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2013 in Bellator MMA
2013 in Bellator MMA
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2013 in Bellator MMA
Information
PromotionBellator MMA
First date airedJanuary 17, 2013 (2013-01-17)
Last date airedNovember 22, 2013 (2013-11-22)
← 2012
2014 →

2013 in Bellator MMA was the eighth installment of the Bellator MMA, which began on January 17, 2013 and ended on April 4, 2013.[1]

Mixed martial arts tournaments were held in five weight classes and all of the champions, except the heavyweight champion, placed their titles on the line during this season.[2]

This season marked the beginning of Bellator MMA (formerly Bellator Fighting Championships) airing on Spike TV.[3]

Bellator 85

[edit]
Bellator 85
DateJanuary 17, 2013
VenueBren Events Center
CityIrvine, California
Attendance3,002

Bellator 85 took place on January 17, 2013 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, California.[1] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV. It marked the season debut of season eight.

Background

Bellator 85 was to open with a fight chosen exclusively by fans in the "Bellator: Vote For The Fight" contest. Fans could log onto Spike.com to select the two fighters they want to see square off in the first ever Bellator bout on Spike TV. The eligible fighters were all welterweights and included Paul Daley, Douglas Lima, Ben Saunders and War Machine.[4] Initially a bout between Daley and War Machine was announced by Bellator, but it was subsequently cancelled when War Machine tore his ACL and broke his fibula.[5]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight Michael Chandler (c) def. Rick Hawn Submission (rear naked choke) 2 3:07 [a]
Light Heavyweight Mikhail Zayats def. Renato Sobral KO (spinning back fist and punches) 1 4:49 [b]
Light Heavyweight Jacob Noe def. Seth Petruzelli TKO (punches) 1 2:51 [b]
Featherweight Pat Curran (c) def. Patricio Freire Decision (split) (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) 5 5:00 [c]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Light Heavyweight Emanuel Newton def. Atanas Djambazov Submission (rear naked choke) 2 2:21 [b]
Light Heavyweight Jason Lambert def. Hector Ramirez Submission (straight armbar) 1 3:59
Catchweight (165 lb) J.J. Ambrose def. Brian Warren Submission (guillotine choke) 2 0:50
Lightweight Savant Young def. Mike Guymon KO (punch) 2 0:48
Welterweight Joe Williams def. Jamie Yager TKO (strikes) 1 4:02
Featherweight Aaron Miller def. Joe Camacho Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Featherweight Cleber Luciano def. Mario Navarro Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
  1. ^ For Lightweight Title
  2. ^ a b c Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal
  3. ^ For Featherweight Title

Bellator 86

[edit]
Bellator 86
DateJanuary 24, 2013
VenueWinStar World Casino
CityThackerville, Oklahoma
Attendance1,288

Bellator 86 took place on January 24, 2013 at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.[1] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 86 featured the opening round of the Season Eight Welterweight Tournament.[1]

The card also featured the Bellator debut of Muhammed Lawal, against veteran Polish fighter Przemyslaw "Misiek" Mysiala.[1]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Ben Askren (c) def. Karl Amoussou TKO (doctor stoppage) 3 5:00 [a]
Light Heavyweight Muhammed Lawal def. Przemyslaw Mysiala TKO (punches) 1 3:52 [b]
Welterweight Douglas Lima def. Michail Tsarev TKO (leg kicks) 2 1:44 [c]
Welterweight Ben Saunders def. Koffi Adzitso Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [c]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Brent Weedman def. Marius Zaromskis Decision (unanimous) (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) 3 5:00 [c][d]
Welterweight Raul Amaya def. José Gomes TKO (punches) 1 3:12 [c]
Catchweight (140 lb) Jason Sampson def. Chris Pham Submission (armbar) 3 4:55
Lightweight Damon Jackson def. Zach Church Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 2:43
Middleweight Cortez Coleman def. Matt Jones Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Unaired
Featherweight Hunter Tucker def. Javier Obregon Submission (guillotine choke) 2 3:17
  1. ^ For Welterweight Title
  2. ^ Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal
  3. ^ a b c d Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinal
  4. ^ Zarokskis docked 1 point for illegal knees

Bellator 87

[edit]
Bellator 87
DateJanuary 31, 2013
VenueSoaring Eagle Casino
CityMount Pleasant, Michigan
Attendance850

Bellator 87 took place on January 31, 2013 at Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 87 featured fights the quarterfinals of the Season Eight Lightweight Tournament.

Patricky Freire was originally supposed to face Guillaume DeLorenzi in the main event. However, on the day of the weigh ins Freire was pulled from the card due to an "undisclosed injury" and replaced by Saad Awad.[6]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight David Rickels def. Lloyd Woodard Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [a]
Lightweight Will Brooks def. Ricardo Tirloni Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Lightweight Saad Awad def. Guillaume DeLorenzi TKO (punches) 1 0:31 [a]
Lightweight Alexander Sarnavskiy def. Thiago Michel Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 3:43 [a]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Lightweight Jason Fischer def. Sevak Magakian Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 3:37
Heavyweight Karl Etherington def. Jason Fish Verbal submission (strikes) 1 3:45
Catchweight (165 lb) Amir Khillah def. John Schulz Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 4:34
Lightweight J. P. Reese def. David Shepherd Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Welterweight Sam Quito def. Ben Lagman Submission (kneebar) 1 3:54
Catchweight (139 lb) Tony Zelinski def. Nick Kirk Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) 3 5:00
  1. ^ a b c d Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal

Bellator 88

[edit]
Bellator 88
DateFebruary 7, 2013
VenueArena at Gwinnett Center
CityDuluth, Georgia
Attendance4,267

Bellator 88 took place on February 7, 2013 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia.[7] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 88 featured the opening round of the Season Eight Featherweight Tournament as well as a title fight for the vacant Middleweight title.[7]

A middleweight bout between Kelvin Tiller and Dave Vitkay was originally announced for this card, but failed to materialize.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Middleweight Alexander Shlemenko def. Maiquel Falcão KO (punches) 2 2:18 [a]
Featherweight Marlon Sandro def. Akop Stepanyan Decision (majority) (28-28, 29-27, 29-27) 3 5:00 [b]
Featherweight Mike Richman def. Mitch Jackson TKO (head kick and punches) 1 4:57 [b]
Featherweight Alexandre Bezerra def. Genair da Silva Submission (armbar) 1 1:40 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Featherweight Magomedrasul Khasbulaev def. Fabricio Guerreiro Submission (arm triangle choke) 2 1:15 [b]
Catchweight (159 lb) Joe Elmore def. Jerrid Burke KO (punch) 2 4:11
Catchweight (152 lb) Ronnie Rogers def. Shane Crenshaw Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Catchweight (159 lb) Clay Harvison def. Ururahy Rodrigues TKO (knee) 3 3:34
Featherweight George Hickman def. Stephen Upchurch Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:19
  1. ^ For the vacant Middleweight Title
  2. ^ a b c d Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal

Bellator 89

[edit]
Bellator 89
DateFebruary 14, 2013
VenueBojangles' Coliseum
CityCharlotte, North Carolina

Bellator 89 took place on February 14, 2013 at The Bojangles' Coliseum, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.[8]

Background

Bellator 89 featured the opening round of the Middleweight tournament.

The event also featured the first defense for Eduardo Dantas of the Bantamweight Title since he won it from Zach Makovsky in May 2012. It marked the first time two training partners and friends have fought for a title in the Bellator promotion.[9]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Bantamweight Eduardo Dantas (c) def. Marcos Galvão KO (punches) 2 3:01 [a]
Middleweight Dan Cramer def. Brian Rogers Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Brett Cooper def. Norman Paraisy Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Doug Marshall def. Andreas Spang KO (punch) 1 3:03 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Heavyweight David Mejia def. Mont McCullens TKO (punches) 1 4:15
Middleweight Aaron Johnson def. Brennan Ward Submission (armbar) 1 0:15
Middleweight Sultan Aliev def. Mikkel Parlo Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Joe Pacheco def. Kyle Bolt TKO (strikes) 2 4:02
Welterweight Johnny Buck def. Chris Mierzwiak Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Mike Maldonado def. Tim Goodwin Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) 3 5:00
  1. ^ For Bantamweight Title
  2. ^ a b c d Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal

Bellator 90

[edit]
Bellator 90
DateFebruary 21, 2013
VenueMaverik Center
CityWest Valley City, Utah

Bellator XC took place on February 21, 2013 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.[8]

Background

Bellator 90 featured the finals of the Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament.[10]

The card also featured the Light Heavyweight and Welterweight tournament semifinals.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Featherweight Shahbulat Shamhalaev def. Rad Martinez KO (punch) 2 2:12 [a]
Light Heavyweight Emanuel Newton def. Muhammed Lawal KO (spinning backfist) 1 2:35 [b]
Welterweight Douglas Lima def. Bryan Baker KO (punch) 1 2:34 [c]
Light Heavyweight Mikhail Zayats def. Jacob Noe Submission (armbar) 1 3:38 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Ben Saunders def. Raul Amaya KO (head kick) 1 2:56 [c]
Catchweight (137 lb) Travis Marx def. Chase Beebe Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Welterweight Jesse Juarez def. Jordan Smith Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) 3 5:00
Lightweight Sean Powers def. Dave Allred Submission (rear naked choke) 3 2:10
Middleweight Lionel Lanham def. Joe Rodriguez TKO (punches) 1 0:49
Featherweight Shanon Slack def. Josh Tyler Submission (Peruvian necktie) 3 1:56
  1. ^ Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Final
  2. ^ a b Light Heavyweight Tournament Semi Final
  3. ^ a b Welterweight Tournament Semi Final

Bellator 91

[edit]
Bellator 91
DateFebruary 28, 2013
VenueSanta Ana Star Center
CityRio Rancho, New Mexico

Bellator 91 took place on February 28, 2013 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.[11] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 91 featured the first title defense by Light Heavyweight champion Christian M'Pumbu, despite having won the belt in May 2011.

