Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of Bellator MMA & Glory: Dynamite 1 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. This is an event that is the first of its’ kind as Bellator and Glory combine for a night of 20 fights, some of which will be going on simultaneously. The event will ultimately be headlined by Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Liam McGeary defending the title against former UFC Light Heayweight Champion & UFC Hall Of Famer Tito Ortiz. The event also features a one-night, four-man tournament in Bellator’s light heavyweight division, and the fight for the vacant Glory Light Heavyweight Championship.
Coverage provided by Dave Meltzer, who is live at the SAP Center for the event.
PRELIMINARY CARD (SPIKE.COM- 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT ALTERNATE BOUT- FRANCIS CARMONT VS. ANTHONY RUIZ
First round: This is the alternates fight in the light heavyweight tournament. Carmont has him down and working for a Kimura. Ruiz moved to the top as Carmont now trying to get the arm. Ruiz got his back and throwing some knees to the body. Carmont took him down with the Kimura attempt once again. This is like a grappling match. Carmont is behind him and now working for a choke. Carmont 10-9.
Second round: Carmont took him down and has his back. He’s working for a choke again. He’s close with th choke. Ruiz got out. He’s working for it again. It’s still mainly a grappling match. I think Carmont playing it safe because he may have to fight again later. Ruiz reversed 43 seconds left. Ruiz throwing some punches late. Totally boring fight. Still, Carmont 20-18.
They just announced Carmont won via decision, had to be 20-18. If nobody can advance in the tournament, Carmont goes to the final. Pray that doesn’t happen.
A few notes: There were 300 tickets still left as of a few minutes ago, all obstructed view. The place is set up for a little more than 11,000 with almost no paper, and that included Scott Coker buying tickets for his family.
There will be a major announcement made prior to the main event.
Not sure about the sellout now. There are tons of empty seats in the upper deck. Lennie Hardt got a big pop. They are doing the fight announcements now. Kerri Melendez got a pop. Thomson easily the biggest pop so far since he was a Strikeforce star. The Glory guys got no reaction. Tito got a similar reaction as Thomson.
MAIN CARD (SPIKE TV- 9 PM ET/6 PM PT)
They did the Pride intros with Lenne Hardt prior to the first bout. Great presentation and great reaction from the crowd. Nice video package on the history of MMA with Scott Coker saying they’re going back to the future tonight
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT BOUT- MUHAMMED LAWAL VS. LINTON VASSELL
Mo rocked Vassell with a punch 30 seconds in but didn’t follow up. Vassell with a takedown attempted, defended well by Mo. Nice punch combo by Mo at 1:30. Mo rocked Vassell again at 3:00 and Vassell went for another takedown but stuffed. Vassell landing kicks to the head and legs at 4:00. Vassell rocked and in trouble at 4:15. Mo all over him and slips. Vassell down again but Mo clinches. Mo lands knees from the clinch with 15 seconds left. 10-8 Mo
Mo outstruck Vassell 40-15 in round 1. Vassell more aggressive to start round 2, landing a lot of kicks. Mo slips off of a punch but Vassell doesn’t capitalize. Mo rocked Vassell with punches at 3:00. Vassell with a powerslam takedown at 3:15. Vassell with back mount but Mo escapes, to his feet and hits a slam of his own. Vassell working for a sub from the bottom at 4:00. Both guys to their feet. Mo with another takedown at 4:30. Vassell up right before the buzzer. 10-9 Mo
WINNER – KING MO(16-4) no scores read
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT BOUT- PHIL DAVIS VS. EMANUEL NEWTON
Davis with a takedown 1:45 in and took Newton’s back. Newton up briefly but Davis took him down again and into side control. Davis working for a Kimura but Newton escapes. Newton still holding him down. Newton with a front headlock at 3:45. Newton to his feet briefly but Davis takes him right back down. Davis is in another league here. Davis working the Kimura again and gets the tap.
WINNER – PHIL DAVIS (14-3) by submission (Kimura) at 4:39
Note: Big Dave having IC issues at the arena, so Paul Fontaine here tagging in for the first couple fights and until further notice.
