Bellator 56 Results and Play-by-Play
Oct 29, 2011 Comments
Sherdog.com will report from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., at
approximately 7:00 p.m. ET with play-by-play and live results of
Bellator 56, which features the semifinals of Bellator's Season
5 heavyweight tournament, and Bellator welterweight champion
Ben
Askren defending his title against Jay
Hieron.
Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card.
Click
here for quick results.
Press F5 on your keyboard to refresh this page, as play-by-play is updated in real time.
Round 1
Ruffin start the proceedings with two low kicks. Gallemore tries to corner Ruffin against the cage. Gallemore has yet to pull the trigger on strikes, but has moved Ruffin back against the cage. Ruffin keeps throwing out low kicks. Gallemore finally connects with two kicks of his own as Ruffin circles out. Gallemore connects with a looping right but doesn’t follow up and Ruffin attempts a takedown but to no avail. Ruffin ends up on his back and the subsequent scramble finds him fighting off a guillotine on the way up. Gallemore can’t finish with the submission and the fight is back up on its feet. Ruffin goes for another takedown and this time hits it and quickly moves to side guard. The round ends in a battle of positioning with Gallemore still on his back.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Ruffin
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Ruffin
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Ruffin
Round 2
Ruffin quit on his stool.
Gallemore starts the second trying to hunt Ruffin down, but again
Ruffin answers with a successful double-leg takedown. Ruffin
quickly transitions to side mount and Gallemore is looking for the
restart off his back. Gallemore tries to scramble out and is
successful on the second attempt. Gallemore gets back to his feet
and breaks free from Ruffin. Gallemore is attacking with more
offense and Ruffin is beyond exhausted, breathing through his open
mouth now. Out of what looks like sheer desperation more than
anything else, Ruffin connects with another double-leg and goes to
work from Gallemore’s full guard. After little action on the mat,
the fighters agreeably make their way back to their feet and Ruffin
is flagging even without much offense from Gallemore. Finally,
Gallemore takes advantage of Ruffin’s lack of conditioning and
connects with a one-two that puts Ruffin down. However, Gallemore
can't end it before the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gallemore
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Gallemore
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Gallemore
Between rounds, Derrick Ruffin quits on his stool, prompting referee Jason Herzog to call the bout via retirement before the third round.
Aaron Ely vs. Owen Evinger
Round 1
Ely got a quick choke.
It’s a feeling out process to start this bantamweight bout for a
good minute. Both fighters connect with lefts and rights, though
neither fighter distinguishes himself early on. Ely starts to land
a few punches, bloodying up Evinger’s nose. Almost halfway into the
round, Ely follows up a right hand with a duck under single-leg
takedown that he connects with. Very quickly, Ely transitions to
Evinger’s back and finds success with a rear-naked choke. Evinger
is trying to work over Ely’s hands and roll out of it. Ely stays
with him though, finally applying the submission and this time
forces the tap from Evinger. Official time of the submission is
3:45.
Jeimeson Saudino vs. Jacob Akin
Round 1
RNC was the trick for Akin, too.
Akin comes out attacking Saudino early, but gets countered with
every strike he throws. Wichita, Kan. native Saudino initiates the
clinch but gets hit with a trip takedown for his effort. Akin is in
Saudino’s full guard a little more than a minute in. After
defending a few submissions, Akin starts coming down with
intermittent punches from full guard. With two minutes gone by in
the round, Akin starts looking to drop down for a heel hook, but
Saudino counters an attempt of his own. Akin lets the referee Chuck
Wolfe know he’s in no danger and after making Saudino pay for his
submission attempt with punches, he takes the offensive, attacking
Saudino with his grappling. The subsequent scramble sees Akin take
Saudino’s back and the tap from the rear-naked choke comes some 20
seconds after. The tap comes at 3:26 of the first round.
