Askren (14-0) last fought Luis Santos (61-9-1) to a no contest after an accidental eye poke at One FC 26.
Showing posts with label Ben Askren. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Askren. Show all posts
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Video of the Day - Vereb v. Askren
Here is Ben Askren wrestling Hungary's Istavan Vereb in a freestyle wrestling match from the 2008 Olympics round of 8.
Askren (14-0) last fought Luis Santos (61-9-1) to a no contest after an accidental eye poke at One FC 26.
Askren (14-0) last fought Luis Santos (61-9-1) to a no contest after an accidental eye poke at One FC 26.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Best Champions The UFC Needs
Without a doubt, the UFC holds the vast majority of talent in MMA. However, some legit rising fighters exist outside the UFC who should get a shot in the UFC. I've left off Jake Shields and Rouisimar Palhares, as I think more time needs to pass for either to get a shot back at the UFC. I just don't forsee Cyborg making 135 pounds in the UFC, so I left her off.
Here is a look at the top 10.
1. Ben Askren (14-0) the NCAA champ and Olympic wrestler has been devasting his last 4 bouts earning 3 TKO's and a 1st round arm triangle submission. The current One FC welterweight champ next defends his title against Bellator veteran Luis Santos (61-9). Askren had contract discussions with the UFC, but no offer was officially made and One FC offered Askren good money. With a few fights still on his contract, Askren won't hit the market in the near future. With the best wrestling at 170 and increasingly good submission skills, Askren can compete with anyone in the top 10 right now.
2. Marcin "Tybur" Tybura (11-0)- The Polish HW and BJJ black belt has 5 submissions and 4 TKO's on his resume. The M-1 HW Champ seems to be at his best when he throws a few punches, backs his opponent against the fence and works a takedown. From there, Tybura has a solid submission game from top position and uses ground and pound to set up submissions. Tybura's contract status with M-1 could be murky with a champions clause. Tybura hasn't fought since his 1st round submission of hot prospect Denis Smoldarev (11-1). With an aging HW division, the 29 year old Tybura would fit in well as he is in his prime.
3. Justin Gaeje (13-0)- The 26 year old former wrestler has been dominant as WSOF's 155 pound champion. He last defended the title with a close split decision win over Melvin Guillard in his most lackluster performance to date. Prior to that fight, he had 7 straight T/KO's including a 1st round TKO over JZ Cavalcante and 2nd round TKO's over Dan Lauzon and Nick Newell. Gaethje is on his 6th WSOF fight.
4. Shinya Aoki (37-6)- The insane submission specialist is One FC's current 155 pound champion. He last fought on NYE in Inoki Bom Ba Ye, submitting Yuki Yamamoto with a rare twister. He has won 7 straight since a TKO loss to Eddie Alvarez in Bellator. Aoki may be resistant to a move for the US based UFC, as he has gone just 1-2 stateside. Aoki has career wins over Rich Clementi, Kamal Shalorus, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Lyle Beerbohm and Joachim Hansen. At 31 years old and having been TKO'd 4 times in MMA and once in kickboxing, time is not on Aoki's side.
5. Patricio Friere (23-2)- Bellator's 145 pound champ has been on a tear since a narrow split decision loss to Pat Curran at Bellator 85. Winner of season 4 and 9's featherweight tournaments, Friere won a decision over Pat Curran for the title and defended by submitting Daniel Strauss. He also has KO wins over UFC vets Diego Nunes and Wilson Reis.
6. Will Brooks (15-1)- The tenacious wrestler won Bellator's season 9 LW tourney and followed it up with a split decision win over Michael Chandler, then TKO'd Chandler in the rematch. With 8 career Bellator fights, Brooks loyalty might be with the organization. Brooks next fights Dave Jansen at Bellator 136.
7. Jessica Aguilar (19-4)- The current WSOF 115 pound champion has won 10 straight since a questionable split decision loss to Zolia Gurgel in Bellator. Generally ranked #1-2 in the world at 115, Aguilar holds a split decision win over UFC 115 champ Carla Esparza which took place on 6/25/11 in Bellator. Aguilar holds decision wins over Megumi Fujii, Emi Fujino and Lisa Ellis in her career, with a sub over judo expert Alida Gray. Aguilar's solid grappling would give anyone in the 115 pound division trouble.
8. Vitaly Minakov (14-0)- Bellator’s reigning HW champion has not fought much lately. With a background in Sambo, he knocked out countryman Alexander Volkov to win the Bellator belt in November 2013 and then defended with a decision win over UFC vet Cheick Kongo in April. With crisp boxing to go along with black belt judo, Minakov would be a welcome addition. Questions have arisen due to the long layoff whether Minakov is injured or if he is dealing with contractual issues.
9. Marlon Moraes (14-4)- the WSOF 135 pound champ has won 9 straight fights, defeating former WEC champ Miguel Torres, TUF vet Cody Bollinger and Josh Hill(then 10-0). With Dominick Cruz's career likely over, Moraes would look good on the roster. The 26 year old is 1-2 fights into his new WSOF deal which is a multi-fight, multi-year deal.
10. Liam McGeary (10-0)- The new Bellator LHW champ just dominated Emanuel Newton for five rounds at BFC 134. The 6'6" McGeary had never been to decision before that fight, winning the Bellator LHW tourney with TKO's of Egidijus Valavicius and Kelly Anundson. He has 7 straight Bellator wins.
Here is a look at the top 10.
1. Ben Askren (14-0) the NCAA champ and Olympic wrestler has been devasting his last 4 bouts earning 3 TKO's and a 1st round arm triangle submission. The current One FC welterweight champ next defends his title against Bellator veteran Luis Santos (61-9). Askren had contract discussions with the UFC, but no offer was officially made and One FC offered Askren good money. With a few fights still on his contract, Askren won't hit the market in the near future. With the best wrestling at 170 and increasingly good submission skills, Askren can compete with anyone in the top 10 right now.
