Bellator Notes: Travis Wiuff And Title Shots, Zoila Gurgel Asks For Help, Ratings
by Josh Nason on Oct 25, 2011 8:22 PM EDT
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Twelve straight times, a Bellator champion had their arm raised following a non-title victory. There were some close calls (Joe Warren vs. Marcos Galvao anyone?) but the stat still held up. When champions fought, they didn't lose.
That changed this past Saturday at Bellator 55 when Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M'Pumbu found that 13 is indeed an unlucky number, breaking the streak in a unanimous decision loss to Travis Wiuff. Bellator now finds itself in the unique position of what to do next with both men.
The easy thing to do would be to simply guarantee Wiuff a slot in the promotion's next 205-pound tournament. However, that tournament likely wouldn't take place until next March or April based on past scheduling which means a winner wouldn't be crowned until May or June. That pushes a potential title match back to early fall -- a flaw in the tournament setup.
You would have to think that M'Pumbu isn't going to want to wait nearly a year before fighting again, but would it make sense to put him in another non-title situation? No, it doesn't. You run the risk of him losing again and then you have a weak 205-pound champion on your hands.
The right call: give Wiuff a shot at M'Pumbu's title on the same night the assumed 205-pound tournament concludes next season. He's beaten the champ in a non-title fight and has earned it. To do otherwise doesn't make sense from any angle.
"Good" News
Former Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good will return to action on Saturday, November 26 in a Season 6 tournament qualifying bout against Michael Costa.
Good (11-2) was last seen dropping a close split decision to Rick Hawn in April's welterweight tournament semifinals. He was the first 170-pound champion in company history, but lost the belt in his first title defense against Ben Askren a year ago. Costa (10-5-1) will be making his promotional debut and will seeing his first action in a year when he steps in the Bellator cage.
Bellator 59 will also feature Kurt Pellegrino vs. Patricky Friere, the bantamweight tournament finals and the Bellator debut of former TUF competitor Phillipe Nover.
Bantamweight Finals Set
Speaking of the 135-pounders, Eduardo Dantas and Alexis Vila both advanced last Saturday and will compete in a month's time for a shot at current champion Zach Makovsky.
Dantas (12-2) won his fifth straight with his split decision over Ed West, while Vila (11-0) remained undefeated with a controversial split decision win over Marcos Galvao -- a fight many observers saw in Galvao's favor. Between this and the Warren defeat, Arizona's judges have not been kind to him.
Injured Champ Asks For Help
In an unusual story, Bellator 115-pound women's champion Zoila Gurgel is asking for help from fans and the MMA community to cover medical expenses related to a recent ACL tear.
Gurgel (formerly Frausto) had to pull out of her scheduled November 12 fight with Carina Damm due to the injury and a lapse in medical insurance has put her and husband Jorge Gurgel in a tough spot.
Bellator does not fully cover out-of-competition medical insurance like Zuffa and therefore fighters are on their own in situations like this. Nearly $2000 of the $5000 target has been reached and fans can donate here.
Bellator 56 This Saturday
The aforementioned Askren returns to action Saturday in his first title defense, facing Season 4 tournament winner and MMA veteran Jay Hieron.
Askren (8-0) last defeated Nick Thompson in a non-title fight in April, while Hieron (22-4) earned the shot with wins over Anthony Lapsley, Brent Weedman and Rick Hawn earlier this year. Hieron goes into Saturday on a 10-fight win streak. Both men have significant wrestling backgrounds so expect a lot of ground work in this one.
The heavyweight tournament semifinals will also take place with Eric Prindle vs. Ron Sparks and Neil Grove vs. Thiago Santos.
Prindle (8-1) advanced with a decision win over Abe Wagner while Sparks (8-0) knocked out Mark Holata. Grove (11-4-1) was defeated by Mike Hayes in the quarterfinals but got a second life after Blagoi Ivanov had to bow out due to injury. Santos (9-1) is also an injury replacement, ironically subbing in for Hayes. Santos submitted Josh Burns in an alternate bout to earn the shot.
Ratings Dip
This past Saturday's event saw a slight ratings downturn to 168,000 fans on MTV2 -- down from the 185,000 viewers the week prior, according to MMA Junkie. The replay did just 45,000 viewers.
