Tomorrow evening in San Diego, the Strikeforce Welterweight and Lightweight titles will be on the line as a part of a nine fight card, the last four of which will be shown live on the Showtime network. 

Main Event – Nick Diaz (c) vs. Paul Daley – Strikeforce Welterweight Championship 

Nick Diaz (left) looks to retain his Strikeforce Lightweight Championship as he takes on Paul Daley (right) in the evening's main event.

In a matchup that is guaranteed to produce fireworks, Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz will look to make another successful defense of his title against lethal British knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley. 

Champion Nick Diaz is currently enjoying an impressive eight fight winning streak.  A Cesar Gracie black belt, Diaz has shown his impressive submission game in many of his fights.  Whether it is submissions, positional advances/transitions or submission defense, Diaz is as slick as it gets once the fight hits the ground.  However, in addition to his submission skills, Diaz has become known for putting on classic striking battles, as he engages in all-out wars with his opponents.  Lacking knockout power, Diaz, who competes in triathlons when he is not in a training camp, uses his remarkable cardiovascular conditioning to outwork his opponents.  Blessed with a granite chin, Diaz is rarely fazed and after a round or two, the torrid pace he sets appears to overwhelm his opponents who simply wilt under his constant pressure. 

Whereas Diaz chips away at his opponents with consistent pelting shots, the aptly nicknamed “Semtex” Daley possesses the rare ability to end the fight on a moment’s notice with one swing.  The bullying Brit coming out of the vaunted “rough house” camp is known as one of the most dangerous strikers in the entire sport.  However, unlike Diaz, Daley does not possess the same well-rounded skills.  In fights with superior wrestlers such as Jake Shields and Josh Koscheck, Daley’s striking was nullified as he was placed on his back, where Daley does not possess much of a submission game. 

This is a very difficult fight to assess.  Daley has the ability to end the fight on a moment’s notice, but if Diaz is able to drag Daley down, he more likely than not will be able to end the fight via submission.  Additionally, with Diaz’s chin and constant pressuring, Diaz may be able to wear down Daley over the course of the five rounds.  In the end, I’m reminded of two different Daley fights that help me make a pick for this fight.  First, in Daley’s fight with Jake Shields, Daley did manage to stuff most of Shields’ takedowns in the first round of their fight.  Unlike Shields, Diaz has had difficulty getting smaller fighters like KJ Noons down, and that leads me to believe he will have trouble with the larger and more athletic Daley.  Second, in Daley’s fight against Duane Ludwig, Ludwig managed to engage Daley for several rounds causing Daley to throw many punches.  It did not appear that Daley gassed out during that fight.  As a result, I am going to go with the upset here and predict Daley ends the fight with a 2^nd or 3^rd round knockout.  If the fight gets into the 4^th or 5^th rounds, I believe Diaz will win, but I have a suspicion it just won’t last that long. 

Fight Prediction:  Paul Daley via 2^nd round KO. 

Co-Main Event – Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri – Strikeforce Lightweight Championship 

Gilbert Melendez (left) takes on Tatsuya Kawajiri (right) for the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship.

The co-main event of the evening features a rematch between Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez and Tatsuya Kawajiri.  The two talented lightweight fighters first competed in 2006 on the annual Pride Shockwave card.  In that fight, it was Melendez who eked out a razor thin decision against the home crowd favorite in a highly entertaining affair.  The fight featured back and forth action with both fighters enjoying periods of success.  Even more impressive was the incredible pace at which the fight progressed.  It was one of those fights that truly makes even the spectators tired. 

In their first fight, Melendez (left) and Kawajiri (right) dazzled the Japanese crowd.

Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez comes out of the Cesar Gracie camp along with the Diaz brothers and Jake Shields.  Though originally a wrestler, the Strikeforce Lightweight Champion epitomizes what the sport of mixed martial arts has grown to become.  Melendez is able to succeed in any facet of a fight and as a result, Melendez has the ability to push forward at a breakneck pace since he has no fear of being taken down (assuming someone has the rare ability to take him down) or being knocked out.  Melendez’s style has made him a crowd favorite, and he is widely viewed as among the top 5 lightweights in the world.  Though the MMA community is still waiting to see him go up against the top fighters in the UFC (or Eddie Alvarez in Bellator), a second win over Kawajiri will certainly cement his status as a top fighter. 

