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.
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.
Filed under: MMA Fighting Exclusive, Bellator, NewsUNCASVILLE, Conn. — In his first fight under the Bellator banner, Seth Petruzelli got the fight he wanted. He forced grappling ace Ricco Rodriguez into a standup fight, where his unorthodox striking g…
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — In his first fight under the Bellator banner, Seth Petruzelli got the fight he wanted. He forced grappling ace Ricco Rodriguez into a standup fight, where his unorthodox striking game gave Rodriguez fits. It all culminated in a first-round knockout for Petruzelli at Bellator 48.
Given the win, Petruzelli is practically guaranteed another fight in the organization, but the question is at what weight the fight will be. The Saturday night bout was a 230-pound catch weight. Coming up this season is a heavyweight tournament, and the organization hasn’t yet finalized the field. He could be a candidate for that, or he could wait until an expected Feb. 2012 start date for the next light heavyweight tourney.
The former UFC fighter said while he would consider any offer, he would prefer to wait and join the 205-pounders.
“I’d really like to get some of my injuries looked at first,” Petruzelli told MMA Fighting shortly after the win.
Petruzelli said his right elbow has been bothering him since before he faced Ricardo Romero back at UFC 116 last July. He listed a bursa sac injury, tendinitis and floating bone fragments as issues he would like to address, making a layoff of a few months a proposition he could live with.
“It’s a whole bunch of things,” he said. “I’ve been working really hard getting ready for fights, and I’d be more than happy to take a few months off to relax.”
Petruzelli’s win improved his record to 14-6. It also snapped a 12-fight win streak for Rodriguez.
“I really thought he was going to do nothing but shoot and shoot and shoot,” he said. “He shot maybe once and pushed me against the cage one time. It worked out for me. It was a best-case scenario. Everything kind of fell into place. The fight went as perfect as possible.”
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney also told MMA Fighting that Petruzelli would likely be offered a spot in the next light-heavyweight tournament field, though a Feb. 2012 start date is not yet guaranteed.
The current champ is Christian M’Pumbu, but not for long if Petruzelli has things his way.
“That 205 belt is in my future,” he said. “I have my eyes on it and my heart set on it.”
First RoundBoth fighters immediately come out swinging, with Nazare gaining the edge and forcing Barrantes to clinch with him.Barrantes is now pressed up against the cage, and Nazare lands a good uppercut upon exit.Nazare is just walking Barrantes down…
First Round
Both fighters immediately come out swinging, with Nazare gaining the edge and forcing Barrantes to clinch with him.
Barrantes is now pressed up against the cage, and Nazare lands a good uppercut upon exit.
Nazare is just walking Barrantes down and hitting him with everything and the kitchen sink, and then lands a big double leg takedown into guard.
Nazare is landing solid ground and pound, and is just not giving Barrantes an opening for anything.
Nazare spent the rest of the round on top in control
B/R scores the round 10-9 Nazare
Second Round
As the second round starts, Barrantes comes out and looks tired.
Both fighters are still swinging for the fences, and Nazare is still holding the edge.
Nazare got a takedown, and spent the entire round on top smothering Barrantes.
B/R scores the round 10-9 Nazare
Third Round
B/R has the fight at 20-18 Nazare going into the third and final round, but if the prelims have showed us anything, it’s that score means nothing if you can get the finish.
Or not..
After a bit of confusion, Nazare is announced as the winner via TKO due to a doctor stoppage.
Official Decision: Renê Nazare defeats Juan Barrantes via TKO (doctor stoppage) after the second round.
Filed under: Bellator, NewsUNCASVILLE, Conn. — Pat Curran is back for a second chance at gold.
Curran, who lost a Bellator lightweight title fight against Eddie Alvarez in April and then dropped to featherweight, won his second Bellator tournament, t…
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Pat Curran is back for a second chance at gold.
Curran, who lost a Bellator lightweight title fight against Eddie Alvarez in April and then dropped to featherweight, won his second Bellator tournament, this time knocking the highly regarded Marlon Sandro cold with a spectacular headkick finish at Bellator 48.
With the win, Curran gets in line to face the winner of the upcoming tilt between current champ Joe Warren and challenger Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.
Curran spent most of the first two rounds getting peppered by Sandro, who utilized a speed advantage to get to him repeatedly. But during an exchange late in the second round, Sandro looked to keep away from Curran’s offense with active head movement. In the fight’s most fateful moment, he ducked under what he thought was going to be a punch. Instead it was a right high kick, and Curran connected perfectly, sending Sandro crashing to the canvas. The fight could have been over right then, but Curran was able to land a pair of finishing blows before the referee stepped in to save Sandro from further damage.
