Bellator 137 goes down tonight in Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. There used to be a title fight on top, but now the title is only up for grabs for one of the two participants due to the champ missing weight. Brandon Halsey has been stripped of his middleweight title, and if he defeats Kendall Grove in the main event tonight, the belt will be vacant. If Grove wins, the belt is his.
The co-main event also featured a fighter, Mike Richman, missing weight but his fight with Eduardo Dantas will go on as scheduled.
The prelims for Bellator 137 kick off at 7pm ET/4pm PT with five bouts. Anyone in the world can watch a live stream of the prelims right here on Bloody Elbow. The broadcast switches to Spike TV for the main card, which kicks off at 9pm ET/6pm ET. Everyone outside the US can continue to watch the stream to catch the main card. If you’re having issues with the stream, try it here.
Brandon Halsey vs. Kendall Grove
Round 1 – Leg kick from Halsey. Hard body kick too. Halsey in on a single, and gets the takedown. He passed to mount in about 15 seconds. He popped out with an arm triangle choke. He got out to side but Grove stayed awake. Halsey took his back. He opened up with big strikes. Brock smash. Halsey went for a leg lock, then back into Grove’s guard. Dropped for it again. Grove stood up but got dragged back down. He just powered back into Grove’s guard. Halsey on Grove’s back with hard hammerfists to the dome. Upkick from Grove. He’s up and lands a kick. 10-9 Halsey.
Round 2 – Overhand right from Grove. Halsey responds with his own. Double jab and leg kick from Grove. Nice uppercut from Grove. Winging right. Grove tried to fight off a takedown but couldn’t. Halsey just controlled Grove for the rest of the round, but didn’t land as much GnP as the first. Grove did pop up at the horn. 10-9 Halsey.
Round 3 – Jab from Grove but he got taken down. Halsey controlled for a while until he stood up. He tried to jump back into guard but fell right into a triangle. He easily got out of danger and tried a neck crank. Grove didn’t look comfortable but he escaped. After grinding away for a while, the ref stood them up with 1:15 to go. And by 1:10, Grove was on his back again. Grove almost got up, but nyet. 10-9 Halsey.
Round 4 – Halsey connected with a huge overhand right about five seconds in. Another one wobbled Grove. Grove looked for a guillotine. Big double leg takedown from Halsey. He took the back and started beating him up. Tons of rights. Grove tried to stack up but he was eating a ton of shots. Grove postured up with an armbar, but Halsey just ripped it out. More strikes. Halsey sunk his hooks. Halsey with more hard shots and the referee finally stopped it.
Brandon Halsey defeated Kendall Grove by TKO (strikes), 2:25 of round 4
Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman
Round 1 – Dantas charged across the cage with a body kick and an immediate takedown. Richman got up after about 15 seconds. They tied up against the cage for an extended period before Dantas got another takedown. He controlled for longer, but Richman got up again. And then went back down again. Dantas opened up with some strikes. They stalled out for a while. Richman connected with a left when he got to his feet. Inside leg kick from Richman. Two body kicks from Dantas. Richman stuffed a shot. Dantas telegraphing his shots already. Lead left from Richman. And another. 10-9 Dantas.
Round 2 – They tangled on the feet for a while with neither man getting much of an advantage. Jab from Richman. He stuffed a takedown and briefly looked for a guillotine. Dantas tied him up against the cage. Step in uppercut from Richman, and a leg kick. Hard body kick from Dantas. Another. Stuffed takedown for Richman and he scored with a knee. Straight right from Dantas. Left from Richman. 10-9 Richman.
Round 3 – Spinning back fist from Dantas. Inside and outside leg kick from Richman. Straight left for Richman. Dantas pops him with a right. Spinning back fist again got turned into a takedown for Dantas. He tried some GnP that wasn’t doing much. Solid short elbow. Richman used the cage to get up with two minutes to go. Right from Dantas. Richman stuffs a shot. Big cut over the left eye of Dantas. They clinched up. The ref separated them. Another stuffed shot. Left scores for Richman. Body kick for Dantas, doubled up. A third. I have it 10-9 and 29-28 Dantas, but it’s close.
Eduardo Dantas defeats Mike Richman by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Fernando Gonzalez vs. Curtis Millender
Round 1 – Winging lefts from Gonzalez. And another. Millender is way bigger than Gonzalez. Leg kick from Gonzalez. Gonzalez looked for a takedown but they clinched up. Push kick to the knee from Millender. Body shot from him too. Left hook scores for Gonzalez at the end of a combo. Two more land partially. Jab from Millender. Gonzalez caught him spinning and slammed him to the mat. 10-9 Gonzalez.
Round 2 – Millender back to the jab. More push kicks to the knee. Gonzalez missing with everything early. Finally a wide left hook scored for Gonzalez. Millender briefly dropped Gonzalez but he was up and ready right away. Left hook for Gonzalez and he tied up. Millender with the takedown. Gonzalez up but ate two straight rights on the way. Counter left from Millender. Leg kick. 10-9 Millender.
Round 3 – Millender jabs. Left hook from Gonzalez. Gonzalez chopped him down with a leg kick and went for a guillotine. It looked like he gave up on it, but went back to it, re-adjusted, and got the tap. Right after Millender gave the thumbs up. Funny.
Fernando Gonzalez defeats Curtis Millender by submission (guillotine choke), 1:00 of round 3
Darrion Caldwell vs. Rafael Silva
Round 1 – Caldwell with a bevy of kicks early. Superman punch too. Silva walked into a guillotine and Caldwell ended up working from top position. Silva went for a footlock and got up, but Caldwell put him right back down. A few elbows blocked by Silva. Not a lot happening. Silva kicked him off but Caldwell jumped back into side. Couldn’t pass to mount and Silva went for a heel hook again. Nothing there again. 10-9 Caldwell.
Round 2 – Winging right lands for Silva. Wheel kick from Caldwell. Silva jumped for a guillotine on a takedown attempt, and cranked on it for a while. Caldwell was never in danger though. Silva once again went for a heel hook. Silva actually spun him around and worked from the top. 10-9 Caldwell.
Round 3 – Silva was trying to call Caldwell into a firefight on the feet but it wasn’t happening. Leg kick from Silva. Silva stuffed a takedown attempt and they worked in the clinch. Caldwell hit a beautiful throw. More grinding from the top. The ref stood them up with 90 seconds to go. Body kick from Silva. Diving single leg takedown for Caldwell. Silva got up, but Caldwell stayed on his back. 10-9 and 30-27 Caldwell.
Darrion Caldwell defeats Rafael Silva by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Preliminary Card
Virgil Zwicker defeated Razak Al-Hassan by KO (punch), 3:51 of round 1
Joe Taimanglo defeated Antonio Duarte by KO (punch) 1:00 of round 3
Jordan Parsons defeated Julio Cesar Neves Jr. by submission (arm-triangle choke), 4:09 of round 3
Ricky Rainey defeated Jesse Juarez by KO (knee), 1:13 of round 2
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