Bellator 23 takes place this evening at 4th Street Live in Louisville, KY. The event is headlined by a matchup between Alexander Shlemenko and Bryan Baker to determine this season’s middleweight winner and a co-main event fight between Joe Warren and Patricio Pitbull which will determine the winner of this season’s featherweight tournament. The televised broadcast starts at 8:00 PM ET, but ProMMAnow.com will be here from the beginning, bringing you the play-by-play for the entire card, the dark part of which features match-ups from some of the region’s top fighters. Tune in tonight and share your thoughts on Bellator’s final event this season.

“Bellator 23” Quick Results:

MAIN CARD (televised)

• Alexander Shlemenko def Bryan Baker by TKO at 2:45 in Round 1.

• Joe Warren def Patricio Pitbull by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

• Nick Mamalis def Albert Rios by TKO at 4:40 of Round 1.

• Zoila Frausto def Rosi Sexton via TKO at 2:00 in Round 1.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS (not televised)

• Brent Weedman def John Troyer by submission (armbar) in Round 1.

• Daniel Straus def Chad Hinton by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

• Kurt Kinser def Dave Overfield by TKO at 2:30 in Round 1.

• Stoney Hale def Mike Fleniken by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:20 in Round 2.

“Bellator 23” play-by-play:

Dave Overfield vs. Kurt Kinser

Round 1 – Kinser opens early with a right and moves in pressing Overfield against the cage.  Kinser gets Overfield down, working inside Overfield”s guard.  Kinser presses him against the cage, working to land shots from the top.  Kinser lands five solid elbows to the head, followed by moer.  Kinser starts to work some solid ground and pound and opens up a big cut on Overfield’s head.  Overfield tries to scramble but Kinser remains in the dominant position, landing more shots from the top.  Overfield tries to throw a leg up for a triangle but Kinser powers through and lands more shots.  Overfield moves for an armbar but Kinser lands more hard shots prompting the referee to move in to stop it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Kurt Kinser defeats Dave Overfield by TKO at 2:30 in Round 1.

Mike Fleniken vs. Stoney Hale

Round 1 – Fleniken shoots in but Hale defends.  Fleniken presses him against the cage and lands a knee to Hale’s leg and Hale reverses and lands a couple knees to Fleniken’s leg.  Hale works for the takedown but Fleniken reaches for a kimura and Hale lets go.  There’s a brief exchange and Hale picks up Fleniken for a big slam.  Fleniken quickly works his way back to his feet but Hale pushes him back down.  Hale stands and reaches in to land a big head shot.  Hale lands a looping right and Fleniken moves to clinch and pushes Hale across the ring.  They briefly go down and Hale moves in for a takedown when they stand.  Fleniken briefly moves for a guillotine, but Hale gets his head out and stays in top position, moving to side control.  Fleniken tries to scramble but Hale lands a shot from the top and the two stand.  Fleniken hits Hale with a headkick and Hale answers with a hard right hook.  The two go back down and Fleniken works to lock in a triangle when Hale extends himself too far.  Hale stands inside the triangle and lands a couple headshots before moving to side control.  Fleniken rolls and Hale moves to take his back and Fleniken reverses and ends up in the top position.  Fleniken stands inside Hale’s guard and works to land shots from the top.  Fleniken lands an elbow from the top and Hale scores with a shot from the bottom.  I give that extremely close round to Hale, 10-9.

Round 2 – Both fighters miss with haymakers to start the round and Hale presses Fleniken against the cage, looking for a takedown.  Fleniken attempts to hook Hale’s arm to prevent it, but Hale muscles Fleniken to the ground.  Hale lands a few body shots from the top , and stands and lets Fleniken up.  Good move on Hale’s part as he catches Fleniken with a big right hook when Fleniken stands.  Hale moves in on the ground but Fleniken takes top position, transitioning to side control.  The two stand and Hale pushes in for the takedown but Fleniken defends.  Hale attempts to take Fleniken’s back as he pulls him down but Fleniken lands in top position and lands a head shot from the top, working in more as Hale tries to pull a leg out from under him.  Hale gets top position back and moves to side control, landing short elbows from the top.  Fleniken tries to roll but Hale keeps the top position.  Hale transitions to full mount and Fleniken rolls.  Hale looks for the rear naked choke, but only has one hook in and Fleniken prevents Hale from locking it in briefly before Hale sinks it in.

