Rafael Carvalho and Melvin Manhoef will go at it once again for the Bellator middleweight title. Reigning Bellator middleweight title holder Carvalho took on Manhoef back in May 2016. “The Blessed” retained his title in a controversial split decision victory. Neither man has competed in a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) since that fight. The […]
Rafael Carvalho and Melvin Manhoef will go at it once again for the Bellator middleweight title. Reigning Bellator middleweight title holder Carvalho took on Manhoef back in May 2016. “The Blessed” retained his title in a controversial split decision victory. Neither man has competed in a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) since that fight. The […]
This Saturday, Bellator’s crowded November-December season was set to continue with a card in Florence, Italy headlined by a middleweight title fight, with Rafael Carvalho defending against Melvin Manhoef for the second time. Unfortunately, Bellator announced on Sunday that Carvalho has suffered an injury, so the fight has been postponed, with home country Hero Alessio Sakara vs. Joey Beltran upgraded to the main event slot.
The first Carvalho-Manhoef fight in May was one of the consensus worst fights of the year, with Carvalho throwing minimal offense and Manhoef not showing his usual aggression. The whole affair got even stranger when Carvalho won the decision, including taking the first round, where Bellator’s official Compustrike stats had him landing zero strikes and zero takedowns. It was a rare case where announcers Sean Grande and Jimmy Smith were audibly dismayed and talking about what an awful decision they felt it was. Smith was also vocal on Twitter after the fact:
This Saturday, Bellator’s crowded November-December season was set to continue with a card in Florence, Italy headlined by a middleweight title fight, with Rafael Carvalho defending against Melvin Manhoef for the second time. Unfortunately, Bellator announced on Sunday that Carvalho has suffered an injury, so the fight has been postponed, with home country Hero Alessio Sakara vs. Joey Beltran upgraded to the main event slot.
The first Carvalho-Manhoef fight in May was one of the consensus worst fights of the year, with Carvalho throwing minimal offense and Manhoef not showing his usual aggression. The whole affair got even stranger when Carvalho won the decision, including taking the first round, where Bellator’s official Compustrike stats had him landing zero strikes and zero takedowns. It was a rare case where announcers Sean Grande and Jimmy Smith were audibly dismayed and talking about what an awful decision they felt it was. Smith was also vocal on Twitter after the fact:
I did. Told him it was the worst decision I had ever seen. I don't trash people behind their backs and not confront them
Rafael Carvalho entered Bellator 155 carrying a 12-fight win streak and the middleweight title.
And he left Boise, Idaho with the streak still intact and the belt around his waist – but it came with controversy.
Carvalho was declared the winner v…
Rafael Carvalho entered Bellator 155 carrying a 12-fight win streak and the middleweight title.
And he left Boise, Idaho with the streak still intact and the belt around his waist – but it came with controversy.
Carvalho was declared the winner via split decision after a five-round battle inside the CenturyLink Arena Friday night over Melvin Manhoef. Many watching around the world pegged Manhoef the winner, but two of the three judges scoring it sided with the champion.
Pat Curran, a former Bellator featherweight champion, claimed a decision over Georgi Karakhanyan in the co-main event and Alexis Dufresne stunned ex-Strikeforce champion Marloes Coenen with a first round submission win.
Results can be found below:
Rafael Carvalho def. Melvin Manhoef via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) to retain Bellator middleweight championship
Pat Curran def. Georgi Karakhanyan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Dan Charles vs. Augusto Sakai declared a majority draw (30-26, 28-28, 28-28)
Alexis Dufresne def. Marloes Coenen via submission (triangle armbar) at 4:33 of Round 1
Bellator 155 announced the finalization of its main card for May 20th. Bellator will be heading to CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho that weekend and will be headlined my a Middleweight title fight between current champion Rafael Carvalho (12-1) and Me…
Bellator 155 announced the finalization of its main card for May 20th. Bellator will be heading to CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho that weekend and will be headlined my a Middleweight title fight between current champion Rafael Carvalho (12-1) and Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1). The current middleweight champ is on an impressive 11-fight win streak.
Other notables on the card include Pat Curran and Joey Beltran. Pat Curran will be the co-main event on the card facing Georgi Karakhanyan. Here is a list of the entire main card for the event:
Middleweight title bout: Rafael Carvalho (c) vs. Melvin Manhoef
Featherweight bout: Pat Curran vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho will make his first title defense this May at Bellator 155 against Melvin Manhoef.
