UFC London Results: Gustafsson Declares 'I Want Title Shot' After Impressive Victory over Jimi Manuwa

UFC London Results: Gustafsson Declares 'I Want Title Shot' After Impressive Victory over Jimi Manuwa
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

UFC.com

Alexander Gustafsson took to the mic after an impressive second round TKO victory over Jimi Manuawa in the main event at UFC Fight Night 37 to tell Jon Jones "I want my title shot again."

Manuwa started quickly with a nice jab and a solid kick to the legs of Gustafsson. Gustafsson responded with a descent jab of his own before taking the fight to the ground where he gained top controlled and immediately attacked the right arm of Manuwa. Manuwa defended well and was able push Gustafsson up to create space to get back to his feet with a minute remaining however he was unable to capitalise before the round ended.

Manuwa came out quickly again in round 2 but was caught with an eye poke in the opening stages of the bout which halted play to allow Manuwa time to recover. On the restart it was Gustafsson turn to come out quickly immediate pushing Manuwa against the cage where he landed a well placed knee to wobble his British foe. Gustafsson followed the knee up with a series of precise strike to the head of Manuwa which cause the previously defeat fighter to drop to the floor. Gustafsson follow Manuwa to the ground with more strikes which left referee Marc Goddard with little choice but to step in and rescue Manuwa at the 1:18 mark.

Speaking after the fight Gustafsson said:

“The support of the fans here tonight was awesome, especially the ones that travelled from Sweden.  Jimi Manuwa is a tough, powerful fighter so my strategy was to try and wear him down a bit and drain that power.  I got grazed a couple of times and you could definitely feel how hard he can throw.  I want Jon Jones next, I cant wait to have another chance at him.” 

Gustafsson is now 7-1 in his last 8 fight, while Manuwa loses for the first time in his career.

UFC London Results: Michael Johnson Earns Decision Over Melvin Gulliard

UFC London Results: Michael Johnson Earns Decision Over Melvin Guillard
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

UFC.com

Michael Johnson earned a unanimous decision victory over former Blackzilian team-mate Melvin Gulliard on Saturday, in a bout that left fans who expected a firefight disappointed.

The lightweight bout was the UFC Fight Night 37 co-main event at O2 Arena in London. It streamed on UFC Fight Pass, BT Sports, and Channel 5 in The UK.

The opening round started fast with Guillard landed a big knee on Johnson but slowed from there with little action over the next minute until Guillard was hit with a low blow. When the round continued Johnson caught Guillard with a nice combo with Guillard offering little in terms of offense. As the boo's from the crowed started to ring out, Johnson who was controlling to octagon at this point and was the only man offering little action, began to taunt Guillard in attempt to bring him into the fight. The round ended with Johnson attempting a takedown only to be caught with a big right hand from Guillard.

Round 2 began with Johnson starting where he left off, pushing the action and controlling the octagon. At this stage the pace of the fight was starting to slow, and the fans in attendance again showed their displeasure with how the fight was progressing. Both men traded wild combos but again Guillard was showing unwillingness to trade. Johnson unleashed an excellent flurry towards the end of the round, catching Guillard with some hard punches and a big knee causing him to wobble.

The third round was all Johnson with the Blackzilian again pushing the pace with an early takedown. Guillard got back to his feet and missed with a big spinning back kick. Johnson returned with a solid punch and a follow up knee. Guillard signaled for an eye poke but the referee never stopped the action, allowing Johnson to catch Guillard with elbows against the cage to secure unanimous decision victory - 30-27 x2, and 29-28.

After the fight, Johnson, who has now won three straight bouts against top-tier opponents, expressed his disappointment with the bout, but said he is ready for a top 10 opponent: 

"I came to fight so tonight was obviously very frustrating. I don’t know if he was scared or what. The fans had a right to boo, I would’ve booed too. Im not happy at all but a win is a win. I want a top guy next, maybe a Nate Diaz, Josh Thomson or the winner of the Cowboy Cerrone fight.”

UFC London: Brad Pickett Earns a Hard Fought Decision Over a Game Neil Seery

UFC London: Brad Pickett Earns a Hard Fought Decision Over a Game Neil Seery
by Chris Houten - @mhouts

UFC.com

Brad Pickett's flyweight debut was a successful one, defeating game Irishman Neil Seery by unanimous decision on the main card of today's UFC Fight Night 37 event at O2 Arena in London.

In the opening round Seery came out showing little signs on intimidation, despite the fact he was fighting in front of 15,000 fans at the O2 who were mainly supporting Pickett. Seery was happy to stay in the pocket and trade with Pickett catching the Englishman with some solid strikes. Pickett countered by mixing in low kicks before ducking under a Seery hook to secure a takedown. Pickett work Seery on top - where it was clear to see he had the advantage, nearly ending the fight with an arm triangle attempt.

