As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results and commentary for Bellator 55. Our live blog will start with the beginning of the MTV2 broadcast (9 p.m. ET) so be sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
Tonight’s MTV2 card brings us the semifinals of the bantamweight tournament. Eduardo Dantas, after his nice flying knee KO of Wilson Reis in the quarterfinals, will be taking on Ed West. West comes out of the quarterfinals riding a decision win over Luis Alberto Nogueira. Also, Alexis Vila, triumphant after his KO of Joe Warren, will be taking on Marcos Galvao, who is coming off a split decision win over Chase Beebe. The winners of these two fights will move on to the final and will compete for $100,000 and a chance to take the Bellator bantamweight belt away from champ Zach Makovsky.
Rounding out the broadcast portion of the event is a light heavyweight superfight between Travis Wiuff and Bellator 205 champion Christian M’Pumbu, and a feature fight between Steve Gable and Ricardo Tirloni.
We’ll be live at 9 p.m. ET, so join us then!
Steve Gable vs. Ricardo Tirloni
Round one: Tirlonli opens up with a mean leg kick. Gabel rushes in and clinches, he eats a knee but lands a good body shot. He goes for a single but lets it go. Tirloni lands another mean kick and a knee to the body before Gable clinches him on the cage again. Gable with some knees to the thigh. Gable shoots, but Tirloni spins and ends up on top in half guard. Tirloni almost gets a D’arce choke but can’t lock it up. They get up, Gable is going for a double but can’t get it. Gable lands a good right hand as they separate. Gable gets Tirloni back on the cage and is landing knees to the body. End of the round. Ugh… I would give that one to Tirloni 10-9, but could easily see it 10-9 Gable.
Round two: Gable wastes no time getting Tirloni back on the cage. Too bad Tirloni trips him and almost gets him down. They trade knees to the legs and body. Tirloni gets a few punches in before they separate. Gable goes for a takedown and Tirloni again ends up on top, in half guard. Tirloni with some decent gnp. Gable holding closed guard now. Tirloni stands up, avoids an upkick, then dives into full mount. Gable gives up his back, Tirloni drops some nasty shots, Tirloni going for the RNC, and Gable taps! Ricardo Tirloni def. Steve Gable via submission (rear naked choke), 3:54 of round two
Christian M’Pumbu vs. Travis Wiuff
Round one: Wiuff shoots first thing, and gets the takedown. M’Pumbu holds butterfly guard for a bit, Wiuff moves to half guard. M’Pumbu is doing pretty good keeping Wiuff’s arms tied up but Wiuff still manages some short hammerfists. M’Pumbu is cut already. Wiuff gets his hands free and slams M’Pumbu in the face, then M’Pumbu almost gets an armbar. He lets it go. They lay there a bit longer and the ref stands them up. Wiuff swings a couple of times then pins M’Pumbu on the cage and starts landing knees to the legs. End of the round. I give it to Wiuff, 10-9.
Round two: M’Pumbu swings and misses, Wiuff lands a good shot then eats one. They clinch, M’Pumbu lands a knee to Wiuff’s face that staggers him. Wiuff goes for a takedown. M’Pumbu sprawls and lands some nice shots to Wiuff’s head before Wiuff finally gets the takedown. Wiuff in half guard. He lands some elbows to M’Pumbu’s face. M’Pumbu is trying to get an arm but can’t. Wiuff lands some heavy gnp. M’Pumbu is working on a triangle, Wiuff picks him up and slams him. M’Pumbu holding full guard now, and Wiuff is still getting him with short elbows and hammerfists. M’Pumbu is pretty helpless at this point. Wiuff continues some gnp. End of the round, I gotta give it to Wiuff 10-9.
