UNCASVILLE, Conn. — This is the Bellator 48 live blog for Cole Konrad vs. Paul Buentello, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s Bellator card from the Mohegan Sun.
Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad (7-0) fights for the first time this year in this non-title bout against UFC and Strikeforce veteran Paul Buentello (29-13).
Round 1: The big men stalk each other around the cage. One of Konrad’s first jabs opens up a small cut on Buentello’s head. Buentello is very passive early, maybe finding range. Konrad is throwing out jabs but not much with power early. Konrad fires out a combination, but Buentello avoids the big shots. Crowd is restless quickly. Buentello lands a hard uppercut but doesn’t follow it up with anything. Konrad with a couple leg kicks and a straight right. It’s a 10-9 for Konrad.
Round 2: Buentello’s cornerman berated him in between rounds. He got five minutes of standup, which is probably what he wanted, and he gave the round away. He comes out in the second with a little more purpose, moving forward. Konrad fires off a couple jabs and leg kicks. Well, looks like Buentello’s early aggression is gone already. Konrad is fighting Buentello’s fight and winning. Buentello pops him with a knee, Konrad looks to take him down but reconsiders and stays standing. Konrad lands a hard right with 30 seconds left. The two exchange against the cage for a moment but Konrad backs away. Closer round but it’s still Konrad’s, 10-9.
Round 3: Konrad hurt Buentello with a right hand. Buentello fell to the ground and Konrad took his back, landed some shots and went for the finish. He tried to sink in a rear naked choke but Buentello tucked his chin and Konrad gave it up. He kept on his back, then Buentello rolled over and Konrad landed in half-guard. Konrad worked shots to the body as Buentello tried to regain guard. With 1:00 left, ref Dan Miragliotta stood them up. Buentello landed a left jab, then tried to follow with an uppercut but Konrad weaved out of the way. Buentello landed an uppercut and Konrad clinched and moved him against the fence as the round ended. It’s another 10-9 for the champ, who will probably win a unanimous decision.
Winner: Cole Konrad def. Paul Buentello via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — This is the Bellator 48 live blog for Cole Konrad vs. Paul Buentello, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s Bellator card from the Mohegan Sun.
Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad (7-0) fights for the first time this year in this non-title bout against UFC and Strikeforce veteran Paul Buentello (29-13).
Round 1: The big men stalk each other around the cage. One of Konrad’s first jabs opens up a small cut on Buentello’s head. Buentello is very passive early, maybe finding range. Konrad is throwing out jabs but not much with power early. Konrad fires out a combination, but Buentello avoids the big shots. Crowd is restless quickly. Buentello lands a hard uppercut but doesn’t follow it up with anything. Konrad with a couple leg kicks and a straight right. It’s a 10-9 for Konrad.
Round 2: Buentello’s cornerman berated him in between rounds. He got five minutes of standup, which is probably what he wanted, and he gave the round away. He comes out in the second with a little more purpose, moving forward. Konrad fires off a couple jabs and leg kicks. Well, looks like Buentello’s early aggression is gone already. Konrad is fighting Buentello’s fight and winning. Buentello pops him with a knee, Konrad looks to take him down but reconsiders and stays standing. Konrad lands a hard right with 30 seconds left. The two exchange against the cage for a moment but Konrad backs away. Closer round but it’s still Konrad’s, 10-9.
Round 3: Konrad hurt Buentello with a right hand. Buentello fell to the ground and Konrad took his back, landed some shots and went for the finish. He tried to sink in a rear naked choke but Buentello tucked his chin and Konrad gave it up. He kept on his back, then Buentello rolled over and Konrad landed in half-guard. Konrad worked shots to the body as Buentello tried to regain guard. With 1:00 left, ref Dan Miragliotta stood them up. Buentello landed a left jab, then tried to follow with an uppercut but Konrad weaved out of the way. Buentello landed an uppercut and Konrad clinched and moved him against the fence as the round ended. It’s another 10-9 for the champ, who will probably win a unanimous decision.
