Tag: Bellator 88

Bellator 88 Results & Videos: Shlemenko Knocks Out Falcao to Win Middleweight Title, Mike Richman Scores Another Head-Kick KO

(The Shlemenko vs. Falcao stoppage)

Last night’s Bellator middleweight title fight between ever-twirling Russian Alexander Shlemenko and hard-sluggin’ Brazilian Maiquel Falcao didn’t disappoint. After an evenly-pitched first round that featured both men making statements with their striking — and Falcao mixing in a couple takedowns — Shlemenko focused his attacks on the body in round 2, hurting Falcao with a liver punch then dropping him with a short right hand. Shlemenko fired down a few more body shots from above before KO’ing Falcao with a precision head-shot. Shlemenko earns the vacant middleweight title in impressive fashion, and will now take a break until the Season 8 middleweight tournament produces his first challenger.

Also on the Bellator 88 card, the featherweight tournament quarterfinals were highlighted by returning contender Mike Richman, who scored his third knockout under the Bellator banner with a head-kick-and-punches stoppage of Mitch Jackson — pretty much the same thing he did to Jeremy Spoon last October, only this time with Dan Miragliotta doing his lovable late-stoppage thing. You can watch the Richman/Jackson KO after the jump, along with five more stoppages from the event. Full results are below.

Main Card
– Alexander Shlemenko def. Maiquel Falcao via KO, 2:18 of round 2
– Marlon Sandro def. Akop Stepanyan via majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27) – Stepanyan was docked a point in round 2 for fence-grabbing
– Mike Richman def. Mitch Jackson via TKO (head-kick and punches), 4:57 of round 1
– Alexandre Bezerra def. Genair Da Silva via submission (armbar), 1:40 of round 1

Preliminary Card
– Frodo Khasbulaev def. Fabricio Guerreiro via submission (arm triangle), 1:15 of round 2
– George Hickman def. Stephen Upchurch via submission (rear-naked choke), 2:19 of round 1
– Clay Harvison def. Ururahy Rodrigues via KO, 3:34 of round 3
– Ronnie Rogers def. Shane Crenshaw via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
– Joe Elmore def. Jerrid Burke via KO, 4:11 of round 2


(The Shlemenko vs. Falcao stoppage)

Last night’s Bellator middleweight title fight between ever-twirling Russian Alexander Shlemenko and hard-sluggin’ Brazilian Maiquel Falcao didn’t disappoint. After an evenly-pitched first round that featured both men making statements with their striking — and Falcao mixing in a couple takedowns — Shlemenko focused his attacks on the body in round 2, hurting Falcao with a liver punch then dropping him with a short right hand. Shlemenko fired down a few more body shots from above before KO’ing Falcao with a precision head-shot. Shlemenko earns the vacant middleweight title in impressive fashion, and will now take a break until the Season 8 middleweight tournament produces his first challenger.

Also on the Bellator 88 card, the featherweight tournament quarterfinals were highlighted by returning contender Mike Richman, who scored his third knockout under the Bellator banner with a head-kick-and-punches stoppage of Mitch Jackson — pretty much the same thing he did to Jeremy Spoon last October, only this time with Dan Miragliotta doing his lovable late-stoppage thing. You can watch the Richman/Jackson KO after the jump, along with five more stoppages from the event. Full results are below.

Main Card
– Alexander Shlemenko def. Maiquel Falcao via KO, 2:18 of round 2
– Marlon Sandro def. Akop Stepanyan via majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27) – Stepanyan was docked a point in round 2 for fence-grabbing
– Mike Richman def. Mitch Jackson via TKO (head-kick and punches), 4:57 of round 1
– Alexandre Bezerra def. Genair Da Silva via submission (armbar), 1:40 of round 1

