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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
BELLATOR 135
MARCH 27, 2015
FROM THACKERVILLE, OKLAHOMA
Back home following a day at the hospital, so our coverage is behind by an hour to start, may catch up live by the main event on the DVR here. Let's get to it!
Fighters are in the cage to open the card, and we kick things off tonight in the lightweight division.
FIGHT ONE: RYAN COUTURE VS. DAKOTA COCHRANE (LIGHTWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Lots of circling early from Couture, and Cochrane opened with a couple of kicks. Couture closed the distance and initiated the clinch. They traded knees. They continued throwing knees towards one another, but Couture wasn't trying to do much else. Cochrane then reversed with a single leg attempt and scored the takedown. Couture tried to get his back on the cage to move up. He worked to his feet and they traded strikes. Cochrane then dropped down for a takedown attempt, but he got stuffed and Couture quickly took his back out of the sprawl. Cochrane left his neck wide open and Couture locked on the choke. He rolled him flat, then continued the roll, and Cochrane had to tap.
WINNER: Couture via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:23 of the first round
STAR RATING: (*+) Dull start to the fight, then Cochrane made a major mistake in trying for that takedown, which ultimately just handed the win to Couture. Bad performance from Cochrane, while Couture nicely took advantage of that opening.
FIGHT TWO: GUILHERME VIANA VS. FRANCIS CARMONT (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: They traded a few kicks early. Carmont caught one but Viana didn't give him an opening to do anything about it. Carmont got inside with a kick, then landed one to the body. Carmont got through with a solid straight right hand. Viana came ahead with a leg kick. Carmont swung and missed on a big right hand. Carmong landed a good kick to the lead leg. Carmont landed another right hand, but ate a counter inside. Carmont stayed active with his advances, but wasn't throwing a ton. Viana caught Carmont coming in with a left hand that nearly dropped him, but Carmont quickly recovered. Viana started advancing from there. They traded some more strikes. Carmont landed a couple of kicks, then landed a hard jab. Carmont shot in but got stuffed, and Viana drove him to the cage in the clinch. He landed some knees, but couldn't do much there. Carmont went for a throw, but Viana countered and was on top at the bell.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Carmont. Close round, could go either way, but I think Carmont was a bit more active there.
ROUND TWO: Carmont landed an early jab. He connected on a hard left hook. Carmont missed a swinging right hand. Viana backed away from another. Viana got in a leg kick. Viana had a mouse developing under his right eye. Carmont connected on a couple of right hands as he closed the distance, but then Viana circled away. Carmont set up a takedown well, but couldn't get Viana down. Viana turned it into a clinch and turned Carmont around. Things stalled out on the cage. Viana's doing his best "Francis Carmont UFC fighter" impression, and the two were finally separated. Viana landed a couple of body strikes. Carmont rocked Viana with a huge right hand. He backed him up to the cage and landed several strikes. Viana was very wobbly. Carmont landed a few more, but then switched to a takedown. That allowed Viana to close him in guard and slow things down to recover. Carmont got in a few strikes before the bell, but Viana survived the round.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Carmont. Major missed opportunity there for Carmont. He had him on the feet and could have finished it if he kept that up.
ROUND THREE: Viana rushed in and started throwing. Carmont avoided damage and tried to shoot in, but he got stuffed. Viana was swinging for the fences. He landed a left and Carmont mocked him a little. Carmont landed a right but got cracked by a counter from Viana. He completed a shot and planted Viana on his back, though. Viana tried to a attack for a kimura. He used it as a sweep to mount. Carmont gave up his back. Viana went for the rear naked choke, but Carmont had his chin down and defended well. Viana kept attacking for the choke, but Carmont kept defending the choke well. Carmont landed some strikes behind him, but was still stuck in defense mode. That grappling battle continued. Carmont tried to escape, defended an armbar, and wound up on top with a minute left. Viana tried to lock him down. Carmont postured up and landed a couple of strikes. Viana tried to set up a late armbar to no avail, and the round ended with Carmont on top.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Viana. Too little, too late, but Carmont's ill-advised takedown in round two nearly came back to bite him there.
WINNER: Carmont via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
STAR RATING: (*+) Not all that good of a fight. Had a few moments, but when it wasn't stalled out, it was filled with some questionable decisions on the part of both fighters.
FIGHT THREE: LC DAVIS VS. HIDEO TOKORO (BANTAMWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Tokoro ran ahead and threw a kick to the body to open up the fight. Nice tone-setter. Davis started advancing and got Tokoro to circle around. They traded strikes in a nice exchange. Davis got in close and they each missed strikes before backing off. Tokoro landed a hard kick. Davis fired back with a left. He landed another. Tokoro landed a right hand and circled out. Davis got in to the body. Tokoro landed a nice counter strike. Furious pace here. Tokoro scored a nice takedown, but Davis popped right back up. However, he got cracked by a strike as he got to his feet. Davis pressed in and landed a right hand. They clinched and Tokoro landed a short elbow. Tokoro went for a throw, but had to scramble to his feet when it didn't work. Davis stuffed another attempt and slipped when he threw a knee to the face. Tokoro went high with a kick. Davis landed a hard two punch combo. Davis got in a left hand to the choulder. Davis got in a jab. Tokoro circled out some more. Davis got in with a straight left. He covered up on a high kick. Davis connected on another short combo. Davis finding a home for his strikes here more and more. Davis landed the jab. Davis landed a strike to the body. Tokoro rocked him with a spinning back fist! Then a right hand! Davis didn't go all the way down, but he was rocked. He shot in and scored a brief takedown, but Tokoro got to his feet and they clinched to close out the round.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-10. So close. So great. Just an awesome opening round, with both connecting on some highly significant offense, but that also saw them offset one another.