Round 2 opened with both men going toe-to-toe again. Pickett was the aggressor coming forward but Seery was happy to trade with his English opponent and in many instances he was getting the better of Pickett on the feet, beating Pickett to the punch. As in round one, Pickett again went for the takedown where he landed some descent ground and pound from inside Seery guard to finish the round.

Down on the judges score card going into the 3rd, Seery came out swinging, again beating Pickett to the punch with a number of sharp blows, to force Pickett to take the fight to the ground again, where he was able to gain a dominate position. Seery was able to get to his fight with 90 second to go, and starting firing all out hoping for the knock out, which left Seery open for another takedown which Pickett duly took. Pickett secured top position again, where to fight finish.

After the bout Pickett said:

“Im a little disappointed to not get a stoppage there especially in front of my hometown fans. Neil just kind of hung on and never allowed to me do anything. It was good to get some rounds at this weight class however. My gas tank felt superb and the weight cut was no problem. "

Having hoped for a shot at current UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, who Pickett has already beaten early in his career, with an impressive victory over Seery, it's likely Pickett will need to fight again now, and a previously scheduled match with Ian McCall may now be on the cards again. 

UFC London Results: Gunnar Nelson Dominates Omari Akhmedov

UFC London Results: Gunnar Nelson Dominates Omari Akhmedov
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

ufc.com

Gunnar Nelson staked a claim as one of the best prospects in The UFCs Welterweight division with a dominate victory over Omari Akhmedov to kick off the main  card of UFC Fight Night 37.

The bout opened slow, with both men looking to feel each other out. Akhmedov who looked no where near as aggressive as he did in his UFC debut again Thiago Perpetuo at UFC Fight Night 32 backpedaled as Nelson slowly advanced, throwing a few shots but nothing which trouble Nelson. With Nelson first attack he caught Akhmedov with straight left to send the Dagestani fighter to the mat, where Nelson quickly took the mount.

From mount Nelson opened up on Akhmedov cutting the fighter who hard elbows. As Akhmedov tried to work his way back up, he pushed Nelson which allowed Nelson the snapped on to a beautiful guillotine choke which left Akhmedov with little choice but to tap or go to sleep.

Speaking after the bout Nelson said;

"I took a few minutes to feel out his movements and then when I got him on the ground I tried to soften him up.  Eventually I was able to get a good choke on him and end things.  I knew I had to be accurate as he is a very powerful puncher.  I also really felt one of his kicks early on despite being able to check it.  Im not going to call out anyone in the division because I'll fight anyone.  I look forward to getting back out there soon though."

It was a third straight UFC win for Nelson (12-0-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who remains undefeated in 12 pro bouts. During the post fight press conference, Nelson expressed a desire to get back to work quick, stating he would be interested in fight in the UFC Dublin card in July.

UFC London Results: Cyrille Diabate Loses Retirement Bout to Ilir Latifi

UFC London Results: Cyrille Diabate Loses Retirement Bout to Ilir Latifi
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

ufc.com

Ilir Latifi made relatively easy work of Cyrille Diatate, submitting the 6'6" light-heavyweight in the opening around to end the Frenchmans career.

Latifi who joined the UFC last year as a replacement for injured teammate Alexander Gustaffson to take on Gegard Mousasi on a weeks notice, faired much better this time out with a full camp under his belt.

The opening round started with a rangy Diabate kept his distance early however it wasn't long before Latifi shot in for a takedown where he quickly locked in a D’Arce choke which be released in exchange for a dominate position.

Latifi remained patient on the ground going back to a front choke shortly after, which this time he locked in to finish the fight at the 3:02 mark of the first round following several attempts to escape from Diabate.

“I prepared a lot for this fight, and it feels great to get a win that fast,” Latifi said. “Cyrille posed many challenges – he’s got dangerous striking and a huge reach, which can pose problems.

“It’s amazing to think 10 or 15 years ago I was watching the original UFC events, and now I’m fighting and winning in them. This is one of the best moments of my life.”

With the win, Latifi extends his record to 8-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC and will be hoping he can build on his first UFC victory next time he fights.

Diabate, who announced early this week he would be retiring win or lose said:

“I’m a striker and I didn’t pull the trigger,” Diabate said. “Obviously I’m disappointed, but now I walk away from the sport. I want to thank my fans and the guys who have helped me train over the years. I will focus on teaching now.”

UFC London Results: Luke Barnatt Defeats Mats Nilsson in Barn Burner

UFC London Results: Luke Barnatt Defeats Mats Nilsson in Barn Burner
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts 

UFC.com

Luke Barnatt made a statement on Saturday night defeating Swedish Middleweight Mats Nilsson by impressive TKO in a 1 round barn burner on the prelims on UFC Fight Night 37.