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Am I wrong in thinking its hilarious when the Bellator champs lose to unheralded challengers in non-title fights?
"Referees, be sure to step in and stop the fight on time tomorrow, because I might get carried away in the moment and my many punches may end up destroying my opponent." - Tatsuya "CRUSHER" Kawajiri
yes, but a good wrong
that non-title fight shit’s absurd.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions
it's a true testament to Bellator's commitment to finding scrubs.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree with Josh 100% that Bellator should have give Wiuff a title shot
The legitimacy of their title is worth making an exception, especially since it’s the first time it’s happened.
"And when I am entombed in my place, Be it remembered of a single man,
He never, though he dearly loved his race, For fear of human eyes swerved from his plan."
"The days pass over me, And I am still the same;
The aroma of my life is gone With the flower with which it came."
by Dallas Winston on Oct 26, 2011 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Is nobody offended by the idea of a perfectly capable COUPLE asking for and receiving donations from fans?
They’re a fairly young and capable married couple. Get a fucking job if MMA isn’t working out for you. Doesn’t Jorge Gurgel own a gym? Jeebus. Maybe stop losing fights.
by Brandon Starr on Oct 25, 2011 8:33 PM EDT reply actions 7 recs
Hey I want a new computer and a house
Guess what I have to do to get that? GO TO WORK
Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit
K-1 Level Predictions Team
Ever wonder how much you can make
Training Rich Franklin and Dustin Hazelett? Apparently not too much.
That’s what you get for building a gym in Cincinnati, the most depressed place I’ve ever visited. Of course, I’ve never been to Detroit.
No offense to anyone from Cincy.
I'm much more offended by the fact that it's even a question.
Health care is a right.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
That's a whole other can of worms
This isn’t really the time or place for that. It could devolve into something nasty. I respect your opinion, but that could really veer off the rails.
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
true, this isn't an appropriate place to talk politics
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Bro-Hug.
Wait until the next Tachi Palace Fights card. There will be plenty of downtime to discuss pretty much anything.
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 9:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Sounds good but I'll probably be dead because of a pre-existing condition by then.
hahaha!
Sometimes I can’t help myself.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions
They should be able to afford private health care
They should be able to cover themselves for $400-$600/month depending on the type of plan. I know that it a lot to some people but they should be able to afford it.
"You're... you're crazy man. I like you, but you're crazy."
I think the difficulty is finding a plan that covers MMA training.
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
I don't think so
They do not have to disclose that they train MMA. He is a gym owner and I have to assume now that his employees don’t have health insurance if he doesn’t.
If you pay per the most basic plan you are covered for stuff like this. Most independent contractors need to pay for insurance. Now if she needed to go to rehab for a drug problem – a basic plan wouldn’t cover it.
"You're... you're crazy man. I like you, but you're crazy."
You have to disclose why you got injured though, right? Some things are covered and some aren’t? I live in Canada so I don’t really know, but I remember someone (Rollo I think) posting that fighting itself was never covered.
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
Meaning private insurance will not cover injuries from an amateur MMA match. But does that apply to training? I don’t know.
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
You do have to disclose how an injury happened
But there would have to be serious mental issues involved if you really filled out a form at the hospital and claiming the injury came from a cage fight (or told your personal doctor the same).
"You're... you're crazy man. I like you, but you're crazy."
I don’t think they’d have to do much investigating to figure out Zoila Gurgel is a fighter. I want to know if private insurance will cover injuries from MMA training without having to commit fraud. :p
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
I don't know
Not sure if “MMA fighter” is on their checklist. I’m also not an insurance investgator. So I’m not sure if they really send out the hit squad for $5000 claims.
I know that I am insured through a 3rd party insurance agency because I am a contractor. I also know that I train. If I tweeked my knee training, there is no way they could prove it. Maybe that is fraud in your mind but it is reality in mine.
"You're... you're crazy man. I like you, but you're crazy."
Trust me... you're not the only one
That shit is ridiculous.
Soon as my flow starts, I compose art like the ghost of Mozart
Even though they all say that they're real, I know that most aren't
Boy you think you're clever don't you, girl you think you're so smart
Come with me to another side of the world... so cold and so dark
Offended how?
