Bellator 142, Sep. 19: McGeary/Tito, 1 Night LHW Tourney

[Bernman]

Liam McGeary vs. Tito Ortiz - LHW title
Winner of Semifinal Match-ups
Emmanuel Newton vs. Phil Davis - LHW semi
King Mo vs. Linton Vassell - LHW semi
Josh Thomson vs. Mike Bronzoulis
Paul Daley vs. Fernando Gonzalez - kickboxing rules
Phelipe Lins vs. Francis Carmont - LHW alternate
Carlos Eduardo Rocha vs. James Terry

Also holding the Glory LHW title fight, as well as a couple other kickboxing matches.

Supposedly they're going to have two apparatuses to accommodate fights going on simultaneously. I think that's only for the prelims. Still bizarre.

I think they did a couple other bizarre things like have two notable MMA'ists in Daley and Gonzalez go at it under kickboxing rules, and not give Thomson a tougher opponent in his debut.

Still, they clearly allocated a lot of resources to this event, and it's unique, so it should be interesting, and hopefully it's fun to watch.

Incidentally, really looking forward to seeing Lins in his return. His only loss came in his last fight because he blew out his knee by his own doing early on. Without it, I'm confident he'd be a full participant in this tourney. And him vs. Carmont should make a pretty high level MMA fight. Hopefully Carmont doesn't make it boring. Hopefully a fighter in all those tourney affiliated bouts don't make it boring, as they have a tendency to (Davis, Mo, Carmont).

[Bernman]

Apparently Pride's Lenne Hardt is making her return to doing intros for this event. There are a lot of interesting aspects to this event, and most don't involve the individual matches themselves. It's a total boom-bust type event for me.

BTW, Lins is unfortunately out due to Dengue fever. He was replaced by Roy Boughton or Anthony Ruiz in the alternate.

Really relevant weekend for MMA even though the UFC is off. Hopefully the event's, including WSOF's on Friday, get the attention they deserve.

[Bernman]

Going with the sleeper Vassell in the 1-night LHW tourney, and I think McGeary takes out Ortiz either early in an out-classing, or after a couple rounds of Tito in his guard, subsequent to which he gasses.

Apparently there's going to be a lot of surprises and fireworks, literally and figuratively tonight. Like the PPV, it should be interesting even if it's not so much in the cage.

[REDDzone]

Genuine question, what's the logic of picking Vassell when Newton already finished him?

I hope he beats Mo either way, can't stand that guy.

I originally thought Tito could surprise because I can't imagine he being subbed but I forgot its five rounds.

[Bernman]

Genuine question, what's the logic of picking Vassell when Newton already finished him?

I hope he beats Mo either way, can't stand that guy.

I originally thought Tito could surprise because I can't imagine he being subbed but I forgot its five rounds.

These tourney fights are 3 rounds. Vassell won 2 of 3, if not the first 3 rounds in his original match-up against Newton, who came back to sub him in the fifth when Vassell was tired. Newton is a cardio monster, but he won't have that advantage in a 3-rounder.

Besides, Davis certainly could end up beating Newton so the match-up is different. Davis is obviously excellent at his boring, smothering style, and he's got a lot of similarities with Vassell. Vassell beat Newton largely on the ground, mounting him repeatedly. Although Newton might have been going for td's and getting reversed to get it to the ground in the first place. Newton has outstanding tdd, and maybe he doesn't make the same mistakes in this fight knowing exactly what Davis is trying to do as he did with Mo.

In a match-up against Davis, sight unseen I'd go with Vassell given having good wrestling in his own right, without being clueless on the feet like Phil. Phil's wrestling may prove to be that much better though.

I'd imagine if Tito gets beat, it's getting picked apart with footwork and a barrage of strikes, either to lose via ko or a decision. Striking is McGeary's strength. If he gets taken down in the early rounds, he should have the defensive and offensive guard to survive at least.

Man, I really wish Thomson would have gotten a better opponent, and Daley-Gonzalez would have been a no. 1 contender in MMA. It would make for a considerably more interesting event. I just have passing interest in those fights as is. My interest heavily lies in the LHW fights, and we know those could wind up to be super boring between Mo, Davis, and Carmont. Lins was the most exciting guy of the group and he fell ill.

[REDDzone]

I don't think I've ever seen McGeary's standup, so that makes sense.

I agree I'm excited for the tournament, and your Vassell explanation makes sense. I did watch that fight but had forgotten how late in the fight that finish has happened, although I do recall Vassell doing well earlier. I could have sworn Vassell lost again after that fight, because I remember being excited for him to fight again and then walking away disappointed. I must be wrong though because he only fought once since then and that was a win.

I just realized, isn't Carmont an alternate for the tourney? So its technically possible we will see Davis/Carmont? Honestly probably the two most boring fighters in the sport to me lol. Honestly though I'd rather watch that than Newton/Mo III.

[cowboyronnie]

Really unexcited for this. These cards are patch-works of too many busted ex-UFCers. At least WSOF has guys with potential to move up & on. Very little talent in Bellator. Who here are you like, 'damn, I'd love to see what he would do in the UFC?' In most cases, these fighters have already been there and slunk out.

