Bellator 69 Weigh-Ins: Maiquel Falcao Picks a Bad Time to Miss Weight [UPDATED]


(Props: TheFightNerd)

Bellator has already proven that they have a zero-tolerance policy for tournament competitors missing weight, and this afternoon, Maiquel Falcao put himself in danger of being the second finalist to be disqualified this season.

During the weigh-ins for tomorrow’s Bellator 69 event at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Falcao punished the scales at 188 pounds, three above his middleweight limit. He has been given two hours to sweat off the excess; if he doesn’t make it happen, his opponent Andreas Spang could win the Season Six Middleweight Tournament by default, earning a title shot against a cardboard cutout of Hector Lombard. Cross your fingers for a good result, because these two really need to squash their beefUPDATE: Falcao made weight on his second attempt.

In other Bellator weigh-in news, two undercard fighters also came in heavy on their first attempts, and welterweight semifinalist Karl Amoussou made opponent David Rickels his bitch during the staredown. You can see a GIF of that rather embarrassing moment after the jump, along with complete weigh-in results from Bellator 69, which will also feature a 115-pound women’s match between Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar.


(Props: TheFightNerd)

Bellator has already proven that they have a zero-tolerance policy for tournament competitors missing weight, and this afternoon, Maiquel Falcao put himself in danger of being the second finalist to be disqualified this season.

During the weigh-ins for tomorrow’s Bellator 69 event at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Falcao punished the scales at 188 pounds, three above his middleweight limit. He has been given two hours to sweat off the excess; if he doesn’t make it happen, his opponent Andreas Spang could win the Season Six Middleweight Tournament by default, earning a title shot against a cardboard cutout of Hector Lombard. Cross your fingers for a good result, because these two really need to squash their beefUPDATE: Falcao made weight on his second attempt.

In other Bellator weigh-in news, two undercard fighters also came in heavy on their first attempts, and welterweight semifinalist Karl Amoussou made opponent David Rickels his bitch during the staredown. You can see a GIF of that rather embarrassing moment after the jump, along with complete weigh-in results from Bellator 69, which will also feature a 115-pound women’s match between Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar.


(Props: IronForgesIron. That white thing Rickels pulls out is a toothbrush.)

MAIN CARD (MTV2)
Maiquel Falcao (188) vs. Andreas Spang (185.8) – middleweight-tournament final
Karl Amoussou (170) vs. David Rickels (170.6) – welterweight-tournament semifinal
Jessica Aguilar (115.6) vs. Megumi Fujii (116)
Kevin Asplund (239) vs. Ron Sparks (264.6)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com)
Josh Quayhagen (158.2) vs. Cliff Wright (155.6)
Emanuel “E.J.” Brooks (156.6) vs. Kalvin Hackney (156)
Booker Arthur (145.4) vs. Shanon Slack (146)
Andrey Koreshkov (170.8) vs. Derrick Krantz (170.8)
Josh Burns (206) vs. Richard Hale (205.5)
Mark Holata (250.6) vs. Abe Wagner (248.8)

Bellator vs. Invicta: Which Promotion Has the Brighter Future?

Smaller MMA promotions tend to live very short lives. Even when one seems to be ready to jump into place to get equal footing with the UFC, they either dry up or get bought out by Zuffa. Such, though, is the nature of trendy businesses. The slew of MMA…

Smaller MMA promotions tend to live very short lives. Even when one seems to be ready to jump into place to get equal footing with the UFC, they either dry up or get bought out by Zuffa. Such, though, is the nature of trendy businesses.

The slew of MMA promotions that have come and gone is no different from any given boom and bust cycle. Pride FC? EliteXC? Affliction MMA? Strikeforce? No different from Pets.com, Seagram or Sega.

While it is easy to focus in on the flops, it is important to remember that these things do eventually settle, and the landscape tends to have more than one figure present. There are at least two promotions hoping that this time has come: the Bellator and Invicta Fighting Championships.

Right now, Bellator is positioning itself to become a force for the UFC to reckon with. A direct competitor? Not quite yet. But at least for now, Bellator is on the rise.

Bellator FC was founded in 2008, and primarily features a rigid, but generally efficient tournament format. The promotion’s events are divided into “seasons” where, over the course of several events, they stage tournaments in three or four weight classes to crown a new champion, while fleshing out cards with various non-tournament fights.

Starting with their fourth season, they began running weekly events on MTV2. Though Bellator has gained a strong financial foundation since being purchased by Viacom late last year, not all is going well for the them; Bellator’s current season’s ratings have not been strong by any standard, wildly fluctuating between 100,000-200,000 viewers. By comparison, The Ultimate Fighter: Live has consistently been pulling in more than 900,000.

A move from MTV2 to Spike TV is in the works, but will not be taking hold until 2013.

While Bellator has been around for a few years now, Invicta FC is brand new to the scene, with their first event taking place a few weeks ago. The idea behind Invicta is pretty straightforward.

A few former Strikeforce executives decided to start an all-female league when the future of women’s MMA became uncertain after the promotion was scooped up by Zuffa. The doomsayers have generally been quieted, largely because of Ronda Rousey’s surging popularity, and Invicta showed that there is a market for their product, drawing 250,000 viewers in their only-viewable-online debut event.

The future of Invicta is completely up in the air, though. Another event is scheduled for July, but there is no word on a TV deal at this point.

