As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results and commentary from Bellator 57. Our live blog will begin with the start of the MTV2 broadcast (7 p.m. EST) so be sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event.
Tonight brings us the finals in both the welterweight and middleweight tournaments. Welterweights Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima will face off for $100,000 and a shot at champ Ben Askren’s belt, while Alexander Shlemenko and Vitor Vianna will be fighting for the big check and a crack at middleweight champ Hector Lombard. Also on this card are two feature fights, one at 205 between John Hawk and Roger Hollett, and the other at featherweight between Doug Evans and Alexandre Bezerra.
Again, the event is starting earlier than normal tonight, at 7 p.m. EST. Don’t miss what should be a great night of fights!
Doug Evans vs. Alexandre Bezerra
Round one: Bezerra opens with some good shots. Evans is throwing puches but not connecting quite as well. Bezerra’s movement looks good. Now Evans is connecting. Bezerra shoots, and ends up with Evans on the cage. Now Bezerra gets the takedown, and is throwing lots of shots. Now Bezerra tries a guillotine but Evans slams him and is out. Now Bezerra is on the bottom and goes for an armbar. Evans slams his way out of it. Another armbar attempt from Bezerra but he loses it. Now Evans is in Bezerra’s guard. Bezerra’s right eye is almost completely closed. Now Bezerra tries for a heel hook. Evans taps!! Alexandre Bezerra def. Doug Evans via submission (heel hook), 4:04 of round one
John Hawk vs. Roger Hollett
Round one: Hollett opens with a head kick that’s blocked. Hawk is throwing punches that don’t connect, and throws a very awkward push kick that misses. Lots of punches thrown that miss. Hollett finally lands with a left. Then he lands a solid right that rocks Hawk. Hollett lands a leg kick. Hawk just keeps punching and not quite connecting. Hollett with a spinning back kick. And another. Now Hawk gets Hollett against the cage and is landing knees. They separate, and the round ends. 10-9 Hollett.
Round two: Hollett is already landing leg kicks. Hawk finally connects with a left. Now he has Hollett on the cage again, and is landing knees. The refs separates them. Hollett lands a good shot, then lands a couple of leg kicks. Hawk gets Hollett on the cage and starts landing knees. Hollett is just standing there and taking them. Finally, Hollett throws a knee. He gets off the cage. Hawk comes in swinging but isn’t connecting with anything solid. Hollettt lands a good shot followed by a leg kick. And again, Hawk gets him on the cage and throws knees. He adds a few foot stomps in as well before the ref restarts them. Hollett lands a left which means Hawk puts him against the cage yet again, landing knees. End of the round. I guess I’d have to say 10-9 Hawk, just because he had Hollett on the cage and helpless so much.
Round three: Hawk comes forward immediately and clinches Hollett on the cage. They don’t stay there long, but they end up right back there almost immediately. Back to the center, a few punches thrown, and back to the cage. This time at least Hollett is throwing a knee or two of his own. Hawk throws a punch and Hollett loses his mouthpiece. As soon as they restart, Hawk gets Hollett back on the cage and is landing knees. Crowd is not happy. Ref restarts them, Hollett lands a kick, Hawk lands a punch or two, and they are back on the cage. This time Hawk is landing punches and elbows on the cage. Hollett is cut. Now Hawk lands some punches that look more effective. Hollett lands a great left, then eats a couple of easy shots before getting put on the fence again. Hawk looks gassed but is still landing knees. Back to the center. Hollett throws a spinning back fist that misses. Now Hawk is acting like this is a real fight. Hollett lands a spinning back kick as the bell sounds. I would say the fight goes to Hawk for control and for the damage in the last round.
Roger Hollett def. John Hawk via split decision
Vitor Vianna vs. Alexander Shlemenko
Round one: Slow start, Shlemenko feints a couple of times before coming in and connecting. Vianna has Shlemenko clinched up going for a takedown, but he can’t hold him. Vianna lands a great shot and Shlemenko slips but recovers. Now Shlemenko is landing good shots, Vianna returns some as well. Spinning back fist from Shlemenko followed by another shot that ends with Vianna on the cage. Shlemenko lands a left as they separate. Shlemenko is being very aggressive. Vianna lands a great leg kick, then dodges a spinning back kick. Both fighters are landing hard punches. Shlemenko misses with another spinning back fist. End of the round. I give the edge to Shlemenko 10-9.
Round two: Shlemenko lands a body kick first thing. He keeps moving forward, and lands a good left then misses with a spinning back kick. Shlemenko connects with a combo and Vianna answers right back. Shlemenko coming forward with punches and a kick. Vianna doing a good job dodging and countering. Vianna throws a kick to the body and Shlemenko answers with some nasty shots. Vianna needs to stop countering and go after Shlemenko. Shlemenko throws a kick, Vianna almost catches it. And we have an accidental groin shot by Shlemenko but they’re back fighting almost immediately. Shlemenko is throwing a lot, and when he connects it looks great. End of the round. 10-9 Shlemenko.
Round three: Vianna lands a leg kick. Shlemenko is coming forward swinging and Vianna is just backing up. Another flurry by Shlemenko. Now Vianna starts throwing and looking better, but Shlemenko is coming right back at him. Now Vianna shoots and gets Shlemenko down. He has Shelmenko’s back, but Shlemenko turns and gets back to his feet. Vianna lands a left that kinda makes Shlemenko back up. Shlemenko lands several body shots. Vianna lands another good left but Shlemenko just comes forward with body shots. Vianna goes for a spinning back fist but slips. End of the fight. I give it to Shlemenko. Vianna just didn’t do much.
Alexander Shlemenko def. Vitor Vianna via unanimous decision
Ben Saunders vs. Douglas Lima
Round one: Saunders opens with a head kick that’s blocked easily. Lima gets Saunders clinched on the cage, then Saunders turns and starts landing knees to Lima’s legs. The ref stops them and resets. Saunders throws a couple of kicks that barely miss, then they clinch on the cage again. Saunders is landing brutal knees. Lima reverses but doesn’t do anything, and the ref separates them again. Saunders is landing decent kicks. Lima lands a nasty leg kick, then another. They clinch on the cage again but Lima isn’t doing much. And another separation. Saunders throws a head kick, Lima catches it and takes him down, Saunders reverses and ends up in full mount. Saunders with some good gnp now, but Lima is doing a pretty good job of defending. End of the round, I call it 10-9 Saunders.
Round two: Lima opens with a leg kick. He gets Saunders on the cage again and tries to get a takedown but can’t. Ref separates them. Saunders lands a couple of kicks, then goes in to swing and gets caught by a right. He’s down, Lima moves in for some more shots, and the ref stops it! Douglas Lima def Ben Saunders via TKO, 1:21 of round two
So there you have it. Alexander Shlemenko will be facing Hector Lombard (again) for the middleweight belt, and Douglas Lima will take on Ben Askren to try to take the welterweight championship. Great fights tonight! Thanks guys, it was fun!
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