Tatsuya Kawajiri is another well-rounded fighter who enjoyed great success while competing in his homeland of Japan.  First making a name for himself in the legendary Shooto promotion, Kawajiri made the successful transition to the Pride organization where he became one of the top lightweight fighters and put on legendary battles in Pride’s Bushido series.  Like Melendez, Kawajiri operates at full throttle for practically the entire fight.  Whereas Melendez typically relies upon speed, Kawajiri often times attempts to outmuscle his opponents, as he is an incredibly powerful man. 

Look for another highly competitive and fast-paced bout.  Ultimately, I believe Melendez’s speed and wrestling ability, coupled with his reach will help secure his second victory over Kawajiri. 

Fight prediction:  Gilbert Melendez via unanimous decision. 

Shinya Aoki vs. Lyle Beerbohm 

Lyle Beerbohm (left) will look to shock Japanese sensation Shinya Aoki (right).

In another lightweight bout, Strikeforce product Lyle Beerbohm looks to rebound from his first career loss to Pat Healy against one of the most feared submission specialist’s in all of MMA, Shinya Aoki. 

Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm is a highly skilled wrestler that caught the attention of MMA fans with an impressive victory over formerly ranked Vitor “Shaolin” Ribero.  Having not yet developed his striking game to a level that threatens to end fights, Beerbohm relies upon his relentless wrestling attack to dictate the pace of the fights.  Though he inflicts some damage from the top, Beerbohm’s specialty is gaining positional advantage against his opponents in order to impress the judges. 

Unlike merely attempting to secure positional advantage, Shinya Aoki is constantly looking for submissions, and more often than not, is able to get them.  Whether securing a takedown or pulling guard, Aoki is very much like a Venus Fly Trap who catches his prey and never lets go.  Submitting many of the top lightweight fighters of the world, including Joachim Hansen, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Eddie Alvarez, Aoki will gladly welcome any takedown attempts that Beerbohm may attempt. 

Though Beerbohm certainly possesses the wrestling acumen to keep the fight standing and avoid Aoki’s submissions, I don’t believe his striking is any further advanced than Aoki’s.  In the end, I think Aoki is simply too skilled a submission specialist to go three rounds without submitting “fancy pants.” 

Fight prediction:  Shinya Aoki via 1^st round submission. 

Gegard Mousasi vs. Keith Jardine 

Keith Jardine (left) and Gegard Mousasi (right) will collide in a light-heavyweight battle.

Former Strikeforce Light-heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi will look to positional himself for another title shot as he takes on former UFC light-heavyweight contender Keith “the Dean of Mean” Jardine. 

Making a name for himself competing in the Dream Promotion in Japan, Mousasi came to the United States sporting an impressive resume of knockouts and submissions.  In his first stateside contest, Mousasi seemed to only add on to this rapidly growing reputation, knocking out the always-game Renato “Babalu” Sobral to win the Strikeforce Belt in under two minutes.  However, the Mousasi hype train came to a screeching halt after a lethargic decision loss to Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal in a fight where Mousasi gave up numerous takedowns.  The King Mo fight aside, Mousasi is one of the top light-heavyweights in the world, possessing lethal striking and very dangerous submissions. 

Stepping in on two weeks notice after Mike Kyle was forced to pull out of the fight with a broken hand, Keith Jardine looks to recapture the magic that propelled him to victories over Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin while in the UFC.  Formerly out of Greg Jackson MMA, Jardine employs an incredibly awkward striking style.  With the weird angles from which he throws punches and moves about the cage, Jardine is able to set up his strikes and feared leg kicks.  However, though he has impressive striking, Jardine’s Achilles heel is his striking defense.  Whether due to lazy head movement or the inability to keep his hands up, Jardine has fallen victim to several knockouts as a result of his poor striking defense. 