Barnatt started the bout with a crisp left jab which he connected with often to keep the the Swedish Grappler on the outside. The jab was money for Barnatt as he repeatedly caught Nilsson over and over with it. As the opening minutes wore on TUF 17 Barnatt caught Nilsson with an uppercut which left the Swede with visible damage.

Midway through the round, Nilsson charged and caught Barnatt with several heavy overhand punches, which to Barnatts credit looked like they may have hurt him but he took them well. As the Swedish contingency in attendance begin to flair up, Barnatt fired back with a sneaky superman punch and left head kick to leave Nilsson wobbled against the cage.

Barnatt unleashed a barrage of punches, before dropping Nilsson with a well placed knee forcing the referee to step and and stop the fight; the first stoppage loss of Nilssons career.

Speaking after the bout, Barnatt said if the stoppage:

“I felt a bit cold in the start but when he hit me with a right I woke up. It feels very good to be the first one to ever finish him.”

Barnatt who looks a promise prospect for British fight fans extends his UFC record to 3-0 and his overall record to 8-0.

UFC London Results: Araujo Defeats Danny Mitchell in 3 Round Chess Match

UFC London Results: Araujo Defeats Danny Mitchell in 3 Round Chess Match
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts 

Chants of 'Cheesecake' echoing all over a sold out O2 Arena weren't enough to encourage Danny Mitchell to victory, as Igor Araujo put his BJJ Blackbelt to good use to earn a unanimous decision victory over his British opponent.

Fighting on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 37, TUF 16s Araujo opened the bout with a headkick which was merely a distraction to shoot in for the takedown. 

From there the match played out like a game of chance with both man attempting various submissions, notably a hoe hold for Mitchell in the first, and a triangle for Araujo which looked pretty deep. In the end though Araujo had just that little extra to earn a unanimous decision victory 30-27.

Araujo who extends his win streak to 6 overall and 2 in the UFC expressed his  pleasure over defeating Mitchell:

"I am so happy I won.  Danny Mitchell is a tough, tough guy and I knew I had to be prepared.  In all honesty, I broke my leg 20 days ago, a small fracture, and I told know one.  All I did was continue to train and my heart showed tonight.  This was a big win for my career."

Araujo extends his record to 25-6 in MMA, while MItchell moves to 14-5 in his career.

Cage Warriors 64 Prelim Results

Cage Warriors 64 Prelim Results
by Ben Heather - @benheather  

Photo by Cage Warriors | Dolly Clew

Davis vs Nykanen - Amateur Bout (3 x 3 Minute Rounds)
This was a largely uneventful fight in which Nykanen eased to victory by getting takedowns in each round but was unable to making the most of the good positioning on the ground and therefore couldn't finish the fight. At the end Davis opened up with a late flurry but it was too little too late and it was clear who the winner was and the judges all agreed scoring the fight 30-27 in favor of Nykanen

Crawford vs Garabet
This was an exciting fight and a great way to open up the professional fights. Garabet had surrendered 25% of his purse for missing weight the day before and both men were making their Cage Warriors debut.

Crawford came out mixing up his kicks working Garabet’s legs and going upstairs with some good head kicks. Unfortunately a couple of minutes in one of these kicks strayed low and landed full on the cup of Garabet who drops to the floor and looks in a lot of pain. After a fairly lengthy break he is good to fight again and the fight continues.  Once the fight restarts its Crawford who again is the aggressor taking down Garabet and working his striking from the top. The fight gets back to the feet and again its Crawford doing all the pressing this time mixing up his striking well with leg kicks befor going upstairs again and landing a big headkick but Garabet catches the leg and takes Crawford down. I scored the first round 10-9 Crawford

At the start of round 2, Crawford again starts by landing some hard punches but again is taken down after the exchange. Garabet lands a hard strike to the head while standing to the downed Crawford and drops in to his full guard. Again the fight gets back up and Crawford drops Garabet with a bomb then rushes in to work the ground and pound until he gets the back of Garabet. Once Crawford had the back he got his locks in and stretched out Garabet and continues to pound on him until the ref stops the fight.

Daniel Crawford wins by TKO after 2:43 of round 2. Huseyin Garabet drops to 3-6. Crawford Improves his record to 3-0 and at 20 years old looks to be an exciting fighter with a big future.

Edwards vs Manzolo
This was the shortest fight of the prelims with most of the fight spent on the ground with both men attempting  various submissions but in the end it was Manzolo who locked in an armbar and hyperextended the arm of Edwards to get the finish at 3:36 of round 1. Edwards now has a record of 11-9 while Manzolo improves to 4-2.

Kerr vs Watts
This fight started very one sided and Charlie Watts, the hometown favourite did all he could to finish the fight landing head kicks, clean knees to the head of Kerr and nothing could put him away.

In the second round after taking a lot more punishment when clinched against the fence including a  lot of clean elbows to the side of his head (think Travis Browne vs everyone recently), it was Kerr who had a second wind getting Watts to the ground and at one stage was in full mount. At the end of the round Kerr looked wobbly on his feet but carried on.