Willian de Souza vs. Emanuel Brooks
Round 1
Brooks forces de Souza down with his single-leg takedown early and connects with some lefts and rights from full guard. De Souza quickly finds his way back up and Brooks dances out of the way of his strikes before taking any damage in a scramble situation. With both fighters back standing, de Souza is unsuccessful with a single-leg. He throws a knee but catches Brooks low and the referee Jason Herzog steps in to give him time to recover. On the restart, Brooks connects with a strong right and a left high kick. De Souza kicks again, and hits Brooks low again. This time Herzog deducts a point from the Topeka, Kan.-based Brazilian. After the latest restart, Brooks lands the most significant shot with a kick right in the midsection. The bell sounds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Brooks
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-8 Brooks
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-8 Brooks
Round 2
The fighters clinch almost immediately to start the second. De Souza tries to pull guard and pays for it as Brooks slams him to the mat and throws in a few shots for good measure. After a brief scramble sees Brooks escape from a potential submission, the Cahokia, Ill., native goes back to work on the feet. As he's working from the standup he connects with a low blow of his own on de Souza. On the restart, de Souza forces the clinch with Brooks but can’t capitalize from it. The fight goes back to a striking battle on the feet, but the pace has slowed. De Souza tries to hit a single-leg takedown but Brooks isn’t having any of it. He defends and manages to bring de Souza down to the mat following up with lefts before the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Brooks
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Brooks
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Brooks
Round 3
With de Souza likely down 20-17 on the scorecards, he opens the third a bit more careful about engaging than the last two rounds. With about 75 seconds gone in the round, De Souza tries to come in with a flurry of strikes but Brooks puts him on the mat. Seemingly content with riding out his two round advantage Brooks brings the fight back to its feet. He connects with a few kicks and again clinches with de Souza. De Souza drops down looking for a single but Brooks is having none of it. With 1:30 left in the round, de Souza is on his back again with Brooks half-heartedly looking for an opening. He steps away to let de Souza stand up but he’s clearly waiting for the bell content knowing the Brazilian can’t hurt him. De Souza paws aimlessly until the bell.
Brooks booted de Souza.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Brooks (30-26 Brooks)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Brooks (30-26 Brooks)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Brooks (30-26 Brooks)
Official result: Judges Mike Boyd, Kelvin Champion and Henry Gueary score the bout 30-26, 30-26 and 29-27 for the winner by unanimous decision, Emanuel Brooks.
Kelvin Tiller vs. Dan Spohn
Round 1
Tiller gets a takedown and ends up on top of Spohn quickly, past guard and threatening Spohn's arm before Spohn regains his footing and briefly engaged Tiller in the clinch. Tiller controls the distance with body kicks and straight right hands, as Spohn occasionally rushes in with punch combinations. Tiller counters with a stiff right hand, but Spohn responds with a right of his own and rushes into the clinch. Neither fighter can get much offense going in close quarters before they disengage once again. Tiller briefly contemplates a takedown, but settles on landing another punch-body kick combination against the cage as the round expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Round 2
Tiller gets another early takedown, ending up in Spohn's half guard and throwing short elbows as Spohn attempts to keep Tiller's head close. Tiller flirst with a keylock attempt, but is forced to abandon the submission as Spohn gains full guard. Tiller stays low and chips with punches and elbows, opening a pair of cuts, one on Spohn's scalp and one from somewhere in his mouth. Tiller scoots Spohn to the cage, but is unable to generate much offense as Spohn squirms and begins to land blows from the bottom and attempting to spin away from the cage. Spohn eventually manages to find space away from the cage, throwing repeated strikes while Tiller shells up in his guard as the round ends.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Round 3
Tiller earned the upset.
Little respect is shown for Spohn's standup as Tiller walks him
down with has arms akimbo, mocking his opponent. Tiller changes
levels and gets a double leg against the fence, but perhaps sensing
he's down on the cards, Spohn responds quickly by wall-walking and
attempting his own failed takedown attempt on Tiller before
disengaging. Tiller begins walking Spohn with his arms out again,
landing a nice pair of right body kicks as the fighters clinch
briefly and sling leather as the fight winds down to the final
bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Tiller (30-27 Tiller)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Tiller (30-27 Tiller)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Tiller (30-27 Tiller)
Official result: Judge Kevin Champion sees the bout 29-28 for Dan Spohn. However, judges Mike Boyd and Henry Gueary have it 30-27 and 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Kelvin Tiller.
