In a battle of former UFC talents, Ryan Bader dominated Matt Mitrione at Bellator 207 Friday at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun to advance to January’s Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament finals to crown a new champion.
Bader, the promotion’s light heavyweight champion, took a unanimous decision by scores of 30-25, 30-24, and 30-25.
Bader’s wrestling and pure dominance on the mat negated anything Mitrione tried to do, leading to, at one point, ten minutes of time without getting any offense in.
In the opening round, Bader, outweighed by roughly 25 pounds, was dominant, grounding Mitrione early and using his wrestling to control him. He leveraged that to land hard left hands that Mitrione had no answer for, easily winning a 10-8 round on this writer’s scorecard.
In the second round, Mitrione threw hands trying to hurt Bader, but Bader took him down within seconds and went to work again with more of the same. He locked on a kimura midway through the round that almost got Mitrione to tap, but he was able to defend enough to barely survive. Mitrione was exhausted at the end of the round, arguably another 10-8.
The third round started the same way: with Bader easily getting a takedown, but the crowd was less and less enthusiastic. Bader tired a bit, but didn’t let Mitrione escape, pounding him on the mat and using his wrestling to outclass his opponent for another 10-8.
The promotion returns Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY, with the other Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-final featuring Chael Sonnen vs. Fedor Emelianenko. Starting at 9 PM Eastern, we’ll have live coverage of that show courtesy of Paul Fontaine. Like tonight, the show can be seen on Paramount Network and DAZN.
In the co-main event, Sergei Kharitonov defeated Roy Nelson by knockout with one second left to go in the first round afer he unloaded a barrage of unanswered punches that ended wih Nelson Flair flopping. Kharitonov got a point taken in the first round after he kneed Nelson in the head while he was kneeling.
On the undercard:
Lorenz Larkin took a unanimous decision win over Ion Pascu (29-28 x3) to earn the alternate position in the Welterweight Grand Prix.
Corey Browning scored a minor upset with a second round TKO of Kevin “Baby Slice” Ferguson Jr. in an entertaining fight.
Matt Mitrione advanced in the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament Friday night, downing Roy Nelson via majority decision at Bellator 194 at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena.
He moves on to face the winner of the May Ryan Bader vs. King Mo quarterfinal while Chael Sonnen awaits the winner of the April Fedor Emelianenko vs. Frank Mir fight.
Mitrione came out strong and dominated the first two rounds, but gassed out in the third. Nelson took him down early in the round and eventually moved into a crucifix position, doing a lot of ground and pound damage. Referee Dan Miragliotta looked like he might be close to stopping it, but allowed Mitrione the chance to escape which he eventually did. Mitrione was able to get to his feet, only to be taken down again for the duration of the round.
Sonnen, acting as color commentator for the night, speculated that it may have been enough to earn Nelson a 10-8 round, which would’ve made the fight a draw and an “overtime” fourth round because it was a tournament match. However, only one judge saw it that way while the other gaves 29-28 scores for Mitrione.
Former referee and sometimes judge John McCarthy was a desk analyst for the show and he said that he would’ve been very close to ruling the third round a 10-8 for Nelson and the fight a draw, adding that he would have to have paid more attention to see how much damage the ground strikes were doing. McCarthy said that Nelson had two of the three “Ds” (domination, duration, damage) required for a 10-8.
The fight was a rematch from December 2012 in the UFC’s TUF 16 finale show where Mitrione was knocked out in the first round.
Also on the show:
– Patricky Pitbull scored a first round KO win over Derek Campos to become the no. 1 contender to lightweight champion Brett Primus.
– Heather Hardy scored a somewhat questionable decision win over Ana Julaton in a boring fight.
– Fedor protege Vadim Nemkov used leg kicks to earn a third round TKO win over former light heavyweight champion Liam McGeary in a fight reminiscent of the Jose Aldo-Urijah Faber WEC fight where Aldo destroyed Faber’s leg.
– In the opener, prospect Taiwan “Air” Claxton got a second round TKO win over winless Jose Perez in a showcase bout.
