Check out all the results for Bellator 172 from San Jose, California on a night that didn’t quite go according to plan for the promotion.
The eagerly anticipated show was hit with a hammerblow just hours before it began when Matt Mitrione was forced to pull out of his headlining fight with Fedor Emelianenko due to a kidney stone that put him in hospital.
A number of high-profile Bellator fighters including the recently retired Tito Ortiz, Chael Sonnen and Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal all threw their hat into the ring as potential short-notice opponents for the Russian legend, but in the end there just wasn’t enough time left to make it happen and so Fedor was withdrawn from the line-up.
That left a fight between Josh Thomson and Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire headlining the event instead.
Freire got the better of the first round, dropping Thomson with a big right hand, and though he recovered, he was floored again early in the second due to an accidental clash of heads as he stepped in with an overhand right.
Thomson got quickly back to his head, but as he then attempted to swoop in for a takedown, Freire blasted him with a big uppercut that sent him crashing back down to the canvas, with a couple of hammerfists sealing a big KO victory for ‘Pitbull’ at the 40 second mark of the second round.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event Cheick Kongo was able to grind his way to a decisive unanimous decision victory against Oli Thompson, with large spells of control on he mat being the key to his success.
The other most notable fight on the main card saw long-time UFC fighter Josh Koscheck finally make his Bellator debut against another promotional newcomer, Mauricio Alonso.
Koscheck looking to implement a pressure striking game early in the fight, but Alonso’s striking was crisper and he began to tag the veteran with solid punches. Towards the end of the round Alonso landed a right hand that buckled Koscheck’s legs, and though he stayed on his feet he looked wobbly as he backed up.
Alonso pursued him and soon after landed a big uppercut that had Koscheck wincing in pain and clutching his face as he crumpled to the mat, with TKO stoppage coming just moments later.
Koscheck has now lost six fights in a row and will surely now be giving serious consideration to hanging up his gloves for good.
Check out all the Bellator 172 results below.
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Main Card:
Patricky Freire def. Josh Thomson via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 0:40
Cheick Kongo def. Oli Thompson via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)
Anatoly Tokov def. Francisco France via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:24
Veta Arteaga def. Brooke Mayo via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 3, 4:04
Mauricio Alonso def. Josh Koscheck via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:42
Prelims:
Nikko Jackson def. Cesar Gonzalez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
J.J. Okanovich def. Zach Andrews via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:26
James Terry def. J.C. Llamas via unanimous technical decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Gaston Bolanos def. Abner Perez via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:53
Diego Herzog vs. Martin Sano declared a majority draw (28-27, 28-28, 28-28)
Justin Tenedora def. Roque Reyes via submission (face crank) – Round 2, 4:59