Bellator 88 Results: Live Play-by-Play & Updates
Bellator 88 Fight Card
- Alexander Shlemenko vs. Maiquel Falcao LATEST UPDATE
- Marlon Sandro vs. Akop Stepanyan
- Mike Richman vs. Mitch Jackson
- Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair da Silva
- Fabricio Guerreiro vs. Magomedrasul Khasbulaev
- Jerrid Burke vs. Joe Elmore
- Shane Crenshaw vs. Ronnie Rogers
- Clay Harvison vs. Ururahy Rodrigues
- George Hickman vs. Stephen Upchurch
Sherdog.com will report from The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga., at approximately 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with play-by-play and live results of Bellator 88, which is headlined by four featherweight tournament quarterfinal fights.
Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.
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George Hickman vs. Stephen Upchurch
Round 1
Keith
Mills
Hickman got revenge on Upchurch with a
first-round sub.
Clay Harvison vs. Ururahy Rodrigues
Round 1
George Allen is the referee for this bout. Harvison spends a minute trying to chase Rodrigues down, lobbing long punches as the Brazilian backpedals. Rodrigues eventually comes forward, changes levels and begins working for a single-leg on the cage. He can’t get it and switches to a double, but Harvison continues to sprawl ably. Rodrigues lets go and, just as he does, catches a wild, swiping right hand from Harvison on the jaw. Rodrigues hits the deck but gets his wits about him just in time to catch Harvison in his guard. Harvison is unable to pound out Rodrigues, who moves forward to hit a takedown. It only lasts a moment, as Harvison gets back to his feet and defends the next shot. Harvison closes in on Rodrigues and takes a kick square on the groin. The “Ultimate Fighter” alum takes a moment to recover; when they resume, it’s Harvison landing right hands, then sprawling on another takedown attempt to close the frame.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Harvison
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Harvison
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Harvison
Round 2
Rodrigues throws some wild punches, trying to trap Harvison on the fence, but doesn’t land anything clean. Harvison repays the favor with a kick to Rodrigues’ cup, but they’re quick to resume again. Nice lead uppercut from Harvison lands as he explodes off the fence. Rodrigues is mostly throwing single overhand rights; he starts throwing some combinations toward the middle of the round, but Harvison is able to back away from most of the wild strikes. Harvison isn’t doing much offensively, but he’s not taking any real damage from his wide-swinging opponent. Kick to the body lands for Harvison, then he turns away another takedown try. Rodrigues comes right back with another shot, holds Harvison on the fence for a second and backs out. Rodrigues lands a couple outside leg kicks, his only real effective offense of the round, then gets stuffed on a shot again to finish the round.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Rodrigues
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Rodrigues
Round 3
K.
Mills
Harvison knocked Rodrigues silly late
in the fight.
Shane Crenshaw vs. Ronnie Rogers
Round 1
Dan Miragliotta is the referee for this bout. Crenshaw gets inside on a double-leg but Rogers defends against the fence. Now it’s Rogers looking to clinch, but Crenshaw tries to arm-drag Rogers over his shoulder. The throw is botched and Rogers uses the opportunity to latch onto Crenshaw’s back and sink in a rear-naked choke. It looks like a wrap for Crenshaw, but he defends with two-on-one and peels off Rogers’ wrist. Crenshaw gets up and the middle of the round is spent circling and feinting. Crenshaw hits a takedown with 45 seconds to go and tries to ground-and-pound from open guard, at first without much success. Crenshaw gets to side control and drops a couple hard, short elbows on Rogers’ face before trying for full mount. Rogers denies him and Crenshaw finishes the round on top in half-guard.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Rogers
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rogers
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-10
Round 2
Crenshaw dives on a single-leg from way out and gets stuffed by Rogers. Neither man is really pulling the trigger through the first half of the second round, mostly circling and trying to navigate the distance. Rogers is landing inside leg kicks at will, though they come sporadically. Crenshaw tries a few shots, always from a mile out and always defended by Rogers. A leg kick from Rogers turns Crenshaw around, so Crenshaw decides to shoot behind a wild right hand. Rogers shuts it down and they go back to circling and feinting.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Rogers
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rogers
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Rogers
Round 3
K.
Mills
Rogers stayed active on the bottom and
was rewarded for it.