Bellator 172 returns to the SAP Center in San Jose, CA, Saturday, but not with the main event everyone expected.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Mitrione was scrapped late in the day due to Mitrione suffering from kidney stones. There were fighters who offered to take his place but at such late notice Bellator was unable to put a new fight together. The co-main event of Josh Thomson vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire has been elevated to main event status — a fight that could determine the next challenger to lightweight champ Michael Chandler.
Also on the undercard, former UFC welterweight title challenger Josh Koscheck finally makes his promotional debut as he’s set to fight journeyman Mauricio Alonso.
Cheick Kongo will step into a Bellator cage for the tenth time on Saturday as he takes on ex-UFC fighter and Englishman Oli Thompson. Rounding out the main card is a women’s flyweight fight as Veta Arteaga goes up against Brooke Mayo, who will be making her pro debut.
Dave Meltzer will be live at cageside with the main card coverage starting at 9 p.m. on Spike TV.
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There will be five fights on Spike. The new fight will be Anatoly Tokov, one of Fedor’s fighters, against Francisco France, which was scheduled to be on the streaming undercard.
JOSH KOSCHECK (17-10) VS. MAURICIO ALONSO (12-7), WELTERWEIGHTS
First round: Koscheck looks in great shape for his age. Koscheck was mostly cheered, not thunderously loud or anything. Koscheck landed a nice uppercut. Alonso with a left jab. Alonso with a few punches and then missed. Both trading punches, Alonso landed more. Low kick by Alonso. Both trading again. Alonso rocked him with a punch. Alonso with an uppercut and put Koscheck down and landed punches on the ground and it was stopped. Josh’s chin has been gone for some time and unfortunately that doesn’t turn around.
A right cross hurt him. , then an uppercut, a right cross and punches on the ground. 4:42
VETA ARTEAGA (2-1) VS. BROOKE MAYO (0-0), WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT
First round: Mayo is from Concord, CA so and she’s got fans here. Nice reaction. Mayo with a knee to the head. Arteaga shoved her down. Mayo back up. Mayo took her down, and has her back. She’s working for a choke but doesn’t have it. Arteaga landing punches. Arteaga out of trouble and on top after escaping and on top after escaping. Arteaga with punches. Mayo back up. Arteaga is cut from a collision of heads. The doctor was called in. Head kick by Mayo. Mayo 10-9
Second round: Both trading and Mayo with a head kick. Takedown by Mayo. Arteaga reversed to the top. Both throwing. Arteaga with some body punches. Close round, Arteaga so 19-19 after two.
Third round: Arteaga with punches and knees. Spinning punch by Arteaga. Arteaga with punches. Mayo throwing knees form the clinch. Arteaga landing a lot. Mayo took her down. She moved to mount and got her back. Mayo again working for a choke. Arteaga reversed to the top. Crowd is super hot for this. Left by Mayo. They stopped the fight. Mayo was begging for it to continue. Her left eye was swollen and she was bleeding from the nose. It didn’t look like something that would stop a fight but John McCarthy was right there. The crowd was loving the third round. I can’t say either fighter looked impressive but the third round was exciting. The stoppage was from her swollen left eye. 4:04
They pushed Arteaga against Anastasia Yannikova, they had a controversial split decision last year that Arteaga lost.
ANATOLY TOKOV (24-2) VS. FRANCISCO FRANCE (13-4), MIDDLEWEIGHT
First round: Tokov in with punches. Tokov took him down into side control. France working for an armbar. Now France has a triangle. Great escape by Tokov. France 10-9
Second round: France tried a takedown and Tokov easily evaded it. Uppercut by Tokov. France went for a takedown. Tokov land a nice punch. France is on his back. A time out was ordered as Tokov kicked him in the groin as France was on his back. Tokov landed a counter punch and is on top. Tokov landed hard punches from the top and it was stopped. 2:24
Fedor Emelianenko did an interview. They strongly indicated that Fedor vs. Mitrione would be taking place as soon as they can arrange a date.
