Temecula, California was alive with excitement as Bellator brought their brand of MMA to the Pachanga Resort and Casino. The event was televised on the Spike Television network. There was plenty of action for the fans in attendance and those watching via television.
The broadcast opened with a semifinal heavyweight tournament bout as Alexander Volkov (20-4) faced Siala-mou "Mighty Mo" Siliga (6-2) in a three rounds bout. Former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Alexander Volkov came out using his substantial height and reach advantage, keeping “Mighty Mo” at the end of his kicks. Siliga was able to bully his way in but Volkov’s strength allowed him to control the shorter Samoan. The Russian ended the bout with a kick to the head with less than two minutes left in the round. Referee John McCarthy noted that “Mighty Mo” was out cold and immediately stopped the fight. With this win, Volkov earned himself another shot at the heavyweight title.
The night continued with another semifinal tournament match in the welterweight division as Nathan Coy (14-4) met Adam McDonough (10-0). Looking to test the prospect early, Coy’s strategy was obvious as he immediately pressured the inexperienced McDonough. McDonugh looked calm and was able to sprawl and escape Coy’s takedown attempts. With less than two minutes left, McDonough foiled another takedown attempt by Coy, landed a quick uppercut, and preceded to ground-and-pound his exposed opponent. Coy was seriously hurt but was able to hold on to see the end of the round. This was pointless as McDonough ended quickly in the opening of the second round via a powerful left hook to the chin. With the win, McDonough literally punched his way to a welterweight title shot.
The third televised bout pitted two Americans as Richard Rainey (6-2) met Andy Murad (6-1) in a three round prizefight. Rainey came out showing fast hands and quick leg strikes which kept Murad guessing early in the round. Rainey just seemed to be the better fighter and found range for his right hand which seriously hurt Murad. Once he was hurt, Rainey moved in and unloaded combination which caused the referee to halt the fight. It was a good win for Rainey who was making his Bellator debut.
Vladimir Matyushenko (27-7) and Joey Beltran (14-10) kept things going in the Bellator cage. Matyushenko was looking to go out with a win as the Russian had made it clear that this would be his last MMA fight. Stand and bang was the approach both combatants took as Beltran and Matyushenko let the leather and kicks fly, both looking for the knockout. As the round progressed, Beltran’s superior boxing skills began to tell as the Mexican-American land hard shots to the head and body of the Russian veteran, opening a cut over Vladimir’s left eye. The standup game continued in the second stanza with Matyushenko having success early. The Russian began to flash a left jab that consistently found Beltran’s face, snapping his head back. Beltran was game and tried to walkthrough Matyushenko’s left stick but was not able to find his range. The third heat saw Beltran focusing on the Russian’s body, looking to exhaust Matyushenko’s 43 year-old legs. The Mexican-American upped his aggression and really started to land at will. The Russian seemed to be completely out of gas as he attempted a sluggish takedown of Beltran but was unsuccessful. Beltran took advantage of this as he was able to control Matyushenko on the ground and ended the fight via submission. It was an exciting fight and an awesome come-from-behind win for the Beltran.
The night closed as heavyweights Lavar Johnson (18-8) and Blagoi Ivanov (10-0) met to see who would get a shot at Volkov for the Bellator Heavyweight Title. The battle was scheduled for five rounds. Ivanov was patient early on and quickly took Johnson to the ground. Johnson kept his focus and was able to fight his way out of several submission attempts by the Bulgarian. Ivanov kept the pressure on Johnson; using brute strength to get the submission victory and earn a shot at the title. The Bulgarian is a true powerhouse and a complete fighter that is going to be hard to beat. Bring on Volkov for the title.
Sergio L. Martinez
www.convictedartist.com