With Jardine not being one to take a fight to the ground, I believe that this will essentially turn into a kickboxing match which would favor Mousasi.  Though Jardine’s style and striking ability may potentially make this a competitive bout, Mousasi’s accurate and lethal striking should result in a knockout victory at some point in the fight. 

Fight prediction:  Gegard Mousasi via 2^nd round TKO.

Saturday night on MTV2, Bellator Fighting Championships will produce its 40^th installment with a card that features two semi-final matchups and a non-title super fight featuring the promotion’s welterweight champion. 

Main Event:  Ben Askren vs. Nick Thompson (Non-title Super Fight) 

Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren (right) will take on Nick Thompson (left) in a non-title bout.

In a non-title super-fight, Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren will take on veteran Nick Thompson.  Considered one of the most promising welterweight prospects in the entire sport, Askren has quickly risen up the ranks of the promotion to capture the welterweight championship.  Sporting a perfect professional record of 7-0, Askren appears to be on his way to becoming one of the most dangerous men at 170 lbs.  Askren sports one of the most fearsome and impressive wrestling backgrounds in the entire sport.  As a member of the United States Olympic team, Askren is one of the best grapplers in the sport.  His unique style of “funk” wrestling places a greater emphasis on positional control as opposed to physical dominance and explosiveness.  This awkward style has paid dividends in Askren’s transition from amateur wrestler to mixed martial artist, as Askren has become an astute submission artist, already earning the rank of brown belt in BJJ. 

Nick Thompson will provide a true test to evaluate how lethal Askren’s game has become.  In Thompson, Askren will find a wily veteran that is incredibly tough and well-versed in the grappling arts.  Thompson is a very cerebral fighter who has faced many of the sport’s best and will not be fazed by the hype surrounding Askren.  As an attorney, I would be remiss if I failed to mention that Thompson once fought in a championship match (a submission loss to current UFC welterweight title contender Jake Shields) three days before sitting for the Minnesota Bar.  Three days before sitting for the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bars I wasn’t’ even able to tie my own shoes or speak in coherent sentences, so it really shows you how focused Thompson is. 

Though Thompson is a well-seasoned opponent, I believe Askren simply possesses too much raw talent to lose this fight.  While Askren certainly needs to develop his striking game, Thompson is not the opponent that will cause problems for Askren while on the feet. 

Fight prediction:  Ben Askren via unanimous decision. 

Lloyd Woodward vs. Michael Chandler – Lightweight Semi-Final Bout

 In the first of two semi-final matchups, Lloyd Woodward and Michael Chandler will compete for the right to take on Patricky “Pitbull” Friere in the Lightweight Tournament Finals later on this spring. 

Lloyd Woodward looks to continue his impressive run in the Bellator Lightweight Tournament.

In what many considered a slight upset, Lloyd Woodward was able to defeat Jackson MMA product Carey Vanier.  From the outset, Woodward was the clear aggressor who was able to deliver the more punishing blows and nullify Vanier’s supreme athleticism.  Early on in the second round, Woodward was able to hurt Vanier and ultimately get the referee’s stoppage.  What Woodward lacks in sheer talent he makes up for with a rugged and violent approach in the cage.  With solid grappling and standing, Woodward will look to make Chandler work in every facet of the fight. 

Michael Chandler looks to continue his grappling dominance in his upcoming semi-final bout.

Michael Chandler comes to this fight having easily dispatched Polish sensation Marcin Held in the first round of their quarterfinal matchup.  The Xtreme Couture fighter is a very powerful and explosive wrestler, and at first glance has a style similar to that of former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk.  With explosive takedowns, Chandler will look to get the fight to the ground where he should be able to inflict a good deal of punishment and work for a submission.

Ultimately, with Chandler having the ability to dictate the pace and style of the fight, I believe Chandler’s wrestling will nullify Woodward’s aggressiveness en route to a convincing win. 

Fight prediction:  Michael Chandler via 2^nd round TKO.

 Jay Hieron vs. Brent Weedman – Welterweight Semi-Final Bout

 The second semi-final bout will determine which welterweight participant will take on Rich Hawn in this season’s welterweight tournament finale. 

