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By Alvin Benjamin Carter III, MMATorch Specialist
Bellator 48 is coming to you live from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Tonight's card will wrap up Bellator's Summer Series with the Featherweight Tournament Final between Marlon Sandro and Pat Curran and a Heavyweight Superfight between Cole Konrad and and Paul Buentello.
I will be doing round by round coverage of the live broadcast that starts at 9pm on MTV2.
Fight 1: Lightweight Bout - Jaun Barrantes vs. Nazare
Round 1:
Barrantes and Nazare come out exchange great combos. Nazare connects with a high right kick to Barrantes head and pusses him to the cage. Nazare is getting tagged hard, but he comes back with a stiff jab and a straight. Barrantes is bloodied and NAzare keeps coming forward two-piece combos and he shoots a heacy double leg planting Barrantes on his back against the cage.
Nazare is on top working strikes from half guard. Barrantes gets guard, but Nazare stays on top and smothers him. Barrantes attempts to get up and Barrantes goes for a choke and the bell rings.
Round 2:
Barrantes eats a combo and then delivers a left. Nazare keeps coming forward and misses a an uppercut that had bad intentions all over it. He then shoots and takes Barrantes down. Nazare works from half guard and this is looking like a slower paced version of round one. The crowd is calling for them to stand up, but then excitement on the grown. A sweep attempt turned into a roll, an they stand up. Barrantes grabs a guillotine and tries to pull guard. Nazare powers his head out and ends up back on top. Nazare works right hands from side control. The bell rings.
Nazare def.Barrantes via TKO (Doctor Stoppage Between Rounds)
Fight Rating **+/***-
This is was a great showing for Nazare. Barrantes did not get a chance to show off his ground game even though he was on his back where he could have been effective. Nazare proved too much and his superior striking was the story here.
Round 1:
Rodriguez throws a high kick and they both feel each other out. Petruzelli throws a kick to the body. Petruzelli lands a kick right o Rodriguez's groin. I think the kick and disengage feeling process might end after Rodriguez takes his time. Rodriguez comes out after about a minute and a half. Petruzelli throws a kick and v tries to catch and misses. They collide and and fall back into Rodriguez's guard and they work to a standing position. Petruzelli lands a strong right and they back still seem tentative. Rodriguez eats a leg kick that turns him a bit. Rodriguez pushes Petruzelli up against the cage and delivers a knee. Petruzelli unloads a combo as Rodriguez shoots. Rodriguez has his hands down and slips, but Petruzelli keeps choosing his strikes. Petruzelli lands a big push kick.Both men exchange a high five. Then he tries to a spinning heel kick that misses Rodriguez. Rodriguez rushes in to a right that drops him and Petruzelli follows up with hammer fists that lives Rodriguez limp.
Petruzelli def. Rodriguez via TKO - Rd. 1: 4:21
Fight Rating ***
Rodriguez looked sloppy, yet eager. His lazy takedown attempts coupled with the fact he did not think he needed to keep his hands up might be a sign that he has to adjust his training drastically if he plans on moving past this loss. Petruzelli was a ready and saw a great opening and took Rodriguez out. He also seemed free with his kicks since Rodriguez did not pose a threat in the takedown department.
Fight 3: Heavy Weight Superfight - Paul Buentello vs. Cole Konrad
Round 1:
Konrad steps in with a jab that misses. They dance in the center of the ring. Both are whiffing combos. Konrad comes in with a low inside leg kick and then backs out.Konrad faints a push kick. Little work from both guys. Konrad again with an inside kick. Again, he repeats this time throwing a jab to begin. Konrad lands a jab. The crowd has been booing as both men are playing it to safe. Konrad lands a jab and Buentello backs off. Konrad throws a front kick to the leg the misses. A short combo flurry from both that hits nothing. Konrad lands a round house that had little power/effect. Konrad is pumping his jab, and Buentello keeps backing up. the bell rings.
Round 2:
Konrad is engaging with his jab,and after landed one, Buentello got him with a right. The range is off for both men, and the crowd is getting restless. Both jab and land at the same time. Konrad is showing a few kicks that seem tentative, and he really has not followed them up. Pat Berry is in his corner, so we might see some kickboxing if they ever commit. They clinch and and the crowd cheers then Buentello shrugs Konrad off. Konrad gets Buentello against the cage and a firefight ensues. They exchange combos and Buentello pushes his back. The Bell rings.
Round 3:
They both miss combos. Konrad misses a push kick. Buentello lands a right and rushes in, but Konrad takes him down and gets on top. He works some strikes from side mount and then he takes his back and goes for a rear naked choke. He lets that go Buentello gets to his knees and Konrad takes his back again. Konrad ends up in half guard and and works short strikes. The ref stands them up as not much action is happening on the ground.
Buentello comes in heavy and really swings for the fences,but Konrad is not in any real danger. The bell rings.
Konrad def. Buentello via Unanimous Decision
Fight Rating **-
This was a very boring fight, and unlike the other fights on the card tonight. Neither fighter was eager to engage.
Post Fight: Cole Konrad says he wanted to show is jab and show that he can stand up since he received a lot of criticism for just wrestling.
Fight 4: Featherweight Tournament Final - Marlon Sandro vs. Pat Curran
Round 1:
Sandra jumps in with an overhand right and Curran blocks. Sandro land a leg kick. Curran throws a front kick and Sandro catches it and toes his leg aside. Sandro with a leg kick and Curran counters with a jab. Sandro takes a groin shot but recovers quickly. Sandro works in with a combo that misses and lands a right after and backs out. Curran with a stiff counter jab to a missed Sandro right hand. Sandro with a leg kick. Curran blocks an over hand right from Sandro. Sandro again with the leg kick.Sandro with a hook and then a cross, but they are ll blocked. Sandro throws another two-piece and it is blocked. Curran throws a front kick and Sandro shrugs through it.Sandro leaps in with a left that connects then he misses a leg kick. Curran with a left kick to the body that connects and Sandro returns with a right and then a leg kick. Sandro attempts a flying knee and then a takedown and as Curran stuffs the bell rings.
Round 2
Sandro with a left hook followed by a right. both are exchanging brisk combos, but most shots are blocked. Curran again with the front kick and it does not do damage. Sandro is swinging wildly, and Curran is blocking. Sandro lands a right and Curran's eye is bloody. The tie up against the cage and Curran pushes for the takedown. They break. They dance and exhange blocked shots. Curran throws a head kick and then follows up with a combo and a low kick. Now Sandro is in the center of the ring, but Curran is ready to engage. He moves on and tries to land a combo on Sandro and then he steps back and throws three jabs and then a right kick to the head and Sandro as Sandro was leaning in to slip the punches. Sandro is down on his back. Curran dives in and lands a few more on the sleeping Sandro and the ref dives to push him off. Wow!
Curran def. Sandro by KO(Head Kick)- Rd. 2: 4:00
Post Fight:
Pat Curran says it feels great to KO one of the best featherweights in the World.
Fight Rating ***+
This was an exciting fight that almost made me forget about the Konrad bout. Curran saw an opening and he took it. This is his second tournament win in Bellator. He is a baddddd man.
I look forward to seeing him face Joe Warren in what will be a war.
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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