Bellator 138 Results: Real Winners and Losers from Slice vs. Shamrock Fight Card
Bellator 138 was an amazing event for Scott Coker and company on Friday night.
Was it a showcase of true MMA talent? No, given the card's numerous blatant squash matches. Did it bolster Bellator's reputation as a home to top-notch fighters? No, Not with a main event of Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock.
So what did it do well? For one night, it captured the world's attention.
#Bellator138 hit No. 2 on the worldwide trends on Twitter. It was No. 1 in the United States. It had mainstream media members tweeting about it. Those are all huge feats for the second-largest promotion of a niche sport.
Was all the talk positive? Not even close. But as many have said, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
Bellator, by far, was the biggest winner of Friday night. Who else triumphed? Read on and find out.
Real Winner: The Little Guy
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Result
Miles McDonald defeats Dan O'Connor at 4:30 of Round 3 by submission via rear-naked choke.
Real Winner: The Little Guy
Miles McDonald and Dan O'Connor kicked things off at Bellator 138 in style with a solid, fun scrap. While the two were evenly matched standing, McDonald was decidedly better on the ground. After 13 compelling minutes, McDonald took O'Connor down before advancing to mount and landing some ground-and-pound. O'Connor gave up his back, and McDonald sealed things with a rear-naked choke.
Analysis
"Just Bleed" MMA fans can stop inventing reasons to complain about the flyweights now. Bellator has officially embraced the men's strawweight division. The company isn't alone either, as One FC has begun putting on flyweight fights, and 115-pound men are showing up in amateur bouts across the United States.
This division could begin to take shape over the next year or so, and it's something to keep an eye on in the future.
Real Winner: Michael Chandler
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Result
Michael Chandler defeats Derek Campos at 2:17 of Round 1 by submission via rear-naked choke.
Real Winner: Michael Chandler
The former Bellator lightweight champ was a hometown favorite for the St. Louis crowd, and Chandler gave them plenty to cheer about. Shortly after the opening bell, he cracked Derek Campos with a huge right hand, sending him crumbling to the mat. While Campos would survive some ground-and-pound, Chandler would stay on offense, eventually slamming his foe head-first into the mat with a belly-to-back suplex. The rear-naked-choke finish came shortly thereafter.
Analysis
Finally, Chandler is back in the win column after an ugly 0-3 run. While the fight was something of a squash match, he won convincingly and reminded everyone that he is still a force in the cage. He won't get another shot at Will Brooks anytime soon, but it has to feel good to notch his first win in nearly two years.
Real Loser: Tomato Cans
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Result
Daniel Straus defeats Henry Corrales at 3:47 of Round 2 by submission via guillotine choke.
Real Loser: Tomato Cans
Like Chandler vs. Campos before it, Daniel Straus vs. Henry Corrales pitted a former Bellator champion against a seemingly overmatched foe. Like in Chandler vs. Campos before it, the former Bellator champion utterly dominated said foe.
Straus, a heavy grappler, imposed his will on Corrales from the get-go, battering him standing and smothering him on the ground. In the second round, he sunk in a brutal guillotine choke that forced Corrales to tap out.
Analysis
This is the kind of performance Straus needed to maintain his standing in the Bellator featherweight division. With a resume that includes two losses to Patricio Freire and two to Pat Curran, Straus isn't necessarily amazing on paper. On tape, though, he is damn good and rapidly improving.
If Straus couldn't blow away a newcomer in Corrales, it would have welcomed a lot of discussion about whether or not he is a serious talent. With this crushing win, however, he showed the world that he is still one of the top dogs at 145 pounds.
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Real Winner: Slamming, Being Welcomed to the Jam
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Result
Bobby Lashley defeats Dan Charles at 4:14 of Round 2 by TKO via punches.
Real Winner: Slamming, Being Welcomed to the Jam
Dan Charles was a late injury replacement for James Thompson and probably regrets taking on that challenge. Facing Bobby Lashley, Charles could do little more than hold on (to the cage) as the TNA wrestler stuck to his back and brutalized him with an endless number of slams. The fight would last just less than two full rounds, but the damage to Charles' reputation will likely endure for years.
Analysis
Lashley continues to be one of Bellator's most valuable fighters and could be a breakout star for the promotion over the next 12 months. The newly christened Dominator has the pro wrestling size and mystique to catch anyone's eye, as well as the legitimate wrestling credentials to contend with serious competition in mixed martial arts.
A heavyweight title shot could be in his near future, and Bellator would be well served with him as champion.
Real Winner: Patricio Freire's Legacy
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Result
Patricio Freire defeats Dan Weichel at 0:32 of Round 2 by KO via punches.
Real Winner: Patricio Freire's Legacy
For four minutes and 45 seconds, the featherweight title fight between Patricio Freire and Dan Weichel was an absolute snoozer. Then Weichel clipped Freire in a big way, sending the champ cowering into a corner. The bell would ring and save the champ, but with his glossy eyes and wobbly legs, it felt like the end was coming soon.
Weichel came off the stool swinging in the second. Despite unsure footing and with his back to the cage, Freire mustered up a brutal left hand that found Weichel's chin. It was a clean knockout that chopped down the German like a tree and grew Freire's brand in a big way.
Analysis
Eddie Alvarez was beloved for his ability to pull off come-from-behind wins. Whenever victory seemed out of reach, he somehow found a way to overcome the deficit. With Alvarez in the UFC, Freire has taken his place, notching back-to-back come-from-behind stoppage wins.
This is the kind of win that helps to endear a fighter to the fans. If Freire can continue to impress in the cage, there's no reason he can't make good on his wishes to get higher booking than fighters like Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz.
Real Loser: Rocky Moments
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Result
Kimbo Slice defeats Ken Shamrock at 2:22 of Round 1 by TKO via punches.
Real Loser: Rocky Moments
Ken Shamrock had Kimbo Slice. He had him. The Baddest Man on the Planet took Slice down twice and sank in a rear-naked choke as deeply as a rear-naked choke can be sunk in. Somehow, Slice escaped and landed an uppercut during the scramble. Just like that, Shamrock was done.
Sure, it took a few more hits for the fight to end. But in one moment, Shamrock went from pulling off the impossible to pulling off the completely expected.
Analysis
That's rough. Shamrock knew precisely how to beat Kimbo, and he executed his game plan perfectly...short of actually winning the fight. While Shamrock winning would have been an amazing moment for the MMA legend, he wound up doing the job for a younger (but still pretty old) fighter with more long-term value for Bellator.
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