Jay Hieron looks to cement his status as a top welterweight with a win Saturday night.

Considered perhaps the most talented welterweight not to be signed to either the UFC or Strikeforce besides Ben Askren, Xtreme Couture’s Jay Hieron has enjoyed much success in fine-tuning his impressive array of skills.  In his quarterfinal match, Hieron looked every bit the part of an upper-echelon welterweight as he dominated Anthony Lapsley, earning a first round submission victory.  Since training at Xtreme Couture, Hieron has become an increasingly cerebral fighter who has grown leaps in bounds in the grappling department to compliment a very competent striking game. 

Brent Weedman (pictured above) will try and continue to prove his doubters wrong with an upset victory over the highly touted Jay Hieron.

Hieron’s opponent, Brent Weedman, comes to this fight by virtue of an impressive victory over Dan Hornbuckle.  Hornbuckle, who was believed to be one of the favorites in this welterweight tournament, was overmatched in terms of striking, grappling, and overall athleticism by Weedman.  In the fight, Weedman demonstrated an impressive array of skills.  It would seem Weedman’s best chance of winning the fight would be to make this an all-out war and try and outlast and outhustle Hieron. 

Unfortunately for Weedman, I believe Hieron is simply too seasoned and too well-versed in the grappling department to find himself in such a brawl.  As a result, Hieron will systematically take apart Weedman, earning a spot in the welterweight finals. 

Fight prediction:  Jay Hieron via 3^rd round submission.

Often times as we sit at home on watch tremendous feats of athleticism and stories of persistence on the television, we too often say to ourselves that only the elite professional athletes are those that can achieve great success and maximize the most of their potential.  However, such a cursory conclusion is in fact incorrect.  Every day there are people we know, that can inspire us through their own experiences.  Having my own blog, I am able to share with people many of these stories that otherwise might go unnoticed.  As such, it’s my great pleasure to introduce to everyone Amie Adcock. 

A graduate of Cherry Hill East and Rowan University, Amie is now a highly successful personal trainer.  Once admittedly out-of-shape, Amie dedicated herself to becoming a healthy and physically fit person.  During the course of her transformation, Amie acquired a wealth of knowledge with regards to the necessary steps one must take to lead a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. 

Always seeking greater challenges, Amie now has set out to compete in a figure competition, which is still over a month away.  I recently had an opportunity to catch up with Amie to ask her about her overall transformation and her specific training process for her upcoming competition. 

BH:      How did you first come to embrace such a healthy and physically active lifestyle?

AA:      I was always a little on the chunky side, and gained a large amount of weight in college due to drinking, poor eating habits and a stressful schedule which put exercise on the back burner.  I was constantly unhappy with my appearance, found it difficult to climb the stairs to my apartment, and developed asthma as well.  When a girlfriend said, “At least you have a pretty face”, I knew it was time for action.

Here is a picture of Amie around the time she decided to dedicate herself to a life of health and fitness.

BH:      How long did it take you personally to successfully adjust to such a lifestyle?

AA:      It takes about a year for people to fully make fitness and nutrition a part of their lives.  It took me about the same because I started the typical girl way; hours of cardio and restricting calories.  It wasn’t until I incorporated Clean Eating and weight training that I really began to lose it and reshape my body.  When I began to see the changes and was full of non-stop energy, I was hooked. 

BH:      When you began to lose weight yourself, did you always have in the back of your mind a desire to compete in a figure competition?

AA:      Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I could compete.  I went my whole life wishing I could have figures like the women in fitness magazines, but accepting the fact that I could never look like them.  It still hasn’t quite hit me that I’m actually training for one.  It probably won’t be real till I get on that stage and flex my heart out. 

BH:      Tell us what exactly a figure competition is?

AA:      A figure competition is a physique-exhibition competition where muscle tone and symmetry, rather than muscle size, are judged. The competitors appear on stage in high-heeled shoes and a one or two-piece swimsuit in a side-by-side line that faces the judges. They go through a series of quarter-turns to the right, allowing the judges to view and compare them from all sides.