2. Marcin "Tybur" Tybura (11-0)- The Polish HW and BJJ black belt has 5 submissions and 4 TKO's on his resume. The M-1 HW Champ seems to be at his best when he throws a few punches, backs his opponent against the fence and works a takedown. From there, Tybura has a solid submission game from top position and uses ground and pound to set up submissions. Tybura's contract status with M-1 could be murky with a champions clause. Tybura hasn't fought since his 1st round submission of hot prospect Denis Smoldarev (11-1). With an aging HW division, the 29 year old Tybura would fit in well as he is in his prime.
3. Justin Gaeje (13-0)- The 26 year old former wrestler has been dominant as WSOF's 155 pound champion. He last defended the title with a close split decision win over Melvin Guillard in his most lackluster performance to date. Prior to that fight, he had 7 straight T/KO's including a 1st round TKO over JZ Cavalcante and 2nd round TKO's over Dan Lauzon and Nick Newell. Gaethje is on his 6th WSOF fight.
4. Shinya Aoki (37-6)- The insane submission specialist is One FC's current 155 pound champion. He last fought on NYE in Inoki Bom Ba Ye, submitting Yuki Yamamoto with a rare twister. He has won 7 straight since a TKO loss to Eddie Alvarez in Bellator. Aoki may be resistant to a move for the US based UFC, as he has gone just 1-2 stateside. Aoki has career wins over Rich Clementi, Kamal Shalorus, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Lyle Beerbohm and Joachim Hansen. At 31 years old and having been TKO'd 4 times in MMA and once in kickboxing, time is not on Aoki's side.
5. Patricio Friere (23-2)- Bellator's 145 pound champ has been on a tear since a narrow split decision loss to Pat Curran at Bellator 85. Winner of season 4 and 9's featherweight tournaments, Friere won a decision over Pat Curran for the title and defended by submitting Daniel Strauss. He also has KO wins over UFC vets Diego Nunes and Wilson Reis.
6. Will Brooks (15-1)- The tenacious wrestler won Bellator's season 9 LW tourney and followed it up with a split decision win over Michael Chandler, then TKO'd Chandler in the rematch. With 8 career Bellator fights, Brooks loyalty might be with the organization. Brooks next fights Dave Jansen at Bellator 136.
7. Jessica Aguilar (19-4)- The current WSOF 115 pound champion has won 10 straight since a questionable split decision loss to Zolia Gurgel in Bellator. Generally ranked #1-2 in the world at 115, Aguilar holds a split decision win over UFC 115 champ Carla Esparza which took place on 6/25/11 in Bellator. Aguilar holds decision wins over Megumi Fujii, Emi Fujino and Lisa Ellis in her career, with a sub over judo expert Alida Gray. Aguilar's solid grappling would give anyone in the 115 pound division trouble.
8. Vitaly Minakov (14-0)- Bellator’s reigning HW champion has not fought much lately. With a background in Sambo, he knocked out countryman Alexander Volkov to win the Bellator belt in November 2013 and then defended with a decision win over UFC vet Cheick Kongo in April. With crisp boxing to go along with black belt judo, Minakov would be a welcome addition. Questions have arisen due to the long layoff whether Minakov is injured or if he is dealing with contractual issues.
9. Marlon Moraes (14-4)- the WSOF 135 pound champ has won 9 straight fights, defeating former WEC champ Miguel Torres, TUF vet Cody Bollinger and Josh Hill(then 10-0). With Dominick Cruz's career likely over, Moraes would look good on the roster. The 26 year old is 1-2 fights into his new WSOF deal which is a multi-fight, multi-year deal.
10. Liam McGeary (10-0)- The new Bellator LHW champ just dominated Emanuel Newton for five rounds at BFC 134. The 6'6" McGeary had never been to decision before that fight, winning the Bellator LHW tourney with TKO's of Egidijus Valavicius and Kelly Anundson. He has 7 straight Bellator wins.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Video of the Day - Popovich v. Askren
Here is Pablo Popovich grappling Ben Askren at the 2009 Abu Dhabi in the 77 KG (169 pound) division which took place in Barcelona, Spain.
Pablo Popovich, a 4th degree BJJ blackbelt, has several accolades including a 2009 ADCC championship, and grappling wins over Marcelo Garcia, Gregor Gracie, Jake Shields, Renzo Gracie and Saulo Ribiero. He was recently in the news after Thiago Silva came to his gym with a gun honking his horn. Silva is currently in jail awaiting a trial on aggravated assault charges.
Askren was coming off an appearance in the 2008 Olympics in freestyle wrestling. Askren defeated Toni Lindin via submission in his first bout. Later in 2009, Askren would win gold in the 2009 FILA World Grappling Championships defeating UFC veteran Jacob Volkmann. Askren will next compete in One FC in May of 2014.
Pablo Popovich, a 4th degree BJJ blackbelt, has several accolades including a 2009 ADCC championship, and grappling wins over Marcelo Garcia, Gregor Gracie, Jake Shields, Renzo Gracie and Saulo Ribiero. He was recently in the news after Thiago Silva came to his gym with a gun honking his horn. Silva is currently in jail awaiting a trial on aggravated assault charges.
Askren was coming off an appearance in the 2008 Olympics in freestyle wrestling. Askren defeated Toni Lindin via submission in his first bout. Later in 2009, Askren would win gold in the 2009 FILA World Grappling Championships defeating UFC veteran Jacob Volkmann. Askren will next compete in One FC in May of 2014.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Bellator Season 6 Status
Bellator Season 6 kicked off on March 9th at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. The star studded show featured Pat Curran taking the featherweight title from Joe Warren with an epic KO victory.
Tournaments are being held in the 185, 170, 155, 145 and 135 pound men's divisions this season. Each division will also hold title fights for previous tournament winners, except in the 155 pound division, which saw Michael Chandler defeat Eddie Alvarez in an epic battle at Bellator 58.
Middleweight (185)
The middleweight division will find defending champion Hector Lombard (31-2-1) fighting season five champ Alexander Shlemenko (44-7) in a rematch of their Bellator 34 match-up. Lombard, a judo blackbelt, and powerful striker, is on a 24 fight win streak. Shlemenko is a dynamic kickboxer who won the Bellator season 2 and 5 tournaments.
