411's Bellator 54 Report 10.15.11
Posted by Mark Radulich on 10.15.2011
Alexander Shlemenko defeated Brian Rogers to move on to the finals of the middleweight tournament. Vitor Vianna dominated Bryan Baker to also move on to the finals of the middleweight tournament and more! For all of the details check out 411's Bellator 54 report!
Bellator 54
10.15.2011
Boardwalk Hall Ballroom
Atlantic City, New Jersey
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Bantamweight Non-title Feature Fight: Ryan Roberts (136.5) vs. Zack Makovsky (135.8 )
Lightweight Feature Fight: Jacob Kirwan (156) vs. Rene Nazare (156.2)
PRELIMINARY MATCHES (Spike.com)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Duane Bastress (184.5) vs. Daniel Gracie (185.5)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Ryan Contaldi (206) vs. Tim Carpenter (205)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Lewis Rumsey (187.2) vs. Joey Kirwan (186)
Women's Feature Fight: Andria Caplan (146) vs. Adrienne Seiber (144)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Brian Kelleher (139.2) vs. Claudio Ledesma (136)
Hello and thank you readers for tuning into to this evenings live MMA coverage.
When you think about it, I didn't really take much of a hiatus did I? All I did was stop covering the UFC for a few weeks. Meh...I didn't come here to tell you that so let's make with the fussin' and-a fightin'.
INTRODUCTION:
We are live at the Boardwalk Hall Ballroom, Atlantic City, New Jersey!
Announcers are Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith.
We go to the cage for our first fight.
SPIKE.COM PRELIMINARY MATCHES
Catchweight bout (140lbs): Brian Kelleher (139.2lbs 4-1) vs. Claudio Ledesma (136lbs 4-2)
ROUND ONE: Both fighters look to find their distance. Lots of feeling out to start off this match. Ledesma circles on the outside but is the busier fighter. Ledesma lands a kick. Hard left from Kelleher. Another kick from Ledesma. Punch kick combo from Ledesma. Kelleher is going to lose that lead leg at this rate. Kelleher can't quite find his target. Kelleher swings and misses with a spinning back fist. Ledesma gets a takedown. Kelleher is trapped against the fence. Kelleher stands but can't get away.
SCORECARD: Ledesma 10-9
ROUND TWO: Kelleher is the one circling away now. Kelleher shoots and scores a takedown. Ledesma is back on his feet but still pressed upon by Kelleher. Kelleher puts him back but Ledesma reverses and Kelleher is back against the fence. Back in the center of cage Ledesma continues to stalk Kelleher. Ledesma gets a takedown. Kelleher fights to his feet and reverses. Ledesma eats a few strikes breaking away. Ledesma lands a kick to the hip. Kelleher snatches a guillotine but can't lock it up. A final front kick from Ledesma to end the round.
SCORECARD: Ledesma 10-9
ROUND THREE: The fighters exchange leg kicks. More kicks from Ledesma but Kelleher plows through and grabs another guillotine. Ledesma gets his head free but is belly-to-belly against the fence. Ledesma reverses and puts Kelleher on his duff. Kelleher stands and his knee'd in his thighs. Ledesma changes levels and puts Kelleher down again. All Kelleher can do is stand up but when he does he can't get anywhere. Kelleher scrambles and tries to take Ledesma's back. Ledesma defends and keeps Kelleher in his control.
SCORECARD: Ledesma 10-9
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Claudio Ledesma by Unanimous Decision (30-27X3).
Catchweight bout (187lbs): Lewis Rumsey (187.2lbs 6-6) vs. Joey Kirwan (186lbs 7-5)
ROUND ONE: Kirwan gets the takedown but Rumsey quickly reverses and gets top position. Rumsey tries for a guillotine. Rumsey with a series of knees. Kirwan pulls his head out and reverses. Kirwan gets a suplex and finishes with Darce choke attempt. Kirwan converts to a mounted guillotine and scores the victory!
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Joey Kirwan by submission (mounted guillotine) at 1:40 of round 1.
Light Heavyweight bout: Ryan Contaldi (206lbs 7-3-1) vs. Tim Carpenter (205lbs 7-1)
ROUND ONE: Carpenter leads off with a stiff leg kick. Contaldi throwing the jab out. Carpenter continues to attack the lead leg of Contaldi. Contaldi having some difficulty finding his reach. Carpenter using his reach to score hits on Contaldi. HOLY MOLEY! Carpenter KO's Contaldi with a single uppercut! Ding! Fries are done.
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Tim Carpenter by KTFO KO at 2:16 of round 1.
Middleweight Feature Fight: Duane Bastress (184.5lbs 3-1) vs. Daniel Gracie (185.5lbs 5-3-1)
ROUND ONE: Bastress body slams Gracie! Gracie is on his knees but Bastress has him locked up around the head. Bastress looks to take Gracie's back. Gracie stands up and presses Bastress against the fence. Bastress reverses and lays some hammer strikes on his thigh. They separate but Bastress clinches and presses Gracie against the fence again. Bastress lands a knee but misses with a power punch. Gracie attempts an outside trip but Bastress isn't going anywhere. Bastress lands a right hand that drops Gracie right at the bell. Gracie survives.