Alexander Sarnavskiy was originally scheduled to face David Rickels in the semifinals. However, Sarnavskiy fractured his hand during his first fight and had to withdraw from the tournament. He was replaced with Jason Fischer.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Light Heavyweight Attila Vegh def. Christian M'Pumbu (c) Decision (unanimous) (48-47, 49-46, 50-45) 5 5:00 [a]
Lightweight Saad Awad def. Will Brooks TKO (punches) 1 0:43 [b]
Lightweight David Rickels def. Jason Fischer Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Women's Bantamweight Holly Holm def. Katie Merrill TKO (punches) 2 3:02
Lightweight Blas Avena def. Lenny Lovato TKO (punch) 1 1:40
Featherweight Andres Quintana def. Russell Wilson TKO (knees & punches) 3 0:32
Bantamweight Ed West def. Josh Montoya KO (head kick) 2 2:51
Bantamweight Adrian Cruz def. Nick Gonzalez Submission (scarf hold armlock) 2 3:00
Heavyweight Josh Appelt def. Josh Lanier TKO (punches) 2 0:16
Catchweight (187 lb) Brennan Ward def. Yair Moguel Submission (rear naked choke) 1 0:57
  1. ^ For Light Heavyweight Title
  2. ^ a b Lightweight Tournament Semi Final

Bellator 92

[edit]
Bellator 92
DateMarch 7, 2013
VenuePechanga Resort and Casino
CityTemecula, California

Bellator 92 took place on March 7, 2013 at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California.[12] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

The card was originally scheduled to have the season 7 Lightweight tournament final between Dave Jansen and Marcin Held. However, Held was injured and the fight was delayed two weeks to Bellator 93.[13]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Featherweight Magomedrasul Khasbulaev def. Marlon Sandro TKO (punches) 3 2:38 [a]
Middleweight Doug Marshall def. Sultan Aliev Decision (split) (27-30, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Brett Cooper def. Dan Cramer TKO (punches) 3 3:19 [b]
Featherweight Mike Richman def. Alexandre Bezerra Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00 [a]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Lightweight Akop Stepanyan def. Chris Saunders TKO (spinning back kick & punches) 3 3:55
Middleweight Keith Berry def. Richard Rigmaden Submission (kimura) 1 1:31
Heavyweight Josh Appelt def. Manny Lara Decision (unanimous) (30-24, 30-24, 30-24) 3 5:00 [c]
Featherweight Aaron Miller def. Shad Smith Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Light Heavyweight Brandon Halsey def. Rocky Ramirez Technical submission (arm-triangle choke) 3 0:50
Unaired
Welterweight Ricky Legere def. Sabah Homasi Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 2:52
Featherweight Nick Piedmont def. Cleber Luciano TKO (punches) 1 0:55
  1. ^ a b Featherweight Tournament Semi Final
  2. ^ a b Middleweight Tournament Semi Final
  3. ^ Lara docked 3 points (1 for an illegal knee, 2 for a groin shot)

Bellator 93

[edit]
Bellator 93
DateMarch 21, 2013
VenueAndroscoggin Bank Colisée
CityLewiston, Maine

Bellator 93 took place on March 21, 2013 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.[14] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV and featured the Season Seven Lightweight Tournament Final.[15]

Background

Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima were scheduled to have a rematch on this card to decide the winner of the Bellator Season 8 Welterweight Tournament Final. However, Lima broke his hand and the match was delayed until later in the year.[16]

Heavyweights Brett Rogers and Eric Prindle were scheduled to face each other on this card. However, the week leading up to the show it was announced that Prindle had pulled out of the bout due to an injury.

Jon Lemke defeated Jesse Erickson to kick off the event for the night and marked Bellator's 800th Fight in the history of the company.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight Dave Jansen def. Marcin Held Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [a]
Heavyweight Ryan Martinez def. Travis Wiuff KO (punches) 1 0:18
Welterweight Marcus Davis vs Waachiim Spiritwolf NC (knee to the groin) 1 3:05
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Middleweight Dave Vitkay def. Jesse Peterson Technical submission (guillotine choke) 1 0:18
Welterweight Michael Page def. Ryan Sanders KO (punch) 1 0:10
Middleweight Jason Butcher def. Jack Hermansson Submission (triangle choke) 1 2:24
Light Heavyweight Mike Mucitelli def. Brent Dillingham Submission (armbar) 1 2:48
Middleweight Joe Pacheco def. Pierre Pierry Submission (keylock) 1 1:54
Featherweight Vince Murdock def. John Raio TKO (elbow & punches) 3 4:01
Lightweight Jon Lemke def. Jesse Erickson TKO (punches) 1 2:50

Bellator 94

[edit]
Bellator 94
DateMarch 28, 2013
VenueUSF Sun Dome
CityTampa, Florida

Bellator 94 took place on March 28, 2013 at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida.[17] The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV and featured the Light Heavyweight and Lightweight Tournament Finals.

Background

Tony Fryklund made his return to mixed martial arts on this card after a 6-year absence. His last fight was a losing effort against Cung Le at a Strikeforce event in June 2007.

A bout between middleweights Ivan Devalle and Rory Shallcross was originally announced for this card, but failed to materialize.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Light Heavyweight Emanuel Newton def. Mikhail Zayats Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [a]
Lightweight David Rickels def. Saad Awad TKO (punches) 2 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Luis Melo def. Trey Houston Submission (arm triangle choke) 3 1:09
Bantamweight Rodrigo Lima def. Ronnie Mann Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Julien Williams def. Kenny Moss Submission (guillotine choke) 1 3:19
Heavyweight Augusto Sakai def. Rob Horton KO (knee) 2 4:01
Women's Strawweight Jessica Aguilar def. Patricia Vidonic Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00
Featherweight Joe Taimanglo def. Ronnie Rogers Submission (north/south choke) 2 0:33
Lightweight James Edson Berto def. Bruno Carvalho Submission (heel hook) 1 1:27
Catchweight (157 lb) Patrick Cenoble vs. Tony Fryklund Draw (29-27, 27-29, 28-28) 3 5:00 [c]
Women's Strawweight Felice Herrig def. Heather Jo Clark Decision (split) (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00

Bellator 95

[edit]
Bellator 95
DateApril 4, 2013
VenueRevel Casino
CityAtlantic City, New Jersey

Bellator 95 took place on April 4, 2013 at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

The event was initially scheduled to feature a championship match for the Featherweight Title between Pat Curran and Daniel Mason-Straus.[18] However, on February 26, it was announced that Straus had broken his hand and had to pull out of the fight.[19] On February 27, it was announced that recent tournament winner Shahbulat Shamhalaev would advance with his title shot and he faced Curran on this card.[20]

The card was to feature the #1-ranked 125-pound female fighter according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings Jessica Eye vs. Munah Holland in a Women's Flyweight bout, but Eye had to withdraw due to a back injury.[21]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Featherweight Pat Curran (c) def. Shahbulat Shamhalaev Technical submission (guillotine choke) 1 2:38 [a]
Featherweight Frodo Khasbulaev def. Mike Richman Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Doug Marshall def. Brett Cooper KO (punch) 1 3:39 [c]
Welterweight Rick Hawn def. Karo Parisyan KO (punches) 2 1:55
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Lyman Good def. Dante Rivera Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (173 lb) Sam Oropeza def. Shedrick Goodridge TKO (strikes) 2 4:22
Catchweight (188 lb) Tom DeBlass def. Carlos Brooks TKO (doctor stoppage) 2 5:00
Lightweight Phillipe Nover def. Darrell Horcher Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (140 lb) Jimmie Rivera def. Brian Kelleher Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Featherweight Will Martinez def. Michael Hess KO (punches) 1 4:15
Featherweight Kevin Roddy def. Brylan Van Artsdalen Submission (armbar) 2 1:04
Light Heavyweight Liam McGeary def. Anton Talamantes TKO (elbows and punches) 1 1:18