(Pic from Lombard v. Shlemenko I)
Season 6 MW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 61 on March 16:
Brian Rogers (8-3) v Vitor Vianna (12-2-1)
Giva Santana (17-1) v Bruno Santos (12-0)
Victor O'Donnell (11-3) v Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (15-1)
Maiquel Falcão (28-4 1NC) v Norman Paraisy (10-1-1)
Welterweight (170)
The welterweight division will see champion Ben Askren (9-0) fighting season 5 tournament champ Douglas Lima (20-4) at Bellator 64. Askren, an NCAA champion and Olympic level wrestler, narrowly defeated Jay Hieron at Bellator 56 to defend his title which he captured with a win over Lyman Good. Lima won season 5's tournament with a decision over Steve Karl before brutally KO'ing Chris Lozano and UFC veteran Ben Saunders.
(Askren v. Ryan Thomas)
Season 6 WW Final Four:
Karl Amoussou (14-4-2)- Defeats Chris Lozano via RNC.
Ben Saunders (13-4-2)- Defeats Raul Amaya via unanimous decision.
David Rickels (9-0)- Brutally KO's Jordan Smith to advance.
Bryan Baker (17-3)- Defeats Carlos Pereira via decision.
Lightweight (155)
Michael Chandler (9-0), defeated Eddie Alvarez via fourth round rear naked choke at Bellator 58, will likely get a non-title fight during the Season 6. Chandler won the Season 4 lightweight tournament, defeating Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard and Patricky Freire. Chandler was an All-American at Missouri before making his transition to MMA.
(Michael Chandler v. Eddie Alvarez pictured)
Season 6 LW Quarter-Finals Final Four:
Lloyd Woodard (11-1)- defeats Patricky Friere via kimura.
Rick Hawn (12-1)- defeats Ricardo Tirloni via KO.
Brent Weedman (18-7-1)- defeats JJ Ambrose via submission.
Thiago Michel (9-2)- defeats Rene Nazere via split decision.
Featherweight (145)
The featherweight division will see two title fights this season barring injury due to Joe Warren (7-2) attempting a run at the Season 5 bantamweight tournament. Warren, the season 2 champion, will fight Pat Curran (16-4) at Bellator 60. Curran won the summer series 145 pound championship, where he defeated Marlon Sandro, Ronnie Mann and Luis Palomino.
(Joe Warren v. Pat Curran Bellator promo pic)
Pat Curran (17-4) will next fight Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire (17-1), who won the season 4 featherweight championship. Friere, a BJJ blackbelt and powerful Muay Thai striker, won season 4 by defeating Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Daniel Straus.
The first round of the featherweight tournament saw Marlon Sandro defeat Roberto Vargas via first round rear naked choke in a dominant performance standing. Alexandre Bezerra took a cautious approach at first before catching Kenny Foster in a second round rear naked choke as time was running out.
Mike Corey imposed his will on the favorite, Ronnie Mann, scoring takedowns and ground and pound to win via unanimous decision. Daniel Strauss used a similar gameplan, utilizing a quick power double to win via unanimous decision.
The Season 6 FW Final Four match-ups have been announced:
Marlon Sandro (21-3) v Alexandre Bezerra (13-1)
Mike Corey (12-2) v. Daniel Straus (18-4)
Bantamweight (135)
Season 3 champion Zach Makovsky (14-2) will fight Season 5 champion Eduardo Dantas (13-2) for the bantamweight title. Makovsky has fought in two non-title fights since his season 3 championship, defeating Chad Robichaux via TKO and Ryan Roberts via submission. Dantas captured the season 5 title by defeating Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila.
(Makovsky v. Robichaux pictured)
Quarter-Finals Participants, likely to begin at BFC 64:
Marcos Galvao (10-5-1)
Hiroshi Nakamura (14-5-4)
Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Alexis Vila (11-1)
Luis Nogueira (12-2)
Rodrigo Lima (9-0)
Ed West (17-6)
Travis Marx (18-3)
Tournaments are being held in the 185, 170, 155, 145 and 135 pound men's divisions this season. Each division will also hold title fights for previous tournament winners, except in the 155 pound division, which saw Michael Chandler defeat Eddie Alvarez in an epic battle at Bellator 58.
Middleweight (185)
The middleweight division will find defending champion Hector Lombard (31-2-1) fighting season five champ Alexander Shlemenko (44-7) in a rematch of their Bellator 34 match-up. Lombard, a judo blackbelt, and powerful striker, is on a 24 fight win streak. Shlemenko is a dynamic kickboxer who won the Bellator season 2 and 5 tournaments.
(Pic from Lombard v. Shlemenko I)
Season 6 MW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 61 on March 16:
Brian Rogers (8-3) v Vitor Vianna (12-2-1)
Giva Santana (17-1) v Bruno Santos (12-0)
Victor O'Donnell (11-3) v Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (15-1)
Maiquel Falcão (28-4 1NC) v Norman Paraisy (10-1-1)
Welterweight (170)
The welterweight division will see champion Ben Askren (9-0) fighting season 5 tournament champ Douglas Lima (20-4) at Bellator 64. Askren, an NCAA champion and Olympic level wrestler, narrowly defeated Jay Hieron at Bellator 56 to defend his title which he captured with a win over Lyman Good. Lima won season 5's tournament with a decision over Steve Karl before brutally KO'ing Chris Lozano and UFC veteran Ben Saunders.
(Askren v. Ryan Thomas)
Season 6 WW Final Four:
Karl Amoussou (14-4-2)- Defeats Chris Lozano via RNC.
Ben Saunders (13-4-2)- Defeats Raul Amaya via unanimous decision.
David Rickels (9-0)- Brutally KO's Jordan Smith to advance.
Bryan Baker (17-3)- Defeats Carlos Pereira via decision.
Lightweight (155)
Michael Chandler (9-0), defeated Eddie Alvarez via fourth round rear naked choke at Bellator 58, will likely get a non-title fight during the Season 6. Chandler won the Season 4 lightweight tournament, defeating Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard and Patricky Freire. Chandler was an All-American at Missouri before making his transition to MMA.
(Michael Chandler v. Eddie Alvarez pictured)
Season 6 LW Quarter-Finals Final Four:
Lloyd Woodard (11-1)- defeats Patricky Friere via kimura.