SCORECARD: Bastress 10-9
ROUND TWO: There's an exchange of strikes before Bastress slams Gracie down again. Duane goes right into side control. Gracie grabs for a knee bar. Bastress moves back to side control and starts driving his elbow in to Gracie's face. Gracie is cut open. Bastress is mauling Gracie. Gracie moves Bastress in to full guard. Another elbow to the face of Gracie. Bastress postures up and smashes Gracie with punches. Gracie looks for an omaplata but Bastress defends. Bastress goes to take Gracie's back but Gracie flips over. Bastress just lets him stand…and is made to regret it as Gracie smashes him to end the round. Bastress was literally saved by the bell.
SCORECARD: Bastress 10-9
Despite Gracie's objections, the doctor has stopped this fight.
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Duane Bastress by TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round 2.
Gracie looks like he's going to murder the doctor. The crowd isn't happy either.
MTV2/EPIX HD MAIN CARD MATCHES
Lightweight bout: Jacob Kirwan (156lbs 8-3) vs. Rene Nazare (156.2lbs 10-0)
ROUND ONE: Nazare starts off with kicks to the lead leg. Kirwan shoots for a single leg, Nazare sprawls but is taken down anyway. Nazare sweeps with ease and is in half guard. Nazare is moved to full guard. Nothing much is happening so the ref stands them up. They exchange strikes and Kirwan gets another takedown. Kirwan attempts an arm-in triangle. Kirwan hammers on Nazare to end the round.
SCORECARD: Kirwan 10-9
ROUND TWO: Nazare comes out striking but is immediately taken down. Kirwan is in half guard. Kirwan is staying belly-to-belly, grinding his elbow into Nazare's face. They are stood up and just as quickly Kirwan takes Nazare down. Nazare escapes and takes Kirwan down to end the round.
SCORECARD: Kirwan 10-9
ROUND THREE: Kirwan goes for yet another double leg takedown but this time Nazare prepares for it, catching Kirwan in a guillotine. Unfortunately it doesn't work and Kirwan resumes grinding out a victory from half guard. Kirwan attempts another arm-in triangle. Nazare throws elbows from the bottom position. Nazare scrambles and escapes. Nazare shoots and nearly guillotined himself. With 10 seconds to go Nazare opts to sit on Kirwan until the bell sounds.
SCORECARD: Kirwan 10-9
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Jacob Kirwan by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27X2).
Bantamweight Non-title Feature bout: Ryan Roberts (136.5lbs 16-9-1, 1 NC) vs. Zack Makovsky (135.8lbs 13-2)
ROUND ONE: Makovsky shoots for a double leg and immediately gets side control. Roberts is scissoring Makovsky's head…make your own joke there folks. Makovsky lets Roberts stand up. Makovsky lands a kick followed by a stiff jab. Makovksy gets caught coming in. Makovsky scores with a series of punches and knee to the face. Roberts is bleeding from the nose. Roberts attempts a leg kick and is taken down for his troubles. Makovsky finishes him off with a north-south choke/neck crank.
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Zack Makovsky by submission (north-south choke) at 4:48 of round 1.
ROUND ONE: Both are swinging fast and furious but neither is hitting much. Vitor Vianna finally lands with a vicious haymaker from hell and finishes Baker off with a flurry of hammer fists. Vianna moves on to the finals!
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Vitor Vianna by TKO (strikes) at 0:54 of round 1.
Middleweight Tournament Semifinal bout: Brian Rogers (185.5lbs 8-2) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (185.5lbs 40-7)
ROUND ONE: Rogers lands a hook. Shlemenko lands a body kick. Rogers takes a punch in the eye. They clinch and both take turns being pressed against the fence. Shlemenko lands a hook, spinning back fist and a kick. They clinch again and Shlemenko fails to get Rogers to the mat. Rogers tries to tee off on Shlemenko's face. Rogers drops Shlemenko with a straight right. Shlemenko scrambles back to his feet. They are clinched against the fence again. Rogers completes a judo throw. Shlemenko attempts an arm bar that allows him to stand back up. Less than a minute to go they are clinched against the fence again. Rogers lands a hard right. Shlemenko with a kick.
SCORECARD: Rogers 10-9
ROUND TWO: Rogers immediately gets a takedown. Shlemenko stands back up but is hammered in the torso. Shlemenko goes Roadhouse on Rogers and nearly KO's him. Rogers puts one hand on the ground to stop knees to the face. Rogers recovers and lands a hard right hand. Shlemenko gets a muay thai clinch and knees Rogers straight up in the face. He does it again and down goes Rogers. That's all folks. Shlemenko moves on to the finals.
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Alexander Shlemenko by TKO (knees) at 2:30 of round 2.