The third round was a lot slower as both men showed a lot of heart and true grit to push through to the end and the fight finished with both men throwing all they had left. As the fight went to the judges scorecards it was clear there would be only one winner and that was Charlie Watts who won 30-27, 29-28, 29-28.

Else vs Hewitt
Before this fight started the fans in attendance witnessed possibly the longest, most energetic walkout ever as Cameron Else made his way to the cage unfortunately for him it may have had an impact on his fitness levels after clearly gassing halfway through round two and by the end of the round struggled to get back to his feet and go to his corner. To his credit though, he was still swinging for the hills at the start of the third round looking for an unlikely but spectacular finish.

In all honesty this was a fight Spencer Hewitt dominated even though he may have cruised to victory when he could have pushed to get the finish. However, who can blame him. After all he was 0-2 in Cage Warriors before this fight and on a 0-4 run so just to get his hand raised at the end must have been a great feeling. I think next time out we will see a more confident Spencer Hewitt now his losing streak has ended.

Howell vs Wheeler
Both men came in to this fight with a big following in the crowd, with both sets of fans trying to outdo each other to see who would be the loudest (for the record I think it was a draw). However, when it came to the fight it was Wheeler who showcased his skills on the ground. First Wheeler attempted and very nearly finished the fight with a rear naked choke but it was only a matter of time before he got the finish as not long after Wheeler locked in an arm triangle to get the tap at 4:46 of round 1.

Bamma 14: Daley vs Da Silva Results

Bamma 14: Daley vs Da Silva Results
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Paul Daley Def. Romario Manoel Da Silva – KO (Uppercut) – RD 2 (1:42)  

Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley returned to Bamma with a bang at the LG Arena, knocking out Romario Manoel da Silva in the main at Bamma 14.

Starting off slow, Daley started the first round measuring da Silva with a couple of hard leg kicks which left da Silva’s leg noticeably red, and a sweet jab that was money for most of the round. Da Silva offered little offense in the opening frame baring a pawing overhand right, which Daley could see coming from a mile off.

In the second round both men came out noticeably willing to exchange. Semtex continued to land the jab, cracking the much bigger da Silva straight down the middle, which cause the Brazilian to back toward the cage. Daley pressed forward faking an overhand right causing da Silva to raise his guard, leaving the fighter exposed for a vicious left uppercut that took the Brazilian off his feet, instantly knocking out the previously unfinished fighter.

“I heard my corner say to throw the overhand right. One of them caught him, but I could see he was expecting it, so I faked one. He thought I was going to go with the right again, but then I threw the left,” Daley said. “I knew [the fight was over]. You can tell by the way they fall. He wasn’t getting up from that.”

Mansour Barnaoui Def. Colin Fletcher  - Submission (Rear Naked Choke) - RD 1 (4:00) for The Bamma World Lightweight Title

Mansour ‘Tarzan’ Barnaoui successfully defended his Bamma Lightweight Title in the evening co-main event, submitting Colin ‘Freakshow’ Fletcher via Rear Naked Choke in one of the wildest one round fights on the UK MMA scene all year.

From the opening bell Barnaoui burst out the gate like a bull at a rodeo with a barrage of punches, dropping Fletcher with a sharp left hook. Although Fletcher was able to get right back up he was meet with more onslaught for the 21 year Barnaoui who showed off his Muay Thai skills catching Fletcher with a couple of nice knees for the Thai plum.

Its wasn’t all Barnaoui though at Freakshow managed to break away from the clinch and catch Baraoui with a few crisp shots that sent Frenchman to the floor. Sensing a come from behind victory the former Ultimate Fighter contestant locked in a brabo, which looked tight, however Banaoui did well to defend and wiggled himself out.

Escaping the choke, Baranoui was able to take the back of Fletcher where he managed to trap one of Fletchers arms in a body triangle. With only one hand to defend himself and the champion on his back, there was little Fletcher could do to defend against a Baranoui Rear Naked Choke which saw the Englishman tap out with one minute remaining one the clock.

Jimmy Wallhead  Def.  Florent Betorangal – KO (Slam) – RD 3 (3:21)

Jim Wallhead returned to the cage at Bamma 14 to face French fighter Florent Betorangal hoping a win here would be enough to earn a shot at the Welterweight title, which he lost out on when he fought Eddie Ellis Bamma 13 – a fight that most people felt Wallhead won.

In the opening round both men began trading early, with Betorangal slightly edging it. In a difficult round to score, Wallhead may have been able to steal the round near the bell when he was able to get double under hooks, and take Betorangal down in homage to his Judo days using a O Soto Gari (outer leg sweep).