OFFICIAL RESULT:  Stoney Hale wins by submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:20  in Round 2.

There’s a break in the action as the production crew preps for the televised portion of the card.  It appears that Straus vs. Hinton and Troyer vs. Weedman will come later in the evening.

Daniel Straus vs. Chad Hinton

Round 1 – Straus jumps in with a left that catches Hinton and Hinton clinches up and the two hit the ground.  Hinton pulls guard and Straus sneaks in a body shot.  He turns Hinton towards the cage and presses him against it and Hinton stands with Straus working to take him down again.  Straus throws knees to Hinton’s legs and Hinton lands a knee to the body. Straus gets Hinton down again and Hinton looks for one of Straus’s arms for a kimura from the bottom.  Hinton works to get Straus’s arm out and Straus elbows Hinton’s leg.  Hinton keeps trying to crank Straus’s arm, but Straus is defending well.  Straus moves to block Hinton from pulling his arm out, and Hinton briefly gets Straus’s arm out, but Straus gets full mount and works Hinton against the cage.  Hinton scrambles and Straus works from Hinton’s back as Hinton tries to stand with Straus sneaking in punches and knees to Hinton’s legs.  Hinton manages to sneak an arm around Straus’s head, looking for the standing guillotine but Straus gets his head out and takes Hinton down as the round expires.  A good round for Straus should see him up 10-9 to start the fight.

Round 2 – Straus opens witha  leg kick and then tags Hinton with a right, moving in to press him against the cage.  He goes down to scoop Hinton up but then manages to trip Hinton and take him down, landing in side control.  Straus drops a couple short elbows from the top, then throws a knee to the body.  Straus works for some more body shots, trying to posture up to generate more power.  Straus continues to work in the body shots and head shots from the dominant position as Hinton tries to work his way back to his feet.  Hinton looks ready to stand but Straus is poised to deliver a knee to the head if it happens.  Hinton gets to his feet but takes a knee to the body and Straus takes him down again.  Straus lands more shots from the top and Hinton lands an elbow to the head from the bottom.  Straus drops more short elbows and and remains in the top position as the round ends.  Another round for Straus 10-9.

Round 3 – Hinton misses with a knee to open the round and Straus grazes Hinton with a head kick.  Hinton moves in to clinch up but Straus spins and works to take Hinton’s back.  Hinton goes down but Straus stands and lets Hinton up.  Hinton misses with a spinning backfist and Straus takes advantage and lands a two punch combo and a headkick that seems to stun Hinton.  Straus moves to the dominant position on the ground, landing shots from inside Hinton’s guard.  Hinton stays busy from the bottom with some short head shots, but they don’t appear to be doing much damage.  it stays this way until the ref stands them up to restart the action.  Hinton moves in with a right hook and the trade knees to the body.  Hinton misses with a leg kick and Straus lands another high kick, then quickly moves in and presses Hinton against the cage before taking him down.  Straus stands, holding Hinton’s leg, landing a leg kick before the ref stands Hinton up.  Straus lands a right, then an inside leg kick and a hard right hook which stumbles Hinton.  But Hinton presses forward and lands a knee to the body before backing off.  Straus takes Hinton down again, landing more shots from the top as the round expires.  Another dominant round for Straus, 10-9.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Daniel Straus wins by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