The event, which airs live on Spike TV, takes place May 20 from the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho. The fight announ…
Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho will make his first title defense this May at Bellator 155 against Melvin Manhoef.
The event, which airs live on Spike TV, takes place May 20 from the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho. The fight announcement was made recently by officials.
Carvalho (12-1) won the belt when he finished Brandon Halsey last year in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. The 29-year-old connected with a body kick, earning his 12th straight win and improving to 4-0 with Bellator.
In Manhoef, he’ll face a veteran of the sport. “No Mercy” is 30-12-1 overall and coming off a knockout of Hisaki Kato.
The card will also feature Pat Curran, a former Bellator featherweight champion, taking on Georgi Karakhanyan in the co-main event.
Bellator 125 can be summed up in two words: MELVIN. MANHOEF.
The feared Dutch striker/laughable Dutch grappler makes his return to the American MMA scene tonight in the main event of Bellator 125. He’ll face off against Bellator mainstay and respected striker Doug Marshall.
Other cool things about Bellator 125: Brian Rogers will be fighting Rafael Carvalho. Touted (though slightly derailed) prospect Goiti Yamauchi is up against Martin Stapleton. There’s also Javy Ayala fighting Raphael Butler in a heavyweight bout–which means it’ll either be awesome or terrible.
Keep hitting refresh once the card starts at 9:00 pm EST for updates!
Bellator 125 can be summed up in two words: MELVIN. MANHOEF.
The feared Dutch striker/laughable Dutch grappler makes his return to the American MMA scene tonight in the main event of Bellator 125. He’ll face off against Bellator mainstay and respected striker Doug Marshall.
Other cool things about Bellator 125: Brian Rogers will be fighting Rafael Carvalho. Touted (though slightly derailed) prospect Goiti Yamauchi is up against Martin Stapleton. There’s also Javy Ayala fighting Raphael Butler in a heavyweight bout–which means it’ll either be awesome or terrible.
Keep hitting refresh once the card starts at 9:00 pm EST for updates!
Martin Stapleton vs. Goiti Yamauchi
Round 1: Yamauchi paws with some jabs then throws a knee. Stapleton catches the knee and takes him down. Yamauchi is going for an omoplata right now and he might actually get it. Stapleton is defending it well so far. The omoplata is still going on, and then Yamauchi uses this to sweep Stapleton and now he has his back with a body triangle locked in. Yamauchi is trying for the rear naked choke but it seems to be too much on the chin. Stapleton slips out of the choke but Yamauchi still has his back. Yamauchi goes for another choke but this one is on the chin as well and Stapleton gets out. Stapleton gets his back to the mat and manages to get back to half guard. Yamauchi passes very quickly. As Stapleton tries to scramble away, he gets his back taken again. Yamauchi tries another rear naked choke and gets it this time! The fight is over.
Javy Ayala vs. Raphael Butler
Round 1: Butler gets rocked with a left hand immediately and then gets pressed up against the cage. I have a feeling we’ll be here for a while. Ayala lands some knees to the thighs. Ayala is cut bad, not sure what cut him because he didn’t really take many shots. Ayala literally picks up Butler, throws him to the ground, takes his back, and chokes him out with a rear naked choke. Imagine the least technical way for that sequence to happen and that’s what it looked like.
Brian Rogers vs. Rafael Carvalho
Doug Marshall vs. Melvin Manhoef.
Here are the results so far:
Main Card
Javy Ayala def. Raphael Butler via submission (rear naked choke), 1:03 of round 1.
Goiti Yamauchi def. Martin Stapleton via submission (rear naked choke), 4:37 of round 2.
Preliminary Card
Matt Ramirez def. Oscar Ramirez via submission (armbar), 0:42 of round 1. Chris Honeycutt def. Aaron Wilkinson via TKO (punches), 4:45 of round 2.
Julio Cesar Neves def. Poppies Martinez via TKO (strikes), 2:16 of round 1.
Jonny Bonilla-Bowman def. Art Becerra via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28).
Jesse Juarez def. Ron Keslar via unanimous decision(29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
George Zuniga def. Granson Clark via TKO (punches), 0:34 of round 1.