Aesthetically terrible fighters too. So many bound-up dudes - I don't know if they're all lifting heavy to keep that weight-on, some of that might just be thick dudes. They couldn't find Keith Jardine to add to this mess? Jardine vs Newton: Bound-Up.

[cowboyronnie]

I just realized, isn't Carmont an alternate for the tourney? So its technically possible we will see Davis/Carmont? Honestly probably the two most boring fighters in the sport to me lol. Honestly though I'd rather watch that than Newton/Mo III.

There's that too. Tito isn't far behind. Wrestlers kickboxing with no snap in anything. Just grinding it out on the feet.

[REDDzone]

To be fair, the LHW division in mma as a whole, including the ufc, is just such garbage. I think a couple of guys in this tournament could be very effective in the ufc.

[Bernman]

Really unexcited for this. These cards are patch-works of too many busted ex-UFCers. At least WSOF has guys with potential to move up & on. Very little talent in Bellator. Who here are you like, 'damn, I'd love to see what he would do in the UFC?' In most cases, these fighters have already been there and slunk out.

Aesthetically terrible fighters too. So many bound-up dudes - I don't know if they're all lifting heavy to keep that weight-on, some of that might just be thick dudes. They couldn't find Keith Jardine to add to this mess? Jardine vs Newton: Bound-Up.

Everybody in the LHW tourney, plus McGeary, could be decent or better in UFC's LHW division. Like RZ said, to a degree that might be an indictment of LHW in MMA right now, but it's true. McGeary, Vassell, Newton, and Mo aren't UFC slunk outs. Davis and Carmont beat a number of guys, they got dismissed in part due to their lack of fun factor. That I think is the hang-up about this tourney.

Then, I think it's a matter of who Bellator features. I think WSOF is on the rise when it comes to unearthing their own higher upside talent, and Bellator is on the decline, but they still develop some and there are holdovers from the old regime, to the point they still have more talent than WSOF. Look at WSOF's last title fight. Palomino slunk out of Bellator. But WSOF is better these days at featuring their talent. Whereas Bellator puts Guillard-Girtz as their main event and Anderson-Campos on the prelims, Tito and Shamrock-Slice as the main events of their tentpoles, Dantas, Halsey, Pitbull, etc. for their general cards.

This card projects to be entertaining more for the pomp and circumstance than anything else. Big, loud intros, followed by Mo loudly whining about how someone wronged him.

[Jasen777]

Well by fightmatrix rankings:

Phil Davis is #5 with a win over the UFC's next title challenger. Newton is 14th, Mo is 15th, Vassell is 24th. McGeary is 10th, and in a true show of how bad the division is Tito is 12th (though fightmatrix tends to be slow dropping past their prime fighters, to be fair). Carmont is 19th. According to wiki the UFC has 33 LHW's signed.

So all those guys, except maybe Vassell, would be considered above average UFC LHWs by Fightmatrix.

[Jasen777]

Then, I think it's a matter of who Bellator features. I think WSOF is on the rise when it comes to unearthing their own higher upside talent, and Bellator is on the decline, but they still develop some and there are holdovers from the old regime, to the point they still have more talent than WSOF. Look at WSOF's last title fight. Palomino slunk out of Bellator. But WSOF is better these days at featuring their talent. Whereas Bellator puts Guillard-Girtz as their main event and Anderson-Campos on the prelims, Tito and Shamrock-Slice as the main events of their tentpoles, Dantas, Halsey, Pitbull, etc. for their general cards.

I don't know if the "unearthing their own higher upside talent" is they way for a promotion to survive in the completely dominated UFC landscape. Even if an org could develop talent comparable to the UFC I doubt most would believe it. Bellator's current, trying to be fun/different, strategy is never going to make them a serious rival to the UFC, but it may be the best way for a #2 org to thrive.

[REDDzone]

Alright I don't like Mo but that sprawl was absolute f*cking insanity. Vassell was so deep on that double.

[REDDzone]

Slippery canvas?

[REDDzone]

Newton is about to beat Phil and then win this whole tournament.

edit: No, no he's not.

Despite my suspicions that Davis is still associated with those scumbags at Lloyd Irvin's, I hope he smokes Mo.

[REDDzone]

One of the worst part about bellator is the terrible, let me bang bro, just bleed crowds. Fights with like 10 knockdowns, doesn't matter, still booing.

I couldn't watch that end by the way, I didn't see Mo tapping, and thought for sure that arm was going to go Mir/Nog on us.

It take 16 less seconds for Davis to do that to Newton than it did for him to do it to Gustaffson.

[Jasen777]

Slippery canvas is not good. Pretty good first round for the tourney. I think Davis out wrestles Mo and the final.

[REDDzone]

Anyone catch bellator hyping Phil by pointing out how he dominated Glover?

[REDDzone]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ScottCoker/status/645395718560051200[/tweet]

Fedor?

[REDDzone]

I truly believe Daley is not good, but his opponent looks just fat enough that he may win. Why did he weigh in at 175?

Maybe just not good at mma.