Here is a picture Amie took of herself in the midst of her training for her upcoming figure competition.

BH:      What are the various judging criterion used when evaluating a competitor in such a competition?

AA:      The competitors are judged for symmetry, gracefulness, confidence, conditioning, leanness, how feminine (opposed to brawny) their muscularity is, as well as skin tone, hair, make-up, and clothing. 

BH:      Have you competed in a figure competition before?

AA:      Never!!  I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about the fact that I have less than seven weeks to go! 

BH:      Describe the training process involved for your upcoming competition?

AA:      Competitors train for months and sometimes years before they compete, but I’ll just give you the skinny on the final twelve weeks leading up to a show. 

From twelve to about eight weeks out, training consists of hitting every body part in the gym, and doing a moderate amount of cardio each day.  Training can be done as many or as few days as the competitor can fit into her schedule.  As long as every body part is hit, with focus on the glutes, hamstrings, quads, shoulders and abs, there is no one specific training routine.  As for the diet, it must be strictly clean.  Foods such as lean protein, whole grains, oatmeal, egg whites, veggies, fruit, low fat dairy and healthy fats are consumed five to six times each day. I was allowed two high-carb days, and the rest had to be low-carb.  I also incorporated supplements such as a multivitamin, BCAA’s, Glutamine, a fat burner/appetite suppressant, fish oil and drank about a gallon of water each day to fuel my muscles. 

From eight to four weeks out, the cutting phase begins.  For me, I had to cut out nuts, all fruit except berries and grapefruit, dairy, I had to carefully measure my carbs for my high and low days, and was only allowed one serving of fruit each day. 

From four weeks to competition day, it gets nuts.  Carbs are restricted even more, and water intake is increased.  Right before the competition, I’ll switch to sips of water only, which will basically dehydrate my body so further fat is lost, and my muscles pop.  This is known as “peaking”. 

And you can’t forget posing!  I watched YouTube videos and worked with my coach to learn the correct way to flex my muscles on stage while turning, walking and smiling properly.  That was the hardest part!

Here is a picture of Amie in heels practicing her posing posture and technique.

BH:      Is there a website that provides more information about your specific competition?

AA:      Yes! It’s the NPC Mid-Atlantic Natural Classic, http://www.njnpc.com/2011/2011Schedule.aspx.  And you can follow my training progress, as well as receive workout and nutrition tips, by checking out my Facebook page, ‘Train With Amie’. 

BH:      What other pursuits are you currently undertaking involved with your training?

AA:      Competition training is almost like a full-time job, so other than working out; the only other pursuit I’m going for is fitness modeling.  I will be sending test shots to a couple magazines to see if they have any interest.  It’s another accomplishment I’d like to have under my belt so I’m hoping I get a few nibbles! 

BH:      Tell us about Clean Eating Parties?

AA:      Clean Eating 101 Parties are basically like Tupperware parties.  I come to your house or wherever you’d like to host the party, and I teach everyone about Clean Eating, what it is, how and why it works, my story, how to save money and navigate the grocery store, and how to prepare it so you aren’t spending all week in the kitchen! When you book a party, you pick what you’d like to make, i.e. appetizer, dessert, snack…etc. I bring all the ingredients, you guys bring the wine, and I show you how to prepare a sample clean dish! Everyone gets to take food and the recipe home, and you’ll all get personal access to my Clean Eating database where I keep all my meal plans and other secrets LOL. 

I always have people asking about my diet and how they can eat healthy, so I developed these parties to make it fun for people to learn the correct way to eat to lose weight, tone up and just become healthy overall.  I break the rumors about it being too expensive and time-consuming as well.  Check us out on Facebook under ‘Clean Eating 101 Parties’ to learn more, and my website, www.trainwithamie.com to read my personal weight-loss story and see before and after pictures!

 ****************************************

I want to thank Amie again for taking time out of her rigorous training to talk with me regarding her experiences.  We all wish her the best of luck in the upcoming competition!

An aerial photograph of Hinchcliffe Stadium in its golden era.

