Bellator 56: The Aftermath

 Posted by at 12:52 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 302011
 

Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren (black trunks) retained his title after an arguably lackluster performance, defeating Jay Hieron (yellow trunks) via Split Decision. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

The battle for the Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament finals went out like a bat out of hell with two match-ups lasting a little over a minute combined. Former US Army Boxing Champion “The American Soldier” Eric Prindle (6-1) took on Kentucky native “The Monster” Ron Sparks (5-1). Brazilian “Big Monster” Thiago Santos (6-1) and South African “Goliath” Neil Grove (11-5) met in a replacement bout that took weeks to finalize, but only seconds to conclude. In the main event Welterweight Champion Ben Askren (9-0) faced seasoned IFL veteran and hungry top contender “The Thoroughbred” Jay Hieron (19-5) in a five-round affair that put Askren’s title on the line for the first time. Continue reading »

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“Big Monster” Thiago Santos Replaces Injured Mike Hayes in Bellator Heavyweight Tourney

 Posted by at 6:10 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 102011
 

Thiago Santos (white trunks) battered Josh Burns (black trunks) in their Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament alternate bout, earning his place as a replacement for the injured Mike Hayes. (Photo courtesy of Sherdog)

It’s a tough pill to swallow for Bellator heavyweight “300″ Mike Hayes (14-4) who fought his way to the Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament semi-finals by a three-round battle with “Goliath” Neil Grove (11-4) only to now be forced to withdraw from the competition. Hayes sustained a fractured orbital bone in his Bellator 52 brawl with Hayes and was put on a 60-day medical suspension by the Louisiana State Commission, thus preventing him from participating in the tournament semi-finals just two weeks away.

“Big Monster” Thiago Santos (5-1) earned his placed as tournament alternate last Saturday at Bellator 53, defeating Josh Burns (5-3) via first-round Rear Naked Choke, and will now step in for Mike Hayes to face the contender that he himself was originally scheduled to face in the Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Finals, 2008 Sambo champion Blagoi Ivanov (5-0), but was unable to do so at the time due to visa issues in his native Brazil. Last weekend the Bulgarian Ivanov defeated Zak Jensen (10-8) via Guillotine Choke in Round 2. Continue reading »

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Bellator 52: The Aftermath

 Posted by at 2:45 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Oct 032011
 

It was a familiar scene at Bellator 52 when the referee had to pull Ron Sparks (top) off his foe just 84 seconds into the match. (Photo courtesy of Keith Mills and Sherdog)

It was a rumble in the bayou as the heavyweight tournament fighters clashed in the Bellator cage in Lake Charles, Louisiana on Saturday night. Supported by an undercard stacked with talent, Bellator 52 was perhaps the organization’s most high octane night thus far of its fifth season. Starting off the night, “The Monster” Ron Sparks (5-0) opened up the tournament against Mark Holata (7-3) and ended the bout in routine fashion. “The Hurricane” Abe Wagner (10-4) and “The American Soldier” Eric Prindle (7-1) went toe-to-toe for the win and for the fans. Then 2008 Sambo Champion and Xtreme Couture fighter Blagoi Ivanov (5-0) took on tournament alternate Zak Jensen (10-8). In the main event South African powerhouse “Goliath” Neil Grove (11-4) and tournament dark horse “300″ Mike Hayes (14-4) slugged it out in tit for tat style for three rounds. All in all it was a stellar night of heavyweight action that showcased the deepening talent pool of Bellator Fighting Championships. Continue reading »

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Bellator 52, Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Finals Live Results

 Posted by at 4:10 PM  Bellator  No Responses »
Oct 012011
 

(Photo courtesy of Bellator)

—MAIN CARD (on MTV2)—

Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Neil Grove vs. Mike Hayes: Hayes via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29), Round 3, 5:00

Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Blagoi Ivanov vs. Zak Jensen: Ivanov via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 2, 2:35

Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Eric Prindle vs. Abe Wagner: Prindle via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), Round 3, 5:00

Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Final Fight
Mark Holata vs. Ron Sparks: Sparks via KO (Punches), Round 1, 1:24 Continue reading »

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Bellator 52, Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Pre-Fight Breakdown

 Posted by at 5:12 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 302011
 

Neil Grove (left) makes his return to the Bellator cage for a second run at the title, but first he must get past dangerous fighter Mike Hayes in tomorrow night's Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Finals. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

Dropping the anchors in Lake Charles, Louisiana at the L’Auberge Du Lac Casino Resort for its returning heavyweight tournament, Bellator 52 features a fearsome bracket of knockout artists. “300″ Mike Hayes (13-4) returns to Bellator riding a two-fight win streak against South African striker “Goliath” Neil Grove (11-3) in the main event of the evening. Brazilian giant “Big Monster” Thiago Santos (4-1) makes his debut on US soil against Bulgarian import and one-time Bellator veteran Blagoi Ivanov (4-0). Mark Holata (7-2), the two-time Bellator veteran, will duke it out with the feared and respected Ron Sparks (4-0) in a bout that will likely not make it out of the first round. Titan FC poster boy Abe Wagner (10-3) meets Eric Prindle (6-1) in the opening match of the night with the winner gaining the spotlight as the rising star of the tournament. Every fighter on the slate has devastating power and the ability to end the fight at any moment, ensuring fans that they won’t want to miss a single second of this tournament.  Continue reading »

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Bellator 52, Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Final Match-Ups Announced

 Posted by at 6:53 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 012011
 

Former Combat Sambo World Champion “Baga” Blagoi Ivanov (blue trunks) is one of eight competitors taking part in the Bellator Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament beginning October 1. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Herbertson)

The heavyweights take center cage Saturday, October 1 as Bellator Fighting Championships makes its return to the L’Auberge Du Lac Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana for Bellator 52. The stacked eight-man tournament features several familiar faces as well as a couple of newcomers to the Bellator cage, but in the end, only one man will earn a $100,000 payday and a shot at heavyweight champion “The Polar Bear” Cole Konrad’s (8-0) belt. Continue reading »

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Bellator 38, Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Finals Live Results

 Posted by at 6:09 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Mar 262011
 

Daniel Gracie (left) of the esteemed Gracie family returns to the cage after a long absence to take on Tim Carpenter (right) in Bellator 38's main event. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)

—MAIN CARD (Bellator Season 4 Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Finals)—

Tim Carpenter vs. Daniel Gracie: Carpenter via Split Decision, Round 3, 5:00

D.J. Linderman vs. Raphael Davis: Linderman via TKO (strikes), Round 3, 3:40

Richard Hale vs. Nik Fekete: Hale via Technical Submission (Inverted Triangle Choke), Round 1, 1:55

Chris Davis vs. Christian M’Pumbu: M’Pumbu via TKO (Punches), Round 3, 3:34 Continue reading »

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