Rudy Bears vs. Marcio Navarro
Round 1
With the crowd strongly in his corner, Bears comes out with a push kick and a few lefts and rights. Bears is finding a home with more of his shots early as Navarro looks for one big punch. Two minutes gone in the first and Navarro still hasn’t mounted anything significant offensively yet. Finally Navarro starts to let go and the welterweights engage in a brief firefight exchanging shots. Navarro comes away from the exchange and adds a kick to the body. Bears charges forward with a left-right-left combination but catches air with each shot. Bears comes back with a couple of shots to the body and Navarro answers with a leg kick. With less than a minute to go in the round Bears hits Navarro with a slew of kicks to his legs and further up to the body. He tries to follow up with a combination to the face, but Navarro finally finds his big shot and drops Bears with a right-hand counter. Navarro jumps on Bears to try and finish the fight but Bears has recovered in time to wait out the end of the round.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Bears
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Bears
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Bears
Round 2
After ending the round with the most powerful shot of the fight thus far, Navarro starts the second more aggressive than the first. Bears tries to put him on the back foot though with a small flurry. Navarro is still coming though and connects with a straight left. However, just as Navarro connects with his left Bears connected with a shot of his own, square to Navarro’s groin. The shot looks like it took a lot out of him but he’s able to continue. On the restart, Bears connects with a left-right-left high kick combination followed by another one-two. Bears’ right eye is swollen, likely from the shot at the end of the first by Navarro. Bears is consistently getting off more shots in the round, but Navarro's shots have the power. Two minutes to go in the round and Bears’ pace has slowed down. Navarro lunges in with a Superman punch that doesn’t connect cleanly, but sends Bears backpedaling. Bears answers back with a flurry of rights and lefts, only half connecting. As the round ends, Bears connects with a left head kick that echoes throughout the arena.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Bears
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Bears
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Bears
Round 3
Bears got busted up.
The third round starts with Bears connecting on a couple of low
kicks to Navarro’s lead leg. Navarro’s more active here than in the
previous two rounds as he’s potentially down two rounds on the
scorecards. Navarro’s power advantage is coming through here in the
third as he muscles Bears down in a scramble that sees him end up
in mount. Bears grabs Navarro but Navarro is having none of it. He
postures up and connects with some huge rights and elbows on Bears.
Bears’ orbital bone looks destroyed. With less than two minutes,
chants for Bears fill the arena and you can see Bears’ right eye is
almost completely shut. With a minute to go, Navarro drops Bears
again with another shot but doesn’t follow up allowing Bears to
stand again. The welterweights end with another brief flurry much
to the delight of the Memorial Hall crowd.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Navarro (28-28 Draw)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-8 Navarro (28-28 Draw)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Navarro (29-28 Bears)
Official result: Judge Henry Gueary has it 29-28 for Rudy Bears, while Mike Boyd has it 29-28 for Marcio Navarro. Judge Dave Clifton has it 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Marcio Navarro.
Prindle pummeled Sparks quickly.
Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal
Eric Prindle vs. Ron Sparks
Round 1
The first of the heavyweight semifinals sees Prindle and Sparks feel each other out, measuring for big punches. Sparks leans in for a low kick to Prindle’s lead leg. Prindle counters with a beautiful left knocking Sparks out cold before he hits the ground. He follows up with two additional shots with Sparks on the ground but it’s unnecessary. Prindle advances to the finals with a knockout just 40 seconds into the first round.
Adam Schindler vs. Jeremy Spoon
Round 1 Schindler opens the round with a few low kicks and an inadvertent low blow to Spoon. The action doesn’t stop though as Spoon indicates he’s just fine. Both fighters throw and miss with their respective combinations and the subsequent scramble sees Schindler clinch up with Spoon and force him to the mat. Schindler works for better positioning on Spoon’s back but Spoon manages to escape and for a moment end up on top. Schindler quickly takes back dominant position and is on Spoon’s back again with two minutes to go in the round. Spoon turns into Schindler and brings him back to his open guard. Spoon has managed to open up a cut with elbows from the bottom on Schindler’s left eye but still can’t get off his back. With less than a minute to go in the round Spoon brings the fight back to its feet and hits Schindler with a spinning back fist.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Schindler
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Schindler
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Schindler
Round 2
Schindler starts the second with a succession of kicks to Spoon’s lead leg. Spoon’s speed is getting the better of Schindler as he’s in and out of range quickly while connecting with some sharp blows. Schindler drops down for a leg and connects with a takedown. He tries to move into side guard but Spoon stops him. Schindler stands over Spoon to reposition himself and comes back down looking to keep him grounded again. But Spoon gets the fight back standing and with two minutes to go looks the much fresher of the two fighters. Spoon connects with a straight left and Schindler looks to be having trouble with his breathing through his nose. Spoon follows with another combination on Austin, Texas' Schindler. Spoon is in and out of the pocket without much of a response from Schindler.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spoon
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Spoon
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Spoon
Round 3
Schindler starts the round with an overhand right that does little damage and a looping right and finds more of a home. Schindler tries for a double-leg on Chickasha, Okla.’s Spoon but to no avail. Spoon answers back with a double jab. Two minutes gone in the final round and Schindler looks to clinch up with Spoon, but nothing comes from it. Spoon answers back with a big shot to the body and an attempted low kick. Schindler grabs that leg and takes Spoon to the mat with it. He tries to line up an armbar but Spoon quickly stands the fight back up. Schindler has noticeably slowed since the opening round but Spoon is still jumping around, looking ready to go another 15 minutes. Spoon connects with another couple of shots and another attempted leg kick. But again, Schindler takes the leg and turns that into a trip takedown. With Spoon connecting with lefts and rights to Schindler’s face all fight, Schindler’s face is a mess at the final horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spoon (29-28 Spoon)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Spoon (29-28 Spoon)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Spoon (29-28 Spoon)
Official scores: Judges Henry Gueary, Mike Boyd and Dave Clifton see the fight 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 for the winner by unanimous decision, Jeremy Spoon.
Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal
Thiago Santos vs. Neil Grove
Round 1
Santos offers to touch gloves but Grove wants none of it. Nothing comes of a brief clinch early and they break apart. Santos drops Grove with a huge looping right and immediately follows up. Santos comes down with punches in bunches, forcing Grove to give Santos his back. Santos follows up by quickly latching on the rear-naked choke with no hooks in and that is all: Grove taps just 38 seconds into the bout, sending Santos into the final against Eric Prindle.
Bellator Welterweight Championship
Ben Askren vs. Jay Hieron
Round 1
Askren opens with a wild looping right that nearly makes him slip. Askren continues to charge in at Hieron, looking for a clinch. He runs into an uppercut as he dives for Hieron's legs, and hits the mat attached to his foe's legs. He tries to scramble to top, but Hieron gets on top in half guard. Hieron punches away until Askren scrambles back up ably. Right hand lands for Askren, and another. Hieron sticks the jab in his face, and continues to pump it. Askren runs in and grabs a single, but Hieron escapes. Askren wades in and lands a sharp knee and an uppercut on Hieron, but the UFC vet stuffs the Olympian's takedown. Askren backs up and shoots again, but Hieron again sprawls and shuts it down. Hieron's jab coming to life. More pawing on the feet goes nowhere. Askren slips on a head kick after the 10-second clapper, and Hieron kicks him for his trouble.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Hieron
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Hieron
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Hieron
Round 2
Hieron sticks the jab out, but Askren ducks under and finally gets him to the mat, setting up in half guard. Askren continues to look to pass, but Hieron keeps his half guard tight. The former Mizzou wrestler grinds with short shots and tries to isolate Hieron's far arm. Hieron tries to punch away from his back, but Askren is smothering on top, as he hammerfists from above. Hieron finally regains full guard, but Askren continues moving and gets to side mount. Knees to the body for the champ fall in until the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Askren
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Askren
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Askren
Round 3
Hieron comes in with a looping right that grazes Askren. The Missouri wrestler connects with a kick to the body that goes without answer. "Mizzou" chants go up in the crowd in support of the champion. Askren looks for a trip takedown but Hieron fights him off. Askren is still attacking though while Hieron tries to keep him at range away from a potential shot. Hieron throws a left that misses as Askren goes down and looks for a double leg but Hieron defends successfully. The fighters get back up to their feet and Askren shoots in for another takedown that again is thwarted by Hieron. Askren manages to lift Hieron up for a scoop slam takedown with more than two minutes to go in the round. Askren moves to half guard and throws some short elbows down on Hieron. Askren looks to improve his position but it allows Hieron the opportunity to sweep and stand the fight back up in the subsequent scramble. Hieron connects with a right-left combination and follows up with another shot to the body. Askren answers back with a leg kick to the midsection. With 30 seconds left in the round, Hieron throws a looping left as Askren looks for another takedown.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Askren
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Askren
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Askren
Round 4
The championship rounds start in the same way the first three have. Askren is looking for the takedown and Hieron is trying to defend it. Askren shoots in and takes Hieron’s back in the scramble. With the Xtreme Couture welterweight turtled up, Askren throws some knees to the body much to the delight of the crowd. With three minutes left, Hieron is working on Askren’s hands underneath but still taking punishment. Askren comes down with more knees and moves to the other side for a few more there. With less than two minutes to go in the round,Hieron very abruptly rolls through and manages to stand the fight back up. Hieron connects with a right and another shot to the body. Another looping shot barely grazes Askren and Hieron immediately walks away motioning to the ref he was poked in the eye. Askren acknowledges the foul and Jason Herzog steps in to allow Hieron time to recover. The round ends quickly after the restart.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Askren
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Askren
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Askren
Round 5
