Prelims | Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov

>>> I'M GOING OUT HERE AND I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING I'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE. >> TONIGHT. >> THAT KID'S A BEAST. >> THREE-TIME NATIONAL WRESTLING CHAMP EASY ED RUTH FACES TWO ROUND DYNAMO YAROSLAV AMOSOV BELLATOR MMA LIVE TONIGHT AT 9:00 ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK. ♪♪ >>> IT'S A REGULAR STOP ON THE BELLATOR MMA TOUR, WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT IN THACKERVILLE, OKLAHOMA. HOME OF THE LARGEST GAMING FLOOR IN THE WORLD WHERE THE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS GAMES ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN. COMING UP ON THE MAIN CARD OF BELLATOR 239, A PIVOTAL MATCH-UP AT WELTERWEIGHT, THE ONCE BEATEN ED RUTH TANGLES WITH THE UNDEFEATED YAROSLAV AMOSOV. AND THE REST OF OUR LINE-UP, YOU WILL SEE A COUPLE OF BATTLES IN THE BIG BOYS DIVISION, HEAVYWEIGHTS JAVY AYALA AND VALENTIN MOLDAVSKY AND THEN WE HAVE A COMPELLING LIGHTWEIGHT FEATURE BETWEEN THE BATTLE TESTED BRANDON GIRTZ AND THE UFC VETERAN MYLES JURY LOOKING TO MOVE HIS BELLATOR RECORD TO 1-1. BUT NOW, WE ARE SET FOR BELLATOR 239 PRELIMS AND THEY ARE IN THE CAGE ALREADY, CHRISTIAN EDWARDS TAKING ON MARCO HUTCH. >> EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO -- DONE IN THE PAST, SHOWN BIG POWER, BEEN ABLE TO GET RID OF BOTH OPPONENTS AND IN THE SECOND ONE, GOT RID OF HIM, WATCH THIS, HIGH KICK, LEFT FOOT, BOOM. PUTS HIM OUT. CHRISTIAN EDWARDS HAS NOT SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE BELLATOR CAGE, BUT HE'S BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL. >> ALL RIGHT. TAKE US THROUGH THE NUMBERS IN OUR TALE OF THE TAPE FOR THIS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT MATCH-UP. >> YOU CAN SEE BOTH GUYS EARLY IN THEIR CAREER, LOOK AT THOSE REACHES ON BOTH, VERY CLOSE, VERY SIMILAR. >> WITH THE OFFICIAL INTRODUCTIONS, HERE'S THE INTERNATIONAL VOICE OF BELLATOR MMA, MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT AS WE KICK OFF THE BELLATOR 239 PRELIMS NOW INSIDE THE CAGE WITH LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SET FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS. FIRST, WE INTRODUCE THE BLUE CORNER, AT 6'2", WEIGHING IN 200.4 POUNDS, HE IS PROFESSIONAL RECORD 3 WINS, 2 LOSSES, FIGHTING OUT OF LEE SUMMIT, MISSOURI, BY WAY OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, PRESENTING MARCO "AFRO SAMURAI" HUTCH. AND ACROSS THE CAGE, FIGHTING OUT OF THE RED CORNER AT 6'5", 206 POUNDS EVEN, AS THE PROFESSIONAL EARLY ON, HE'S UNDEFEATED AT 2-0, FIGHTING OUT OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, CHRISTIAN "PAIN" EDWARDS. IN CHARGE OF THE ACTION, YOUR REFEREE, MICHAEL BELL. >> WE BEGIN THE PROCEEDINGS AT 205 POUNDS, REFEREE MICHAEL BELL. >> GO. >> CALLS FOR THE OPENING BELL. FIRST OF THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS. CHRISTIAN "PAIN" EDWARDS IN THE RED GLOVES, MARCO "AFRO SAMURAI" IN THE BLUE GLOVES. >> VERY NICE JOB OF CATCHING THAT KICK UP HIGH AND UTILIZING THAT MISTAKE BY CHRISTIAN TO GET HIM ON THE GROUND. RIGHT INTO HALF GUARD. >> HUTCH TOLD US THAT HIS GREATEST STRENGTH IS HIS ABILITY TO SEAMLESSLY BLEND FROM STRIKING CLINCH AND TAKEDOWNS AND IN DOMINANT POSITION NOW AS EDWARDS TRYING TO CONTROL HUTCH'S POSTURE, DOING A GOOD JOB OF NEUTRALIZING HIM. BUT NOW HAS TO TURN THE TABLES. >> AS WE SAW, IN THOSE HIGHLIGHTS, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN CHRISTIAN EDWARDS ON HIS BACK SO THIS IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF WHAT CAN HE DO DOWN HERE, IS HE GOING TO JUST USE THAT LOCKDOWN LIKE HE WAS DOING OR START GOING FOR SUBMISSION ATTEMPTS. >> EDWARDS IS A BLUE BELT IN BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU. WHILE HUTCH, MAKING HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT, COMES IN WITH THREE WINS, TWO LOSSES, ALL THREE VICTORIES VIA SUBMISSION. TWO OF THEM VIA GUILLOTINE CHOKE AND ONE REAR NAKED CHOKE BUT HERE LOOKING TO IMPROVE HIS POSITION, JOHN, AND TRYING TO KEEP EDWARDS PINNED TO THE MAT. >> WELL, VERY INTERESTING, HE WAS LOOKING TO PASS AND YOU HEARD FROM HIS CORNER, JAMES CROUCH IS AN OUTSTANDING FIGHTER AND COACH, DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT PASSING, STAY WHERE YOU'RE AT AND START TO WORK ON HIM. LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THESE GUYS THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AGAINST CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. >> THE GENERAL, JAMES. MEANWHILE, FOR CHRISTIAN EDWARDS, HE REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST VAUNTED CAMPS IN MMA HISTORY, JACKSON WINK MMA IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, HIS HEAD TRAINERS, AND OH YEAH, HE GETS TO TRAIN WITH THE LIKES OF JOHN JONES AND WE'LL STOP RIGHT THERE. >> NICE TRIANGLE JUST SET THAT UP WELL. NICE TO ARM BAR. YOU CAN SEE THE HYPEREXTENSION ON THE ARM RIGHT NOW, EDWARDS LOOKING FOR HIS FIRST SUBMISSION WIN, HE'S 2-0 WITH TWO KNOCKOUTS ALL IN BELLATOR MMA, HUTCH TRYING TO DEFEND. IT IS A TIGHT POSITION NOW WITH THAT ANGLE THAT HE'S CREATED. ALL HE NEEDS TO DO, IF HE CAN -- GOT TO DECIDE, AM I GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT ARM? HE JUST DECIDED, NO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK FOR ME. NICE JOB BY CHRISTIAN EDWARDS GOING AFTER THE SUBMISSION AND VERY NICE IN STAYING CALM. >> WE PASS THE MIDPOINT OF THE OPENING ROUND AS MARCO HUTCH, OVERCOMING EARLY ADVERSITY IN TERMS OF THE SUBMISSION ATTEMPT BY EDWARDS BUT HUTCH REMAINS IN TOP POSITION BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REALLY MAXIMIZE THIS POSITION. >> ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. YOU LOOK, HE'S BEEN IN CONTROL, BUT IT'S BEING IN CONTROL IS NOT GOING TO GET YOU AROUND. IT'S GOING AFTER THE FINISH, WHICH WE JUST SAW FROM CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. WE SAW HIM GO AFTER THE TRIANGLE, WENT BACK TO TRIANGLE. >> JUMPING KNEE THERE BY CHRISTIAN EDWARDS, COMING OFF A HEAD KICK KNOCKOUT OF CESAR BENNETT AT BELLATOR 233 IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. ALSO HAS A TKO WIN OVER JUSTIN VARGAS IN HIS BELLATOR DEBUT AT BELLATOR 224 BACK IN JULY OF LAST YEAR. WHILE MARCO HUTCH, HE IS UNDER THE BELLATOR BRIGHT LIGHTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. ONE-TWO COMBINATION PUT TOGETHER BY EDWARDS. BY THE WAY, EDWARDS'S NICKNAME COMES FROM THE NAME OF HIS FAVORITE "NARUTO" CHARACTER. I KNOW YOU ARE A CONNOISSEUR, MR. McCARTHY, AND A HUGE ANIME FAN AS WELL. DO YOU LIKE AFRO SAMURAI? >> I LOVE THE TERM BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PAST THAT. >> NO OUTSIDE KICK THERE BY HUTCH. YOU AND ME BOTH, MY FRIEND. UNDER 1:00 REMAINING IN THE FIRST FRAME AND AGAIN, EDWARDS TELEGRAPHING THE LAUNCHING OF THE KNEE STRIKE, HAS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF NOT DOING IT AS NAKED. >> EXACTLY. YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN BEING SUCCESSFUL IN MMA NOW IS SETTING THINGS UP AND MAKING YOUR OPPONENT THINK YOU'RE DOING ONE THING AND YOU'RE GOING TO THE OTHER. IT'S THAT TRANSITION, AND YOU CANNOT JUST JUMP UP AND LAND A KNEE. YOU GOT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE IT. >> AND EDWARDS MISSING WITH THAT LEFT UPPER CUT, EDWARDS TELLING US HE LOVES ATTENTION, LOVES GETTING THE RIGHT EYES ON HIM AND, WELL, HE'S DONE WELL SO FAR HERE IN BELLATOR WITH THAT HEAD KICK K.O. AND THE TKO SO HE KNOWS AS THE LATE, LEGENDARY BOXING TRAINER, EMMANUEL STEWART SAID, KNOCKOUTS SELL, AND CHARLES -- OR MAKE THAT CHRISTIAN "PAIN" EDWARDS IS ALL ABOUT THE K.O. >> EVERYTHING IN MMA IS ABOUT, AS YOU START GETTING THOSE WINS, THE COMPETITION STARTS TO STEP UP AND MARCO HUTCH NEEDS TO STEP UP RIGHT NOW FOR CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. >> OKAY, MARCO. >> ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET SOME BIG BREATHS, CHRISTIAN. GOOD ROUND. BIG BREATHS. GOOD. TAKE THE SWATTER. ALL RIGHT. SO, YOU'RE KIND OF JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE, GETTING CRAZY. SETTLE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, ALL RIGHT? BASIC BOXING, OKAY? MAKE SOME BANKS. HIT THAT BODY, OKAY? LIKE GREG SAID, BASIC, TEN, NINE, THAT WILL SET UP THE PONIES, ALL RIGHT? STAY WITH BASIC. DON'T JUMP IN. YOU JUST NEED TO FOLLOW UP, ALL RIGHT? BASIC. >> LISTEN, HIGH, LOW, HEAD KICK. GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU ALL NIGHT. >> IT'S TANTAMOUNT TO RECEIVING AN IVY LEAGUE MMA EDUCATION WHEN YOU'RE AT JACKSON WINK MMA AND DARE I SAY, THEY'RE ECHOING SOMETHING WE HEARD DURING THAT FIRST ROUND FROM ONE BIG JOHN McCARTHY. >> IT'S AMAZING HOW WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING AND YOU KNOW, GREG JACKSON IS SO CALM AND MIKE HAS BEEN THERE SO MANY TIMES, TOP GUYS, YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN. JUMPING ALL AROUND. LET'S SLOW THIS DOWN. >> TERMS THAT HE NEEDS TO HEAR. >> MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT DURING HIS EMBRYONIC MMA CAREER, CHRISTIAN EDWARDS HAS BEEN IN A HURRY. COMING INTO TONIGHT'S FIGHT, HIS COMBINED FIGHT TIME OF BOTH PRO WINS WAS JUST 1:10. >> EXACTLY. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. YOU GET THOSE FAST WINS, THOSE COME OUT AND THAT NEXT FIGHT, YOU WANT THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN. YOU WANT TO IMPRESS. AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU. DON'T PRESS IT. LET IT SLOW. IT WILL COME. >> HUTCH, MEANWHILE, HERE IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT, TRYING TO SNAP THE TWO-FIGHT LOSING STREAK. HE WON THE FIRST THREE FIGHTS OF HIS CAREER, BUT HAS LOST HIS LAST TWO BOUTS, INCLUDING A ARM BAR SUBMISSION TO KYRON BOWEN IN MAY OF LAST YEAR SO LOOKING TO GET BACK ON THE WINNING TRACK AS HE ATE THAT ELBOW STRIKE. I'M SURE EDWARDS MAY HAVE PICKED THAT UP WITH TRAINING FROM THE LIKES OF THE UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, JOHN JONES. >> HE'S PICKED UP A LOT OF THINGS. YOU CAN SEE THAT HE MIMICS MANY OF THE SAME ATTRIBUTES THAT MAKE JOHN JONES SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT KICK THAT LANDED, IT LANDED TO THE MIDSECTION, IT WAS HEAVY, YOU COULD TELL THAT IT CAUSED MARCO HUTCH A PROBLEM. THOSE KICKS START TO EMPTY THAT GAS TANK. >> AND HUTCH PINNING EDWARDS TO THE FENCE, BUT EDWARDS DOING A GOOD JOB HERE, LOOKING TO PUMMEL, HAS THE OVER/UNDER. HUTCH LACING THE LEFT LEG MOMENTARILY. >> GOOD JOB TURNING THAT AROUND. LOOK AT THAT HEAD POSITION. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP HIM WHERE HE WANTS TO BE. ALMOST WENT DOWN. BIG DIFFERENCE YOU'RE SEEING BETWEEN THESE TWO WHEN THEY'RE IN THE CLINCH POSITION, WHICH BOTH OF THEM, HAVING THEIR BACK TO THE CAGE, CHRISTIAN EDWARDS IS AT LEAST UTILIZING HIS HEAD POSITION TO HELP HIM STAY CENTERED. >> OH, THAT LEFT HAND ROCKED HUTCH MOMENTARILY AND EDWARDS DOING A GOOD JOB OUT OF THE TIE CLINCH, DELIVERING THE KNEES NOW ON THE INSIDE, SOME DIRTY BOXING AND IT'S HUTCH FEEDING A COUPLE OF SHORT RIGHT UPPER CUTS. >> NICE JOB BY HUTCH TO BRING THOSE UPPER CUTS. HE GOT STUNG BY THAT, RESPONDED WELL. >> HUTCH, 26 YEARS OF AGE. EDWARDS, ALL OF 21 YEARS OF AGE, SO BOTH OF THEM REALLY JUST GETTING THINGS STARTED, OPENING UP THE PROCEEDINGS HERE AT WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT IN THACKERVILLE, OKLAHOMA. IT'S LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT ACTION AND, WELL, BELLATOR MMA CHAMP RYAN BETA WILL BE DEFENDING THE STRAP. >> VADER'S GOING TO BE IN SAN JOSE. THERE YOU GO. >> WHAT DAY IS IT? WHERE AM I? >> YOU'RE RIGHT, MAY 9th. EDWARDS TATTOOS HUTCH. >> THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF FIGHT EDWARDS NEEDS, THOUGH. HE NEEDS A GUY THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SHOTS AND COME BACK. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THIS EASY WIN. YOU'VE GOT TO JUST START DOING WHAT YOU DO. DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOUR OPPONENTS DOING. WORRY ABOUT JUST BEING WHO YOU ARE. >> SECOND -- >> ENDED UP ON HIS BUTT OFF THAT HIGH KICK. >> AND NOW 1:30 REMAINING HERE IN THE SECOND ROUND AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE HAD THEIR MOMENTS OFFENSIVELY. I WOULD SAY THAT EDWARDS HAS HAD THE MORE EYE-CATCHING SHOTS IN THIS MIDDLE STANZA, WOULD YOU CONCUR, JOHN? >> BIG THING WE'RE LOOKING AT, HE'S HAD THE HEAVIER SHOTS, THE MORE DAMAGING SHOTS. YOU'VE SEEN WHEN HUTCH HAS BEEN HURT BY HIM. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. THIS TIME, EDWARDS HAS HUTCH ALONG THE FENCE. >> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE SEEING IS ALL OF THOSE BODY SHOTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE KICK, THEY'RE STARTING TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON MARCO HUTCH. >> FIGHT BACK ON THE CANVAS. EDWARDS NOW LOOKING TO FEED HUTCH A STEADY DIET OF LEFT HANDS. >> WATCH THE HEAD. >> THAT IS LEGAL. >> EDWARDS IS TAKEN DOWN IN THE FIRST ROUND BUT EVEN THEN HAS THE ARM BAR ATTEMPT FROM THE BOTTOM AND HERE IN ROUND TWO HAS USED A SUSTAINED OFFENSIVE ATTACK LIKE WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW TO TAKE MARCO HUTCH AT BAY. >> YOU SEE THAT CHRISTIAN EDWARDS HAS THAT ARM, HE'S GOT THAT TRAP. YOU SEE HUTCH TRYING TO BRING IT INSIDE. HE BROUGHT IT FROM THE FRONT AND THE BACK. HE NEEDS TO SLIDE. THE PROBLEM IS HE CAN'T BRING HIMSELF UP DUE TO THE WEIGHT RIGHT NOW OF CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. >> GREAT ROUND FOR CHRISTIAN EDWARDS AS WE GO TO THE THIRD AND FINAL FRAME. >> SOME OF THESE SHOTS. >> NICE ELBOW. VERY -- IT'S -- WHEN YOU SEE A GUY LANDING A SHOT LIKE THAT, THAT'S JUST SHOWING THAT HIS TRAINING IS KICKING IN BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO GO FOR THE PUNCH AND HE SEES THAT ELBOW AND JUST BRINGS IT. BEAUTIFUL KICK UP HIGH. NICE. >> HE'S JUST OUT OF GAS. >> NICE TRANSITION TO THE KNEE. ELBOW AGAIN. CHRISTIAN EDWARDS STARTING TO OPEN UP, THESE SHOTS ARE LANDING AND THEY'RE STARTING TO BREAK DOWN MARCO HUTCH. >> WE TALKED ABOUT JACKSON WINK MMA. >> NO KICKS, NO KICKS. >> GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES. I NEED FIVE MINUTES OF YOUR BEST EFFORT. LET'S GO. DON'T YOU QUIT. DON'T YOU QUIT ON ME. >> JAMES CROWSE IMPLORING MARCO HUTCH NOT TO QUIT, ASKING FOR FIVE SOLID MINUTES. WHEN WE TALKED ABO JACKSON WINK MMA BEING AN IVY LEAGUE MMA SCHOOL, HEY, CHRISTIAN EDWARDS T RECIPIENT OF A FIRST SCHOLARSHIP. >> YES, HE WAS. AND YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THAT AND THAT'S SAYING THAT THE BELIEF THAT THEY HAD IN HIM BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY WERE EVEN ABLE TO WORK WITH HIM. >> MARCO HUTCH, HEAD DOWN, SWEEPING LEFT, THAT MISSES, OBLIQUE KICK BY EDWARDS. AND AGAIN, IT MAY BECOME A DRINKING GAME BUT ANOTHER TOSS FOR EDWARDS AND THERE IS EDWARDS PUTTING TOGETHER THE COMBINATION, MIXING UP HIS ATTACK WITH HIS HANDS, HIS FEET, AND HIS KNEES, KEEPING HUTCH AGAINST THE FENCE AND HUTCH GETS HIS HEAD BOPPED BACK WITH THAT SKIP JAB. >> HUTCH IS IN REAL TROUBLE HERE. HE'S TIRED. AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HEAR IT FROM HIS CORNER, JAMES CROUCH, DON'T YOU QUIT ON ME. HE SAYS HE KNOWS THE FIGHTER AND HE SEES HIS FIGHTERS BEING BROKEN DOWN. >> EDWARDS MAY FORCE HIM TO QUIT. >> THERE'S NO DOUBT. HE'S TAKING BIG SHOTS AND IT'S WHAT CROUCH WAS TRYING TO DO WAS BE THAT CHEERLEADER IN THAT MOMENT, TRYING TO BUCK HIM UP AND SAY, I KNOW IT'S HARD, I KNOW YOU'RE HURTING, GIVE ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT. >> EDWARDS, SECURING THE TAKEDOWN, WHICH ALLOWS HIM TO CONTROL FROM TOP POSITION, AND MARCO HUTCH FADING HERE IN ROUND THREE. >> STILL A LOT OF TIME. >> AND MARCO HUTCH ENTERING THE FIGHT WITH A HEAVY HEART, WANTING TO DEDICATE THIS FIGHT TO HIS TWO PREVIOUS TEAMMATES THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY, WILLIAM