Tag: Bellator 48

Win Streak History, but Ricco Rodriguez Vows ‘I’m Not Done’

Filed under: Bellator, NewsUNCASVILLE, Conn. — After a personal best 12-fight win streak was snapped at Bellator 48, Ricco Rodriguez simply asked for another chance.

The former UFC heavyweight champion never got his game plan going and was knocked ou…

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. — After a personal best 12-fight win streak was snapped at Bellator 48, Ricco Rodriguez simply asked for another chance.

The former UFC heavyweight champion never got his game plan going and was knocked out by debuting Seth Petruzelli in the first-round of their fight. Rodriguez made no excuses for the loss, crediting Petruzelli for his execution in the cage.

And despite the loss, Rodriguez vowed that we haven’t seen the last of him on the major MMA scene.

“I have to go back to the drawing board, but I’m not done,” he said. “I’m definitely going to come back. Hopefully, Bellator gives me another opportunity.”

Rodriguez’s representatives were reportedly going to ask to have him included in the upcoming Bellator heavyweight tournament, which is slated to begin in early October.

Petruzelli knocked Rodriguez out with a step-back right hook that was similar to the punch that he used to floor Kimbo Slice. Against Rodriguez, he needed a few ground strikes to finish the fight off, but the stoppage win was all the more impressive when you consider Rodriguez hadn’t been TKO’d since Tim Sylvia captured the UFC belt from him in February 2003.

“He hits hard,” Rodriguez said.

But Rodriguez promised to get back on the horse. After all, this is a guy who many figured was done a long time ago, yet he managed to put his demons behind him and put together an impressive winning streak that got him to Bellator. While that stretch of success is history now, he says he has the tools to recover and rebuild.

“This is a tough job,” Rodriguez said. “Every fighter can get knocked out, every fighter can get subbed. It’s a fight. It’s a way of life. You have to pick up the pieces when you’re down. When you’re up, you’re up. But even when you’re at the top of the mountain, everyone’s trying to knock you down.”

 

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Long Line Forming for Fights Against Bellator’s Joe Warren

Filed under: Bellator, NewsUNCASVILLE, Conn. — If everything goes according to Joe Warren’s plans, he might find himself to be the busiest fighter in MMA. Warren, who is Bellator’s reigning featherweight champion, is moving forward with plans to enter…

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Joe WarrenUNCASVILLE, Conn. — If everything goes according to Joe Warren‘s plans, he might find himself to be the busiest fighter in MMA. Warren, who is Bellator‘s reigning featherweight champion, is moving forward with plans to enter the promotion’s upcoming bantamweight tournament field. But he also has two other fighters waiting for dates against him with hopes of wresting that featherweight belt from his grasp.

So in what order will he tackle his many tasks? According to Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, Warren is locked and loaded for the bantamweight tournament, where he’ll take on former Cuban Olympic wrestler Alexis Vila in September.

But after that, things get tricky.

Of course, if Warren beats Vila, he’ll advance, and if he makes it through to the tournament finale, he’ll be booked up until November. That will leave current No. 1 contender Patricio “Pitbull” Freire waiting … or not. Pitbull is currently recovering from a broken hand and his return date is yet undetermined.

If he’s healthy, he’d get the first featherweight title shot at Warren, but there’s another guy in line right behind him, and that’s Pat Curran, who punched his ticket to face-off for gold by knocking out Marlon Sandro at Saturday night’s Bellator 48.

Curran could potentially face either Warren or Pitbull, depending on who emerges from their bout with the belt. But it may be a while for that to happen. That may not be the worst thing for Curran, who has fought four times in the last four months and could probably use a break.

Rebney said Pitbull should get back into training in the next three to four weeks, and would likely need at least two months of camp before facing Warren.

So things will depend mainly on how far Warren advances and how quickly Sandro’s hand heals.

“If Joe … wins the bantamweight tournament and earns the right to fight [champion] Zach [Makovsky], then he could conceptually have three world title fights in a row,” Rebney said.

Here’s one more wrinkle for fun: Warren has brought up the possibility of trying to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in wrestling. Think there’s a back log of fighters waiting to get at him now? It might only get worse.

“It’ll play itself out, but it’ll be interesting theater to watch it play itself out,” Rebney said.