Crenshaw tries to pass to side control and instead nearly carwheels into a triangle choke. Rogers puts him in closed guard and lands elbows to the faded Crenshaw, who is just winging blind punches with his face buried in Rogers’ chest as the fight ends.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Rogers (30-27 Rogers)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rogers (30-27 Rogers)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Rogers (30-28 Rogers)
Official result: All three judges score the bout 29-28 for the winner by unanimous decision, Ronnie Rogers.
Jerrid Burke vs. Joe Elmore
Round 1
Will Fisher is the referee for this bout. Burke catches the crouching Elmore off-balance with a probing punch, but Elmore keeps chasing him around the outside. Elmore misses a spinning backfist as he tries to catch Burke against the fence. Burke tries to kick inside and catches Elmore on the cup. Elmore recovers and gets back to chasing Burke around, looking to knock his block off with wild punches over the top. Burke is on his bike, dashing away from the chopping inside leg kicks of the smaller man. With a minute left in the round, Burke sticks his man with a stiff jab, prompting Elmore to charge in and hit a double-leg against the fence. Elmore stands above the lanky Burke and eats an upkick. Now Elmore takes a knee and slugs Burke with a couple hard right hands. He briefly catches Burke with a front headlock, gives it up and finishes on top.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Burke
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Burke
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Burke
Round 2
K.
Mills
Elmore knocked Burke dead in round two.
Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Fabricio Guerreiro vs. Magomedrasul
“Frodo” Khasbulaev
Round 1
George Allen is the referee for this featherweight tournament quarterfinal. The smaller Khasbulaev ducks low and kicks at the legs of the Brazilian, who comes forward swinging wide punches. Khasbulaev catches a kick, can’t counter but manages to get out of the way of Guerreiro’s counters. Nice, short punch in the clinch lands for Khasbulaev, marking up the face of Guerreiro. Both men are swinging for the fences in close quarters, Guerreiro now finding his range. Khasbulaev clinches and tries a throw, but instead pulls Guerreiroon top of him. Seconds later, Khasbulaev sweeps on top but is immediately forced to defend two armbar attempts from Guerreiro. Khasbulaev tries a no-hooks rear-naked choke in a scramble; it doesn’t work, but he keeps Guerreiro on his back and lands some thumping punches to the Brazilian’s body. Khasbulaev goes to the ground and socks Guerreiro in the face with another punch, and this one seems to make Guerreiro cover up a bit. Guerreiro throws ups a triangle and Khasbulaev slams his way out. Khasbulaev drops for a heel hook, rolls with it, but loses it. Khasbulaev is still on top, so he tries for a kneebar, but Guerreiro defends this as well. With 15 seconds left, Khasbulaev drops back for another heel hook try but runs out of time.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Khasbulaev
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Khasbulaev
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Khasbulaev
Round 2
Guerreiro gets Khasbulaev’s back against the fence, but it’s Khasbulaev who hits the takedown and puts the Brazilian on his back once again. Khasbulaev quickly frames up an arm-triangle choke and hops off to Guerreiro’s right side. Guerreiro resists for a moment but the choke is sunk in all the way and he’s forced to tap out at 1:15 of round two.
Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Alexandre
Bezerra vs. Genair da
Silva
Round 1
George Allen is the referee for tonight’s first main card bout. Bezerra staggers da Silva with a stiff jab and hops on the back of the standing “PQD” in the ensuing scramble. Da Silva tries to peel him off but “Popo” won’t be shaken. Eventually, Bezerra slips off the side and da Silva winds up on top in his opponent’s guard. A couple good hammerfists come from da Silva on top, but just as quickly, Bezerra swings his legs up and catches da Silva in an armbar. It’s deep and the upside-down da Silva quickly taps out at the 1:40 mark.
Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Mike
Richman vs. Mitch
Jackson
Round 1
Dan Miragliotta is the referee for this bout. Jackson tries to shoot from too far out and gets stood up by Richman, who goes back to switching stances in the center of the cage. Richman eats a jab but walks right through it and drops Jackson with a right hook. Jackson hops back up and has another takedown attempt thwarted by Richman, who is bloodied underneath his right eye. Richman drops Jackson with a left hook, but again Jackson stands. Another knockdown follows and this time Richman goes down to Jackson’s open guard with half the round to go. Richman works some punches to the body but the pace is slower on the ground and ref Miragliotta orders them up with a minute remaining. With seconds left in the round, Richman floors Jackson with a left high kick. Jackson is in trouble, trying to hang on as Richman uses punches and elbows to pound him out. Jackson’s lights go off and on, and Miragliotta finally sees fit to wave it off at 4:57 of round one, giving Mike Richman the win via TKO.
