Former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson took to his official website blog to announce that he has signed with Bellator MMA.
“Smooth” Benson Henderson purposely allowed his UFC contract to expire after his last Octagon appearance, as he was …
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson took to his official website blog to announce that he has signed with Bellator MMA.
“Smooth” Benson Henderson purposely allowed his UFC contract to expire after his last Octagon appearance, as he was looking to see what his value was on the open market.
The Viacom-backed MMA promotion that airs regularly on Spike TV, and in 2015, entered the pay-per-view market, apparently won the Benson Henderson sweepstakes, as the former UFC champion wrote the following blog regarding his Bellator MMA signing.
The Move
I’d like to officially announce my move over to Bellator MMA
I’m beyond excited for this next phase of my career, it’s a big move, like any move when switching employers or jobs after having worked somewhere for such a long time.
I have to thank the BigMan upstairs for putting some amazing people in my life, my wife (first and foremost) and a lot of truly smart and insightful people behind the scenes who helped make the connections and negotiated this deal to bring it to fruition.
I’d be remiss to not thank Dana White and Lorenzo Fertita for the opportunities they presented me, you guys have helped me change my life for the better and to be able to provide my family with the things I didn’t have while growing up. For that I’ll always have the utmost appreciation. Thanks for all the advise you guys gave too, both business wise and personal.
And last but not least, to who it is I think of when I think of the UFC! Everybody behind the scenes who I personally dealt with every time I reported in or had to do something. Mayra, Melissa, Dave, Chris, Nick, Tracy, Joanie, Maura, Tony, Heidi, Ryan, James, Dave, Kaia (sp.???), Burt, Rob, Rudy, Stitch, House, Mike, Susie, Dean, Donna, Feryal, Sean, Joe, Brad, Jazzmine, Candice, Michelle, Reed, sorry I can’t name everyone or this list would go on for forever. There’s a whole ton of people behind the scenes who make that show what it is. You guys and girls are the ones who make that show great and allow us fighters to do what it is we love!!! Much love to you all and thanks for putting up with me for so long.
To my fans, thanks for all the love and support, I’ll keep giving you my all, opening up my heart and soul inside that cage. I’m excited for this next chapter and building new relationships with guys I’ve heard nothing but great things about like Scott Coker, Rich Chou and Mike Kogan.
Paul “Semtex” Daley made quick work of Andy Uhrich in the main event at Bellator 148 in Fresno, California, on Friday night. The powerful British welterweight stalked his overmatched opponent and ultimately landed a right uppercut on Uhrich’s jaw.
The …
Paul “Semtex” Daley made quick work of Andy Uhrich in the main event at Bellator 148 in Fresno, California, on Friday night. The powerful British welterweight stalked his overmatched opponent and ultimately landed a right uppercut on Uhrich’s jaw.
The latter face planted, and referee John McCarthy stepped in to waive off the rest of the fight. This one wasn’t competitive at all, and it topped off a night filled with knockouts at the Save Mart Center. Zombie Prophet has the KO:
Here’s a look at all of the results from the card:
Prelim Results
Justin Smitley defeats Art Arciniega by unanimous decision (30-27 x3).
Ilima MacFarlane defeats Amber Tackett by submission (armbar) in first round.
Carl Seumanutafa defeats Javy Ayala by TKO (punches) in second round.
Main Card Results
Tony Johnson defeats Raphael Butler by TKO (punches) in third round.
Patricky Pitbull defeats Ryan Couture by KO (left hook) in first round.
Paul Bradley defeats Chris Honeycutt by TKO (punches) in first round.
Paul Daley defeats Andy Uhrich by KO (right uppercutt) in first round.
Chasing Koscheck
Daley and Uhrich weren’t supposed to be the main event matchup. Daley’s longtime rival Josh Koscheck was supposed to make his Bellator debut against Matt Secor, but the former had to bow out due to injury. He was on hand for Daley’s win, and there were plenty of words exchanged between the two veteran welterweights.
