411's Bellator 55 Report 10.22.11
Posted by Mark Radulich on 10.22.2011
Alexis Vila advanced via split decision to the Bantamweight tournament finals. Eduardo Dantas also moved on to the finals by winning a split decision victory. Travis Wiuff is the first fighter ever to defeat a reigning title holder in Bellator in a non-title affair after earning a unanimous decision over Christian M'Pumbu. For all of the details check out 411's Bellator 55 report!
Bellator 55
10.22.2011
Cocopah Resort and Casino
Yuma, Arizona
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MAIN CARD (MTV2/EPIX HD)
Marcos Galvao (135.5) vs. Alexis Vila (134.75) - bantamweight tourney semifinal
Eduardo Dantas (135) vs. Ed West (135) - bantamweight tourney semifinal
Champ Christian M'Pumbu (201.75) vs. Travis Wiuff (205) - non-title light-heavyweight fight
Ricardo Tirloni (154.75) vs. Steve Gable (155.5)
PRELIMINARY MATCHES (Spike.com)
Cesar Avila (155.5) vs. Efrain Escudero (156)
Dano Moore (184.75) vs. Steve Steinbeiss (186)
Nick Piedmont (146) vs. Jade Porter (145)
Erin Beach (155) vs. Roscoe Jackson (158)*
Edgar Garcia (185) vs. Jacob Ortiz (185.75)
Carlos Flores (210) vs. Richard Hale (210.5)
Do you think we can go a week without a fighter getting injured and throwing the main event of a given card into turmoil? Me neither...
INTRODUCTION:
We are live at the Cocopah Resort and Casino in Yuma, Arizona!
Announcers are Sean Wheelock and Jimmy Smith.
We go to the cage for our first fight.
SPIKE.COM PRELIMINARY MATCHES
Steve Steinbeiss def. Dano Moore by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1 (4:52)
Jade Porter def. Nick Piedmont by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Erin Beach def. Roscoe Jackson by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1 (3:52)
Kobe Ortiz def. Edgar Garcia by knockout (one punch-overhand right) Rd 1 (4:06)
Richard Hale def. Carlos Flores by knockout (punch) Rd 1 (:18)
MTV2/EPIX HD MAIN CARD MATCHES
Lightweight bout: Ricardo Tirloni (154.75lbs 13-1) vs. Steve Gable (155.5lbs 5-1)
ROUND ONE: Gable come out jabbing. Tirloni lands a low kick. They clinch against the cage with Gable having the advantage. Gable attempts a single leg but can't get him down. They disengage. Tirloni lands a hard knee. Gable clinches Tirloni again. Gable repeatedly knees Tirloni in the thigh. Tirloni spins him around against the fence. Gable spins him back. Tirloni knees Gable in the face. Tirloni blocks a takedown and ends up on top of Gable. Tirloni attempts a Darce choke. He can't finish it. Tirloni continues to work from half guard. Gable escapes and shoots on Tirloni again. Tirloni stays on his feet. They exchange leg kicks. Tirloni with a Thai clinch. Gable spins him against the fence again. They exchange knees in the clinch to end the round.
SCORECARD: Gable 10-9
ROUND TWO: Gable clinches again and presses Tirloni against the fence. They exchange knees in the clinch. Tirloni spins him around. Tirloni attempts a trip but can't get him down. Gable lands a straight right. Gable shoots and ends up on his back, again. Tirloni has half guard. Tirloni strikes Gable on the ground and dives back into full guard. Tirloni unloads on Gable and gets full mount. Gable turtles up as he gets hammered about the face. Gable gives up his back and taps out to the rear-naked choke.
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Ricardo Tirloni by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:54 of round 2.
Non-title Light-Heavyweight bout: Christian M'Pumbu (201.75lbs 18-3-1) vs. Travis Wiuff (205lbs 64-14)
ROUND ONE: Wiuff bides his time waiting for the right time to shoot a takedown, which he gets. Wiuff works from half guard. M'Pumbu moves him back to full guard. Wiuff peppers M'Pumbu in the body with short shots. Wiuff plants a few hammer fists on the face of M'Pumbu. M'Pumbu attempts an arm bar but can't finish. The ref has decided there aren't working enough so he stands them up. M'Pumbu jabs but is pressed against the fence. He throws a few short punches to end the round.
SCORECARD: Wiuff 10-9
ROUND TWO: Wiuff takes a punch in the face charging forward. M'Pumbu nails him the face with a knee. Wiuff grabs a single leg, takes some punishment but eventually gets the champ down. Wiuff works from full guard. Wiuff lays into M'Pumbu's face. M'Pumbu attempts a triangle. Wiuff pulls off a Rampage style slam. Wiuff is still in full guard. Wiuff ground and pounds on M'Pumbu. Short elbows from Wiuff. Wiuff ends the round on top, smothering the champ.
