All photos by: Bellator MMA/Eric Coleman
TEMECULA, Calif. (Mayo 15, 2015) – While Brandon “Toro” Halsey (9-0) can no longer say he’s Bellator MMA’s Middleweight World Champion, he’s still managed to show his talent with a one-sided destruction of proven veteran Kendall “Ang Spyder” Growb (21-15).
The contest served as the feature main event of Biyernes ng “Bellator: Halsey vs. Growb” card at Pechanga Resort & Casino sa Temecula, Kaliporniya, Calif.
Halsey nearly finished the fight in the early going, moving to an arm-triangle choke that would have finished a lesser opponent, but Grove somehow battled through the effort. Pa, it was a one-sided round for the former champ.
Grove was able to avoid such a precarious position in the second, but he was still forced to be on the defensive throughout most of the frame. With a high-paced wrestling attack, Halsey simply pushed his way to the floor and enjoyed top position for almost the entirety of the round.
The pattern continued as the fight wore on, with Halsey simply overpowering his opponent and constantly earning himself the dominant position. Grove briefly threatened with an armbar in the fourth frame, but Halsey simply yanked his limb free and pounded away with punches shortly after until he earned the TKO win at the 2:25 mark of the frame.
The undefeated Halsey, who was stripped of the Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title for failing to make weight, will look to again earn the belt in his next appearance.
“I was my own worst enemy. It was how I performed. He didn’t throw anything at me that I wasn’t ready for. I was just trying to tough through the injury. I had to tough it out and come out with the victory,” Halsey said.
“Obviously, you want to be as dominant as possible. I just felt like I couldn’t explode through my combinations or explode through the fight and finish how I wanted to. But like I said, you’ve got to deal with adversity, and I did it the best I could,” Halsey continued.
“I learned my lesson. I thank Bellator. I apologize to the commission. It’s unprofessional not to make weight. Walang excuses, but anybody knows that it’s hard to cut weight with an injury. The belt’s just a decoration, so I’m still the champ in my eyes. No one has taken the belt from me.”
In the night’s co-main event, former Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took a step toward another shot at the title with a hard-fought decision victory over the hard-hitting Mayk “Ang Marine” Richman, of Rose Mount, Mula sa.
While Richman showed excellent takedown defense throughout the 15-minute affair, Dantas’ work rate helped him earn the favor of the judges. Constantly pressing and looking to bring the fight to the floor, Dantas was able to just edge out Richman on the cards, 29-28 according to all three officials.
“I went out there and fought the way I trained to fight,” Dantas said after the win. “I knew Mike Richman was going to come with everything, but I wanted to win this fight and get back to the title. The only fight that makes sense next is for the title.
In a welterweight contest, Fernando “Ang Menifee, California baliw” Gonzalez (24-13), of Menifee, Calif., scored a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over “Curtious” Curtis Millender (7-2), ng San Bernardino, Calif.
With Millender enjoying a six-inch height advantage, the smaller Gonzalez struggled to score points in the first two rounds. But when the fight hit the floor in the third, Gonzalez latched onto a guillotine choke and earned a tap from his opponent at the 1:14 ng final round.
“Ako ay 4-0 ngayon,” Gonzalez said after the win. “That’s one step closer to the title, and I’m excited to get in there and mix it up with whoever is next.”
With the result, Gonzalez now boasts four-straight Bellator MMA victories and put himself in line for a potential shot at the promotion’s Welterweight Title.
In the night’s first main-card matchup, undefeated inaasam-asam Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (7-0), of Rahway, N.J., used a superior wrestling game to outwork more experienced opponent Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-5), of Lajes, Brazil, en route a unanimous-decision victory.
With Caldwell scoring takedowns throughout the matchup, Silva looked for submissions when available, but he simply couldn’t find the necessary hold to work past his opponent’s defense. Sa halip, Caldwell kept his pressure high, and judges awarded him the fight, 29-28 sa lahat ng tatlong mga card.
After the victory, Caldwell made it clear he’s clearing his way to a shot at the Bellator MMA World Title.
“I don’t think there are any fighters out there as explosive as me at 135 pounds, or as fast,” Caldwell said. “Sa kalaunan, I’ll be able to prove that.”
In the night’s final preliminary bout, Guam’s Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1) scored a third-round knockout of Mexico’s Antonio Duarte (18-6).
Bukod pa rito, featherweight asam Jordan Parsons (11-1), ng San Diego, Calif., earned a third-round decision win over the previously undefeated Brazilian Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-1).
Sa isang light matimbang paligsahan, Virgil Zwicker (14-4-1), of Temecula, Calif., earned a first-round knockout win over Razak Al-Hassan (12-5), ng Milwaukee, Wisc.
And in the night’s first fight, Ricky “Ang mamamaril na nakatago” Rainey (11-3), of Gastonia, N.C., earned a second-round knockout win over Jessie Juarez (22-10), ng Torrance, Calif.
Brandon Halsey (9-0) def. Kendall Grove (21-15)
Eduardo Dantas (17-4) def. Mike Richman (18-6 )
Fernando Gonzalez (24-14) def. Curtis Millender (7-2)
Darrion Caldwell (7-0) def. Rafael Silva (22-5)
Tungkol sa Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA ay isang nangungunang Mixed Martial Arts samahan na nagtatampok ng marami sa mga pinakamahusay na fighters sa mundo. Sa ilalim ng direksyon ng beteranong lumaban tagataguyod Scott Coker, Bellator ay magagamit sa halos 400 milyong mga tahanan sa buong mundo sa paglipas ng 120 mga bansa. Sa Estados Unidos, Bellator ay makikita sa pako, MMA leader telebisyon. Bellator MMA ay binubuo ng isang executive team na kinabibilangan ng top propesyonal sa industriya sa telebisyon produksyon, orkestrasyon live na kaganapan, -unlad mandirigma / relasyon, venue pagkuha, paglikha ng sponsorship / pag-unlad, internasyonal paglilisensya, marketing, advertising, relasyon sa publicity at komisyon. Bellator ay batay sa Santa Monica, California at pagmamay-ari ng entertainment higanteng Viacom, tahanan ng premier entertainment mga tatak sa mundo na kumonekta sa mga madla sa pamamagitan ng nakapanghihimok na nilalaman sa telebisyon, aninong gumagalaw, online at mobile platform.
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