Warren Points to Pressure as Reason for Decision Against Galvao

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Although his unanimous decision over Marcos Galvao was controversial, Joe Warren believes the judges got it right.

“I thought I won the fight,” Warren said on “Beatdown” of the April 16 matchup at Bellator 41. “The pressure I kept on the whole time, that usually pulls me through these fights. Nothing that he hit me with ever really stopped me or stopped my movement. I continued, finished on top every single period and kept the pace going. I think I won that fight every period.”

Warren, Bellator’s featherweight champion, won the non-title bout on 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 scores. He acknowledged that he got off to another slow start in the fight.

“It’s not something I plan,” Warren said. “It’s not something where I’m going out there and [saying], ‘Hey, let me eat everything they have in the first two minutes and then start fighting.’ That’s not the game plan. It’s just, I fight great fighters. Early in the fight, their hands are still quick and they’re moving real well. I’ve been caught up a few times here and made it rough on myself.”

Warren credited Galvao for defending takedowns and mounting him, but he also blamed himself to some extent. For months he had been training his striking with Kit Cope and Scott Jorgensen. In the fight, though, he reverted to his wrestling roots.

“I’m a bullheaded wrestler,” Warren said. “Let me be honest: When someone stops a shot on me, I just assume I should go back in there and get another one. I should have probably stuck outside a little bit more. I was landing some really hard [strikes] on him. Maybe some more series of punches before takedowns. But he did real well -- I give him credit -- on defending the clinch. He was a lot taller and bigger than what I had expected. I was expecting him a little shorter and smaller.”

Warren has a history of winning decisions that some see as close or contentious. He’s gotten the nod all five times he’s gone the distance, including two split decisions over Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Patricio Freire. In particular, he feels that his aggressive style impresses the judges.

“They want to see who’s pushing the action, who’s trying to finish,” Warren said. “I’m trying to finish. I’m trying to get him. I’m trying to hurt him. I’m not laying on my back and controlling positioning. When I’m on top, I’m on top because I’m trying to inflict some pain. I think with my intensity out there, I think it does help me a lot with the judges.”

Warren wasn’t entirely happy with his performance against Galvao, however.

“I truly believe I’m better than I showed last fight,” he said. “… I just don’t feel like I showed what I’ve been working on.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 19:43).