The staying power of either promotion is difficult to measure. Viacom’s ownership of Bellator and the fact that they have a long-term plan suggests that they will be around for at least a bit longer. Whether or not the promotion draws more viewers when it switches over to Spike TV will ultimately be the key factor when it comes to determining its sustainability.

Invicta is less secure, however. Even though Gina Carano and Cris Santos became huge personalities, and Ronda Rousey is following in their footsteps, it remains to be seen just how receptive average MMA fans are when it comes to women fighting.

There are also plenty of questions regarding how deep the talent pool really is among women fighters. Ronda Rousey’s electrifying, arm-snapping submission of Miesha Tate was rife with sloppy striking. Furthermore, given the lopsided nature of every fight involving Cris Santos, the ladies in the sport need to start upping their game.

Still, the potential is there, and if Invicta can steer clear of the potholes that tend to take the axles off such promotions (signing too many fighters or breaking the bank for star fighters), they can stick around for a while. They will likely never come close to reaching the heights that the UFC has, but by no means will that make them unsuccessful.

Regardless, when forced to choose between them, the future is brighter for Bellator simply because their product and parent company offer more security. Though Invicta certainly can grow, it is definitely the riskier investment.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Zuffa Should Sign Eddie Alvarez to Strikeforce for Gilbert Melendez

I previously wrote about why the UFC needs Eddie Alvarez.  But as I read about the predicament Gilbert Melendez is in, I have realized that a move to Strikeforce for the Bellator lightweight could be the answer to everyone’s problems.  …

I previously wrote about why the UFC needs Eddie Alvarez.  But as I read about the predicament Gilbert Melendez is in, I have realized that a move to Strikeforce for the Bellator lightweight could be the answer to everyone’s problems. 

Melendez, the Strikeforce lightweight champion, is in dire need of credible opponents since he has made quick work out of almost every good lightweight outside of the UFC.  He has resorted to rematching multiple mid range fighters simply to remain active. 

Alvarez, who is in a similar situation in Bellator FC, has been rumored to be signing with the UFC in the near future after his TKO of Shinya Aoki.   

Unfortunately for Alvarez, he most likely wouldn’t be awarded with an immediate shot at the UFC champ.  In fact, he most likely wouldn’t get to fight for that belt until sometime next year. 

The top of UFC’s lightweight division has been congested by multiple championship rematches for different reasons.  This has created a long line of contenders who are all vying for that number two spot in line.   

My suggestion is that Alvarez be brought to Strikeforce as a needed step up from Bellator, and a shot at another title.  This could potentially be his way into the UFC if his stint in the lesser of the Zuffa promotions proves to be successful.   

It would introduce him to a new pool of contenders without subjecting him to the fate of the top lightweights in the UFC who are constantly knocked out of line due to close decisions and upsets.

A dip in the Strikeforce pool might be what Alvarez needs to become acclimated to such a higher level of competition. 

Alvarez is one of a few credible lightweights Melendez hasn’t challenged.  Michael Chandler, also in Bellator FC, submitted Eddie Alvarez, relieving him of the lightweight title last fall. 

A move to Strikeforce for Alvarez could be great for all parties involved.

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UFC Friday Five: King Mo to Bellator, UFC 148 Injury Woes, TUF Goes Worldwide

Welcome to our newest Friday feature here at Caged In: A single, solitary look back at the five biggest news stories of the last five days. We’ll put a bow on the work week and, for the most part, lead you into fight night more knowledgeable than…

Welcome to our newest Friday feature here at Caged In: A single, solitary look back at the five biggest news stories of the last five days. We’ll put a bow on the work week and, for the most part, lead you into fight night more knowledgeable than you were when you crashed into your bed […]

MMA Weekend Preview: Bellator 68, Diaz vs. Estima

We’re entering yet another weekend without a big Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage on MMA programming this weekend. Bellator returns tonight with an exciting featherweight tournament…

We’re entering yet another weekend without a big Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage on MMA programming this weekend. Bellator returns tonight with an exciting featherweight tournament finale. After that, you’ve got an intriguing episode of The Ultimate Fighter with two scheduled bouts and then the debut of UFC Primetime: […]

Bellator 68 Live Results and Play by Play

Season Six of the Bellator tournament continues tonight with the Featherweight Tournament final. Marlon Sandro looks to beat Daniel Straus for an opportunity to face Pat Curran next year for the featherweight belt. Also on the card is Marius Zarom…

Season Six of the Bellator tournament continues tonight with the Featherweight Tournament final. Marlon Sandro looks to beat Daniel Straus for an opportunity to face Pat Curran next year for the featherweight belt. 

Also on the card is Marius Zaromskis making his Bellator debut against Strikeforce veteran Waachiim Spiritwolf. The fight is almost guaranteed to be exciting as both Zaromskis and Spiritwolf bring the fight every time they enter the cage. 

Prelims

Aung La Nsang def. Jesus Martinez via TKO at :36 in the first round.
Anthony Leone def. Claudio Ledesma via Split Decision (29-28 Ledesma, 30-27 Leone, 30-27 Leone)
Don Carlo-Clauss vs. Jacob Kirwan

Main Card

Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf
Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli
Travis Marx vs. Marcos Galvão
Marlon Sandro vs. Daniel Straus 

Join Bleacher Report for a live discussion of the fights. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com