...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
Bellator's inaugural Summer Series kicks of tonight from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The entire set of featherweight quarterfinal bouts will take place tonight: Pat Curran vs. Luis Palomino, Marlon Sandro vs. Genair da Silva, Nazareno Malegarie vs. Jacob DeVree, Ronnie Mann vs. Adam Schindler.
Fight 1 - Featherweight Quarterfinal: Ronnie Mann vs. Adam Schindler
Round 1:
Mann opens with a combo. Mann lands a right and then Schindler comes in with a right/left combo. Schindler continues to throw fast combos, but man stuns him. Schindler pushes Mann to the cage and does not get the takedown. They break. Schindler and Man exchange strong one-off punches, then man lands a head kick and Schindler follows with a push kick to the face. Mann lands a left and a crisp right. Schindler shoots and Mann shrugs it off. Schindler misses a high kick. Mann sets up a leg kick with a missed hand combo. The leg kick hits hard. Man misses a push kick. Mann catches a kick and just holds it. Mann lands a body kick. Schindler rushes in and Mann lands a right straight and then a left hook that puts Schindler down. Mann pounces and hammerfists Schindler out cold.
Mann defs. Schindler via KO - Round 1 - 4:14
Post Fight:
Mann said he listened to his corner man Shawn Tompkins and threw the combo that hurt Schindler when Tompkins called it out. He is excited to advance on in the tournament.
Fight Rating: *** This fight showcased how technique is key, and sloppy power can be exploited. Mann was in control most of the way, but this reminded me (to a degree) of what a young GSP looked like when he was coming up. Not to say that Mann is going to be like GSP in the future, but he definitely seems to value technique and accuracy.
Fight 2 - Featherweight Quarterfinal: Nazareno Malegarie vs. Jacob DeVree
Round 1
Both guys jump to the center and trade. Malegarie shoots and takes DeVree down. Malegarie ends up on his back locks on a tight guillotine. He works it. No dice, and DeVree gets out after a long time in the choke. Malegarie on his back with his back body lock, and then goes for a heel hook. DeVree steps over and gets out. Malegarie with closed guard and a body lock. The ref stands them up. DeVree is throwing wild punches, and Malegarie is taging him right back. Malegarie shoots and misses. Malegarie goes at it again and gets a single leg takedown. DeVree goes for a triangle off his back, but Malegarie stacks and rolls DeVree. Malegarie takes DeVree's back. The bell rings as Malegarie was working for a submission.
Round 2:
DeVree takes Malegarie down. Malegarie gets a guillotine again, and wall walks it over. DeVree gets out, but Malegarie lands in mount. Malegarie starts striking from the top. DeVree works to half guard, and Malegarie maintains control and works some strikes. Malegarie drives his head in to advance position then he pulls up to strike. Malegarie almost goes for another guillotine but changes his mind and strikes. Devree gets Malegarie in guard and then stands up. Malegarie pushes DeVree to the cage and then picks him up and slams DeVree to the canvas. Malegarie goes for a heel hook, and DeVree rolls out again. DeVree dives in with a right and Malegarie closes guard. The bell rings.
Round 3:
Malegarie gets a takedown early. He pushes DeVree to the cage. He looks for a submission while striking the ribs and the head. Malegarie locks on a guillotine and pulls guard with it locked on. DeVree taps from this third guillotine attempt.
Post Fight:
Malegarie says this is the real him tonight. He also says he is going to continue to win and become the champion.
Fight Ranking **+/***-
Another exciting fight where technique dominated. Malegarie’s submission attempts were solid and DeVree gets credit for getting out. Still, as Jimmy Smith said you cannot win a fight just based on your ability to get out of submissions alone. So far it seems like the semifinals have the potential to be interesting, provided the remaining fights on tonight's card really showcase what these featherweights are bringing to the table.
Pre-recorded Segment: Jimmy Smith showcases the danger of leaving your arm in when escaping a triangle attempt. He has Jade and Mercedes (two very attractive ladies) show how this can result in an armbar.
