Bellator FC 19 - Info, Weigh-Ins & Results

[keithlewis]

The ongoing war of words between Bellator Welterweight Tournament semifinalists Ben Askren and Ryan Thomas continued on Monday with Askren predicting that their much-anticipated rematch this Thursday night at Bellator 19 will end the same way as their first meeting-albeit in much more decisive fashion.

"I'm going to do the same thing I did the last time: I'm going to go in there and choke him," said Askren, the 25-yearold former NCAA all-American and U.S. Olympian. "Only this time I'm gonna put him to sleep all the way so he can't complain about it."

Askren vs. Thomas II is part of a nine-fight card at Bellator 19, which will broadcast live on FOX Sports Net from the Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas (just outside Dallas). Highlights from the show will also air this weekend on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2. Also scheduled is the second Welterweight Tournament semifinal - Dan Hornbuckle vs. Steve Carl - and a non-tile "Super Fight" between reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Soto and UFC veteran Diego Saraiva.

But thanks in part to the bad blood that has developed between Askren and Thomas, their fight is suddenly emerging as the night's most anticipated fight.

The two first met at Bellator 14 in Chicago on April 15th during the quarterfinal round of the Welterweight Tournament. Roughly 2:30 into Round 1, Askren locked Thomas into a tight anaconda choke. After a few seconds, the cage referee stopped the fight, much to the dismay of Thomas and his corner, who protested that Thomas gave no indication that he wanted the fight stopped.

"It was a bad call by the referee," Thomas, a 12-4 veteran of the UFC, said afterwards. "I was fine ... I was totally fine."

In his remarks Monday, Askren criticized Thomas' handling of the entire situation.

"I think he's been really immature about the whole thing from Day 1," Askren said. "I've just tried to go about my own business and prepare for the fight, and he's been out talking [trash] on the message boards. That's the kind of thing I might have done when I was 16 years old - not a grown man. It's all pretty childish if you ask me."

[keithlewis]

On the eve of Bellator Fighting Championships' much-anticipated show at the Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas, the fighters competing in tomorrow's event participated in an official weigh-in earlier this evening. Bellator 19 will be broadcast live in prime time nationwide on Thursday on FOX Sports Net and during special Bellator highlight shows this Saturday night on NBC, Telemundo and mun2.


The official results of the weigh-in are as follows:


MAIN CARD:

Featherweights (145 lbs.):
Diego Saraiva (145.8) vs. Joe Soto (145.8)


Welterweight Tournament Semifinal (170 lbs.):
Ryan Thomas (170.6) vs. Ben Askren (170.4)
Steve Carl (170.6) vs. Dan Hornbuckle (170)


Heavyweights (265 lbs.):
Ty Lee (256.8 ) vs. Scott Barrett (262.8)


LOCAL FEATURE FIGHTS:

Daniel Pineda (144.8) vs. Chas Skelly (145.2)
Brandon McDowell (169) vs. Joe Christopher (170.6)
Jared Lopez (135.2) vs. Johnny Bedford (135.6)
Donyiell Winrow (185) vs. Josh Smith (185.2)
Aaron Wise (136) vs. Douglas Frey (135.8)

[keithlewis]

War of words intensifies on eve of much-anticipated rematch at Bellator 19 in Dallas

Bellator Welterweight Tournament semifinalist Ryan Thomas shot back at disparaging comments made Monday by his opponent, Ben Askren, calling the former U.S. Olympian a “coward” who “needs to keep his mouth shut before I shut it for him.”

The remarks were the latest salvo in the ongoing war of words between the two fighters, who will meet for the second time in five weeks on Thursday at Bellator 19 in Dallas. Tickets for the much-anticipated event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

Thomas and Askren first met in the cage at Bellator 14 in Chicago on April 15th during the quarterfinal round of Bellator’s Welterweight Tournament. Roughly 2:30 into Round 1, Askren locked Thomas into a tight choke hold. After a few seconds, the cage referee stopped the fight, much to the dismay of Thomas and his corner, who protested that Thomas gave no indication that he wanted the fight stopped.

Thomas said Wednesday that Askren “knows he didn’t submit me with that make-believe move,” and called on him to stop boasting about the disputed win.

“I think it’s pretty cowardly of him to be walking around running his mouth bragging about a victory he didn’t earn,” Thomas, the 12-4 UFC veteran said. “The guy hasn’t done anything in MMA. He hasn’t beaten anybody, including me, so I don’t know where he gets off disrespecting me. After this fight I’m gonna show him that you can’t be a one-dimensional fighter in MMA in this day and age.”

Thomas also revealed Wednesday that his training partners pasted photos of Askren and some of his “trash-talking” comments all over the walls at his gym in Central Illinois as inspiration.

“It’s helped put that visual image in my head of him running his mouth and disrespecting me,” Thomas said. “It’s helped me train a lot harder. I don’t like the guy, so that’s made a difference.”

