Contributor: Nolan Howell
The biggest story coming out of Bellator 172 in San Jose, California wasn’t a fight, but lack thereof.
Matt Mitrione pulled out of the main event of Bellator 172 against heavyweight all-timer Fedor Emelianenko with kidney stone complications just hours before the bout. While Bellator scrambled through names like Oli Thompson and even Chael Sonnen at the last moment, Fedor was understandably not willing to take such a short notice fight and the main event fell through.
Co-main eventers Josh Thomson and Patricky “Pitbull” Freire were slotted to the main event and “Pitbull” gave us something to talk about by knocking Thomson out in the second round. An undetected headbutt followed by a looping hook dropped Thomson or caused a slip. When Thomson popped back up, he shot in for a takedown and Pitbull was right there with an uppercut that sent Thomson crashing back to the canvas. Pitbull sits at the cusp of a title shot now with the win, while Thomson likely can still hang around the top of the weight class if he chooses.
Heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Oli Thompson took the co-main event and Kongo was able to swarm Thompson throughout for a wide unanimous decision win. Thompson’s best strategy was being a former strongman and pressing Kongo against the cage, while Kongo battered him on the feet and was able to take him down and keep him secured any other time. It was your typical Kongo performance, complete with groin shots.
Three finishes opened up the card as Anatoly Tokov finished Francisco France with punches in the second, Veta Arteaga caused a doctor’s stoppage by swelling the eye of Brooke Mayo, and Josh Koscheck returned to the cage to continue his downward spiral as he was finished in the first by Mauricio Alonso.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