I had actually planned on devoting an entry for this next stadium later on in the summer/early fall as part of the upcoming football season, however, sometimes events and occurrences dictate when it is appropriate to discuss a particular subject. As such, the next stop on the tour takes us to Paterson, NJ to Hinchcliffe Stadium.

What has always drawn me to stadiums and arenas are that they are concentrated areas of memories. Beyond the unique architecture of each venue, the amount of history that is generated from each facility is truly mind-boggling. Each time I pass by even a simple little league baseball field, I appreciate that the particular field may be viewed as hallowed ground for several people.

Additionally, a stadium and its history not only are a place to rekindle personal memories, they also tell their own story: a story of athletic accomplishment, community relations, and societal attitudes. As such, older stadiums serve as both a reminder of and a monument to previous generations and once thriving communities. While we typically associate historic stadiums with many cities in Europe or larger cities across America, many times, as is the case with Hinchcliffe stadium, historic stadiums are located in forgotten towns in the Northeast that have lost their identity due to the suburbanization that occurred in the second half of the twentieth century.

Hinchcliffe Stadium was once veiwed as shining gem in the city of Paterson, NJ. Perched upon a scenic bluff above the Great Falls National Historic Park opened its doors to the public on June 17, 1932 to host the New Jersey State Track and Field Championships. For the next 65 years, Hinchcliffe stadium, with a capacity of 10,000 was the site of countless sporting and social events. For twelve years, the stadium was the home site for the New York Black Yankees of the Negro Leagues and is only one of three Negro league stadiums still in existence. The stadium additionally played host to several semi-pro football teams and hosted exhibition games for the New York Football Giants.

Hinchcliffe Stadium consistently drew packed crowds for its various sporting events.

Always adhering to its true calling to provide a venue for the city’s two high schools, Paterson Eastside (the subject of the movie “Lean on Me”) and Kennedy High School (formerly Central High School), Hinchcliffe Stadium played host to their annual Thanksgiving Day football game. In addition to hosting Paterson high school football, the stadium was used for the schools’ baseball games. Paterson native Larry Doby, the first ever African American to play in the American League, was one of the many standout players to play at Hinchcliffe. In 1997 the Paterson Board of Education was forced to close the stadium to the discovery of a giant sinkhole.

A picture of the vegetation and decay that has developed at Hinchcliffe Stadium.

Since closing its doors, the once beautiful and scenic stadium has fallen into a state of disrepair. Vegetation and weeds have overcome the stands, while graffiti and vandalism have compromised the bathrooms and overall façade of the stadium.

Fortunately, the memories generated in the stadium have continued to ignite the passions of several loyal followers. Many members of the North Jersey community have led the effort to promote a renovation project to restore the historic stadium to its original condition. This morning, Patersonpress.com reported that the city has approved a $2.25 million dollar bond to initiate the renovation of the stadium.

For more information about the stadium, I have included the links of several websites detailing the rich and proud tradition of the stadium.

http://www.hinchliffestadium.org/index.php

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/nyregion/24towns.html?_r=1

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/100621_hinchliffe_stadium_paterson

Saturday evening Bellator’s 39^th promotion offered fans a night of exciting fights.  After a night of upsets, high-flying knockouts and stiff competition, here are my thoughts on the four main-card bouts. 

Main Event – Eddie Alvarez def. Pat Curran via unanimous decision to retain Bellator Lightweight Championship Battle 

Eddie Alvarez (left) successfully defended his Bellator Lightweight Championship against Pat Curran (right) earning a unanimous decision victory.

-In what turned out to be mainly a boxing match, promotional superstar and lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez retained his title earning the unanimous decision win.  However, surprising many, including myself, the Philly native was unable to put away Curran within the five rounds.  However, though Alvarez was not able to earn a more definitive victory, Alvarez did display some of the skill-set which makes him one of the world’s best lightweights. 

