Bellator 39 on MTV2 was a positive step for the new number two MMA promotion in the world. The event was full of action-packed fights, highlight reel knockouts, and the establishment of a big time champion outside of the UFC.
Bellator’s lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez, dominated Pat Curran in splendid fashion on his way to a unanimous decision victory. The final scores were 50-45 twice and 49-46. Throughout the fight Alvarez put on a clinic, as he out hustled and stalked Curran around the cage. It seemed as if every moment he could, Alvarez struck Curran’s body with energy-sapping body blows that left Curran wilting over the 25 minute time span. When Curran did strike, however, he was successful in landing counterpunches and stuffing a number of the champion’s takedown attempts. However, he could not keep the pace going for all five rounds.
This was Alvarez’s first defense of the title, as Curran was the winner of Bellator’s most recent lightweight tournament. Injuries pushed back this title fight that was set to occur last summer. With this victory, Alvarez pushes his record to 22-2 while Curran falls to 13-4.
Rick Hawn was able to keep his undefeated streak alive as he outpointed former Bellator Welterweight Champion, Lyman Good. With this victory, Hawn moved into the finals of the season four tournament. The decision was not without controversy, however, as two judges gave the fight to Hawn by the scores of 29-28 and 30-27, while the third awarded it to Good by the score of 29-28.
The Olympic Judoka Hawn was seen as the more active of the two fighters as he pushed forward and worked a variety of takedowns; scoring two in the second and third rounds. The third round was very close, as Good pushed forward and appeared to deliver more damage during those five minutes. Hawn will now face the winner of the Brent Weedman versus Jay Hieron matchup. This was only the second defeat of Good’s MMA career.
Patricky “Pitbull” Freire stamped his spot in the lightweight tournament final in explosive fashion, as he delivered a crowd-pleasing knockout of Toby Imada in the first round. A jumping knee attack left Imada frozen in position, as Freire finished him off with a one-two hook combination at 2:53 into the first frame.
The fight began with Freire pushing the pace, attacking his opponent with shots to the legs and body. The strategy worked, as Imada was caught with his hands down when Freire finished with the high-impact knee. Now he awaits his next challenge, which will come from the Michael Chandler versus Lloyd Woodward matchup.
Former UFC fighter Ben Saunders won a bloody battle against former Strikeforce competitor Matt Lee. The American Top Team representative scored a doctor’s stoppage in round three when Lee was declared unfit to continue due to a nasty cut near his eyes. Saunders attacked his opponent from the clinch, landing a number of knees and elbows that left destruction in their wake. The referee ordered a stop to the action at 1:23 of round two, at which time the fight was declared over.