The start of the final round sees Askren go for another takedown but Hieron manages to defend it. Hieron misses with a straight kick but continues to be more aggressive in the striking department than we saw earlier in the fight. Hieron connects with a low leg kick and follows with a right and then a left. Askren connects with a shot of his own and Hieron responds with a right that sends Askren backpedaling. Hieron claps his hands in acknowledgement as he continues to press the action here in the final round. To this point Askren has only really attempted two takedowns of note in the round. Hieron connects with a spinning back kick that puts Askren on the ground and Hieron inexplicably raises his arms in victory as if he won. He follows up throwing kicks to Askren on the mat and smiling about the exchanges. Hieron is now doing his best Rashad Evans impression, dancing mid-fight while punching before the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Hieron (48-47 Askren)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Hieron (48-47 Askren)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Hieron (48-47 Askren)
Official result:Judge Henry Gueary has it 48-47 for Ben Askren, while Mike Boyd sees it 48-47 for Ben Askren. Judge Kevin Champion sees the fight 48-47 for the winner by split decision, and still Bellator welterweight champion, Ben Askren.
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Daniel
Gallemore vs. Derrick
Ruffin
Round 1
Ruffin start the proceedings with two low kicks. Gallemore tries to corner Ruffin against the cage. Gallemore has yet to pull the trigger on strikes, but has moved Ruffin back against the cage. Ruffin keeps throwing out low kicks. Gallemore finally connects with two kicks of his own as Ruffin circles out. Gallemore connects with a looping right but doesn’t follow up and Ruffin attempts a takedown but to no avail. Ruffin ends up on his back and the subsequent scramble finds him fighting off a guillotine on the way up. Gallemore can’t finish with the submission and the fight is back up on its feet. Ruffin goes for another takedown and this time hits it and quickly moves to side guard. The round ends in a battle of positioning with Gallemore still on his back.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Ruffin
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Ruffin
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Ruffin
Round 2
K.
Mills
Ruffin quit on his stool.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gallemore
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Gallemore
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Gallemore
Between rounds, Derrick Ruffin quits on his stool, prompting referee Jason Herzog to call the bout via retirement before the third round.
Aaron Ely vs. Owen Evinger
Round 1
K.
Mills
Ely got a quick choke.
Jeimeson Saudino vs. Jacob Akin
Round 1
K.
Mills
RNC was the trick for Akin, too.
Willian de Souza vs. Emanuel Brooks
Round 1
Brooks forces de Souza down with his single-leg takedown early and connects with some lefts and rights from full guard. De Souza quickly finds his way back up and Brooks dances out of the way of his strikes before taking any damage in a scramble situation. With both fighters back standing, de Souza is unsuccessful with a single-leg. He throws a knee but catches Brooks low and the referee Jason Herzog steps in to give him time to recover. On the restart, Brooks connects with a strong right and a left high kick. De Souza kicks again, and hits Brooks low again. This time Herzog deducts a point from the Topeka, Kan.-based Brazilian. After the latest restart, Brooks lands the most significant shot with a kick right in the midsection. The bell sounds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Brooks
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-8 Brooks
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-8 Brooks
Round 2
The fighters clinch almost immediately to start the second. De Souza tries to pull guard and pays for it as Brooks slams him to the mat and throws in a few shots for good measure. After a brief scramble sees Brooks escape from a potential submission, the Cahokia, Ill., native goes back to work on the feet. As he's working from the standup he connects with a low blow of his own on de Souza. On the restart, de Souza forces the clinch with Brooks but can’t capitalize from it. The fight goes back to a striking battle on the feet, but the pace has slowed. De Souza tries to hit a single-leg takedown but Brooks isn’t having any of it. He defends and manages to bring de Souza down to the mat following up with lefts before the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Brooks
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Brooks
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Brooks
Round 3
With de Souza likely down 20-17 on the scorecards, he opens the third a bit more careful about engaging than the last two rounds. With about 75 seconds gone in the round, De Souza tries to come in with a flurry of strikes but Brooks puts him on the mat. Seemingly content with riding out his two round advantage Brooks brings the fight back to its feet. He connects with a few kicks and again clinches with de Souza. De Souza drops down looking for a single but Brooks is having none of it. With 1:30 left in the round, de Souza is on his back again with Brooks half-heartedly looking for an opening. He steps away to let de Souza stand up but he’s clearly waiting for the bell content knowing the Brazilian can’t hurt him. De Souza paws aimlessly until the bell.
