411's Bellator 51 Full Report 9.24.11
Posted by Wyatt Beougher on 09.24.2011
Full report of Bellator 51, featuring the quarterfinal round of the Season 5 bantamweight tournament!
Welcome to 411's Live Bellator 51 coverage, and thank you for joining us!
I'll be your host for the evening (for those of you not enjoying THE BOSS Larry Csonka's concurrent UFC 135 coverage), and this is my first go-round in terms of live coverage! I'll do my best to maintain the high standards of coverage that 411 is known for, but please bear with me as I get my feet wet tonight. If you enjoy what I did or have suggestions on how to make it better, leave me a comment here or on my TWITTER.
INTRODUCTION:
We are LIVE tonight from the Canton Civic Center in Canton, Ohio (I almost said "lovely" there, but I've been to Canton and I don't want to delude anyone), for the quarterfinal round of the Bellator Season 5 bantamweight tournament!
PRELIMINARY MATCHES:
Joey Holt defeats Clint Musser by knockout with a flying knee at 4:07 of the first round.
John Hawk defeats Allan Weickert by TKO. The fight was stopped between the second and third rounds.
Dan Spohn defeats Dane Bonnigson by knockout by knee at just 9 seconds of the first round.
Jessie Riggleman defeats Farkhad Sharipov by split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29).
Jessica Eye defeats Casey Noland by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29).
MAIN CARD MATCHES:
Bantamweight Quarterfinal Fight: LUIS NOGUEIRA versus ED WEST
ROUND ONE: Circling to start, West throws a head kick and a two quick lefts. West with leg kicks, another head kick that Nogueira checks. Noguiera with a combination, West backs off. They circle, West with some flashy kicks to the ribs and head. West working the jab to keep Nogueira on the outside. Kick to the shoulder by West, more circling, West keeps dropping his hands and Nogueira lands a nice hook. West clinches and gets the takedown in Nogueira's close guard. Nogueira with good posture control, they get warned about a stand up. West gets an arm free and lands a couple of shots. Nogueira keeps trapping West's arms, but West gets them free and lands enough shots to keep the fight from being stood up. West up and he lets Nogueira up. Nogueira lands a nice body shot and he's stalking West. They clinch and jockey for position, Nogueira lands a knee and they break. Couple more quick shots from Nogueira and he looks for a takedown, but the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 West for the early stand-up and the ground work
ROUND TWO: Both men throwing kicks and a quick punch by Nogueira, more circling. Nogueira goes for kick, West counters with a cross. West looking for the clinch takedown and both men throwing wildly from in tight. West with a front kick, Nogueira keeps coming. West with a right straight-body kick combo and then dropping his hands. West keeps throwing but nothing is landing cleanly. Another tie-up, Nogueira presses West against the cage. West turns Nogueira but Nogueira turns again. West working heel strikes to the thigh, and they break. Nogueira with a right, countered with a left by West and another push kick. Nogueira with a takedown, West looking for a guillotine, but Nogueira pulls his head out. Nogueira lands three solid body shots and then back to his feet. West working upkicks and rolls to his feet. Jumping knee by West misses. West lands a body kick, countered by a hard shot by Nogueira. Nogueira looks for another takedown, but settles for a clinch and presses West against the cage. Nogueira working foot stomps and a knee to the thigh. West with an outside knee to the face, referee warns them about inactivity. Jockeying for position within the tie-up, Nogueira looks for a single leg and West pounds him in the face. West with a flying knee and the round is over!
SCORECARD: Nogueira 10-9, overall 19-19
ROUND THREE: Nogueira presses the action again, looking for leg kicks and punches, but West avoiding and counters with a right hand and a push kick. West working the leg kicks to keep Nogueira on the outside. West feints a right and lands a body kick, Nogueira jumps into the clinch and eats a knee to the body from West. West working knees to the body and Nogueira kneeing West's thigh. West turns Nogueira only to get reversed against the cage again. West working awkward heel strikes to Nogueira's thigh. West turns Nogueira and they move out from the cage and separate. West with a push kick that's blocked and another side kick, countered by Nogueira. Both men trading on the feet, West dropping his hands again. West throws a body kick and working the punches, Nogueira clinches again with 2 minutes left. Nogueira looking for the single leg, but West stays wide and gets away from the cage before landing a nice head kick. West presses Nogueira against the fence but Nogueira reverses. West reverses again and throws a hammerfist to Nogueira's thigh. West with a knee to the face, Nogueira with a couple of near takedowns but West manages to get out and they finish on the feet. West working the combinations with his hands and another push kick. Exciting fight all three rounds.
SCORECARD: Ed West, 10-9, for the 29-28 victory
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER Ed West, Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
Bantamweight Quarterfinal Fight: MARCOS GALVAO versus CHASE BEEBE
ROUND ONE: Touch of the gloves and Beebe working the combinations early. Outside kick by Galvao, Galvao with a wild punch and kick, they clinch, and Galvao gets the takedown. Galvao takes Beebe's back and looks for the rear naked choke, but Beebe gets free. They scramble and Beebe locks in a guillotine, appears to be arm-in and Galvao gets out. Another scramble and Beebe gets another guillotine, standing this time. Beebe drops into guard, Galvao gets loose, Beebe transitions to a neck crank and then back to a guillotine. Beebe has it locked, but Galvao gets out again! Galvao standing over Beebe and dropping shots. Galvao looks to take Beebe's back and Beebe back to his feet. Galvao with the clinch and they trade, with Galvao working the knees and Beebe with short punches. They separate and Beebe backs up. Wild knee and another clinch, with Beebe pressing Galvao against the fence. Galvao working the knees again and they separate again. Galvao looks for a knee, misses, and Beebe doesn't go after him. Beebe down after a shot from Galvao, but he appears to be okay. Their both throwing with bad intentions and the round ends!