Rick Hawn (12-1)- defeats Ricardo Tirloni via KO.
Brent Weedman (18-7-1)- defeats JJ Ambrose via submission.
Thiago Michel (9-2)- defeats Rene Nazere via split decision.
Featherweight (145)
The featherweight division will see two title fights this season barring injury due to Joe Warren (7-2) attempting a run at the Season 5 bantamweight tournament. Warren, the season 2 champion, will fight Pat Curran (16-4) at Bellator 60. Curran won the summer series 145 pound championship, where he defeated Marlon Sandro, Ronnie Mann and Luis Palomino.
(Joe Warren v. Pat Curran Bellator promo pic)
Pat Curran (17-4) will next fight Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire (17-1), who won the season 4 featherweight championship. Friere, a BJJ blackbelt and powerful Muay Thai striker, won season 4 by defeating Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Daniel Straus.
The first round of the featherweight tournament saw Marlon Sandro defeat Roberto Vargas via first round rear naked choke in a dominant performance standing. Alexandre Bezerra took a cautious approach at first before catching Kenny Foster in a second round rear naked choke as time was running out.
Mike Corey imposed his will on the favorite, Ronnie Mann, scoring takedowns and ground and pound to win via unanimous decision. Daniel Strauss used a similar gameplan, utilizing a quick power double to win via unanimous decision.
The Season 6 FW Final Four match-ups have been announced:
Marlon Sandro (21-3) v Alexandre Bezerra (13-1)
Mike Corey (12-2) v. Daniel Straus (18-4)
Bantamweight (135)
Season 3 champion Zach Makovsky (14-2) will fight Season 5 champion Eduardo Dantas (13-2) for the bantamweight title. Makovsky has fought in two non-title fights since his season 3 championship, defeating Chad Robichaux via TKO and Ryan Roberts via submission. Dantas captured the season 5 title by defeating Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila.
(Makovsky v. Robichaux pictured)
Quarter-Finals Participants, likely to begin at BFC 64:
Marcos Galvao (10-5-1)
Hiroshi Nakamura (14-5-4)
Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Alexis Vila (11-1)
Luis Nogueira (12-2)
Rodrigo Lima (9-0)
Ed West (17-6)
Travis Marx (18-3)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Bellator Season 6 Preview
Bellator Season 6 will kick off on March 9th at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. The star studded show will feature a featherweight title fight between Pat Curran and Joe Warren, with the featherweight tournament kicking off.
Tournaments will be held in the 185, 170, 155, 145 and 135 pound men's divisions this season. Each division will also hold title fights for previous tournament winners, except in the 155 pound division, which saw Michael Chandler defeat Eddie Alvarez in an epic battle at Bellator 58.
The rematch of the season 5 HW title fight between Eric Prindle (7-1) and Thiago Santos (10-1) will happen at BFC 61. At BFC 59, Santos kicked Prindle in the groin at 1:24 of the first round, and Prindle was unable to continue. The fight was ruled a no contest. The winner will fight season 3 champ Cole Konrad.
Middleweight (185)
The middleweight division will find defending champion Hector Lombard (31-2-1) fighting season five champ Alexander Shlemenko (44-7) in a rematch of their Bellator 34 match-up. Lombard, a judo blackbelt, and powerful striker, is on a 24 fight win streak. Shlemenko is a dynamic kickboxer who won the Bellator season 2 and 5 tournaments.
(Pic from Lombard v. Shlemenko I)
Season 6 MW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 61 on March 16:
Brian Rogers (8-3) v Vitor Vianna (12-2-1)
Giva Santana (17-1) v Bruno Santos (12-0)
Victor O'Donnell (11-3) v Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (15-1)
Maiquel Falcão (28-4 1NC) v Norman Paraisy (10-1-1)
Welterweight (170)
The welterweight division will see champion Ben Askren (9-0) fighting season 5 tournament champ Douglas Lima (20-4) at Bellator 64. Askren, an NCAA champion and Olympic level wrestler, narrowly defeated Jay Hieron at Bellator 56 to defend his title which he captured with a win over Lyman Good. Lima won season 5's tournament with a decision over Steve Karl before brutally KO'ing Chris Lozano and UFC veteran Ben Saunders.
(Askren v. Ryan Thomas)
Season 6 WW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 63 on March 30th:
Karl Amoussou (13-4-2) v Chris Lozano (9-2)
Raul Amaya (9-0) v Ben Saunders (12-4-2)
Brian Foster (18-5) v David Rickels (8-0)
Bryan Baker (16-3) v Carlos Alexandre Pereira (33-9-1)
Lightweight (155)
Michael Chandler (9-0), defeated Eddie Alvarez via fourth round rear naked choke at Bellator 58, will likely get a non-title fight during the Season 6. Chandler won the Season 4 lightweight tournament, defeating Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard and Patricky Freire. Chandler was an All-American at Missouri before making his transition to MMA.
(Michael Chandler v. Eddie Alvarez pictured)
Season 6 LW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 62 on March 23rd:
Patricky Freire (10-2) v Lloyd Woodard (11-1)
Rick Hawn (11-1) v Ricardo Tirloni (14-1)
J.J. Ambrose (17-3) v Brent Weedman (18-7-1)
Rene Nazare (10-1) v Thiago Michel (9-2)
Featherweight (145)
The featherweight division will see two title fights this season barring injury due to Joe Warren (7-2) attempting a run at the Season 5 bantamweight tournament. Warren, the season 2 champion, will fight Pat Curran (16-4) at Bellator 60. Curran won the summer series 145 pound championship, where he defeated Marlon Sandro, Ronnie Mann and Luis Palomino.
(Joe Warren v. Pat Curran Bellator promo pic)
The winner of the Joe Warren (7-2) and Pat Curran (16-4) will then fight Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire (17-1), who won the season 4 featherweight championship. Friere, a BJJ blackbelt and powerful Muay Thai striker, won season 4 by defeating Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Daniel Straus.