Winner: Cole Konrad def. Paul Buentello via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Filed under: Bellator, NewsFormer UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez was on a 12-fight winning streak and appeared to be on the way back, if not to a title than at least to respectability. But Seth Petruzelli put a stop to any talk that Rodriguez…
Former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez was on a 12-fight winning streak and appeared to be on the way back, if not to a title than at least to respectability. But Seth Petruzelli put a stop to any talk that Rodriguez is back.
Petruzelli brutally knocked Rodriguez out in the first round of their Bellator fight on Saturday night: Petruzelli landed a spinning kick to the head to knock Rodriguez off balance, and then when Rodriguez recovered and charged forward with his hands down, Petruzelli leveled him with a big right hand to the chin. With Rodriguez on his back, Petruzelli whaled on him with a double hammerfist, and then the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
The official time of the technical knockout victory was 4 minutes, 21 seconds of the first round. For Rodriguez, the loss was the first time he’s been finished since losing to Tim Sylvia at UFC 41.
For Petruzelli, this was his most significant win since knocking out Kimbo Slice in 2008, in a nationally televised fight that led to the downfall of the old EliteXC promotion. Now Petruzelli says he wants to help build Bellator as an up-and-coming promotion.
“I’m so happy,” Petruzelli said afterward. “That light heavyweight belt for Bellator has my name written all over it, and I’m coming for it.”
Bellator’s 2011 Summer Series comes to an end with an intriguing card that features Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad and a featherweight tournament final between Pat Curran and Marlon Sandro. Curran and Sandro each won two fights to get …
Bellator’s 2011 Summer Series comes to an end with an intriguing card that features Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad and a featherweight tournament final between Pat Curran and Marlon Sandro. Curran and Sandro each won two fights to get to this point in the tournament. The winner of the tournament final will earn a featherweight […]
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — This is the Bellator 48 live blog for Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricco Rodriguez, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s Bellator card from the Mohegan Sun.
Petruzelli (13-6) and Rodriguez (47-11) are making their promotional debuts for Bellator. Rodriguez has won 12 straight fights. Petruzelli has won one since his UFC exit last November.
Round 1: Petruzelli takes the center of the cage. Rodriguez fires off the first shot with a head kick that misses. Petruzelli lands a front kick to the body. Moments later he lands a right to the head. A Petruzelli spin kick lands low, forcing a timeout. Rodriguez rushes in but loses his balance and Petruzelli ends up taking him down. Rodriguez wants the fight anyway. Petruzelli lands a shot but lets him up. Petruzelli throwing lots of kicks, landing a right to the jaw behind one of them. Petruzelli follows him into a corner and they clinch, with Rodriguez pushing him against the fence. Rodriguez digs for the takedown but Petruzelli works free and lands a kick. It’s turning into Petruzelli’s fight. More kicks, to the legs, then a spinning kick to the head. Another spin kick, then a straight right to the jaw drops Rodriguez. Petruzelli finishes him off with a couple double hammerfists.
Winner: Seth Petruzelli via TKO, Rd. 1 (4:21)
“That was exactly how I had it in my head,” Petruzelli said afterward. “I’m so happy.”
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — This is the Bellator 48 live blog for Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricco Rodriguez, a heavyweight bout on tonight’s Bellator card from the Mohegan Sun.
Petruzelli (13-6) and Rodriguez (47-11) are making their promotional debuts for Bellator. Rodriguez has won 12 straight fights. Petruzelli has won one since his UFC exit last November.
Round 1: Petruzelli takes the center of the cage. Rodriguez fires off the first shot with a head kick that misses. Petruzelli lands a front kick to the body. Moments later he lands a right to the head. A Petruzelli spin kick lands low, forcing a timeout. Rodriguez rushes in but loses his balance and Petruzelli ends up taking him down. Rodriguez wants the fight anyway. Petruzelli lands a shot but lets him up. Petruzelli throwing lots of kicks, landing a right to the jaw behind one of them. Petruzelli follows him into a corner and they clinch, with Rodriguez pushing him against the fence. Rodriguez digs for the takedown but Petruzelli works free and lands a kick. It’s turning into Petruzelli’s fight. More kicks, to the legs, then a spinning kick to the head. Another spin kick, then a straight right to the jaw drops Rodriguez. Petruzelli finishes him off with a couple double hammerfists.
