Bellator MMA 96 LIVE results and play-by-play

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Bellator MMA 96 takes place this evening at Windstar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. The event kicks off Bellator’s 2013 Summer Series and features light heavyweight and heavyweight tournament semifinal bouts. King Mo makes his return against Seth Petruzelli and War Machine makes his Bellator debut against Blas Avena.

Bellator MMA 96 quick results:

Main Card (Spike TV)

• Light Heavyweight Semifinal: King Mo def. Seth Petruzelli by knockout (punch) Rd 1 (1:35)
• Light Heavyweight Semifinal: Jacob Noe def. Renato Sobral by TKO (punches) Rd 3 (3:32)
• Heavyweight Semifinal: Vitaly Minakov def. Ron Sparks by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (:32)
• Welterweight: War Machine def. Blas Avena by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (3:55)

Preliminary Card (Spike.com)

• Featherweight: Chris Skelly def. Jarrod Card by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Bantamweight: Mike Maldonado def. Chavous Smith by submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Rd 1 (2:27)
• Catchweight (186 lbs): Keith Berry def. Cortez Coleman by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
• Lightweight: Damon Jackson def. Keith Miner by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (2:00)
• Heavyweight: Raphael Butler def. Jeremiah O’Neal by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (2:57)
• Heavyweight Semifinal: Ryan Martinez def. Richard Hale by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (2:19)
• Light Heavyweight: Brandon Halsey def. Joe Yager by split decision (30-28, 28-30, 30-28)
• Catchweight (159 lbs): Derek Campos def. Treston Thomison by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
• Bantamweight: Justin McNally def. Steven Artoff Verbal submission (Triangle Choke) Rd 1 (2:44)

Bellator MMA 96 play-by-play:

War Machine vs. Blas Avena

Round 1 – They swapped takedowns and punches during the first couple minutes. War Machine scored another takedown with about half the round down and put Avena in crucifix from the top and pounded him out. Great showing from the UFC and TUF veteran formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver.

OFFICIAL RESULT: War Machine def. Blas Avena by TKO (punches) Rd 1

Ron Sparks vs. Vitaly Minakov

Round 1 – They swing heavy, clinch, knee from Sparks. Big right from Minakov drops Sparks. Minakov swarsm, Sparks turns face down, Minakov finishes him off with bombs and Big John steps in to save him.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Vitaly Minakov def. Ron Sparks by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (:32)

Renato Sobral vs. Jacob Noe

Round 1 – Frank Shamrock helping call the action. Leg kick Babalu. Right hand from Noe. He blocks an overhand left. Babalu shoots, stuffed, pressed to the cage, takes a couple knees to the body. They separate and move to the center. Leg kick from Babalu causes Noe to stumble to the floor. Leg kick from Babalu, gets countered with a one two. Left counter hooks from Noe. Leg kick Babalu, Noe counters with a one two that connects. Leg kick from Babalu inside, he shoots, stuffed. Noe turns him around. Knee from Babalu. Leg kick from Babalu. Nice left jab from Babalu. He shoots, stuffed against the cage. Thai plum and a couple knees from Babalu. Ref calls time after Noe takes a low blow.  Touch gloves. Big right counter from Noe. High kick from Babalu, again. Left hook and a right from Noe. Leg kick Babalu. Again, front kick. Right hand from Babalu. Nice body kick from Noe. PMN sees it 10-9 for Noe.

Round 2 – Touch gloves. Leg kick Babalu. Double left jab from Babalu. Clinch, knee from Babalu. Noe presses him to the cage, landing knees to the thighs. Ref separates them and time is called after Noe catches another low blow to the groin. Nice jab from Babalu., again. Body jab. Left hook from Babalu. Noe lands a nice right counter. Noe’s pissed. Leg kick Noe, counter right Sobral. Front kick from Babalu. Nice jab from Noe. Big left hook counter stuns Sobral. Left hook from Noe. Leg kick Sobral. Again. Thai plum and knee from Noe just misses. Babalu with the jab, leg kick. Big leg kick from Babalu. Noe using no footwork, just trying to counter punch. Leg kick from Babalu. Noe stuns him with a right. Babalu retreating. Some taunting and posturing going on. PMN sees it 10-9 Babalu.

Round 3 – Right from Babalu. Right from Noe. Babalu with the clinch, looks for the takedown but Noe defends and pushes him to the cage. Babalu escapes to the center. Leg kick, eats a counter right. Quick jab from Babalu, he shoots, presses Noe to the cage, drops levels and working hard. Noe defends, lands a right. Leg kick Babalu. Leg kick again but Noe hurts him with a big right left. Babalu comes back in and fires back but gets hurt again with big punches. Noe lands again and Babalu retreats. Noe breathing hard but lands a big jab. Babalu stumbling and wobbling and the ref stops it. Babalu wants to know what’s up with that and the ref says, “You’re wobbling.”  Alrighty then.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Jacob Noe def. Renato Sobral by TKO (punches) Rd 3 (3:32)

Babalu retired after the fight.

Muhammed Lawal vs. Seth Petruzelli

Round 1 – Randy Couture guest commentating. Touch gloves. Seth goes for a leg kick and Mo dodges it. Mo eats a right. Mo shoots and Seth sprawls and takes a head butt to the eye. Time called. Here we go. Mo looks more alert than his last fight. Mo catches a leg kick, lets it go. Mo with a takedown. Inside full guard. He postures up with a right. Nice hammerfists off his back from Seth. Mo stands up, shoves Seth’s legs to the side to pass the guard, Mo dives in with one huge right hand to the chin and Seth goes unconscious. OUT COLD. Mo stands up and walks away. Mo just made a BIG STATEMENT there. Good for Mo.

OFFICIAL RESULT: King Mo def. Seth Petruzelli by knockout (punch) Rd 1 (1:35)

Mo will face Jacob Noe in the light heavyweight tournament finals later this summer.

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