For the first time this summer, we got a card not named "UFC....", as Bellator kicked off its debut "Summer Series", Saturday night from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino from Hollywood, Florida. Matches featured from last night were entrants in a Bantamweight tournament, for Joe Warren's 145 lb. strap.
The main event featured Season 2 lightweight winner, Pat Curran, drop to his more "natural" weight class of 145 (which is strange, considering he walks around at 175) take on season 1 alum Luis Palomino. The Peruvian Palomino, who's best known in promotional circles via a controversial decision loss to Yahir Reyes, was dominated early on from the bell, and Curran wasted little time tapping Palomino at just under 4 minutes of the opening round. Just to add insult to injury, the particular submission that made Palomino tap just happened to be a Peruvian necktie.
The co-main event saw Sengoku and Pancrase vet Marlon Sandro take on Genair De Silva. Sandro, who's stablemate (and UFC featherweight kingpin) Jose Aldo was at cageside, looked every much his 34 years as the vet struggled, but ultimately prevailed in a 3 round split decision, scores of 30-27 and 29-28, with the 3rd judge having it 29-28 for his opponent. In winning, he moves on to the semi-finals.
Other winners included Nazareno Malagarie, who ended his losing streak at 1 with a 3rd round submission of Jacob DeVree, as well as Sengoku veteran Ronnie Mann, who showed his "Kid Ninja" skills with a devastating knockout of Adam Schindler. A catchweight special feature bout was also included after the main event, with Brazilian Alex Bezerra defeating American Sam Jones by 1st round rear naked choke in a bout that was contested at 152 lbs.
Honorable Mention : Curran's Peruvian Necktie just happened to be on a Peruvian, and the second I've ever seen in my long viewing of MMA after TUF veteran CB Dolloway's. Curran gets way more style points doing it due to his draw of opponent. Ronnie Mann's KO of Adam Schindler, after a notable slugfest started out with some heavy bombs early, had Mann throwing Schindler off by circling outside of his power, throwing jabs and keeping the American at bay. His right hand that dropped Schindler was reminiscent of a certain "Stanky Leg" from "Razor" Rob McCullough and Patricio "Pitbull". Jacob DeVree, who told the television audience at home that aside from fighting he had "no backup plan", certainly needed one as the native Argentinian Nazagare dominated him from the get go, seemingly not being able to put DeVree away until the 3rd round. Let that be a lesson to all aspiring Mixed Martial Artists : Stay in School, kids!.
Tune in next month, as Bellator comes north of the border for the very first time, with the semi-finals of the Featherweight tournament from Casino Rama, with a 5 round main event featuring current Featherweight kingpin Joe Warren and challenger Patricio "Pitbull". And yes, I plan on being there.
Until next time, fight fans!.
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