MMA Fighting and Fox Sports’ Ariel Helwani noted some of the trash talk from Daley’s brief, but in-your-face post-fight interview:
Back in 2010, when Daley and Koscheck were fighting in the UFC, the two faced off at UFC 113. Koscheck won a unanimous decision. Moments after the final bell, a frustrated Daley sucker-punched Koscheck. The infraction got him banned from the UFC and ignited a bitter feud between him and Koscheck.
Bellator’s promotional team has been attempting to align the two men on a collision course for the ultimate grudge match. They were both supposed to fight on Friday’s card to set up the rematch, but Koscheck’s injury derailed the plans.
Chances are, the shouting match after Daley’s win was enough to keep the flame burning and some fans interested in seeing the rematch.
Quite honestly, Koscheck looked like a shopworn and whooped fighter in his last four UFC fights. At this point, he may just be a recognizable name headed for a beatdown in Bellator. Only time will tell.
Bradley Smokes Honeycutt
The first meeting between Paul Bradley and Chris Honeycutt ended in a no-contest after an accidental headbutt back in July 2015. Bradley made sure the judges wouldn’t be a factor in the rematch.
Early in the first round, Bradley landed a right hand that was more of a forearm, but it dazed Honeycutt. A follow-up right hand sent him falling backward. Sensing the finish, Bradley pounced and pumped right hands to the side of Honeycutt’s head until the fight was stopped.
It was Honeycutt’s first loss as a pro. To add insult to injury, the bout took place in his hometown. He still has a bright future, but he’ll have to pick up the pieces after this one.
Johnson’s Wrestling Is Too Much for Butler
Raphael Butler hoped to use his boxing prowess to pick Tony Johnson apart with jabs and power punches, but that didn’t happen. Johnson used his wide body, low center of gravity and wrestling expertise to dominate Butler.
Every round looked like a carbon copy of the one before it. Johnson would shoot for the takedown, secure it on the first attempt and maintain top position. In the third round, referee Mike Beltran grew tired of the one-way traffic, and he stopped the bout due to unanswered strikes.
It was a questionable decision by Beltran, but Butler had no chance to win. There was only 30 seconds remaining in the fight, and Butler was making no moves to change the momentum. Here’s a look at the finish from Zombie Prophet:
Bellator congratulated Johnson on his win:
With the victory, Johnson has positioned himself for a title shot whenever heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov returns to the cage. He hasn’t fought in over two years, but somehow he’s been allowed to remain champion. Johnson is applying the heat that figures to force Minakov’s hand.
Bang
Ryan Couture tried to trade with Patricky Pitbull, and things didn’t end well for the son of the MMA legend. A smashing left hook from the Brazilian sent Couture crashing to the mat just three minutes into the fight. It was sudden, nasty and devastating.
Zombie Prophet has the punch:
When it was over, the MMA community had immediate reaction. Sherdog.com tabbed it as an early candidate for KO of the Year:
Thankfully, Bellator cutman Matt Marsden tweeted good news about Couture after the scary KO:
You could see the wickedness on its way in the early seconds of the fight. Couture seemed to be trying to prove he could strike with Pitbull. That was a surprising strategy considering Couture is known for his grappling and submission skills, while Pitbull boasts explosive punching power.
Before he turned Couture’s lights out with the left hook, he dazed him with a fierce straight right hand. It would have been smart for Couture to try and take the fight to the ground at that point, but he didn’t. Unfortunately for him, Pitbull’s left hand took him to the ground instead.
What’s Next?
On February 19, two MMA fossils will battle for something, we’re just not sure what it is. The legendary Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock will fight for the third time in their seemingly never-ending careers.
Also on the card is a matchup between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000. Yeah, this one isn’t exactly targeted for the MMA purists, but it’s a fight that many people are likely going to be interested in seeing.
It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Friday, January 29th, 2016) will come from Bellator 148. Headlining the card are Paul Daley and Andy Uhrich, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the rest of the main card. Paul Daley (37-13-2) vs. Andy
It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Friday, January 29th, 2016) will come from Bellator 148. Headlining the card are Paul Daley and Andy Uhrich, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the rest of the main card.