Batorangal came out strong at the start of the second round, catching Wallhead with a couple of good shots against the cage. Seemingly uninterested in trading with the Betorangal at this point Wallhead was able to get a double leg takedown and spend the remainder of the round chipping away at Batorangal in top control.

Probably need a stoppage at this point Batorangal came out strong for the 3rd round. Wallhead was able to back the Frenchman against the cage before getting double under hooks. Hoisting Batorangal in the air, Judo Jim took Batorangal down with a ferocious slam, which replays showed knocked Batorangal out on impact. Upon getting the takedown, Wallhead stepped in with a couple of good elbows for good measure before Marc Godard stepped in to rescue Betorangal.

Max Nunes Def. Ion Pascu – Unanimous Decision (29, 28)

Max Nunes returned to the cage for the first time since his September loss to Jason Jones for the Bamma Light-heavyweight title. Looking to redeem himself at a new weight class, Nunes took on Ion Pascu in a bout that may have middleweight title implications.

Ion was originally scheduled to meet the current Bamma Middleweight Champion Scott Askham for the title at Bamma 14, however Askham had to pull out due to injury, and was replaced by Nunes.

The opening round began slowly with each man attempting to size up each other range. Baring a couple of jabs there was little action from both men for the opening few minutes. The round closed with Nunes controlling the action against cage, which won him the round.

The fight came alive in the second however, with Pascu landing a thunderous kick to the body, which caused Nunes to back up before collapsing like a beaten man. Pascu did he best to finish the fight from there but was unable to. Little doubt though who won that round leaving it dead even going into the Third.

From the opening bell, it was evident Nunes had no interest in standing with the hard-hitting Pascu, dragging the fight to the ground within the opening minute. Nunes remained in top control for the remainder of the fight to take a judges decision 29-28 on all 3 score cards.

Wayne Murrie Def. Michael Johnson – Submission (Rear Naked Choke) - RD 1 (3:23) for The Bamma Lonsdale British Welterweight Championship

Tom Duquesnoy Def. James Saville - Referee Stoppage – RD 2 (4:04)

Leon Edwards Def. Wendle Lewis – KO (Uppercut) - RD 1 (1:20)

Harry Mcleman Def. Matt Howard - Unanimous Decision (30-27)

Andy Craven Def. Zi Shah – Submission (Heelhook) - RD 1 (0:37)

Tim Wilde Def. Jefferson George – Dr. Stoppage - RD 1 (3:42)

Tim Menzies Def. James Samuda – Referee Stoppage - RD 3 (3:16)

Matt Hallam Def. Curtis Widmer – TKO (Hammerfist) - RD 1 (2:15)

Ed Arthur Def. Ben Rees – Dr. Stoppage – RD 1 – (5:00)

Bellator 104 Results

Bellator Results from Iowa’s US Cellular Center 

The final results are in for the Bellator MMA event live from Iowa’s US Cellular Center. The night was headlined by the Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinals with Ron Keslar finishing War Machine in the first round and Rick Hawn defeating Brent Weedman to advance to the Bellator Welterweight Tournament Final. Keslar will face Hawn on November 22^nd from Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Main Card
Rick Hawn defeats Brent Weedman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) - Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinal Bout

Ron Keslar defeats War Machine via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:31 - Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinal Bout
Kendall Grove defeats Joe Vedepo by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Peter Graham defeats Eric Prindle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Preliminary Card
Paul Bradley defeats Karl Amoussou by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Paul Sass defeats Rod Montoya via Submission (toe hold) – Round 1, 2:01
Rob Emerson defeats Jared Downing via Submission (heel hook) – Round1, 1:44
Brandon Girtz defeats Mike Estus via Verbal Submission (armbar) - Round 1, 4:25
Cliff Wright Jr. defeats Derek Loffer via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:28
Andre Tieva defeats Christopher Lane via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 2:14

Global Warrior Challenge: British Invasion Results

Global Warrior Challenge: British Invasion Results 

Bobby Lashley def. Matt Larson by submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Rd 1 (1:40)
Marcin Lazarz def. Ricco Rodriguez by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x 2)
Andre Winner def. Drew Fickett by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Kendall Grove def. Danny Mitchell by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (4:53)
Oli Thompson def. Kevin Asplund by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (3:21)
LC Davis def. James Saville by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Dayman Lake def. Jake Heun by submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Rd (4:34)
Jack Marshman def. Wayne Cole by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:26)
Michael Johnson def. Jerome Martinez by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Jake Murphy def. Tony Hervey by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3) 
Swing bout: Max Nunes def. Justin Davis by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (2:39)

ONE FC 9: Rise to Power Results

ONE FC 9: Rise to Power Results

Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization, wowed the sold-out crowd in attendance at Mall of Asia Arena with ONE FC: RISE TO POWER. The event was ONE FC's largest event in history and 20,000 fans were treated to a night of unforgettable action as ONE FC kingpins battled inside the famed ONE FC cage.

