BELLATOR 163 LIVE REPORT
NOVEMBER 4, 2016
UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT AT THE FEDEX FORUM
LIVE ON BELLATOR.COM AND SPIKE
Michael Grocke here with you to take you through Bellator 163. Liam McGeary defends his Light Heavyweight Title against Phil Davis in tonight’s main event from the FFedEx Forum in Uncasville, Connecticut. The co-main event features Brennan Ward as he goes up against Saad Awad in the welterweight division.
As always, I’ll have live round by round coverage of tonight’s main fights, with quick results and commentary on the prelims. Make sure to follow along right here all night, and follow me on Twitter @FightChampBlog
Prelims – Bellator.com & Spike.com (6:00 pm CT)
(1) Carlos Correia (1-0) vs. Ilya Kotau (1-1) – Welterweight 170 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Kotau comes out slinging leather to begin the fight. They tie up against the cage and Correia pushes Kotau off. They trade punches with nothing landing and Correia pushes kotau against the fence and scores a takedown. He goes for a RNC but can’t hold on to it. He goes for it again but doesn’t have it in deep ans Kotau is out. Correia has another takedown and takes Correia’s back. Kotau is out. They trade right hands. Kotau gets the takedown and the round ends with him working for a choke.
10-9 Correia
ROUND TWO: Nice combination from Kotau to start the round and Correia goes down. Kotau has top position and Correia goes for an armbar. He turns it into a triangle but lets it go. Both fighters are up and Correia has Kotau up against the fence. Kotau lands a few elbows, but Correia scores a takedown. Both fighters stand and Correia shoots for another takedown but Kotau blocks it.
10-9 Kotau
ROUND THREE: Both fighters look exhausted to start the last round. Correia has Kotau against the cage. Correia goes for a takedown but doesn’t have the energy to finish. Correia gets a takedown and goes for a foot lock. Kotau is out and takes Correia’s back. Correia reverses and is in side control. He takes Kotau’s back with both hooks in. He has a RNC but loses it. Correia is mount. Kotau gives Correia his back. Correia works for a submission as the round ends.
10-9 Correia
Result: Correia by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Good fight. Both guys worked hard, but they were clearly gassed in the last round. A better fight than I expected. Both guys will be better fighters because of this one. I agree with the decision.
(2) Dustin Collins-Miles (0-0) vs. Ed Ruth (0-0) – Catchweight 205 lbs.
ROUND ONE: They trade jabs and Ruth lands a big right hand. Collins-Miles falls backwards and Ruth is in top control. Collins-Miles gives Ruth his back as lands shots to the body. Collins-Miles is cut badly as blood pours onto the mat. Collins-Miles is covering up just trying to get out of the round. Ruth continues to land shots to the side of the head. Collins-Miles isn’t fighting back as Ruth reigns down punches and that’s it.
Result: Ruth by TKO (3:19 of Round 1)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Excellent performance from Ed Ruth. Collins- Miles was just over-matched here. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Ruth.
(3) Cody Miskell (0-0) vs. Tyrell Fortune (0-0) – Heavyweight 265 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Fortune opens up with a nice combination. Fortune is the aggressor as he follows Miskell around. Fortune scores a takedown and has side control. He’s landing big shots while Miskell tries covering up. Fortune lands a huge knee and continues landing big shots and the ref stops it.
Result: Fortune by TKO (2:22 of Round 1)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Well that didn’t last long. All Tyrell Fortune in this one. I don’t think Cody Miskell landed a punch.
(4) Tyler King (11-4) vs. Josh Diekmann (15-6) – Heavyweight 265 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Both fighters come out slow just feeling each other out. King shoots but is stuffed. Not much action two minutes in. Neither fighter is landing anything. King goes for a kick, but Diekmann counters with a right hand. They circle while throwing jabs. Nothing landing. King shoots and scores a takedown with under a minute left in the round. King in top control trying to land rights as the round ends.
10-9 King
ROUND TWO: Nice leg kick by King. Another leg kick from Kick and he shoots in and has the takedown. He’s in full mount and Diekmann gives up his back. King goes for a RNC and has it. Diekmann taps.
Result: King by submission (1:29 of Round 2)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Not an entertaining fight. It was all Tyler King and did what he had to do to get the win.
(5) Steve Skrzat (8-8) vs. Tim Caron (5-0) – Catchweight 185 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Both fighters trade punches and kicks, nothing big lands. Skrzat pushes Caron against the fence. Caron scores a takedown off the cage. Skrzat is back to his feet quickly. Caron goes for a kick, Skrzat counters with a right and has Caron on the cage. Caron reverses position and works the body. He lands a nice elbow over the top.
10-9 Caron
ROUND TWO: Nice inside leg kick drops Zkrzat and Caron pounces. He takes Skrzats’s back and unloads right hands. He doesn’t give Skrzat a chance to recover and continues landing big right hands and the fight is stopped.
Result: Caron by TKO (1:22 of Round 2)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Excellent finish by Caron!
(6) Hannah Regina (0-0) vs. Sarah Payant (1-3) – Flyweight 125 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Payant gets a takedown right off the bat. Regina reverses it nicely and is in side control. She goes for a choke but can’t sink it in. She maintains control and lands shots to the body and side of the head of Payant. Payant works her way up and is out. Regina has Payant up against the fence and scores a takedown. She lands some elbows but nothing flush. Payant stands and gets a takedown but Regina reverses and has an armbar. Payant taps immediately.