K.
Mills
Brooks booted de Souza.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Brooks (30-26 Brooks)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Brooks (30-26 Brooks)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Brooks (30-26 Brooks)
Official result: Judges Mike Boyd, Kelvin Champion and Henry Gueary score the bout 30-26, 30-26 and 29-27 for the winner by unanimous decision, Emanuel Brooks.
Kelvin Tiller vs. Dan Spohn
Round 1
Tiller gets a takedown and ends up on top of Spohn quickly, past guard and threatening Spohn's arm before Spohn regains his footing and briefly engaged Tiller in the clinch. Tiller controls the distance with body kicks and straight right hands, as Spohn occasionally rushes in with punch combinations. Tiller counters with a stiff right hand, but Spohn responds with a right of his own and rushes into the clinch. Neither fighter can get much offense going in close quarters before they disengage once again. Tiller briefly contemplates a takedown, but settles on landing another punch-body kick combination against the cage as the round expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Round 2
Tiller gets another early takedown, ending up in Spohn's half guard and throwing short elbows as Spohn attempts to keep Tiller's head close. Tiller flirst with a keylock attempt, but is forced to abandon the submission as Spohn gains full guard. Tiller stays low and chips with punches and elbows, opening a pair of cuts, one on Spohn's scalp and one from somewhere in his mouth. Tiller scoots Spohn to the cage, but is unable to generate much offense as Spohn squirms and begins to land blows from the bottom and attempting to spin away from the cage. Spohn eventually manages to find space away from the cage, throwing repeated strikes while Tiller shells up in his guard as the round ends.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Tiller
Round 3
K.
Mills
Tiller earned the upset.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Tiller (30-27 Tiller)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Tiller (30-27 Tiller)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Tiller (30-27 Tiller)
Official result: Judge Kevin Champion sees the bout 29-28 for Dan Spohn. However, judges Mike Boyd and Henry Gueary have it 30-27 and 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Kelvin Tiller.
Rudy Bears vs. Marcio Navarro
Round 1
With the crowd strongly in his corner, Bears comes out with a push kick and a few lefts and rights. Bears is finding a home with more of his shots early as Navarro looks for one big punch. Two minutes gone in the first and Navarro still hasn’t mounted anything significant offensively yet. Finally Navarro starts to let go and the welterweights engage in a brief firefight exchanging shots. Navarro comes away from the exchange and adds a kick to the body. Bears charges forward with a left-right-left combination but catches air with each shot. Bears comes back with a couple of shots to the body and Navarro answers with a leg kick. With less than a minute to go in the round Bears hits Navarro with a slew of kicks to his legs and further up to the body. He tries to follow up with a combination to the face, but Navarro finally finds his big shot and drops Bears with a right-hand counter. Navarro jumps on Bears to try and finish the fight but Bears has recovered in time to wait out the end of the round.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Bears
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Bears
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Bears
Round 2
After ending the round with the most powerful shot of the fight thus far, Navarro starts the second more aggressive than the first. Bears tries to put him on the back foot though with a small flurry. Navarro is still coming though and connects with a straight left. However, just as Navarro connects with his left Bears connected with a shot of his own, square to Navarro’s groin. The shot looks like it took a lot out of him but he’s able to continue. On the restart, Bears connects with a left-right-left high kick combination followed by another one-two. Bears’ right eye is swollen, likely from the shot at the end of the first by Navarro. Bears is consistently getting off more shots in the round, but Navarro's shots have the power. Two minutes to go in the round and Bears’ pace has slowed down. Navarro lunges in with a Superman punch that doesn’t connect cleanly, but sends Bears backpedaling. Bears answers back with a flurry of rights and lefts, only half connecting. As the round ends, Bears connects with a left head kick that echoes throughout the arena.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Bears
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Bears
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Bears
Round 3
K.