GLORY WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHTS- KERI ANNE TAYLOR-MELENDEZ VS. HADLEY GRIFFITH
Melendez the huge local favorite and is the wife of UFC Lightweight Gilbert. Griffith is making her professional kickboxing debut. Melendez giving up a lot of size but more active to start. Mauro on commentary said Melendez will make her Bellator debut early next year. Griffith bloodied up two minutes in. Easy 10-9 Melendez
Melendez all over her for Round 2. Griffith doing okay to stay in there but she’s completely overmatched. Another 10-9 Melendez
Griffith with a little more offence in Round 3 but Melendez still the more active of the 2. Melendez up 92-24 in strikes landed through 2 rounds. Crazy exchange right before the final buzzer with all kinds of kicks and punches from both. 30-27 Melendez, no other score possible.
WINNER – KERRI MELENDEZ by unanimous decision (30-27 x 2; 30-26). Not all that familiar with Glory scoring but I’m guessing the one 10-8 was for Round 1.
Cung Le and Michael Chandler were shown in the crowd. Lenne Hardt did the ring intros for the next fight. Gonzalez out to Benson Henderson’s entrance music, “Awesome God”.
GLORY WELTERWEIGHTS- PAUL DALEY VS. FERNANDO GONZALEZ
Daley connecting with a lot of kicks early. Gonzalez answers with some of his own but Daley more active. Both guys landing punches in the last minute but Davis still mixing in kicks. 10-9 Daley
Daley opening with alternating punches and kicks. Gonzales with a nice punch combo in the first minute as well. Nice exchange with both guys landing hard shots with 30 seconds left. Gonzales backed up Davis with 15 seconds left with a punch combo for the most sustained damage of the round. Probably not enough to take it though. 10-9 Daley
Wild punch exchange to start. Gonzalez backs up Daley with punches. Davis fires back with a combo of his own. Kicks landed were 23-5 through two rounds for Davis. Gonzales pushing forward with punches but Daley answering with kicks to the legs and body. Davis slipped, almost looked like a knockdown. Gonzalez advancing and landing a lot of punches with a minute left. Gonzalez with a knee/punch combo. Gonzalez backed Daley into the corner with punches with 15 seconds left. 10-9 Gonzalez. Depends who gets round 2.
BJ Penn just shown on camera and I understand Sakuraba is there as well.
WINNER – PAUL DALEY by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x 2)
Sakuraba shown on camera. Speaking of which, we get Lenne again, introducing the next fight. Bronzoulis out in a Gladiator costume. They keep hyping up this major announcement. Talk on Twitter is either Fedor signing and/or a NYE show in Japan. Lenne announced Thomson coming out of the BLLLLLUUUUUUUEEEE corner. Red gloves.
LIGHTWEIGHTS- JOSH THOMSON VS. MIKE BRONZOULIS
Thomson with a nice punch combo 30 seconds in. Bronzoulis landed a nice punch combo but slipped twice on the canvas, which has been a problem all night. Thomson with a trip takedown at 2:00. Thomson not doing much damage from the top but trying to advance position. Bronzoulis landing punches from the top. Thomson has his legs all tied up, almost in mount. Thomson into mount right before the end. 10-9 Thomson
Shawn Merriman was shown at cageside and Herschel Walker was mentioned. Both were shown together on the prelims portion. Thomson with a takedown at 1:15. Thomson working for a Kimura and Bronzoulis basically gives up his back. Thomson landing punches from behind and also looking for a choke. Bronzoulis scrambles to his feet at 3:00. Thomson takes his back standing. Bronzoulis escapes at 3:45 and Thomson takes him down again. Thomson quickly into mount. With the supposed new scoring standards, that’s a 10-8 for Thomson
Bronzoulis on the attack to start but Thomson quickly took control of his back and got a takedown. Thomson with a triangle and gets the quick tap.