The Season 6 FW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 60 on March 9th:
Marlon Sandro (20-3) v Roberto Vargas (12-1)
Alexandre Bezerra (12-1) v Genair da Silva (11-4)
Wagnney Fabiano (14-3) v Ronnie Mann (20-4-1)
Jeremy Spoon (12-0) v Daniel Straus (17-4)
Bantamweight (135)
Season 3 champion Zach Makovsky (14-2) will fight Season 5 champion Eduardo Dantas (13-2) for the bantamweight title. Makovsky has fought in two non-title fights since his season 3 championship, defeating Chad Robichaux via TKO and Ryan Roberts via submission. Dantas captured the season 5 title by defeating Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila.
(Makovsky v. Robichaux pictured)
Quarter-Finals Participants, likely to begin at BFC 64:
Marcos Galvao (10-5-1)
Hiroshi Nakamura (14-5-4)
Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Alexis Vila (11-1)
Luis Nogueira (12-2)
Rodrigo Lima (9-0)
Ed West (17-6)
Travis Marx (18-3)
Tournaments will be held in the 185, 170, 155, 145 and 135 pound men's divisions this season. Each division will also hold title fights for previous tournament winners, except in the 155 pound division, which saw Michael Chandler defeat Eddie Alvarez in an epic battle at Bellator 58.
The rematch of the season 5 HW title fight between Eric Prindle (7-1) and Thiago Santos (10-1) will happen at BFC 61. At BFC 59, Santos kicked Prindle in the groin at 1:24 of the first round, and Prindle was unable to continue. The fight was ruled a no contest. The winner will fight season 3 champ Cole Konrad.
Middleweight (185)
The middleweight division will find defending champion Hector Lombard (31-2-1) fighting season five champ Alexander Shlemenko (44-7) in a rematch of their Bellator 34 match-up. Lombard, a judo blackbelt, and powerful striker, is on a 24 fight win streak. Shlemenko is a dynamic kickboxer who won the Bellator season 2 and 5 tournaments.
(Pic from Lombard v. Shlemenko I)
Season 6 MW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 61 on March 16:
Brian Rogers (8-3) v Vitor Vianna (12-2-1)
Giva Santana (17-1) v Bruno Santos (12-0)
Victor O'Donnell (11-3) v Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (15-1)
Maiquel Falcão (28-4 1NC) v Norman Paraisy (10-1-1)
Welterweight (170)
The welterweight division will see champion Ben Askren (9-0) fighting season 5 tournament champ Douglas Lima (20-4) at Bellator 64. Askren, an NCAA champion and Olympic level wrestler, narrowly defeated Jay Hieron at Bellator 56 to defend his title which he captured with a win over Lyman Good. Lima won season 5's tournament with a decision over Steve Karl before brutally KO'ing Chris Lozano and UFC veteran Ben Saunders.
(Askren v. Ryan Thomas)
Season 6 WW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 63 on March 30th:
Karl Amoussou (13-4-2) v Chris Lozano (9-2)
Raul Amaya (9-0) v Ben Saunders (12-4-2)
Brian Foster (18-5) v David Rickels (8-0)
Bryan Baker (16-3) v Carlos Alexandre Pereira (33-9-1)
Lightweight (155)
Michael Chandler (9-0), defeated Eddie Alvarez via fourth round rear naked choke at Bellator 58, will likely get a non-title fight during the Season 6. Chandler won the Season 4 lightweight tournament, defeating Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard and Patricky Freire. Chandler was an All-American at Missouri before making his transition to MMA.
(Michael Chandler v. Eddie Alvarez pictured)
Season 6 LW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 62 on March 23rd:
Patricky Freire (10-2) v Lloyd Woodard (11-1)
Rick Hawn (11-1) v Ricardo Tirloni (14-1)
J.J. Ambrose (17-3) v Brent Weedman (18-7-1)
Rene Nazare (10-1) v Thiago Michel (9-2)
Featherweight (145)
The featherweight division will see two title fights this season barring injury due to Joe Warren (7-2) attempting a run at the Season 5 bantamweight tournament. Warren, the season 2 champion, will fight Pat Curran (16-4) at Bellator 60. Curran won the summer series 145 pound championship, where he defeated Marlon Sandro, Ronnie Mann and Luis Palomino.
(Joe Warren v. Pat Curran Bellator promo pic)
The winner of the Joe Warren (7-2) and Pat Curran (16-4) will then fight Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire (17-1), who won the season 4 featherweight championship. Friere, a BJJ blackbelt and powerful Muay Thai striker, won season 4 by defeating Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Daniel Straus.
The Season 6 FW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 60 on March 9th:
Marlon Sandro (20-3) v Roberto Vargas (12-1)
Alexandre Bezerra (12-1) v Genair da Silva (11-4)
Wagnney Fabiano (14-3) v Ronnie Mann (20-4-1)
Jeremy Spoon (12-0) v Daniel Straus (17-4)
Bantamweight (135)
Season 3 champion Zach Makovsky (14-2) will fight Season 5 champion Eduardo Dantas (13-2) for the bantamweight title. Makovsky has fought in two non-title fights since his season 3 championship, defeating Chad Robichaux via TKO and Ryan Roberts via submission. Dantas captured the season 5 title by defeating Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila.
(Makovsky v. Robichaux pictured)
Quarter-Finals Participants, likely to begin at BFC 64:
Marcos Galvao (10-5-1)
Hiroshi Nakamura (14-5-4)
Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Alexis Vila (11-1)
Luis Nogueira (12-2)
Rodrigo Lima (9-0)
Ed West (17-6)
Travis Marx (18-3)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Bellator Season 4 Round-Up
Bellator Season 4 kicked off this past Saturday from the Tachi Palace Casino in Lenmoore, California. The welterweight tournament was wittled down to the final four, as Rick Hawn, Jay Hieron, Lyman Good and Brent Weedman advanced.
It appears that champions will fight mainly in non-title bouts this season. Women's champ Zoila Frausto won her return to Bellator with a unanimous decision win over Katrina Hallinan.