The main event featured Honorio Banario defending his title for the first time. The first round was a back-and-forth slugfest that put the packed crowd on its feet. In the second stanza, Oishi landed a right hook that dropped Banario and silenced the crowd. Oishi instinctively jumped on his foe and finished the fight with several punches. The crowd went wild as Oishi was crowned the new ONE FC Featherweight World Champion.

In the co-main event of the night, Bibiano Fernandes was crowned ONE FC Interim Bantamweight World Champion by defeating Koetsu Okazaki via unanimous decision. Fernandes utilized his clinch takedowns and superior grappling to remain in control of his opponent for most of the fight. The victory adds another title to Fernandes’ already impressive list of accolades and extends his winning streak to six.

The fans in attendance at MOA Arena also witnessed history as Masakatsu Ueda was crowned the first ever ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix champion. The bout featured back-and-forth action that earned it fight-of-the-night honors. Ueda nearly finished Belingon in both the first and second round with submission attempts, and imposed his superior grappling skills against the explosive Belingon in all three rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory.

Official results for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER:

Main card
Koji Oishi defeats Honorio Banario by knockout at 1:45 minutes of round 2
Bibiano Fernandes defeats Koetsu Okazaki by unanimous decision at 5:00 minutes of round 5
Masakatsu Ueda defeats Kevin Belingon by unanimous decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3
Yasuhiro Urushitani defeats Rey Docyogen by split decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3
Nobutatsu Suzuki defeats Phil Baroni by knockout at 4:17 minutes of round 1
Kamal Shalorus defeats Eduard Folayang by unanimous decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3
Andrew Leone defeats Geje Eustaquio by unanimous decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3

Undercard
Yusup Saadulaev defeats Ryan Diaz by anaconda submission at 2:57 minutes of round 2
Lowen Tynanes defeats Felipe Enomoto by TKO due to referee stoppage at 2:41 minutes of round 1 Tony Johnson defeats Tim Sylvia at 3:25 minutes by TKO due to doctor stoppage of round 2.

Invicta FC 5 Results

Invicta 5 Results

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April, 5, 2013) –In an unforgettable night of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action, Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (11-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. submitted Jessica Penne (10-2) of Huntington Beach, Calif. with an armbar in the fourth round of their main event showdown to become the new Invicta Fighting Championships world atomweight (105 pounds) champion at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on Friday, April 5, live on InvictaFC.com.

In the co-main event of the star-studded, 13-bout women’s world championship doubleheader, Pat Miletch-protégé Barb Honchak (8-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa earned a unanimous decision over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vanessa Porto (15-6) of Sao Paulo, Brazil to become the first Invicta FC flyweight (125 pounds) champion in history.

In her first start since Dec. 2011, pound-for-pound sensation Cris Cyborg (11-1) of Curitiba, Brazil showed no signs of rust, pulverizing a courageous Fiona Muxlow (6-3) of Townsville, Queensland Australia in a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup.

Cyborg dropped Muxlow in the opening seconds of the contest with a right hand and smothered Muxlow, who made it to her feet but couldn’t fend off the relentless attacks of Cyborg.  A final barrage of punches prompted the referee to step in and stop the fight, giving Cyborg the TKO win in the first round and earning her a second meeting with fellow superstar Marloes Coenen, whom Cyborg stopped by way of third round (3:40) TKO (punches) on Jan. 30, 2010.

Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (5-3-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. and Sarah Kaufman (16-2) of Victoria BC, Canada engaged in an all-out slugfest for three straight rounds in a bantamweight (135 pounds) barnburner highlighted by Smith putting Kaufman on the canvas with a head kick.  Kaufman rallied in the third round with a double leg takedown and, after they stood up, a hard right hand before being declared the winner by split decision.

Jennifer Maia (7-2) of Curitiba pulled off a stunning upset, earning a unanimous decision over Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Maia neutralized Gurgel’s offense against the cage fence for the majority of the first two rounds and, in the third stanza, opened up with kicks and punches before the bout came to a close.

In the opening main card bout of the night, “Rowdy” Bec Hyatt (5-2) of Brisbane, Australia took the fight to previously undefeated Jasminka Cive (5-1) of Graz, Austria from the outset of their strawweight (115 pounds) matchup, mounting Cive and unloading a storm of punches to the head.  From mount, Hyatt secured Cive’s arm and transitioned to armbar, forcing Cive to tap from the hold.