WINNER – JOSH THOMSON (21-8) via submission at 39 seconds of Round 3 (head and arm choke)
GLORY LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP- SAULO CAVALARI VS. ZACK MWEKASSA
Title is vacant coming into this. Cavalari with a hard kick to open. Mwekassa pushing forward though. Mwekassa throwing punches almost exclusively and a lot of them. Cavalari mixing it up with kicks to the body and head. This one is 5 3 minute rounds, if it goes that long. 10-9 Mwekassa
Seeing rumours of a Fedor/Randy Couture fight on Twitter, which could be the big announcement. Cavalari opens with kicks to the body and head. Mwekassa answering with punches. Cavalari knocks Mwekassa down with a kick but the ref ruled it a slip. Mwekassa up and advancing with punches. Ref docked Cavalari one point for holding. Announcers as confused as I was. Mwekassa still firing away with punches and advancing. 10-8 Mwekassa if they’re ruling that knockdown a slip, otherwise 9-9
Quadros has 20-17 as well. Mwekassa knocked down again but again ruled a slip. This round pretty even, Cavalari mixing in more punches with his kicks this round. Cavalari with a nice punch/kick combo with 15 seconds left. 10-9 Cavalari
Action slowed right down in round 4. Especially Mwekassa. Mwekassa scores a knockdown with a headkick though. Cavalari up and a nice punch combo and follows up with more kicks. And now we find out that it was a slip. Another knockdown with 15 seconds left by Cavalari and I think that’s a slip as well. Cavalari does get an official knockdown at the end. I think that’s a 10-8 for him, so we’re even into the 5th.
Quadros says Cavalari “may have squeezed the last one out”. Huh? Cavalari gets another warning for holding after a clinch. And then right back to a clinch. Cavalari far more active this round. Pace of this fight has ground to a halt. Cavalari advancing with punches and all Mwekassa wants to do is clinch. Mwekassa with a head kick followed by punches. Cavalari answers with a nice punch combo. Cavalari with another knockdown that’s ruled a slip. Cavalari just picking him off with punches in the last minute. 10-9 Cavalari
King Mo has an injured rib and likely can’t compete in the finals, meaning Linton Vassell gets the spot, if I’m understanding the rules correctly.
WINNER – SAULO CAVALARI by majority decision (48-46 x 2, 47-47)
Just got word from Big Dave at cageside that it’s actually Carmont getting Mo’s slot, not Vassell. I guess they either changed the rules or Vassell is hurt as well. Dave says that the doctor wouldn’t clear Vassell. Major announcement is up after the break.
Kevin Kay from Spike in the ring with Jimmy Smith for the announcement. Pride founder Sakikabara in the cage. This was a good idea but terrible in execution as his English is really bad. New Year’s Eve, it’s a new chapter in MMA. Main event will be Fedor Emelanenko. That we understood. “From Russia with Love, the Last Emperor…..Emelianenko…….FEDOOOOOORRRRR.
Fedor was asked why he’s coming back. He’s a fighter and he’s ready. They’re announcing a “major plot twist” coming up next for the tourney finals.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT FINALS- PHIL DAVIS vs FRANCIS CARMONT
GSP in Carmont’s corner and prominently on camera. This is 3 rounds. Nothing happening in the first 2 minutes and crowd booing. Davis then knocked Carmont out cold with a punch and that’s it.
WINNER – PHIL DAVIS (15-3) by KO (punch) at 2:15
From Big Dave – Mo tore cartilage in his rib on the second round suplex. After he cooled off, he couldn’t lift his arm.
Randy Couture shown at ringside before the main event. Davis in his post-fight promo sounded at first like he was saying he was going to fail a drug test but it was a joke about the allowable prayer limit.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP- LIAM MCGEARY(C) VS. TITO ORTIZ
Tito did a taped heel promo and then came out with the American/Mexican flag after kids read the pledge of allegiance and soldiers in fatigues posed at the top of the ramp. Mixed messages there. McGeary out to “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC mixed in with bagpipe music. And the English fighter with the thick accent is announced from New York with a “Future Legend” shirt in the style of an American flag.
Big John McCarthy is the ref for the main event. 13th time he’s reffed a Tito fight according to Sean Grande. Fans pretty solidly behind Tito. Tito got a takedown early but McGeary with a guillotine. Tito out and on top, smothering McGeary. Tito landing punches, while holding McGeary’s right arm underneath him. Tito landing hard punches to the face at 2:45. McGeary working a triangle from the bottom but Tito out and in side control at 4:00. McGeary working for an armbar but Ortiz out quickly. McGeary with an inverted triangle and gets the tap in a round he was probably going to lose 10-8.
WINNER – LIAM MCGEARY (11-0) by submission (inverted triangle) at 4:41