**Please note - I realize this is late. Its just that I hadn't had any time to finish a recap this weekend due to Mother's Day and auditioning for The Score's reality show "Drafted". So It had to wait a few days**
They call Xtreme Couture and former UFC fighter Jay Hieron "The Thoroughbred". That being said, it metaphorically symbolizes his tenacity and ability to be a clear workhorse while grinding decision victories out. No more example can be made from that to his fight with Rick Hawn this past Saturday night.
At Bellator 43, Hieron took on the former US Olympian in Judo Hawn. In an back and forth affair, Hieron showed very technical strikes, with powerful leg kicks and counters to Hawn's face that had him backing up throughout the first round. While Hawn pushed forward when not being pressed back, his strikes while aggressive, kept missing and Hieron squeezed out the first round 10-9 due to Hieron's movement away from Hawn's power. The second round saw more of the same, with Hawn trying to cut off Hieron's power and landing quite a few shots from angles, including a spinning roundhouse kick. Hawn was clearly frustrated and while he kept himself in the fight, He wasn't able to use his strengths (takedowns and Judo) through the first 10 minutes. His feeble combinations couldn't stop the clear domination by Hieron through his leg kicks, even though Hawn was finally able to land in the last minute or so in the second, I had Hieron winning both rounds 1 and 2. The third round was clearly Hawn's, as Hieron clearly looked gassed and more to be running. The judges saw it in a split decision, with Hieron winning on 2 scorecards by a margin of 29-28. In winning, he earned himself a $100,000 dollar pay day and a shot at current champion, Ben Askren.
The co-main event saw Joe "Diesel" Riggs, all 46 fights (and 28 years of him) take on Bryan Baker in a middleweight contest. After a slow back and forth first round, Baker finally dropped Riggs with a right hand, sending the former UFC and Strikeforce vet down to the mat at just under 4 minutes of round 2.
Other winners included Dave Rickels, who defeated opponent Rich Bouphanouvong by triangle choke, Heavyweight Ron Sparks winning by keylock, and former WEC bantamweight champion Chase Beebe earning his spot in the season 5 bantamweight tourney (which includes featherweight champion Joe Warren) over Jose Vega by guillotine choke (after 3 attempts at it).
Honorable Mention : Bellator needs new referees. Jason Herzog has got to be the worst referee i've ever seen. With Joe Riggs and Bryan Baker, Baker dropped him and Herzog stood there for about 10 seconds before Baker decided to finish. In the meantime, Baker just stood there.
Also, Baker overcoming Leukemia and showing the world he still had a thing or 2 left. Afterward, him getting down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend, which shows that ANYTHING, even marriage proposals, can happen in the world of MMA.
Tune in next Saturday, which features Middleweight Champ Hector "Shango" Lombard take on Falanaiko Vitale in a non-title bout, and the Lightweight tourney finals between wrestler Michael Chandler and Patricky "Pitbull" Friere.
Until next time, fight fans.
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