SCORECARD: Galvao, 10-9
ROUND TWO: Clinch against the cage and Galvao with a takedown. Galvao looks to pass guard, but he's stuck against the fence. Both men back to their feet. Galvao tees off on Beebe with rights, Beebee counters with a weak left and good right followed by a missed left. Beebe with another right, followed by another haymaker right from Galvao. Galvao with a nasty leg kick and Beebe throwing crisper punches to Galvao's windmill punches. Beebe takes Galvao's back standing but Galvao turns and they clinch against the cage. Beebe with short punches, but Galvao with a trip takedown away from the cage. Galvao looks to step over and tries to work the guillotine, but Beebe gets back to full guard. Galvao working shots to the Beebe's ribs and Beebe with an illegal upkick . Galvao into side control off of the timeout and he's working elbows to Beebe's ribs. Beebe throwing at Galvao's head but doing little damage as Galvao continues with the elbows. Galvao with a guillotine attempt, but Beebe gets to his feet. Beebe with a Superman punch but Galvao comes forward and throws another solid kick as the round ends
SCORECARD: Galvao, 10-9 and 20-18
ROUND THREE: Galvao with the hard punches but Beebe keeps his hands up and lands a solid right to Galvao's chin. Beebe landing combinations but not doing damage. Galvao with the clinch and a knee to the face and they separate. Galvao again with a straight right and a wild left. Galvao with a right coming out of a clinch. Galvao throwing and Beebe backing up but not counter punching. Galvao with a nice combination. Beebe leads with a right but Galvao counters nicely. Beebe again landing nice punches but not doing much damage. Galvao with another stiff kick and some solid punches to back Beebe off. Both men throwing, Beebe landing more, but both men look tired. Beebe continues to land but looks for a takedown that is quickly turned into the clinch. Beebe works knees to Galvao's ribs but he looks exhausted. Galvao with the Thai clinch and a huge knee, followed by a solid uppercut that knocks Beebe's mouthpiece out. Galvao stops to let the ref allow Beebe to get his mouthpiece and then he goes back to kneeing Beebe in the face. Beebe misses a Superman punch and Galvao with a clubbing right. Beebe throwing nice combinations with 30 seconds left. Beebe landing better, but looks for another takedown and both men fall, only to get back up and into the clinch. Beebe looks for another takedown for nothing as the round ends.
SCORECARD: Beebe, 10-9 for the late aggression and tighter punching, but Galvao takes the fight 29-28, although I could easily see him getting the third round as well
Bantamweight Quarterfinal Fight: WILSON REIS versus EDUARDO DANTAS
ROUND ONE: Repeatedly touching gloves, Dantas with a nice kick. Reis looking for a left, countered by Dantas with a combination. Both guys appear to respect the other's abilities. Both throwing but no one really landing. Dantas with a knee, Reis initiates the clinch and presses Dantas against the cage. Dantas feigns a switch and gets free. Reis with a takedown but Dantas right back up into a waistlock by Reis. Dantas controlling Reis' knee to prevent knees, but Reis moves around the back and lands knees to Dantas' thigh. Reis tries for to drag Dantas down, but Dantas stays on his feet, so Reis goes back to kneeing Dantas' thigh. They separate and Dantas lands a wicked inside leg kick. Reis working a good left hand but he flinches when Dantas comes feints. Dantas with an uppercut and back out as Reis attempts a counter. Dantas throwing wildly and mostly landing, but Reis counters a few times as well as the round ends.
SCORECARD: Dantas, 10-9 for aggression and cleaner strikes
ROUND TWO: Reis with a leg kick and a Superman punch that misses. Reis definitely the aggressor but he's not really landing anything. Reis with another leg kick, countered by a crisp push kick from Dantas. Reis catches a kick attempt, but Dantas gets free. Dantas with a flying knee that drops Reis and follows up with shots on the ground until the referee pulls him off!
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER Eduardo Dantas, TKO (1:02 Round 2)
Bantamweight Quarterfinal Fight: ALEXIS VILA versus JOE WARREN
ROUND ONE: Touch of the gloves, and Vila with a head kick. Warren with a left-right punch combination. Warren keeping Vila outside and throwing wild rights. Vila tags Warren with a HARD shot that clearly stuns him and they lock up on the cage. They break and Vila DROPS WARREN with a straight right. Warren is out cold as he hits the mat, and Vila pounces with one shot on the ground before the ref waves him off.
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER Alexi Vila (KO, 1:04 Round 1)
Thanks for bearing with me tonight as I picked probably the worst night to start my play-by-play career because of all the action in the first two fights, but it was a blast. Thanks to the Csonk for giving me the opportunity to try my hand at live coverage, and make sure you switch to 411's continued LIVE coverage of tonight's huge UFC 135 event with the boss himself, Larry Csonka.
Any and all constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, so leave me a comment here or on my previously linked Twitter (up at the top). Thanks again and I'll see you on Tuesday for FIVE QUICK ROUNDS!
