HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — What a weekend for MMA it was. While Hendo and Shogun were doing their thing in San Jose, Bellator’s lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez (22-3) and no. 1 contender Michael Chandler (9-0) had their own version of “fight of the year” taking place in the Bellator 58 main event in Hollywood, Fla.
Chandler earned a shot at Alvarez’s title after winning Bellator’s season four lightweight tournament earlier this year.
Chandler almost finished Alvarez in round one after hurting him with big punches but the 27-year-old Philadelphia fighter, with UFC lightweight champ and training partner Frankie Edgar in his corner, was able to rally in round two and win round three decisively.
Round four was also looking to be another Alvarez round until he got clipped with a big overhand right that sent him reeling. Chandler attacked on the ground, eventually forcing the champ to give up his back and succumb to a choke thus losing his title and his first fight in almost three years.
It was an enormous win for the 25-year-old Chandler, a Missouri native and former NCAA Division II wrestler, especially so early in his career. For those who did not get to see the fight live on MTV2, Bellator has released the video below.
In other action, Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard continued his 5-year reign of undefeated dominance by crushing Strikeforce and UFC veteran Trevor Prangley with a second round TKO in a non-title 195-pound catchweight bout.
The full Bellator 58 fight card results are as follows:
- Fabio Mello def. Farkhad Sharipov by Decision (Unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00)
- Herbert Goodman def. Jonas Billstein by DQ (Soccer Kick to Downed Fighter) Rd 2 (3:21)
- Cosmo Alexandre def. Avery McPhatter by TKO (Knees) Rd 1 (0:20)
- Valdir Araujo def. Ailton Barbosa by Decision (Unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00)
- Brett Cooper def. Jared Hess by Decision (Unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00)
- Marlon Sandro def. Rafael Dias by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) Rd 1 (3:56)
- Jessica Aguilar def. Lisa Ellis-Ward by Decision (Unanimous) Rd 3 (5:00)
- Hector Lombard def. Trevor Prangley by TKO (Punches) Rd 2 (1:06)
- Michael Chandler def. Eddie Alvarez by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Rd 4 (3:06)
Really hope viacom can help save that 2nd rate production. An epic fight like that shouldn’t feel like it went down at your local hockey arena