Bellator 125 results: Manhoef KOs Marshall to earn middleweight title shot
Melvin Manhoef wanted to make a good first impression in his Bellator MMA debut.
That, he did, and it wound up getting him a middleweight title shot. Manhoef knocked out Doug Marshall in the Bellator 125 main event with a brutal right hand behind the ear. Then he was told that President Scott Coker had granted him the winner of the Bellator 126 main event between 185-pound champion Alexander Shlemenko and Brandon Halsey.
Bellator 125 took place at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., with a main card on Spike TV following prelims on Spike.com.
Manhoef was a ball of energy during the introductions, but came out patiently before throwing a big left hook 25 seconds in. Marshall answered back, but Manhoef threw a high kick that just missed and then one that was way too low.
Marshall got a break for the low blow, but when they restarted, it was Manhoef trying to put together heavy shots as Marshall circled outside. Marshall took a chance to push forward, backing Manhoef up with a combo. But then Manhoef landed a right, followed by three straight kicks.
Then an over-the-top right hand put Marshall on the canvas, flat on his face. Manhoef’s right hand was just behind Marshall’s left ear, and that was all it took. A quick left hand on the ground was inconsequential, as Marshall already was out.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better,†Manhoef said of his debut. “He’s a great fighter. He had the short end of this fight, but I’m very happy to be in Bellator.â€
Manhoef, who has fought for Strikeforce, DREAM and ONE FC, then was even happier to be in the promotion when he was told Coker had given him a title shot for his second fight in the company.
Manhoef (29-11-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) won for the second straight time after a pair of 2013 losses. Marshall (18-8 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) lost for the second straight outing after starting his Bellator career 4-0.
Carvalho tees off on Rogers for first-round TKO
It wasn’t a stoppage that Brian Rogers liked, but in the end, referee Marcos Rosales counted an unlucky 13 for him.
Rafael Carvalho weathered an early storm from Rogers, then won his Bellator debut with a first-round TKO after landing 13 straight left hands against a slumped over ROgers.
Carvalho kicked early, with Rogers trying to jump inside for right hands before retreating form the pocket to stay away from Carvalho’s height and reach advantage. A minute in, Carvalho tried to tie Rogers up, and he paid the price. Seconds later, Rogers put together a big combination, then scooped the Brazilian up for a slam.
When the fight moved back to the feet, Rogers went after a guillotine choke, but let off on it and brought the fight back to striking range, where he worked to land more rights and elbows. Carvalho land a nice step-in knee, then ate a few punches that had Rogers pushed to the cage. Rogers was stunned and his hands dropped. Rogers kept his hands on the canvas as Carvalho teed off on him before the referee finally stepped in.
Rogers protested the stoppage, but he ate several big punches that put him in trouble, then 13 unanswered left hands from Carvalho while his hands were on the mat before he started to come up.
Carvalho (10-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) won his Bellator debut, which was his first fight outside Brazil. Rogers (11-6 MMA, 4-5 BMMA) now has dropped three of his past four fights.
Ayala submits Butler for first-round upset
Raphael Butler had promised to make amends from a draw his last time out that happened thanks to an illegal headbutt he threw when he lost his composure. But Javy Ayala got in the way of that.
Ayala came forward right away with a two-punch combination and pressed Butler to the cage. Butler tried to fight off to get separation. But when he did, Ayala scooped Butler up and dropped him to the canvas. From there, it was just a matter of seconds before Ayala took Butler’s back, hooked in an immediate rear-naked choke, and Butler was quick to tap. The end came just 63 seconds into the first round.
“I just want everyone to know that I’m here, and I’m going to be one of the top guys,†Ayala said.
Ayala (8-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) won for the third straight time, all by stoppage in Bellator’s heavyweight division. Butler (8-1-1 MMA, 3-1-1 BMMA) lost for the first time in his pro career.
Goiti Yamauchi gets easy tap of Martin Stapleton
Goiti Yamauchi made things look easy against Martin Stapleton to open the main card, finishing things with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
The fight hit the ground almost immediately, and Yamauchi quickly went after an omoplata on the canvas. Stapleton struggled to get out of the shoulder crank as Yamauchi kept his arm trapped. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout kept the pressure on for nearly 90 seconds until Stapleton finally got free, but Yamauchi easily transitioned to take Stapleton’s back, where he looked for a rear-naked choke.
Stapleton tried to punch his way out and did, but Yamauchi still had half the round to work. Stapleton had another chance to wriggle out, but Yamauchi again controlled him with a body triangle and went back after the rear-naked choke. Stapleton fought it as long as he could, cranking on the neck, but Yamauchi finally had it deep enough and Stapleton tapped with 23 seconds left in the first round.
Yamauchi (18-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) won for the second straight time after a decision loss to Will Martinez at Bellator 110. Stapleton (13-4 MMA, 0-3 BMMA) heads back to the loss column after a June win outside the promotion, and is now 0-3 for Bellator.
Bellator 125 results include:
MAIN CARD (Spike TV, 9 p.m. ET)
Melvin Manhoef def. Doug Marshall via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:45
Rafael Carvalho def. Brian Rogers via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:03
Javy Ayala def. Raphael Butler via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:03
Goiti Yamauchi def. Martin Stapleton via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:37
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com, 7 p.m. ET)
Joe Neal def. Paul Ruiz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Matthew Ramirez def. Oscar Ramirez via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 0:42
Chris Honeycutt def. Aaron Wilkinson via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:45
Julio Cesar Neves def. Poppies Martinez via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:16
Jonny Bonilla-Bowman def. Art Becerra via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Jesse Juarez def. Ron Keslar via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
George Zuniga def. Granson Clark via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:34
Nate James def. Anthony Ruiz via split decision
