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By Alvin Benjamin Carter III, MMA Torch Specialist
I am covering the Bellator's season three debut as it airs live Fox Sports Net. Tonight's card is taking place at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood, FL, and it features two bouts in the season three women's 115 lb. tournament, as well as an opening bout in the heavyweight tournament. We also get the to see Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard is also in action.
Fight 1: Neil Grove (8-2) vs. Eddie Sanchez (12-3-0)
Round 1:
Grove initially stuns Sanchez with a stiff left jab and gets high in Sanchez’s guard. He rains punches down hard from guard. This is some vicious ground and pound. He then lets Sanchez’s stand up. Grove tosses Sanchez back to the ground and they repeat the ground and pound. Grove let’s him up again and Sanchez is slow to his feat. They engage and Sanchez is tagged furiously by Grove and a then Sanchez eats a big knee to the face from the clinch. Sanchez falls to the ground in the clinch, and after more strikes on the ground Grove stands to let Sanchez stand up. Sanchez takes to long and seems like he gestured that he needs a second to stand up, and the referee stops the fight. It’s over, Sanchez looks out of it.
Grove def. Sanchez by TKO at 1:32 of R1
Post Fight: Grove is happy with his performance, and he is glad they stopped the fight so Sanchez did not get hurt. When asked about the other heavyweights, he said he was not even looking at them tonight because he is here to hopefully make some fans in America and some new friends.
Fight Rating: **+ Grove manhandled Sanchez. It was great to see a dominant performance by a heavyweight that looked to be in shape. The fight was to one-sided to be great, but it was a great way to start off season three.
Fight 2: Carla Esparza (3-3) vs. Megumi Fujii (20-0)
Round 1:
Fujii with a body kick. Fujii angles a good combo, and then she lands another kick. Esparza stays in and trades. Fujii with another kick. Esparza kicks and Fujii catches it and force Esparza to the cage and lands a knee. Esparza gets out with a combo. Fujii goes for a takedown and Esparza with a sprawls out. Fujii tries to pull guard and Esparza wrestles her way back up. They are on the cage and Esparza gets warned about throwing an elbow, but the ref does not stop the action. Fujii with a Judo throw, and Esparza is right back up. Esparza tried to get Fujii to the floor and Esparza goes for the back, but Fujii rolls and grabs Esparza’s leg. Fujii goes for a leg lock, and Esparza tries to get out. Fujii transitions to a toe-hold, and eventually she lets go and gets in Esparza’s guard. Esparza stalls and gets the stand up. Esparza shoots from far out and Fujii stuffs and immediately rolls into a kimura lock and the bell rings. Esparza must be happy.
Round 2:
Fujii shoots and Esparza looks strong. She trips Esparza down and goes straight to a leg lock. Fujii transitions to a knee bar. Fujii then catches her in a straight armbar, and Esparza taps.
Fujii def. Esparza by Submission (Armbar)at :57 of R2
Post Fight: Funii is such a great personality. She says that Esparza is strong, and when asked about her submission she says she got an armbar and everyone laughs kindly as this statement was an acknowledgement of the question, but shortened because of the language barrierr.
Fight Rating: *** Fujii was great, and Esparza gets some credit for stepping up to the plate days before the fight. This was a submission clinic as Fujii transitioned from hold to hold if she was not having luck right off the bat. Fujii is the favorite in this women’s 115 pound tournament.
Fight 3: Hector Lombard (24-2) vs. Herbert "Whisper" Goodman (15-8)
Round 1:
Lombard goes in fierce. Goodman needs to establish jab, but Lombard Hurts him with a big right hand! Then another right hits the chin of Goodman and he is down. Lombard then gets in a couple on the ground, but Goodman is out.
Lombard def. Goodman by KO at :38 of R1
Post: Jimmy Smith says “ Two fights, 44 seconds, when are you going to spend some time in the cage with us...” Lombard thanks all of his fans and says he trains hard everyday. When asked how the fight will go against Alexander Schlemenko he says, “You know, knockout artist.”
Fight Rating *** This fight was short, but it seems most of Hector Lombard’s are short. This was his 15 consecutive when, and 10 of those have come by KO or TKO. This was another impressive performance by the Bellator Middleweight Champion.