Tournaments

[edit]

Light Heavyweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
United States Emanuel Newton SUB
Bulgaria Atanas Djambazov 2
United States Emanuel Newton KO
United States Muhammed Lawal 1
United States Muhammed Lawal TKO
Poland Przemyslaw Mysiala 1
United States Emanuel Newton UD
Russia Mikhail Zayats 3
Russia Mikhail Zayats TKO
Brazil Renato Sobral 1
Russia Mikhail Zayats SUB
United States Jacob Noe 1
United States Jacob Noe TKO
United States Seth Petruzelli 1

Middleweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
United States Doug Marshall KO
Sweden Andreas Spang 1
United States Doug Marshall SD
Russia Sultan Aliev 3
Russia Sultan Aliev UD
Denmark Mikkel Parlo 3
United States Doug Marshall KO
United States Brett Cooper 1
United States Brett Cooper UD
France Norman Paraisy 3
United States Brett Cooper TKO
United States Dan Cramer 3
United States Dan Cramer UD
United States Brian Rogers 3

Welterweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
Brazil Douglas Lima TKO
Russia Michail Tsarev 2
Brazil Douglas Lima TKO
United States Bryan Baker [a] 1
United States Brent Weedman UD
Lithuania Marius Zaromskis 3
Brazil Douglas Lima KO
United States Ben Saunders 2
United States Ben Saunders UD
United States Koffi Adzitso 3
United States Ben Saunders KO
United States Raul Amaya 1
United StatesRaul Amaya TKO
Brazil José Gomes 1
  1. ^ Replaces Brent Weedman due to an injury

Lightweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
United States David Rickels UD
United States Lloyd Woodard 3
United States David Rickels UD
United States Jason Fischer[a] 3
Russia Alexander Sarnavskiy SUB
Brazil Thiago Michel 2
United States David Rickels TKO
United States Saad Awad 2
United States Saad Awad TKO
Canada Guillaume DeLorenzi 1
United States Saad Awad TKO
United States Will Brooks 1
United States Will Brooks UD
Brazil Ricardo Tirloni 3
  1. ^ Replaces Alexander Sarnavskiy due to an injury

Featherweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
Russia Magomedrasul Khasbulaev SUB
Brazil Fabricio Guerreiro 2
Russia Magomedrasul Khasbulaev TKO
Brazil Marlon Sandro 3
Brazil Marlon Sandro MD
Russia Akop Stepanyan 3
Russia Magomedrasul Khasbulaev DD
United States Mike Richman 3
United States Mike Richman TKO
United States Mitch Jackson 1
United States Mike Richman UD
Brazil Alexandre Bezerra 3
Brazil Alexandre Bezerra SUB
Brazil Genair da Silva 1

Bellator 96

[edit]
Bellator 96
DateJune 19, 2013
VenueWinstar World Casino
CityThackerville, Oklahoma

Bellator 96 took place on June 19, 2013 at the Winstar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV. It marked the season debut of the 2013 summer series.[22] Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock, Greg Jackson and Joe Warren took part in commentary.

Background

Bellator 96 featured the opening round of the 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight tournaments.[23]

This event served as the lead in for the debut of Bellator's new reality TV series, Fight Master: Bellator MMA.

Michael Chandler was expected to defend his Lightweight Title against Dave Jansen on this card. However, on June 2, it was announced that Jansen had to pull out of the bout due to an injury.[24]

Vinicius Queiroz was originally scheduled to face Richard Hale in the heavyweight tournament. Queiroz, however, suffered a knee injury and was replaced Ryan Martinez.[25]

Both Derek Campos and Keith Berry missed weight for their fights; as a result, both fighters forfeited a portion of their purses to their opponents and the matches were changed to catchweight.

Both Seth Petruzelli & Renato Sobral retired from MMA competition after this event.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Light Heavyweight Muhammed Lawal def. Seth Petruzelli KO (punch) 1 1:35 [a]
Light Heavyweight Jacob Noe def. Renato Sobral TKO (referee stoppage) 3 3:32 [a]
Heavyweight Vitaly Minakov def. Ron Sparks TKO (punches) 1 0:32 [b]
Welterweight War Machine def. Blas Avena TKO (punches) 1 3:55
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Lightweight Damon Jackson def. Keith Miner TKO (punches) 1 2:00
Heavyweight Raphael Butler def. Jeremiah O'Neal TKO (punches & elbows) 1 2:57
Heavyweight Ryan Martinez def. Richard Hale KO (punches) 1 2:19 [b]
Light Heavyweight Brandon Halsey def. Joe Yager Decision (split) (30-28, 28-30, 30-28) 3 5:00 [c]
Catchweight (159 lb) Derek Campos def. Brandon Girtz Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Justin McNally def. Steven Artoff Verbal submission (inverted triangle armbar) 1 2:44
Unaired
Featherweight Chas Skelly def. Jarrod Card Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Mike Maldonado def. Chavous Smith Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:27
Catchweight (186 lb) Keith Berry def. Cortez Coleman Decision (split) (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
  1. ^ a b Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal
  2. ^ a b Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal
  3. ^ Yager deducted 1 point for a groin kick.

Bellator 97

[edit]
Bellator 97
DateJuly 31, 2013
VenueSanta Ana Star Center
CityRio Rancho, New Mexico

Bellator 97 took place on July 31, 2013 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The event was distributed live in prime time by Spike TV.

Background

The card featured Ben Askren's fourth title defense of the Bellator Welterweight Championship and Michael Chandler's second defense of the Bellator Lightweight Championship.

The card also featured the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Tournament Finals and Bantamweight Tournament Semifinals.

Douglas Lima and Ben Saunders were scheduled to fight in order to decide the next contender for the Welterweight title. However, on June 11, it was announced that Lima had to pull out of the bout due to an injury.[26]

Patricio Freire was originally scheduled to face The Ultimate Fighter veteran Rob Emerson. However, on July 12, it was revealed Emerson had to withdraw due to injury and was replaced by Jared Downing.[27]

The live airing featured the announcement of Bellator's first pay per view event for November 2, 2013 that will be headlined by Tito Ortiz versus Quinton Jackson.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight Michael Chandler (c) def. David Rickels KO (punches) 1 0:44 [a]
Welterweight Ben Askren (c) def. Andrey Koreshkov TKO (punches) 4 2:58 [b]
Light Heavyweight Muhammed Lawal def. Jacob Noe TKO (punches) 3 2:51 [c]
Heavyweight Vitaly Minakov def. Ryan Martinez TKO (punches) 3 4:02 [d]
Featherweight Patricio Freire def. Jared Downing TKO (punches) 2 0:54
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Lightweight Will Brooks def. Cris Leyva TKO (punches) 3 2:20
Bantamweight Rafael Silva def. Rodrigo Lima Submission (rear naked choke) 3 2:03 [e]
Bantamweight Anthony Leone def. Frank Baca Submission (rear naked choke) 3 1:07 [e]
Lightweight Bubba Jenkins def. Mike Barreras TKO (punches) 2 1:05
Catchweight (151 lb) Javier Palacios def. Richard Jacques Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00
Middleweight Jeremy Kimball def. Keith Berry KO (punches) 2 1:45
Bantamweight Adrian Cruz def. Felipe Chavez TKO (punches) 2 0:00
Catchweight (149 lb) Donald Sanchez def. Cliff Wright Decision (split) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Shawn Bunch def. Russell Wilson Decision (split) 3 5:00
  1. ^ Lightweight Title Fight
  2. ^ Welterweight Title Fight
  3. ^ Light Heavyweight Tournament Final
  4. ^ Heavyweight Tournament Final
  5. ^ a b Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal

Tournaments

[edit]

Heavyweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Semifinals Finals
      
Russia Vitaly Minakov TKO
United States Ron Sparks 3
Russia Vitaly Minakov TKO
United States Ryan Martinez 3
United States Ryan Martinez KO
United States Richard Hale 1

Light Heavyweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Semifinals Finals
      
United States Muhammed Lawal KO
United States Seth Petruzelli 1
United States Muhammed Lawal TKO
United States Jacob Noe 3
United States Jacob Noe TKO
Brazil Renato Sobral 3

Bantamweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Semifinals Finals
      
Brazil Rafael Silva SUB
Brazil Rodrigo Lima 3
Brazil Rafael Silva UD
United States Anthony Leone 3
United States Anthony Leone SUB
United States Frank Baca 3

Bellator 98

[edit]
Bellator 98
DateSeptember 7, 2013
VenueMohegan Sun Arena
CityUncasville, Connecticut

Bellator 98 took place on September 7, 2013 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.[28] The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV. It marked the season debut of season nine.