John Troyer vs. Brent Weedman

Round 1 – Troyer moves in quickly with a right hook and they jockey for position against the cage.  Troyer moves to take Weedman down but Weedman take the top position then scrambles back to his feet, then quickly takes Troyer’s back when they hit the ground again.  Troyer gets free and starts landing shots from the top but Weedman works his way back to his feet briefly.  Both fighters battle for the dominant position on the ground and Weedman moves for a kneebar before letting it go.  Troyer lands elbows from the top, then stands and lands more headshots from the top, taking Weedman’s back when Weedman rolls.  Weedman escapes and Troyer briefly looks for an armbar from the bottom.  Working back to the feet, both continue to struggle for the dominant position.  Weedman looks to pull Troyer’s legs out from under him and persists, scoring the takedown.  Weedman lands a knee to the body and shots to Troyer’s head from the top, then quickly hooking in an armbar getting the submission seconds before the round expires.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Brent Weedman wins by armbar in Round 1.

Rosi Sexton vs. Zoila Frausto

Round 1 – Lots of circling to open the fight.  Sexton comes in with a leg kick and the two trade punches.  Frausto gets the better of an exchange and Sexton grazes her with a leg kick and then a body kick falls short.  Frausto connects with a left and Sexton moves in landing a two-punch combo.  Sexton moves in for the takedown but Frausto defends.  They clinch up, Sexton pressing Frausto against the cage and landing some short knees to Frausto’s legs.  Frausto moves for a reversal but fails and the two separate.  Sexton misses with a big right, the two miss with hooks hooks.  Frausto grazes Sexton with a right followed by a hard knee to the head that puts Sexton on her back.  Frausto moves in and lands two more punches to Sexton’s head as the ref moves in to stop the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Zoila Frausto wins by TKO at 2:00 in Round 1.

Nick Mamalis vs. Albert Rios

Round 1 – Both men miss with legkicks to start things off and Rios scores with a leg kick to start the action.  Mamalis answers and then his Rios with a hard right that stuns Rios and knocks him back.  Rios seems to recover quickly and Mamalis looks to land an uppercut and right cross combo.  Rios lands a solid leg kick and the two trade.  Mamalis looks for a takedown, scooping Rios’s leg up.  He gets the takedown and lands a good knee to the head as Rios stands.  Rios jumps guard for a guillotine attempt but lets it go and mamalis continues to work for the takedown.  Mamalis manages to pull Rios’s legs out from under him and Rios locks in what looks to be a great guillotine attempt before Mamalis pulls out of it.  Rios lands a leg kick and the two trade short punches.  Rios lands another leg kick and Mamalis answers with a short right hook.  Rios lands another solid leg kick and Mamalis answers with one of his own followed by a two-punch combo and a body kick.  Rios feints, then throws a head kick that Mamalis checks and begins to work in some solid combos of his own, working in a flurry of punches to the downed Rios that the ref steps in to stop it at the tail end of the round.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Nick Mamalis wins by TKO at 4:40 in Round 1.

Joe Warren vs. Patricio Pitbull

Round 1 – Warren goes in with a right hook but it misses.  They clinch up and Warren lands a good knee to the body followed by a short punch, and the two trade knees to the body and separate.  Warrens leaps in with a hook but it misses.  Warren lands a solid left and moves in and in a surprise, Pitbull picks up Warren and takes him down, working from the top position.  Warren is doing a good job of tying Pitbull up, but Pitbull sneaks in some shots from the top.  Warren quickly scrambles back to his feet and lands a right.  The two clinch up briefly and separate and Pitbull scores with a short left hook.  Warren misses with a spinning backfist, and Pitbull tags him with a two-punch combo.  They clinch up and Wareen works in two knees to the body before Pitbull answers with one of his own and then throws Warren off.  Pitbull tags Warren with another left hook and as Warren moves in goes for a standing arm triangle choke.  Pitbull presses Warren against the cage still looking for the standing arm triangle and Warren manages to work his way out.  Pitbull tags Warren with another two punch combo, stepping in landing the shots and stepping out.  Warren pushes Pitbull against the cage and lands some solid short punches.  Warrern goes to move away from Pitbull and Pitbull tags him with a right hook that sends him to the mat.  Pitbull gets full mount and Warren rolls  and Pitbull lands more unanswered shots and looks for a rear naked choke right as time expires.  An excellent first round, but one that has to go to Pitbull due to his precise striking and overall control.  I see it 10-9 for Pitbull.