Paul Daley (37-13-2) vs. Andy Uhrich (11-5) meet in a welterweight bout in the main event of Bellator 148.
Chris Honeycutt (6-0, 1 NC) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6, 2 NC) meet in a welterweight bout in the co-main event of Bellator 148.
Ryan Couture (10-3) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (14-7) is next in a lightweight bout.
Opening the main card on Spike TV is Raphael Butler (9-1) vs. Tony Johnson (9-2) in a heavyweight bout.
So join us right here at LowKickMMA for Bellator 148, kicking off at 7:40 p.m ET!
Following his official release from his UFC contract earlier this month, MMA legend “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva is already receiving offers from other top MMA promotions.
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker noted during his recent appearance on MMAjunkie Radio that he is planning to meet with Silva in the coming weeks about coming out of retirement to fight for Bellator.
“Not every free agent is a fit over here, but Wanderlei is someone we would like to have a serious discussion with,” Coker said. “I think he’s in Brazil right now, and I think he’ll be back in town next month, and we’ll have some dialogue.”
Silva, the former longtime PRIDE Middleweight Champion, last fought at the UFC On FUEL TV 8 event in March of 2013, where he knocked out Brian Stann in the second round.
More recently, Silva coached alongside Chael Sonnen on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, but their fight never materialized after Silva “ran” from the pre-fight drug test, resulting in his lifetime ban from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Silva ultimately took the NAC to court and the re-hearing of the case is expected to go down in February.
Following his official release from his UFC contract earlier this month, MMA legend “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva is already receiving offers from other top MMA promotions.
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker noted during his recent appearance on MMAjunkie Radio that he is planning to meet with Silva in the coming weeks about coming out of retirement to fight for Bellator.
“Not every free agent is a fit over here, but Wanderlei is someone we would like to have a serious discussion with,” Coker said. “I think he’s in Brazil right now, and I think he’ll be back in town next month, and we’ll have some dialogue.”
Silva, the former longtime PRIDE Middleweight Champion, last fought at the UFC On FUEL TV 8 event in March of 2013, where he knocked out Brian Stann in the second round.
More recently, Silva coached alongside Chael Sonnen on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, but their fight never materialized after Silva “ran” from the pre-fight drug test, resulting in his lifetime ban from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Silva ultimately took the NAC to court and the re-hearing of the case is expected to go down in February.
Bellator MMA officials held the weigh-ins for Bellator 148 on Thursday and you can watch them here: Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich takes place on January 29, 2016 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The event airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream
Bellator MMA officials held the weigh-ins for Bellator 148 on Thursday and you can watch them here:
Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich takes place on January 29, 2016 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The event airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App at 5 p.m. PT. Tickets for the event start at only $25 and are on sale at the Save Mart Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
The main card consists of four bouts with the main event featuring a welterweight bout between Paul Daley and Andy Uhrich. The co-main event features a welterweight clash between Chris Honeycutt and Paul Bradley.
Here are the weigh-in results:
MAIN CARD (Spike, 9 p.m. ET)
Paul Daley (170.2) vs. Andy Uhrich (169.8)
Paul Bradley (171) vs. Chris Honeycutt (171)
Ryan Couture (155) vs. Patricky Freire (155.4)
Raphael Butler (263) vs. Tony Johnson (264.4)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Online, 7:40 p.m. ET)
Eric Huggins (206.4) vs. Jermaine McDermott (204.2)
Paul “Semtex” Daley will face Andy Uhrich in the Bellator 148 main event on Friday from the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California. Originally, the main event was supposed to feature Josh Koscheck in his Bellator debut against Matt Secor, but an injury …
Paul “Semtex” Daley will face Andy Uhrich in the Bellator 148 main event on Friday from the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California. Originally, the main event was supposed to feature Josh Koscheck in his Bellator debut against Matt Secor, but an injury to the former caused the organization to move to Daley vs. Uhrich as the featured bout.
