Bellator V Featured Fight: Eddie Alvarez vs. Eric Reynolds

One of the semi-final bouts in the lightweight division pits fan favorite Eddie Alvarez against up-and-comer Eric Reynolds. While some may already be predicting that the ultra popular Alvarez will advance to the finals, a closer look at this match-up tells a different story. Reynolds has the ability to beat anyone in the 155-pound weight class, even Alvarez.

There certainly isn’t any shame when it comes to being an underdog to Alvarez. The former Philadelphia street fighter is currently the No. 3 ranked lightweight in the world according to Sherdog.com (and most other MMA media outlets) and would be favored over pretty much any 155-pound fighter on the planet. And while Alvarez is certainly every bit as good as his ranking suggests, there is a lot to like about Reynolds as well.

Reynolds is used to playing the underdog role. He was in that position entering his first-round fight with Thomas Schulte, but Reynolds shocked a lot of people when he disposed of his more experienced counterpart in the first round. Reynolds now sports an impressive 11-1 record coming into his fight with Alvarez and while he may not be as well known around the world as his opponent, Reynolds is a very talented young fighter in his own right.



Reynolds is a master at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and would love to take this fight to the ground. But as Schulte found out a few weeks ago, despite his reputation as a ground technician, Reynolds has improved his striking dramatically, making him a dangerous all around fighter. Against Schulte, Reynolds displayed a lot of punching power as he overmatched a guy some thought was a sleeper to win the lightweight tournament.

Reynolds new-found striking ability will serve him well against Alvarez. As good as he is Alvarez has a tendency to get caught early in bouts due to his aggressive, force-the-action fighting style. It’s a style that has made Alvarez one of the most popular fighters in MMA but it also leaves him susceptible to big shots. We saw this in his first fight against Greg Loughran when Alvarez was stunned early and actually dropped to one knee after taking a right hand square on the jaw.

To Alvarez’s credit he rebounded and stopped Loughran a couple minutes later but if he makes the same error against Reynolds, he will be in trouble. But make no mistake about it, Alvarez is likely to force the action early to try to get Reynolds to stand and exchange with him.

Mixed Martial Arts is a unique sport in many ways. One thing that separates MMA from other sports out there is that one punch, one arm bar, one choke hold can change the entire landscape. No one is denying that Alvarez comes in as the more experienced fighter but once two warriors enter the cage and the door closes behind them, anything can happen.

On Friday night, Eric Reynolds will be looking for that one punch, one arm bar, one choke hold that will shock the world and put his name among the elite lightweights in MMA. This promises to be a very exciting fight and regardless of who emerges victorious, both Alvarez and Reynolds are two names MMA fans will be hearing about for many years to come.

Shortly after signing with Bellator, Reynolds expressed interest in facing Alvarez at some point during the lightweight tournament. The young fighter got his wish and a win Friday night will instantly put Reynolds on the MMA map. But as 16 other fighters have already found out, talking about beating Eddie Alvarez and actually doing it are two totally different things.

It’s Alvarez vs. Reynolds. A spot in Bellator’s lightweight finals is at stake. Game on fight fans.

Bellator V Featured Fight: Jorge Masvidal vs. Toby Imada

Toby Imada (21-11) vs. Jorge Masvidal (17-3) Lightweight

Imada made his way into the semi-finals with an impressive victory over Alonzo Martinez. He showed great pound and ground skills resulting in a rear naked coke victory just 3:26 into the fight.

Masvidal was even more impressive in his victory over Nick Agallar. He hit Agallar with a devastating left knocking him down.  Masvidal then showed the killer instinct as he rained down haymaker after haymaker resulting in a TKO in just 1:19.



Imada’s strategy will likely be to get the fight to the ground and use his submission skills to secure a victory. He will have to fight off the striking onslaughts of Masvidal. I predict that we will see what kind of chin Imada has. The longer Imada stays in the fight, the better chance he has in breaking the will of Masvidal. The underdog gets stronger the longer he stays in the fight.

Masvidal will go for the first round TKO. He is very secure in his striking abilities and will throw punch after punch with no fear. Masvidal, the most confident fighter in this tournament, will want an early TKO and will try to squash any momentum that Imada can get. It will be interesting to see how Masvidal reacts if he faces any adversity.

This fight will either end in a very early TKO for Masvidal or it will be the upset of the tournament by ground submission for Imada. Masvidal has been untested which can be very dangerous. If he makes a mistake, he could be the one tapping out. Imada is a do or die fighter. Will he do or will he die? Bellator V in Dayton will have the answer!!

