(Props: BellatorMMA)
Unfortunately, ReX was unable to provide us with one of his famous Bellator reports this week, so you’ll have to settle for this quick-n-dirty recap of Bellator 44, which went down Saturday night in Atlantic City. First, we’ll direct you to the video above: Hector Lombard earned his 18th-straight victory (!) in a non-title bout against Falaniko Vitale, crushing Niko to the mat with a right hook in the third frame after a surprisingly dull first two rounds. Lombard’s latest performance follows such previous classics as “Six Second Prison Rape” and “A Corpse Named ‘Whisper’.”
Headlining the card, Xtreme Couture’s Michael Chandler scored an upset decision win over the highly-touted Patricky Freire in the Season Four Lightweight Tournament final, outworking the Pitbull in all three rounds; Chandler was docked a point in the third for groin-kicks. The victory netted him a $100,00 check and a future shot at Eddie Alvarez’s belt. In non-tournament action, Alexander Shlemenko spun circles around Brett Cooper, picking up his own UD victory, while Giedrius Karavackas battled back from an early ass-kicking to submit Sam Oropeza by scarf-hold armlock. Full results and video of the Karavackas/Oropeza stoppage are after the jump.
MAIN CARD
– Michael Chandler def. Patricky Freire via unanimous decision (29–27 x 3)
– Hector Lombard def. Falaniko Vitale via KO, 0:54 of round 3
– Giedrius Karavackas def. Sam Oropeza via submission (scarf hold armlock), 3:59 of round 3
– Alexander Shlemenko def. Brett Cooper via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–28, 29–28)
LOCAL FEATURE FIGHTS
– Jamall Johnson def. Randy Smith via submission (rear-naked choke), 4:16 of round 2
– Jeff Lentz def. Anthony Leone via unanimous decision (29–28 x 3)
– Jay Silva def. Gemiyale Adkins via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27 x 2)
In the biggest fight of his mixed martial arts career, 
MMA Fighting has 
Bellator welterweight champion