Stacked UFC 130, Bellator Tournament Finals Headline Light MMA May Calendar
by Josh Nason on May 4, 2011 1:52 PM EDT
Email
Print
Promoted to the front page from the FanPosts by Kid Nate.
For the second month in a row, the MMA calendar for the Big Three is relatively quiet as Strikeforce continues their post-Diaz vs. Daley dormancy and the UFC is focusing on just one event in their annual Memorial Day show.
That can only mean one thing: it's Bellator time!
Saturday, May 7
Bellator 43
Newkirk, OK -- MTV2
After a two-week break, Bellator kicks off the final month of Season 4 with both some familiar names and the finals of their welterweight tournament.
For years, Jay Hieron has been one of the unluckiest guys in the sport, recently released by Strikeforce after being stuck on the their sidelines for months after being offered a title shot that eventually evaporated. He got a shot in the Bellator 170-pound tournament and has made the most of it, competing in the finals this Saturday against Rick Hawn.
Hawn will provide a tough challenge but with a win, Hieron can show the fighting world what he's been saying for years: that he's one of the best and just needed the opportunity to show it.
In two non-title fights, another guy with a Strikeforce issue -- Joe Riggs -- makes his promotional debut against 14-2 Bryan Baker, while former WEC/DREAM veteran Chase Beebe also makes his debut against Jose Vega.
Details of each event after the jump.
Saturday, May 14
Bellator 44
Atlantic City, NJ -- MTV2
The "superfights" return as Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard returns to action in a non-title fight against 12-year veteran Falaniko Vitale (29-9). Lombard (28-2-1-1) was last seen defeating Joe Doerksen by 1st round TKO at a non-Bellator event in March.
In the 155-pound tournament final, Patricky "Pitbull" Friere takes on Michael Chandler while Dan Hornbuckle and Lyman Good will hook it up on the undercard. Alexander Shlemenko vs. Brett Cooper is also expected to air on TV..
Saturday, May 21
Bellator 45
Lake Charles, LA -- MTV2
The 11-event season comes to a close with the 205-pound finals featuring Richard Hale vs. Christian M'Pumbu and the 145-pound finals with Patricio "Pitbull" Friere vs. Daniel Straus. Former UFC'er Rory Markham makes his promotional debut against Luis Santos.
Saturday, May 28
UFC 130
Las Vegas, NV -- PPV
As the lightweight division continues to deepen, the situation at the top has needed some clarity since UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard went to a draw to kick off 2011. The third battle in their series headlines the UFC's annual Memorial Day weekend card in a fight that will have plenty more pre-event interest than their second one did.
Two interesting tilts round out the big selling points of UFC 130 with Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Matt Hamill. The promotional chatter between Mir and Nelson should be nothing short of tremendous while Jackson/Hamill really comes down to how interested Jackson is in this fight.
Brian Stann vs. Jorge Santiago and Stefan Struve vs. Travis Browne round out the main card, while Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story and Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson will be on Spike TV.
Fights featuring Kendall Grove and Cody McKenzie will likely pull Facebook duty, meaning this is a really stacked card.
That's what happens when you run just once a month, I guess.
Josh Nason is a New England-based MMA journalist who contributes to FIGHT! Magazine, WrestlingObserver.com and several radio shows/podcasts. Follow him on Twitter: @JoshNason.
The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.
13 comments
|
2 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I like the UFC spacing their PPVs a bit more
At some points during 2010, there was such a high volume of events within close periods of time.
It wasn’t over saturation, but in my opinion, it makes each card more effective when there are a more easily managed amount to keep track of for average joes.
But also, in April and May of 2010, Zuffa hosted 4 Pay Per View events, WEC 48, UFC 112, UFC 113, and UFC 114.
This year, that has been cut in half to 2, and I believe it will result to more focus on each event and a good buyrate for both.
In this age, with Spike, Ion, and Facebook, some fights that would almost HAVE to be on a main PPV card or main card of a fight night can now be shown as prelims to a PPV card
Alistair Overeem - StrikeForce Heavyweight Champion, K-1 2010 World Grand Prix Champion, DREAM Heavyweight Champion
June 18th, 2011:
Fabricio Werdoomsday
Game Overeem
I will NEVER doubt the greatness of GSP again
Bellator might not make the most sense sometimes but ya know weekly MMA makes waiting for the UFC's not so bad
Twitter @MaZZM
http://www.mazzznet.com/
I can’t believe someone referred to UFC 130 as “stacked.”
by Jonathan Snowden on May 4, 2011 1:53 PM EDT reply actions
i wouldnt go as far as to say its stacked
but its certainly an awesome card, if rampage was fighting someone a better opponent i’d say it’d be moving into stacked territory
i really hope that struve vs browne is a quick knockout though cause goddamn i’ll be upset if it goes the distance
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
even a rampage v forrest rematch
if forrest coulda taken it on short notice, or even rampage vs mousasi in the first crossover bout
i really hope we see a motivated rampage absolutely annihilate hammil, but its still a fight i’m not too pumped for
"I have smoked weed with alot of UFC champions" - Joe Rogan
"Você ta fudido. Se vai levar muita porrada, ta ligado?" - Anderson Silva
Don't sleep on Hamil
He’s been waiting patiently for a big shot and this is it.
Matt Janecek
MBA Candidate, 2011
An MBA on MMA: mixed martial arts thru the lens of business
mba-mma.blogspot.com
Yeah I mean it’s just some dudes fighting. Call me when they get some bears (Chicago or Grizzly) fighting!
It’s subjective man. What you make of it is what you get out of it.
Edgar and Maynard are about to finally put their great rivalry to rest. Two absolutely astounding quality lightweight, even though one could reasonably be a featherweight and the other could reasonably be a welterweight.
We get to see Big Country and Mir in a classic ‘lol, heavyweights’ battle.
Awesome welterweight fight in Alves vs Story
Mighty Mouse. MIGHTY MOUSE!
HDNet?
I’m down to watch, but don’t know what’s coming up…can you post the events/dates?
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
Not sure that we'll be able to get much on TV...
Dutch promotion It’s Showtime (they’re near a TV deal in America) will be hosting events in France on May 14th and the Netherlands May 21st. Both will be available streaming online. I’m at work but I’ll link to their website later.
There’s also going to be a Thai Fight event this month; Muay Thai promotion that ran a great little 67 kg. tournament last year and they’ll have a both of domestic Thai stars on this event as well as some real players in the French Muay Thai scene.
Oh, and the United Glory event near the end of the month. There will be some pretty big bouts on that card.
by Brent Ducharme on May 4, 2011 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Stacked
To everyone complaining about the WEC merging into the UFC, have you noticed how many consecutive UFC cards have been qualified as stacked recently? Pretty much all of them, even the UFC on Versus and Fight Night cards. And with the exposure (and bonuses) many of the WEC guys are getting in the UFC, I dare you to say the UFC absorbing the WEC was a bad thing for anyone, including fighters and fans.
just shows how far thiago alves has fallen in the eyes of zuffa management…he isnt even on the main card, even after a win in his last bout. Rick story can take this fight though. after watching alves lose against spencer fisher and have his hands full against chris lytle back in his early ufc career, i was never very impressed with him.
"he will have a two pound reach advantage"- mike goldberg
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bloody Elbow
Related FanShots on Bloody Elbow
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
MMA Rankings
