Current Standings:
Goddard League
Nolan Howell: 39-16, .709
Daniel Galvan: 19-8, .704
Benjamin Kohn: 23-10, .697
Josh Hall: 24-11, .686
Tim Bernier: 23-11, .676
Christian Diaz: 23-12, .657
Winslow League
Tim Hickey: 26-14, .650
Chris Groves: 30-19, .612
Lucas Bourdon: 7-5, .583
Connor Dillon: 26-19, .578
Luke Irwin: 38-37, .507
TC Engel: 20-20, .500
(BWAHAHAHAH!! SUCK IT, TC!! I’m still in the Winslow [NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!] League, however, I’m out of the basement! And I couldn’t find a more suitable person to inhabit it. After last week’s Bellator, I moved up, while the other lads stand pat. Also, Friend Of Undercard [FOU] Marc Goddard takes over the mantel of our upper-league. I’ll probably never see it.)
Bellator Featherweight Championship: Pat Curran (c) (18-4) vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev (12-1-1)
Luke Irwin: In the words of Clubber Lang, “My Prediction? Pain.” This is going to be insane, and the following fight against Alexander Shlemenko is going to be more insane. Bellator’s middleweight division has made my shorts feel funny since Day 1. They are going to bring the violence, and I think Cooper outlasts the Rhino’s initial violence party. Cooper via R3 TKO.
Tim Hickey: The middleweight tourney final features the second best beard in MMA (behind Johny Hendricks) against a guy who looks like he sweats douchiness. Expect Cooper to come out and try to grind the hell out of Marshall and use his beard to absorb any punishment that maybe dished his way. Cooper via UD.
Nolan Howell: his is another bout that has potential to be a slobberknocker. Brett Cooper isn’t a technician on his feet, but brings a scrappy style that can be prove to be dangerous if underestimated. Doug Marshall is no striking savant either, but he hits like a big rig in overdrive. The big factor here will be Cooper’s wrestling, which he can always turn to in the end. Brett Cooper by third-round TKO.
Bellator Middleweight Tournament Final: Brett Cooper (19-7) vs. Doug Marshall (17-6)
Luke Irwin: In the words of Clubber Lang, “My Prediction? Pain.” This is going to be insane, and the following fight against Alexander Shlemenko is going to be more insane. Bellator’s middleweight division has made my shorts feel funny since Day 1. They are going to bring the violence, and I think Cooper outlasts the Rhino’s initial violence party. Cooper via R3 TKO.
Tim Hickey: The middleweight tourney final features the second best beard in MMA (behind Johny Hendricks) against a guy who looks like he sweats douchiness. Expect Cooper to come out and try to grind the hell out of Marshall and use his beard to absorb any punishment that maybe dished his way. Cooper via UD.
Nolan Howell: his is another bout that has potential to be a slobberknocker. Brett Cooper isn’t a technician on his feet, but brings a scrappy style that can be prove to be dangerous if underestimated. Doug Marshall is no striking savant either, but he hits like a big rig in overdrive. The big factor here will be Cooper’s wrestling, which he can always turn to in the end. Brett Cooper by third-round TKO.
Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final: Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (20-5) vs. Mike Richman (15-2)
Luke Irwin: Both of these two are basically Diet versions of Curran and Shamhalaev, and I think the winner will have absolutely nothing for the champ, whomever that may be, when they fight. Still, Frodo’s strength of schedule is abysmal, except for the shell of what used to be Marlon Sandro. Richman is a very strong all-around fighter and I think does enough to neutralize Khasbulaev to take the tourney crown and subsequently get pounded (again, if Sha wins) by the Featherweight Champion. Richman via SD.
Tim Hickey: Good God Khasbulaev’s name looks like someone spilt Scrabble pieces all over the floor. Another potentially awesome fight between two featherweights, with the winner facing the winner of Curran/Shamhalaev. Both fighters have only gone to 6 decision over the span of a combined 42 fights, so I gotta think this ends in a finish. Khasbulaev via TKO Rd 2.
Nolan Howell: This should be a fun one. “Frodo” Khasbulaev has proven to be a well-rounded prospect that could have a very high ceiling after thrashing Marlon Sandro. However, he is running into an equally impressive prospect in Richman, who has shown heavy hands and head kicks. Richman’s ground game seems to be survive and get back to the feet. I’ll take his slick striking to be the real difference maker here. Mike Richman by split decision.
Welterweight Bout: Karo Parisyan (22-9) vs. Rick Hawn (14-2)
Luke Irwin: Fantastic work by Bellator for putting this fight together. ALL THE JUDO! Unfortunately, I like Hawn better at Lightweight, and Karo…well, Karo is 3-1 in his last four in regional fights. Good to see Karo trying to work his way back, but Hawn is a motherfucker of an opponent. He’s going to run into a brick wall. Hawn via UD.
Tim Hickey: Did anyone else know Karo was on this card? Goddamn, I am slipping. So a quick look shows that Karo’s last two wins came against opponents with a combined 0-9 record. He hasn’t had a quality win since 2007. If this were like 5 years ago, this would be an awesome matchup between two high level judoka’s. Now it is going to end up showing us how far Karo Parisyan has fallen. Hawn via KO Rd 1.
Nolan Howell: Prepare for judo, folks. Or, the more likely outcome, prepare for Karo Parisyan’s head to bounce off the canvas like a basketball after a shot from Rick Hawn. Karo, please hang ’em up for your health. Rick Hawn by first-round KO.
Welterweight Bout: Dante Rivera (15-6) vs. Lyman Good (14-3)
Luke Irwin: Rivera is a fine regional fighter, and good for him for getting a big fight in front of a home crowd, but Good is on a different level. I keep hoping Good gets another shot at Askren and get bummed every time he falls short, and I wonder if one day he’ll get tired of climbing that ladder. I don’t think he’s there yet and can take down Rivera to re-affirm his value in the welterweight tournament. Good via UD.
Tim Hickey: While Good has maybe never really lived up to some of the high expectations that were on him early in his Bellator career, I would like to think that he can defeat a guy who last fought in a promotion called “Steve Rivera’s Elite Wrestling-MMA Mayhem”. Good via KO.
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