Dave Herman Brings His Best to Bellator

The term “athlete” gets thrown around a lot these days. But in Dave Herman’s case, athlete is a moniker that fits perfectly. Not many people can step into the world of Mixed Martial Arts and go 13-1 while still learning the sport. But then again, not everyone is Dave Herman.

After rattling off 13 straight wins to begin his career, thanks to his quick feet and heavy hands, Herman finally met his match on Jan. 4, 2009 when he took on Mu Bae Choi in Japan. Herman started to get winded in the second round and lost to Choi via TKO. It was Herman’s first defeat and the best thing that ever happened to him.

The loss to Choi made Herman seek professional MMA training for the first time in his career. So the athletic heavyweight with an impressive 13-1 record was about to get even better. Herman sought out the guidance of Ed Clay at Nashville MMA. Until then, the only training Herman ever did to prepare for an MMA fight took place in his living room. No joke. In his living room.

“It’s been great,” Herman said about training with Nashville MMA. “I’ve learned more in the first two weeks there than all my previous training put together.”

So why did it take so long for Herman to pursue professional training? He simply didn’t need it. In his first 13 fights, Herman finished all but one of his opponents in the first round. It wasn’t until the loss to Choi that Herman realized in order to beat the top fighters in MMA he couldn’t just rely on his God-given ability.

“I just got tired. I thought I was going to finish him in round one but he was tough,” Herman said about his loss to Choi. “I wasn’t hurt or anything. My shoulder hurt a little from the Kimura but other than that I was fine. I just gassed. I realized after that fight that I had to step up my training if I was going to take my game to the next level.”

“I just have to give thanks to Ed Clay at Nashville MMA for taking me in and being so accommodating. It has really changed my life and I feel I’m in the best shape and I’m better prepared for a fight than at any other point in my life.”

Herman’s nickname is “Pee Wee” after the TV and movie personality Pee Wee Herman. However, it certainly isn’t a nickname that accurately depicts the fighter. Herman stands 6’5 and weighs in the neighborhood of 250 pounds, yet he possesses the agility and speed of a lightweight.



Herman is a former collegiate wrestler but he’s best known for his vicious stand-up game in MMA. Now throw in the martial arts training he’s receiving from Clay, and Herman has a chance to become one of the most formidable heavyweights the sport has ever seen.

Friday night Herman makes his much anticipated Bellator debut when he takes on Josh Barnes. Barnes is a talented fighter in his own right but he has to come to grips with the reality that on Friday, he will face a much different Dave Herman. He will face the best Dave Herman we will have ever seen. That’s a scary thought.

A Closer Look: Bellator's Middleweight Division

Bellator’s Middleweight division has some exciting fighters but one stands out from the rest.

The favorite and most impressive fighter of this division is, without a doubt, Hector Lombard. Lombard hunted down Virgil Lozano like an animal during Bellator III, taking him out with an uppercut that can still be heard in Oklahoma. Lombard will strike fear against anyone and is hungry for a Middleweight belt.
Another impressive fighter was Jared Hess. Hess dominated Daniel Tabera from the opening bell and submitted him in just 2:34. Hess possesses the best wrestling skills in this division which makes him dangerous if the fight goes to the ground.

The next contender is Yosmany Cabezas. Cabezas won a back and forth war over Edwin Aguilar. Cabezas showed he has the composure to overcome adversity. Aguilar thought he had control of the fight only to be submitted via armbar. Submission expertise like this gives you a chance in any fight.

The final semi-final fighter is Damien Stelly. Stelly won a workmen like decision over Alex Andrade. He showed a lot of raw toughness but needs to show better skills if he wants to taste the final.



Non- Tournament

The two fighters that I have been most impressed with to date are Moses Gabon and Jesse Juarez. Gabon showed great all around skills in his victory over Chris Decaro. He finished off Decaro 1:33 in with a triangle choke. I think he has the training, skills, and promise to be a great fighter when he gets more experience.

Jesse Juarez impressed me with his victory over Mikey Gomez. Juarez showed tenacity to finish off Gomez by TKO in the first round. He jumped all over Gomez quickly, stayed relentless, and ended the fight with flurry of blows to the head of Gomez.  Skills and determination like this can make a name for you in the fighting game!!