JOPLIN AND KATIE COLLINS, WHO BOTH HAVE COMPETED INSIDE THE BELLATOR MMA CAGE. THEY MAY BOTH REST IN POWER. >> YOU CAN SEE WITH THE LEFT FOOT, CHRISTIAN EDWARDS IS HAPPENING THAT. LIKE, HE CAN DECIDE IF HE WANTS TO TRY TO MOVE HIMSELF INTO A SIDE CONTROL POSITION BUT I THINK HE FEELS LIKE HE'S GOT A STABLE CONDITION, HE'S GOT THE FENCE KEEPING MARCO HUTCH FROM BEING ABLE TO GO UP TO THAT SIDE. HE'S JUST GOING TO TRY TO WORK -- THERE HE GOES INTO THE SIDE CONTROL AND JUST TRY TO WORK AND BREAK HIM DOWN EVEN MORE. >> AND IT'S EVIDENT, EDWARDS LISTENING TO HIS CORNER AS HE'S DEFINITELY SETTLED DOWN, JOHN, AFTER THE FIRST ROUND, AND VERY METHODICAL WITH THIS ATTACK HERE NOW. TAKING HIS TIME, KNEE ON BELLY, MOMENTARILY NEUTRALIZING THE RIGHT ARM AND DROPPING THE GROUND AND POUND ON A HELPLESS MARCO HUTCH. >> HE'S GOT -- HE'S IN FULL CONTROL RIGHT NOW IN THIS POSITION, HE'S LOOKING TOWARDS -- HE CAN GO FOR A DARS IF HE WANTS. BRINGING HIMSELF INTO A HIP RIDE. >> HUTCH IS WONDERING WHERE STARSKY IS RIGHT NOW. >> FIND THAT GRAND TURINO, MAN, GET HIMSELF OUT. >> PEOPLE THINK, OH, THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. THAT KNEE TO THE RIB CAGE, THAT HURTS. >> AND A STEADY DIET OF STRIKES FROM CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. >> COME ON, MARCO, I NEED YOU TO MOVE. >> BRINGING THE PAIN TO MARCO HUTCH. REFEREE BELL IMPLORING HUTCH TO SHOW SOMETHING, TO DEFEND HIMSELF INTELLIGENTLY AND HE IS TRYING TO DEFEND HIMSELF. >> HE'S DEFINITELY TRYING TO DEFEND HIMSELF, BUT HE'S GOT ZERO OFFENSE COMING TOWARDS HIM. >> HOW COOL IS IT TO SEE EDWARDS REALLY DIVERSIFY HIS ATTACKS, JOHN. WE HAVE SEEN NOW TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT HE CAN USE THAT LEFT KNEE. WE'VE SEEN THE PUNCHES, THE KICKS, AT 21 YEARS OF AGE, SITTING UNDER THE JACKSON WINK MMA LEARNING TREE, THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT, HE MIGHT HAVE TO WEAR SHADES. >> HE HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE AND WORKING WITH TWO TOP FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS LIKE GREG JACKSON, MIKE WINKLE, JOHN, AND WORKING WITH THE TRAINING PARTNERS THAT ARE JUST GOING THROUGH, NOT ONLY THE GUYS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR HOME, THERE'S A LOT OF GUYS GOING THROUGH THERE AND YOU'RE JUST GETTING LITTLE BITS OF INFORMATION, LITTLE BITS OF KNOWLEDGE AND THAT'S ALL JUST MAKING YOU BETTER AND BETTER. >> I KNOW IT'S NOT WHAT CHRISTIAN EDWARDS WANTED. I KNOW HE WANTED TO PUT MARCO HUTCH AWAY BUT THIS IS WHAT HE NEEDS AS A YOUNG FIGHTER, THIS IS THE TYPE OF FIGHT YOU CAN GO BACK AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU CALM DOWN, WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO. >> LIKE SO MANY MIXED MARTIAL ARTISTS, BOTH HUTCH AND EDWARDS HAVE OVERCOME MYRIAD TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS AND ARE HERE NOT ONLY TO SPEAK BUT TO FIGHT THEIR TRUTH AND OF COURSE THE CAGE, THE RING IS REALLY THE THEATER OF TRUTH AND WE'RE FINDING OUT A LOT ABOUT CHRISTIAN EDWARDS HERE TONIGHT IN HIS THIRD FIGHT UNDER THE BELLATOR MMA BANNER AS HE LOOKS TO SPOIL THE BELLATOR MMA DEBUT OF MARCO HUTCH. >> JUST FANTASTIC HEAD CRUSHER BY CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. YOU SEE HUTCH TRYING TO MOVE HIS HEAD TO TRY TO GET HIMSELF IN A BALANCED POSITION. >> AND THE TAKEDOWN BY CHRISTIAN EDWARDS, PUTTING THE DOT IN THE EXCLAMATION POINT OF WHAT HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE. SO, DID HE GET THE KNOCKOUT? NO. BUT HERE IN THIS FIGHT, JOHN, AS WE KNOW, THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND IN THE CAGE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT'S WHERE THE REAL LESSONS TAKE PLACE. THAT'S WHERE THE REAL EDUCATION HAPPENS. >> I THINK BOTH GUYS LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS FIGHT. I GIVE CHRISTIAN EDWARDS JUST, YOU KNOW, PROPS FOR LISTENING TO HIS COACHES AND IMPLEMENTING WHAT THEY'RE TELLING HIM. HE WAS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF CONTROL IN THE FIRST ROUND. HE WAS DOING BIG, EXCITING THINGS AND IT WASN'T WORKING, IT WAS ACTUALLY TO HIS DETRIMENT AND YOU SAW HUTCH IN THIS THIRD ROUND, HE HAD THE ABILITY TO QUIT, HE SAID I'M NOT DOING THAT. >> EDWARDS COMING OFF A HEAD KICK K.O. >> THERE'S THAT -- >> THAT KEEP TO THE MIDSECTION. WHEN THAT'S TAKING YOU OFF BALANCE, YOU KNOW IT'S GOT SOME POWER. WATCH THE ELBOW HERE. BOOM. THAT THING WAS BALLING BECAUSE HUTCH WAS ACTUALLY COMING FORWARD WITH A BEAUTIFUL ELBOW, NICE LIFT, RIGHT HAND. >> MARCO. >> AND WHILE WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT EDWARDS' HANDIWORK, I WANT TO GIVE MARCO HUTCH AN OPPORTUNITY OR GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY, YES, IT SEEMS LIKE HE HAS LOST THIS FIGHT. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A KID LIKE MARCO HUTCH IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT? HOW DOES HE MOVE FORWARD? >> WHAT YOU GET OUT OF THIS, HE, IN THE FIRST ROUND, HE WAS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE MISTAKES BY CHRISTIAN EDWARDS. THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED TO SEE. EVENTUALLY, HE JUST STARTED GETTING HIT WITH SHOTS BUT IT WAS BETWEEN THAT SECOND AND THIRD ROUND WHEN YOU COULD SEE HE WAS A FIGHTER THAT WAS STARTING TO LOSE FAITH AND EVEN HIS COACH SAID SOMETHING AND HE DID NOT GIVE UP. HE HUNG IN THERE. HE TRIED. THAT SAYS EVERYTHING ABOUT WHO HE IS AS A FIGHTER. >> NOW, I HAVE SAID THAT IT APPEARS THAT CHRISTIAN EDWARDS HAS DONE ENOUGH TO WIN, BUT WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN COMBAT SPORTS SOMETIMES. >> NOT HERE. NOT WITH THESE JUDGES. WE'VE GOT GOOD ONES. >> LET'S MAKE IT OFFICIAL. HERE IS MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR THE DECISION, ACCORDING TO THREE JUDGES AT CAGESIDE, JUDGES CHRIS LEE AND DEREK CLEARY BOTH SEE THE SAME, 30-26, WHILE JUDGE DON TURNER SEES IT 30-25. ALL HAVE IT FOR THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION, STILL UNDEFEATED, CHRISTIAN "PAIN" EDWARDS. >> CHRISTIAN "PAIN" EDWARDS FORCED TO GO TO DISTANCE IN HIS EMBRYONIC MMA CAREER BUT HE REMAINS UNBEATEN 3-0, ALL INSIDE THE BELLATOR MMA CAGE. AS HE DOMINATES MARCO HUTCH, WINNING VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION. >> COMING UP, THE MAIN CARD OF BELLATOR 239, SURGING WELTERWEIGHTS ED RUTH, 8-1, TAKING ON THE 22-0 YAROSLAV AMOSOV. THE MAIN EVENT. HOW ABOUT BRANDON GIRTZ BACK TO WHERE HE IS. HE HAS SHED A LOT OF BLOOD AT WIN STAR. HE HOPES THE BLOOD WILL BE SHED BY MYLES JURY TONIGHT. AND THEN WHAT PROMISES TO BE A COUPLE OF SLOBBER KNOCKERS, AS MY FRIEND FROM OKLAHOMA WOULD SAY, TYRELL FORTUNE TANGLES WITH TIM JOHNSON, JAVY AYALA TAKES ON VALENTIN MOLDAVSKY. >> YAROSLAV AMOSOV IS AN OUTSTANDING WELTERWEIGHT MATCH-UP. RUTH WITH AN INCREDIBLE WRESTLING BACKGROUND, AMOSOV WITH THE FULL GAME. HE IS JUST HAPPY TO BE IN THE CAGE. HE'S GOT SKILLS IN EVERY AREA. THIS IS ONE FANTASTIC MATCH-UP. >> WE ARE SET FOR MORE ACTION HERE, BELLATOR 239 PRELIMS. IT WILL BE SEAN BUNCH BATTLING KEITH LEE. >> SEAN BUNCH, 36 YEARS OF AGE, BUT STILL ONE OF THE FASTEST FIGHTERS YOU WILL EVER SEE. KEITH LEE, THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF UFC FIGHTER KEVIN LEE. >> HERE'S MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> FROM WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT, WE NOW GO TO THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS SET IN THE BANTAM WEIGHT DIVISION. INTRODUCING THE BLUE CORNER AT 5'9", WEIGHING IN 136 POUNDS EVEN, MAKING HIS BELLATOR DEBUT, HE BRINGS FIVE PROFESSIONAL VICTORIES, THREE DEFEATS BY WAY OF DETROIT, HE FIGHTS OUT OF LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, KILLER KEITH LEE. >> YES, SIR. >> ACROSS THE CAGE, HIS ADVERSARY OUT OF THE RED CORNER, WEIGHING IN 135.5 POUNDS, AS A PROFESSIONAL, 9 VICTORIES, 4 LOSSES, FIGHTING OUT OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, SHAWN BUNCH THE GREAT. IN CHARGE, YOUR REFEREE, KERRY HATLY. >> GARY HATLY, THIRD MAN INSIDE THE CAGE, PRESIDING OVER THIS BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT SCHEDULED FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS. >> SHAWN BUNCH IN THE RED GLOVES, 6-3 WITH 2 KNOCKOUT VICTORIES BY KILLER KEITH LEE MAKING HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT. TONIGHT'S FIGHT CLOCK POWERED BY GEICO AND YES, KEITH LEE, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION LIMITLESS KEITH LEE. >> NOT AT ALL. >> YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT KEITH LEE IS, HE LIKES TO STAND UP BUT HE'S UTILIZED HIS WRESTLING TO GET A LOT OF HIS WINS AND AGAINST SHAWN BUNCH, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT SKILL SET THE SAME SINCE SHAWN BUNCH HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE WRESTLER THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, WILTING QUALIFIER, HE IS THE REAL DEAL WHEN IT COMES TO THE GRAPPLING ARTS BUT HIS STAND-UP HAS BEEN GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. THIS SHOULD BE A STAND-UP BATTLE. >> AND AS YOU MENTIONED, KEITH LEE, THE BROTHER OF UFC LIGHTWEIGHT KEVIN LEE, ALSO TRAINS WITH EVERYBODY AT EXTREME COUTURE AND A BKSS, BLACK KOBRA STRIKING SYSTEM. LEE COMES IN TO HIS BELLATOR DEBUT WITH A RECORD OF 5-3, 3 KNOCKOUTS, AND A SUBMISSION WIN. THE SUBMISSION COMING IN HIS LAST FIGHT WHEN HE DEFEATED ALVIS IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR VIA A SECOND ROUND REAR NAKED CHOKE. MEANWHILE, BUNCH TRYING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A LOSS TO LEANDRO AT BELLATOR 228 LAST SEPTEMBER WHERE HE WAS SUBMITTED VIA GUILLOTINE CHOKE. >> VERY NICE MOVE BY BUNCH. YOU SAW LEE COMING IN, SHOOTING FROM AFAR, NOT THE WAY YOU NEED TO SET THAT TAKE. BUNCH JUST SLIDES BY AND MAKES HIM PAY WITH THAT RIGHT HAND IN RETURN. >> LEE LOOKING TO EXTEND HIS TWO-FIGHT WINNING STREAK, TRYING TO GET HIS BEARINGS, HIS FEET UNDER HIM IN HIS BELLATOR DEBUT, AND YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO MAKE THAT FIRST IMPRESSION. LEE FACING THE VETERAN IN THE 36-YEAR-OLD SHAWN BUNCH AND YOU MENTIONED IT ALREADY, JOHN, BUT YOU TALKED TO BUNCH ABOUT HIS STRENGTHS AND OF COURSE IF IT'S WORLD CLASS WRESTLING BUT HE SAYS IT'S ALSO HIS SPEED. HE SAYS HE'S FASTER THAN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. HE SAYS HE'S THE FASTEST MAN ON THE PLANET. >> I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S THE FASTEST MAN ON THE PLANET BUT I WILL TELL YOU, HE IS FAST. >> HIS WORDS, NOT MINE. >> THAT'S IT, YOU KNOW? >> USAIN BOLT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. >> YOU WATCH HIM. WHEN SHAWN BUNCH DECIDES TO GO, HE IS FAST. AND SPEED'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT STARTS TO LEAVE SOMEONE AND SHAWN BUNCH BEING 36 YEARS OF AGE, HE HAS NOT LOST ANY OF THAT SPEED. >> GETTING TO KNOW YOU OPENING ROUND HERE BETWEEN SHAWN BUNCH IN THE RED GLOVES AND KILLER KEITH LEE IN THE BLUE GLOVES. >> YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT KEITH LEE AND THE BLACK COBRA STRIKING SYSTEM, THAT'S DEWY COOPER, THE BLACK KOBRA, WHO USED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST KICKBOXERS IN THE WORLD AND HE HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN WORKING WITH KEITH LEE ON THE STAND-UP AS FAR AS THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF WHAT HE'S BRINGING TO THE CAGE NOW. >> AND AT 36, SHOULD SHAWN BUNCH HAVE DESIGNS ON MAKING A RUN FOR THE BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP? WELL, HERE IS THE TIME NOW TO START TO GET IT DONE. HIS TENTH FIGHT UNDER THE BELLATOR BANNER. HE IS 9-4 AND AS WE SPEAK, THAT BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT BELT VACANT AFTER HIROGUCHI WAS FORCED TO RELINQUISH THE BELT DUE TO INJURY. >> I GIVE HIM SO MUCH CREDIT DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD ON TO SOMETHING WHEN I CAN'T FIGHT. I'LL COME BACK WHEN I'M HEALTHY AND I'LL TAKE IT BACK. >> AND BUNCH LOOKING TO TAKE LEE DOWN BUT LEE DOING A GOOD JOB. >> GOT THE DOUBLE UNDERS BUT HE HAD HIS BACK FOR A LITTLE BIT. KEITH LEE'S DONE A VERY NICE JOB. >> AND ON THE QUICK EXIT THERE, RIGHT HAND OVER THE TOP LANDS FOR BUNCH, SHOWCASING SOME OF THAT. >> SOME OF THAT SPEED. THERE YOU GO. >> THE REAL THING FOR SHAWN BUNCH THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE HE IS SUCH A VETERAN OF THE WRESTLING WORLD AND NOW THE MMA WORLD, HIS DOWNFALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HOLD IT ALL TOGETHER AND HE'S MADE THAT ONE MISTAKE THAT HIS OPPONENT'S BEEN ABLE TO CATCH HIM IN AND THAT'S WHAT LED TO HIS LOSSES. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN HIS LAST FIGHT. HE WAS WINNING THAT FIGHT, WINNING IT EASILY, BUT MADE THE MISTAKE, HIGRO GETS THE GUILLOTINE CHOKE AND THAT'S WHERE SHAWN HAS GOT TO SAY, THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO IMPROVE. I NEED TO STAY MENTALLY SHARP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FIGHT. >> WE SAW LEE TEST THE WATERS WITH A HEAD KICK BUT IT WAS SHAWN BUNCH WHO DOVE RIGHT IN WITH THAT RIGHT KICK TO THE BODY. >> THAT WAS A GOOD KICK. BACK PEDALING RIGHT NOW. HOW MUCH THAT HURT, YOU CAN SEE IT HURT SHAWN BY HIS REACTION. >> GREAT HIP THERE BY LEE AS WELL, STIFLING THE TAKEDOWN, AND IMMEDIATELY LOOKING FOR THAT SHORT ELBOW STRIKE, SO A DECENT OPENING 5:00 HERE BETWEEN BUNCH AND LEE. >> YOU WERE NOT CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF. >> NO, YOU WERE NOT. YOU CANNOT FLY. >> LET'S WATCH THE KNEE COME UP HERE. SEE RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD. JAWLINE OF SHAWN BUNCH. YOU CAN SEE IT GIVE THAT NICE LITTLE SHAKE AND THAT HYDROSTATIC SHOCK GOING THROUGH SHAWN BUNCH AND HE STARTS LEANING FORWARD. HE WAS HURT BY THAT KNEE. >> FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER. >> LEE PROVING TO BE AS NASTY AS HE WANTS TO BE. AND THERE'S HIS BROTHER. KEITH LEE WILL BE QUICK TO TELL YOU, I AM THE BETTER-LOOKING BROTHER OF THE LEAGUE. >> THERE'S NOW AN APP THAT CAN RATE YOUR -- NOT THAT I'VE TRIED IT. >> I'M SURE YOU WOULD KNOW THAT. I WOULD HAVE NO IDEA. >> HOT OR NOT, HERE WE GO. HOPING TO HEAT THINGS UP HERE IN ROUND NUMBER TWO AS LEE AND BUNCH, MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE START. AND OF COURSE, HAVING A FAMILY MEMBER IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS HAS ITS PROS AND CONS, BUT JUST BEING AROUND THE LEE BROTHERS, YOU CAN TELL HOW STRONG A BOND THEY HAVE AND HOW THEY EACH ARE THEIR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS. >> THERE'S NO WAY THAT BEING THE BROTHER OF KEVIN LEE IS GOING TO MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR YOU BUT IT ABSOLUTELY IS GOING TO HELP YOU. HE'S BEEN IN THOSE SITUATIONS. HE CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE STRUGGLES OF ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE IN A TOUGH FIGHT. HE CAN GIVE YOU THAT LITTLE BIT. >> TAKEDOWN RIGHT AT THE FLOOR, MOUNT BY LEE. BUNCH GIVING UP HIS BACK. AND REMEMBER, BUNCH WAS SUBMITTED VIA GUILLOTINE CHOKE IN HIS LAST FIGHT. HE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED VIA REAR NAKED CHOKE AS WELL AGAINST DARIAN CALDWELL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015 AND HE IS LEAKING LIKE A POLITICAL DOCUMENT, JOHN. >> BEAUTIFUL FIGURE FOUR ON THE BODY BY KEITH LEE. HE'S IN GOOD POSITION RIGHT NOW. >> DO IT AGAIN. >> HE IS JUST DOING -- YOU CAN HEAR HIS BROTHER. DO IT AGAIN, DO IT AGAIN. THAT IS JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS. TAKE YOUR TIME. >> AND LEE PUTTING TOGETHER HIS OWN POLLACK PAINTING THANKS TO THE PLASMA THAT IS FLOWING FROM SHAWN BUNCH DUE TO THE SUSTAINED OFFENSIVE ATTACK FROM THE KILLER. KEITH LEE IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT. >> BODY LOCK. YES. YES. >> AND YOU CAN HEAR KEVIN LEE, VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT KEITH LEE IS DOING, GOING TO THE BODY LOCK. >> GOOD. >> BODY RIGHT