Here’s a look at predictions for the televised bouts:
Many of the early prelims will not be televised or streamed. The featured prelims will be streamed on Spike.com beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET and will air on Spike.
Daley-Koscheck Connection
Daley is one of the sport’s most devastating strikers. Honestly, he should tear through Uhrich. The latter lacks the striking prowess to hang with Daley in stand-up encounters.
Uhrich‘s only hope is to take the fight to the ground and wear down the Brit. He will have a three-inch height advantage over Daley, but that will wind up being a disadvantage in the fight.
Daley’s most dangerous strikes are his short, quick hooks on the inside. Look for him to slip Uhrich‘s long and slow jab and counter with short, powerful hooks. It would be surprising if this one goes the distance.
Daley should win inside two rounds.
The 32-year-old from Nottingham, England, has a rather dubious connection to Koscheck. When both were in the UFC, Koscheck defeated Daley by unanimous decision back in 2010.
Right after the bout, Daley sucker-punchedKoscheck out of frustration.
UFC President Dana White famously announced after the fight that Daley’s contract was terminated with the organization and that he would never fight in the UFC again. Because of that incident, it’s ironic Daley would be replacing Koscheck as the main event attraction.
There was obviously an attempt being made to orchestrate a grudge match, but that can’t happen anytime soon with Koscheck‘s injury.
Honeycutt Will Take the Rematch over Bradley
Chris Honeycutt and Paul Bradley looked to be headed for a memorable scrap at Bellator 140 in July 2015. An accidental clash of heads opened a nasty gash on Bradley’s head, which caused the fight to be stopped and ruled a no-contest.
The two men are set for the rematch in the co-featured bout.
Honeycutt is undefeated in six professional bouts, but it seemed clear early on that Bradley would represent his toughest opponent to date. With over six months to ponder and prepare for the rematch, Honeycutt is the pick to win on Friday.
Athletically, he’s superior to Bradley. With 28 pro fights, Bradley has the upper hand from an experience standpoint. However, having faced Bradley for just under 10 minutes in their first fight, Honeycutt gained a measure of familiarity that will be valuable.
In the video interview below from Bellator, Honeycutt talks about how much he’s improved since the first fight:
He initially seemed a little shocked that Bradley was able to thwart his takedown attempts early, but Honeycutt looked to be settling in a bit before the clash of heads.
His power and technique in the ground game will push him to a dominant victory via third-round TKO.
Tony Johnson Will Power Past Butler
In his career, Tony Johnson has faced some big names in the sport. He defeated an over-the-hill Tim Sylvia in 2013 via TKO and lost via submission to Daniel Cormier in 2010. Johnson is now attempting to smash his way to the top of the Bellator heavyweight rankings, and Raphael Butler is next in line.
It’s all part of Johnson’s plan to one day hold the Bellator heavyweight title. The only problem is Bellator champion VitalyMinakov has been missing in action for more than two years. Somehow the promotion has allowed him to remain the champion despite almost unprecedented inactivity.
It’s a little frustrating, but I can only control what I can control; and right now I have another fight. If I beat Butler it’s going to be hard for them to say no to a title shot. (Minakov) can’t hold it up for too much longer. They’ve got to do something. They have me, they have Rafael Butler, Bobby Lashley – we’re all in the hunt for the title and we just have to wait and see what happens.
Johnson will eliminate Butler’s name from immediate contention on Friday night. When he’s focused and in shape, Johnson is a wrecking ball who poses a serious threat to any Bellator heavyweight. Butler will have a length advantage, and he also possesses notable power.
However, he’ll be unnerved by Johnson’s pressure and strength in close quarters. Johnson will score a TKO victory to further pave his way toward a title shot—whenever Minakov returns or Bellator decides to do something with the title.
Paul “Semtex” Daley made quick work of Andy Uhrich in the main event at Bellator 148 in Fresno, California, on Friday night. The powerful British welterweight stalked his overmatched opponent and ultimately landed a right uppercut on Uhrich’s jaw.