A Closer Look: Bellator's Welterweight Division

The Welterweight division is home to one of MMA’s most exciting young stars: Lyman Good. Good didn’t disappoint in his Bellator debut, scoring an impressive second-round TKO victory over a game Hector Urbina.

First off, give props to Urbina, who held his own for a round and a half against one of the most dangerous 170-pound strikers in the world. I actually think if Urbina didn’t draw Good in the first round, he could have gone a long way in the tournament.

But Good did what he’s done in all of his pro fights so far; he eventually imposed his will on Urbina. Good had a huge fan base cheering him on at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and he gave the people what they came for, another dominating performance. The “Cyborg” is one of Bellator’s top draws and he’s going to be awfully tough to beat moving forward.

 

The biggest surprise to me up to this point in Bellator was Victor Meza’s loss to Omar De La Cruz. I picked Good to win this weight class but thought Meza was his top challenger. Apparently De La Cruz didn’t agree with my prediction because he controlled Meza on the ground through three rounds and came away with one of the most dominant wins in Bellator so far. I was extremely impressed with De La Cruz’s ground game and I believe he’s going to be a tough competitor the rest of the way in the Welterweight tournament.

Veteran Dave Menne didn’t have an easy time against the talented Norman Paraisy but he was able to advance via rear naked choke in the third round of their fight. There is a chance Menne was behind on the judge’s score cards, so he really needed to stop or submit Paraisy to move on. The wily veteran was able to do just that. Menne will have to put up a stronger performance if he plans on getting by De La Cruz in the semi-finals.

The last member of the Welterweight Division’s Final 4 is Jorge Ortiz. Ortiz had a tough first-round match-up with Aaron Romero but he was able to score a unanimous decision victory to advance. That’s the good news. The bad news for Ortiz is his next opponent will be Lyman Good. I’m not saying Ortiz can’t pull the upset but with the way Good looks right now, he will have to fight a perfect fight to beat Good.

So the semi-finals are set with Good battling Ortiz and De La Cruz taking on the experienced Menne. There is no way I can pick against Good right now. He has the total package and his striking ability is downright frightening. I think Good will defeat Ortiz by TKO. In the other semi-final bout I’m going with De La Cruz to keep the momentum going. I was pleasantly surprised with the way De La Cruz controlled Meza and I see him taking this fight to the ground and scoring a decision win over Menne to earn a spot in the finals. I’m still going with Good to capture the Welterweight Title but De La Cruz has a very bright future ahead of him as well.

A Closer Look: Bellator's Lightweight Division

A Semi-Final Look: Bellator’s Lightweight Division

Bellator’s Lightweight Division should produce the championship fight of the tournament.

The most impressive fighter of the division so far has been Jorge Masvidal. He pounded a very tough fighter, Nick Agallar, into submission just 1:19 into the fight. His striking skills are unmatched in this division and he is typically one punch away from ending a fight.

Masvidal’s next opponent is Toby Imada. Imada was an impressive victor over Alonzo Martinez with a rear naked choke just 3:26 into the bout. Imada will have to pull off the upset of the tournament in order to advance to the final.

Next up is fan favorite and all around skilled fighter Eddie Alvarez. Alvarez showed composure and a killer instinct in his victory over Greg Loughran. Loughran floored Alvarez with a left. Eddie rose quickly and pounced on Loughran submitting him by guillotine choke. I think this was the wake up call Alvarez needed to help him focus on nothing but a championship belt.

 

Alvarez will next meet Eric Reynolds. Reynolds, a virtual unknownregistered a major upset in his victory over Thomas Schulte. Reynolds fought off everything Schulte had to offer and pounded him right out of the first round. Reynolds will try to achieve another monumental  upset over Alvarez this round.

The semi-finals of the lightweight division should have two action packed fights. Masvidal will strike early and often and we will see if Imada has an answer. My prediction is that Masvidal will treat the fans to another first round TKO.  The Alvarez/Reynolds should be a very competitive fight. Both fighters have great all around skills and respect will be shown for each other. Alvarez has too much polish and drive and I predict that he gets the victory in round 2.  This will lead to the championship fight of the tournament. Masvidal with his two early TKO’s will be untested against the likes of Alvarez.

I think Alvarez will break the will of Masvidal and will have the crowd’s support behind him to accomplish this.  I hear the crowd chanting Eddie’s name for the champion of the lightweight division!

A Closer Look: Bellator's Featherweight Division

After the first round of fights, Bellator’s Featherweight division saw some impressive performances and one big upset.

