Bellator MMA are back for another week of exciting mixed martial arts action. Sitting atop of this bill is Alexander Shlemenko meeting Maiquel Falcao for the middleweight championship vacated by UFC middleweight Hector Lombard.
Also, the opening round of the featherweight tournament begins with more hungry challengers eyeballing Pat Curran’s 145-pound crown.
If you aren’t able to get in front of your television screen for all the action, be sure to follow along with all the main card action here.
Featherweight tournament quarter-final bout: Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair da Silva
Round 1:
Da Silva opens with a high kick before Bezerra lands a shit and shoots for a takedown and once a opening comes leaps onto his opponents back. Standing upright with Bezerra on his back with both hooks in, da Silva is playing defensive. Da Silva gets the escape, flipping him off his back and winding up on top in guard. Da Silva looks for a kimura before giving it up and firing off with his hammer fists, leaving his arm wide open to get submitted by Popo Bezerra.
Alexandre Bezerra def. Genair da Silva by submission (armbar) at 1:40 of round 1
Featherweight tournament quarter-final bout: Mitch Jackson vs. Mike Richman
Round 1:
Tentative start from these two featherweights with Richman firing his jab early. Jackson shoots for a takedown but it’s stuffed easily. Jackson lets his guard down and picks a shot and eats a short jab for it that drops him momentarily. Jackson attempts another takedown but again it’s stuffed and gets hit again. Richman walks him down and lands a shot that drops Jackson for the third time and joins him on the ground in his guard. Richman maintains control on top and fires off with his ground-and-pound before Dan Mirgliotta forces the stand-up due to a lack of action. Jacskon goes straight for a takedown of his own that is stuffed and again Richman showing patience and composure picking his shots. A beautiful high kick from Richman and like a shark that smelled blood, he threw a string of punches to the downed Jackson as the fight gets called to a halt.
Mike Richman def. Mitch Jackson by TKO (punches) at 4:57 of round 1
Featherweight tournament quarter-final bout: Marlon Sandro vs. Akop Stepanyan
Round 1:
Feeling out process early before Stepanyan fires with a spinning-hook-kick that fails. Sandro looks for a takedown but the Russian defends. Sandro would have had it down but he grabbed the fence but no point deduction. Standing again, Stepanyan throws a leg kick and is almost taken down because of it. Sandro showing patience and picking his shots but it seems Stepanyan is getting overzealous with his striking. The Russian lands a nice body kick. Sandro comes forward with a punch while Stepanyan again throws a spinning kick that misses. Sandro again looks for a takedown looking to steal the round. Pressed against the cage Stepanyan gets put on his back as Sandro just waits in top position as the clock comes to a close.
Justin Faux scores it 10-9 Sandro
Carlin Bardsley score it 10-9 Sandro
David Stanford scores it 10-9 Sandro
Round 2:
The fight begins with a calm Sandro picking his shots before Stepanyan levels him with a shot that puts him on wobbly legs before he gets the fight to the floor. Sandro gets him off and sit on his back as the Russian hits him with a few leg kicks before the stand-up. Both trade high kicks before a brief trade of punches. Each are stand-offish as neither pounces to do a lot of action at a stand still. Sandro attempts a takedown that is shrugged off with ease, a far more composed Stepanyan is picking his shots as Sandro looks fatigued. Sandro rolls through for a leg lock but the close is against him.
Justin Faux scores it 9-9
Carlin Bardsley score it 9-9
David Stanford scores it 9-9
Round 3:
A bizarre situation with the referee giving a point deduction for the last round fence grab from Stepanyan. The Russian lands his shots and looks for his high kick again. After scrambles we find our way to the floor with Stepanyan on bottom looking for a guillotine choke before the fight returns to a striking match. Sandro ducks underneath a kick and gets another takedown as he hammer fists within the guard of the Russian Taekwondo champion. The two-time tournament runner-up is on top putting together punches to the ribcage. Sandro lifts Stepanyan and slams him to the floor on four separate occasions but that essentially gives his opponent a chance to wall-walk. Sandro fires off punches and Stepanyan is all defensive as the clock runs out.
Justin Faux scores it 10-9 Sandro
Carlin Bardsley score it 10-9 Sandro
David Stanford scores it 10-9 Sandro
MMASucka scores it: Marlon Sandro def. Akop Stepanyan by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Official score: Marlon Sandro def. Akop Stepanyan by Majority Decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27)
Bellator Middleweight Championship bout: Maiquel Falcao vs. Alexander Shlemenko
Round 1:
Heavy hands are slung from the opening bell, Falcao manages to get in close with his boxing and land shots before scoring a takedown but it doesn’t last long. Pressed against the cage Falcao fires off with a punch before they clinch and return to the center. Haymakers are swinging between these two before Shlemenko begins firing with his powerful knees. Shlemenko outside trips the UFC veteran but the stand-up is called after zero offence. Falcao counters the Russians powerhouse shot and presses him against the cage looking to get it to the mat. The clinch against the cage with each trading knees but Falcao has a real strength edge, throwing him around with ease. Shlemenko gets a body lock and looks to power it down but we remain clinched agianst the cage. A brief separation but the time runs out before anything happens.
Justin Faux scores it 10-9 Falcao
Carlin Bardsley score it 10-9 Falcao
David Stanford scores it 10-9 Falcao
Round 2:
Falcao lands a nice knee and Shlemenko fires a kick-punch combo and goes high with a head kick that’s blocked. Pressed against the cage Shlemenko defends a takedown but takes a knee to the torso. Shlemenko hits with a hard shot, the Russian aggressor clinches with Falcao and starts punishing his body with knees. Spinning-back-kick from Shlemenko who was quick to jump on Falcao who was turtled on the floor and ate a few shots before the fight is stopped.