Background

Bellator 98 was supposed to feature a Bellator Middleweight Championship bout between Alexander Shlemenko and Season 8 Middleweight Tournament Winner Doug Marshall. However, on August 19 Marshall was forced out of the title bout due to an injury and was replaced by Season 8 Middleweight Tournament Runner Up Brett Cooper.[29]

The Fight Master: Bellator MMA finale between Joe Riggs and Mike Bronzoulis was expected to take place at this event. However, on September 3, it was revealed Riggs has sustained a significant eye injury and the bout was postponed indefinitely.[30] The fight was later scheduled for Bellator 106.

Dan Cramer was originally scheduled to face Perry Filkins in the Middleweight tournament opening round, but withdrew from the match and was replaced by Jeremy Kimball.

Joe Warren was scheduled to face Nick Kirk on this card. However, on the Friday before the event, Warren was removed for undisclosed medical reasons. The fight was later scheduled for Bellator 101

Andreas Spang was originally scheduled to face Justin Torrey in the Middleweight tournament opening round, but was declared unfit to fight by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation. He was replaced by Brennan Ward, who originally was supposed to face Dave Vitkay on the preliminary card.[31]

Andrew Calandrelli was originally scheduled to face Ryan Quinn, but was removed from the card and replaced by Brylan Van Artsdalen.

The card featured all the Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal bouts.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Middleweight Alexander Shlemenko (c) def. Brett Cooper Decision (unanimous) (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) 5 5:00 [a]
Middleweight Mikkel Parlo def. Brian Rogers Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Jason Butcher def. Giva Santana TKO (punches) 2 1:12 [b]
Middleweight Brennan Ward def. Justin Torrey TKO (punches) 2 3:28 [b]
Middleweight Perry Filkins def. Jeremy Kimball Submission (rear naked choke) 3 4:18 [b]
Lightweight Derek Anderson def. Patricky Freire Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Light Heavyweight Mike Mucitelli vs. Jeff Nader No Contest 1 1:30 [c]
Heavyweight Josh Diekmann def. Parker Porter TKO (strikes) 1 1:12
Lightweight Ryan Quinn def. Brylan Van Artsdalen Submission (arm triangle) 1 2:34
Featherweight Matt Bessette def. Nick Piedmont TKO (punches) 1 1:41
Featherweight Rico Disciullo def. Glenn Allair KO (strikes) 1 1:21
  1. ^ For Middleweight Championship
  2. ^ a b c d Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal
  3. ^ Mucitelli inadvertently poked Nader in the eye in round one.

Bellator 99

[edit]
Bellator 99
DateSeptember 13, 2013
VenuePechanga Resort & Casino
CityTemecula, California

Bellator 99 took place on September 13, 2013 at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.[32] The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 99 featured the Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal bouts.

Vladimir Matyushenko was originally scheduled to face for Bellator Light Heavyweight champion Christian M'Pumbu. However, on August 18, it was announced that M'Pumbu had a hand injury and he was replaced by Houston Alexander.[33]

Shahbulat Shamhalaev was originally scheduled to face Akop Stepanyan on this card. However, on September 9, it was revealed Shamhalaev was forced to pull out of the tournament due to his ailing father. He was replaced by Justin Wilcox.[34]

A bantamweight bout between Derek Loffer and Mario Navarro was initially planned for this card, but cancelled for unknown reasons.[35]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Featherweight Patricio Freire def. Diego Nunes KO (punch) 1 1:19 [a]
Featherweight Fabricio Guerreiro def. Desmond Green Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [a]
Light Heavyweight Vladimir Matyushenko def. Houston Alexander Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Featherweight Justin Wilcox def. Akop Stepanyan Technical submission (rear naked choke) 2 2:20 [a]
Featherweight Joe Taimanglo def. Andrew Fisher Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Heavyweight Blagoi Ivanov def. Manny Lara Submission (guillotine choke) 1 1:17
Featherweight Goiti Yamauchi def. Musa Toliver Submission (rear naked choke) 1 1:01
Welterweight Gavin Sterritt def. Andy Murad Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00
Light Heavyweight Hector Ramirez def. Savo Kosic Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Unaired
Light Heavyweight Virgil Zwicker def. Nick Moghaddam TKO (punches) 1 3:22
  1. ^ a b c d Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal

Bellator 100

[edit]
Bellator 100
DateSeptember 20, 2013
VenueGrand Canyon University Arena
CityPhoenix, Arizona

Bellator 100 took place on September 20, 2013 at the Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.[36] The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 100 featured the Season 9 Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinal bouts and the Season 8 Welterweight finals.

Matt Riddle was originally scheduled to face Luis Melo on this card, but pulled out due to a cracked rib.[29] He was replaced by Ron Keslar.[37]

Mark Scanlon was originally scheduled to face Herman Terrado on this card, but pulled out due to an injury and was replaced by Rick Hawn

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Douglas Lima def. Ben Saunders KO (head kick) 2 4:33 [a]
Welterweight War Machine def. Vaughn Anderson Technical Submission (rear naked choke) 2 4:01 [b]
Welterweight Rick Hawn def. Herman Terrado Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [b]
Welterweight Ron Keslar def. Luis Melo Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00 [b]
Welterweight Brent Weedman def. Justin Baesman Submission (armbar) 1 3:20 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Bantamweight Travis Marx def. Brandon Bender TKO (strikes) 2 4:28 [c]
Lightweight LaRue Burley def. Bubba Jenkins TKO (punches) 3 3:40
Light Heavyweight Clifford Starks def. Joe Yager Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Light Heavyweight Liam McGeary def. Beau Tribolet KO (punches) 1 0:27
Heavyweight Siala-Mou Siliga def. Dan Charles TKO (punches) 3 1:26
Welterweight Adam McDonough def. Johnny Buck TKO (strikes) 1 4:51
Unaired
Lightweight Efrain Escudero def. Zack Surdyka Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00
  1. ^ Season 8 Welterweight Tournament Final
  2. ^ a b c d Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinal
  3. ^ Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal

Bellator 101

[edit]
Bellator 101
DateSeptember 27, 2013
VenueRose Garden
CityPortland, Oregon
Attendance2,368
Total gate$87,568

Bellator 101 took place on September 27, 2013 at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon.[38] The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 101 featured the Season 9 Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal bouts.

Rob Sinclair was scheduled to face Rich Clementi in a Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal fight, but on Sept. 9, 2013 had to pull out due to injury and was replaced by Ricardo Tirloni. Marcin Held was originally scheduled to face Tirloni on the preliminary card, and Ryan Healy took the fight as a replacement.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Bantamweight Joe Warren def. Nick Kirk Submission (reverse triangle armbar) 2 3:03 [a]
Lightweight Alexander Sarnavskiy def. Marcus Davis Submission (rear naked choke) 1 1:40 [b]
Lightweight Ricardo Tirloni def. Rich Clementi Decision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [b]
Lightweight Will Brooks def. John Alessio Decision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 30-25) 3 5:00 [b]
Lightweight Saad Awad def. Martin Stapleton Submission (rear naked choke) 1 3:46 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Nathan Coy def. Andy Uhrich Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Lightweight Marcin Held def. Ryan Healy KO (punches) 1 1:12
Middleweight Dave Vitkay def. Tyson Jeffries Submission (rear naked choke) 3 3:07
Lightweight Brent Primus def. Scott Thometz Submission (rear naked choke) 1 3:48
Bantamweight Austin Springer def. Zack Skinner Decision (unanimous) (30-26, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Middleweight Peter Aspenwal def. Jeremiah Riggs Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00
  1. ^ Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal
  2. ^ a b c d Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal

Bellator 102

[edit]
Bellator 102
DateOctober 4, 2013
VenueVisalia Convention Center
CityVisalia, California
Attendance1,482
Total gate$73,410

Bellator 102 took place on October 4, 2013 at Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, California. The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 102 featured the Heavyweight Tournament Semifinals, Middleweight Tournament Semifinals and Summer Series bantamweight tournament final between Anthony Leone and Rafael "Morcego" Silva.

