
Bellator Fighting Championships
Verizon Theatre
Grand Prairie, Tx
May 20, 2010
Fox Sports South

This week features the Welterweights in action. Steve Carl takes on Dan Hornbuckle and Ryan Thomas gets his re-match against Ben Askren. Featherweight Champion Joe Soto will also have a non-title Super Fight on the card. Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith are the announcers for the show.

Welterweight Semi-Final Tournament Fight- Steve Carl (13-1) vs. Dan Hornbuckle (20-2)

Both of these fighters fought on Bellator 15 in April. Hornbuckle quickly dispatched of Tyler Stinson with a Triangle Choke in the first round. Carl beat Brett Cooper by split decision. Hornbuckle is my odds on favorite to take the Welterweight tournament. The ring announcer botches the introductions. Hornbuckle fights out of American Top Team.

R1- Hornbuckle pulled guard early and the announcers called it a take down. Hornbuckle went for a kimura and trapped Carl's head with his leg. Hornbuckle rolled over on top and applied more pressure and got the submission win. Very impressive win for Hornbuckle.

Winner: Dan Hornbuckle by Submission (Kimura) R1 2:31

Welterweight Semi-Final Tournament Fight- Ben Askren (4-0) vs. Ryan Thomas (11-4)

These two fought on Bellator 14 and Askren won by ref stoppage in what was a poor call by the ref. Askren was in control of the fight in the first round and had a guillotine on Thomas but didn't have it on tight. Thomas was given the opportunity to fight his way back into the tournament and did so on Bellator 15 when he finished Jacob McClintock with strikes in the first round.

R1- Askren got a quick take down. Askren briefly got a mount but was then put into half guard. Askren went for an arm bar but Thomas got out. Thomas jumped over Askren and instead of taking his back took bottom position. Big mistake by Thomas. Askren mounted again and tried to get the arm bar again but Thomas was able to fight out as the round ended. Askren 10-9. Thomas looked like he threw a punch on the ground clearly after the bell but they cut to commercial as he was about to connect.

R2- This is the first time Askren has had a fight go to the second round. Askren hit a right hand early but then Thomas clinched and got a take down. Askren was able to scramble and briefly take Ryan's back and then got on top in side control. If Askren was more experienced this fight would have been over a long time ago. Thomas is giving Askren all kinds of openings for submissions. Askren briefly tried to grab a Rear Naked but Thomas rolled out. Askren dominating right now 20-18.

R3- Thomas hit a knee early. Askren went for a take down and Thomas tried for a choke but Askren completed the take down. Lots of back and forth wrestling. Askren mounted Thomas with two minutes left. Not a very exciting round but I score it for Askren again. Askren 30-27. It's going to be really tough for him to beat Hornbuckle.

Judges score cards: 30-27 on all score cards

Winner: Ben Askren by Decision (Unanimous)

Featherweight Super Fight- Joe Soto (8-0) vs. Diego Saraiva (18-8-1)

Soto is the reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion and has a background in wrestling. Soto has 4 wins by knockout and 3 by submission. Saraiva is 4-0 at Featherweight. Saraiva has finished 12 fights by submission

R1- Soto got a quick take down early in the first round. Soto stayed on top and controlled for the entire round. Soto landed a big elbow very late in the round that opened up a large cut on Saraiva's forehead. Soto 10-9.

During the break the doctor stopped the fight due to the cut Saraiva sustained at the end of the round.

Winner: Joe Soto by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) R1 5:00

Bantamweight Fight- Jared Lopez (8-9) vs. Johnny Bedford (23-8-1)

Lopez has knocked his opponent out in 6 of his 8 wins. Bedford has 10 knockouts and 9 submissions to his record.

R1- Lopez landed a couple of strikes but then got taken down about a minute and a half into the round. Bedford stayed on top for the majority of the run until Lopez flipped him over in the last minute. Bedford 10-9.

R2- Bedford got a take down early in the round. Bedford grabbed a kimura from side control but let it go in order to land some elbows to the head. Bedford let him up and landed some good strikes and then took him back down. Bedford 20-18.

R3- Bedford landed some good body shots early in the round and then got the take down. The fight was stood up with three minutes left in the round. Bedford landed some good body shots again and then landed a good knee that knocked Lopez down. Lopez covered up and turned to his side and Bedford landed another strike or two and the ref stopped the fight.

