Both Bellator and the Ultimate Fighting Championship had a lot to offer mixed martial arts fans in the month of May. Bellator gave fight fans the return of Tito Ortiz and the crowning of a new champion, while the UFC offered up what may be known as the biggest upset of the year. Looking back, these are the best moments that came out of the world of MMA during May:
Fight of the Month: Will Brooks vs. Michael Chandler
Before Eddie Alvarez walked out of Bellator and took the promotion’s lightweight title with him, the organization sought to find a viable champion that would help fans forget about Alvarez. Will Brooks cemented himself as such a competitor, yet Michael Chandler did not go away quietly.
Chandler and Brooks went back and forth for 25 minutes at Bellator 120. Chandler landed multiple shots to Brooks every time he got close. However, that didn’t stop Brooks from controlling the fight with his wrestling, even landing a big belly-to-back suplex late in the fight. Chandler dropped Brooks in the final round, and many expected him to take the fight at that point. However, the judges saw the fight differently, as Brooks won the bout via split decision.
This set up the rematch that would come at Bellator 131, in which Brooks walked away with another victory, and the promotion’s lightweight championship. Still, the first fight between Michael Chandler and Will Brooks was the best offering of May.
• Michael Chandler vs. Will Brooks (Interim LW Championship): Will Brooks def. Michael Chandler via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47).
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Fan’s Choice for Fight of the Month: Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva, UFC Fight Night 40
Knockout of the Month: Matt Brown comes back against Erick Silva
Matt Brown should be known as “The People’s Warrior,” as he puts on dramatic and exciting fights every time he steps into the Octagon. Erick Silva presented an interesting challenge for Brown because he is just as violent of a finisher. The early part of this contest looked like Silva would do just that, as he had Brown severely hurt in round one. However, that would not be the end of “The Immortal.”
Brown would take over from round two on. He pressured Silva around the cage, sapping all of the Brazilian’s strength. By the end of the third round, Brown was pounding on Silva in a way that was as disturbing as it was violent. Brown may have done more than just earn another victory; his technical knockout stoppage of Silva may have shaved a few years of competition off of his fight career as well.
Matt Brown has a long run of violent finishes within the Octagon. And his stoppage of Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 40 deserves recognition as the best knockout of the month.
• Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva: Matt Brown def. Erick Silva via TKO (strikes) at 2:11 of Round 3.
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Submission of the Month: Tito Ortiz taps Alexander Shlemenko
With the signing of Tito Ortiz, Bellator MMA acquired a fighter that it could use to quickly build attention for the promotion. He would be thrust into a fight against the organization’s current middleweight champion in Alexander Shlemenko at Bellator 120. Tito needed less than three minutes to get Shlemenko to the ground and choke him unconscious with an Arm-Triangle choke. The look of outright fear that was on Shelmenko’s face as Ortiz passed his guard will be recognized as one of the standout images of 2014. This win was not worth much to Ortiz’s career, but would help set up the opportunity for Bellator to use Tito to put on the promotion’s biggest show of the year at Bellator 131.
• Tito Ortiz vs. Alexander Shlemenko: Tito Ortiz def. Alexander Shlemenko via submission (arm triangle choke) at 2:27 of Round 1.
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Upset of the Month: T.J. Dillashaw defeats Renan Barão
Renan Barão was looking like a monster heading into his title defense against T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 173. In some places, Barão was listed as a -1000 favorite against the challenger. That was to be expected, as Barão had already dispatched the leader of Team Alpha Male, Urijah Faber, twice in recent memory. It wouldn’t have been far off to expect him to do the same to the “little brother” of the group. But T.J. took this opportunity to change his fortunes in the most dramatic fashion possible.
For nearly five rounds Dillashaw would pummel Barão throughout the cage, even dropping the former champion once. A head kick set up the finish that came in the final moments of round five. With this win, Dillashaw became the first Team Alpha Male fighter to earn a UFC title. At the same time, Dillashaw vs. Barão cemented itself as one of the best upsets to ever occur in mixed martial arts.
• Renan Barão vs. TJ Dillashaw (UFC Bantamweight Championship): TJ Dillashaw def. Renan Barão via TKO (strikes) at 2:26 of Round 5.
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May 2014 offered more than its fair share of standout moments for MMA fans. With such moments as Tito Ortiz winning in the Bellator cage, Will Brooks becoming a lightweight name worth watching, and the Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva contest, by the end, this month made quite an impact.
Do you agree with these choices for May 2014? Rate these fights and others, and be sure to make your voice heard!
