Bellator MMA and Glory Kickboxing teamed up to deliver the first of what promises to be a series of super combat sports shows on Saturday night in San Jose, California. It was called Bellator Dynamite 1, and the event was mostly entertaining.
Things didn't go exactly as planned, but there were still some fireworks.
In the main event, Bellator light heavyweight champion Liam McGeary beat the legend Tito Ortiz at his own game. Most felt that McGeary needed to keep the fight with Ortiz standing to win. Instead, he put his magnificent submission game on display and became just the third man in history to force Ortiz to submit to a choke.
Bellator MMA congratulated its champ after the fight.
Early in the bout, Ortiz was in control. He secured a takedown and landed some strong ground-and-pound. The slippery 6'6" champion was able to keep his composure and maneuver out of harm's way. Ultimately he moved into a position to put Ortiz in danger.
An armbar attempt was the first move to put Ortiz in trouble. The former UFC champion powered out of that attempt, but within seconds, McGeary locked in an inverted triangle that forced Ortiz to tap. Here's a look at the finish:
This was the second time in three fights McGeary has used that move to finish an opponent. The inverted triangle was the move of choice when he beat Kelly Anundson in September 2014. At 12-0, McGeary is quickly making a name for himself as one of the best 205-pound fighters in the world—regardless of promotion.
His next challenge is waiting for him.
Light Heavyweight Tournament
Four top-level light heavyweights competed for the opportunity to challenge the champion. The first semifinal saw Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal dismantle Linton Vassell over the two scheduled rounds.
Lawal dropped Vassell early in the first round with a big right hand and the onslaught was on. This shot set the tone for the fight as Lawal proved to have the heavier hands all night.
Vassell had a noticeable reach advantage, but Lawal's speed and timing negated it.
In the second round, Vassell did hit a highlight-reel takedown, but Lawal would answer with his own to punctuate a dominant performance and secure the decision victory.
Some may have wanted Lawal to go for the finish, but Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks loved Lawal's approach:
In the second semifinal, Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis' grappling proved to be too much for Emanuel "Hardcore Kid" Newton in the former's Bellator debut. Sporting his normal awkward style, Newton was able to hold off Davis for the first few moments of the bout.
However, once Davis closed the distance, he had Newton at his mercy on the mat. Davis' world-class wrestling was the difference. The Hardcore Kid was able to escape the first few submission attempts, but ultimately Mr. Wonderful locked in a kimura that Newton couldn't stave off.
Here's a look at the finish:
Davis drew a ton of admiration from media and former legends. Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting and Randy Couture gave Davis his props for the execution.
While it appeared things were set for an intriguing tournament final, unfortunate happenstance took that off the table. Per MMA Fighting, Lawal injured his foot and had to be replaced in the final by Francis Carmont:
The latter won an alternate bout earlier in the event and was ready to step in for the injured Lawal. It was a bummer, but Davis made sure the makeshift final didn't last long.
He landed a leaping left hook that dropped Carmont midway through the first round, and the fight would be called to an end shortly thereafter. Check out Davis' uncharacteristic striking power and his post-fight interview:
The win was just the third in Davis' career to come by KO. It was an impressive evening overall for Mr. Wonderful.
The two men met face-to-face after McGeary's win:
With a ton of momentum, he'll now have a chance to do what Ortiz could not; and that's dethrone McGeary.
The Punk's Excellent Performance
Josh "The Punk" Thomson proved he was a cut above Mike Bronzoulis in winning by submission in the third round. Thomson's grappling and superior positioning befuddled Bronzoulis through the first two rounds.
In the third, Thomson secured a takedown and immediately transitioned to a head-and-arm choke. It took just a couple o seconds before Bronzoulis was forced to tap out. Check out the finish:
It was a great win for Thomson, who was fighting in his hometown. Here's a look at Thomson's post-fight interview:
Fedor Is Coming
The action was solid, but one of the biggest moments of the event came when Pride FC founder Nobuyuki Sakakibara came to the cage and announced the return of the legendary Fedor Emelianenko.
He will be headlining a New Year's Eve card in Japan with an as-yet-determined opponent.
A bidding war had been taking place for Emelianenko's services, but it appears a deal has been struck with Sakakibara and Spike TV. While this announcement took place during a Bellator event, there was no mention of Emelianenko actually being signed to the promotion.
It appears his deal is with Sakakibara, and the American TV partner is Spike TV, per the Spike broadcast. In any case, it's exciting for MMA fans to have back the man many regard as the greatest heavyweight in MMA history. MMA Infographics remind us of the Last Emperor's accomplishments in this tweet:
We'll be looking forward to New Year's Eve when the legend returns to the cage.
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