Round three: Wiuff moves forward with some little punches that miss. M’Pumbu is doing a lot of bakcing up, then lands a nice shot that has Wiuff thinking about another takedown. They clinch, Wiuff with an uppercut that is answered by a knee. M’Pumbu with another uppercut, and several more good shots. Wiuff trying to taunt, and M’Pumbu is landing. Wiuff clinches up on the cage, but M’Pumbu moves away. m’Pumbu lands a right that really staggers Wiuff. M’Pumbu moves in to finish, some nasty gnp, but Wiuff stands up and gets a single immediately. M’Pumbu holding half guard. Wiuff looks exhausted but is still trying to finish. He lands short hammerfists and some body shots. End of the fight. I think I’d give it to Wiuff 29-28…
Travis Wiuff def. Christian M’Pumbu via unanimous decision
Eduardo Dantas vs. Ed West
Round one: West opens up with a leg kick, then another. Dantas comes in with a combo that backs West up a bit. Dantas then lands another right, West clinches up briefly. Dantas lands another combo and tries a head kick but misses. Dantas with another combo, backing West up. Dantas clips West again, he’s down and hurt, Dantas comes in to finish but West closes guard. West goes for an armbar but Dantas gets out. They’re up and clinched up on the cage. They separate, and West throws some little leg kicks. Dantas lands another left, West answers with an uppercut that puts Dantas down briefly. They clinch on the fence again, then separate. West lands a good leg kick but Dantas answers with a combo that puts West back on the cage. Dantas gets a takedown but West is back up immediately. West lands a headkick, then the round is over. Pretty close but I give it to Dantas 10-9.
Round two: West starts right out with a leg kick, and another. He goes for a head kick but barely misses. They’re on the cage momentarily, then back out. Dantas lands a head kick, West misses with a superman punch. West gets a solid push kick in. Dantas catches him with a right. West comes forward with several kicks, Dantas answers with a combo. They clinch and trade knees. West is trying for a trip but can’t get it. Dantas does, however. West gives up his back, Dantas is going for an rnc but West is defending well. West spins and ends up in Dantas’ guard. Dantas goes for an armbar but West gets out. West back to full guard. Dantas is keeping him tied up. Dantas tries for rubber guard but West starts landing body shots. End of the round. Wow. I think Dantas took that one too, 10-9. Great round though.
Round three: West with the leg kicks again. Dantas comes forward swinging, but West moves away. West lands a push kick, Dantas goes for a single but can’t get it. West has him against the cage now. West lands a few little body shots, and they trade knees. Dantas goes for a single but gives up. Back to the center. West is landing kicks but eating punches in the process. Both fighters swinging, and then it looks like Dantas gets a thumb in his eye. Time is called, then resumed. Twas an accident. Dantas comes in with a good shot, then another. West is landing kick after kick but they don’t look like they’re doing much. West is finally coming forward with some good punches, but the fight is over. I give it to Dantas, at least 29-28 if not 30-27.
Eduardo Dantas def. Ed West via split decision
Alexis Vila vs. Marcos Galvao
Round one: Slow start, but Galvao throws the first punch and misses. He lands a leg kick that just barely connects. Lots of circling. Vila throws a right that misses. Galvao with another leg kick. Galvao comes in with a knee and Vila takes him down. They get up quickly. Vila comes in with a head/body combo then backs off. Galvao swinging and missing. Galvao lands a leg kick that almost trips Vila. Galvao slipped but Vila lets him up. Both guys being pretty hesitant this round. Vila throws an uppercut that would have been wicked if it connected. End of the round. No idea how to score this one, since neither guy did much.
Round two: Vila comes in swinging but misses. Vila goes for a takedown, Galvao gets out if it. Vila with a nasty leg kick, followed by a combo that doesn’t really connect. Another slow round so far. Vila throws a head kick that Galvao blocks. Vila lands a couple more kicks. Galvao is threatening with punches but not throwing. He does land a good knee. Vila shoots, can’t get the takedown, then throws another head kick that Galvao blocks easily. Vila lands a hard body kick but eats a punch for it. Galvao connects with a body kick. They trade some kicks and punches but nothing is doing much damage. End of the round. I give it to Vila 10-9. Probably the first round would be the same.
Round three: Galvao comes out with a leg kick that looks like it hurts Vila. Vila gets a takedown, but Galvao is up quickly. Galvao almost catches a kick from Vila, but Vila spins out. Galvao misses with a head kick, then connects with a combo. Vila answers with a good right. Galvao misses with another kick, then eats a left. And again. Vila goes for a single, but Galvao gets away quickly. Galvao lands another good outside leg kick. Vila is swinging and connecting, but Galvao is landing a lot of good kicks. And more of the same. Vila can’t even shoot, Galvao is stuffing the takedowns almost before they happen. End of the fight. Galvao took the third round, the fight will likely go to whoever the judges thought took the first.
Alexis Vila def. Marcos Galvao via split decision
So there we have it, the bantamweight tourney final will be Eduardo Dantas vs. Alexis Vila. Should be interesting, at any rate.
About the author