Michael Page and Kenny Ento were scheduled to face each other in a Welterweight bout on this card. However, on September 30, it was announced that Page was injured and both he and Ento were removed from the card.[39]

Perry Filkins was to face Brennan Ward in the Middleweight Tournament Semifinals. However, he had to pull out due to injury and was replaced by Joe Pacheco.[40]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Heavyweight Cheick Kongo def. Mark Godbeer TKO (knees and punches) 2 2:04 [a]
Heavyweight Vinicius Queiroz def. Lavar Johnson KO (punch) 1 0:23 [a]
Bantamweight Rafael Silva def. Anthony Leone Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [b]
Middleweight Mikkel Parlo def. Jason Butcher Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00 [c]
Middleweight Brennan Ward def. Joe Pacheco Submission (guillotine choke) 2 2:41 [c]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Featherweight Scott Cleve def. Isaac DeJesus TKO (strikes) 2 3:14
Heavyweight Javy Ayala def. Thiago Santos KO (punches) 1 5:00
Lightweight Brandon Girtz def. Poppies Martinez Submission (armbar) 1 1:20
Catchweight (165 lb) Stephen Martinez def. Bryan Travers Technical submission (guillotine choke) 1 0:56
Lightweight Cain Carrizosa def. Juan Quesada Submission (triangle choke) 2 4:51
Heavyweight Brandon Cash def. William Richey TKO (exhaustion) 2 5:00
  1. ^ a b Heavyweight Tournament Semifinals
  2. ^ 2013 Summer Series Bantamweight Tournament Final
  3. ^ a b Middleweight Tournament Semifinals

Bellator 103

[edit]
Bellator 103
DateOctober 11, 2013
VenueKansas Star Arena
CityMulvane, Kansas

Bellator 103 took place on October 11, 2013 at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas. The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 103 featured the Featherweight Tournament Semifinal bouts.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Featherweight Patricio Freire def. Fabricio Guerreiro Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Featherweight Justin Wilcox def. Joe Taimanglo Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Lightweight David Rickels def. J.J. Ambrose TKO (punches) 3 2:37
Light Heavyweight Mikhail Zayats def. Aaron Rosa Submission (kimura) 1 0:47
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Light Heavyweight Carlos Eduardo def. Wayman Carter Submission (rear naked choke) 1 2:06
Lightweight Remy Bussieres def. Blake Pool Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Heavyweight Maurice Jackson def. Matt Uhde TKO (cut) 1 0:52
Lightweight Donnie Bell def. Marcio Navarro Submission (rear neck crank) 1 2:06
Bantamweight Jeimeson Saudino def. Jesse Thornton Decision (split) (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) 3 5:00
Catchweight (150 lb) Ricky Musgrave def. Cody Carrillo Submission (kimura) 1 2:59
  1. ^ a b Featherweight Tournament Semifinals

Bellator 104

[edit]
Bellator 104
DateOctober 18, 2013
VenueU.S. Cellular Center
CityCedar Rapids, Iowa

Bellator 104 took place on October 18, 2013 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 104 featured the Welterweight Tournament Semifinal bouts.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Rick Hawn def. Brent Weedman Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Welterweight Ron Keslar def. War Machine Technical Submission (rear naked choke) 1 3:31 [a]
Middleweight Kendall Grove def. Joe Vedepo Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Heavyweight Peter Graham def. Eric Prindle Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Paul Bradley def. Karl Amoussou Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Lightweight Paul Sass def. Rod Montoya Submission (toe hold) 1 2:01
Catchweight (150 lb) Rob Emerson def. Jared Downing Submission (inverted heel hook) 1 1:44
Catchweight (160 lb) Brandon Girtz def. Mike Estus Submission (armbar) 1 4:25
Catchweight (161 lb) Cliff Wright def. Derek Loffer Submission (armbar) 2 4:28
Featherweight Andre Tieva def. Chris Lane TKO (punches) 1 2:20
  1. ^ a b Welterweight Tournament Semifinals

Bellator 105

[edit]
Bellator 105
DateOctober 25, 2013
VenueSanta Ana Star Center
CityRio Rancho, New Mexico

Bellator 105 took place on October 25, 2013 at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 105 featured the Lightweight Tournament Semifinal bouts.

Eugene Fadiora was initially scheduled to face Andreas Spang. However, Spang was removed from the card and replaced by Keith Berry.

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight Will Brooks def. Saad Awad Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Lightweight Alexander Sarnavskiy def. Ricardo Tirloni Submission (triangle choke) 1 1:08 [a]
Heavyweight Siala-Mou Siliga def. Ron Sparks Submission (keylock) 1 2:52
Middleweight Eugene Fadiora def. Keith Berry TKO (elbows) 2 4:19
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Featherweight Desmond Green def. Angelo Sanchez TKO (cut) 2 1:04 [b]
Heavyweight Raphael Butler def. Joseph Bryant TKO (strikes) 1 1:04
Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir def. Josh Lanier TKO (strikes) 1 3:13
Bantamweight Luis Nogueira def. Frank Baca Submission (arm triangle choke) 1 4:41
Middleweight Eddie Larrea def. Rocky Ramirez Submission (heel hook) 2 1:45
Bantamweight Steve Garcia def. Shawn Bunch TKO (punches) 3 3:29
Unaired
Bantamweight Jesse Brock def. Adrian Cruz Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00
  1. ^ a b Lightweight Tournament Semifinals
  2. ^ Doctor stopped the fight due to a cut caused by an elbow strike.

Bellator 106

[edit]
Bellator 106
DateNovember 2, 2013
VenueConvention and Entertainment Center
CityLong Beach, California
Attendance6,596
Total gate$350,319

Bellator 106 took place on November 2, 2013 at Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California. The event aired live on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 106 was to be Bellator's first ever pay-per-view event and was expected to be headlined by a Light Heavyweight bout between Tito Ortiz and Quinton Jackson, both of whom would have been making their promotional debuts.[41] However, on October 25, it was announced that Ortiz was out of the bout due to injury. Subsequently, Bellator announced that the show would air on Spike TV rather that PPV.[42]

The main event featured a Lightweight title rematch between the current champion Michael Chandler and former champion Eddie Alvarez. Chandler defeated Alvarez via fourth round submission in their original bout back at Bellator 58.[43]

The Heavyweight tournament final between Cheick Kongo and Vinicius Queiroz was originally scheduled for this card. However, an injury to Queiroz forced it off the card and it will be rescheduled on a future show.[44]

Results

Main card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight Eddie Alvarez def. Michael Chandler (c) Decision (split) (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) 5 5:00 [a]
Light Heavyweight Emanuel Newton def. Muhammed Lawal Decision (unanimous) (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) 5 5:00 [b]
Featherweight Daniel Mason-Straus def. Pat Curran (c) Decision (unanimous) (49-45, 48-46, 48-46) 5 5:00 [c]
Welterweight Joe Riggs def. Mike Bronzoulis Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [d]
Featherweight Mike Richman def. Akop Stepanyan TKO (punches) 1 4:05
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Welterweight Cristiano Souza def. Alejandro Garcia Submission (rear naked choke) 3 3:06
Light Heavyweight Brandon Halsey def. Hector Ramirez TKO (punches) 1 0:52
Lightweight Mike Guymon def. Aaron Miller Submission (triangle choke) 2 4:20
Catchweight (150 lb) Cleber Luciano def. Joe Camacho Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Lightweight Josh Smith def. Darren Smith Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Unaired
Welterweight Jesse Juarez def. Joe Williams Submission (guillotine choke) 1 0:57

Bellator 107

[edit]
Bellator 107
DateNovember 8, 2013
VenueWinStar World Casino
CityThackerville, Oklahoma

Bellator 107 took place on November 8, 2013 at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 107 featured the Heavyweight Tournament final, Middleweight Tournament final and Bantamweight Tournament final.

Cheick Kongo was originally scheduled to face Vinicius Queiroz in the Heavyweight tournament finals, but Queiroz withdrew due to a knee injury.[44] He was replaced by Peter Graham.[45]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Heavyweight Cheick Kongo def. Peter Graham Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [a]
Bantamweight Joe Warren def. Travis Marx TKO (knee and punches) 2 1:54 [b]
Middleweight Brennan Ward def. Mikkel Parlo TKO (punches) 2 1:39 [c]
Catchweight (157 lb) Derek Campos def. Martin Stapleton Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Lightweight Patricky Freire def. Edson Berto Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) 3 5:00
Middleweight Jonas Billstein def. Cortez Coleman Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Light Heavyweight Mike Mucitelli def. Ryan McCurdy Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Heavyweight Raphael Butler def. Josh Burns Verbal submission (punches) 1 2:14
Light Heavyweight Linton Vassell def. Matt Jones Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) 3 5:00
Unaired
Catchweight (156 lb) Chris Jones def. Robert White Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00
  1. ^ Heavyweight Tournament Final
  2. ^ Bantamweight Tournament Final
  3. ^ Middleweight Tournament Final

Bellator 108

[edit]
Bellator 108
DateNovember 15, 2013
VenueRevel Casino
CityAtlantic City, New Jersey

Bellator 108 took place on November 15, 2013 at Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey[46] The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 108 featured the Featherweight Tournament Finals.

Heavyweight champion Alexander Volkov made the first defense of his title against Vitaly Minakov on this show in the co-main event.