THERE. WATCH THE BODY. >> BODY SCISSORS, JOHN, WHICH CAN BE A PRISON YOU DON'T ALWAYS ESCAPE. >> OH, IT CAN BE A TOUGH POSITION, AND RIGHT NOW, SHAWN BUNCH NEEDS TO TAKE AND TURN HIMSELF TOWARDS HIS LEFT. HE NEEDS TO PUT THAT FOOT OF KEITH LEE TO THE GROUND. THAT WILL HELP CREATE THE POSITION WHERE HE CAN'T SQUEEZE ENOUGH TO HOLD ON TO HIM AND HE TRIES TO SPIN INSIDE OF IT, THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO IT. IF THAT FOOT GOES UP, HE CAN SQUEEZE WITH HIS LEGS AND IT'S GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO TURN WITH IT. NOW SWITCHING IT OVER AND BACK. >> AGAIN, LEE COMING OFF HIS FIRST SUBMISSION WIN EVER. THAT CAME VIA REAR NAKED CHOKE AND FISHING FOR AN RNZ OR A MATALEON AS IT WERE, HERE AGAINST SHAWN BUNCH AND KEITH LEE SAYING, HE'S GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU. >> RIGHT NOW, HE'S GOING PALM TO PALM, TRYING TO WORK THAT CHOKE. HE JUST NEEDS TO TAKE HIS TIME, GET YOUR SHOT, SLIDE THE HAND WHEN HIS ARMS GET INTO POSITION THAT YOU CAN PUSH THAT ARM ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I WOULD TELL YOU, DON'T GO TO YOUR BACK SO MUCH AS POSSIBLE. >> AND BUNCH TURNING TO HIS LEFT, TRYING TO KEEP LEE FROM SINKING THE ARM UNDERNEATH THE CHIN. DEFENDING WELL HERE. WING BLOCKING BUT EXPENDING A LOT OF ENERGY, JOHN. >> HE'S TAKEN A LOT OF SHOTS AND YOU SEE KEITH LEE CHANGING THAT LEG, BRINGING IT TO THE OUTSIDE. THAT'S SMART. IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE TIGHTER, MAKE IT HARDER FOR HIM TO TURN WITHIN IT. >> BACK TO THE BODY SCISSORS THERE AND 1:30 NOW REMAINING IN THE SECOND ROUND. >> SHAWN BUNCH HAS TAKEN A LOT OF DAMAGE IN THIS ROUND. HE'S TRYING THE BACK DOOR ESCAPE. >> BACK TO HIS FEET. TURNS INTO LEE BUT LEE'S TAKEDOWN DEFENSE ON POINT, OUTSTANDING. >> YOU KNOW HOW GOOD A WRESTLER SHAWN BUNCH IS, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WRESTLING DEFENSE THAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM KEITH LEE. >> HOW GOOD A WRESTLER WAS SHAWN BUNCH? WELL, HE WAS A TWO-TIME STATE CHAMPION, FOUR-TIME FINALIST, WENT TO COLLEGE AT EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY, TWO-TIME ALL AMERICAN, MOVED TO THE OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTER FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, SO HE DEFINITELY HAS THE WRESTLING CREDENTIALS BUT IT'S KEITH LEE WHOSE CONFIDENCE IS GROWING, THANKS IN PART TO HIS TAKEDOWN DEFENSE. >> THERE IT IS. THAT NICE RIGHT HAND LANDED BY SHAWN BUNCH THERE. TRYING TO GET HIMSELF BACK A LITTLE BIT. WE'LL SEE IF THAT FIGURE FOUR WITH THE LEG, SOMETIMES THAT WILL START TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF LACTIC ACID BUILT UP BECAUSE YOU'RE SQUEEZING TOO MUCH AND YOUR LEGS GET A LITTLE HEAVY. WE'LL SEE IF THAT MOTION IS GONE THAT WE SAW EARLIER WITH KOOELT LEE.EITH LEE. >> HEAD KICK THAT WAS PARTIALLY PARRIED BY BUNCH AND LEE LOOKING FOR THE KNEE, COUNTER RIGHT HAND BY BUNCH AND MISSES WITH THE RIGHT CROSS AS WE HEAD TO THE THIRD AND FINAL ROUND. >> TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, THE FIFTH RIGHT THERE ON THE CHIN, AND YOU SEE SHAWN FOLDING BACK, KEITH LEE GOING RIGHT TO A MOUNT. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL SWITCH KNEE THAT HITS SOLID. YOU GOT TO GIVE SHAWN BUNCH CREDIT FOR TAKING A HEAVY SHOT LIKE THAT, BUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TECHNIQUE BY KEITH LEE, RIGHT INTO THE MOUNT, GOING FOR THE HEAVY ELBOWS, AND MAKE SHAWN BUNCH TURN. RIGHT NOW, KEVIN LEE HAS GOT TO BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT HE'S SEEING OUT OF HIS YOUNGER BROTHER. >> I HEAR YOU. FIVE MINUTES, THOUGH. >> ANY TIME YOU CAN SHARE A LAUGH IN BETWEEN ROUNDS, THINGS MUST BE GOING PRETTY WELL. >> THEY MIGHT BE GOING YOUR WAY. >> NO LAUGHING MATTER FOR SHAWN BUNCH AT THE AGE OF 36. HE KNOWS THE CLOCK IS TICKING, AND YES, JUST HIS 14th PROFESSIONAL FIGHT, BUT FATHER TIME IS UNDEFEATED. >> JAB LANDS FOR LEE. AGAIN, REALLY WANTS TO FIND A HOME FOR THAT LEFT HEAD KICK, JOHN. >> HE'S LOOKING FOR IT. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HEAR HIS BROTHER TALKING ABOUT IT. WHEN TO LAUNCH IT. BUT HE'S JUST BEEN VERY GOOD. YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT HIS LEGS, YOU KNOW, WERE THEY GOING TO BE HEAVY, HE'S STILL MOVING HIMSELF WELL. HE'S NOT LEANING. HE'S MOVING HIS FEET WHEN HE WANTS TO COME FORWARD. THERE YOU GO, THAT NICE LITTLE SLIDE STEP, EVERYTHING HE'S DOING IS RIGHT. EVERY FIGHT IS DIFFERENT. WHAT HAVEN'T YOU SEEN FROM SHAWN BUNCH TONIGHT THAT YOU NEED TO SEE IN ORDER FOR HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL? >> WELL, IN MY OPINION, FOR SHAWN, SHAWN, SINCE HE IS OF SMALLER STATURE AS FAR AS HEIGHT AND REACH, HE NEEDS TO GET HIMSELF INSIDE AND UTILIZE THAT THREAT OF THE TAKEDOWN, BUT YOU GOT TO BE HONEST. HE'S TRIED AND KEITH LEE HAS BEEN ABLE TO STIFLE ALL OF THAT. >> TAKEDOWN DEFENSE HAS BEEN SUBLIME. >> YEP. >> THERE'S A FAINT BY LEE, AND THERE THROWS A KICK AND BUNCH DOING WHAT YOU SAID, STEPPING IN, TIMING THE ATTACK AND HAS SECURED KEITH LEE BUT UNABLE TO TAKE HIM DOWN TO THE MAT. >> AND THIS WAS -- THIS IS GOING TO SAY A LOT. IF HE DOESN'T GET HIM DOWN OFF OF THAT BECAUSE HE GOT INTO HIS BODY, GOT THE DOUBLE UNDER STILL, AND HE'S JUST -- KEITH LEE BROUGHT HIS ARMS DOWN AND THAT'S JUST THE LEVERAGE OF THE TALLER FIGHTER ON HIM. SOMETIMES BEING SHORT IS GOING TO HELP YOU IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. SOMETIMES, IT WORKS AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU'RE FIGHTING A TALLER FIGHTER. >> LEE IS JUST 23, AND I ADMIRE THE MATURITY AND, AGAIN, THE CONNECTION HE HAS WITH HIS BROTHER AND THE TIME THAT HE IS TAKING IN TERMS OF SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE AND TRYING TO DICTATE THE TEMPO, THE PACE, AND TRYING TO FIND THOSE LONG RANGE MISSILES, A HOME FOR THEM. >> MENTALLY, WHEN YOU'RE SHAWN BUNCH AND YOU GET DEEP ON A GUY FOR THAT TAKEDOWN AND YOU GO FOR IT AND YOU'RE USED TO BEING SUCCESSFUL AND IT DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU, MAN, IT'S A HARD DRAIN ON YOU. WE SAW BUNCH THERE ALMOST ATTEMPT WHAT KEVIN RANDALLMAN WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AT DOING, OF COURSE, THE DECORATED WRESTLER, WHERE HE FAKED THE SHOT, WENT OVER TOP WITH THE LEFT HOOK. BUNCH, UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING HE MIGHT WANT TO ATTEMPT AGAIN. >> ALWAYS. THAT STIFF JAB. >> ONE-TWO FOR SHAWN BUNCH. SWITCHING STANCES IS KILLER KEITH LEE. 2:00 LEFT HERE IN THE FIGHT. YOU'RE WATCHING BANTAMWEIGHTS GO AT IT, BELLATOR 239 PRELIMS, AND AGAIN, SHAWN BUNCH, AND HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN LANDING BUT NOW LEE UNLOADS WITH A RIGHT HAND, SO BUNCH MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING, BUT THERE'S 1:45 LEFT IN THE BOAT. >> WATCH THAT TRAP, JOHN. >> EVERYTHING IS ABOUT GETTING YOUR OPPONENT TO MOVE AND YOU CAN SEE KEITH LEE IS MOVING HIS FEET, SHAWN BUNCH IS TRYING TO DO THOSE THINGS, SHOWING HE'S GOING TO THE TAKEDOWN BUT BRINGING THE HAND UP. >> RIGHT HAND LANDS IT. BOTH NOW FIGHTING DOWN ON THE MOUNT. JUST RUNNING TO SIT DOWN ON THEIR SHOTS, KNOWING 1:15 LEFT IN THE FIGHT. >> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN SEE OUT OF SHAWN BUNCH IN THIS ROUND, HE'S BEEN WINNING THAT POSITION OF THE OUTSIDE FOOT EVERY TIME THE SPEED GOES TO SOUTH PAW. >> I HAVEN'T BEEN ASKING YOU YET, JOHN, BUT WITH 1:00 LEFT, HOW DID YOU HAVE IT COMING INTO THE THIRD ROUND, AND HOW DO YOU SEE THIS FIGHT UNFOLDING HERE IN THE FINAL MINUTE? WHAT WERE YOUR SCORES AFTER TWO? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THE FIRST ROUND, I BELIEVED IN KEITH LEE BECAUSE HE HURT SHAWN BUNCH. THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT ROUND. BUT THE SECOND ROUND WAS A 10-8 ROUND FOR KEITH LEE SO SHAWN BUNCH, IN MY OPINION, HAS REALLY GOT TO DO SOMETHING. WE MAY HAVE GOTTEN A SCORE FROM A JUDGE IN THE FIRST ROUND SO HE COULD WALK AWAY WITH A DRAW. I DON'T SEE HIM WINNING UNLESS HE FINISHES, THOUGH. >> SPINNING BACK KICK LANDED FOR KEITH LEE. 30 SECONDS LEFT IN THIS BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT. BOTH OF THEM TRYING TO UTILIZE FEINTS BEFORE LAUNCHING THE ATTACK AND THERE KEITH LEE WITH A SHOT, DRIVES BUNCH TO THE FENCE. AND LEE SECURES THE TAKEDOWN ON BUNCH AND GETS HIS BACK IMMEDIATELY, LOOKING FOR THAT REAR NAKED CHOKE, AND BUNCH SCRAMBLING. BUNCH NOW, WOW, GREAT SCRAMBLE HERE IN THE FINAL SECONDS OF THE FIGHT. SOLID ACTION DOWN THE STRETCH. GOOD STUFF FROM KILLER KEITH LEE IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT. WAS IT ENOUGH TO DEFEAT SHAWN BUNCH? >> WATCH THIS TRANSITION HERE. YOU SEE SHAWN BUNCH GET THE BACK. KEITH LEE WILL NOT SETTLE FOR IT. COMES UP, BRINGS THE KNEE UP, DOESN'T HIT HIM SOLID. BUT THESE GUYS WERE GOING FOR IT. THAT WAS A SOLID KNEE RIGHT THERE. BOTH GUYS NOT SETTLING FOR ANYTHING THAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST TRYING TO FINISH THE FIGHT. YOU GOT TO LOVE THAT. >> IN THE FIRST ROUND, I TALKED ABOUT WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE. WATCH THIS KNEE. THAT THING HIT SHAWN BUNCH AND IT HURT HIM. YOU CAN SEE HIS OFFENSE, HE IS STUMBLING, HE'S A HURT FIGHTER IN SECOND ROUND. HE GETS FOLDED BACK BY THAT SAME KNEE AND HERE COMES THE KNEE IN THE THIRD ROUND. THERE WAS KNEES IN EACH ROUND THAT HURT SHAWN BUNCH AND MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THIS FIGHT. >> SHAWN BUNCH FORCED TO EAT MORE THAN A SUNDAY BRUNCH HERE AGAINST KILLER KEITH LEE. WILL IT BE ENOUGH FOR LEE TO WIN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT? >> HERE WE GO, GUYS. WITH THE OFFICIAL DECISION, HERE'S MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOING TO YOUR THREE JUDGES NOW, YOUR FIRST, DEREK CLEARY, 30-26. TOM, 29-28. 29-27. ALL THREE HAVE IT FOR THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION, KILLA KEITH LEE. >> WELCOME TO BELLATOR MMA, KEITH LEE IMPROVES TO 6-3, EXTENDS HIS WIN STREAK TO THREE. >> YES, SIR. BABY ON THE WAY. MY BABY'S GOING TO BE GOOD. YES, SIR. >> STILL TO COME TONIGHT, BELLATOR 223, THE MAIN CARD CULMINATES WITH A WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN BETWEEN EASY ED RUTH AND YAROSLAV AMOSOV. YOU'LL SEE BRANDON GIRTZ MEET MYLES JURY AND A COUPLE OF HEAVYWEIGHT TILTS PIT TYRELL FORTUNE AGAINST TIM JOHNSON, JAVY AYALA AGAINST VALENTIN MOLDAVSKY. >> MYLES JURY, THIS IS HIS SECOND FIGHT IN BELLATOR. MYLES JURY IS SO GOOD AT BEING A TECHNICAL STAND-UP FIGHTER BUT HE'S FACING A GUY THAT IS A BRAWLER, A GUY THAT BRINGS THE FIGHT TO YOU, TRIES TO TAKE YOUR HEAD OFF IN BRANDON GIRTZ. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CONTRAST IN STYLES. WE'LL SEE WHO CAN IMPLEMENT THEIR GAME. >> SO WE CONTINUE HERE WITH ACTION IN THE FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION. GABRIEL VAR GA, THE BELLATOR WORLD CHAMPION IN KICKBOXING JUST TAKING APART KEVIN ROSS, WHO'S A FANTASTIC FIGHTER. GABRIEL VARGA HAS WON WORLD TITLES SIX TIMES. THIS GUY IS PHENOMENAL ON FEET. LOOK AT HIM GO TO THE BODY AND THAT'S WHAT HE SPECIALIZES IN. >> AND HIS MMA DEBUT. >> THIS IS HIS MMA DEBUT HERE. IN THACKERVILLE. AND HE JUST STARTS WEARING HIS OPPONENT DOWN WITH A BODY SHOT. FINISHES HIM OFF. HE WANTS TO DO IT FOR A SECOND TIME. >> YEAH, LOOKING TO MAKE A TWO FOR TWO IN THACKERVILLE. T.J. BRITAIN WILL TRY TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING AS WE LOOK AT THE TALE OF THE TAPE. >> HE'S A TALL 5'10" BUT LOOK AT THE 6'4" WITH T.J. BRITAIN, HE HAS DEFINITELY GOT A HEIGHT AND REACH ADVANTAGE. >> HERE'S MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> JOINING US WORLDWIDE IN THE BELLATOR MMA GLOBAL APP, WE WELCOME YOU TO THE BELLATOR 239 PRELIMS WHERE WE GO NOW TO THE FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION SET FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS, INTRODUCING THE BLUE CORNER, AT 6'4", WEIGHING IN 145.4 POUNDS, HIS PROFESSIONAL RECORD, 5-2, FROM JOPLIN, MISSOURI, TEEJAY "BAD NEWS" BRITTON. ACROSS THE CAGE, AN ADVERSARY OUT OF THE RED CORNER AT 5'10", WEIGHING IN 145.7 POUNDS, THE REIGNING BELLATOR KICKBOXING FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION RETURNS TO THE CAGE WHERE AS A MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST HE STANDS AT 1-0, FIGHTING OUT OF VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, INTRODUCING GABRIEL VARGA. IN CHARGE, YOUR REFEREE, JASON HERZOG. >> JASON HERZOG IS THE MAN ASSIGNED TO THIS FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT, TEEJAY BRITTON MAKING HIS BELLATOR DEBUT. MY FELLOW CANADIAN HAS THE HONOR OF CALLING MANY OF HIS KICKBOXING MATCHES, LOOKING FORWARD TO CALLING AN MMA FIGHT INVOLVING ONE OF THE BEST KICKBOXERS ON THE PLANET, AND LOOKING TO RUN HIS BELLATOR MMA RECORD TO 2-0, THE FIGHT CLOCK TONIGHT BROUGHT TO YOU BY GEICO, AND IT IS VARGA IN THE RED GLOVES, BRITTON IN THE BLUE. >> GABRIEL VARGA IS SO TECHNICALLY GOOD AND PROFICIENT IN THE STAND-UP, HE IS BRUTAL GOING TO THE BODY. HE IS TIGHT WITH EVERYTHING, TWO-TIME GLORY WORLD CHAMPION, NOW THE BELLATOR KICKBOXING WORLD CHAMPION BUT WANTS TO FIGHT ALL THE TIME. SO HE LIKES TAKING THESE MMA FIGHTS. >> BRITTON CHANGING LEVELS, LOOKING FOR THE TAKEDOWN, PINNING VARGA ALONG THE FENCE. VARGA TALKING ABOUT HIS OPPONENT, STATING THE OBVIOUS, HE'S VERY TALL, PROBABLY ONE OF THE TALLEST AT 145, AND HE TOLD US THAT IF IT WAS A KICKBOXING FIGHT, HE WOULD PUNISH HIM ON THE INSIDE BUT UNDER MMA RULES HE WANTS TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE TAKEDOWN. >> YOU DO HAVE TO RESPECT THAT BECAUSE YOU END UP ON YOUR BACK, ALL THAT KICKBOXING SKILL, KIND OF IS FOR NAUGHT. >> BRITTON PLAYED PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL OVERSEAS, RAN PRO CIRCUIT TRACK AND FIELD, 1-0 AS A BOXER, 1-0 AS A PRO KICKBOXER, SAYS HIS GREATEST STRENGTH IS HIS HEART, PUSHING THE PACE, AND HE WANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE REACH ADVANTAGE THAT HE HAS ON VARGA. >> I THINK HE'S GOT A REACH ADVANTAGE AGAINST EVERYONE. IT'S AMAZING, HE HAS ACTUALLY FOUGHT AT BANTAMWEIGHT ALSO. THINK OF A GUY 6'4" AT 135 POUNDS, THAT'S ALMOST CRAZY BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE OUT OF GABRIEL VARGA. YOU SEE HIM REACH IN AND PUMMEL FOR THAT UNDERHOOK, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO START TO GET HIM OUT. HE'S GOT TO GET THAT UNDERHOOK DEEP AND GET THOSE HANDS SEPARATED SO HE GETS INTO THAT NICE 50/50 POSITION. >> BRITTON ALSO A YOUTH MINISTER, PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGING LIVES. WANTS TO CHANGE HIS LIFE. THAT'S A START, THE TAKEDOWN ON VARGA. BRITTON LOOKING TO MAKE HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT A SUCCESSFUL ONE, COMES IN AT 5-2, ALL FIVE OF HIS VICTORIES INSIDE THE DISTANCE WITH FOUR KNOCKOUTS AND A REAR NAKED CHOKE SUBMISSION. >> THE FIRST FIGHT WITH GABRIEL VARGA HAD HERE WITH BELLATOR MMA, WE SAW HE WAS TAKEN DOWN IN THAT FIGHT TOO BUT HE WAS VERY RELAXED ON HIS BACK, TOOK HIS TIME, DID THE RIGHT THING. YOU SEE HIM RIGHT NOW LOOKING FOR BUTTERFLY HOOK WITH THAT LEFT LEG. EVERYTHING IS ABOUT REMAINING CALM. YOUR BRAIN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT YOU HAVE IN A FIGHT. IF YOU ARE THINKING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WELL. YOU SEE BRITTON TRYING TO CONTROL THAT RIGHT WRIST, HE'S REACHING THROUGH, LACING THAT GOT IT WITH BOTH HANDS RIGHT NOW, NOW GOES DOWN TO LAND WITH THAT LEFT HAND. >> BRITTON LOOKING TO SNAP A TWO-FIGHT LOSING STREAK IN HIS FIRST FORAY INSIDE THE BELLATOR MMA CAGES, VARGA TRYING DESPERATELY, NOW JUST CLOSING THE GUARD, TRYING TO CONTROL THE POSTURE AND HOPEFULLY FORCE THE REFEREE TO BRING THEM BACK UP TO THEIR FEET BUT BRITTON WANTS TO KEEP IT ON THE GROUND AS LONG AS HE -- AND NOW REFEREE HERZOG IMPLORING BRITTON TO IMPROVE HIS POSITION. >> HE'S JUST STALLING, GABE. >> AND THERE'S THE COACH. AND PROBABLY THE SOUND OF VARGA'S BROTHER, AARON, SAYING, HE'S JUST STALLING, GABE. SO IS GABE. >> YOU SEE WHEN HE CLOSES THAT GUARD AND HE JUST WRAPS THAT RIGHT ARM AROUND THE LEFT ARM OF BRITTON, PULLING DOWN, JUST CONTROLLING THE POSITION, NOT TRYING TO GET OUT. ANY TIME YOUR GUARD IS CLOSED, THAT'S KEEPING THAT GUY RIGHT ON TOP OF YOU, BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN EVERYTHING AND HOPE THAT THAT REFEREE IS GOING TO GET YOU UP. >> VARGA BEGAN HIS MARTIAL ARTS JOURNEY AT THE AGE OF 8. HIS DAD, KEITH, WAS A BOXER AND INTRODUCED THE KID TO TANATE WHERE VARGA WAS A SECOND DEGREE BLACK BELT AT AGE 17. SWITCHED TO BOXING AND MUAY THAI. LOOKING TO GO 2-0 AND NOW HAS BRITTON ALONG THE FENCE. >> HE'S GOT THE DOUBLE UNDER, HE'S GOT HIS HAND LOCKED, HE'S NOW IN THE POSITION THAT BRITTON HAD HIM AGAINST WITH THE CAGE. NOW HE JUST LET GO OF THAT WITH HIS RIGHT HAND BEING FREE. >> VARGA LOOKING TO 86 TEEJAY BRITTON'S BELLATOR DEBUT. SEE WHAT I DID THERE, JOHN? >> I KIND OF SAW IT. LOOKING RIGHT AT IT. >> 20 SECONDS LEFT HERE IN THE OPENING FRAME. WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED, WHAT PROMISES TO BE ANOTHER QUALITY NIGHT OF MMA ACTION, BELLATOR MMA, AND THE WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT. WE ARE ALL IN. >> JOHN, HOW DO YOU HAVE IT AFTER THE ROUND? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING COMING UP HERE? >> YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY CLOSE ROUND. THERE WAS NO REAL DAMAGE. IT WAS ALL ABOUT WHO HAD THE BETTER SHOTS AND THERE WAS A COUPLE OF SHOTS THAT TEEJAY HAD ON THE GROUND WHEN HE LACED THAT ARM AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP WITH THAT LEFT HAND A LITTLE BIT. I'M GOING TO GIVE IT 10-9, BRITTON. THE TIDE WAS STARTING TO TURN A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS THE END OF THAT. GABRIEL VARGA WAS GETTING A LOT MORE RELAXED AND A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE. ASK >> HE'S NOT USED TO GOING THIS FAR. LET'S PUSH HIM NOW. PUSH HIM. >> LET'S GO, GUYS. >> VARGA, AGAIN, GETTING INSTRUCTIONS FROM HIS BROTHER, AARON. ALSO MATT KAISER, HIS GRAPPLING COACH, WHILE TEEJAY BRITTON, HE REPRESENTS HIS GYM, VICTORY MMA, WITH JERRY WALKER, ALLEN HICKS, AND HIS TRAINING PARTNERS INCLUDE THE UFC C.J. BROWN. THIS IS THE SECOND ROUND. AND IMMEDIATELY BRITTON, AGAIN, LOOKING TO TAKE THE KICKBOXER DOWN. SOUND STRATEGY. >> ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING THE SMART FIGHTER. >> ALTHOUGH, AT HIS HEIGHT AND REACH, IT'S VARGA LOOKING TO TURN THE TABLES MOMENTARILY. BRITTON GOES DOWN. HE THOUGHT HE WAS DOING THOSE SHOULDER CHECKS THAT CONOR McGREGOR INVENTED. >> INVENTED? OH, I LIKE THAT. OKAY. LET'S TELL SOME MORE FAIRY TALES. HE WAS GOOD WITH THEM, THOUGH. >> HE WAS VERY DOMINANT, DEVASTATING. STRIKES AND, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MILLENNIA AND IN BOXING WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL YOU SEE IT ALL THE TIME. >> A FRIEND OF MINE, EVANDER HOLYFIELD SAYS, I NEVER COMMITTED A FOUL. YOU USED TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME. >> 1:00 GONE HERE IN THE SECOND STANZA AND VARGA AND BRITTON TIED UP. REFEREE -- SEE VARGA TRYING TO USE HIS LEG TO RELEASE HIS RIGHT ARM. BRITTON'S GOT BIG HANDS, ABLE TO HOLD ON TO THAT WRIST. AND VARGA TELLING US THAT WITH MMA, HE NOT ONLY WANTS TO SHOWCASE HIS STRIKING BUT HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT HE IS WILLING TO CHALLENGE HIMSELF IN OTHER DISCIPLINES. HE WAS DEFINITELY NERVOUS WHEN HE MADE HIS MMA DEBUT, MOSTLY BECAUSE HE TOOK ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR IT. THE REAL THING THAT YOU LOOK AT, WE SIT THERE AND WE GIVE PROPS TO GABRIEL VARGA AS FAR AS BEING THE BELLATOR KICKBOXING WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION BUT KICKBOXING AND STAND-UP MMA ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. YOU'VE GOT TO WORK AT THEM IN A DIFFERENT FASHION, SO YES, HE'S FANTASTIC IN THE KICKBOXING RING WHICH IS GOING TO TRANSLATE OVER TO MMA BUT HE CAN NOT DO THE SAME THING SO HE'S GOT TO CHANGE HIS STRENGTHS. >> SAY IT AGAIN FOR THOSE IN THE BACK, JOHN. BECAUSE THE BOXING MMA THING TOO ALWAYS GETS UNDER MY SKIN. 2:45 LEFT HERE IN THE SECOND STANZA. THEY'VE CREATED SEPARATION. VARGA ATTACKING WITH THE OUTSIDE, THEN GOING UPSTAIRS AND COUNTERED THERE BY BRITTON WITH A SHORT RIGHT HAND BUT VARGA NOW WITH THE BODY LOCK LOOKING TO TAKE BRITTON DOWN. >> I LIKE WHAT VARGA DID WITH THAT OUTSIDE LOW KICK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S A GOOD ATTACK. THAT'S HIS LEAD LEG. HE NEEDS TO JUST KEEP ON TOUCHING THAT LEG OF BRITTON. YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, BRITTON'S GOT VERY THIN LEGS. VARGA'S GOT THE HEAVIER LEGS. IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE MANY SHOTS BEFORE THAT LEG STARTS TO GET HEAVY AND HE JUST CAN'T MOVE AS MUCH. THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE FLOW OF THE FIGHT. >> VARGA ALWAYS KNOWN FOR HIS CONDITIONING, THE MOVEMENT, VERY CLEVER AND MISDIRECTING OPPONENTS, BUT THIS RIGHT HERE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT -- YOU'RE SO RIGHT. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN IN INCREDIBLE SHAPE AND HE IS, BUT THIS CLINCHWORK, ALL THIS STAND-UP GRAPPLING, MAN, IT IS EXHAUSTING. AND YOUR ARMS GET HEAVY. YOUR LEGS GET TIRED. IT IS BRUTAL. IT'S SO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE IS NORMALLY USED TO IN THE KICKBOXING WORLD. >> AND FOR TEEJAY BRITTON, IN HIS EIGHTH PROFESSIONAL FIGHT, FIRST HERE IN BELLATOR, AND THE REFEREE'S SAYING, GUYS, YOU GOT TO KEEP WORKING HERE. YOU GOT TO EARN THAT PAY. >> WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO TRY TO ADVANCE AND YOU'VE GOT TO -- >> THEY'RE EARNING IT RIGHT NOW. >> LOOK. THERE YOU GO. THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL LEFT HAND BY VARGA. >> A TAKEDOWN BY BRITTON. >> WE'LL SEE WHAT BRITTON CAN DO. SEE IF HE CAN HOLD ON TO THAT, NOT ALLOW VARGA TO GET HIMSELF BACK TO A FULL GUARD. >> YOU WONDER WHEN YOU ARE ACCEPTING AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS, IN BRITTON'S BELLATOR DEBUT HAVING LOST HIS LAST TWO FIGHTS, WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, DO ENOUGH TO WIN BUT ALSO WANTING TO SHOW THAT YOU CAN BE A BELLATOR MMA PRIMETIME PLAYER AND WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE AROUND THE RIGHT EYE OF GABRIEL VARGA? >> HE'S GOT A CUT FROM THAT LITTLE SHOT. >> THAT'S NOT JUST -- THAT LOOKS PRETTY NASTY. THERE'S A MOUSE UNDERNEATH THE RIGHT EYE THAT'S QUICKLY MORPHING INTO A RAT, IF YOU ASK ME. WAS IT FROM AN ELBOW? >> JUST A LITTLE BIT OF MAKE-UP. IT'S NO PROBLEM. BIG THING YOU WANT TO SEE. YOU SEE THAT GABRIEL WAS ABLE TO GET HIMSELF BACK TO THE FULL GUARD, NOW JUST CLOSE THE GUARD. HE NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT CHANGING THE ANGLE RIGHT NOW, GET HIS FEET INSIDE, FEET ON THE HIP. >> ALL JOKING ASIDE, YOU THINK, THOUGH, SERIOUSLY, THAT COULD BECOME AN ISSUE, THOUGH, JOHN, IF THE EYE -- REFEREE IS LOOKING AT THAT. IF IT SWELLS UP. >> YEAH. >> I MEAN, NOT TO SAY THEY'RE GOING TO STOP THE FIGHT BUT FOR VARGA, HIS SECOND MMA FIGHT -- AND HE JUST GOT POPPED AGAIN IN THAT EYE WITH THE LEFT HAND. >> WITH THAT LACE WITH THE RIGHT ARM BY TEEJAY. TEEJAY HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT REACHING AROUND THE BODY AND LACING AND HOLDING THAT ARM AND OPENING UP WITH HIS LEFT HAND. >> WELL, BRITTON DID DAMAGE IN THAT SECOND ROUND. REFEREE LOOKING AT THE EYE. >> THIS RIGHT HERE. THAT'S DEAN RIGHT THERE, A CUT MAN FOR BELLATOR FOR A LONG TIME. DEAN IS JUST OUTSTANDING, AND THIS IS WHAT A CUT MAN WILL DO. HE WILL GIVE THE FIGHTER WHAT WE CALL AN EXTRA ROUND. HE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT CUT, HE'S GOING TO PUT HIM RIGHT NOW, ADRENALINE 1001 ON THERE AND PUTTING PRESSURE WITH THAT NICE END SWELL PIECE. BY THE TIME HE GETS DONE, THERE'S GOING TO BE VERY LITTLE SWELLING, THE BLOOD WILL HAVE STOPPED, DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE OPENED UP AGAIN, BUT A CUT MAN OF THE SKILL LEVEL OF THE GUYS THAT ARE HERE IN BELLATOR, THEY ARE PRICELESS. >> AND UNLIKE MIKE TYSON'S CORNER, THAT FATEFUL NIGHT AT THE TOKYO DOME WHEN HE LOST TO BUSTER DOUGLAS, HE HAS AN INFLUENCE. >> IT'S AMAZING. >> WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, JASON HERZOG, BEFORE THE ROUND STARTS, ALLOWING THE DOCTOR TO LOOK. WHAT JASON DID IN THAT SITUATION, SO YOU KNOW, HE ALLOWED DEAN THE TIME TO WORK ON THE CUT AND MAKE THE CUT AS GOOD AS HE COULD MAKE IT WITHIN THOSE 50 SECONDS. HE DIDN'T ALLOW THE DOCTOR TO COME IN AND INTERFERE WITH THAT PROCESS, SO NOW HE GETS TO LOOK AT IT IN THE POSITION IT'S AT WITH THE SWELLING, THE BEST IT'S GOING TO LOOK AND HE CAN MAKE THE DETERMINATION TO LET THE FIGHT GO ON. >> THIRD AND FINAL ROUND, TEEJAY BRITTON, BELLATOR MMA DEBUT IN THE BLUE GLOVES WILL BE TARGETING THE RIGHT EYE OF GABRIEL VARGA, A TWO-TIME GLORY FEATHERWEIGHT KICKBOXING CHAMPION IN THE RED GLOVES AND VARGA COMES FORWARD WITH A RIGHT HAND, GOES RIGHT, MISSES WITH THE LEFT HOOK AND BRITAIN ABLE TO CLOSE THE DISTANCE AND DRIVE VARGA BACK TO THE CAGE. >> BRITTON'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING INSIDE THE HAND OF GABRIEL VARGA, GETTING HIS HANDS AROUND THE BODY AND FORCING HIM TO THE CAGE. THAT LAST LITTLE BIT HE DID IN THAT SECOND ROUND, HE DID A LOT OF DAMAGE. HE DID SOME GOOD WORK. I THINK IT TOOK THE ROUND FOR HIM. >> HOW DO YOU HAVE IT COMING INTO THIS FINAL ROUND, JOHN? >> RIGHT NOW, I HAVE GABRIEL VARGA BEHIND IN THIS FIGHT. I THINK HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING. HE NEEDS TO START GETTING AWAY FROM TEEJAY. >> AND WHAT CAN BRITTON CONTINUE TO DO TO SECURE THE VICTORY? SECURE THE BAG AS THEY SAY, MR. McCARTHY. >> YEP. THAT'S THE HAND RIGHT THERE. WATCH THIS LEFT HAND COMING. I'M LOOKING AT MY ISO. THERE WAS A LEFT HAND, WENT OFF OF THE KICK THAT GABRIEL VARGA THREW. THE LEFT HAND JUST SLIPPED PAST HIS EYE, DIDN'T HIT IT FLUSH BUT IT WAS THAT SLICE AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THAT CUT AND THAT SWELLING. >> BRITTON LOOKING AT THE REFEREE SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, I'M NOT WORKING? IT FEELS LIKE I'M WORKING. AND HE'S DELIVERING THOSE SHORT KNEE STRIKES TO THE INSIDE THIGH AREA OF GABRIEL VARGA. >> HE'S WORKING. HE'S DOING THE BEST HE CAN TO TRY TO JUST CREATE PROBLEMS, MAKE GABRIEL MOVE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT MOVEMENT, SLIDE HIS LEG AROUND, TRY TO GET THAT OUTSIDE TRIP ON, DIGGING HIS FOOT IN THERE TO TRY TO GET AHOLD OF THAT LEG. TEEJAY'S WORKING. >> YEAH, BRITTON'S LIKE, HEY, REFEREE, I GOT ONE OPPONENT IN HERE, ALL RIGHT? JASON HERZOG, ONE OF THE TOP REFEREES AND ALWAYS JOHNNY ON THE SPOT, PEERING INTENTLY, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS ON THE UP AND UP AND VARGA NOW TURNING THE TABLES ON BRITTON BUT NEARING THE MIDPOINT OF THE FINAL ROUND. NEED TO SEE A SENSE OF URGENCY FROM THE CANADIAN. >> I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO SEE HIM LOOK TOWARDS SEPARATING. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST SKILL SET? WELL, IT IS YOUR STRIKING, SO ARE YOU GOING TO OUTGRAPPLE TEEJAY BRITTON? WELL, YOU'VE SHOWN THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE FIGHT, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO OUT-GRAPPLE HIM SO LET'S GO BACK TO WHAT BRUNG US. GET SOME SEPARATION AND TRYING TO OPEN UP WITH THOSE STRIKES. >> BRITTON MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE SEPARATION THAT VARGA IS LOOKING FOR, HAS THE OVER AND THE UNDER HOOK ON, GABRIEL VARGA, VARGA ATTACKING THE LEGS NOW WITH KNEES. >> VARGA TRYING TO SEPARATE AND HE CAN'T. >> AND AS SOON AS THEY DO SEPARATE, BRITTON WAS LOOKING FOR THE TAKEDOWN AGAIN AND THEY CONTINUE TO GRAPPLE ALONG THE FENCE. >> AND YOU GOT TO GIVE IT TO TEEJAY, HE IS SMART IN SAYING, HEY, I DON'T WANT TO SEPARATE FROM YOU. I'M GOING TO SAY THAT YOU'RE BETTER BUT I THINK I'M BETTER AT THIS GRAPPLING AND CLINCHWORK AND SO FAR HE HAS BEEN. >> YEAH, BRITTON PUMMELLING AND VARGA GETTING BUSY WITH THE KNEES, PEPPERING THE LEGS OF BRITTON AND IT MUST HAVE SOME EFFECT BECAUSE BRITTON NOW TRYING TO KEEP THOSE KNEE STRIKES FROM TAKING PLACE AND YEAH, THE DANCE CONTINUES HERE, 1:20 LEFT IN THIS FEATHERWEIGHT MATCH-UP. WE ARE AT WIN STAR. WORLD CASINO AND RESORT FOR BELLATOR 239. VARGA'S CORNER WANTS HIM TO FINISH STRONG WITH 1:00 REMAINING. BUT IT'S THE STRENGTH OF BRITTON THAT IS KEEPING VARGA FROM CREATING THE SEPARATION. >> ABSOLUTELY. HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ON TO THAT OVER HOOK THAT HE HAS ON VARGA'S LEFT ARM. VARGA HAS TRIED TO FRAME OUT. HE'S TRIED TO BREAK FREE OF HIM. IT HAS NOT WORKED FOR HIM. >> REFEREE ASKING THEM TO KEEP WORKING. BRITTON ACQUIESCING AND, WELL, HERZOG GIVING VARGA A POTENTIAL HAIL MARY OPPORTUNITY. BRITTON LOOKING FOR THE SHOT AND THEY TANGLE AGAIN NEAR THE FENCE. 20 SECOND LEFT AND BRITTON AGAIN CONTROLLING THE DISTANCE AND VARGA SECURES THE TAKEDOWN. >> VARGA TRYING TO FIRE OFF SOME OFFENSE BUT HIS BIGGEST ENEMY IS, WE ARE GOING TO THE JUDGES. 37-YEAR-OLD TEEJAY BRITTON, FIRST FIGHT HERE IN BELLATOR MMA, SHOWCASING SOME SPORTSMANSHIP WITH GABRIEL VARGA, THE 34-YEAR-OLD, IN HIS SECOND FIGHT INSIDE THE BELLATOR MMA CAGE. HOW DO YOU HAVE IT, JOHN, ON YOUR UNOFFICIAL SCORECARD? >> WELL, UNOFFICIALLY, I HAVE IT, IT'S A CLOSE ONE IN THE FIRST ROUND BUT I STILL GIVE IT TO TEEJAY BRITTON. SECOND ROUND DEFINITELY GOES TO TEEJAY. HE TOOK IT OVER THE LAST 35, 40 SECONDS. I GIVE THE LAST ROUND TO GABRIEL VARGA SO I RIGHT NOW HAVE TEEJAY BRITTON 29-28. >> THIS IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT. THAT'S THE SHOT. I KNOW IT KIND OF SLIDES BY. THAT'S THE ONE. LOOK AT THAT. >> I COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I'M IMMEDIATELY REMINDED OF BELFORD AND RANDY WITH THE EYELID. >> EXACTLY. SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THE SHOT THAT LANDS SOLID. IT'S THE ONE THAT SLICES BY, AND IT JUST CUTS LIKE A RAZOR. >> DOCTOR ADMINISTERING THE INSWELL AGAIN TO THE RIGHT EYE OF GABRIEL VARGA AS WE AWAIT THE OFFICIAL SCORES. BAD NEWS, TEEJAY BRITTON, FIGHTING OUT OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI, WILL HE WALK OUT OF THE BELLATOR CAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME A WINNER? MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS HAS THE ANSWER. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HAVING GONE THE DISTANCE, GOING TO YOUR THREE JUDGES. AT CAGESIDE, 29-28, HE HAS THE FIGHT FOR BRITTON. YOUR SECOND JUDGE, 29-28, HE HAS IT FOR VARGA. YOUR THIRD JUDGE, SAL DEMATO, 29-28, HE HAS IT FOR THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION, TEEJAY "BAD NEWS" BRITTON. >> BAD NEWS FOR GABRIEL VARGA, GOOD NEWS FOR THE DEBUTING TEEJAY BRITTON IMPROVES TO 6-2 AS HE'S SUCCESSFUL IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT VIA SPLIT DECISION. WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOHN? >> I THINK THE JUDGES GOT IT RIGHT. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE THREE AND YOU LOOK, TWO OF THEM GOT IT RIGHT, AND ONE OF THEM, NOT QUITE THERE, BUT THE RIGHT GUY WON. THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT. >> BELLATOR MMA GOES BACK-TO-BACK ONCE AGAIN. IT ALL STARTS TONIGHT WITH A CAN'T MISS WELTERWEIGHT BATTLE BETWEEN EASY ED RUTH AND 22-0 YAROSLAV AMOSOV AT THE WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT LIVE ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK. AND TOMORROW NIGHT, THE JOKER INVADES IRELAND, ENGLISH BAD BOY AARON CHALMERS LOOKS FOR ANOTHER EXCITING FINISH. PLUS IRISH FEMALE PHENOM LEAH McCOURT IN THE MAIN EVENT. IT'S ALL LIVE FROM DUBLIN ON THE BELLATOR APP AT 5:00 P.M. THEN AT 10/9 CENTRAL ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK, FORMER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION COLLIDES WITH CHRIS. IT'S ANOTHER ACTION-PACKED BELLATOR MMA WEEKEND. >> WELL, WE JUST SAW BELLATOR KICKBOXING CHAMPION GO DOWN TO DEFEAT. HERE'S ANOTHER BELLATOR KICKBOXING CHAMPION, MISS DYNAMITE, DENISE KIELHOLTZ WHO IS 4-1 AS A BELLATOR MMA FIGHTER, FIGHTING OUT OF AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT MISS DYNAMITE IN ACTION. >> KIELHOLTZ ALSO HAS A JUDO BACKGROUND. YOU SEE HER, CONTROLLING THE POSITION, LANDING STRIKES. SO SHE HAS GOT A GRAPPLING BACKGROUND BUT HER STRIKING IS WHAT SEPARATES HER. SHE IS FAST. SHE'S GOT GOOD POWER FOR A SMALL PACKAGE AS FAR AS SHE'S NOT A BIG WOMAN. BUT MAN, SHE CAN DEFINITELY LAY DOWN THE SWAT. >> SO, WE ARE SET FOR OUR FIRST FIGHT OF THE NIGHT FEATURING THE FEMALES, IT IS FLY WEIGHT ACTION AS DENISE COLLIDES WITH KRISTINA WILLIAMS. HERE'S MCW. >> WE FEATURE THE FLYWEIGHT DIVISION. WE INTRODUCE FIRST THE BLUE CORNER, AT 5'8", WEIGHING IN 125.5 POUNDS, HER PROFESSIONAL RECORD 3-2, SHE FIGHTS OUT OF EDMOND, OKLAHOMA. KRISTINA WILLIAMS. AND ACROSS THE CAGE, AT 5'3", WEIGHING IN 122 POUNDS EVEN, THE REIGNING BELLATOR KICKBOXING FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AND LEAVES THE CAGE TONIGHT WITH 4 PROFESSIONAL MMA WINS, 2 LOSSES, FROM AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, INTRODUCING DENISE "MISS DYNAMITE" KIELHOLTZ. YOUR REFEREE, BLAKE DRUMMOND. >> BLAKE PRICE IS THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THIS FLYWEIGHT FIGHT, SCHEDULED FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS. THE QUEEN OF THE FLYWEIGHT DIVISION, McFARLAND, REUPPING WITH BELLATOR MMA, CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO HAWAII IN DECEMBER. THAT'S A REGULAR THING NOW, RIGHT? AS WE GET SET HERE FOR DENISE KIELHOLTZ IN THE RED GLOVES, KRISTINA WILLIAMS IN THE BLUE, NO FEELING OUT PROCESS, WILLIAMS LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A LOSS TO JULIANA VAZQUEZ AND MISS DYNAMITE LOOKING TO DETONATE ON THE FACE OF HER OPPONENT. >> KRISTINA WILLIAMS IS TOUGH, MAN. HE JUST TOOK TWO HARD SHOTS, WALKED RIGHT THROUGH IT. >> KIELHOLTZ HAS WON TWO IN A ROW, ALL BUT ONE OF HER PROFESSIONAL MMA FIGHTS HAVE COME INSIDE THE BELLATOR MMA CAGE WHERE KRISTINA WILLIAMS, 3-2, ALL OF HER FIGHTS AS A PROFESSIONAL HERE IN BELLATOR. >> LOOKING AT THIS MATCH-UP, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT KRISTINA WILLIAMS HAS THE LENGTH. SHE'S GOT THE REACH, THE HEIGHT, BUT DENISE KIELHOLTZ HAS THE SPEED AND THAT SPEED IS HARD TO DEAL WITH. >> THE TRUCK IS HAPPY THAT I BOOKED A BELLATOR EVENT FOR HAWAII IN DECEMBER. 1:00 GONE HERE IN THE FIRST ROUND AND WILLIAMS AND KIELHOLTZ AND AGAIN, A BROKEN RECORD, I KNOW, BUT THE LADIES ALWAYS GET AFTER IT IMMEDIATELY, ALWAYS SOME OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING FIGHTS YOU WILL FIND IN THIS SPORT. >> YEAH, THERE WAS NO FEELING OUT PROCESS IN THIS. >> WOW, IT'S KIELHOLTZ, SITTING DOWN, JUST SWINGING FOR THOSE PROVERBIAL FENCES AND SHE'S NOT STEALING ANY SIGNS DOING IT. >> WILLIAMS DISAPPOINTED WITH HER PERFORMANCE AGAINST VELASQUEZ. SHE SAID THAT SHE NEEDS TO STAY TRUE TO HER AGGRESSIVE STYLE AND SHE'S TRYING TO DO THAT HERE BUT SHE'S UP AGAINST SOMEONE WHO MIGHT EVEN BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN KIELHOLTZ, WHO SECURES THE TAKEDOWN IMMEDIATELY. >> VERY NICE. BEAUTIFUL JOB BY DENISE KIELHOLTZ TO TAKE THAT OVER AGGRESSION ON THAT KICK, STEP INSIDE, GETS AHOLD OF KRISTINA, BRINGS HER TO THE GROUND AND NOW HAS HER BACK. >> KIELHOLTZ IS A DEFENDING GLORY KICKBOXING CHAMPION BUT DO NOT DISCOUNT HER GRAPPLING GAME. HALF OF HER PRO MMA VICTORIES HAVE COME VIA SUBMISSION. >> SHE HAS GOT A VERY GOOD -- >> SHE'S LOOKING FOR THE REAR NAKED CHOKE. >> SHE WAS ACTUALLY WORKING WITH HORACE GRACIE. >> SUBMISSION. MAKE IT TWO STRAIGHT SUBMISSION VICTORIES FOR THE KICKBOXING CHAMPION, DENISE KIELHOLTZ, MISS DYNAMITE. FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE BY DENISE KIELHOLTZ, WHO IMPROVES TO 5-2, 5-1 HERE IN BELLATOR. SHE'S GOT FIVE ON IT TONIGHT, JOHN. >> LOOK AT THE HANDS OF DENISE KIELHOLTZ. LOOK AT HER STEP BACK ON THE KICK, STEP INSIDE, GETS AHOLD OF THE BODY, TAKES HER DOWN, IMMEDIATELY TAKES THE BACK, PUTS THE HOOKS IN, AND THEN SINKS IN AND REAR NAKED CHOKE, THAT WAS AS GOOD A PERFORMANCE AS DENISE KIELHOLTZ COULD HAVE HOPED FOR. >> AND HER HUSBAND, ACCOMPLISHED KICKBOXER, HE DIPPED HIS TOES INTO MMA, SAID HE PREFERS KICKBOXING BUT HIS WIFE, WELL, SHE'S DOING IT BOTH IN THE KICKBOXING RING AND IN THE BELLATOR MMA CAGE, AND THE 30-YEAR-OLD DENISE KIELHOLTZ -- >> YOU CAN SEE BOB SCRIBER, A GUY THAT YOU CALLED HIS FIGHTS, I BELIEVE. >> DIRTY BOB. >> THAT'S HER COACH. >> ALL RIGHT, WOW, IMPRESSIVE WIN. LET'S MAKE IT OFFICIAL WITH MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> SHE LOOKS HAPPY. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, INSIDE THE BELLATOR CAGE, THE TAP COMES BY WAY OF A REAR NAKED CHOKE IN ROUND NUMBER ONE, THE WINNER BY SUBMISSION, DENISE "MISS DYNAMITE" KIELHOLTZ. >> IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT THE KICKBOXING CHAMPION HAS THREE OF HER FIVE BELLATOR VICTORIES COMING VIA TAPOUT. KIELHOLTZ SUBMITS WILLIAMS IN THIS FLYWEIGHT MATCH-UP TONIGHT AND DOES SO IN INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE FASHION. >> COMING UP LATER TONIGHT, BELLATOR 239 LIVE ON THE PARAMOUNT NETWORK. WELTERWEIGHTS GO AT IT, THE ONCE-BEATEN ED RUTH AGAINST A MAN WITH A SECOND LONGEST WINNING STREAK IN MAJOR MMA, THE ONE WITH THE MOST IS HABIB, BUT YAROSLAV AMOSOV. >> WINNING RECORD THERE AGAINST THE FUTURES GUY, TYRELL FORTUNE, WHO IS INCREDIBLE. LOOK AT THE SHOTS THAT THIS MAN DELIVERS. HE IS SOLID EVERYWHERE. HIS WRESTLING IS FANTASTIC. HE'S GOT HEAVY HANDS AND NOW HE'S GOT THE FOOTWORK BEHIND HIM TO DO WHAT HE WANTS WHEN HE FIGHTS HERE AGAINST RUDY, WHO WAS UNDEFEATED AT THE TIME, PUTS HIM DOWN WITH A LEG KICK, GETS UP, HITS HIM WITH A RIGHT HAND, GETS THE REAR NAKED CHOKE AND AGAIN, ANOTHER UFC VETERAN, LOOK AT THE SHOT, JUST DESTROYING A GOOD FIGHTER, TYRELL FORTUNE IS THE FUTURE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION. >> WELL, THE FUTURE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION HAS TO GO THROUGH RYAN BADER, THE CHAMP. HE WILL BE DEFENDING THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE, NEMKOV, AND THE DATE IS WHEN? >> THE DATE IS IN MAY. >> MAY 9th. SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. >> YOU PUT IT -- I'M HEXING YOU, BROTHER. I'M PUTTING A CURSE ON YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE CONTINUE HERE NOW IN THE PRELIMS AND GETTING SET TO DO BATTLE AGAINST HATLY JR. >> 5-2 AGAINST 7-2. THESE GUYS MATCH UP SO WELL. HE IS AS SMOOTH A STAND-UP FIGHTER AS YOU WILL FIND, OUTSTANDING MUAY THAI KICKBOXING BUT HE IS FAST AND HE'S DYNAMIC. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AS THEY GO. >> HERE ONCE AGAIN IS MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> TONIGHT IN WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT, WE GO NOW TO THE FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION SCHEDULED FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS. WE INTRODUCE THE BLUE CORNER AT 5'6", WEIGHING IN 145.5 POUNDS, HIS PROFESSIONAL RECORD, 7-2, FIGHTING OUT OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, SOLO HATLEY JR. AND ACROSS THE CAGE, HIS ADVERSARY, FIEGING OUT OF THE RED CORNER, WEIGHING IN 145.8 POUNDS, AS A PROFESSIONAL, 5-2, BY WAY OF LIMA, PERU, HE FIGHTS OUT OF DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA, GASTON "THE DREAM" BALANOS. IN CHARGE, YOUR REFEREE, MICHAEL BELL. >> MICHAEL BELL, THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE AS WE GET SET HERE FOR ACTION IN THE FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION, THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS. SOLO HATLEY JR. MAKING HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT. GASTON BOLANOS HAS COMPETED AS A PROFESSIONAL ONLY IN BELLATOR MMA WHERE HE IS 5-2, ALL FIVE OF HIS VICTORIES VIA KNOCKOUT. TONIGHT'S FIGHT CLOCK POWERED BY GEICO AND BOLANOS KNOWN FOR HIS SCINTILLATING SPINNING ELBOW ATTACKS-HE HAS KNOCKED SOME PEOPLE UNCONSCIOUS. THE WAY HE'S LOST THE TWO FIGHTS, BOTH BY SUBMISSION, SO THE -- THE PLAYBOOK, THE BLUEPRINT IS OUT THERE. IF YOU WANT TO BEAT GASTON, YOU WANT TO GET HIM TO THE GROUND AND USE THE GRAPPLING ASPECT OF MMA. >> BOLANOS WAS SUBMITTED BY DANIEL CAREY IN HIS LAST OUTING AT BELLATOR 226 LAST SEPTEMBER VIA GUILLOTINE CHOKE WHILE SOLO HATLEY JR., COMING OFF A VICTORY OVER A.J. CUNNINGHAM IN HIS AUDITION FOR BELLATOR MMA, IN THE REGIONAL CIRCUIT LAST NOVEMBER. AND BOLANOS ON HIS BACK MOMENTARILY, TRYING TO SHIFT HIS HIPS, TRYING TO GET BACK UP TO A VERTICAL BASE AS SOLO HATLEY JR. TRIES TO KEEP HIM PINNED TO THE GROUND, UNSUCCESSFULLY. >> IT WAS A NICE LIFT OF HANDS BUT IT DID NOT HURT BOLANOS. HE WAS JUST OFF BALANCE, THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT HIM DOWN. GETTING BACK TO HIS FEET, SHOWS THAT DWRAPING IS STARTING TO TAKE EFFECT, ALL THE TRAINING HE'S DOING. >> HATLEY AT 7-2 WITH THREE KNOCKOUTS AND THE ONE SUBMISSION VICTORY. SUBMISSION CAME IN HIS FIGHT EARLIER IN HIS CAREER AS HE LOOKS TO TAKE OUT ONE OF THE MORE, YOU KNOW, GASTON BOLANOS, WHO'S, AGAIN, COMPETED IN A LOT OF PRELIMS AND WE SEE HIM ON THE CUSP OF MAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND YET HERE BEING, AGAIN, FED TO ANOTHER PROSPECT AND VERY MUCH HIMSELF STILL A PROSPECT IN JUST HIS EIGHTH FIGHT BUT HAS THE EXPERIENCE HERE WITH BELLATOR. >> YOU LOOK AND YOU SAY, EIGHT FIGHTS. GASTON HAS A TON OF EXPERIENCE IN THE KICKBOXING AND MUAY THAI WORLD. HE'S GOT A LOT OF FIGHTS THERE BUT SWITCHING OVER TO MMA, IT'S DIFFERENT, AND I HAVE TALKED TO HIM BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE, YOU KNOW, A THREE-SPORT CHAMPION. AND YOU LOOK AND YOU GO, MAN, THAT'S -- >> STICK WITH ONE SPORT, PEOPLE. >> IF YOU WANT TO BE A CHAMPION, PICK THE SPORT YOU WANT TO BE THE CHAMPION AND GO AFTER IT. >> HOW'S THIS FOR A CHANGE? STICK WITH A DIVISION. >> ALL RIGHT, WE'RE COMING UP ON THE MIDPOINT OF THE OPENING ROUND AS BOLANOS, ATTACKING OVER LIMB, THERE'S A RIGHT HAND THAT HATLEY JUST AVOIDED THE FULL ATTACK. SOLO HATLEY MAY HAVE THE BEST HAIR IN MMA. THAT LOOKS LIKE A FIGHTER. >> HE CAN'T USE HIS BRAID, THOUGH, AS A WEAPON. SO, YOU DON'T GET STYLE POINTS. AND HATLEY SECURES THE TAKEDOWN. TIMES THE CHANGE IN LEVELS. >> NEED TO START UTILIZING HIS LEGS TO HOLD ON TO THE POSITION. YOU SEE GASTON PUSHING DOWN ON THE HEAD, TRYING TO SLIDE HIS LEGS THROUGH. >> HATLEY SAYS HIS BELIEF IN HIMSELF AND HIS SPEED ARE HIS BIGGEST STRENGTHS. HE FEELS THAT HE'S GOING TO BE MUCH QUICKER THAN BOLANOS AND WAS QUICK TO GET THE TAKEDOWN. >> WAS VERY QUICK. WATCHING ALL HIS FIGHTS, SUPER ATHLETIC AND STRONG. HE IS FAST. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STAND-UP, THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF GASTON BOLANOS IS HARD TO TAKE AWAY. >> PULL HIM OFF THE CAGE. USE IT. GOOD. YOU GOT TO CLIMB THOSE LEGS TOGETHER, SOLO. GOOD. >> SOLO HATLEY WITH ANOTHER TAKEDOWN MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF HIS TRAINER, JARED. MEANWHILE, BOLANOS REPRESENTING CSA, HIS HEAD TRAINER, FITZGIBBONS. >> TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, GETTING HIS BACK, SMART, USING THE CAGE BUT IF THE HANDS ARE LOCKED, HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO PICK YOU UP AND TAKE YOU RIGHT BACK DOWN. >> SO, YOU'VE GOT TO START TO GET THAT ARM THROUGH SO YOU CAN START BREAKING THAT GRIP. >> THERE YOU SEE HIM REACHING IN FOR THAT, PUMMELLING THAT UNDERHOOK. >> IS BOUNCE POLE A NEW TIKTOK DANCE? >> HE'S BEING VERY SMART, BOUNCE HIM OFFICE FENCE AND PULL HIM OFF THE CAGE AS YOU DO IT. PUSH AND PULL, AND THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT TAKEDOWN. NORMALLY WE SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE THROUGH YOUR OPPONENT BUT THAT CAGE IS GOING TO STOP THAT SO YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY WITH THE MMA CAGE. >> FINAL 15 SECONDS OF THE OPENING ROUND AND A SOLID START FOR SOLO HATLEY AND HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST THE CRAFTY GASTON BOLANOS, WHO'S LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM HIS SECOND LOSS. AFTER A FIVE-MINUTE, YOUR UNOFFICIAL SCORECARD? WHAT ARE YOU WRITING DOWN? >> I'M NOT WRITING ANYTHING DOWN BUT THAT'S OKAY. I'LL REMEMBER IT. RIGHT NOW, I GOT SOLO HATLEY WINNING THAT ROUND. HE TOOK THOSE TAKEDOWNS THAT HE HAD, NOT SO MUCH, BUT HE WAS PICKING UP, SLAMMING HIM DOWN, THAT'S THE SAME AS THAT STRIKE. THOSE WERE CLEAN. >> I WANT EVIDENCE SO YOU DON'T CHANGE YOUR MIND. >> I WON'T. >> HE USED A LOT OF ENERGY. YOU'RE WINNING THE STRIKE EXCHANGES. DON'T GO TOO BIG, JUST TOUCH, TOUCH, AND FIND YOUR SHOT. >> CONTROL DISTANCE. WATCH THE LEG KICKS. >> IT'S A NIGHT WHERE THE KICKBOXERS HAVE COME TO BELLATOR MMA. WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN GABRIEL VARGA, DENISE KIELHOLTZ, AND BOLANOS, 2-0 AS A KICKBOXER BUT LOOKING TO IMPROVE TO 6-2 AS A MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST IN TOUGH SO FAR AGAINST SOLO HATLEY JR. >> THIS IS ROUND TWO. BOLANOS IN THE RED GLOVES. HATLEY IN THE BLUE. >> REALLY GOOD CORNER WORK BY KEIRAN, GIVING SOUND ADVICE, HE BURNED A LOT OF ENERGY PICKING YOU UP, THOSE TAKEDOWNS, I WANT YOU TO SETTLE DOWN, JUST START HANDING YOUR SHOTS, TAKE YOUR TIME. ALL GOOD ADVICE. >> AND HATLEY LANDED HIS FIRST TWO SHOTS, NICE LEVEL CHANGE AGAIN, LOOKING FOR THE TAKEDOWN, RUNS OUT OF REAL ESTATE, LOOKING TO PICK UP THAT SIGNAL AND POTENTIALLY RUN THE PIPE ON BOLANOS. BUT BOLANOS DOING A GOOD JOB OF DEFENDING. >> ABSOLUTELY. YOU SEE -- WHEN YOU SEE HIM HOOK THAT LEG TO THE OUTSIDE, THAT TENDS TO MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT. WE'VE NOW CREATED FRICTION AND THINGS BECOME HEAVY AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT TAKEDOWN. GOT THE OVERHOOK WITH THAT LEFT ARM, YOU'VE SEEN HATLEY TRYING TO UTILIZE THAT HEAD POSITION TO TRY TO JUST GET HIS HAND TO THE INSIDE. VERY NICE JOB OF HOLDING OFF ON THE BICEPS, PUSHING HIM OFF. >> 1:00 GONE HERE IN THE SECOND STANZA. HATLEY UTILIZING FOOTWORK, MOVING SIDE TO SIDE, BACK AND FORTH, TRYING TO GET BOLANOS TO COMMIT, POTENTIALLY ATTEMPT ANOTHER SHOT AND THERE IT IS. >> BOLANOS NEEDS TO STOP GOING FOR THAT BIG HOME RUN SHOT YOU SAW A HUGE LOOPING LEFT HAND, NICE, BEAUTIFUL WORK BY SOLO HATLEY TO STEP UNDERNEATH IT, COME INTO HIS BODY AND GET HIM RIGHT BACK TO THE GROUND. >> BOLANOS CONTROLLING THE POSTURE, BUT SOLO HATLEY TRYING TO, WELL, TRYING TO GET BACK UP TO HIS FEET, FIRES OFF A RIGHT HAND. >> NICE PASS BY SOLO, GETTING INTO HALF GUARD. >> 2:00 GONE HERE IN THE SECOND ROUND. HATLEY PREDICTED EITHER A SUBMISSION OR DECISION VICTORY. NOW ON THE CANVAS. BOLANOS, HIS ONLY TWO LOSSES HAVE COME VIA SUBMISSION, A GUILLOTINE AND A TRIANGLE CHOKE BUT HATLEY KEEPING BOLANOS AT BAY FOR THE MOST PART. OH, NOW KICKED BY BOLANOS AND THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR HATLEY. >> THAT HURT. >> NOW, ELBOWS. WE TALKED ABOUT BOLANOS'S FEROCIOUS ELBOW ATTACK, HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF IT FROM THIS POSITION, BUT DOING WHATEVER IT TAKESFr■mu TO STAVE OFF THE OFF OF SOLO HATLEY. HATLEY'S PASSING GUARD INTO SIDE CONTROL. >> HE IS MAKING A MISTAKE WHEN HE IS STANDING OVER BOLANOS, PERHAPS MAKING A MISTAKE OF NOT HAVING HIS KICKS FORWARD IN FRONT OF HIS CHIN, LEANING OVER TO KICK FORWARD OF HIS HIPS. >> BUT A PERILOUS POSITION HERE FOR BOLANOS. AND BOLANOS'S CORNER TALKING ABOUT HATLEY EXPENDING A LOT OF ENERGY IN THAT OPENING ROUND FROM THIS POSITION, BOLANOS MAY HAVE TO -- >> HATLEY JUST TOOK A SHOT WITH AN UP KICK. >> STILL ABLE TO TRY TO PASS GUARD BACK INTO THE HALF GUARD FOR BOLANOS. >> 90 SECONDS. >> HATLEY'S BEEN DOING A BEAUTIFUL JOB OF CONTROLLING THE GRAPPLING SITUATION. HE JUST NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL WHEN HE COMES UP OFF OF THE CANVAS, BE CAREFUL OF THAT UP KICK. >> JOCKO, BACK IN TIME. >> UP KICK. >> COMING UP ON THE FINAL 60 SECONDS OF THE SECOND ROUND AND IT'S BEEN THE TAKEDOWNS OF SOLO HATLEY JR. THAT HAVE SERVED HIM WELL. >> SERVED HIM VERY WELL. HE'S NORMALLY A GUY THAT LIKES TO STRIKE, LIKES TO USE HIS SPEED, HAS DECIDED, NOPE, I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO GET INTO A STRIKING MATCH WITH BOLANOS. I THINK I WILL TRY TO TAKE HIM DOWN AND GRIND IT OUT. YOU SAW JUST A SECOND AGO, USING SHOULDER PRESSURE, TRYING TO PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON BOLANOS, MAKE HIM CARRY HIS WEIGHT. >> FIGHTING OUT OF ARKADELPHIA, ARKANSAS, AND HIS WRESTLING DELIVERING SOME DIVIDENDS HERE IN THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS OF THIS FIGHT. >> HAS THAT UNDER HIM BUT NICE HIP MOVEMENT BY SOLO HATLEY. >> TEN SECONDS IN THE ROUND. BOLANOS ON HIS FEET AND STALKING HATLEY, TRYING TO FIRE OFF A SALVO BEFORE THE BELL, SPINNING BACK ELBOW JUST MISSED. >> TIME. >> HOW YOU DOING?F9 >> UNOFFICIAL SCORE, JOHN? >> RIGHT NOW, I GOT SOLO HATLEY WINNING. THIS IS HIS BIGGEST MISTAKE. NOTICE HOW THAT IS OVER THE HIP. THAT'S WHEN YOU GET HIT BY THOSE UP KICKS. LOOK AT WHERE THE HIP POSITION IS, LOOK WHERE THE CHIN IS AT. YOU HAVE GOTIZ&$ TO PUT YOUR HI FORWARD. THAT'S JUST A MISTAKE. THAT'S WHY HE'S EATING THE BOTTOM OF THAT FOOT. THOSE ARE THE BEST SHOTS LANDED BY GASTON BOLANOS IN THAT ROUND. WATCH THIS SHOT. NO ONE LIKES TO BE KISSING THE UNDERSIDE OF ANOTHER PERSON'S FOOT. >> KISS MY FEET. BELLATOR MMA SUPPORTS MERGING PLAYERS, IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT EMPOWERS VETERANS AND FORMER ELITE ATHLETES WHO MAY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME WHEN THE UNIFORM COMES OFF TO LIVE A LIFE FULL OF PURPOSE WITH A HEALTHY BODY AND HEALTHY MIND. WE INVITE YOU TO GO LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TONIGHT. SOLO HATLEY WOULD LIKE TO DONATE A FEW MORE TAKEDOWNS TO GASTON BOLANOS, I'M SURE, AS WE GET SET HERE FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL ROUND. IN THIS FEATHERWEIGHT CONTEST. HATLEY LOOKING TO, WELL, KNOCK OFF ONE OF THE MORE PROMISING FEATHERWEIGHTS IN BELLATOR MMA AND HATLEY'S DEBUT HERE IN THIS COMPANY. >> THIS WOULD BE A BIG WIN FOR SOLO HATLEY. HE'S FOUGHT VERY WELL UP TO THIS POINT. I HAVE HIM AHEAD BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS BUT HE'S GOT 5:00. OH, THAT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL FRONT KICK BY BOLANOS. >> BOLANOS CUTTING OFF THE CAGE, MOVING SIDE TO SIDE WITH HATLEY. NEEDS TO START AN UPTICK IN HIS OFFENSE. THERE'S THE ONE-TWO THROUGH THE GUARD FOR BOLANOS. >> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT UPTICK, HE DOESN'T NEED TO GO AFTER THE BIG SHOTS. GO AT -- OH, THERE'S A BIG SHOT. >> ALL YOU NEED FOR THE BIG SHOTS. >> AND THERE'S A FRONT KICK THAT JUST MISSED AND AGAIN TIME BY HATLEY, LOOKING FOR ANOTHER TAKEDOWN. BOLANOS DOING HIS BEST TO TRY TO DEFEND, BUT HATLEY IS TENACIOUS. >> OH, HE'S BEEN TENACIOUS, RIGHT, YOU SEE BOLANOS AT LEAST GETTING THAT UNDERHOOK WITH THAT RIGHT ARM IS GOING TO HELP HIM. HASN'T BEEN SEPARATED NOW. >> SINGLE LEG PICK-UP BY HATLEY, LOOKING TO ALSO TAKE OUT THE RIGHT LEG AND BOLANOS BEATING HIM A COUPLE OF RIGHT HANDS UNDERNEATH. AS THE WIZARD. BOLANOS SAYING HE'S NOT SOMEONE TO SHY AWAY FROM HIS LOSSES. HE'S LEARNED HIS LESSON. HE'S ON A QUEST TO BECOME A MORE COMPLETE MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST. HE KNOWS THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION AND NEVER WILL BE. IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE JOURNEY AND THE EVOLUTION AND THE EDUCATION, JOHN. >> ALL ABOUT THE EDUCATION AND THE MORE YOU LEARN, THE BETTER YOU BECOME. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW WITH HATLEY, LOOK AT HIS DIAPHRAGM, STARTING TO MOVE IN AND OUT A LOT. >> AND HE'S LOOKING -- HE'S GETTING LABORED. >> HE'S GOT A BIG FRAME AND THOSE MUSCLES NEED OXYGEN. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, IT'S SO HARD TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRY TO FIGHT WHEN YOUR ARMS FEEL LIKE THEY'RE 100 POUNDS APIECE. >> AND YET HATLEY GOES FOR ANOTHER TAKEDOWN. BOLANOS PUTTING HIS WEIGHT, TRYING TO STYMIE THE TAKEDOWN ATTEMPT, THE MIDPOINT OF THIS FINAL ROUND. >> I NEED YOU TO WORK. >> ALL OF THIS IS GOOD FOR SOLO HATLEY AS TIME IS JUST TICKING OFF THE CLOCK AND EVERY MOMENT THAT HE IS IN THIS CLINCH POSITION IS A MOMENT THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO -- >> BOLANOS WITH THAT BIG STOP. >> UNLIKE THE ROLLING STONES, TIME IS NOT ON THE SIDE OF GASTON BOLANOS. UNDER 2:00 LEFT IN THIS FIGHT. >> AND HE'S TRYING TO GET SOME MOVEMENT IN THE CAGE, LITTLE BIT MORE DISTANCE, LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. >> ENDING UP ON HIS -- A COUPLE OF KNEES HERE BY BOLANOS. BLASTING AWAY ON HATLEY AND HATLEY AGAIN CONTENT JUST TO TRY TO BRING THE FIGHT BACK TO THE CANVAS. >> THOSE ARE HEAVY KNEES. SOLO NEEDS TO BE VERY CAREFUL, LOWER HIS HEAD DOWN. REMEMBER, ALL FIVE OF BOLANOS'S VICTORIES HAVE COME DUE TO HIS STRIKING. AND HATLEY TAKING OUT BOLANOS'S FOUNDATION, PUTTING HIM BACK ON THE CANVAS, AND BOLANOS MUST FEEL LIKE HE'S IN SOME KIND OF QUICK SAND RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE CLOCK QUICKLY TICKING AWAY. >> TIME IS GOING BY, AND HE IS NOT BROKEN THE GRIP. THIS IS KIND OF LIKE WHAT MEDOFF DOES, HE'LL HAVE THAT GRIP, HIS HANDS ARE TOGETHER, WRESTLING IS ILLEGAL, BUT MMA, IT'S NOT, AND HE'LL LET THE GUY WORK TO TRY TO GET UP AND BRING HIM RIGHT BACK DOWN AND MENTALLY, IT'S DRAINING. >> COME ON, GENTLEMEN, WORK. >> GET ON THE INSIDE, SOLO. >> SEPARATION WITH JUST OVER 30 SECONDS LEFT. SOLO HATLEY'S GOT THIS FIGHT IF HE CAN HOLD ON THESE 30 SECONDS. >> HE'S BEEN HOLDING ON TO GASTON BOLANOS THROUGHOUT THE FIGHT. >> THEY'RE LIKE VELCRO.W2w SOLO HATLEY CONTINUING TO BE CONTENT TO RIDE OUT THE CLOCK, SEARCHING FOR THE FINAL TAKEDOWN, BOLANOS LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE. HE'S NOT GOING TO GET IT. THAT'S THE BELL AT THE END OF THE ROUND. LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT THAT AND GO, OH MY GOODNESS. DO YOU THINK BOLANOS HEARD THAT? >> NO. HE'S BUSY TRYING TO WIN A FIGHT. >> YEAH, DID HE WIN THE FIGHT, JOHN? >> I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK HE WON THAT LAST ROUND BUT I DO THINK THAT SOLO HATLEY GOT THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS. I HAVE 29-28. >> WHY DO YOU THINK BOLANOS WON THE LAST ROUND? >> TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WAS OCCURRING. YOU SAW HIM TRYING TO GRAB HIM ON THE GROUND, WHICH HE DID A COUPLE TIMES BUT THAT'S MORE OF A POSITION CHANGE. AT NO MOMENT WAS HE IN A POSITION WHERE HE WAS LANDING STRIKE THAT WAS DAMAGING HIM OR TRYING TO DO THIS POSITION TO END THE FIGHT. >> BOLANOS IS TRYING TO PLEAD HIS CASE THAT HE KNOCKED OUT HATLEY AT THE END OF THE FIGHT. >> NO. >> NO. >> NO. >> WELL, HATLEY HASN'T MOVED. >> THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S EXHAUSTED. I GIVE HIM CREDIT. YOU CAN SEE HOW FAST HIS DIAPHRAGM WAS WORKING IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS. HATLEY'S EXHAUSTED BUT HE STUCK IT OUT, MADE IT TO THE END, LOST THAT ROUND, BUT I THINK WON THE FIGHT. HERE WAS HATLEY TAKING HIM DOWN AND HE DID THIS THROUGHOUT. THIS IS WHEN HE HAD HIS HANDS TOGETHER AND DID NOT LET GO. YOU SAW. GASTON BOLANOS JUST WORKING HARD TO GET HIMSELF UP BUT NEVER BROKE THE HANDS. THERE'S THAT BEAUTIFUL FRONT KICK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT HIT SOLO HATLEY. >> ALL RIGHT. HE HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHIN RIGHT THERE. >> BOLANOS HAD HIS MOMENTS. HE WAS DOING WELL WITH THE STRIKES. BUT IT WAS HIS INABILITY TO SEPARATE FROM SOLO HATLEY AND THE STIFLING CLINCH GAME THAT HE WAS WORKING. THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS FIGHT. >> BOLANOS TRYING TO AVOID THE FIRST TWO-FIGHT LOSING STREAK OF HIS EMERGING CAREER WHILE SOLO HATLEY LOOKING TO WIN HIS SECOND STRAIGHT HERE IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AND HE'S FINALLY BACK UP TO HIS FEET. AND BOLANOS TRYING TO UTILIZE WHATEVER POWER HE CAN TO DRUM UP A VICTORY. DOES HE GET IT? LET'S GO TO MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HAVING GONE THE DISTANCE WILL GO NOW TO YOUR THREE JUDGES IN CAGESIDE. FIRST SCORES IT 29-28 FOR BOLANOS. YOUR SECOND JUDGE, DEREK CLEARY, 29-28, HE SEES IT FOR HATLEY JUNIOR. YOUR THIRD AND FINAL JUDGE, SAL, SCORES THE FIGHT 29-28 FOR THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION, SOLO HATLEY JR. >> SOLO HATLEY JR. DIVIDES A SCARE WHEN IT COMES TO THE JUDGES' SCORES AS HE PICKS UP HIS FIRST BELLATOR MMA VICTORY, IMPROVING TO 8-2 WHILE GASTON BOLANOS DROPS TO 5-3. YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SCORING, JOHN? >> THAT'S THE SECOND SPLIT DECISION WE'VE HAD AND IT'S THE SAME JUDGE THAT HAS HAD THE WRONG SIDE. WE HAVE SAL, DEREK ON THAT FIGHT, TWO OF THE BEST MMA JUDGES THERE ARE IN THE WORLD. BOTH HAVING THAT FIGHT THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO SOLO HATLEY. >> STILL TO COME TONIGHT IN OUR MAIN EVENT FROM THE WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT, A BATTLE IN THE WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION, EASY ED RUTH, 8-1, TAKES ON THE 22-0 YAROSLAV AMOSOV. THAT'S ALL COMING UP LIVE ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK. >> ED RUTH IS A SPECIAL ATHLETE, THREE-TIME CHAMPION AT PENN STATE BUT HERE'S A GUY THAT WRESTLED AT PENN STATE THAT DOESN'T WANT TO WRESTLE IN MMA. HE WANTS TO KNOCK YOU OUT AND HE HAS DONE THAT CONTINUOUSLY IN HIS FIGHTS. HE HAD A BIG FIGHT AGAINST JASON JACKSON, GOT HURT, BUT THIS IS HOW TOUGH HE IS. LOOK AT THE TENACIOUSNESS OF HIM. HE'S HURT, HE GOES AFTER JASON JACKSON AND JUST KEEPS THROWING. ED RUTH IS A SAVAGE. INCREDIBLE ATHLETE, BUT THE GUY HE'S FACING IS A COMPLETE MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST. THIS IS A GUY THAT DOES IT ALL WELL. HE STANDS UP AND FIGHTS BEAUTIFULLY. HE'S GOT GREAT WRESTLING, AND HE'S GOT AN OUTSTANDING SUBMISSION GAME. HE IS THE FULL PACKAGE, NOT VERY OFTEN DO YOU SEE A JAPANESE NECKTIE. THAT IS THE FIRST SUBMISSION DAVE RICKLES HAS EVER GIVEN INTO IN HIS CAREER AND IT'S AGAINST THE UNDEFEATED AMOSOV. >> TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT ED RUTH HAS DONE, 6 OF HIS 8 WINS BY KNOCKOUT. HE IS THAT THREE-TIME WRESTLING CHAMPION THAT SHOWS HOW GOOD HE IS THERE BUT 22-0, 18 WINS BY K.O. OR SUBMISSION FOR YAROSLAV AMOSOV. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE MATCH-UP. >> A TREMENDOUS FIGHT COMING YOUR WAY AND NOT TO RAIN ED RUTH'S PARADE, BUT A LOT TO BE SAID ABOUT HIS LAST VICTORY AGAINST JASON JACKSON, SPLIT DECISION AT BELLATOR 231 IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, LOT OF CAGESIDE OBSERVERS THOUGHT JACKSON DID ENOUGH TO WIN. >> THAT WAS ME BEING ONE OF THEM. I THOUGHT JACKSON KNOCKED HIM DOWN THREE TIMES IN THAT FIGHT. >> HOW DOES THAT MOTIVATE RUTH, THEN, COMING INTO THIS, ANOTHER EVEN BIGGER TEST? >> YOU KNOW WHAT, I TALKED TO RUTH ABOUT THAT FIGHT AND WE HAD A SILTDOWN WHERE WE TALKED AND WENT OVER EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID, I LEARNED SO MUCH IN THAT FIGHT. HE GOES, AND I HAD TO DIG DEEP AND GO BACK TO MY WRESTLING A LITTLE BIT TO GET MYSELF BACK IN THAT FIGHT. HE GOES, BUT I WANT TO HAVE THAT FIGHT AGAIN. I WANT TO GO AGAINST JASON JACKSON AGAIN. I JUST HAVE TO GET BY AMOSOV TONIGHT. >> SO, FOUR FIGHTS COMING YOUR WAY ON THE MAIN CARD OF BELLATOR 239. LIVE ON THE PARAMOUNT NETWORK FROM ONE OF OUR REGULAR SHOPS HERE AT THE WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT IN THACKERVILLE, OKLAHOMA. POPULATION LESS THAN 500. EDDEDED >>> ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND, WE ARE GETTING IT STARTED HERE IN OKLAHOMA, GOING ACROSS THE POND TOMORROW AND RIGHT NOW, TALE OF THE TAPE AS WE BRING YOU ACTION IN THE BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION. IT'S JOSH HILL. >> THIS IS A GOOD FIGHT, 18-3 AGAINST 11-5. JOSH HILL HAS ONLY LOST TO TWO PEOPLE. TWICE, HE LOST TO MARLON IN THE WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING. HE IS A BEAUTIFUL FIGHTER. HE'S GOT GOOD STAND-UP, GREAT GROUND GAME BUT GOING AGAINST A BLACK BELT BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU BUT HE LOVES TO STAND UP AND THROW BOMBS, SUPER AGGRESSIVE. WE'LL SEE HOW WELL JOSH HILL HANDLES THAT AGGRESSION. >> HERE'S MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> HERE AT WIN STAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT, THE PRELIMS ROLL ON WITH BANTAMWEIGHT NOW SCHEDULED FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS, INTRODUCING FIRST, THE BLUE CORNER, AT 5'5", WEIGHING IN 134.5 POUNDS, HIS PROFESSIONAL RECORD, 11-5, ORIGINALLY FROM BRAZIL, HE FIGHTS OUT OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. VINICIUS ZANI. ACROSS THE CAGE, FIGHTING OUT OF THE RED CORNER, AT 5'6", WEIGHING IN 134.7 POUNDS, AS A PROFESSIONAL, 18-3, FROM HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, INTRODUCING JOSH "GENTLEMAN" HILL. THE REFEREE IN CHARGE, KERRY HATLEY. >> KERRY HATLEY WILL OVERSEE THIS BANTAMWEIGHT BATTLE SCHEDULED FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL MANY OF JOSH HILL'S FIGHTS IN OUR NATIVE CANADA, ALWAYS SAW THE POTENTIAL. HERE TONIGHT, HE MAKES HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST VINICIUS ZANI. ZANI ALSO FIGHTING FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE BELLATOR MMA BANNER AND AN INTRIGUING MATCH-UP HERE AT 135 AS HILL'S IN THE RED GLOVES AND ZANI IN THE BLUE GLOVES AND HERE'S ANOTHER FACTOID FOR YOU, JOHN, AS WE GET THINGS STARTED. HILL'S GREAT-UNCLE, A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER WHO I SAW MANY, MANY TIMES AS A YOUTH. IN FACT, KNOWN AS GENTLEMAN JERRY VALIANT IN THE WWE, SO THE WORLDS CONTINUE TO COLLIDE AND JOSH HILL NOW FIGHTING FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE IN BELLATOR. >> JOSH HILL, SUCH A GOOD FIGHTER, VERY RELAXED, VERY CALM. I LOVE THE FACT THAT HE SAYS, I DON'T HAVE ANY -- I GOT A LEATHER BELT. I LOVE THAT LINE. >> IT'S GREAT. SUMMONING THE MYTHICAL POWERS OF THE PINK AND BROWN THAT RICH FRANKLIN TOOK ALL THE WAY TO A MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT COMBINED SINCE. >> INOPPORTUNE TIME AS THEY COLLIDE HERE AND HILL GETS THE TAKEDOWN ON ZANI INTO THE CLOSE GUARD WHEN HE WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE, HE SAID, SIR, YOU'RE NOT WEARING YOUR BELT AND MY DAD GOES, YES, IT'S RIGHT HERE BUT IT WASN'T THE SEAT BELT, JOHN, AND WE KNOW THERE CAN BE SEAT BELT POSITIONS HERE IN MMA BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL ABOUT HILL IN TOP POSITION ON ZANI. >> THIS IS WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT JOSH HILL. HE'S SO GOOD EVERYWHERE. HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING IN ANY POSITION. BUT ZANI IS, LIKE I SAID, HE'S A BLACK BELT BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU. HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL FIGHT WAS AGAINST PATRICIO PITBULL. >> BAPTISM BY CONFLAGRATION. YOU WILL FORGIVE THE FACT THAT ZANI TASTED A HEAD KICK AND PUNCH COMBINATION TO LOSE HIS DEBUT BUT HE HAS BOUNCED BACK IN IMPRESSIVE FASHION, ALTHOUGH HE IS COMING OFF A LOSS TO RICKY SIMON, A FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT LOSS AND THAT WAS BACK IN MARCH OF 2018, SO ZANI HAS BEEN SIDELINED FOR A WHILE, AND NOT EXACTLY AN EASY NIGHT AT THE OFFICE AGAINST A GUY WITH THE CREDENTIALS OF JOSH HILL. >> NOT AT ALL. WHAT HAPPENED TO ZANI, SO EVERYONE KNOWS, IT'S NOT THAT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, STEPPING AWAY. HE WAS MOVING. HE CHANGED FROM BEING IN CALIFORNIA TO BEING IN TEXAS, OPENED UP A SCHOOL, ALL THAT TOOK TIME. HE HAD TO PUT HIS EFFORT INTO