Bellator 159 Discussion - 7/22/16

[TheEmperorRises]

Complete Results:
Joe Taimanglo def. Darrion Caldwell vs. via submission (guillotine) :09 of round 3
Melvin Guillard def. Dave Rickels via KO (elbow) at 2:14 of round 1
Emily Ducote def. Bruna Vargas via submission (rear naked choke) at :29 of round 2
Daniel Weichel def. Emmanuel Sanchez via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
Jessica Middleton def. Bruna Ellen via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Gaston Reyno def. L.J. Hermreck via third-round TKO (3:57)
Fernando Martinez def. Marcio Navarro via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
Johnny Marigo def. Andy Riley via verbal submission (armbar) (R1, 2:44)
Philipe Lins def. Guilherme Viana via second-round KO (1:13)



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[HEATH VON DOOM]

Pretty solid card

 

[TheEmperorRises]

I think Caldwell is the best BW in the world right now, so it's always wxciting to see him fight. That being said, Taimanglo has that Super Saiyan power in his hands, so all he has to do is catch him to pull off the upset. Should be a great fight.

 

[Lukewarm Carl]

Sanchez/Weichel should be solid. Don't care about watching Guillard fight anyone anymore. I doubt he'll even make weight. Caldwell is a gawl dang monster! It's a shame that this isn't a bigger card to get more eyes on him but at least he's the main event so his name will be fairly visible. So that's a plus.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

Sanchez/Weichel should be solid. Don't care about watching Guillard fight anyone anymore. I doubt he'll even make weight. Caldwell is a gawl dang monster! It's a shame that this isn't a bigger card to get more eyes on him but at least he's the main event so his name will be fairly visible. So that's a plus.

And he will get most of the promotion for this, rightfully so.

 

[regular john]

Sanchez/Weichel should be solid. Don't care about watching Guillard fight anyone anymore.

agree. Weichel is great.

Guillard OTOH only makes Bellator look bad. the biggest gripe that I have with Bellaton, bigger than the freak fights, is using the likes of him, Koscheck, Bonnar and other longtime UFC castoffs like they're still big deal. makes it hard to see them as an alternative to the ufc and is especially stupid because Bellator's best fighters are their homegrown stars.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

agree. Weichel is great.

Guillard OTOH only makes Bellator look bad. the biggest gripe that I have with Bellaton, bigger than the freak fights, is using the likes of him, Koscheck, Bonnar and other longtime UFC castoffs like they're still big deal. makes it hard to see them as an alternative to the ufc and is especially stupid because Bellator's best fighters are their homegrown stars.

Name recognotion means a lot in MMA. It's why Tito Ortiz can still get fights. So while I agree, it would be great if more people knew who Dave Rickels is and tuned in to see him, it's more likely that they will if someone they know is fighting. And the UFC guys, sadly, are still more well known.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

agree. Weichel is great.

Guillard OTOH only makes Bellator look bad. the biggest gripe that I have with Bellaton, bigger than the freak fights, is using the likes of him, Koscheck, Bonnar and other longtime UFC castoffs like they're still big deal. makes it hard to see them as an alternative to the ufc and is especially stupid because Bellator's best fighters are their homegrown stars.

To be fair though- 2 homegrown Bellator guys are headlining.

 

[Lukewarm Carl]

Name recognotion means a lot in MMA. It's why Tito Ortiz can still get fights.

Even though Tito lost a boat load of fights in the UFC before his departure he can still be competitive at Light Heavy in Bellator. That's a bit different that what we've seen with Kos and the very disinterested Guillard from the last several years. Or even an out of shape looking Bonnar coming off a PED suspension.

I get that names matter but you can still be selective about those names.

 

[regular john]

Name recognotion means a lot in MMA. It's why Tito Ortiz can still get fights. So while I agree, it would be great if more people knew who Dave Rickels is and tuned in to see him, it's more likely that they will if someone they know is fighting. And the UFC guys, sadly, are still more well known.

can't argue with this but it's a matter of choice from Bellator.

IMO they aren't gaining any new fans by drawing these filthy casuals. these stupid guys only tune in to see Kimbo or Tito then go away and you'll only draw them in again if you use Kimbo and Tito again.

what they're doing with this is alienating hardcore fans like myself who were following Bellaton for years and expect the exact opposite from this.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

I get that names matter but you can still be selective about those names.

Agreed. Bonnar is a waste of money.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

can't argue with this but it's a matter of choice from Bellator.