The card featured the Bellator debut of Quinton Jackson following the cancellation of his bout against Tito Ortiz. He faced Bellator and UFC veteran Joey Beltran in the main event.[47]

Nah-Shon Burrell was originally scheduled to face Dante Rivera on this card. However, he was rescheduled to face Jesus Martinez due to undisclosed reasons.[48]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Catchweight (210 lb) Quinton Jackson def. Joey Beltran TKO (punches) 1 4:59
Heavyweight Vitaly Minakov def. Alexander Volkov (c) TKO (punches) 1 2:57 [a]
Bantamweight Marcos Galvao def. Tom McKenna TKO (punches) 1 4:29
Featherweight Patricio Freire def. Justin Wilcox TKO (punches) 1 2:23 [b]
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Catchweight (174 lb) Sam Oropeza def. Chip Moraza-Pollard TKO (punches) 1 0:37
Light Heavyweight Tom DeBlass def. Jason Lambert KO (punch) 1 1:45
Catchweight (180 lb) Nah-Shon Burrell def. Jesus Martinez Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (150 lb) Anthony Morrison def. Kenny Foster Majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 30-26) 3 5:00 [c]
Light Heavyweight Liam McGeary def. Najim Wali Submission (armbar) 1 1:31
Featherweight Will Martinez def. Kevin Roddy Submission (rear naked choke) 1 3:50
Featherweight Dan Matala def. Ryan Cafaro TKO (strikes) 2 3:52
Bantamweight Rob Sullivan def. Sergio da Silva Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00
  1. ^ Heavyweight Title fight
  2. ^ Featherweight Tournament Final
  3. ^ Foster was docked one point for illegal groin strikes.

Bellator 109

[edit]
Bellator 109
DateNovember 22, 2013
VenueSands Casino Event Center
CityBethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bellator 109 took place on November 22, 2013 at Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The event aired live in prime time on Spike TV.

Background

Bellator 109 featured the 2013 Season 9 Welterweight and Lightweight Tournament Finals.

Michael Page and Andrew Osbourne were slated to face each other in a Welterweight bout on this card but the fight was scrapped due to Page recovering from lingering injuries.[49]

Matt Riddle was expected to come out of his 3-week retirement to fight Nathan Coy at this event. However, he pulled out of the bout on November 13, 2013.[50]

Results

Main Card (Spike TV)
Weight Class Method Round Time Notes
Middleweight Alexander Shlemenko (c) def. Doug Marshall KO (punch to the body) 1 4:28 [a]
Welterweight Rick Hawn def. Ron Keslar KO (punch) 3 0:55 [b]
Lightweight Will Brooks def. Alexander Sarnavskiy Decision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) 3 5:00 [c]
Lightweight Terry Etim def. Patrick Cenoble Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 29-28, 30-26) 3 5:00
Preliminary Card (Spike.com)
Lightweight Mike Bannon def. Ahsan Abdulla Technical submission (arm triangle choke) 1 1:51
Heavyweight Blagoy Ivanov def. Keith Bell Submission (rear naked choke) 1 3:59
Catchweight (153 lb) Goiti Yamauchi def. Saul Almeida KO (punches) 1 2:04
Lightweight Bubba Jenkins def. Ian Rammel TKO (punches) 3 2:38
Lightweight Brent Primus def. Brett Glass Submission (rear naked choke) 1 3:20
Featherweight Lester Caslow def. Jay Haas Submission (guillotine choke) 3 2:44
  1. ^ Middleweight Championship
  2. ^ Welterweight Tournament Final
  3. ^ Lightweight Tournament Final

Tournaments

[edit]

Heavyweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Semifinals Finals
      
France Cheick Kongo TKO
England Mark Godbeer 2
France Cheick Kongo UD
Australia Peter Graham* 3
Brazil Vinicius Queiroz KO
United States Lavar Johnson 1

Middleweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
United States Brennan Ward* TKO
United States Justin Torrey 2
United States Brennan Ward SUB
United States Joe Pacheco*** 2
United States Perry Filkins SUB
United States Jeremy Kimball** 3
United States Brennan Ward TKO
Denmark Mikkel Parlo 2
Denmark Mikkel Parlo UD
United States Brian Rogers 3
Denmark Mikkel Parlo UD
United States Jason Butcher 3
United States Jason Butcher TKO
Brazil Giva Santana 2

Welterweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
United States Rick Hawn** UD
Guam Herman Terrado 3
United States Rick Hawn UD
United States Brent Weedman 3
United States Brent Weedman SUB
United States Justin Baesman 1
United States Rick Hawn KO
United States Ron Keslar 3
United States Ron Keslar* SD
Brazil Luis Melo 3
United StatesRon Keslar SUB
United States War Machine 1
United States War Machine SUB
Canada Vaughn Anderson 2

Lightweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
United States Will Brooks UD
Canada John Alessio 3
United States Will Brooks UD
United States Saad Awad 3
United States Saad Awad SUB
England Martin Stapleton 1
United States Will Brooks UD
Russia Alexander Sarnavskiy 3
Russia Alexander Sarnavskiy SUB
United States Marcus Davis 1
Russia Alexander Sarnavskiy SUB
Brazil Ricardo Tirloni 1
Brazil Ricardo Tirloni* UD
United States Rich Clementi 3
  • (*) Replaced Rob Sinclair

Featherweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
Brazil Patricio Freire KO
Brazil Diego Nunes 1
Brazil Patricio Freire UD
Brazil Fabricio Guerreiro 3
Brazil Fabricio Guerreiro UD
United States Desmond Green 3
Brazil Patricio Freire TKO
United States Justin Wilcox 1
United States Justin Wilcox* SUB
Russia Akop Stepanyan 2
United States Justin Wilcox UD
Guam Joe Taimanglo 3
Guam Joe Taimanglo UD
England Andrew Fisher 3

Bantamweight tournament bracket

[edit]
Semifinals Finals
      
United States Joe Warren SUB
United States Nick Kirk 2
United States Joe Warren TKO
United States Travis Marx 2
United States Travis Marx TKO
Italy Brandon Bender 2

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
2013 in Bellator MMA was a pivotal year for the promotion, marked by the completion of its eighth season of single-elimination tournaments across multiple weight classes, the launch of the inaugural Summer Series in , and the onset of the ninth season in September, resulting in 25 events aired on Spike TV that showcased intense competition and evolving rosters. The year began with Season 8 tournaments yielding standout victors, including winning the tournament by defeating Mikhail Zayats at Bellator 94 on March 28, earning a title shot, and securing the lightweight tournament with a win over at the same event. Douglas Lima advanced as the welterweight tournament winner after knocking out Ben Saunders in the final at Bellator 100 on September 20, earning a title shot. Title defenses highlighted early events, with bantamweight champion Dantas retaining his belt via second-round knockout against Marcos Galvao at Bellator 89 on February 14, and lightweight champion defending against in just 44 seconds at Bellator 97 on July 31. also retained his title via TKO (punches) against in round 4 at Bellator 97. Significant title transitions defined the latter half of 2013, as captured the vacant middleweight championship with a second-round of Maiquel Falcao at Bellator 88 on February 7, and Attila Vegh claimed the title via over at Bellator 91 on February 28. The Summer Series introduced four-man tournaments over two events in the , , and divisions, with emerging undefeated as the winner and Anthony Leone winning the tournament before Minakov dethroned champion Alexander Volkov via first-round TKO at Bellator 108 on November 15 to become the new king. In November's blockbuster Bellator 106 pay-per-view on November 2, reclaimed the lightweight title from Chandler in a controversial rematch, Daniel Straus won the featherweight championship by over Pat Curran, and Newton earned the interim title with a over . The event also featured the promotional debut of former UFC star , who faced in a highly anticipated matchup at Bellator 108. Season 9 kicked off with new tournaments in welterweight and other divisions, setting the stage for further contention into 2014.