Fight 4: Lynn Alvarez (5-1) vs. Jessica Aguilar (8-3)
Round 1:
Aguilar starts with a leg kick. Alvarez establish her hands trying to keep Aguilar form getting in. Aguilar gets a takedown. Aguilar is in half guard, and she is passing using her left instep. Aguilar passes to side control. Alvarez tries to shrimp, but Aguilar is locking Alvarez down. Aguilar ends up back in guard and stands up and pounces again. Aguilar back into side control and goes for the arm triangle. Alvarez gets out. Aguilar is high in Alvarez’s guard. Alvarez seems to be looking for an armbar. Aguilar slips out and lands a big right hand. Again, Aguilar sets in an arm triangle. She hopes out of half guard to side control with the arm triangle still intact, and Alvarez taps.
Aguilar def. Alvarez by Submission (Arm Triangle) at 4:01 in R1
Post: Aguilar thanks Bellator, and says that winning in front of her team, friends, and fans is awesome. She said she was planning to finish it as fast as possible so she can be injury free and go on to the next round. When asked about Fujii, Aguilar said that she is honored to be in the tournament with all of these women and she respects Fujii.
Fight Rating: **+/*** Aguilar had a plan and implemented it very well. She took control by getting the fight to the ground where Alvarez could not do much. This women’s 115 pound tournament is only going to get more exciting based on tonight’s fights.
Bellator Feature Fight
Fight 5: Yves Edwards (37-15) vs. Luis Palomino (13-5)
Round 1:
Palomino goes for a leg kick and Edwards checks it. Palomino falls from the force of the check. Edwards gets a takedown. He works in Palomino’s guard. Palomino is taking shots from Edwards, and Edwards postures and tries to land some head shots. Edwards makes it half guard and Palomino is trying to sit up. Edwards lands a series of right elbows which are legal since this bout is not part of a Bellator tournament or title fight. Edwards is working Palomino with his wresling. Edwards landing two hard left elbows and two right hands. Still in half guard Edwards is trying to pass, and he gets his right leg out and moves to side control. He transitions to mount, and Palomino moves and gets back to half guard. Two big elbows from Edwards. Edwards back to side control, and then he holds Palomino’s head as he tries to get up. Then he lets Palomino up seeming to realize the bell is about to ring.
Round 2:
Both dance and there is no contact. Edwards lands a body kick. Edwards again with the kick as Palomino misses his left. Palomino is throwing powerful shots, but they are wild. Edwards is playing it smart and keeps a distance. Edwards shoots and Palomino stuffs. Edwards lands a knee to the body. Edwards with a head kick and Palomino goes for te takedown, and Edwards falls back, but Edwards had control the whole time and sprawls out. Palomino is sitting againt the cage while Edwards smothers him. Palomino gets up and pushes Edwards to the cage. Edwards pushes Palomino’s head to the ground and throws some light shots. Edwards looks for a standing guillotine, and Palomino gets out. Palomino with spinning back kick to the head of Edwards, and he misses and flys up in the air and hits the mat. Edwards walks off and lets him stand up. Bell rings.
Round 3:
Palomino lands a knee to the body. They are dancing, and exchanging catious punches. Palomino throws a haevy body kick. Palomino is looking to land that right hand even though it is not getting through. Palomino with a lead leg roundhouse. Edwards lands a left, and throws a kick that is blocked by Palomino. Palomino with some hands, and then a head kick blocked by Edwards. Palomino swings with a big right hook and Edwards ducks and takes him down. Edwards passes guard and is in half guard. Edwards gets close to talking Palomino’s back as the bell rings. This one goes to the judges.
Edwards def. Palomino by Unanimous Decision
Fight Rating: **+ This fight was not particularly exciting as Edwards seemed a bit tentative. He was facing a wild striker in Palomino, so it makes sense. This win is good for Edwards as he rebounds from a somewhat controversial decision loss to Mike Campbell at Mossin back in May.
Bellator’s season three debut was great card with Hector Lombard and Megumi Fujii stealing the show. This women’s 115 pound tournament is shaping up very nicely and I cannot wait to see more of those bouts. I am also eager to see the second set of tournament winners fight the current champions this season.
Make sure to check in with us as we cover the res of season three on MMATorch.com.
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