ROUND TWO: Tokoro circled early, looking to pop in with some strikes. Davis tried to connect. He finally got through with a couple of jabs. Davis landed the straight left. Tokoro popped in with a right hand. Both missed in close. Davis threw a kick that went low, but Tokoro just acknowledged it and kept fighting. Davis landed a left to the body. Tokoro landed a couple of strikes. Davis fired back. Davis landed a fantastic counter right off a faked knee from Tokoro that knocked him down. Tokoro went for a leg lock, but Davis defended. Tokoro used it to scramble to his feet and they battled in the clinch. Davis landed some foot stomps. Davis landed an excellent combination in the clinch that rocked Tokoro. He tossed out a couple of elbows, still in the clinch. Great work here from Davis. He got a little space and landed several more in a row. Tokoro got him turned around with double underhooks and went for a throw. He wound up taking Davis' back standing. He tried for a takedown, but got shrugged down himself and ate a few strikes before he could stand. Tokoro dropped down for a heel hook, but Davis defended. He scrambled out and it was back to the feet again. They battled in the clinch again to the bell. This fight is excellent so far.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Davis. Great work in the striking, but Tokoro's not going to go away easy. This is a highly entertaining fight right now.
ROUND THREE: Davis opened with a few strikes, and they seemed to butt heads. Tokoro dropped Davis with a right hand! Davis wasn't all the way out, but Tokoro got on top in half guard. He landed some strikes to the body and went for an armbar! Davis defended and popped out! Davis was rushing in and Tokoro threw an upkick. The ref stopped the action and called it illegal, but on the replay it was clear that it was a completely legal strike. Bad call by referee Jason Herzog. Davis got some time to recover and they restarted. Davis landed a hard straight left. He landed another. Davis tossed out a couple more jabs that found a home. Tokoro missed a big right hand. Tokoro landed a big head kick, but it didn't land flush, and Davis slowed him down in the clinch. Davis dropped down for a takedown. Tokoro tried to get a kimura, but lost it and wound up on his back. Tokoro scrambled out and back to his feet. Tokoro got Davis' back standing and tried to take him down. He then scrambled and attacked for an armbar, but Davis again got free. Davis was cut open. He went for a guillotine, but Tokoro rolled out. Tokoro tried to take his back, but Davis quickly turned it to a takedown attempt. Tokoro finally got to his feet and separated. Only briefly, though, as Davis shot in. Tokoro went for the kimura and swept to mount! He wrenched the hold and nearly completed it, but Davis popped out! Davis went for a guillotine as time wound down! He had it tight! But the bell sounded! Oh man, what a freaking fight. I wish we had two more rounds with them, that was so good.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Tokoro. This one's going to come down to that first round and how it was scored, but either way that was just an absolutely fantastic fight.
WINNER: Davis via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
STAR RATING: (****) That may be as good a three round fight as you're going to see. I can't remember a better three round fight in Bellator history, and it's just slightly behind the two Eddie Alvarez-Michael Chandler fights for me from this organization. That was awesome.
-LC Davis' mouth is messed up after that one. Looks like he lost several bottom teeth. Ouch.
MAIN EVENT: JOE WARREN VS. MARCOS GALVAO (BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP)
ROUND ONE: After a few pawed out strikes, Warren shot in and tried for the takedown. Galvao stuffed him and they jockeyed for position at the cage. Warren landed some body strikes, then scored the body lock takedown into side control. Galvao escaped and took Warren down himself! Nice exchange there. Warren worked butterfly guard and scrambled to get his back on the cage. Galvao tried to drag him back down, but Warrent got to his feet. Galvao got in a knee to the body and it was back to the clinch battle. They continued to trade body strikes with punches and knees, and Warren finally backed off. Galvao landed a couple of strikes as Warren rushed in, but Warren got him to a knee and briefly took his back standing. Galvao got him turned around and landed some body strikes. Warren got in an elbow and separated. Warren landed a couple of jabs. He got in a right hand and shot in for a takedown. Galvao got to his feet, but Warren had his back. He turned back into Warren again. More clinch work, and Galvao avoided a trip. Warren got in some knees to the legs and body. Galvao got in a few punches with his back on the cage. Warren backed off again with a minute left. He missed a winging right hand. Galvao connected on a right hand. He landed a step-in knee to the body. Galvao tossed out a front kick. Galvao missed a couple of punches. Warren shot in again, got Galvao's back standing in a scramble, but Galvao again turned into him and stayed standing until the bell.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Warren. Competitive opening round, but Warren pressed the pace and held the positional advantage.
ROUND TWO: Warren circled early. Galvao went for an uppercut but missed. Warren shot in. Galvao rolled for a knee bar. Warren rolled with him and defended. Galvao got in on tight! He wrenched it and Warren screamed, causing referee "Big John" McCarthy to step in and stop it. Warren protested it, but he screamed out in pain clearly even if he didn't tap. Woooooow.
WINNER: Galvao via verbal submission (kneebar) at :45 of the second round
-Watching that replay again, and Warren's got no case here. A shriek like that is a verbal submission without question, and he wasn't going to get out of that kneebar. It was only going to get worse for him. The crowd booed the decision, but McCarthy made the right call.
STAR RATING: (**+) Interesting first round followed by what will be a somewhat controversial decision, but that was a fantastic kneebar from Warren, and he just wasn't going to get out of it. Galvao could have wrenched that even further had McCarthy not stepped in.
-Warren protested further in his post-fight interview and said he didn't tap. He yelled "Come on. That's my belt!" and stormed out of the cage.
-That's the event for the night, thanks for sticking with me on the delayed coverage! We'll be back tomorrow night for WSOF 19!
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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