CHEICK KONGO (25-10-2) VS. OLI THOMPSON (17-9), HEAVYWEIGHTS
First round: Kongo landing good punches and now Thompson back with punches. Kongo with a knee to the groin from close range causing a time out. Kongo with a punch and takedown. Hard punches on the ground. Knee by Kongo. Lots of knees by Kongo, a right and a ton of more knees by Kongo until the round ended. Thompson was in trouble. 10-9 Kongo, almost a 10-8
Second round: Thompson landed a right. Knee by Kongo. Takedown by Kongo. Hard right on the ground by Kongo. Kongo with body and head punches. Now Kongo landing elbows. He’s bouncing Thompson’s head all over the place. Kongo was landing more hard punches on the ground. For sure a 10-8 for Kongo so 20-17 after two.
Third round: Thompson went for a takedown but blocked. Kongo throwing knees to the body again. Kongo with a takedown. Kongo with a mount. Kongo is continuing to land punches. Kongo with elbows from the top. Another for sure 10-8 round, 30-25 overall.
Scores were 30-26, 30-25 and 30-25 for Kongo
JOSH THOMSON (22-8) VS. PATRICKY PITBULL FREIRE (16-8), LIGHTWEIGHTS
First round: Of course Thomson got by far the best reaction of the night. This is the 11th anniversary of his first fight in this arena. Body kick by Pitbull. Pitbull landed a right. Low kick by Pitbull. Low kicks by Pitbull. Pitbull threw a few punches. Pitbull landed a punch. Thomson with a low kick. Another low kick by Pitbull and another. Pitbull knocked him down with a right. Thomson back up and tried a takedown and didn’t get it. Thomson threw a head kick. Pitbull 10-9
Second round: Pitbull dropped him although they may have bonked heads. He then cracked Thomson with an uppercut and that was it. Nice knockout. Not a good night for this area’s original stars. :40
First reported by MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani and later confirmed by Bellator president Scott Coker via Twitter, Saturday night’s main event of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Mitrione has been canceled due to an undisclosed illness suffered by Mitrione.
As of this writing, the cause for the illness hasn’t been disclosed, nor has any rescheduled date been announced. John Morgan of MMA Junkie said he has heard kidney stones were the reason.
Helwani tweeted that officials tried to find a last second replacement, but were unable to do so. Of note, there is another heavyweight fight on the show featuring Cheick Kongo and Oli Thompson but it’s unclear if either man was asked to fill the spot.
As a result, Josh Thomson vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire is now the new main event in San Jose, CA.
This was to be Fedor’s first fight in the U.S. since a July 2011 loss to Dan Henderson on a Strikeforce event.
After retiring in 2012, Fedor returned to action in 2015 and was riding a five-fight win streak going into tonight’s show although his last performance against Fabio Maldonado was a controversial victory in which “The Last Emperor” looked anything but.
This was the biggest fight of Mitrione’s career and his third since signing with Bellator as a free agent in 2016. The 38-year-old is 2-0 in his new home with two T/KO wins.
Fedor Emelianenko and Scott Coker have done business before, dating back to Coker’s days running Strikeforce. Now, one of the best heavyweights of all time and Bellator’s head honcho will run it back one more time.
During Bellator’s Saturday show in San Jose, CA, it was announced that “The Last Emperor” has signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion with his first fight scheduled for Saturday, February 18th in San Jose against former UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione.
Mitrione was brought out for a promo with Jimmy Smith where Mitrione said he had been asked to sign a bout agreement with the opponent name blacked out, saying the promotion said to trust them that this would be a big fight for him. He had no idea he was going to fight Fedor until they announced it in the arena which led to Fedor coming out, donning one of his well-known sweaters.
The 40-year-old Russian is riding a five-fight win streak and is 2-0 since coming out of retirement. However, his last bout — a majority decision win over Fabio Maldonado — was very controversial as many thought the fight should have been stopped several times for how much damage Fedor took, not to mention the decision win.
The 38-year-old Mitrione is 2-0 in Bellator with two finishes after signing with the promotion earlier this year.
Fans can buy pre-sale tickets now by using the word ‘glove’.