Result: Regina by submission (4:51 of Round 1 – Armbar)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Wow, that was quite the debut! Hannah Regina completely dominated that fight.
Main Card – Spike (8:00 CT)
(7) Javy Ayala (9-5) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) – Heavyweight 265lbs.
ROUND ONE: Sergei misses with a right and Ayala shoots in but is stuffed. They separate and Ayala lands a huge overhand right that puts Kharitonov to sleep.
Result: Ayala by TKO ( :16 of Round 1)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: What?!? I don’t believe what I just saw. I predicted this fight would end in the first round, but not with Javy Ayala winning. A stunner folks. Congratulations to Ayala for the biggest win of his career.
(8) Ruby Bears (16-14) vs. Neiman Gracie (4-0) – Catchweight 180 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Both fighters start out tentatively. The crowd starts booing the lack of action in the cage. Two minutes in and neither fighter has landed a punch. Gracie pushes Bears up against the fence and scores a takedown. Gracie has Bears’ back and looks for a submission. He’s got a body triangle and a RNC trying to sink it in. Gracie loses the hold but still in full control. Gracie transitions to an armbar and Bears taps quickly.
Result: Gracie by submission (4:39 of Round 1 – Armbar)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: An impressive performance from Neiman Gracie. I don’t think he got hit with a single punch. I’m looking forward to him fighting stiffer competition in the future.
(9) Saad Awad (19-8) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4) – Welterweight 170 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Awad goes for a head kick and slips but Ward doesn’t capitalize. Ward counters a leg kick from Awad with a straight right hand. Ward has Awad on the fence and is landing big shots. Ward is teeing off as Saad throws wild punches that don’t land. Huge left hand drops Awad and he’s out. The ref covers Awad as Ward lands a few more unnecessary shots.
Result: Ward by TKO ( 1:26 of Round 1)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: Now, that was an entertaining minute and a half. Brennan Ward has some serious power. Awad made a mistake by wanting to trade with him. He would’ve been much better off by trying to take the fight to the ground. In any event, that was a very impressive win by Brennan Ward. I can’t wait to see him in the cage again.
(10) Phil Davis (16-3) vs. Liam McGeary (11-0) – Light Heavyweight 205 lbs.
ROUND ONE: Head kick misses from McGeary. Both fighters trade jabs. Davis lands a leg kick. Davis goes for a takedown but McGeary blocks it. Davis lands a left hand and follows with an inside leg kick. McGeary might have been stunned there. Davis scores a takedown and has McGeary up against the fence. McGeary stands but is brought right back down. Davis has his back but McGeary rolls out. They stand. Both fighters try to establish their jab. Both fighters miss kicks and they scramble as the round ends.
10-9 Davis
ROUND TWO: McGeary starts the round stalking down Davis as he did in the first round. Davis lands a nice kick and goes for a takedown, but McGeary sees it coming and blocks it. Davis scores a takedown. Davis looks to pass as McGeary uses his long legs to keep distance. Davis gets side control. Davis transitions to mount. Davis is doing an excellent job of keeping McGeary on the ground. McGeary explodes up and both fighters stand toe to toe as the round ends.
10-9 Davis
ROUND THREE: McGeary opens the round by missing a head kick. Davis lands a kick to the body. Davis picks McGeary up and puts him on the mat scoring a takedown. Davis has top control and looks for a submission, but loses it quickly. Davis is back in full mount and works ground and pound. McGeary uses his legs to push Davis off of him and the round ends as both fighters get their feet.
10-9 Davis
ROUND FOUR: Davis opens with a left hook that just misses and follows with a kick that lands. McGeary lands a left. Davis goes for a takedown and gets it. McGeary goes for a triangle choke but Davis slips out. Davis is in full mount as McGeary bleeds from the forehead. Davis continues ground and pound. Davis transitions to side control and looks for an armbar, but McGeary slips out as the round ends.
10-9 Davis
ROUND FIVE: McGeary comes out more aggressive knowing he needs a finish. He misses a head kick. Phil Davis scores yet another takedown and is in side control. He works for an armbar but loses it. The ground and pound continues. Davis transitions to full mount. More ground and pound. Davis has McGeary’s back. Back to side control and more ground and pound as the final horn sounds.
10-9 Davis
Result: Davis by UD (50-43, 50-45, 50-44)
Grocke’s Viewpoint: That’s a shutout folks. Phil Davis dominated Liam McGeary for five straight rounds. He spent the entire fight in dominant position. He scored takedown after takedown and administered ground and pound round after round. Impressive performance from Phil Davis to become the new Bellator Lightweight Champion.
Final Thoughts: If you like finishes, then was the event for you. Eight of the ten fights ended by either knockout or submission. There were some excellent performances from some of the Bellator newcomers, especially Hannah Regina’s. I”m looking forward to watching some of these young fighters gain more experience and climb the ladder. The night ended with a new champion being crowned as Phil Davis dominated Liam McGeary. If Davis continues to perform like he did tonight he’s going to carry the belt for a long time.
Thanks for joining me tonight. Follow me on Twitter @FightChampBlog.
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