Bellator Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Marlon
Sandro vs. Akop
Stepanyan
Round 1
Sandro quickly gets inside and grabs hold of Stepanyan, who scoots over to the fence and tries to ward off the takedown. They spend a minute in the position, with Stepanyan grabbing the fence more than once and drawing a warning from referee George Allen. Stepanyan keeps Sandro at range with spinning back-kicks and front kicks, though Sandro manages some leg kicks as he moves around the outside and tries to find an opening for his big right hand. Sandro steps in to throw at the same time as Stepanyan throws a spinning kick and neither lands clean. With 20 seconds left in the round, Sandro gets under Stepanyan and puts him on the fence. Stepanyan can’t grab the fence this time and gets elevated, then slammed to finish the round.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Sandro
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Stepanyan
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Stepanyan
Round 2
Stepanyan goes after Sandro, chasing the Brazilian to the outside of the cage with spinning kicks and snappy punches. One kick finds Stepanyan’s heel landing on Sandro’s head, and the Nova Uniao representative is visibly dazed. Stepanyan rushes him and tries to finish, but instead gets the takedown and lands on top. The action slows and ref Allen orders the featherweights back up. Sandro again sets up on the outside, eats a body kick from Stepanyan and fails on a takedown attempt. Stepanyan is rolling his hands, luring Sandro in and throwing kicks to the body, playing matador when Sandro looks to wrap up. Sandro goes for a leglock with seconds to go and Stepanyan rides out the attack. Before the start of the third round, the ref docks one point from Stepanyan for grabbing the cage.
Jordan Breen scores the round 9-9
Chris Nelson scores the round 9-9
Mike Whitman scores the round 9-8 Stepanyan
Round 3
Sandro takes Stepanyan down in the middle of the cage and works from half-guard, his right leg trapped between the Russian’s. Sandro’s head is being controlled as well, and he can manage only a few right hands to the body from the position before ref Allen stands them up. Just under three minutes remaining in the bout, which is suddenly up for grabs after the point deduction. They’re only on their feet a few seconds before Sandro catches a Stepanyan kick and brings him down again. Sandro repeatedly picks up and slams Stepanyan, who is controlling the Brazilian’s wrists from guard. Scooting Stepanyan over to the fence, Sandro is finally able to get off some hard punches, though mostly to the body.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Sandro (29-27 Sandro)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sandro (28-28 Draw)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Sandro (28-27 Stepanyan)
Official result: Judge Joey Harnist scores the bout 28-28, ruling the bout a draw. However, judges Ken Coffey and Derek Cleary both score the bout 29-27 for the winner by majority decision, Marlon Sandro.
Bellator Middleweight Title Fight:
Alexander
Shlemenko vs.
Maiquel Falcao
Round 1
Referee Dan Miragliotta is in charge of tonight’s main event. Shlemenko tries to keep Falcao at bay with punches and even a spinning backfist, but Falcao works his way inside, clinches up and puts Shlemenko on the fence. Shlemenko gets loose and starts throwing again, but Falcao is doing well with his counters, first sticking the Russian with a left hook and then a snappy right hand. Shlemenko puts Falcao on the ground but the Brazilian has overhooks and quickly gets the stand-up. Falcao gets another takedown but Shlemenko is immediately back on his feet, being pushed against the cage. Shlemenko busts out with 30 seconds to go, misses with another spinning attack but now gets the outside position, pushing Falcao into the cage.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Round 2
Shlemenko lands a hook and a kick to the body, going after Falcao as the second round begins. Falcao weathers a minute of striking on his back foot before wrapping Shlemenko up and clinching on the fence. Shlemenko gets out and swings a murderous left hook at the Brazilian’s face. He catches a kick from Falcao and sticks a right hand down the pipe, but Falcao comes right back, punishing the body with hooks as Shlemenko covers up. Now it’s Shlemenko’s turn, grabbing the Thai plum and kneeing Falcao’s body. A hook to the liver hurts Falcao, and a short right hook puts him on the ground. Falcao already appears to be surrendering when Shlemenko drops more punches down and knocks him out cold. Alexander Shlemenko becomes the new Bellator middleweight champion at 2:18 of round two.
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