Complete Invicta FC 5 Results:

Main Card:
Bec Hyatt def. Jasminka Cive via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:30
Julia Budd def. Mollie Estes via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:04
Lauren Taylor def. Kaitlin Young via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jennifer Maia def. Zoila Frausto Gurgel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Sarah Kaufman def. Leslie Smith via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Cris Cyborg def. Fiona Muxlow via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:46
Barb Honchak def. Vanessa Porto via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)
Michelle Waterson def. Jessica Penne via submission (armbar) – Round 4, 2:31

Preliminary Card:
Alex Chambers def. Jodie Esquibel via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:35
Rose Namajunas def. Kathina Catron via submission (flying armbar) –  Round 1, :12
Katja Kankaanpaa def. Juliana Carnerio Lima via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Miriam Nakamoto def. Jessamyn Duke via KO (knee) – Round 1, 2:20
Simona Soukupova def. Cassie Rodish via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 3:20

Bellator 95 Results

Bellator Results from Atlantic City

Atlantic City, N.J. (April 4, 2013) – The final results are in for Bellator MMA live from Revel in Atlantic City. The event featured the Bellator Middleweight Tournament Championship where Doug Marshall defeated Brett Cooper with an explosive TKO (punches) in the first round. Frodo Khasbulaev won the Bellator Lightweight Tournament Championship by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in a tough battle against Mike Richman. Marshall and Khasbulaev each earned a $100,000 tournament prize and a guaranteed title shot.  The night also showcased the Featherweight World Championship with Pat Curran defending his title, beating Shahbulat Shamhalaev via submission (guillotine choke) in the first round.

Featherweight World Title Fight: Pat Curran defeats Shahbulat Shamhalaev via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:38.

Pat Curran
“Thanks for Shahbulat and taking the fight on short notice. This was a big opportunity for him and I thank him for stepping up to the fight. Thank you Bjorn and Bellator for keeping me busy in the cage and continuing to allow me to develop as a fighter.” 
Shahbulat Shamhalaev
“I am sorry Bellator, just this one time. I am sorry for disappointing fans around the world who were cheering for. I am going to get back in the gym and work on it and I will be back.”

Featherweight Tournament Final Fight: Frodo Khasbulaev defeats Mike Richman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27,30-27).

Frodo Khasbulaev
“First of all I thank all of my fans and who were rooting for me. Thank you Bjorn and Bellator for giving me this chance.  I want to thank my manager, my team and my coaches for all of their work in preparing for this fight. Also, I want to thank my opponent for putting on a good show today.”
Mike Richman
“Obviously tonight didn’t go as I had planned. I thought the fight was a lot closer than the decision. It was a super tough fight and there were a couple movements and positioning that kept me away from winning the fight. Thank you Bellator and my fans for cheering for me and hopefully I’ll be back fighting again soon.”

Middleweight Tournament Final Fight: Doug Marshall defeats Brett Cooper via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:39.
Doug Marshall
“Thank you Bjorn and Bellator for having me. When I entered this tournament I was the dark horse and now I am $100,000 richer and I have a title shot coming. I am really looking forward to the fight against Alexander. Thank you very much for this opportunity.”


Welterweight Feature Fight: Rick Hawn defeats Karo Parisyan via KO (strikes) – Round 2, 1:55.
Rick Hawn
“Thank you Karo for taking this fight and it has been a long time coming.  I respect him as a fighter and this wasn’t an easy fight. I am happy to get the win and I wish him the best of luck in the future.”
Karo Parisyan
“I don’t want to make any excuses. This is the fourth time Bellator has given me a shot. I felt obligated to take the fight, but I felt like I was in the right place to take it. He is a great competitor and I respect him as an athlete. Hopefully I will be back and I can prove myself one more time.”
Welterweight Feature Fight: Lyman Good defeats Dante Rivera via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27,30-27).

Catchweight Feature Fight (173 lbs.): Sam Oropeza defeats Shedrick Goodridge via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:22.

Catchweight Feature Fight (188 lbs.): Tom DeBlass defeats Carlos Brooks via doctor stoppage – Round 2, 5:00.

Lightweight Feature Fight: Phillipe Nover defeats Darrell Horcher via unanimous decision (29-28,30-27,30-27).

Catchweight Feature Fight (140 lbs.): Jimmie Rivera defeats Brian Kelleher via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28,29-28).

Featherweight Feature Fight: Will Martinez defeats Brent Hess via KO (punches) – Round 1, 4:15.

Featherweight Feature Fight: Kevin Roddy defeats Brylan Van Artsdalen via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 1:04.

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Liam McGeary defeats Anton Talamantes via TKO (elbows and punches) – Round 1, 1:18.

ONE FC 8:Champions and Kings Results

ONE FC 8:Champions and Kings Results

Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization, wowed the sold-out crowd in attendance at Singapore Indoor Stadium with ONE FC: Kings & Champions. The event was ONE FC's largest event in history and fans were treated to a night of unforgettable action as ONE FC kingpins battled inside the famed ONE FC cage.

The ONE FC lightweight division crowned a new champion on Friday when Shinya Aoki submitted Kotetsu Boku in the second round of their championship bout.Aoki displayed superior grappling that knockout specialist Boku simply had no answer to. The finish came in round 2 when Shinya Aoki sunk in a rear naked choke that resulted in Boku tapping out and conceding his Lightweight World Championship title.

