Bellator 126 results: Halsey sleeps Shlemenko in 35 seconds to claim belt
Bellator MMA just may have a new star on their hands, as Brandon Halsey (8-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) claimed the promotion’s middleweight title in a second destruction of former champ Alexander Shlemenko (50-9 MMA, 11-3 BMMA).
The contest served as the headlining bout of Friday’s Bellator 126 event, which took place at Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., and aired on Spike TV.
Halsey, a former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, wasted little time implementing his gameplan, shooting inside immediately on the striking specialist. Shlemnko tried to defend but wound up hitting the deck and turning to expose his back. Halsey seized the opportunity, latching on to the neck and immediately sinking the rear-naked choke, squeezing until Shlemenko went to sleep just 35 seconds after the bout began.
The night’s co-main event featured the delayed Season 10 lightweight tournament final, and Marcin Held (19-3 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) finally earned the tournament title that evaded him twice before by earning a dominating decision win over Patricky Freire (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC).
Marcin scored a takedown in the opening minute of the fight, creatively rolling into his opponent’s legs and taking the action to the floor. But Freire was able to escape back to the feet shortly after, and he capitalized by landing a powerful knee on the restart. Still, Held went right back to his strength, rolling for a leg and taking the action to the canvas. Unfortunately, he had to settle for the bottom, and Freire kept himself safe on top before backing away late in the round.
Held again worked the fight to the floor early in the second, and this time he enjoyed the dominant position. He briefly attacked the left arm, and while Freire resisted, he could not escape. Realizing the submission might not come, Held started to tee off with punches and elbows from the top, cutting Freire over his right eye.
Held continued his assault in the third round, showing improved wrestling to easily take the fight to the floor, where he simply controlled the action until the very end. A frustrated Freire finally got back to his feet with less than two minutes remaining, but he was deposited again shortly after.
Held was awarded a clearcut decision victory with scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-26 and will next fight for a Bellator lightweight title.
Jenkins continues to improve, Richman scores brutal stoppage
Top prospect Bubba Jenkins (8-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) continued to build his resume on Saturday night, earning an impressive decision win over Thiago Meller (19-6 MMA, 0-1 BMMA).
Jenkins wasn’t necessarily accurate on the feet in the early going, but his constant work did open a cut over Meller’s left eye. But the Brazilian was unfazed and locked in a guillotine choke late in the frame. Jenkins looked to be in real trouble, but he bucked and shifted and rolled until his opponent finally had to let go of the hold. Once on top, Jenkins unleashed vicious ground-and-pound shots that were halted only by the bell to end the first round.
The bout took a similar feel in the second frame, but Jenkins scored the takedown much quicker in the round and never found himself in as much trouble as he did in the first.
Meller came out aggressively in the third, and he worked himself back into a guillotine position. While the effort was game, Jenkins was up to the challenge, working himself free, even as his fight trunks slid down his legs, forcing referee John McCarthy to call a timeout to allow him to adjust his fight gear (fortunately Jenkins had tights on underneath, preventing a true wardrobe malfunction). On the restart, Jenkins continued his grind, cruising to the decision win.
In the night’s first main-card matchup, Mike Richman (17-5 MMA, 6-4 BMMA) looked dangerous in a brutal first-round stoppage of Ed West (18-9 MMA, 4-4 BMMA).
Richman was aggressive from the start, and while West looked ready to stand and return fire, he was downed by a perfect two-punch combination that turned his light out at the 2:44 mark of the opening round. Richman snapped a two-fight losing streak with the result.
Official Bellator 126 results include:
MAIN CARD (Spike TV, 9 p.m. ET)
Brandon Halsey def. Alexander Shlemenko via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 0:35 to claim middleweight title
Marcin Held def. Patricky Freire via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)
Bubba Jenkins def. Thiago Meller via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Mike Richman def. Ed West via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 2:44
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com, 7 p.m. ET)
LaRue Burley def. Raymond Pina via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 0:22
Clifford Starks def. Jacob Ortiz via technical submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 0:52
Nick Rossborough def. Ryan Martinez via TKO (injury) – Round 1, 5:00
Joe Taimanglo def. Michael Parker via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Dan Charles def. Stuart Austin via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 0:18
Derek Campos def. Estevan Payan via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:31
Brandon Girtz def. Benny Madrid via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:57