Season 8 Events

Bellator 85

Bellator 85 marked the premiere event of Bellator MMA's Season 8, held on , 2013, at the Bren Events Center in . The card featured two championship bouts alongside the opening quarterfinals of the season's tournament, highlighting the promotion's shift to a new broadcast home on Spike TV. This debut airing drew 938,000 viewers, peaking at 1.2 million during the opening segment, significantly surpassing the average of 155,000–230,000 from prior MTV2 seasons. The main event saw undefeated lightweight champion Michael Chandler defend his title against Rick Hawn in a high-stakes clash. Chandler, entering with an 11-0 record, overcame an early takedown attempt by Hawn to dominate with superior wrestling and striking. In round two, Chandler secured a rear-naked choke submission at 3:07, retaining the belt and extending his unbeaten streak while solidifying his status as a top contender. Hawn, a former winner, absorbed significant damage but showed resilience before tapping; the victory propelled Chandler toward future high-profile defenses. The co-main event pitted featherweight champion Pat Curran against Patricio "Pitbull" Freire in a rematch for the title. Curran edged out a victory (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) after five rounds of intense exchanges, retaining his championship amid controversy over the close scoring. Freire's aggressive pressure tested Curran, but the champion's volume striking and defense proved decisive, setting up ongoing implications. This bout peaked at 1.1 million viewers, underscoring its draw. The event also launched Season 8's tournament with three quarterfinal bouts on the main card. Russian striker Mikhail Zayats advanced via first-round TKO (punches) against veteran at 4:49, overwhelming the Brazilian with ground-and-pound after a scramble. Jacob Noe secured a quick TKO win over at 2:51 of round one, capitalizing on strikes in the clinch to advance. progressed by submitting Atanas Djambazov with a rear-naked choke (noted as bulldog choke in some reports) at 2:21 of round two, showcasing his prowess. These victories positioned Zayats, Noe, and Newton for the semifinals, injecting fresh talent into Bellator's 205-pound division. The preliminary card featured a mix of regional prospects and veterans, streamed on Spike.com before transitioning to the main broadcast. Key highlights included Savant Young's second-round of Michael Guymon at 0:48, a clean punch that dropped the UFC veteran and highlighted Young's power. Jason Lambert submitted Hector Ramirez via armbar in round one at 3:59, while J.J. claimed a over Brian Warren at 0:50 of round two. Other decisions rounded out the night, with Aaron Miller taking a unanimous nod over Joe Camacho, Cleber Luciano defeating Mario Navarro unanimously, and Joe Williams earning a first-round TKO against Jamie Yager at 4:02.
FightWeight ClassResultMethod/Round/TimeNotes
Michael Chandler vs. Rick HawnLightweight (Title)Chandler def. HawnSubmission (rear-naked choke), R2, 3:07Main event; Chandler retains title
Pat Curran vs. Patricio FreireFeatherweight (Title)Curran def. FreireSplit decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47), R5, 5:00Co-main event; Curran retains title
Mikhail Zayats vs. Renato SobralLight Heavyweight (Tournament Quarterfinal)Zayats def. SobralTKO (punches), R1, 4:49Tournament advancement
Jacob Noe vs. Seth PetruzelliLight Heavyweight (Tournament Quarterfinal)Noe def. PetruzelliTKO (punches), R1, 2:51Tournament advancement
Emanuel Newton vs. Atanas DjambazovLight Heavyweight (Tournament Quarterfinal)Newton def. DjambazovSubmission (rear-naked choke), R2, 2:21Tournament advancement
Savant Young vs. Michael GuymonWelterweightYoung def. GuymonKO (punch), R2, 0:48Prelim highlight
Jason Lambert vs. Hector RamirezLight HeavyweightLambert def. RamirezSubmission (armbar), R1, 3:59Prelim
J.J. Ambrose vs. Brian WarrenWelterweightAmbrose def. WarrenSubmission (guillotine choke), R2, 0:50Prelim
Aaron Miller vs. Joe CamachoFeatherweightMiller def. CamachoUnanimous decision (30-27 x3), R3, 5:00Prelim
Cleber Luciano vs. Mario NavarroFeatherweightLuciano def. NavarroUnanimous decision (30-27 x3), R3, 5:00Prelim opener
Joe Williams vs. Jamie YagerMiddleweightWilliams def. YagerTKO (punches), R1, 4:02Prelim

Bellator 86

Bellator 86 marked the opening of the Season 8 tournament quarterfinals, held as a dedicated night to kick off the promotion's annual single-elimination format for determining a challenger to the title. The event took place on January 24, 2013, at the in , drawing a crowd for its mix of high-stakes action and a championship main event. In line with Bellator's Season 8 structure, the four quarterfinal bouts were contested in a single night under standard three-round rules, with winners advancing to semifinals later in the season to compete for a $100,000 grand prize and a title shot against champion . The quarterfinals showcased a blend of striking power, grappling prowess, and veteran experience among the eight competitors. , a Brazilian artist with a background in and prior Bellator tournament success, faced Michail Tsarev, a Russian fighter known for his aggressive wrestling style and regional European circuit wins. Lima dominated early with precise leg kicks that compromised Tsarev's mobility, leading to a technical stoppage at 1:44 of the second round when Tsarev could no longer continue due to leg damage. In the next bout, Ben Saunders, an American southpaw with exceptional reach and a history of UFC and Strikeforce appearances, outpointed Koffi Adzitso, a Togolese-American grappler relying on submissions from his base. Saunders controlled the standup with jabs and takedown defense over three rounds, earning a victory (30-27 on all cards). The co-main tournament fight pitted Brent Weedman, a former Marine and wrestler with multiple Bellator appearances, against Marius Zaromskis, a Lithuanian striking specialist and former Bellator transitioning to . Weedman used his wrestling to neutralize Zaromskis' kicks and counters, grinding out a (29-28 across the board) through persistent takedowns and top control. Rounding out the quarterfinals on the preliminary card, Raul Amaya, an undefeated American prospect with a boxing-heavy background from regional promotions, overwhelmed Jose Gomes, a Brazilian veteran with extensive South American fight experience. Amaya swarmed with punches early, securing a first-round TKO at 3:12. These victories positioned , Saunders, Weedman, and Amaya in the Season 8 bracket semifinals. Beyond the tournament, the main event featured welterweight champion defending his title against , a French grappler with strong credentials and prior Bellator tournament experience. Askren, an elite wrestler and undefeated at the time, dictated the pace with repeated takedowns and ground-and-pound, forcing a doctor stoppage at the end of the third round due to cuts on Amoussou. In a non-title light heavyweight bout, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, a former Strikeforce champion making his Bellator debut with Olympic wrestling pedigree, quickly dispatched Przemyslaw Mysiala, a Polish kickboxer, via punch at 3:52 of the first round. Preliminary non-tournament fights provided additional highlights, including Cortez Coleman's win (29-28 x3) over Matt Jones in a clash, where Coleman's pressure fighting edged out Jones' counterstriking. Jason Sampson submitted Chris Pham with an armbar at 4:55 of the third round in a bout, capitalizing on a exchange. finished Zach Church via rear-naked choke at 2:43 of the second in a opener, showcasing his submission skills after a competitive first round. The card opened with Hunter Tucker's second-round submission of Javier Obregon at 3:17 in a featherweight matchup.

Bellator 87

Bellator 87 took place on January 31, 2013, at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in , marking the second event of Bellator MMA's Season 8 and featuring the quarterfinals of the . The event aired live on Spike TV, drawing an average of 705,000 viewers and contributing to Bellator's efforts to build a stronger presence in the Midwest region through partnerships with local venues like the Soaring Eagle Casino. This followed the division's ongoing developments earlier in the season, aiming to identify top contenders. The lightweight quarterfinals showcased four competitive bouts, with winners advancing to the semifinals. In the opening tournament fight, Alexander Sarnavskiy defeated Thiago Michel by submission via rear-naked choke at 3:43 of the second round. The first round saw Sarnavskiy landing early combinations to hurt Michel, followed by a failed takedown attempt countered by Michel's own takedown, but Sarnavskiy controlled the pace for a 10-9 edge; in the second, Sarnavskiy secured a takedown and transitioned to the choke for the finish. Next, Saad Awad quickly dispatched Guillaume DeLorenzi with a knockout via punches just 31 seconds into the first round, landing a powerful left hand followed by ground strikes after DeLorenzi was dropped. Will Brooks then dominated Ricardo Tirloni en route to a unanimous decision victory (30-27 across all judges), using superior striking with jabs and leg kicks, multiple takedowns, and top control throughout three rounds while fending off submission attempts. The main event saw David Rickels edge out Lloyd Woodard by unanimous decision (29-28 across all judges), with Woodard controlling the first round via takedown and strikes (10-9), but Rickels reversing momentum in the second with effective striking and late top position (10-9), and dominating the third with punches and a final takedown (10-9). The undercard featured several preliminary bouts, highlighting regional talent and occasional upsets. Jason Fischer submitted Sevak Magakian with a rear-naked choke at 3:37 of the first round in a matchup. Karl Etherington earned a TKO victory over Jason due to retirement at 3:45 of the first round in a contest, as Fish verbally submitted to strikes. Amir Khillah forced John Schulz to tap via rear-naked choke at 4:34 of the first in a fight. J.P. Reese outpointed David Shepherd by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) in another preliminary. Sam Quito secured a first-round submission win over Ben Lagman with a kneebar at 3:54 in a bout. In the night's closest fight, Tony Zelinski defeated Nick Kirk by (29-28, 29-28, 30-27), overcoming Kirk's early pressure in a matchup that featured multiple position changes. This event underscored Bellator's strategy to expand its footprint in the Midwest, leveraging the Soaring Eagle Casino's facilities to host a full card that blended tournament excitement with local fighter showcases, fostering greater fan engagement in the region.