IMO they aren't gaining any new fans by drawing these filthy casuals. these stupid guys only tune in to see Kimbo or Tito then go away and you'll only draw them in again if you use Kimbo and Tito again.

what they're doing with this is alienating hardcore fans like myself who were following Bellaton for years and expect the exact opposite from this.

The tide is turning. Guys like MVP, Caldwell, Andrey Koreshkov, King Mo, Michael Chandler, Eduardo Dantas, Liam McGeary, Lima, etc have been getting a lot of focus here lately. I think that will continue and intensify when the wrestlers they've signed (Pico, Fortune, Ruth, Trice, Davis) debut.

 

[regular john]

The tide is turning. Guys like MVP, Caldwell, Andrey Koreshkov, King Mo, Michael Chandler, Eduardo Dantas, Liam McGeary, Lima, etc have been getting a lot of focus here lately. I think that will continue and intensity when the wrestlers they've signed (Pico, Fortune, Ruth, Trice, Davis) debut.

I hope so. that is a great lineup, one that renders ufc castoffs absolutely 100% unnecessary.

 

[Punch]

can't argue with this but it's a matter of choice from Bellator.

IMO they aren't gaining any new fans by drawing these filthy casuals. these stupid guys only tune in to see Kimbo or Tito then go away and you'll only draw them in again if you use Kimbo and Tito again.

what they're doing with this is alienating hardcore fans like myself who were following Bellaton for years and expect the exact opposite from this.

 

[Punch]

I'm pretty stoked about this card!

 

[Lukewarm Carl]

Am I the only person that thinks that Lawal really doesn't have a following outside of the Hardcores that watched him in Japan?

The guy is talented but unless he snuggles his opponents he loses to every top 15/20 guy he fights. He's only truly impressive with his top control, or against nobodies, or when he's getting sat down with spinning back fists

 

[TheEmperorRises]

The guy is talented but unless he snuggles his opponents he loses to every top 15/20 guy he fights. He's only truly impressive with his top control, or against nobodies, or when he's getting sat down with spinning back fists

Those fights against Rampage Jackson and Phil Davis could have easily gone in his favor, but I do agree that he's not as well known as he should be.

 

[Lukewarm Carl]

Those fights against Rampage Jackson and Phil Davis could have easily gone in his favor, but I do agree that he's not as well known as he should be.

I disagree. I think the following he has is too big. Hahaha

Rampage, Phil, Kongo, Mousasi, ... Probably the fights against the best known opponents and they were all pretty terrible.

 

[TheEmperorRises]

Bruna Vargas, for anyone who forgot or doesn't know.

 

[regular john]

Am I the only person that thinks that Lawal really doesn't have a following outside of the Hardcores that watched him in Japan?

The guy is talented but unless he snuggles his opponents he loses to every top 15/20 guy he fights. He's only truly impressive with his top control, or against nobodies, or when he's getting sat down with spinning back fists

the fact that he always appears wearing a crown makes it really hard to like him. but he's a cool character.

 

[TD_TSW]

i like this card because of the story lines heading into this event. We have Melvin Guillard vs David Rickels, Rickels is coming off a huge KO win over copper but before that he has fallen flat and Melvin well this will answer the question if this is his last fight under Bellator.

Then you have the prospect in Emmanuel Sanchez who has yet to put together a decisive win in bellator with getting split decisions vs Daniel Weichel who wants to prove that he can still bang with the best of them, wants to be in title talk.

 

[Wild]

Bruna Vargas, for anyone who forgot or doesn't know.

 

[CutmanMatt]

I'm pretty stoked about this card. I'm especially looking forward to Lins' fight. I think he's incredibly good, and if he can stay healthy and his knee is good to go, an amazing future name.

 

[Ranger]

I'm pretty stoked about this card. I'm especially looking forward to Lins' fight. I think he's incredibly good, and if he can stay healthy and his knee is good to go, an amazing future name.

I do too bro! So excited to see him fight, I'm guessing he will be on the prelims judging by the instagram pic. I want to see him fight Vassel for the no.1 contender spot after Davis squashes Mcgeary. Could be an interesting title fight; I legit think that Lins would have beat Mcgeary or at least given him the fight of his life and given him a lot of trouble.

 

[CutmanMatt]

I do too bro! So excited to see him fight, I'm guessing he will be on the prelims judging by the instagram pic. I want to see him fight Vassel for the no.1 contender spot after Davis squashes Mcgeary. Could be an interesting title fight; I legit think that Lins would have beat Mcgeary or at least given him the fight of his life and given him a lot of trouble.

As it stand right now, and this isnt written in stone, Lins' fight will be on TV.