Sounds like they had unanticipated medical expenses and their insurance coverage got screwed up somehow, whether by their own fault or not. Either way, I assume they’re actually hurting for money, so if they want to start a fund for their fans/friends/family to donate to to help out, that’s their prerogative. If people want to help out, awesome, if not, then so what.
I’m more offended when angry ass people act like a situation such as this is a goddamn atrocity. If you don’t want to donate, then don’t, but quit being so fucking bitter and stop giving a fuck when its not your turn.
"A guy in Texas came up to me and told me ‘Frye you're not mixed martial arts, you're no holds barred’, and I said you're god damn right partner." ~ Don Frye
I love wireinspire
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions
ffs
delete one, please, don’t care which.
http://fightdrinker.blogspot.com
by some schmuck in texas on Oct 25, 2011 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions
How many fuckin times do you have to use fuck to get your fucking point across.
If you look at the responses, it would appear you are in the minority. Also, did you read that response that says she recently bought a nice car? I take this as someone using their “celebrity” for a get out of jail free card. If I have “unanticipated medical expenses” I have to work my ass off to take care of them. Also, they KNOW that they don’t have insurance so they should probably……I don’t know…..get some insurance.
by Brandon Starr on Oct 25, 2011 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I also rec'd your post......
just so I could unrec it.
by Brandon Starr on Oct 25, 2011 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Harsh...but I don't disagree
That being said, nobody’s putting a gun to these people’s heads. If they throw up a donate button and people click it, hell, that’s the free market at its most basic, who am I to criticize how they legally make their money?
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It just seems wrong to me. It's just my opinion.
I would be willing to bet that if you compare tax returns from the Gurgels with the people donating money to them the Gurgels look rich. It just seems wrong to use a sob story on your fans to get money. I mean, we aren’t even talking autographed t-shirts or a DVD or some shit, just outright charity while she drives around in a Benz.
by Brandon Starr on Oct 25, 2011 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Check out the pic I linked, player.
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Nevermind. Saw you did.
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Well it was mentioned on the UG
That she recently got a new Caddy or Benz back June/July (look up twitter history)..if you can afford that, you can afford $5K of medical expenses. If you’re that incompetent with your money, then no sympathy from me.
by BrandtShaft! on Oct 25, 2011 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Damn. I never liked either one of the Gurgel / Frausto duo to begin with, with Zoila it was mostly winning undeserved decision and not owning up to it. Now I was already a little annoyed just by reading their request for money, but then I see this fancy new car they recently got? That is not a good look, can’t have much respect for this type of people.
by Horselover Fat on Oct 25, 2011 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I just lost a lot of respect for her. There are a lot of MMA fighters in much more difficult financial situations that aren’t asking for handouts to cover injuries.
"He's like Elvis in Korea! They love him there." - Mike Goldberg on Denis Kang
Is nobody offended that Zoila is asking for help
After she just won a 100,000 dollar tournament?
Is it SLAVERY when you GET WHAT YOU WANT?!
And Zoila seems genuinely surprised by the negative backlash
The simple reality is fundraising for yourself from the general public due to your unfortunate circumstances is what is known as BEGGING. I’ve given and will gladly give money to homeless panhandlers (and I don’t give two shits if they buy whiskey or crack with the money, whatever helps them get through being fucking homeless). But Zoila and Jorge Gurgel have a home, and cars, and jobs, and enough celebrity that they have the ability to make money simply from appearing at places. Put on some seminars at Jorge’s gyms to raise money for Zoila’s surgery. They’d get a lot more cash and general goodwill, and a lot less headaches from people rightly calling them out on their bs.
Reporting from inside a padded cage at MMAmadman.com.
Awesome reference
“…..then I traded my Mickey Mantle rookie card for free knee surgery!”
Follow me on Twitter or Chad Dawson will shoot on you! @BVandDietPepsi
by BVandDietPepsi on Oct 25, 2011 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Shame about the ratings drop, it wasn’t a bad card.
I guess having the least famous Bellator champion fighting doesn’t help.
