Bellator Fighting Championships 44
May 14, 2011
Caesars Atlantic City Hotel and Casino,
Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Bellator Lightweight Tournament Final
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Michael Chandler (8 – 0 – 0) won a unanimous decision over Patricky Freire (9 – 2 – 0). Chandler upset Freire, spending the first two rounds trading with the lauded striker on the feet. Aside from a trio of low blows to Freire (which resulted in a point deduction in the 3rd for Chandler), Chandler actually got the better of Freire standing. Chandler secured the 3rd round with takedowns and ground and pound which left Freire vexed and bloodied on the bottom. All 3 judges scored the bout 29-27 in favor of Chandler. Chandler, who has stopped 6 of his 8 opponents, jumps 20 spots up from [#50] to [#30]. He will now face Bellator lightweight champion [#5] Eddie Alvarez for the title. Freire, who had a 5 fight win streak broken by this loss, drops 21 spots from [#49] to [#70].
Superfight
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard (29 – 2 – 1) defeated Falaniko Vitale (29 – 10 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 0:54 of round 3. The two veterans circled each other for the first two rounds, trading single shots. A sheen of sweat developed on the well muscled frame of Lombard during the 1st round, portending fatigue for the Bellator champ. However, it was a single right punch that sent Vitale reeling. Vitale attempted to stand back up but fell back down to the mat, causing referee Dan Miragliotta to stop the fight. Lombard, who extends his streak to an amazing 23 fights without a loss, moves up 1 spot from [#12] to [#11]. Vitale, who had won 3 in a row, drops 8 spots from [#45] to [#53].
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Giedrius Karavackas (5 – 1 – 0) defeated Sam Oropeza (5 – 2 – 0) by submission due to a scarf hold arm-lock at 3:59 of round 3. The first round belonged to favorite Oropeza, who landed damaging kicks and elbows to his Lithuanian born opponent. Karavackas closed the distance in the 2nd round and controlled Orpeza on the fence for much of the frame. Karavackas was able to secure a very rare scarf hold armlock in the 3rd round, which he cranked and twisted for the better part of 2 minutes before he was able to force the submission. Karavackas, who is now on a 4 fight win streak, rockets 129 spots up the ranks from [#361] to [#232]. Oropeza, who is 1-2 in his last 3, plunges 151 spots down from [#297] to [#448].
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Bellator season 2 middleweight runner up Alexander Shlemenko (39 – 7 – 0) defeated Brett Cooper (13 – 7 – 0) by unanimous decision. Shlemenko used his unorthodox spinning strikes repertoire to vex the rigid but powerful stand up of Cooper. Cooper scored takedowns in the the second round, rendering this frame more competitive than the previous. Both fighters let it all hang out in the third frame, striking wildly at one another in the waning seconds of the bout. Shlemenko did enough in the end to secure the unanimous nod. Shlemenko, who is 8-1 in his last 9, moves up 3 spots from [#29] to [#26]. Cooper, who is 3-2 in his last 5, drops 8 spots from [#88] to [#95].
Heavyweight (265 lbs)
Jamall Johnson (3 – 1 – 0) defeated Randy Smith (11 – 9 – 1) by rear-naked choke at 4:16 of round 2. Johnson is on a 3 fight win streak, all by submission (2 by submission due to strikes). Smith is 0-4-1- in his last 5. Both fighters remain unranked.
Featherweight (145 lbs)
Jeff Lentz (7 – 2 – 0) defeated Anthony Leone (8 – 4 – 0) by unanimous decision. Lentz, stopped a 2 fight losing streak with this win, jumps 52 spots up from [#194] to [#142]. Leone, who is on a 4 fight losing streak, remains unranked.
Middleweight (185 lbs)
UFC veteran Jay Silva (7 – 4 – 0) defeated Gemiyale Adkins (6 – 2 – 0) by unanimous decision. Silva, who is on a 2 fight win streak (preceded by 3 losses), moves 1 spot up from [#86] to [#85]. Adkins, who is on a 2 fight losing streak, remains unranked.