Perhaps the single biggest upset in Bellator thus far was Yahir Reyes’ victory over Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez. Many thought Gonzalez was one of the favorites to win the Featherweight Title but Reyes had other ideas, quickly submitting “The Ghost” and advancing to the second round.

Joining Reyes in the semi-finals is the dangerous Joe Soto. Soto was perhaps the most impressive fighter in any weight class during the first-round of fights. Soto took on Ben Greer in what was thought to be a pretty even match-up. However, Soto pummeled Greer and won a very impressive TKO victory. For people who never saw Soto fight before, it became quite obvious why his nickname is “The Hammer.”

The favorite in the Featherweight division coming into the tournament was Wilson Reis and he didn’t disappoint, dominating the overmatched Henry Martinez in their first-round bout. It wasn’t a pretty win for Reis. Martinez didn’t look like he was very interested in fighting. He spent a lot of time lying on the mat doing very little, so it was up to Reis to force the action. Still, Reis dominated the fight and came away with an easy unanimous decision win.

The final contender in the semi-finals is Estevan Payan. Payan won a razor sharp decision victory over Luis Palomino in a fight that was really tough to score. I actually thought Palomino gave that fight away by not being aggressive. Give props to Payan for doing enough to advance but I think he is going to have a tough time matching up against any of the three remaining fighters in the Featherweight division.

The guy I came away most impressed with after the first round of action was Soto. Greer is no slouch and Soto easily defeated him. Soto only has five professional fights under his belt but he’s won all of them with none of his opponents getting out of the first round. I wouldn’t want to fight “The Hammer” right now. I don’t know if he will beat out Reyes and Reis for the Featherweight crown but I do know that Joe Soto is one of the fastest rising stars in all of MMA.

The semi-finals in the featherweight division should offer two great fights of non-stop action. Payan will face Reyes, while Soto takes on Reis in what should be a phenomenal fight. Even though Payan beat Palomino, I am not convinced if he has what it takes to beat  Reyes.  My bet is Reyes will advance to the finals, most likely via a submission win. The other fight is a tough one to call but I’m going with the upset. I am all aboard the Soto bandwagon and I think he upsets Reis by TKO on his way to winning the Featherweight title.

Bellator III Fight Analysis

The University of Oklahoma was treated to an exciting event this past Friday, headlined by dominating knockout victories by middleweights Hector Lombard and Jared Hess.  Local favorite and Army veteran Jason Norwood impressed his military with an exciting rear naked choke that summoned a deafening roar from the armed forces in attendance.  Early stoppages were the norm for the evening, with only 2 of the 11 contests going the distance.

Hector Lombard vs. Virgil Lozano
From the opening bell, it was clear that this fight was going to last just a few minutes.  Lombard hunted his prey and Lozano looked for running room anywhere he could find.  If they left the cage door open, Lozano probably would have ran right out.  Lombard just landed a few strikes in the bout, but that is all it took.  Lozano ducked right into a left uppercut from Lombard and he went belly first to the mat.  Lombard has clearly established himself as the favorite in the middleweight division.  Hopefully we’ll get to see some more technique in his next fight.

Jared Hess vs. Daniel Tabera
Hess made his statement to Lombard that he better not be coasting in training.  This was a truly dominating performance by Hess.  From my account, Tabera didn’t connect with one blow or kick the entire match.  While Tabera came out the initial aggressor, it seems like he didn’t watch fight tape of Hess or even read his background.  He went right after Hess, the former NCAA Division II wrestling champ from Central Oklahoma, locking up to wrestle.  Boy did Tabera make a mistake doing that.  I give him a hand though; he took the most thorough beating of any fighter of the first round.  Despite the loss, give Tabera some credit for his toughness.

Yosmany Cabezas vs Edwin Aguilar
Aguilar and Cabezas gave us the most entertaining fight of the night.  These two guys really went at it, with momentum in the fight swinging back and forth between the fighters.  As Cabezas started getting an edge, Aguilar would grab it right back, with Cabezas responding back to Aguilar.  As this fight got into the 4th minute of the 1st round, it looked as though Aguilar was starting to gain some control moving towards a round victory, but Cabezas slapped the arm bar on and it was over.  Cabezas proved to be smooth and cagey fighter with a nice victory over a grizzled veteran of the ring.  With his submission techniques, Cabezas is an upset waiting to happen in the upcoming rounds of the tournament.

