As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results and commentary for Bellator 37. Our live blog will start with the beginning of the MTV2 broadcast (7 p.m. ET) so be sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
I will be posting live play-by-play and results here as well as at my usual home, Gals Guide to MMA.
Tonight brings us the featherweight tournament quarterfinal fights. Tourney veterans Patricio Freire, Wilson Reis, and Georgi Karakhanyan are back this season, joined by Zac George, Daniel Straus, Kenny Foster, Nazareno Malegarie, and Eric Larkin. The winner of this tournament will win $100,000 and the chance to face champ Joe Warren for the Bellator featherweight belt.
Live coverage of this event after the jump!
Eric Larkin vs. Kenny Foster
Round 1 – Foster opens with some decent strikes, then goes for a guillotine but lets it go. Larkin is cut already, looks like. Larkin misses with a head kick, and looks like he’s having trouble seeing from blood in his eyes. Larkin shoots, no takedown. Larkin gets Foster’s back but Foster gets straight back up. Foster gets Larkin down, gets another guillotine, and Larkin taps! Kenny Foster def. Eric Larkin by guillotine, at 3:15 of round 1.
Daniel Straus vs. Nazareno Malegarie
Round 1 – Straus goes for a TD right away, can’t get it and they end up against the cage. Now Malegarie goes for a single but can’t get that either. Malegarie throws Straus, takes his back. Straus doing a good job defending and staying calm. Malegarie keeps trying for the rear naked, but Straus is still defending well. Lots of short shots to the head by Malegarie, then Straus spins around straight into a guillotine attempt. Straus manages to get up, then grabs a double and gets the takedown. Malegarie gets back up, and they’re back in the center of the cage again. They trade briefly, then the round ends. I give it to Malegarie, 10-9.
Round 2 – Straus opens with some kicks, then Malegarie seemed to fake a knockdown and Straus follows him down. Malegarie goes for a kneebar, Straus gets free and goes for an armbar but can’t get it. Malegarie tries for a guillotine. Straus is out, and in Malegarie’s guard. Malegarie gets up, and they trade some good punches. Straus goes for another takedown, no luck. Then he throws Malegarie, who gets right back up. They clinch on the cage, Malegarie fails to get a single. Back to striking, then the round ends. Honestly I think I’d score this one 10-10, it was close.
Round 3 – Malegarie opens with some good strikes, followed by a kick to the body. Straus is answering back very well. Malegarie gets a takedown, Straus is keeping him tied up pretty well. Malegarie moves to half guard, but Straus sweeps him and gets up. Malegarie shoots, Straus catches him and backs him into the cage. Malegarie gets loose and they’re back to the center. Straus lands a good body kick, then they clinch on the cage again. Back to the center, Straus goes for and gets a double but Malegarie is right back up. Malegarie goes for a single but can’t get it. Another double leg attempt from Straus, Malegarie back on his feet quickly. A quick flurry at the end of the round, and the fight is over. I don’t even know how to score this. These guys are really well matched.
Daniel Straus def. Nazareno Malegarie by unanimous decision, 29-28
Zac George vs. Wilson Reis
Round 1 – Fairly long feeling out process here, then Reis opens up on George’s head in a vicious flurry. They go to the ground with Reis on top, George is eating a ton of gnp, then gives up his back. Reis get a rear naked, and George taps! Wilson Reis def. Zac George by rear naked choke at 2:09 of round 1.
Patricio Freire vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
Round 1 – Karakhanyan is moving well, opens with a leg kick. Freire moves in with a good combo. They clinch, Freire lands a good knee, then they separate. Freire is landing the better strikes so far. Freire goes for a takedown, Georgi catches him and tries a guillotine but lets go. Back up now. Joe Warren is doing commentary and I wish he wouldn’t. Georgi lands a nice leg kick, follows it with a good combo. Freire gets a double leg. Georgi is back up and is trying for a single. He can’t get it. He shoots, Freire tries to catch him, and the round ends. I would score it 10-9 Freire but I could see giving it to Karakhanyan.
Round 2 – Freire lands a combo, followed by a flying knee than doesn’t reallly connect. Georgi tries for a single, then gives up and lands a good knee to the body. They trade some kicks, Freire’s land better. They clinch on the cage long enough to get booed by the crowd. Freire is landing hard knees to the body, and Georgi tries yet again for a single that he can’t get. Freire gets away, and they are trading strikes again until Georgi tries for another takedown that fails. He gives up his back. Freire starts working for the rnc but the round is almost over. That’s it, another one for Freire, 10-8.
Round 3 – Freire opens up with a combo, then they clinch for a second. Georgi eats a left from Freire and goes down, Freire is swarming on him, and the ref stops it! Patricio Freire def. Georgi Karakhanyan by TKO at :56 of round 3.
There you go, the winners tonight – and moving on to the semifinals – are Patricio Freire, Daniel Straus, Wilson Reis, and Kenny Foster. Thanks for joining me tonight, as always it was a blast!!
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