Winner: Johnny Bedford by TKO (Strikes) R3 2:16

Bellator 14 4/15 Re-Cap

Bellator 14
Bellator Fighting Championships
Chicago Theatre
Chicago, Illinois
April 15, 2010
Fox Sports South

Last week was the start of season 2 of the Bellator Fighting Championships and we saw opening round action in the Featherweight and Lightweight divisions. Toby Imada, Wilson Reis, Pat Curran and Ben Askren highlight the fights tonight as we have fights in the lightweight, featherweight, and welterweight divisions. Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith are the announcers for the show.

Lightweight Quarterfinal Fight- Mike Ricci (5-0) vs. Pat Curran (9-3)

Ricci trains with Georges St-Pierre and is currently undefeated. Ricci has finished 4 of his 5 fights with 3 of the wins coming by KO. Pat Curran is the cousin of MMA veteran Jeff Curran.

R1- Really boring first half of the first round and then just as they were lulling me to sleep Pat Curran hit a right hand that just stopped Ricci and then landed four big Ground and Pound strikes and this one is in the record books. Wow. Fantastic finish by Curran.

Winner: Pat Curran by KO R1 3:01

Featherweight Quarterfinal Fight- Wilson Reis (9-1) vs. Shad Lierley (5-2)

Reis was undefeated until he lost to Joe Soto in the semi-finals of last years Bellator tournament. Lierley is a wrestler who is currently training with Roger Huerta. Reis is a former jiu jitsu world champion.

R1- Both guys start at a pretty frantic pace and when the fight didn't go to the ground both guys started throwing wild haymakers. Reis got a take down a minute and a half into the fight. Lierley was able to get to his feet and then get a take down but Reis quickly reversed positions and took Lierley's back. Lierley got out and Reis went for an arm bar but Lierley again slipped out. Reis ended the round with a take down. Reis 10-9.

R2- Reis fought to get top position early in this round but wasn't able to do anything with it. Reis got another take down with three minutes left in the round. This one has turned into a snoozer so of course the announcers call these guys cerebral fighters. Which I don't disagree with I just liked their cerebralness more last round. Reis 10-9 and seems to be in control of this fight right now.

R3- Reis got a take down in the first thirty seconds of this round. Reis landed some Ground and Pound and then surprisingly finished the fight. Good showing by Reis and I was definitely surprised he finished the fight as he looked like he was going to Jon Fitch this one out.

Winner: Wilson Reis by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) R3 3:33

Welterweight Quarterfinal Fight- Ben Askren (3-0) vs. Ryan Thomas (10-3)

Askren is a former Olympic wrestler and former NCAA wrestling champion. Thomas has a background in wrestling and Muay Thai and has UFC experience. He has also finished all of his 10 victories (7 by submission and 3 by knockout). Askren has finished all 3 of his opponents in the first round and is currently training out of the Lions Den. Askren just got married last week and they show her at ringside and the announcers mention that this is their honeymoon.

"Let's see how good he can wrestle with my fist in his mouth and my foot up his ass"- Ryan Thomas

R1- Thomas hit a quick punch and tried to egg Askren on but Askren immediately got a take down. Thomas went for a triangle and Askren slipped out of the submission attempt. Askren went for a choke but gave up position. Thomas took top position for about five seconds before Askren rolled him back over. Askren clamped on a guillotine and the ref stopped the fight despite Thomas not tapping out and him not being choked out. Horrible stoppage. Askren looked good. Not his fault. Just really bad referring.

Winner: Ben Askren by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) R1 2:40

Lightweight Quarterfinal Fight- James Krause (11-2) vs. Toby Imada (25-13)

The announcers say Krause cut from 190 to 155 over the last week. Krause is replacing a French Olympian that I would butcher his name if I tried to type. Krause has finished all 11 of his wins (9 submissions and 2 knockouts) Imada upset Jorge Masvidal last year in Bellator when he finished him with a sick inverted triangle that took home many submission of the year awards. Imada has 15 submission wins and 9 knockouts in his 25 wins. Imada lost to Eddie Alvarez in the Lightweight Finals of last years Bellator tournament. Krause has a big height advantage.

R1- Imada got a take down about a minute and a half into the fight. Imada went for an omaplata but Krause slipped out and took top position with a minute and a half left in the round. Close round. I've got Imada 10-9.

R2- Imada quickly got top position on Krause. Krause got the fight back to the feet but Imada got another take down at around the three minute mark. Imada went for an arm bar and Krause quickly tapped out. Good showing for Imada.

Winner: Toby Imada by Submission (Arm Bar) R2 2:44