THAT. NOW HE'S BACK TO FIGHTING.o1y >> HILL HAS WON 4 OUT OF HIS LAST 5 FIGHTS, INCLUDING A STOPPAGE WIN OVER A FORMER CHAMPION IN THE CANADIAN PROMOTION TKO, JESSE ARNETT IN MAY. HILL WAS A FORMER WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING TITLE CHALLENGER, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE'S HAD TO FACE MARLON MORIAS ON TWO OCCASIONS, TASTED DEFEAT BOTH TIMES, BUT YOU WILL FORGIVE HIM FOR DOING SO AS MORIAS HAS PROVEN HIMSELF TO BE ONE OF THE BEST FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD. >> YOU GO ROUNDS WITH HIM, YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD. >> 2:00 LEFT HERE IN THE OPENING ROUND. >> YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF LEGWORK AS FAR AS ZANI TRYING TO GET INSIDE HOOK, BUTTERFLY HOOKS, TRYING TO FRAME OUT, GET THE KNEE SHIELD, AND JOSH HILL, HIS GROUNDWORK IS SO SOLID, NONE OF THAT IS WORKING, SO ZANI'S GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY OF GETTING HIMSELF OFF HIS BACK. >> ZANI WAS SUBMITTED BY BRUNO DIAZ BACK IN OCTOBER, 2010, HIS ONLY SUBMISSION LOSS COMING VIA GUILLOTINE CHOKE. AND REFEREE CALLS FOR THE STAND-UP. HE FELT THAT HILL WASN'T DOING ENOUGH. TO MAINTAIN THE POSITION, BUT NOW BACK UP ON THEIR FEET AND HILL, FOUR OF HIS 18 VICTORIES VIA KNOCKOUT WHILE ZANI, 5 OF HIS 11 VICTORIES HAVE COME THANKS TO HIS STRIKING. UNDER 1:00 REMAINING HERE IN THE OPENING. >> HILL MAKING HIS DEBUT IN OCTOBER OF 2009, A MONTH AFTER VINICIUS ZANI MADE HIS DEBUT AND YES, PITBULL AGAIN HAS ZANI ON THE GROUND BUT ZANI VERY AGGRESSIVE FROM HIS BACK. >> HE'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE FIGHTER. THAT HAS SOMETIMES BEEN HIS DOWNFALL. HE GETS TOO AGGRESSIVE AND MAKES MISTAKES AND SOMEONE'S ABLE TO CATCH SOMETHING, BUT HIS AGGRESSION HAS ALSO GOTTEN THOSE WINS. HE DOES NOT STOP GOING. NORMALLY YOU SEE HIM IN THIS POSITION JUST LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO SET UP ELBOW STRIKES, TRYING TO CREATE SUBMISSION ATTEMPTS. >> HOW DO YOU SEE IT AFTER 5:00, JOHN? >> JOSH HILL GETS THAT ROUND, 10-9. HE LANDED GOOD STRIKES, WE ALWAYS SAID IT'S A STRIKE COMING FROM THE TOP. IF IT'S EVEN EQUAL, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE POWER, GRAVITY'S WORKING FOR IT, HE GOT THE TAKEDOWN AND HE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL WHERE THE POSITION OF THE FIGHT WAS AT. THAT IS GOING TO GO TO JOSH HILL. >> HILL, WHO OWNS HIS OWN GYM, VISION QUEST MMA, ALSO TRAINS WITH TEAM ALPHA MALE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE LITTLE BIG BOY. >> SO, WE ARE JUST WARMING UP THE ENGINE AS IT WERE HERE, GETTING SET FOR FOUR FIGHTS COMING UP ON YOUR MAIN CARD, BUT PLENTY OF PRELIM ACTION COMING YOUR WAY AND I HAVE A FEELING WE'LL SEE A FEW POST-LIMS TONIGHT AS WELL AS WE GET SET FOR ROUND NUMBER TWO, JOSH HILL AND VINICIUS ZANI, BOTH MAKING THEIR BELLATOR MMA DEBUTS, HILL IN THE RED GLOVES AND ZANI IN THE BLUE. TALK ABOUT ADJUSTMENT AND CHANGES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE EACH MAKE HERE IN THE SECOND FIVE MINUTES OF THIS FIGHT. >> WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM VINICIUS ZANI IS LOSING THAT FOOT BATTLE, SEEING JOSH HILL HAS BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT SWITCH STANCE THAT HE HAS, AND THEN SOUTHPAW. HE NEEDS TO STEP OUTSIDE OF THAT WHEN HE MAKES THAT SWITCH AND LAND THAT STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND. >> FRONT KICK LANDED FOR JOSH HILL. >> JOSH HILL, I WOULDN'T CHANGE MUCH OF WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING. WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. HE'S BEEN VERY CALCULATED IN HIS STAND-UP. TAKING SHOTS. AND WHEN HE GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE POSITION, OFF OF THOSE SHOTS, HE'S BEEN GETTING THOSE TAKEDOWNS. >> HILL, PROFICIENT AT SWITCHING STANCES NOW, FIGHTING OUT OF THE SOUTHPAW STANCE, TRYING TO BEDEVIL ZANI. ZANI ALSO KNOWN FOR SWITCHING STANCES, BUT HE'S FIGHTING OUT OF YORKSHIRE. RIGHT HAND TO HILL'S FACE. >> THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, STEP OUTSIDE OF THAT LEAD RIGHT LEG WITH JOSH HILL AND BRING THAT RIGHT HAND STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. >> NOW HILL SWITCHING BACK TO ORTHODOX IN THE CENTER OF THE CAGE. ZANI INCHING FORWARD AND LAUNCHING THE LEFT KICK, LANDS UNDERNEATH THE RIGHT ARMPIT OF JOSH HILL. ALL JOSH HILL'S FIRST FIGHT BACK IN 2011, BEYOND THE IMPROVEMENTS HE HAS MADE, CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST 135-ERS IN CANADA. HE WANTS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST, PERIOD. HIS GOAL, THE BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, AND WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT TITLE CURRENTLY VACANT THANKS TO HORIGUCHI'S INJURY. HORIGUCHI RELINQUISHING THE TITLE AND YOU TOOK YOUR HAT OFF TO HIM, WHO YOU FELT DID THE RIGHT THING. >> ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE WHOLE DIVISION. HE HAS THE RIGHT IDEA. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT FOR A WHILE. YOU GUYS FIGHT FOR THIS TITLE AND WHEN I'M HEALTHY, I'M GOING TO COME BACK AND TAKE IT BACK. THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT. RIGHT NOW THE BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION, HAVING GUYS LIKE YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT HERE, JOSH HILL, THERE'S SOME KILLERS COMING UP. WE'VE GOT GUYS LIKE PATCHY, RICKY, ALL THESE GUYS WANT THAT TITLE. THE QUESTION IS, WHICH TWO ARE GOING TO GET THAT SHOT? >> WELL, BOTH HILL AND ZANI WOULD ONE DAY LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND IN TALKING TO JOSH HILL AND AGAIN, AT THE AGE OF 33, ZANI AT 32, BUT HILL WITH HIS CREDENTIALS, HIS PEDIGREE, HE WANTS TO BE ON THE FAST TRACK TO A TITLE OPPORTUNITY AND HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SHOW THE BELLATOR MMA BRASS WHAT HE IS MADE OF. MEANWHILE, ZANI, HE WOULD LOVE TO -- THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED HIM. ZANI STOPS THAT TAKEDOWN ATTEMPT. >> ZANI, A BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU BLACK BELT, ALTHOUGH HE SAYS HE LOVES TO STRIKE, WANTS TO BE AGGRESSIVE, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE KNOCKOUT BUT OBVIOUSLY HE'S DONE HIS HOMEWORK AND IS VERY RESPECTFUL OF JOSH HILL. >> BOTH SIDES LAUNCHING BIG SHOTS RIGHT THERE AND BOTH OF THEM MISSED. MAN, IT WAS CLOSE. YOU CAN TELL VINICIUS, HE FELT IT, LIKE, OH YEAH, THAT WAS CLOSE. I'M GOING TO GET IT. >> ZANI USED TO TRAIN WITH THE LIKES OF LIOTA, BRIAN ORTEGA AND OF COURSE WE TALKED ABOUT HILL SPENDING TIME WITH THE TEAM ALPHA MALE LED BY URIAH FABER. 45 SECONDS LEFT HERE IN THE MIDDLE FRAME. HILL IS PACKING THE LOW LEG AREA, THE OUTSIDE LOW LEG KICK BY HILL. >> THAT LOW CALF KICK CAN HAVE BIG IMPRESSIONS IN A FIGHT. YOU JUST GOT TO KEEP ON GOING BACK TO IT, BE SUCCESSFUL WITH IT LIKE YOU JUST SAW JOSH HILL BE. >> AND THERE IT IS. HE PUT ZANI ON THE CANVAS MOMENTARILY, CHOPPING AWAY AT THAT LEAD LEG. >> HE'S MAKING DEPOSITS, KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT TECHNIQUE, BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE THE ABILITY FOR YOU TO HAVE BALANCE OFF OF THAT LEG AWAY QUICKLY. >> OH, JUMPING KNEE STRIKE BUT TAKEDOWN BY HILL. AND ROUND THREE STRAIGHT AHEAD. >> EASY UP. >> YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MIDDLE STANZA, SIR? HOW YOU SCORED IT. >> VERY CLOSE ROUND. YOU GOT BOTH GUYS LANDING GOOD SHOTS BUT OVERALL THE BEST SHOTS LANDED BY JOSH HILL AND HE'S THE GUY THAT'S REALLY CONTROLLING WHERE THE FIGHT'S GOING TO BE, AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE STRIKING, IF HE GETS THAT STRIKING AND IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER, HE'S GOING TO WIN THAT ROUND. >> BIG -- I THINK A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LONG LAYOFF, ALMOST TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, WITH VINICIUS ZANI AND NOW HE'S GOTTEN BACK THAT RUST IS KIND OF COMING OFF. HE'S LOOKING BETTER AS THIS FIGHT IS GOING ON, BUT HE'S GOT TO GET HIMSELF GOING IN THIS THIRD ROUND. >> YEAH, ZANI HAD SEVERAL MUAY THAI FIGHTS PROFESSIONALLY IN BRAZIL, ALSO COMPETED A LOT IN BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU REGIONALLY BUT WANTS TO COMPETE AT THIS LEVEL. WE TALKED ABOUT LIOTA, ANDERSON "THE SPIDER" SILVA, ANOTHER LEGEND OF THE GAME. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE THIRD AND FINAL ROUND BETWEEN BELLATOR MMA DEBUTANTES JOSH HILL IN THE RED GLOVES, VINICIUS ZANI IN THE BLUE GLOVES. >> ZANI SLOWLY TRYING TO TAKE STOCK, EXCHANGING THOSE CALF KICKS, ALMOST MIRROR IMAGES IN TERMS OF THEIR LATERAL MOVEMENT, JOHN. OH, A JUMPING KNEE TAGS ZANI. ZANI MOMENTARILY APPLAUDS HIM AND THEN CHECKS TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY PLASMA COMING OUT OF HIS FOREHEAD. AND THERE'S ONE FOR ZANI, BUT TIME BY HILL INTO THE TAKEDOWN. >> ZANI TELEGRAPHED WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO AND THAT'S WHAT JOSH HILL SAW, SAID I'M GOING TO CLOSE THAT DISTANCE, COME IN, BUT I ADMIRE THE AGGRESSION OF ZANI ON HIS BACK. I WAS ALWAYS REMINDED AGAIN AS WE ALWAYS LIKE TO DO, JOHN, TAKE THOSE TRIPS DOWN MEMORY LANE, HANSON BACK IN FIGHTING, HE WAS NASTY IN THE STRIKING FROM HIS BACK. >> YOU'VE GOT TO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON YOUR BACK, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKERE TYANT ENIN AIF K N, GUY DE RK, MORE AND THEY'ND THE A' OUIT,OYOURS MH AS YEARS, TAY THE CA, RHTOH NG ISIVE JUSE U'RE ON M, DOESN'L MEANYOU' LOSING FIGH. CHA YOW, M J LIT NOW ABT STUFF.THE ANSWE I'M TLING YOU. THE CRIT FORHE J THERE. IT'S GOOD. IT'S -- >> CAN WE PUT THEM IN BETTER POSITION TO DO THEIR JOB? >> PUT THEM IN BETTER PLACES TO SEE THE FIGHT. GIVE THEM BETTER THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO SHOW THEM ALL ANGLES OF THE FIGHT BECAUSE MANY TIMES, YOU'RE SITTING IN THAT PLACE WHERE THE ANGLES ARE BAD, YOU DON'T SEE THE THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE FIGHT. THAT'S BASED UPON WHERE WE PUT THE JUDGES AND THE OTHER THING IS EDUCATION JUDGES. THEY ALL HAVE TO USE THE CRITERIA THE SAME WAY. IF YOU'RE DOING THINGS ON YOUR OWN, YOU'RE THE ONE -- >> AND FOR THOSE -- WE'RE ALWAYS BRINGING MORE PEOPLE ON THE BELLATOR MMA BANDWAGON, WHAT IS THE SCORING CRITERIA AS HILL CONTINUES TO WORK ON ZANI? >> AS SIMPLE AS IT GETS. WE LOOK AT STRIKING AND GRAPPLING. THOSE ARE FIGHTING THINGS. WE DON'T LOOK AT AGGRESSION OR CAGE CONTROL. THOSE ARE SECONDARY. IF YOU AS A JUDGE CAN DETERMINE WHO WON BASED UPON THE BETTER STRIKING OR THE BETTER GRAPPLING, THAT IS THE PERSON THAT WINS THE ROUND, NO MATTER IF SOMEONE IS COMING FORWARD, NO MATTER AS FAR AS, OH, THEY CONTROLLED WHERE THE FIGHT IS. DOESN'T MATTER. IF YOU LOSE, EITHER THE GRAPPLING, IF THAT'S WHAT TOOK PLACE THE MOST IN THE FIGHT OR YOU LOSE THE STRIKING, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THAT ROUND. >> AND NOW IT'S A VERY -- REFEREE MAKING SURE THAT JOSH HILL CANNOT THROW THAT KNEE AS, OH, BUT ZANI, BEAUTIFUL TUCK UNDER ATTEMPT. >> NICE POWER BY HILL. >> ZANI WITH A KNEE TO THE MIDSECTION, BACK UP ON HIS FEET THEY GO. >> THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL TRANSITION BY BOTH FIGHTERS. >> STAND COON. >> HLBACK, R K NCLL FARSH HILL, I, HEM HWI PPTUNITIESE E BBE. 1:HEIE THAT D AT THE SAM E G T HAND. 3 SECON >>NNHILL>> NICE FO JSH OGE. ET THAT KWITN RGEO ND. >> HILL DING A GOOD JOBF AVOIDIC F 30 SELEFT,AND H ELIVER T WHILE THISFOWORK T F LA I BANCE AND 'VGOT TOOW IF NOT PO >> TS BANTAEIGHNNING BAAELRAPHIN AND OUR UFFICIAL JGE IS NONE OTHER THAN BIG JOHN McCARTHY. >> I'M UNOFFICIAL. I'VE GOT JOSH HILL WINNING THIS FIGHT. IT WAS A GOOD FIGHT. IT ACTUALLY REALLY NICE FIGHT BY A GUY COMING BACK FROM ALMOST TWO YEARS. >> RIGHT. >> IN VINICIUS ZANI. HE JUST, IN THE END, DIDN'T LAND THE QUALITY OF SHOTS, DIDN'T DO THE GRAPPLING IN THE SAME FASHION AS JOSH HILL. JOSH GETS THE NOD. >> HILL, HOPING TO RETURN HOME TO HIS 19-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER AND HIS FAMILY, VICTORIOUS IN HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT, AND YOU CAN SEE IN HIS CORNER, TO CELEBRATE A PERFORMANCE THAT DEFINITELY CHECKED OFF A LOT OF THE BOXES YOU WANT TO SEE IN A MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST AND THEN FOR VINICIUS ZANI, LIKE YOU SAID, JOHN, 32 YEARS OF AGE BUT HASN'T BEEN IN THE CAGE IN ALMOST 2 YEARS. >> YEAH, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS FIGHT FOR ZANI, YOU'VE GOT TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, I SAW A LOT OF THINGS THAT I LIKED. THERE WERE SOME ISSUES AS FAR AS YOU TELEGRAPHING THINGS. THAT LED TO JOSH HILL BEING ABLE TO GET YOU IN CERTAIN POSITIONS, BUT GETTING THAT RING RUST OFF, GETTING BACK IN THE GE, GETTING THAT -- YOUR FIRST FIGHT IN BELLATOR OUT OF THE WAY, ALL THOSE THINGS LEAD TO HIM DOING WELL DOWN THE ROAD. >> WHO WINS HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT? LET'S GO TO MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR THE DECISION, WE GO TO YOUR THREE JUDGES AT CAGESIDE. YOUR FIRST, DON, 30-27, WHILE JUDGES DEREK CLEARY AND CHRIS LEE BOTH SEE IT 29-28. THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION, JOSH "GENTLEMAN" HILL. >> O, CANADA, JOSH HILL WINS HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT. AS HE IMPROVES TO 19-3, SPOILING THE BELLATOR DEBUT OF VINICIUS ZANI. AND WE ARE GOING TO BE LIVE ON THE PARAMOUNT NETWORK AT 9:00/8:00 CENTRAL, FOUR FIGHTS COMING YOUR WAY, INCLUDING TWO HEAVYWEIGHT BATTLES. >> JAVY IS A GRINDING, MASSIVE MAN WITH HEAVY HANDS. HE JUST PUTS YOU AGAINST THE CAGE, AND SMOTHERS YOU, HITTING YOU WITH BIG, HEAVY SHOTS. HE IS A LOAD FOR ANYONE AND IF YOU TRY TO OUT MUSCLE HIM, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE. BUT MOLDAVSKY IS THE GUY, THE SMALLER HEAVYWEIGHT, THE GUY THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE HEAVYWEIGHTS STARTING TO TAKE OVER, VERY ATHLETIC, GOOD WRESTLING, YOU SEE HIM HERE AGAINST THE BIGGER MAN, DOESN'T MATTER. WEARS HIM DOWN. VALENTIN MOLDAVSKY AGAINST JAVY AYALA. THAT IS GOING TO BE SPEED AGAINST STRENGTH. >> HALF OF MOLDAVSKY'S VICTORIES HAVE COME BEFORE RENDERING A JUDGE'S VERDICT. THE HEAVYWEIGHTS, ALWAYS LOOKING TO THROW DOWN. WE ARE -- AND WE'VE GOT LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE NOW AS GRANT NEIL CLASHES WITH CLAUDE WILCOX. >> YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE REASON THAT AGE IS ALMOST EVERYTHING IS THE SAME. BOTH GUYS, VERY YOUNG FIGHTERS, YOUNG IN THEIR CAREERS. WANTING TO PUT ON A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE. >> BOTH OF THEM IN THEIR SOPHOMORE BELLATOR MMA APPEARANCES. HERE'S MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> TONIGHT, HERE AT BELLATOR 239, WE GO NOW TO THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION SCHEDULED FOR THREE FIVE-MINUTE ROUNDS, INTRODUCING THE BLUE CORNER AT 5'11", 204.6 POUNDS, HIS PROFESSIONAL RECORD 1-1, FIGHTING OUT OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, CLAUDE WILCOX. >> WILCOX COMPETED TO BE HERE. >> AND ACROSS THE CAGE, HIS ADVERSARY FIGHTING OUT OF THE RED CORNER, AT 5'11", 204.8 POUNDS. AS A PROFESSIONAL HE'S 2-0, FIGHTING OUT OF DENVER, COLORADO, INTRODUCING GRANT NEAL. THE REFEREE IN CHARGE, JASON HERZOG. >> JASON HERZOG GETS THIS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT ASSIGNMENT AS GRAND NEAL, CLAUDE WILCOX, BOTH IN THEIR SECOND BELLATOR MMA FIGHTS. NEAL, 1-0. WILCOX, 0-1 IN BELLATOR. WILCOX IS 1-1 WHILE GRANT NEAL IS 2-0 OVERALL AND IT'S GRANT NEAL IN THE RED GLOVES, WILCOX IN THE BLUE. NEAL MAKING HIS BELLATOR DEBUT AT BELLATOR 233, NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, BEATING JIMMY LUKO VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION. AND WHILE WILCOX, HE DROPS HIS BELLATOR DEBUT, LOSING VIA SECOND ROUND TKO IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'LL SAY