SCORECARD: Wiuff 10-9
ROUND THREE: Wiuff swings and misses. M'Pumbu throws a right hook. M'Pumbu rocks Wiuff with a series of punches but doesn't move in for the kill. M'Pumbu lands a stiff jab. They exchange punches and Wiuff clinches again. They separate and M'Pumbu drops Wiuff. M'Pumbu pounces on Wiuff who turtles up. Wiuff recovers, stands and takes M'Pumbu down. Wiuff is in half guard. Wiuff content to smother M'Pumbu until the end of the round.
SCORECARD: Wiuff 10-9
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Travis Wiuff by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28X2).
Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal bout: Eduardo Dantas (135lbs 11-2) vs. Ed West (135lbs 17-5)
ROUND ONE: West starts with a pair of kicks. Dantas clubs West with a looping right hand. Dantas presses West against the fence. They disengage. Dantas comes forward with a nice 3 strike combo, ending with a head kick. Dantas drops West, pounces into his guard and continues to smash in his face. West recovers and gets an arm bar. Dantas gets free as West stands back up. Dantas is belly to belly with West against the fence. West spins him around. West lets him free. West lands a low kick, Dantas responds with a left jab. West hammers Dantas and clinches. West lands a pair of high knees to the face. West with a high kick. Dantas lands a 3 strike combo and presses West against the fence. West lands another kick to end the round.
SCORECARD: Dantas 10-9
ROUND TWO: We pick up right where we left off in round 1, in the clinch. West hit's a front kick. Dantas hammes West on the chin. Dantas walks through West's defense and hits him in the face again. Dantas has West against the fence. Dantas kicks West's leg out from under him. Dantas takes his back and looks for the rear-naked choke. Dantas can't finish and West flips over into Dantas' full guard. Dantas attempts an arm bar but loses. West dives onto Dantas' face. Dantas with a rubber guard. Dantas attempts a guillotine. The round ends.
SCORECARD: Dantas 10-9
ROUND THREE: Dantas misses with a head kick. Dantas shoots a single leg. West sprawls and drives Dantas against the fence. Dantas reverses the position. Dantas plants a knee in the belly. West takes the advantageous position but then gets reversed. They disengage. West throws a one-two, a head kick and superman bunch, all of which have nil effect. We get an accidental thumb in the eye of Dantas. The fight is under threat of being stopped if Dantas can't see. Nope, we're good and we continue. West with some fancy kicking. West lands a few more leg kicks. Dantas takes a hard shot to the face. Switch kick from West. There's some quick exchanges to end the round.
SCORECARD: West 10-9
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Eduardo Dantas by split decision (29-28 Dantas, 29-28 West, 30-27 Dantas).
Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal bout: Marcos Galvao (135.5lbs ) vs. Alexis Vila (134.75lbs )
ROUND ONE: Galvao jabs and kicks first. Galvao lands another clipping low kick. Villa circles and keeps away from Galvao. Galvao comes forward but Villa circles away. Villa finally comes forward with a double jab. Galvao comes forward and gets taken down. Galvao is up again. Villa lands a shot to the body. Villa with a looping left hook. Galvao lands a kick. Villa puts his fist out there and Galvao slips. Body kick by Villa. Villa just misses with an uppercut. Villa lands a shot to the body.
SCORECARD: Galvao 10-9
ROUND TWO: Villa eats a knee on the way to a takedown. Galvao is back up again. Villa lands low inside leg kick. Galvao misses with a kick. Galvao blocks Villa's kick. Villa and Galvao exchange huge right hands. Knee from Galvao. He follows with a leg kick. Villa is denied a takedown. Body kick counter right exchange between the fighters. Galvao lands a jab. Galvao with a knee. Villa with a hard right hand.
SCORECARD: Villa 10-9
ROUND THREE: Galvao chops at Villa's knee. Galvao lands a pair of haymakers. Villa with a takedown. Galvao gets back up. Villa catches a kick and attempts a takedown. Galvao stuns Villa with a right hand. Villa smacks him back. Galvao lands a punch, misses the next. Villa is back to circling away. Galvao stuffs a takedown. Galvao chops at Villa's knee again. Another leg shot. Galvao backs Villa into the fence but he's out just as fast. Galvao stuffs another takedown. Galvao scores with an overhand right. Inside kick from Villa. Galvao kicks Villa who bounces off of the fence. Villa is circling away and away and away. How does Joe Warren feel about all of this?
SCORECARD: Galvao 10-9
OFFICIAL RESULT: WINNER – Alexis Vila by decision (30-27 Galvao, 29-28 Villa, 29-28 Villa).
Good stuff from Bellator as usual, except for that last fight. I‘m not sure what that was all about. Anywho, Larry and company will be covering UFC 137 GSP vs. Diaz, GSP vs. Condit Penn vs. Diaz. I'll be back for UFC on Fox 1 Velasquez vs. Dos Santos.
Remember to check out the 411 Ground and Pound radio show tomorrow at 11:00 AM.