Featherweight Tournament - 1st Round BFC 37
Patricio Freire (14-1, 2-1 BFC) v Georgi Karakhanyan (14-2-1)
Kenny Foster (8-2, 1-0 BFC) v Eric Larkin (3-0, 1-0 BFC)
Zac George (20-3, 0-0 BFC) v Wilson Reis (11-2, 3-2 BFC)
Daniel Straus (14-3, 1-0 BFC) v Nazareno Malegarie (19-0)
LHW Tournament - 1st Round BFC 38
Daniel Gracie (5-2-1) v Tim Carpenter (6-0, 1-0 BFC)
Nik Fekete (4-0) v Richard Hale (15-3)
Chris Davis (10-2) v Christian M'Pumbu (15-3-1)
DJ Linderman (8-1) v Raphael Davis (10-1)
Lightweight Tournament - 2nd Round Qualifiers
Mike Chandler (6-0, 3-0 BFC)- Chandler deated the hyped European prospect Marcin Held in the first round via an arm triangle choke. Chandler posseses a solid ground game with 3 submissions and 3 TKO's, most due to ground and pound.
Toby Imada (29-15, 5-2 BFC)- After the odd last second withdrawl of his original opponent Ferrid Kheder, Imada bested the undefeated Josh Shockley via armbar just under 80 seconds into the first round. With a vaunted ground game, expect the Bellator vet to keep looking for submissions.
Lloyd Woodward (11-0)- The undefeated Woodward was able to win in his toughest test to date with a second round TKO of Carey Vanier. Showing excellent takedown defense throughout the bout, Woodward landed a left hook in the second before finishing off Vanier.
Patricky Freire (8-1)- Friere impressed in his MMA debut taking out the noted striker Razor Rob McCullough in the first round. Friere had a solid first round, but probably lost the second. In the third, Friere connected on a solid right hand, pushing him into the second round.
2nd Round Qualifiers following BFC 35
Rick Hawn (10-0, 2-0 BFC)- Hawn won a stand-up battle against fellow judo blackbelt Jim Wallhead. Hawn has improving boxing skills with high level grappling. Hawn finished 9th in the 2004 Olympics in Judo.
Lyman Good (11-1, 4-1 BFC)- Good maintained constant pressure on Chris Lozano in his opening round match-up for a unanimous decision victory. Good will look to use his power striking in a second round match-up against high level judo player Rick Hawn.
Brent Weedman (18-5, 4-0 BFC)- Weedman won a tough decision against Dan Hornbuckle that could have gone either way. Weedman suffered a cut above his right eye in the scrap. Weedman has solid grappling. Weedman will be looking for another solid performance in his second round match-up against Jay Hieron.
Jay Hieron (20-4, 1-0 BFC)- Hieron dominated Anthony Lapsley for the entire fight before an interesting ending. Ref Josh Rosenthal believed that Lapsley was out following a rear naked choke despite a protest. Regardless, Hieron's grappling proved too much for Lapsley in his 3 and a half minutes of action. Hieron did not suffer any damage in his fight.
Current Bellator Champions:
Cole Konrad - HW (7-0, 5-0 BFC)
Hector Lombard - MW (27-2, 6-0 BFC)
Ben Askren - WW (7-0, 4-0 BFC)
Eddie Alvarez - LW (21-2, 5-0 BFC)
Joe Warren - FW (6-1, 4-0 BFC)
Zach Makovsky - BW (12-2, 4-0 BFC)
Zoila Frausto - Women's 115 (11-1, 5-0 BFC)
Champions Fights:
Zoila Frausto won a unanimous decision over Katrina Hallinan
Eddie Alvarez fights Pat Curran (12-3, 3-0 BFC) at BFC 39
Ben Askren fights Nick Thompson (38-13, 0-0 BFC) at BFC 40
Zach Makovsky fights Chad Robichaux (11-0, 0-0 BFC) at BFC 41
Hector Lombard fights Falaniko Vitale (28-9, 0-0 BFC) at BFC 44
(Eddie Alvarez)
It appears that champions will fight mainly in non-title bouts this season. Women's champ Zoila Frausto won her return to Bellator with a unanimous decision win over Katrina Hallinan.
Featherweight Tournament - 1st Round BFC 37
Patricio Freire (14-1, 2-1 BFC) v Georgi Karakhanyan (14-2-1)
Kenny Foster (8-2, 1-0 BFC) v Eric Larkin (3-0, 1-0 BFC)
Zac George (20-3, 0-0 BFC) v Wilson Reis (11-2, 3-2 BFC)
Daniel Straus (14-3, 1-0 BFC) v Nazareno Malegarie (19-0)
LHW Tournament - 1st Round BFC 38
Daniel Gracie (5-2-1) v Tim Carpenter (6-0, 1-0 BFC)
Nik Fekete (4-0) v Richard Hale (15-3)
Chris Davis (10-2) v Christian M'Pumbu (15-3-1)
DJ Linderman (8-1) v Raphael Davis (10-1)
Lightweight Tournament - 2nd Round Qualifiers
Mike Chandler (6-0, 3-0 BFC)- Chandler deated the hyped European prospect Marcin Held in the first round via an arm triangle choke. Chandler posseses a solid ground game with 3 submissions and 3 TKO's, most due to ground and pound.
Toby Imada (29-15, 5-2 BFC)- After the odd last second withdrawl of his original opponent Ferrid Kheder, Imada bested the undefeated Josh Shockley via armbar just under 80 seconds into the first round. With a vaunted ground game, expect the Bellator vet to keep looking for submissions.
Lloyd Woodward (11-0)- The undefeated Woodward was able to win in his toughest test to date with a second round TKO of Carey Vanier. Showing excellent takedown defense throughout the bout, Woodward landed a left hook in the second before finishing off Vanier.
Patricky Freire (8-1)- Friere impressed in his MMA debut taking out the noted striker Razor Rob McCullough in the first round. Friere had a solid first round, but probably lost the second. In the third, Friere connected on a solid right hand, pushing him into the second round.
2nd Round Qualifiers following BFC 35
Rick Hawn (10-0, 2-0 BFC)- Hawn won a stand-up battle against fellow judo blackbelt Jim Wallhead. Hawn has improving boxing skills with high level grappling. Hawn finished 9th in the 2004 Olympics in Judo.
Lyman Good (11-1, 4-1 BFC)- Good maintained constant pressure on Chris Lozano in his opening round match-up for a unanimous decision victory. Good will look to use his power striking in a second round match-up against high level judo player Rick Hawn.