ABOUT THAT FIGHT, HE IS AN ANIMAL. YOU SAW CLAUDE WILCOX, LITTLE BIT UNORTHODOX, BUT MAN, HE'S TOUGH. HE GOT IN WITH BIG SHOTS, JUST KEPT COMING. >> LEFT HAND FOR NEAL. NEAL LOOKING FOR THE TAKEDOWN, DRIVES WILCOX TO THE MAT, PICKS HIM UP, TAKES HIM DOWN. NEAL SAYING THAT HIS EXPLOSIVE POWER WRESTLING AND HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY TO BLEND STRIKES AND TAKEDOWNS WILL LEAD HIM TO VICTORY. HE'S LOOKING TO, OF COURSE, FINISH THE FIGHT. SAME FOR WILCOX. WILCOX FEELS THAT HIS BIGGEST ADVANTAGE IS IN THE FIGHT ARE GOING TO BE STRIKING FEET AND REACH BUT HE'S NOW BEEN TAKEN DOWN TWICE. >> THERE YOU GO AGAIN. WHEN A MAN HAS HIS HANDS TOGETHER AROUND YOUR WAIST OR YOUR UPPER LEGS, HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO PICK YOU UP AND BRING YOU BACK DOWN, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK YOUR WAY BACK TO YOUR FEET SO WORK AT HITTING THAT UNDERHOOK AND BREAKING THOSE HANDS APART. WHEN WE SAW GRANT NEAL FIGHTING JIMMY LITTLE, WE SAW A GUY TRYING TO LOSE, FIGHTING FAST, AND IT WORKED AGAINST HIM AND HE LEARNED A LESSON. THOSE STRIKES, GO AND DO WHAT YOU DO WELL, PUT PRESSURE ON HIM. IT'S A GREAT POSITION RIGHT NOW FROM GRANT NEAL. >> NEAL WAS A STUDENT ATHLETE AT COLORADO STATE. HAD AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS ON FOOTBALL -- ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD AND IN THE CLASSROOM WHERE HE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN WINNING THE 2014 NCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL TITLE, RECEIVED ACCOLADES FOR HIS WORK IN THE PREMED PROGRAM. UNFORTUNATELY, HE HAD ISSUES WITH THE LAW, BOTH CHARGES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, HAD TO OVERCOME SO MUCH, AND HE DID. HE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER WHERE HE IS CONTINUING ON HIS JOURNEY TO BE AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON. >> THAT'S AWESOME. YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, BEAUTIFUL JOB GOING TO MAT, AND HERE'S A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS PUT IN A HORRIBLE POSITION, WHO DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, WORKED HIS WAY THROUGH IT, THE TRUTH CAME OUT, AND -- >> WILCOX ESCAPES. GOES FORWARD. >> BOTH EDUCATIONALLY AND HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY AS A FIGHTER. >> MEANWHILE, WILCOX HAS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS, PLAYS FOOTBALL AT HENDERSON FOR FOUR YEARS, WON THREE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS AT HENDERSON STATE UNIVERSITY. UNDER 2:00 LEFT HERE IN THE OPENING ROUND, AND WILCOX TRYING TO KEEP NEAL FROM TAKING HIM DOWN AGAIN, FINDS HIMSELF BACK TO THE FENCE. >> GRANT NEAL GIVING FAKE TO FAKE AND WHEN YOU'RE SEEING WILCOX, HE'S REACTING AND JUMPING TO ALL OF THEM. THAT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD IS NOT GOING TO LEAD TO GOOD THINGS. >> ANOTHER TAKEDOWN SECURED BY GRANT NEAL. >> GREAT TAKEDOWN. THAT'S THE KIND OF TAKEDOWN WE TALKED ABOUT SCORING THE JUDGES, THE JUDGES SCORE THAT, NO MATTER IF HE GOT RIGHT BACK UP BECAUSE THERE WAS IMPACT, THERE WAS ELEVATION IMPACT, AMPLITUDE, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. >> WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AD NAUSEAM OVER THE YEARS AND GOING BACK TO THE PRIZE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP DAYS, I KNOW THE WORD IS SENSITIVE AND WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE SPORTS WORLD, ESPECIALLY COMBAT SPORTS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ISN'T IT ABOUT DOING DAMAGE? >> ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT WORDS, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WORD, DAMAGE. DURING THE FIGHT, THE FIGHTERS ARE TRYING TO DAMAGE EACH OTHER. THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. >> LATER TONIGHT, COMING UP IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT LIGHTWEIGHT BRANDON GIRTZ WILL BATTLE MYLES JURY, JURY A UFC STAPLE WHO MOVED OVER TO BELLATOR MMA AND FACED BENSON IN HIS FIRST FIGHT BUT HE'LL TRY TO GET INTO THE WIN COLUMN AGAINST BRANDON GIRTZ, WHO WILL TAKE ON ANYONE ANYWHERE AS LONG AS HIS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG IS WITH HIM. WHAT A GREAT STORY THAT IS. >> IT IS. HE'S AWESOME. THAT DOG GOES EVERYWHERE WITH HIM. >> AND YOU KNOW CHRIS WANTS TO MAKE IT A DOG FIGHT. 20 SECONDS LEFT HERE IN THE OPENING ROUND. GRANT NEAL CONTROLLING CLAUDE WILCOX ON THE CANVAS THANKS TO HIS TAKEDOWN PROFICIENCY. >> SPEAKING OF BRANDON GIRTZ, WHO IS THE TRAINING PARTNER OF MR. GRANT NEAL. >> NICELY DONE. >> NICELY DONE HERE FOR GRANT NEAL IN ROUND NUMBER ONE. NEAL FIGHTING OUT OF DENVER, COLORADO, A GENESIS TRAINING ACADEMY, THE GENESIS FIGHT TEAM, JACOB RAMOS, HIS HEAD COACH, BUT TRAINING WITH THE LIKES OF CURTIS BLADES, NATE MARQUARDT, A BLAST FROM THE PAST, NOT SO LONG AGO PAST, WHAT A CAREER HE HAD. >> ESPECIALLY IN VAN GRAVE. >> WHAT ABOUT THAT VIDEO GAME FINISH TO WIN THE TITLE. STRAIGHT OUT OF A VIDEO GAME. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHEN ARE YOU AND I GOING TO START DOING eSPORTS ANNOUNCING? 20,000 KIDS IN AN ARENA WATCHING PEOPLE PLAY VIDEO GAMES. COME ON, MAN. >> THAT RIGHT HAND IS THERE. BIG BREATH. YES. >> VERY IMPRESSIVE ROUND BY GRANT NEAL. I'LL BE THE BUTTON-MASHING VERSION OF COMMENTARY. >> WHAT DID YOU LIKE FROM ROUND NUMBER ONE, JOHN? >> VERY SIMPLE. YOU SAW THAT GRANT NEAL WAS CONTROLLING EVERYTHING. HE WAS GIVING THE FEINTS, THROWING HIS HANDS, GETTING HIMSELF INTO THE TAKEDOWN, BIG TAKEDOWNS AND THEN DOING DAMAGE ON THE GROUND. >> ALL RIGHT. THIS IS NOW ROUND NUMBER TWO. GRANT NEAL AND THE RED GLOVES, CLAUDE WILCOX IN THE BLUE. >> WILCOX, 25, NEAL 24, SO NOT EVEN IN THEIR PHYSICAL PRIME. COMPETING AT 205. NEAL TELEGRAPHING THE LEVEL CHANGE, ALMOST -- NOW WILCOX USING A COMBINATION. >> WILCOX REALLY PUSHING THOSE PUNCHES. YOU SEE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THAT SNAP TO THEM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE'S NOT SURE. HE'S BEING HESITANT. HE DOESN'T WANT TO GET COUNTERED, WHICH IS HAPPENING TO HIM. HE'S JUST DECIDED, HEY, HE'S GOING TO PRESS FORWARD AND HE SAYS, I'M GOING TO THROW IT AND GO WITH IT. >> NICE KICK. GRANT NEAL RIGHT UP TO THE ARMS. >> BIG REACTION FROM CLAUDE WILCOX. EVERY TIME GRANT DOES THAT THING, YOU SEE THAT BIG REACTION, THAT'S TELLING GRANT NEAL, RIGHT INTO WHAT I WANT TO DO. >> RIGHT HAND INTO THE LEVEL CHANGE AND ANOTHER TAKEDOWN FOR GRANT NEAL. INTO SIDE CONTROL. AND WILCOX WILL ATTEMPT TO USE THE FENCE TO HIS ADVANTAGE. AND AGAIN, HE CAME THROUGH. >> THEY'LL HAVE TO RULE. AT HIS FEET ON THE FENCE. JUST LIKE THEY ARE. BUT WHAT HE CANNOT DO IS CONTROL HIS BODY POSITION BY FACING HIS TOES AND TRYING TO GRAB AHOLD OF IT TO HOLD HIS BODY POSITION IN A CERTAIN AREA. THAT'S WHAT HE CAN'T DO. >> JUST LIKE GRABBING THE CAGE WITH YOUR HAND. >> EXACTLY. >> WE ARE COMING UP ON THE MIDPOINT OF THE ROUND AND THE FIGHT HAS BEEN THE GRANT NEAL TAKEDOWN SHOW. >> IT HAS BEEN THE GRANT NEAL AIR SHOW. HE HAS PICKED UP CLAUDE WILCOX AND DONE SOME AERIAL ASSAULT WITH HIS BODY, SLAMMING INTO OUR CANVAS. >> NOW NEAL UP AGAINST THE FENCE HERE, MASHES HIS LEFT FOREARM INTO THE FACE OF WILCOX. SLASHING ELBOW STRIKE ACROSS THE BRIDGE OF THE NOSE. UNDER 2:00 LEFT IN THE SECOND. >> HE COULD STEP OVER RIGHT NOW, RIGHT IN THE MOUTH IF HE WANTS. THERE IT IS. >> WILCOX DESPERATELY TRYING TO SLIP OUT, TRYING TO DO WHATEVER HE CAN TO IMPROVE HIS CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT NOW SIDE CONTROL FROM NEAL, AND NEAL ON THE ATTACK, BUT WILCOX -- WILCOX -- >> HE'S ONLY GOT THE HEAD RIGHT NOW. THERE IS NO ARM INSIDE. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, HE'S TRYING TO BELLY DOWN BUT THE FENCE IS IN THE WAY. >> IT WOULD BE HARD TO GET THE BELLY DOWN. HE THROWS UP WHAT'S LOOKING LIKE A TRIANGLE BUT THERE WAS NO ARM. THERE'S NO -- IT'S ONLY ON HIS HEAD AND THERE'S NO CHOKE ATTEMPT. IT'S VERY HARD TO SQUEEZE HARD ENOUGH TO HOLD ON. >> KNEE TO THE MIDSECTION BY GRANT NEAL. ALL OF THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN SAYING, HERE'S A GUY, WHY IS THE REFEREE LETTING THIS GO? HE'S DOING DAMAGE TO HIM ON THE GROUND. THOSE TYPE OF SHOTS ARE LEADING TO HIM FINISHING THE FIGHT. >> EFFECTIVE. WILCOX TRYING TO GET BACK UP TO HIS FEET, ATTEMPTING THE WALL WALK, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR FEET IF YOU WANT TO DO SO, AND NEAL'S MAKING SURE THAT'S NOT THE CASE. >> YOU WOULD THINK PEOPLE WOULD WATCH THIS GUY AND REALIZE IF THE GUY HAS HIS HAND -- WHAT WAS THAT? 21 TAKEDOWNS, I THINK. >> I THOUGHT IT WAS 19. >> RIDICULOUS AMOUNT. >> YOU'RE RIGHT. GOOD GUY TO STUDY, RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY. >> GROUND AND POUND, HAMMER FIST AND LEFT TO RIGHT, THE FLURRY BY NEAL. DO EVEN MORE DAMAGE IN THE FINAL FEW SECONDS OF THE SECOND ROUND. >> THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS STUPID QUESTIONS, REMEMBER THAT, JOHN. >> NO DOUBT. >> HOW DO YOU HAVE IT AFTER TWO ROUNDS. >> LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT. IT'S PRETTY EASY. GRANT NEAL DEFINITELY UP. CLAUDE WILCOX REALLY HAVING TO DO A PERFECT ROUND. HE'LL HAVE A VERY BIG THIRD ROUND. >> NOW THOSE HANDS ARE GOING TO WORK EVEN MORE. I PROMISE YOU. >> THE KID MAKING HIMSELF HERE AT CAGESIDE WITH BELLATOR MMA. >> HE'S GOING TO HAVE THOSE HANDS REALLY LOW. I WANT THOSE HANDS COMING OVER THE TOP, NOT IN SINGLES. DOUBLES AND TRIPLES. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO. >> NO SINGLES, JUST DOUBLES AND TRIPLES. NICE STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND BY GRANT NEAL, THEN CHANGING LEVELS RIGHT INTO CLAUDE WILCOX, BOUNCES HIM OFF THE CAGE, PICKS HIM UP, SLAMS HIM DOWN, AGAIN, PICKING HIM UP, NICE LITTLE SWING BY, PUTS HIM ON HIS BACK. >> NOW THE ONLY REASON YOU WOULD -- BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAY, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TAKEDOWNS. WHEN YOU DO TAKEDOWNS OF THOSE AMPLITUDES AND YOU'RE DOING DAMAGE BY SENDING THEM TO THE CANVAS. >> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S LIKE GETTING HIT WITH A BIG RIGHT, LEFT HAND. >> FINAL ROUND. GRANT NEAL IN THE RED GLOVES, CLAUDE WILCOX IN THE BLUE GLOVES. NEAL, 2-0, INCLUDING A VICTORY HERE IN BELLATOR WHILE WILCOX, HE'S 1-1, HAVING LOST HIS FIRST FIGHT IN BELLATOR MMA. DUTCH KICKBOXING COMBINATION. >> NICE JAB. A POWER JAB. A LA MANNY PACQUIAO. >> CLAUDE WILCOX REALLY NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT THIS AND MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. >> NEAL GETS ANOTHER TAKEDOWN. IT'S A TAKEDOWN PARADE FOR GRANT NEAL. >> THIS TIME, SIDE CONTROL, BEAUTIFUL POSITION. NOT A LOT AS FAR AS SUBMISSION. >> GRANT NEAL KEEPING THAT RIGHT KNEE WHICH HE DIDN'T DO, SLIDE THAT KNEE UNDER, TRY AND GO TO HALF START BECAUSE YOU LIKE THAT POSITION, SLAM IT DOWN ON THE LEG. >> YOU CAN'T UNDERSTATE, AS WELL, HOW FRUSTRATING AND THE MENTAL FORTITUDE, THE TEST THAT CLAUDE WILCOX FACES. >> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S SO FRUSTRATING BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN. YOU'RE TRYING AS HARD AS YOU CAN, AND EVERY TIME YOU TRY TO DO SOMETHING, IT JUST TURNS BAD FOR YOU, AND MENTALLY, IT'S JUST OVERWHELMING, AND YOU GOT TO JUST KEEP TELLING YOURSELF, IT'S OKAY. I'M JUST GOING TO WORK MY WAY THROUGH IT. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM CLAUDE WILCOX SO FAR. >> AS A MEDIOCRE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER, I REMEMBER THE "SHARK TANK," THE MEAT GRINDER, WHERE YOU'RE TAKEN DOWN OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AFTER ONE OR TWO TIMES, YOU'RE DONE, YOU WANT OUT. AND AT THIS LEVEL WITH A GUY LIKE GRANT NEAL, IT IS INCREDIBLE HOW MUCH THE MENTAL GAME PLAYS JUST IN COMBAT SPORTS BUT IN LIFE AND IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A MENTALLY TAXING FIGHT FOR CLAUDE WILCOX. >> IT IS BAD, I GIVE HIM SO MUCH CREDIT. HE HAS NOT GIVEN UP. HE'S STILL FIGHTING HARD. HE'S DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO FIND A WAY TO TURN THINGS AROUND. >> AND FOR GRANT NEAL, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE HIM TO PUT THAT PROVERBIAL CHERRY ON THE SUNDAE THAT HAS BEEN A DECENT PERFORMANCE HERE? BUT LOOK AT WILCOX FIGHTING VALIANTLY FROM THE BOTTOM. IT IS UP TO NEAL TO IMPROVE HIS POSITION. >> WELL, RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU'VE GOT IS YOU'VE GOT WILCOX TRYING TO GO FOR A GRIP ON THE LEFT ARM OF GRANT NEAL, JUST LET GO OF IT. BUT WHAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN -- HERE WE GO. EXACTLY. MORE POWER, SHOW THAT YOU'RE JUST BREAKING IT DOWN, MAKE IT TO WHERE HE IS COMING FROM A DEFENSIVE SIDE, STARTING TO BECOME MORE -- >> NEAL. DON'T LET HIM STOP YOU. >> THE SKIN OF CLAUDE WILCOX. GETTING FREE OF LEFT HANDS, A LOT OF THEM BEING BLOCKED, NOT CONNECTING, BUT STILL, OVERWHELMING CLAUDE WILCOX WITH UNDER 2:00 LEFT IN THE THIRD, AND WILCOX CONTINUES TO FIGHT VALIANTLY FROM THE BOTTOM. >> RIGHT NOW, THAT RIGHT ARM. CAN'T DEFEND HIMSELF WITH IT. NEAL SLIDING THAT RIGHT OVER THE ARM. >> WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT NEAL? >> WELL, I'M SAYING, I EVEN SAID YOU NEED TO ISOLATE A SIDE SO I CAN OPEN UP. >> THERE IT IS. OVER. GRANT NEAL IMPROVES TO 3-0, 2-0 IN BELLATOR, AND HE PICKS UP THE FIRST VICTORY OF HIS CAREER VIA FORM OF KNOCKOUT AS HE SENDS CLAUDE WILCOX TO A RECORD OF 0-2 IN BELLATOR. >> I'M A BAD MOTHER. >> I'M A BAD MOTHER. WELL, HE'S TALKING TO TALK AFTER HE WALKED THE WALK TONIGHT. >> THAT'S IT. >> HERE HE GOES. THE FIRST GRAB OF THE LEG, NICE SWEEP, MAKES IT DOWN THE BACK, FINDS CONTROL POSITION. STEPS OVER WITH THAT SINGLE HALF GUARD AND STEPS ON TO THE ARM WITH THE KNEE, HOLDING THE ARM DOWN, OPENS UP WITH HIS LEFT HAND, CLEAN SHOT, SOME OF THESE HAVE STARTED ADDING UP. CLAUDE WILCOX IS HAVING A HARD TIME JUST STOPPING ANYTHING THAT GRANT NEAL IS DOING HERE. HE'S JUST GETTING BEAT DOWN IN THAT SYSTEMATIC FASHION OF GETTING DOMINATED ROUND AFTER ROUND. IT'S VERY OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. IN HIS SECOND BELLATOR FIGHT BY GRANT NEAL. THAT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE FIGHT FOR HIM. >> TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL, WE GO BACK INSIDE THE CAGE. HERE'S MICHAEL C. WILLIAMS. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, INSIDE THE BELLATOR CAGE, REFEREE JASON HERZOG WAVES IT OFF DUE TO UNANSWERED STRIKES, OFFICIALLY 3:37, ROUND NUMBER THREE, THE WINNER BY TKO, STILL UNDEFEATED, GRANT NEAL. >> GRANT NEAL REMAINS UNBEATEN IN THE EARLY STAGES OF WHAT LOOKS TO BE A PROMISING MIXED MARTIAL ARTS CAREER. THE 24-YEAR-OLD OUT OF DENVER, COLORADO, IMPROVING TO 3-0. >> COMING UP, BELLATOR 239 LIVE ON THE PARAMOUNT NETWORK, THE MAIN CARD CULMINATES WITH A WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN BETWEEN EASY ED RUTH AND YAROSLAV AMOSOV. LIGHTWEIGHTS BRANDON GIRTZ AND MYLES JURY WILL MEET IN A PIVOTAL 155-POUND CONTEST. AND THE HEAVYWEIGHTS THROW DOWN AS THE UNBEATEN TYRELL FORTUNE TAKES ON TIM JOHNSON WHILE JAVY AYALA OPPOSES VALENTIN MOLDAVSKY. THAT'S COMING UP LIVE ON THE PARAMOUNT NETWORK AT 9:00/8:00 CENTRAL, BELLATOR 239.

Channel: BellatorMMA

Views: 805,933

Keywords:

Id: rxwdWUZaXoQ

Length: 166min 22sec (9982 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 21 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/Nuclearfrog]

Loving them putting it on youtube.

[u/fahrenheit1221]

Interesting. I'll give it a shot.

[u/DonEYeet]

What time does da facking boy come on?

[u/[deleted]]

Ta! I've not seen bellator live, should be interesting.

[u/Nuclearfrog]

Dominant opener from Edwards.

[u/KinaGroove]

Damn, didn't know Kevin Lee's brother was in Bellator. Fun fight

[u/jmb-412]

O/U 4 DQ's for tonight?

[u/[deleted]]

Mauro Renallo and Big John on commentary

[u/drunkwhenimadethis]

Where the fuck is Goldie? :'(