Preliminary Card
– Frodo Khasbulaev def. Fabricio Guerreiro via submission (arm triangle), 1:15 of round 2
– George Hickman def. Stephen Upchurch via submission (rear-naked choke), 2:19 of round 1
– Clay Harvison def. Ururahy Rodrigues via KO, 3:34 of round 3
– Ronnie Rogers def. Shane Crenshaw via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
– Joe Elmore def. Jerrid Burke via KO, 4:11 of round 2


(Mike Richman vs. Mitch Jackson)


(Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair Da Silva)


(Frodo Khasbulaev vs. Fabricio Guerreiro)


(George Hickman vs. Stephen Upchurch)


(Clay Harvison vs. Ururahy Rodrigues)


(Joe Elmore vs. Jerrid Burke)

Heads-Up: Alexander Shlemenko and Maiquel Falcao Scrap for Bellator’s Vacant Middleweight Title Tonight


(Pretending to talk on the phone when your opponent is waiting for the face-off: Gangster. Photo via @BellatorMMA)

Bellator 88 goes down tonight at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia, headlined by Alexander Shlemenko and Maiquel Falcao meeting for the promotion’s vacant middleweight title. This is a big freaking deal, relatively speaking. Here’s why you should care, and perhaps even tune in to the Spike broadcast at 10 p.m. / 9 p.m. CT.

Currently riding a nine-fight win streak, Shlemenko is 7-1 under the Bellator banner, winning the Season 2 and Season 5 middleweight tournaments. Though he lost his first title challenge in a 2010 decision against Hector Lombard, Shlemenko at least holds the distinction of being the only guy who Lombard wasn’t able to KTFO during his Bellator run. (We’d call that a “half-win.”) Shlemenko’s Season 5 tournament sweep in 2011 should have secured him a rematch with Lombard, but the Cuban slugger buggered off to the UFC, vacating his title.

Enter “Big Rig.” After an odd one-and-done career in the UFC, Maiquel Falcao eventually landed in Bellator, where he scored three consecutive unanimous decision victories last year to win the Season 6 Middleweight Tournament. And so, Bellator’s last two middleweight tournament winners will now face each other. So will Falcao’s power triumph over Shlemenko’s fancy spinnin’-shit? Check out some relevant videos after the jump and let us know what you think…


(Pretending to talk on the phone when your opponent is waiting for the face-off: Gangster. Photo via @BellatorMMA)

Bellator 88 goes down tonight at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia, headlined by Alexander Shlemenko and Maiquel Falcao meeting for the promotion’s vacant middleweight title. This is a big freaking deal, relatively speaking. Here’s why you should care, and perhaps even tune in to the Spike broadcast at 10 p.m. / 9 p.m. CT.

Currently riding a nine-fight win streak, Shlemenko is 7-1 under the Bellator banner, winning the Season 2 and Season 5 middleweight tournaments. Though he lost his first title challenge in a 2010 decision against Hector Lombard, Shlemenko at least holds the distinction of being the only guy who Lombard wasn’t able to KTFO during his Bellator run. (We’d call that a “half-win.”) Shlemenko’s Season 5 tournament sweep in 2011 should have secured him a rematch with Lombard, but the Cuban slugger buggered off to the UFC, vacating his title.

Enter “Big Rig.” After an odd one-and-done career in the UFC, Maiquel Falcao eventually landed in Bellator, where he scored three consecutive unanimous decision victories last year to win the Season 6 Middleweight Tournament. And so, Bellator’s last two middleweight tournament winners will now face each other. So will Falcao’s power triumph over Shlemenko’s fancy spinnin’-shit? Check out some relevant videos after the jump and let us know what you think…


(Shlemenko vs. Bryan Baker, 6/24/10)


(Shlemenko vs. Zelg Galesic, 9/17/11)


(Shlemenko vs. Brian Rogers, 10/15/11)


(Shlemenko vs. Ikuhisa Minowa, 4/7/12)


(Falcao vs. Julio Cesar Bilik, 7/9/11)


(Falcao vs. Norman Paraisy, 3/16/12)


(Falcao vs. Andreas Spang, 5/18/12)