“I listened to my corners, look low and kick high,” Curran said after the fight. “I just timed it right. I saw him bobbing and weaving, but his hand wasn’t blocking. It landed right on his chin.”
Sandro, who had been so good up until that point, looked devastated after he returned to his corner. The Brazilian bomber appeared at the post-fight press conference but he spent most of it shaking his head and with a faraway look on his face, probably re-running the finish in his mind.
“Congratulations to Pat, but I will be back and better for the next fight,” he said.
It became the second unlikely tournament win for Curran, who was signed into Bellator at the recommendation of his cousin, UFC fighter Jeff Curran prior to the season two lightweight tournament. He got the eighth and final slot in the field, and worked his way through the field before losing to Alvarez in the final.
Curran said the loss lit a fire under him, and he was impressive throughout in the featherweight field, finishing two of his three fights.
He’ll have a while to wait until he cashes in his title shot, but he might not mind the layoff; he’s fought four times in four months.
“The sky’s the limit,” he said. “I’m just going to go back to the gym, work hard and keep improving.”
In the co-main event, Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad returned for the first time in 10 months, and emerged victorious with a unanimous decision win over Paul Buentello in a non-title bout.
The unbeaten Konrad has taken criticism in the best for his wrestling-heavy style, but against the standup specialist Buentello, Konrad spent most of the fight competing in his opponent’s favored position.
Konrad flashed an improved striking game, particularly a strong jab, but never came close to finishing Buentello. Still, it was more than enough for an easy decision by scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.
“I had fun and learned a lot,” Konrad said. “I wanted to prove I can exchange punches with a standup fighter. I’m happy. I’m progressing everyday. That’s the goal.”
Konrad moved to 8-0 with the victory.
Seth Petruzelli made his Bellator debut with a flourish, scoring a first-round TKO over former UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez in a tremendous performance.
Petruzelli flashed his varied standup game, mixing things up with leg kicks, high kicks and head shots. The end came after a pair of spin kicks led to an opening and Petruzelli threaded the needle with a right hand to the jaw that put Rodriguez down.
Petruzelli (14-6) followed with a pair of double hammerfists from the top, and Rodriguez was out for the TKO.
Afterward, Petruzelli said that he hopes to get a slot in Bellator’s next 205-pound tournament and capture a title in the division.
“That light-heavyweight belt has my name written on it, and I’m coming for it, man,” he said.
Rodriguez had a 12-fight win streak snapped with the loss. He fell to 46-12.
“I have to go back to the drawing board,” he said. “I’m not done.”
In the final main card fight, unbeaten Rene Nazare kept his perfect record intact, stopping Juan Barrantes after the second round when the cageside doctor called a halt to the action. Barrantes’ right eye was swollen shut after a pounding over the first 10 minutes.
Nazare controlled the action both standing and on the ground during the duration, but simply couldn’t get the finish as Barrantes withstood his barrages and defended on the ground. But after the second round, his face was bloodied and a quick look by the doctor sealed his fate.
First Round The final preliminary bout of the night featured middleweight Dan Cramer taking on Jeff Nader.Both fighters wasted no time clinching up, with Cramer able to land the first takedown of the fight. Staying in Nader’s guard, Nader la…
First Round
The final preliminary bout of the night featured middleweight Dan Cramer taking on Jeff Nader.
Both fighters wasted no time clinching up, with Cramer able to land the first takedown of the fight. Staying in Nader’s guard, Nader landed huge elbows from the top, forcing Cramer to civer up.
Mixing in some hammerfists and punches, Cramer mauled Nader on the ground against the cage in open guard. Unable to finish Nader from guard, Cramer looked to advance his position,easily transition to half guard with little over a minute left in the round.
Cramer finished the round, peppering his opponent with more ground and pound strikes before the bell rang.
Second Round
The second round started off in a flurry with Cramer landing a round house kick to the head. Nader quickly shot in and landed a huge double leg takedown, but was reversed just as fast, with Cramer gaining the top guard position.
Two minutes into the round, Cramer advanced to half guard while continuing his barrage from the top. WIth a minute left on the clock, Cramer mounted Nader but could not hold the position, with Nader escaping back to half guard.
Cramer finished the second round throwing elbows from side control.
Third Round
In the third round, Nader battled back, barraging Cramer with strikes. Against the cage, Nader landed a huge uppercut that buckled Cramer, forcing referee Kevin Mullhall to call a stop to the action barely a minute into the round.
Official Decision: Jeff Nader defeats Dan Cramer via TKO in the third round.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — In his first fight under the 
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Pat Curran is back for a second chance at gold.