Earlier this week, Askren predicted that he would defeat Thomas easily in their matchup.

“I’m going to do the same thing I did the last time: I’m going to go in there and choke him,” Askren said. “Only this time, I’m gonna put him to sleep all the way so he can’t complain about it.”

He also accused Thomas of “talking [trash] on the message boards.”

“That’s the kind of thing I might have done when I was 16 years old – not a grown man,” Askren said. “It’s all pretty childish if you ask me.”

Thomas, for his part, denied Wednesday that he had ever posted comments about Askren or the fight online, though he said that he “can’t control what the fans do.”

[keithlewis]

Bellator FC 19 - Results


MAIN CARD:

Featherweights (145 lbs.):
Joe Soto def. Diego Saraiva via TKO (doctor stoppage) - Round 1 (5:00)

Welterweight Tournament Semifinal (170 lbs.):
Ben Askren def. Ryan Thomas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Dan Hornbuckle def. Steve Carl via submission (kimura) - Round 1 ( 2:31)

Heavyweights (265 lbs.):
Scott Barrett def. Ty Lee via TKO (punches) - Round 1 (2:25)


LOCAL FEATURE FIGHTS:

Chas Skelly def. Daniel Pineda via submission (kneebar) - Round 2 (2:16)
Joe Christopher def. Brandon McDowell via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1 (1:36)
Johnny Bedford def. Jared Lopez via TKO (strikes) - Round 3 (2:16)
Douglas Frey def. Aaron Wise via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1 (0:49)
Joshua Smith def. Donyiell Winrow via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[keithlewis]

MMA star Dan Hornbuckle and former U.S. Olympian Ben Askren both booked passage into the championship round of Bellator Fighting Championships' Season 2 Welterweight Tournament at Bellator 19 on Thursday with dominant performances.

Meanwhile, reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Soto improved his record to a perfect 9-0 with a "Super Fight" victory over crafty UFC veteran Diego Saraiva.

The three fights - all dominant performances - were just part of another great night of Bellator action in front of a raucous crowd at the Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas - the first of two consecutive Bellator events in the Lone Star State this month.

The night's most anticipated bout was undoubtedly Askren's fight with UFC veteran Ryan Thomas - a rematch made possible when Thomas (13-5) re-entered the Welterweight Tournament to replace late scratch Jim Wallhead.

But while the first Thomas-Askren fight ended in controversy (a disputed referee's stoppage), their fight on Thursday was controlled from the get-go by Askren, the two-time NCAA wrestling Champion at the University of Missouri. Askren held the dominant position for all three rounds, winning a clear-cut unanimous decision that improved his pro MMA record to 5-0. It was the first time that one of his fights had ever gone past the first round.

"It was a war ... he definitely came to fight," Askren said afterward. "I definitely had to dig deep. I was going for some submissions but he kept slipping out. It was a great fight."

Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney agreed, saluting Askren's commanding performance.

"Ben Askren was impressive," Rebney said in the post-fight press conference. "For someone this new to MMA to be able to put on a performance like that against a fighter like Ryan Tomas is a testament to his huge, huge talent. He's going to be tough guy to bet against."

Earlier in the night, Iraq War veteran Steve Carl (13-2) took Hornbuckle to the ground shortly after the opening bell of their semifinal-round fight, but "The Handler" maintained his composure on his back, using a tight kimura to end the fight just 2:31 into Round 1. Hornbuckle has now recorded 10 submission wins 10 nine knockouts in his 23 career fights.

After the fight, Rebney made the case that Hornbuckle is quickly emerging as one of the top 170-pound fighters in the world.

"He continues to evolve and grow as a mixed martial artist," Rebney said. "He is an awfully dangerous welterweight and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the world at 170 who would go in as a favorite against him right now. I'm looking forward to watching him again next month."

In the "Super Fight," Soto assumed the dominant position early on in the fight and landed a huge elbow to Saraiva's forehead near the end of Round 1, opening a deep cut that forced the ringside doctor to stop the fight at the end of the round. It was the first time that Saraiva (18-9-1) had been stopped in 38 career pro bouts.

"It sucks that I had to end him with the cut, but that's the way it goes," Soto said afterward. "Now I'm just looking forward to fighting the winner of the tournament."

Rebney called the fight "a major statement" by Soto.

"This was a very dangerous fight for Joe," Rebney said. "But he came to us and said ‘I want the toughest guy you can find at 145.' With a performance like that against a fighter of Diego's caliber, it ‘s a great night for him."

Fans who missed Thursday night's action can watch all the best moments this weekend during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2. Check your local listings for exact dates and times.

Bellator returns to action next week from the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio with two semifinal fights in the Season 2 Middleweight Tournament: Eric Schambari vs. Bryan "The Beast" Baker and Russian import Alexander Shlemenko vs. former NCAA all-American wrestler Jared Hess.