I made most of my life decisions at a Foghat concert... I stand by them.
by Chester J Lampwick on Oct 25, 2011 9:30 PM EDT reply actions
The card in general was pretty good, but the two BW semifinals didn’t deliver as much action as I would have hoped for. Vila looked more human than he has before, he was gassed something bad in the third round. I think if Galvao had been more active in the earlier rounds too he could have won a decision there. Poor guy, the judging in Bellator has not been kind to him. Hope they still bring him back for the next tournament or something, he’s a very skilled fighter. Should be a good fight between Vila and Dantas, I’m going with the Brazilian in that one.
Also, god damn that Ed West is annoying! His pre-fight interview was douchey to begin with, and then he does that stupid surprised-face when he hears the decision. Dantas was the clear winner IMO.
Pretty funny to see M’Pumbu lose to Wiuff. It just goes to show how extremely poor their LHW tournament was last time, definitely one of their weakest weight classes.
by Horselover Fat on Oct 25, 2011 10:09 PM EDT reply actions
Whenever I hear that a fighter doesn’t have medical insurance I always worry about who’s giving them financial advice. Fighters are independent contractors so their health insurance is deductible both from federal income taxes and self employment taxes (social security/medicare). If you assume that the Gurgels are somewhere in the 25% 68,000 and $137,300 marginal tax bracket, then getting heath insurance costing $10,000 a year would only cost them around $6,500 due to the tax savings.
Travis Wiuff probably loses if that fight is a five rounder or if M’Pumbu lets him up in the third round. Why not just give him a rematch for the belt? If M’Pumbu wins you can put this behind you, and if he loses he obviously wasn’t good enough to hold your belt.
And don’t give me that “Title shots are earned, not given.” bullshit the Bjorn identity gives us on the regular. If you just beat the champion, you have earned a shot at the title.
by discoandherpes on Oct 26, 2011 12:13 AM EDT reply actions
agreed, but more than anything I think winning a tournament, and going through the grind, proves that you are a legitimate contender, and going through that grind to earn a belt. And in all honesty I doubt Wiuff would have a good chance in the tournament with the weight cuts and the other LHW in the tournament
Unless Bellator drastically increases the level of talent in their next LHW tournament
Travis Wiuff’s odds aren’t bad at all. Bellator’s LHW division is their weakest and division and it was scrubtastic last I checked.
I am not trying to pick here
But Warren’s fight with Galvao, and I believe a few of Lombard’s fights were ‘catchweight’ fights…Warren’s was 137 lbs I believe, so they weren’t title fights anyway…they weren’t special non-title fights because they weren’t legally in the weight class…
That’s like including Warren’s fight at 135 as a non-title fight despite it not being within the parameters of his weight class.
But still, the fact that Warren, a champion, lost at all, even at a lower weight class, coupled with the fact that M’Pumbu lost in a non-title fight…it’s particularly does a good job of making their champions not look good. It also doesn’t do anything towards making their champions as a whole seem credible…‘we know our 205 and 145 champ aren’t great, but our other champs are!’…please.
I almost laughed out loud when Warren was laying on the canvas unconscious as the announcer was blurting out ‘Just to make it clear, Joe Warren IS out 145 pound champion’…yes, the guy who was just instantaneously crushed by a 40 year old is our champion at a HIGHER weight class.
PACIFIC RIM
in theaters
May 10th, 2013
At least Joe Warren was upset by someone good, not to mention someone currently in Bellator a tournament. Also, I’m wondering if maybe he’s just put on too much muscle now and maybe the BW cut is too physically harsh.
M’Pumbu lost at the exact weight where he’s champion and to a journeyman fighter who probably is not good enough for the UFC (although at this point I think they should try and sign him anyway if he’s available). That’s straight up embarrassing to Bellator. They should never make a non-title fight with one of their champions at anything other than catchweight.
Further to Chromium's point
If Warren would have succeeded at BW in addition to being a FW champion, his marketability and stock would soar. It’s a calculated risk and now he’s still got his clout at FW.
Besides, Galvao is just fucking good. People don’t seem to realize that.
"And when I am entombed in my place, Be it remembered of a single man,
He never, though he dearly loved his race, For fear of human eyes swerved from his plan."
"The days pass over me, And I am still the same;
The aroma of my life is gone With the flower with which it came."
by Dallas Winston on Oct 26, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
damn
i thought georgie would be atleast making enuf scratch to not have his woman ask for charity, get a job man a real job.
Nice profile pic
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Oct 26, 2011 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions
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