In the co-main event of the evening, Brock Larson had to survive adversity to emerge victorious by unanimous decision. Melvin Manhoef nearly finished the fight in the first round with his signature whipping kicks that clearly rocked Brock Larson. Larson came back strong in the second round and ended the round with a tight armbar. Larson came on strong in the third round that neutralized Manhoef’s striking with superior grappling and relentless ground and pound. The judges unanimously awarded Larson the decision victory.

The packed Singapore Indoor Stadium also witnessed history as Kevin Belingon and Ueda earned wins in the prestigious ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix Semi finals and will face each other in the final. The winner of that bout will be guaranteed a future title shot.  Kevin Belingon dispatched his opponent Thanh Vu with a relentless barrage of punches and kicks that led the referee to step in and stop the fight in round 2.  Masakatsu Ueda also won in round 2 after he sank in a D’arce choke and the referee had no choice but to step in and stop the fight.

Official results for ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS:
Shinya Aoki defeats Kotetsu Boku by submission via rear naked choke at 4:04 minutes of round 2
Brock Larson defeats Melvin Manhoef by unanimous decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3
Masakatsu Ueda defeats Jens Pulver by d’arce submission at 3:52 minutes of round 2
Kevin Belingon defeats Thanh Vu by referee stoppage due to strikes at 1:00 minutes of round 2
Eddie Ng defeats Arnaud Lepont by armbar submission at 4:45 minutes of round 2
Leandro Issa defeats Yusup Saadulaev  by decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3
Alex Silva defeats Rene Catalan by armbar submission at 4:34  minutes of round 1
Bashir Ahmad defeats Shannon Wiratchai by decision at 5:00 minutes of round 3
Jake Butler defeats Swain Cangco by  submission at 2:52 minutes of round 1
Chen Yun Ting defeats Ronald Low by referee stoppage due to strikes at 3:58 minutes of round 1

Video: Bellator 93 - Results and Highlights

Bellator 93 - Results and Video Highlights

Bellator 93 went down on Thursday night from Lewiston, Maine taking only 9 rounds to get through the whole damn fight card - yeah it was that good!

For those who had work the next day, and weren't prepared to pull an all nighter, or brave enough to call in sick - not even for Britain Michael Page's Bellator Debut , we give you Bellator 93 highlights, courtesy of Spike TV below!

   

Results

Lightweight Tournament Final Fight: Dave Jansen defeats Marcin Held via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Dave Jansen:

“Thanks Bjorn and the entire Bellator staff. I have nothing but gratitude for Marcin. He’s phenomenal and getting to train to fight against him was a tough puzzle to put together, but it really improved my game.”
I want to keep the momentum going and I’m looking forward to fighting Michael Chandler and what a unique puzzle he is as a fighter.”

Marcin Held:

“Thank you to Dave. It was a really good fight. In the second round I tried to submit Dave and I lost all my power. I almost couldn’t move and I had no power left, which wasn’t good for me.”
“Dave is really good and it was pleasure for me to fight against him. I would like to say good luck in your next fight with Michael Chandler.”

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Ryan Martinez defeats Travis Wiuff via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 18 seconds
Ryan Martinez:

“Thanks Bjorn and Bellator for having me back. I was anxious to get back in the cage. Taking this fight, many people thought it was stupid, but I saw it as a window of opportunity. At this level you don’t get to cherry pick your fights and who you go against. We are fighters and that’s how we live.”

Welterweight Feature Fight: Marcus Davis vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf was declared a no-contest (illegal groin shot)
Marcus Davis:

“I want to thank everyone and I absolutely love this state and the people from here. To get the welcoming that I got when I came in the cage was overwhelming and I was swept away. I’ve never heard a crowd like that in this state- ever.”
“It was upsetting that I was unable to showcase my skills to the people of Maine and Bellator and I will continue to represent this company and MMA the best I can.”

Middleweight Feature Fight: Dave Vitkay defeats Dan Miragliotta via technical submission (guillotine-choke) – Round 1, 18 seconds

Welterweight Feature Fight:  Michael Page defeats Ryan Sanders via TKO – Round 1, 11 seconds

Middleweight Feature Fight: Jason Butcher defeats Jack Hermansson via submission (triangle-choke) – Round 1, 2:24

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Mike Mucitelli defeats Brent Dillingham via submission (armbar) Round 1, 2:48

Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Pacheco defeats Pierre Pierry vis submission (keylock) – Round 1, 1:54

Featherweight Feature Fight: Vince Murdock defeats Jon Raio via TKO (strikes) –Round 3, 4:01

Lightweight Feature Fight: Jon Lemke defeats Jesse Erickson with a TKO (punches and knees) – Round 1, 2:50