Mills
Bears got busted up.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Navarro (28-28 Draw)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-8 Navarro (28-28 Draw)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Navarro (29-28 Bears)
Official result: Judge Henry Gueary has it 29-28 for Rudy Bears, while Mike Boyd has it 29-28 for Marcio Navarro. Judge Dave Clifton has it 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Marcio Navarro.
K.
Mills
Prindle pummeled Sparks quickly.
Eric Prindle vs. Ron Sparks
Round 1
The first of the heavyweight semifinals sees Prindle and Sparks feel each other out, measuring for big punches. Sparks leans in for a low kick to Prindle’s lead leg. Prindle counters with a beautiful left knocking Sparks out cold before he hits the ground. He follows up with two additional shots with Sparks on the ground but it’s unnecessary. Prindle advances to the finals with a knockout just 40 seconds into the first round.
Adam Schindler vs. Jeremy Spoon
Round 1 Schindler opens the round with a few low kicks and an inadvertent low blow to Spoon. The action doesn’t stop though as Spoon indicates he’s just fine. Both fighters throw and miss with their respective combinations and the subsequent scramble sees Schindler clinch up with Spoon and force him to the mat. Schindler works for better positioning on Spoon’s back but Spoon manages to escape and for a moment end up on top. Schindler quickly takes back dominant position and is on Spoon’s back again with two minutes to go in the round. Spoon turns into Schindler and brings him back to his open guard. Spoon has managed to open up a cut with elbows from the bottom on Schindler’s left eye but still can’t get off his back. With less than a minute to go in the round Spoon brings the fight back to its feet and hits Schindler with a spinning back fist.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Schindler
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Schindler
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Schindler
Round 2
Schindler starts the second with a succession of kicks to Spoon’s lead leg. Spoon’s speed is getting the better of Schindler as he’s in and out of range quickly while connecting with some sharp blows. Schindler drops down for a leg and connects with a takedown. He tries to move into side guard but Spoon stops him. Schindler stands over Spoon to reposition himself and comes back down looking to keep him grounded again. But Spoon gets the fight back standing and with two minutes to go looks the much fresher of the two fighters. Spoon connects with a straight left and Schindler looks to be having trouble with his breathing through his nose. Spoon follows with another combination on Austin, Texas' Schindler. Spoon is in and out of the pocket without much of a response from Schindler.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spoon
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Spoon
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Spoon
Round 3
Schindler starts the round with an overhand right that does little damage and a looping right and finds more of a home. Schindler tries for a double-leg on Chickasha, Okla.’s Spoon but to no avail. Spoon answers back with a double jab. Two minutes gone in the final round and Schindler looks to clinch up with Spoon, but nothing comes from it. Spoon answers back with a big shot to the body and an attempted low kick. Schindler grabs that leg and takes Spoon to the mat with it. He tries to line up an armbar but Spoon quickly stands the fight back up. Schindler has noticeably slowed since the opening round but Spoon is still jumping around, looking ready to go another 15 minutes. Spoon connects with another couple of shots and another attempted leg kick. But again, Schindler takes the leg and turns that into a trip takedown. With Spoon connecting with lefts and rights to Schindler’s face all fight, Schindler’s face is a mess at the final horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spoon (29-28 Spoon)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Spoon (29-28 Spoon)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Spoon (29-28 Spoon)
Official scores: Judges Henry Gueary, Mike Boyd and Dave Clifton see the fight 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 for the winner by unanimous decision, Jeremy Spoon.
Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal
Thiago Santos vs. Neil Grove
Round 1
Santos offers to touch gloves but Grove wants none of it. Nothing comes of a brief clinch early and they break apart. Santos drops Grove with a huge looping right and immediately follows up. Santos comes down with punches in bunches, forcing Grove to give Santos his back. Santos follows up by quickly latching on the rear-naked choke with no hooks in and that is all: Grove taps just 38 seconds into the bout, sending Santos into the final against Eric Prindle.