Round 2 – Warren immediately looks for a big right but misses.  Pitbull sneaks in a coupe short punches and Warren shoots but backs off and tries to throw a knee to the body on the way out.  They clinch up and Warren drops down for a takedown but can’t complete it.  Pitbull lands another quick two-punch combo and Warren leaps in but hits the ground, quickly gets back up and lands two hard knees on Pitbull.  Warren lands another good knee and Pitbull comes in with a two punch and leg kick combo.  Pitbull moves to Warren’s back and Warren is throwing elbows behind him, and catches Pitbull with a solid one.  Pitbull hangs on for a few more seconds but lets go and Warren immediately moves in and the two briefly clinch and separate before Warren shoots back in and finally scores a takedown.  Warren stays in top position, and lands a couple short punches from the top, followed by a good elbow to Pitbull’s head Pitbull still works and throws his leg up like he’s going for a triangle, but Warren muscles out of it, and works to land more shots from the top.  Warren lands another big elbow from the dominant position, then another, and another, each a few seconds apart.  Warren lands another pair of elbows and works to sneak in some body shots and the action slows as the round comes to an end.  It’s another good round, but I see this one going to Warren 10-9.

Round 3 – Some early quick punches for Pitbull and Warren seems re-energized, sneaking in a couple quick shots of his own.  Warren shoots but Pitbull defends and gets his leg out of Warren’s grasp.  Pitbull tags him with a quick shot and Warren lands what started as a spinning backfist but ended as more of a slap.   Warren scores a takedown and works to land head shots from inside Pitbull’s guard.  Warren scores with more shots from the top and Pitbull fires back a few short punches from the bottom.   Warren continues to work the ground and pound, landing numerous hard elbows.  The crowd chants “U-S-A”, urging Warren on.  Warren lands more hard elbows from the top and Pitbull tries to answer with punches from the bottom but they don’t appear to have much power behind them.   Pitbull almost works his way out but Warren stays on him  and gets him back down before Pitbull works his way up, standing for a few seconds before Warren scores another takedown.  Warren lands more shots from the top, then hands onto Pitbull’s foot as Pitbull stands.  Pitbull tries to move in with a combination but Warren muscles through and scores another takedown to end the round.  A solid round for Warren, I see him winning it 10-9 no problem, likely winning the fight 29-28.

OFFICIAL RESULT:    Joe Warren wins by Split Decision (29-28 Warren, 29-28 Pitbull, 29-28 Warren)

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Bryan Baker

Round 1-Coming earlier on the card than expected, Shlemenko and Baker face off to determine the winner of this season’s middleweight tournament.  Alex lands the first punch and moves for a spinning back kick but pulls it back.  They exchange and Baker lands a hard right followed by a nice knee.  Alex misses with the spinning back kick again and then misses with a spinning back fist.  A brief exchange and Baker lands a couple light punches.  Baker connects with a solid body kick and Alex misses with another spinning backfist.  Alex lands a hard body shot and there’s a hard leg kick.  Another brief exchange and Alex lands a knee to the body on the way out.  Another missed spinning backfist from Alex but he catches Baker with a knee to the head and gets him down, landing more shots from the top.  Baker seems extremely dazed, almost unconscious, but the ref gives him a chance for a few more seconds, ultimately standing in to halt the action.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexnder Schlemenko defeats Bryan Baker by TKO at 2:45 in Round 1 to become the Bellator season 2 Middleweight tournament winner.