Bellator 208
October 13, 2018
Uniondale, New York
Live on Paramount Network and DAZN (9 PM ET)
Quick Prelim Results
Main Card
(1) Henry Corrales vs. Andy Main (Featherweight)
Round 1: Corrales is attacking early with low kicks. He’s mostly targeting the inside of the lead leg. Left hook lands for Corrales. Andy Main is a former King of Pancrase but has dealt with a series of injuries that have slowed him a bit. Main is attempting to counter the kicks with straight punches but he’s a bit slow right now. Corrales lands a nice shot to the body and a left hook. He’s in total control of the fight right now. Main lands a left hand just as the round ends. Slow round but Corrales was clearly in control. 10-9 Corrales
Round 2: Corrales lands a left hook to start the round. Main returns a solid left hook of his own. Main is looking to secure a clinch, but Corrales is tagging him with hooks any time he moves in. Main isn’t committing to many of his strikes and he has made no effort to get the fight to the ground, he just can’t find any opening. He is getting outworked right now. Main is looking for a single leg and he gets it but Corrales pops right back up to his feet. Corrales is trading off between shots to the head and body with 30 seconds remaining in the round. Corrales connects with a straight right just as the round ends. More of the same as the first round. 10-9 Corrales
Round 3: Main is favoring the jab and the front kick to the body to give himself some room. Corrales is attacking with low kicks. Nice straight right lands for Corrales. Main is looking to set up his jab but he’s getting tagged. Corrales connects with a big left hook and Main is down! The referee steps in and this fight is over! Henry Corrales systematically broke Andy Main down until he found the knockout. Nice win for the Bellator vet and it’s his 4th win in a row.
Result: Henry Corrales def. Andy Main via (TKO) (Punch) Round 3, 2:08
(2) Alexander Shlemenko vs. Anatoly Tokov (Middleweight)
ROUND ONE: They’re exchanging early. Both guys are landing punches. Big over hand right land for Schlemenko but Tokov returns a grazing spinning elbow. They clinch, and it looks like Tokov wants this fight against the cage. John McCarthy just said that he thinks Schlemenko has had a more successful career than Fedor…I need some time to process that comment. Back to the action and Tokov is continuing to control Schlemenko against the fence. Tokov completes a body lock takedown but Schlemenko pops right back up to his feet. Schlemenko is attacking in spurts but Tokov is doing an admirable job of covering up. 10-9 Tokov
ROUND TWO: Schlemenko connects early with a groin kick. We see a brief break in the action. Tokov is pressuring and Schlemenko can’t find the room to land much of anything. Tokov is controlling the action against the fence, he lands a hard knee just as Schlemenko manages to escape. Both guys are starting to look a but tired here. Both guys have been landing body shots, plus its just been a fairly active fight overall. Tokov connects with a left hand but it leaves him open for a solid kick to the body. Tokov shoots in for a lazy takedown but Schlemenko manages to shake him. (10-9 Tokov) It was a closer round than the first. It’s not exactly a highly technical affair but its been a decent scrap so far. Lots of clinch work and knees and kicks to the body.
ROUND THREE: Schlemenko comes out with a kick to the body but Tokov returns a nice pair of hooks. Schlemenko is fighting with a sense of urgency here but his shots are not connecting. Schlemenko is the aggressor with three and a half minutes left in the round. Schlemenko secures a body lock and forces the fight against the fence. He connects with a solid left hook as they separate. Tokov avoids a body kick from his opponent and secures an under hook. Nice knee lands for Tokov. Schlemenko is looking for a takedown but lost the position. Schlemenko spins for a backfist but Tokov times it well and scores with a takedown. Tokov takes the back with thirty seconds remaining in the round.
Result: Anatoly Tokov def. Alexander Schlemenko via Unanimous Decision
Analysis: This fight was a bit sloppy and hard to follow but it is still a big win for Tokov over a former division champion. Schlemenko for his part seemed a bit off tonight but it very well could have been due to the game plan presented by Tokov. Schlemenko couldn’t connect with any of his big shots and Tokov capitalized off the mistakes made by the Russian vet.
(3) Cheick Kongo vs. Timothy Johnson (Heavyweight)
ROUND ONE: This is the Bellator debut for UFC vet Tim Johnson. Cheick Kongo is of course one of the stalwarts of the heavyweight division. Johnson tries to close the distance early. He looks for an under hook and drops for an ankle pick. Kongo drops down to one knee and lands a series of hammer fists! Johnson is out! Wow! Cheick Kongo continues to stay relevant!
Result: Cheick Kongo def. Tim Johnson via KO (Punches) Round 1, 1:08
Analysis: This fight never really got going. Johnson tried taking the fight to the ground and Kongo ended his night early.
(4) Ben Henderson vs. Saad Awad (Lightweight/155)
Round 1: Saad Awad is pressuring early with his striking. Henderson drops for a double leg and gets it. Henderson transitions to the back and secures two hooks. Awad escapes the position and takes head control. Henderson pushes through the position and manages to take the back again. Awad escapes and Henderson takes the chance to stand up. He throws an axe kick just as the round ends. 10-9 Henderson
Round 2: Henderson doesn’t waste much time getting this fight right back down to the ground. Awad explodes back to his feet but Henderson is riding him. He forces Awad back to the ground…he’s just relentless with the pressure here. Awad briefly gets back to his feet but Henderson takes him right back down. 10-9 Henderson
Round 3: Henderson completes another takedown early and is controlling against the fence. Henderson just committed some sort of a foul, but I missed it. The ref stood the two up though and they are back in the center. Henderson shoots in for a takedown but Awad manages to escape. Henderson keeps the pressure up though and briefly gets the fight against the fence. Henderson throws a low kick and Awad throws a right hand at the exact same time. Henderson is down but I think it was more of a balance issue. Henderson is up and completes another takedown. Awad is down with just under a minute left in the round. Henderson is looking for an arm triangle but Awad gives up his back in defense. Henderson is looking for a Rear Naked Choke but Awad will survive as the round ends. 10-9 Henderson
Result: Ben Henderson def. Saad Awad via Unanimous Decision
Analysis: The fight was what it was. Ben Henderson had arguably his best performance in Bellator to date and mostly dominated the action with his grapping. Awad just didn’t have an answer for the takedowns and couldn’t get up once he was down unless he managed a scramble.
(5) Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen (Heavyweight)
ROUND ONE: Fedor lands a big right hand early and Sonnen is down! Sonnen pops right up and shoots for a takedown but Fedor tags him again. Fedor connects with a body shot just as Chael shoots for a takedown. Fedor rolls with it though and takes top position. Sonnen is holding on with a half guard but Fedor stands up and they are back on the feet. Sonnen goes for a clinch but Fedor tosses him to the mat…wow. Sonnen scores with an ankle pick and Fedor is down. Fedor sweeps and he is landing some hard shots! Fedor is in side control taking his time. Sonnen escapes the position and scores with a high crotch takedown. Sonnen isn’t doing much from the top but he is maintaining position. Fedor sweeps him again and they are back on the feet. Sonnen shoots but Fedor goes down with him and he is landing some big shots and its over! Fedor just put a beat down on Chael Sonnen and he will now face Ryan Bader for the Heavyweight Championship.
Result: Fedor Emelianenko def. Chael Sonnen via TKO (Punches) Round 1, 4:46
Analysis: Sorry for the delay in posting my computer hit a bit of a snag. Fedor dominated the fight pretty much from start to finish aside from giving up a few takedowns. Sonnen did what he could but it just wasn’t enough.
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