Brent Weedman (18-5, 4-0 BFC)- Weedman won a tough decision against Dan Hornbuckle that could have gone either way. Weedman suffered a cut above his right eye in the scrap. Weedman has solid grappling. Weedman will be looking for another solid performance in his second round match-up against Jay Hieron.
Jay Hieron (20-4, 1-0 BFC)- Hieron dominated Anthony Lapsley for the entire fight before an interesting ending. Ref Josh Rosenthal believed that Lapsley was out following a rear naked choke despite a protest. Regardless, Hieron's grappling proved too much for Lapsley in his 3 and a half minutes of action. Hieron did not suffer any damage in his fight.
Current Bellator Champions:
Cole Konrad - HW (7-0, 5-0 BFC)
Hector Lombard - MW (27-2, 6-0 BFC)
Ben Askren - WW (7-0, 4-0 BFC)
Eddie Alvarez - LW (21-2, 5-0 BFC)
Joe Warren - FW (6-1, 4-0 BFC)
Zach Makovsky - BW (12-2, 4-0 BFC)
Zoila Frausto - Women's 115 (11-1, 5-0 BFC)
Champions Fights:
Zoila Frausto won a unanimous decision over Katrina Hallinan
Eddie Alvarez fights Pat Curran (12-3, 3-0 BFC) at BFC 39
Ben Askren fights Nick Thompson (38-13, 0-0 BFC) at BFC 40
Zach Makovsky fights Chad Robichaux (11-0, 0-0 BFC) at BFC 41
Hector Lombard fights Falaniko Vitale (28-9, 0-0 BFC) at BFC 44
(Eddie Alvarez)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Bellator Finals Forecast
Last night, the Bellator Season 2 tourneys continued to unfold as the 170 pound division claimed its two finalists, Dan Hornbuckle and Ben Askren. In a non-title featured bout, featherweight champ Joe Soto (9-0, 4-0 BFC) continued his reign of terror as he destroyed UFC veteran Diego Saraiva in the first round.
Sengoku veteran Dan Hornbuckle (21-2, 2-0 BFC) defeated former Marine Steve Carl via a modified kimura. He will fight 2X NCAA champ Ben Askren (5-0, 2-0 BFC) for the 170 pound title, who defeated UFC veteran Ryan Thomas via unanimous decision. Expect Hornbuckle to try to keep this fight standing to take advantage of Askren's lackluster striking.
(Dan Hornbuckle KO of Gono Pictured)
In other tournament action, featherweight Joe Warren will square off against Patricio "Pitbull" Freire . Warren (4-1, 2-0 BFC) punched his ticket to the finals with two lackluster decision victories over Georgi Karakhanyan and Eric Marriot. Pitbull (14-0, 2-0 BFC), won his first fight via heel hook over William Romero before a unanimous decision over Wilson Reis. Expect Warren to look for the takedown early and often, with Pitbull trying to lock in a choke or score a KO.
(Pitbul Friere Pictured)
The lightweight tournament has featured the biggest upset of the tournament, with Pat Curran (11-3, 2-0 BFC) finding his way to the finals. Pat recently upset tournament favorite Roger Huerta via unanimous decision, and KO'd GSP training partner Mike Ricci in his first fight.
Curran will face last year's runner-up Toby Imada (25-12, 4-1 BFC) in the finals. Toby has utilized his superior grappling in his first two bouts, scoring armbar victories over Carey Vanier and James Krause. Expect Curran to try to utilize his kickboxing while Imada looks to lock in yet another memorable submission.
(Toby Imada Pictured)
Match-ups:
145: Pitbull Freire v. Joe Warren - TBD
155: Pat Curran v. Toby Imada - BFC 21
170: Dan Hornbuckle v. Ben Askren - BFC 22
185: Alexander Shlemenko v. Bryan Baker - TBD
Sengoku veteran Dan Hornbuckle (21-2, 2-0 BFC) defeated former Marine Steve Carl via a modified kimura. He will fight 2X NCAA champ Ben Askren (5-0, 2-0 BFC) for the 170 pound title, who defeated UFC veteran Ryan Thomas via unanimous decision. Expect Hornbuckle to try to keep this fight standing to take advantage of Askren's lackluster striking.
(Dan Hornbuckle KO of Gono Pictured)
In other tournament action, featherweight Joe Warren will square off against Patricio "Pitbull" Freire . Warren (4-1, 2-0 BFC) punched his ticket to the finals with two lackluster decision victories over Georgi Karakhanyan and Eric Marriot. Pitbull (14-0, 2-0 BFC), won his first fight via heel hook over William Romero before a unanimous decision over Wilson Reis. Expect Warren to look for the takedown early and often, with Pitbull trying to lock in a choke or score a KO.
(Pitbul Friere Pictured)
The lightweight tournament has featured the biggest upset of the tournament, with Pat Curran (11-3, 2-0 BFC) finding his way to the finals. Pat recently upset tournament favorite Roger Huerta via unanimous decision, and KO'd GSP training partner Mike Ricci in his first fight.
Curran will face last year's runner-up Toby Imada (25-12, 4-1 BFC) in the finals. Toby has utilized his superior grappling in his first two bouts, scoring armbar victories over Carey Vanier and James Krause. Expect Curran to try to utilize his kickboxing while Imada looks to lock in yet another memorable submission.
(Toby Imada Pictured)
Match-ups:
145: Pitbull Freire v. Joe Warren - TBD
155: Pat Curran v. Toby Imada - BFC 21
170: Dan Hornbuckle v. Ben Askren - BFC 22
185: Alexander Shlemenko v. Bryan Baker - TBD
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Bellator Forecast
Last weeks Bellator - Chicago fight card was loaded with action. This week Bellator travels to Kansas City and features middleweight tournament fights.
Crystal Lake's Pat Curran set the night on fire in Chicago with a one punch right hand KO over previously undefeated Mike Ricci. Pat had advanced to fight UFC veteran and former contender Roger Huerta at Bellator 17 on May 6th.
(Curran KO's Ricci)
Submission specialist Toby Imada scored slick second round arm bar to defeat James Krause and move up the lightweight tournament ladder. He will face Carey Vanier (8-2, 1-0 BFC) who defeated Joe Duarte via TKO in the third round of his opening round fight.
