Bellator Announces Christian M'Pumbu Vs. Travis Wiuff, Mike Hayes Out Of Tourney
by Josh Nason on Oct 11, 2011 12:01 AM EDT
in Bellator News
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Bellator made two announcements Monday, one regarding their 205-pound champion and another on the future of one of their heavyweight tournament competitors.
The promotion finalized their card for Bellator 55, confirming that Alexis Vila vs. Marcos Galvao and Ed West vs. Eduardo Dantas will be their bantamweight tournament semifinal fights.
Vila (10-0) made headlines by knocking out Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Warren in the tourney's opening round, while Galvao (10-4-1) defeated Chase Beebe by split decision. West (17-5) advanced by picking up a unanimous decision win over Luis Nogueira as Dantas (11-2) scored a second round knockout win over Wilson Reis.
Bellator also announced that Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M'Pumbu will return to action for the first time since winning his belt in a non-title defense against veteran Travis Wiuff.
M'Pumbu (18-3-1) is on a three-fight win streak, all via T/KO. Wiuff (65-14-0-1) has won his last two fights, both by first round finish. Bellator is currently not holding a 205-pound tournament, so it will be quite some time before M'Pumbu actually defends his title.
In other action, Edgar Garcia (10-2) will make his promotional debut against a yet-to-be named opponent. In 2009, Garcia competed twice in the UFC, dropping a split decision to Brad Blackburn and 1st round submission loss to DaMarques Johnson before being cut. Richard Hale vs. Carlos Flores and Ricardo Tirloni vs. Steve Gable were also confirmed for the event.
The Saturday, October 22nd event will be held outdoors in Yuma, AZ, at the Cocopah Resort.
Hayes Out, Santos In
Thanks to a first round submission win this past Saturday, Thiago Santos now finds himself in the final four of Bellator's heavyweight tournament.
He replaces Mike Hayes who was medically suspended for 60 days by the Louisiana State Commission due to a broken orbital bone after his recent win over Neil Grove. Santos will battle Blagoi Ivanov and Ron Sparks will fight Eric Prindle in the semifinals at Bellator 56 on Saturday, Oct. 29.
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In a related story
Travis Wiuff will be fighting Joey Jerkoff at Bar A on the Jersey Shore just hours before this fight.
"You're... you're crazy man. I like you, but you're crazy."
by Joben on Oct 11, 2011 12:30 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
just too many great match-ups, awesome fighters, bad-ass promotion, BUT…….these non-title fights are going to be the promotions undoing. They need more people challenging for the title, or in the event a Champion loses one of these non-title fights, I think that the opponent gets an automatic bid into the tournament, or even as an alternate depending on what weight class is having a tournament. Askren and Lombard need to be fed, and Alverez is going to loses that top five spot real fast if something doesn’t change. Only way he stays is with a fight against Aoki, Then he can fight the tournament winners for awhile until Bellator’s fighters gain more recognition
As long as Alvarez keeps winning, MMA fans will still recognize him as a top fighter, and it has been reported that he gets paid very well in Bellator. Also, I wonder if Alvarez himself really cares about being top five or not in subjective rankings.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
by chrisbboy82 on Oct 11, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I really love Bellator for a lot of reasons, but they seem intent on making their titles meaningless despite their motto of “title shots are earned, not given.” It’s like winning the title is insignificant because it means many months of inactivity interspersed with mismatches in “feature fights” or whatever they call the champs vs. chumps stuff they toss out there every so often. Other than the HW tournament, which is rife with a bunch of gassers, their tournaments routinely provide outstanding action, wild finishes, and a huge amount of anticipation. And then the tournament champ seems to fade from view.
They should have at least one title fight a month, and one round of a tournament virtually every card. Somehow they manage to avoid that. And what they do put together has to go up against a steady diet of UFC broadcasts. The whole promotion mystifies me but at the same time I’m hooked on it. Maybe the problem is mine and I’m just not seeing the grand design behind all this. Next time Rebney’s on BE radio someone can actually pin him down and really make him explain it all.
.....
by Scabby Knuckle on Oct 11, 2011 1:11 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
It would be interesting if the Bellator champions would go back to the tournys to defend their titles
one champ, seven challengers. it would make repeating as a champion actually mean something.
"Your spelling and grammar errors belie a seriously skilled thought process"- therealCatnuts
by justsomehawkeyefan on Oct 11, 2011 3:13 AM EDT reply actions
now there is an idea, like Alistair with the Strikefarse Grand Prix, accept it sticks to getting a tournament done in about 3 months like normal. it would be interesting to see Askren take on Hawn then Lima then Saunders or Santos within 3 months, there would have to be some great recognition for something like that
I think if Bellator really wanted to legitimize their champs
The would consider ACTUAL super fights between their champs.
Their champions are the most, and often only, relevant fighters they have in each division…and they are striving for legitimacy.
Fighting often and always winning do some work on that front…but the strength of competition is also important.
Why not have Alvarez fight Askren as a non-title superfight at 170…or a catchweight at 168 or something. Sure, if Askren loses, it makes Eddie look good, if Eddie loses, well he was moving up in weight and it makes Askren look good.
Lombard allegedly has expressed interest in fighting at 205 and 170. Hector Lombard would be the most legitmate opponent for M’Pumbu or Askren right now.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
I don't think Hector
Would be as effective missing his right arm. There is no way that dude can cut to 170.
Goldie: Michael Jordanesque in his grappling skills is Travis Lutter
Rogan (with a sound of disgust in his voice): No, no, no he is not.
Goldie: He is not that good?
by HeadKickOfDoom on Oct 11, 2011 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t like this idea at all. Just don’t call them “super fights” then. The champion vs champion idea comes off as hotshot booking more than anything else. I do feel that Bellator needs to do more with their champions in having them defend their Title more often and having them fight consistently strong competition, but I don’t think that champion vs champion, even at a catchweight, is the way to go as they are guaranteeing that a champion will lose, and I really don’t see that much gain for the winner. I do think that something should be done though with their champions, I just don’t know what that is. I would love to see Askren, for example, fight Lima, Hawn, Santos, and Saunders, and not just whoever comes out on top between the four.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
by chrisbboy82 on Oct 11, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Maybe instead of one 8 man tournament that produces 1 title challenger and 7 'coulda beens'
Each season Bellator could do 2 four man tournaments, producing 2 title challengers.
Or maybe they could try some sort of consolidation round to produce another challenger. To win the formal tournament, you have to win 3 fights, maybe 4 of the losers of the first two rounds can be put into a four man tournament, where they have to win 2 fights, and they get a title shot. I don’t know what the criteria for the 4 guys should be, since there would be 6 leftover guys to choose from, but oh well.
Maybe they could simply try to sign more guys and hold two tournaments, spaced a little apart, to give the champions more regular fights.
I agree that the champions need something to keep them busy and not just sort of squash matches.
Because the way it’s going now, their champions sort of get babied…they get to pad their record with very favorable matchups and like once a year they fight a tournament winner who carries some legitimacy.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
July 12th, 2013
by Chris Groves on Oct 11, 2011 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I like these ideas a lot better. I like that 4 man tournament especially. It still sticks with a tournament format, but allows for strong challengers for the champion. Bellator definitely should tweak their format in some way.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
Just got a chance to watch Saturdays Bellator
It was awesome. So many good fights and finishes.
You Come At The King, You Best Not Miss
by Our Bovine Public on Oct 11, 2011 8:15 AM EDT reply actions
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