Winner: Seth Petruzelli via TKO, Rd. 1 (4:21)
“That was exactly how I had it in my head,” Petruzelli said afterward. “I’m so happy.”
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — This is the Bellator 48 live blog for Rene Nazare vs. Juan Barrantes, a lightweight bout on tonight’s Bellator card from the Mohegan Sun.
Fighting for Bellator, the undefeated Nazare (9-0) has defeated Luiz Azeredo and Kelvin Hackney. Barrantes (7-5) is making his Bellator debut coming off a knockout loss to Antonio Carvalho at a W-1 event in Canada last year.
Round 1: Nazare with hard combos early, backing Barrantes against the cage. He’s a huge favorite in this one. The two fighters trading, but Nazare is getting the better of it. After he lands a few shots, they clinch. Nazare lands a shot on the exit. Barrantes already bleeding from the nose. The two trade uppercuts in the clinch until Nazare dumps him on the mat. Nazare landing shots from the top from time to time as he advances to half-guard. Barrantes throws up a triangle but Nazare’s out in a flash. Nazare tries a guillotine as the round ran out but Barrantes escaped at the bell. Easy 10-9 for Nazare.
Round 2: Nazare controlling the striking early. A minute in, he ducks under a hook and takes Barrantes down. Working from half-guard, Nazare lands a few elbows. Barrantes is proving a tough out though. He’s not threatening submissions from the bottom but uses enough hip movement to affect Nazare’s balance and timing. Barrantes gets to his feet with just over a minute left. Nazare drills Barrantes with an uppercut and a hook that both land flush, and then takes him down again with 30 seconds left. Everything but the finish, though it’s another 10-9 for Nazare.
In between rounds though, the cageside doctor takes a look at Barrantes and won’t allow him to continue due to a swollen shut eye.
Winner: Rene Nazare def. Juan Barrantes via TKO (doctor stoppage), Rd. 2, 5:00
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — This is the Bellator 48 live blog for Rene Nazare vs. Juan Barrantes, a lightweight bout on tonight’s Bellator card from the Mohegan Sun.
Fighting for Bellator, the undefeated Nazare (9-0) has defeated Luiz Azeredo and Kelvin Hackney. Barrantes (7-5) is making his Bellator debut coming off a knockout loss to Antonio Carvalho at a W-1 event in Canada last year.
Round 1: Nazare with hard combos early, backing Barrantes against the cage. He’s a huge favorite in this one. The two fighters trading, but Nazare is getting the better of it. After he lands a few shots, they clinch. Nazare lands a shot on the exit. Barrantes already bleeding from the nose. The two trade uppercuts in the clinch until Nazare dumps him on the mat. Nazare landing shots from the top from time to time as he advances to half-guard. Barrantes throws up a triangle but Nazare’s out in a flash. Nazare tries a guillotine as the round ran out but Barrantes escaped at the bell. Easy 10-9 for Nazare.
Round 2: Nazare controlling the striking early. A minute in, he ducks under a hook and takes Barrantes down. Working from half-guard, Nazare lands a few elbows. Barrantes is proving a tough out though. He’s not threatening submissions from the bottom but uses enough hip movement to affect Nazare’s balance and timing. Barrantes gets to his feet with just over a minute left. Nazare drills Barrantes with an uppercut and a hook that both land flush, and then takes him down again with 30 seconds left. Everything but the finish, though it’s another 10-9 for Nazare.
In between rounds though, the cageside doctor takes a look at Barrantes and won’t allow him to continue due to a swollen shut eye.
Winner: Rene Nazare def. Juan Barrantes via TKO (doctor stoppage), Rd. 2, 5:00
Bellator’s 2011 Summer Series comes to an end with an intriguing card that features Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad and a featherweight tournament final between Pat Curran and Marlon Sandro. Curran and Sandro each won two fights to get …
Bellator’s 2011 Summer Series comes to an end with an intriguing card that features Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad and a featherweight tournament final between Pat Curran and Marlon Sandro. Curran and Sandro each won two fights to get to this point in the tournament. The winner of the tournament final will earn a featherweight […]