Olympic wrestling phenom Ben Askren won in a slightly controversial manner over UFC veteran Ryan Thomas. Askren looked to lock in a modified guillotine, and as Thomas rolled it appeared Askren's hands loosened. The ref explained after the fight that he ask Thomas to give him a sign, and Thomas did not. A loud group of Thomas fans boo'd the decision, and continued to heckle that ref through the night.
(Chicago Theatre)
Ryan Thomas has been tabbed as an alternate, and will face undefeated Jacob McClintock at Thursday's Bellator 15. Thomas is replacing Jim Wallhead, who is grounded in the UK due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. Askren's oppenent has yet to be announcerd.
Sengoku's rising star Dan Hornbuckle (19-2) will also fight on Bellator 15 in the welterweight tournament, fighting Tyler Stinson (16-5). Hornbuckle is riding a four fight win streak, with back to back Sengoku KO's of UFC veterans Nick Thompson and Akhiro Gono.
(Dan Hornbuckle pictured)
BELLATOR 15 MAIN CARD
Dan Hornbuckle v Tyler Stinson (WW 1st rnd)
Jacob McClintock v Ryan Thomas (WW 1st rnd)
Steve Carl v Brett Cooper (WW 1st rnd)
Patricio Freire v William Romero (FW 1st rnd)
UNDERCARD
Dan Cramer vs. Dennis Olsen
Matt Lee vs. Ryan Quinn
(Cage placed over the band pit and front of stage)
Crystal Lake's Pat Curran set the night on fire in Chicago with a one punch right hand KO over previously undefeated Mike Ricci. Pat had advanced to fight UFC veteran and former contender Roger Huerta at Bellator 17 on May 6th.
(Curran KO's Ricci)
Submission specialist Toby Imada scored slick second round arm bar to defeat James Krause and move up the lightweight tournament ladder. He will face Carey Vanier (8-2, 1-0 BFC) who defeated Joe Duarte via TKO in the third round of his opening round fight.
Olympic wrestling phenom Ben Askren won in a slightly controversial manner over UFC veteran Ryan Thomas. Askren looked to lock in a modified guillotine, and as Thomas rolled it appeared Askren's hands loosened. The ref explained after the fight that he ask Thomas to give him a sign, and Thomas did not. A loud group of Thomas fans boo'd the decision, and continued to heckle that ref through the night.
(Chicago Theatre)
Ryan Thomas has been tabbed as an alternate, and will face undefeated Jacob McClintock at Thursday's Bellator 15. Thomas is replacing Jim Wallhead, who is grounded in the UK due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. Askren's oppenent has yet to be announcerd.
Sengoku's rising star Dan Hornbuckle (19-2) will also fight on Bellator 15 in the welterweight tournament, fighting Tyler Stinson (16-5). Hornbuckle is riding a four fight win streak, with back to back Sengoku KO's of UFC veterans Nick Thompson and Akhiro Gono.
(Dan Hornbuckle pictured)
BELLATOR 15 MAIN CARD
Dan Hornbuckle v Tyler Stinson (WW 1st rnd)
Jacob McClintock v Ryan Thomas (WW 1st rnd)
Steve Carl v Brett Cooper (WW 1st rnd)
Patricio Freire v William Romero (FW 1st rnd)
UNDERCARD
Dan Cramer vs. Dennis Olsen
Matt Lee vs. Ryan Quinn
(Cage placed over the band pit and front of stage)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Bellator's Welterweight Tournament
Bellator Fighting Championships have announced their eight man 170 pound tournament and match-ups. The tournament is very stacked with numerous up and coming stars and UFC veterans.
The tournament champ will bank a cool 100 thousand dollars and fight the winner from season 1, Lyman Good. Bellator 14 takes place at the Chicago Theatre in Illinois, and will have featherweight and welterweight tournament fights.
You can catch Bellator on Fox Sports Net on Thursday nights, with highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.
Here are a look at the tournament participants:
Ben Askren (3-0) Olympic Wrestler, 2X NCAA Champ
Ryan Thomas (10-3) UFC Vet, 7 submission W's
Dan Hornbuckle (19-2) W's over Akhiro Gono and Nick Thompson
Sean Pierson (9-4) W's over Steve Vigneault and Fabio Holanda
Jacob McClintock (6-0) 4 TKO's, 2 Subs, win over Beau Baker
Jim Wallhead (18-5) Judo Blackbelt, win over Che Mills
Steve Carl (12-1) W's over James Warfield and Victor Moreno
Brett Cooper (12-5) W's over Rory Markham and Conor Heun
(Dan Hornbuckle pictured)
The tournament champ will bank a cool 100 thousand dollars and fight the winner from season 1, Lyman Good. Bellator 14 takes place at the Chicago Theatre in Illinois, and will have featherweight and welterweight tournament fights.
You can catch Bellator on Fox Sports Net on Thursday nights, with highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.
Here are a look at the tournament participants:
Ben Askren (3-0) Olympic Wrestler, 2X NCAA Champ
Ryan Thomas (10-3) UFC Vet, 7 submission W's
Dan Hornbuckle (19-2) W's over Akhiro Gono and Nick Thompson
Sean Pierson (9-4) W's over Steve Vigneault and Fabio Holanda
Jacob McClintock (6-0) 4 TKO's, 2 Subs, win over Beau Baker
Jim Wallhead (18-5) Judo Blackbelt, win over Che Mills
Steve Carl (12-1) W's over James Warfield and Victor Moreno
Brett Cooper (12-5) W's over Rory Markham and Conor Heun
(Dan Hornbuckle pictured)
Friday, October 9, 2009
Video of the Day - Askren v. Lewis
Here is rising MMA prospect Ben Askren wrestling in the 2008 US National Finals against Tyrone Lewis. Askren was the 2004 and 2005 NCAA runner-up at 174 pounds and was champion in 2006 and 2007.
He currently has a 3-0 MMA record with a purple belt in BJJ while training under the American Top Team banner.
(Ben Askren pictured)
He currently has a 3-0 MMA record with a purple belt in BJJ while training under the American Top Team banner.
(Ben Askren pictured)
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