Bellator Welterweight Championship
Ben Askren vs. Jay Hieron
Round 1
Askren opens with a wild looping right that nearly makes him slip. Askren continues to charge in at Hieron, looking for a clinch. He runs into an uppercut as he dives for Hieron's legs, and hits the mat attached to his foe's legs. He tries to scramble to top, but Hieron gets on top in half guard. Hieron punches away until Askren scrambles back up ably. Right hand lands for Askren, and another. Hieron sticks the jab in his face, and continues to pump it. Askren runs in and grabs a single, but Hieron escapes. Askren wades in and lands a sharp knee and an uppercut on Hieron, but the UFC vet stuffs the Olympian's takedown. Askren backs up and shoots again, but Hieron again sprawls and shuts it down. Hieron's jab coming to life. More pawing on the feet goes nowhere. Askren slips on a head kick after the 10-second clapper, and Hieron kicks him for his trouble.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Hieron
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Hieron
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Hieron
Round 2
Hieron sticks the jab out, but Askren ducks under and finally gets him to the mat, setting up in half guard. Askren continues to look to pass, but Hieron keeps his half guard tight. The former Mizzou wrestler grinds with short shots and tries to isolate Hieron's far arm. Hieron tries to punch away from his back, but Askren is smothering on top, as he hammerfists from above. Hieron finally regains full guard, but Askren continues moving and gets to side mount. Knees to the body for the champ fall in until the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Askren
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Askren
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Askren
Round 3
Hieron comes in with a looping right that grazes Askren. The Missouri wrestler connects with a kick to the body that goes without answer. "Mizzou" chants go up in the crowd in support of the champion. Askren looks for a trip takedown but Hieron fights him off. Askren is still attacking though while Hieron tries to keep him at range away from a potential shot. Hieron throws a left that misses as Askren goes down and looks for a double leg but Hieron defends successfully. The fighters get back up to their feet and Askren shoots in for another takedown that again is thwarted by Hieron. Askren manages to lift Hieron up for a scoop slam takedown with more than two minutes to go in the round. Askren moves to half guard and throws some short elbows down on Hieron. Askren looks to improve his position but it allows Hieron the opportunity to sweep and stand the fight back up in the subsequent scramble. Hieron connects with a right-left combination and follows up with another shot to the body. Askren answers back with a leg kick to the midsection. With 30 seconds left in the round, Hieron throws a looping left as Askren looks for another takedown.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Askren
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Askren
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Askren
Round 4
The championship rounds start in the same way the first three have. Askren is looking for the takedown and Hieron is trying to defend it. Askren shoots in and takes Hieron’s back in the scramble. With the Xtreme Couture welterweight turtled up, Askren throws some knees to the body much to the delight of the crowd. With three minutes left, Hieron is working on Askren’s hands underneath but still taking punishment. Askren comes down with more knees and moves to the other side for a few more there. With less than two minutes to go in the round,Hieron very abruptly rolls through and manages to stand the fight back up. Hieron connects with a right and another shot to the body. Another looping shot barely grazes Askren and Hieron immediately walks away motioning to the ref he was poked in the eye. Askren acknowledges the foul and Jason Herzog steps in to allow Hieron time to recover. The round ends quickly after the restart.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Askren
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Askren
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Askren
Round 5
The start of the final round sees Askren go for another takedown but Hieron manages to defend it. Hieron misses with a straight kick but continues to be more aggressive in the striking department than we saw earlier in the fight. Hieron connects with a low leg kick and follows with a right and then a left. Askren connects with a shot of his own and Hieron responds with a right that sends Askren backpedaling. Hieron claps his hands in acknowledgement as he continues to press the action here in the final round. To this point Askren has only really attempted two takedowns of note in the round. Hieron connects with a spinning back kick that puts Askren on the ground and Hieron inexplicably raises his arms in victory as if he won. He follows up throwing kicks to Askren on the mat and smiling about the exchanges. Hieron is now doing his best Rashad Evans impression, dancing mid-fight while punching before the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Hieron (48-47 Askren)
Joe Ortiz scores the round 10-9 Hieron (48-47 Askren)
Lutfi Sariahmed scores the round 10-9 Hieron (48-47 Askren)
Official result:Judge Henry Gueary has it 48-47 for Ben Askren, while Mike Boyd sees it 48-47 for Ben Askren. Judge Kevin Champion sees the fight 48-47 for the winner by split decision, and still Bellator welterweight champion, Ben Askren.
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