 

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Top 5 Bellator Fighters That Could Make in in the UFC

Last night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, Bellator put on an outstanding card.Bellator 48 featured Seth “The Kimbo Killer” Petruzelli going up against the former UFC heavyweight champion, Ricco Rodriguez.In the co-main event, ther…

Last night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, Bellator put on an outstanding card.

Bellator 48 featured Seth “The Kimbo Killer” Petruzelli going up against the former UFC heavyweight champion, Ricco Rodriguez.

In the co-main event, there was a non-title superfight featuring the heavyweight champion, Cole Konrad, against the always dangerous, Paul Buentello.

The main event of the evening had Marlon Sandro face off against Pat Curran in the Bellator Summer Series finale in the featherweight division.

Curran landed a massive head kick in the second round, and Sandro was out cold.

Could Curran make it in the UFC? He has potential, but probably not yet, but here are five fighters who could make some serious waves in the UFC.

Read the rest of the article here.

Bellator 48 Fight Card: Pat Curran vs. Marlon Sandro Reactions

First RoundSo far both fighters are pretty even striking, with Sandro showing a bit more movement than Curran.Sandro is starting to pick up the pace, and is throwing a few more strikes than Curran is.Spinning heel kick from Sandro just misses, he defin…

First Round

So far both fighters are pretty even striking, with Sandro showing a bit more movement than Curran.

Sandro is starting to pick up the pace, and is throwing a few more strikes than Curran is.

Spinning heel kick from Sandro just misses, he definitely has some nice, crisp striking. He throws another one to the body which lands.

Tough round to score, B/R has it 10-9 Sandro

Second Round

Fighters touch gloves, and the second round is underway.

Each fighter is throwing big combos and swinging for the fences, looking to land a game-changer.

 

Third Round

Bellator 48 Fight Card Results: Cole Konrad vs. Paul Buentello

First RoundBoth fighters come out orthodox, with no glove touch to start if off.Konrad immediately takes the center.An uneventful first round, with neither fighter landing anything of real significance, but Konrad did control the center for the most of…

First Round

Both fighters come out orthodox, with no glove touch to start if off.

Konrad immediately takes the center.

An uneventful first round, with neither fighter landing anything of real significance, but Konrad did control the center for the most of it.

B/R scores the round 10-9 Konrad

Second Round

Buentello comes out looking for urgent, and looking to land something at the start. Konrad still holds the center of the cage.

Konrad is landing a few kicks and jabs here and there, but still nothing major at the midway point of the second round.

Konrad goes for a takedown, fails, then tries to swarm, but Buentello gets away.

With about thirty seconds left in the round, Konrad lands a solid combo, and again Buentello gets away.

B/R scores the round 10-9 Konrad

Third Round

More of the same for the first minute of the round, until Buentello slips and Konrad ends up on his back working for a rear-naked choke.

Konrad had it sunk in good, but Buentello escaped, and Konrad still has his back.

Konrad is now in Buentello’s half guard, looking to try throw down some ground and pound.

Dan Miragliotta stands them up with one minute remaining in the third round.

The round ends with Konrad pushing Buentello up against the cage, and boos are heard from the crowd.

B/R scores the fight 30-27 for Cole Konrad

Official Decision: Cole Konrad defeats Paul Buentello by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds.

Bellator 48 Main Card Results: Ricco Rodriguez vs. Seth Petruzelli

First RoundIn a heavyweight bout, Seth Petruzelli took on a Ricco Rodriguez.Both fighters came out swinging, but Petruzelli was getting the better of the stand up.Landing a myriad of punches and leg kicks, Petruzelli mixed things up by taking down Rodr…

First Round

In a heavyweight bout, Seth Petruzelli took on a Ricco Rodriguez.

Both fighters came out swinging, but Petruzelli was getting the better of the stand up.

Landing a myriad of punches and leg kicks, Petruzelli mixed things up by taking down Rodriguez.  Finding little opportunities on the ground, Petruzelli stood back up and kept at his striking game.

Rodriguez attempted to take his opponent down, but Petruzelli’s takedown defense was on point, stuffing each shot with relative ease.

With less than a minute left, Petruzelli landed a spinning back kick to Rodriguez’s midsection, followed with a spinning hook kick to the head.

It was an overhand right, however, that sealed the deal for the “Kimbo Killer”, buckling the former UFC champion.  Petruzelli followed up the punch with a powerful double hammerfist forcing the referee to call an end to the bout.

Official Decision: Seth Petruzelli defeats Ricco Rodriguez via knockout in the first round.