Damien Stelly vs. Alex Andrade
This was a well-matched fight with limited action, but apprehensive excitement.  Stelly overpowered the veteran Andrade to victory, showing his Army Ranger technique and bullying tactics.  It’s questionable how far being a tough guy is going to take Stelly  in the middleweight division.  He’ll need to show a lot more in the upcoming rounds if he has any chance of taking the championship, as he has very tough competition in the semi-finals:  Hector Lombard.

Dave Menne vs. Norman Paraisy
In the lone welterweight division fight of the evening, Menne pulled off a shocking victory after losing the first two rounds of the fight to previously unbeaten Paraisy of France.  Menne, an MMA veteran with 62 matches under his belt, showed everyone why not to count him out of any fight.  A master at submission holds, Menne slipped in numerous holds throughout the fight, only to have Paraisy defend solidly out of the holds.  Menne finally caught him with the rear naked choke in the third round.  Paraisy fought as flawless as could be for 11 minutes and lost a heartbreaker.  Only 23, Paraisy has a lot of fighting left in front of him and hopefully we’ll see a lot more of him.  Menne sets the stage for an interesting potential final matchup with another MMA undefeated newbie Lyman Good.

Non-Tournament Bouts
Without question, the highlight of the night was Jason Norwood rocking the house with the entire arena in his corner.  He didn’t disappoint with a solid victory over John Kirk.  You couldn’t help feel good for Norwood and seeing him engulfed in a sea of camouflage with his military buddies was the memory of the night. 

Tyler East had a very impressive debut.  He showed equal power from both the legs and the fists, making him a force on the feet.  At just 18, he thoroughly manhandled Amedio Viola and never stopped attacking during the entire 2:40 this fight lasted.  I think we will see a lot more of Tyler East in the future…remember his name.

Daniel Tabera vs. Jared Hess

Round 1
Jared Hess walks out to an excited homecooking Oklahoma crowd. The fighters come out and look to attack on theirfeet, exchanging lower leg kicks. Tabera clinches and works for a takedown, but Hess ends up on top in half guard. He gets mount and pushes Tabera up against the cage. He starts dropping some punches on Tabera, who cannot escape the mount. Tabera is taking a massive beating. To avoid further onslaught from Hess, Tabera goes to his base and flattens as Hess continues to pound. Hess locks up the rear naked choke and Tabera submits quickly to avoid taking a further thrashing. The Oklahoma crowd explodes in celebration as the local hero advances in the tournament. 

Official Result 
 
Hess by rear naked choke submission at 2:34

Norman Paraisy vs. Dave Menne

Round 1
Paraisy lands a left hand at the same time Menne lands a leg kick. Menne lands a cracking body kick that reverberates throughout the arena. Menne backs Paraisy into the cage wall, as Pariasy lowers his center of gravity and  takes down Menne. He is in half guard. Menne escapes to his feet and gets a strong whizzer applied. Paraisy reverses and getsside control on Menne. He is inactive on top, mounting little offense. Menne regains full guard. Paraisy begins to land some good shots from top position. Paraisy continues the ground and pound. The round ends with Paraisy pounding away on top.

Paraisy takes the first round

Round 2
The fighters touch gloves, and Menne lands a solid right rook. Strong body kick by Menne. Paraisy lands a good left hand. Menne tags Paraisy as he comes in for a hard strike. Paraisy scoops up Menne and puts him on the mat. He works from half guard to pass to side control. Menne has an ankle lock but Paraisy manages to scramble away. Paraisy is back on top in half guard. Menne drops back for another leg lock but it isn’t there. Paraisy is working from half guard once again. Menne throws up a triangle attempt, but Paraisy defends it and lands a big punch to the face. Menne gets another ankle lock, but Paraisy defends it perfectly. A scramble ensue, with Menne getting on top and working some ground and pound as the round expires.

Paraisy wins another uneventful round.

Round 3
Paraisy lands a big left hand, but Menne counters with a solid body kick. Paraisy immediately shoots, but Menne sprawls nicely. Pariasy crowds as Menne goes into guard position. Paraisy gets out of position, leaving room for Menne to scramble. Menne goes for another leg lock and once again loses the grasp. Menne gets on top and begins to work from half guard. Menne gets on Paraisy’s back during a scramble and latches onto a rear naked choke. Paraisy taps out.

Official Result 
 
Menne by rear naked choke submission at 12:39