-How good is Alvarez compared to the other top lightweights in the world?  Perhaps more than any other MMA fighter in the world, when watching Alvarez even though you are obviously paying attention to the fight you are watching, in the back of your mind you’re evaluating each one of his maneuvers, assessing how he would fare in a hypothetical matchup with some of the other top fighters in the division.  Alvarez appears to have a striking style that is a blend between Dominick Cruz and Frankie Edgar.  Perhaps a touch slower than Edgar, Alvarez utilizes angles more so like Cruz does in his fights.  Further, Alvarez would appear to possess more power than Edgar.  However, of Edgar, Gray Maynard, Jim Miller, Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez, I would rate Alvarez’s takedown offense only in front of Pettis’.  Either way, he is tough as nails, and a fight between any of those top lightweight fighters would be a highly entertaining contest. 

-Kudos should also be given to Pat Curran, as the youngster delivered a very respectable performance, hanging in with a fighter of Alvarez’s caliber for five rounds.  Curran displayed remarkable takedown defense, and at times successfully landed good counter shots that would momentarily fluster the champion.  I would love to see Curran take on the winner of this season’s lightweight tournament as well as see him in the UFC in the near future. 

Rich Hawn def. Lyman Good via split decision 

In a closely contested welterweight battle, former U.S. Olympian Rick Hawn (top) defeated former Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good (bottom) via split decision.

-As predicted, Rich Hawn was able to earn the decision victory over Lyman Good.  Ultimately, Hawn’s ability to utilize his Olympic-caliber judo skills enabled him to earn the decision victory over the former Bellator Welterweight Champion. 

-In order to win the welterweight tournament, Hawn will need to sharpen his striking, as he is becoming too predictable in his movements.  When coming in for a jab, Hawn ducks his head, which leaves him open for uppercuts. 

-Though Good is obviously disappointed in his performance, I believe he has enough talent and physical tools to be a successful welterweight fighter.  However, while he might enjoy his status as the premiere fighter out of “Tiger Schulman’s Mixed Martial Arts,” I believe it would behoove Good to seek a more grappling oriented camp that would help him avoid the takedowns or at least teach him how to scramble to get the fight back to his feet after being taken down.  If he does so, Good will be a dangerous fighter. 

Patricky “Pit Bull” Friere def. Toby Imada via 1^st round TKO 

Patricky "Pit Bull" Friere (standing) continued his destructive ways, knocking out his opponent Toby Imada (prone) in the first round of their lightweight semi-final bout.

-If his quarterfinal round knockout of former WEC Lightweight Champion Rob McCullough did not successfully announce Friere’s presence as a legitimate threat in the lightweight division, Friere’s thrilling performance against Toby Imada surely did.  After an initial feeling out process Patricky unleashed a violent and explosive flying knee that landed flush on Imada’s chin, wobbling the submission specialist.  Recognizing his opponent was on rubber legs, Patricky went in for the kill, landing a punishing left hand that knocked Imada out.  A video of the knee and subsequent knockout can be seen below.

-This win would appear to put Patricky in the driver’s seat of the lightweight tournament, as he will be the heavy favorite over either of the other two semi-finalists scheduled to meet next week.  With his knockout power in both his hands and legs, combined with his vaunted submission game, Patricky looks to be the real deal and could be a future worthy opponent for Alvarez. 

Ben Saunders def. Matt Lee via doctor’s stoppage in the 3^rd round 

Ben Saunders (front) battered Matt Lee (back) for 2 1/2 rounds en route to a doctor's stoppage victory in his Bellator debut.

-UFC veteran Ben Saunders made good on his promise to make a successful promotional debut, as he soundly defeated veteran Matt Lee in a bloody affair.  After enjoying success with his superior reach, Saunders unleashed his dangerous Muay Thai skills from the clinch, breaking his opponent’s nose and opening up cuts on both of his opponent’s eyes. 

-With all due respect to Lee who is an incredibly tough competitor, I’m not sure how much we can gauge from Saunders performance.  Lee was a tailor-made opponent for Saunders, as he had no intention on taking the fight to the ground.  With the welterweight champion being elite-wrestler Ben Askren, I don’t see how Saunders will ever be able to win the Bellator Welterweight Championship.