Fight 3 - Featherweight Quarterfinal: Marlon Sandro vs. Genair da Silva
Round 1:
Sandro comes in with a combo. Da Silva moves in with a push kick. Both men are bouncing and moving quickly. Da Silva lands a combo up top. Sandro backs da Silva up with a missed combo. Da Silva lands a nice leg kick. Sandro lands a left hook and a leg kick. Da Silva throws a kick to the head and it misses. Sandro works in and da Silva angles off. Da Silva throws a head kick. Sandro rocks da Silva with a hook and swarms da Silva. Da Silva looks out of it, but he maintains after they flurry and then Sandro goes for a guillotine and da Silva gets out and goes for Sandro’s back. Sandro shrugs him off in the scramble. Both men are on their feet. (Da Silva was in trouble, it is remarkable he is back up and active.) Sandro follows with body shots as the bell rings.
Round 2:
The come out active and there is cup-shot early in the round. The action starts up again and Sandro catches a kick and da Silva spins around to get his foot out. Da Sliva jogs around the cage. Sandro stalks and tags da Silva with combos. Da Silva answers, but Sandro can evade the wild striking of da Silva. Da Silva throws a high head kick that misses. Then with a body kick that is blocked by Sandro. Sandro faints a superman punch. Da Silva throws an inside leg kick. The ref calls for more action, but it is noted by the commentators that neither fighter speaks English. The bell rings.
Round 3:
Da Silva lands a hard kick to the Sandro’s cup. Sandro takes a minute and continues. Da Silva lands a punch and shoots. Sandro holds him off. Da Silva lands a good right hand, and shoots. Sandro’s back is to the cage. Da Silva works knees, and is warned about grabbing the fence. The ref breaks them and scolds da Silva. Sandro throws a front kick to the body. Sandro shoots a single leg and da Silva shrugs it off. Da Silva with a spinning back kick, and then there is a body kick to follow. Da Silva throws a kick and Sandro blocks. Then he takes da Silva down. Sandro underhooks the leg and he gets upkicked while ground, but the ref says continue. They work back up to their feet and the bell rings with Sandro taunting da Silva.
Sandro defs. da Silva via Split Decision
Post Fight:
When asked why he tanted da Silva with very little time left, he says (in English) that he wants to have the best fight for him and for everyone (the fans).
Fight Ranking ***
Sandro had a nice showing, and he almost finished da Silva. Sandro looked the most well rounded tonight out of the first three fights, and I can see him being a favorite to take the whole tournament. His pedigree/ record can also point you in the same direction.
Fight 4 - Featherweight Quarterfinal: Pat Curran vs. Luis Palomino
Round 1:
Curran with a push kick, it misses. Palomino misses a leg kick. Both men are tentative and dance around. Palomino with another leg kick. Again, with another leg kick by Palomino. Both are waiting for the other to be aggressive. Curran lunges in with a flying knee. Palomino lands a combo. Curran knocks Palomino with a right, and then Curran lands a flying knee and runs back in with a kick. Palomino ends up on his back with Curran in half guard working for side control. Curran attempts a Darce choke, but Palomino gets out and changes position. Palomino is on his knees and Curran could take his back from side, but he locks on a Peruvian neck tie. Palomino taps.
Post Fight:
Curran says he practices the PNT in the gym all the time so he took it when he saw it.
Fight Rating ***+
Curran looked confident, strong, and ready for this fight. I saw him fight Eddie Alvarez live, and this version of Curran might have done a little better against Alvarez. The finish was great! Palomino did not get a chance to open up as he was trying to be more conservative than usual. Curran would be the obvious favorite in this tournament, but I would love to see him go head-to-head with Marlon Sandro.
Well that was an exciting set of Featherweight Tournament bouts. This is going to be a fierce run to the Summer Series Tournament Championship.
Follow Me on Twitter: @Awwwsnap
DON'T GO YET... WE SUGGEST THESE MMATORCH ARTICLES, TOO!
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.