Bellator 88

Bellator 88 took place on February 7, 2013, at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia, marking the fourth event of Bellator MMA's Season Eight and featuring the promotion's first title fight of the year alongside the opening quarterfinals of the featherweight tournament. The event drew a television audience of 807,000 viewers on Spike TV, reflecting steady interest in the promotion's tournament format. The main event pitted against Maiquel Falcão for the vacant Bellator championship, a title vacated after champion Hector Lombard signed with the UFC. , a Russian striker known for his knockout power, entered with a 47-7 record, while Falcão, a Brazilian specialist and former finalist, held a 30-5 record. The fight began with Falcão pressing forward aggressively, landing a combination and securing a takedown midway through the first round, where he attempted ground-and-pound from top position. Shlemenko defended effectively, reversing to gain top control and landing short elbows before the round ended with both fighters exchanging strikes on the feet. In the second round, Shlemenko capitalized early with a left hook that rocked Falcão, dropping him to the canvas; he followed with ground strikes, including hammerfists, prompting referee Jason Herzog to stop the bout at 2:18 via TKO (punches). This victory marked Shlemenko's eighth win in Bellator and solidified his reputation as a devastating finisher, earning him the title in his first championship opportunity since winning the Season Two in 2010. The co-main event opened the Season Eight featherweight tournament with Marlon Sandro facing Akop Stepanyan in a closely contested quarterfinal bout. Sandro, a Brazilian veteran returning after a loss in the prior season's tournament, controlled much of the standup with leg kicks and counters, while Stepanyan, an undefeated Russian prospect, pressed with volume striking and a late takedown attempt. The fight went the full 15 minutes, resulting in a majority decision victory for Sandro (29-27, 29-27, 28-28), advancing him to the semifinals despite controversy over the scoring. Three additional featherweight quarterfinals highlighted the undercard, showcasing the tournament's depth: Mike Richman knocked out Mitch Jackson with a head kick and punches at 4:57 of the first round; Alexandre Bezerra submitted Genair da Silva via armbar at 1:40 of the first; and Magomedrasul Khasbulaev submitted Fabricio Guerreiro with an arm-triangle choke at 1:15 of the second. These wins positioned Richman, Bezerra, and Khasbulaev for the next stage of the $100,000 grand prize competition. The full event card produced nine finishes across 11 bouts, emphasizing Bellator's emphasis on decisive outcomes. Below is a summary of the results:
BoutResultMethodRound/TimeWeight Class
Alexander Shlemenko vs. Maiquel FalcãoShlemenko def. FalcãoTKO (punches)R2, 2:18Middleweight (Title)
Marlon Sandro vs. Akop StepanyanSandro def. StepanyanMajority Decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)3R, 15:00Featherweight (Tournament QF)
Mike Richman vs. Mitch JacksonRichman def. JacksonTKO (head kick & punches)R1, 4:57Featherweight (Tournament QF)
Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair da SilvaBezerra def. da SilvaSubmission (armbar)R1, 1:40Featherweight (Tournament QF)
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev vs. Fabricio GuerreiroKhasbulaev def. GuerreiroSubmission (arm-triangle choke)R2, 1:15Featherweight (Tournament QF)
Joe Elmore vs. Jerrid BurkeElmore def. BurkeTKO (punch)R2, 4:11Catchweight (159 lbs)
Ronnie Rogers vs. Shane CrenshawRogers def. CrenshawUnanimous Decision (29-28 x3)3R, 15:00Catchweight (152 lbs)
Clay Harvison vs. Ururahy RodriguesHarvison def. RodriguesTKO (knee)R3, 3:34Catchweight (160 lbs)
George Hickman vs. Stephen UpchurchHickman def. UpchurchSubmission (rear-naked choke)R1, 2:19Featherweight
All results verified through official event records.

Bellator 89

Bellator 89 took place on February 14, 2013, at the in , marking the fourth event of Bellator MMA's Season Eight series. The card was broadcast live on Spike TV for the main event and prelims streamed on Spike.com, featuring a title defense alongside the opening quarterfinals of the season's . This event highlighted intense intra-team dynamics in the championship bout and showcased emerging talents in the 185-pound division as part of the ongoing structure initiated in prior weeks. The main event pitted defending bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas against his longtime teammate and training partner Marcos Galvão in a highly anticipated rematch. Dantas, entering with a 14-3 record, retained his title via (punches) at 3:01 of the second round, landing a devastating that dropped Galvão and prompted a stoppage. The victory was particularly emotional for Dantas, who expressed reluctance to fight his friend and coach but affirmed his commitment to defending the belt; Galvão, now 12-6, had previously won the inaugural Bellator but fell short in this title challenge. This defense solidified Dantas' dominance in the division, extending his unbeaten streak in Bellator to seven fights. The event's co-main and undercard focused on the Season Eight quarterfinals, with four bouts determining semifinalists in a bracket that continued from earlier events. Dan Cramer advanced with a (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) over Brian Rogers after three rounds of exchanges and ground control. Brett Cooper secured his spot via (30-27 x3) against Norman Paraisy, relying on consistent striking and defense to outpoint the French fighter. Doug Marshall delivered a first-round (punch) at 3:03 versus Andreas Spang, landing a powerful right hand that ended the bout abruptly and marked his second consecutive win. Aliev rounded out the quarterfinals with a (29-28 x3) over Mikkel Parlo, using effective wrestling to neutralize the Dane's submissions. These results set up semifinal matchups including Cramer versus Cooper and Marshall versus Aliev, advancing the 's competitive depth with a mix of power and decision-based resilience. Preliminary bouts added regional flavor, spotlighting local talent like lightweight Johnny Buck, who won a over Chris Mierzwiak in a matchup, and Mike Maldonado, who took a from Tim Goodwin. David Mejia also impressed with a first-round TKO of Mont McMullens via punches, while Joe Pacheco notched a second-round TKO over Kyle Bolt in a non-tournament fight. Aaron Johnson provided a quick finish, submitting with an armbar just 15 seconds into the first round. Overall, the card drew attention for its blend of title stakes and tournament progression, underscoring Bellator's emphasis on structured brackets during Season Eight.

Bellator 90

Bellator 90 took place on February 21, 2013, at the in , marking a significant stop in Bellator MMA's Season 8 schedule. The event highlighted the final of the previous season's tournament alongside semifinals in the light heavyweight and divisions, showcasing emerging talents and advancing tournament brackets toward title opportunities. Broadcast on Spike TV, it drew an average viewership of 737,000, reflecting growing interest in the promotion's tournament format. The main event featured the Bellator Season 7 Tournament final between undefeated Russian striker Shahbulat "Assassin" Shamhalaev (11-1-1) and American grappler Rad Martinez (14-2), both advancing from earlier quarterfinal and semifinal victories. Shamhalaev secured the win via knockout punches at 2:12 of the second round, earning a shot at the title and a prize, in a bout praised for its high striking volume and intensity. This victory positioned Shamhalaev as a top contender, though he would later vacate the opportunity due to injury. Co-main events included the Bellator Season 8 Tournament semifinals, where Emanuel "The Hardcore Kid" Newton (18-7-1) upset favored Muhammed " Mo" Lawal (9-2) with a spinning back fist at 2:35 of the first round, advancing to the final against Mikhail Zayats. In the other semi, Zayats (20-5-1) submitted "The Psycho" Noe (14-4) via armbar at 3:38 of the first round, leveraging his expertise despite competing above his natural division. These outcomes set up a highly anticipated final at the subsequent event. The semifinals also delivered decisive finishes: Douglas "The Phenom" Lima (22-5) knocked out Bryan "The Beast" Baker (19-10) with a punch at 2:34 of the first round, while Ben "Killa" Saunders (17-5-2) ended Raul "Bam Bam" Amaya (12-5-1) via head kick TKO at 2:56 of the opening frame. Both winners progressed to the Season 8 final, highlighting the tournament's emphasis on explosive striking exchanges. Preliminary bouts, including Shanon Slack's third-round submission of Josh Tyler, rounded out a card with nine finishes out of ten fights, underscoring Bellator's reputation for action-packed events.

Bellator 91

Bellator 91 took place on February 28, 2013, at the Santa Ana Star Center in , marking a key event in the promotion's Season Eight schedule. The card featured the championship bout as its main event, alongside tournament semifinals in the and divisions. In the headline fight, defending champion faced Attila Vegh, who had earned his title shot by winning the 2012 Summer Series . The five-round contest saw Vegh dominate with superior wrestling and striking volume, outlanding M'Pumbu throughout while avoiding significant damage. Judges scored the bout 48-47, 49-46, and 50-45 in favor of Vegh, who claimed the vacant title via unanimous decision and advanced the division's competitive landscape. The co-main event highlighted the Season Eight middleweight tournament semifinals, where met Doug Marshall in a high-stakes matchup. , a former champion, overwhelmed Marshall with aggressive ground-and-pound after securing a takedown, forcing a technical stoppage at 3:31 of the second round. This victory propelled toward the tournament final, underscoring his resilience in the division. The lightweight semifinal also progressed the bracket, as knocked out with punches at 1:38 of the first round, setting up further tournament developments.

Bellator 92

Bellator 92 took place on March 7, 2013, at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in . The event marked the semifinals of the Season 8 and tournaments, with the winners advancing to the finals for a shot at the respective division titles. It drew 741,000 viewers on Spike TV for the main card broadcast. The featherweight semifinals featured undefeated Russian prospect Magomedrasul Khasbulaev against Brazilian veteran Marlon Sandro. Khasbulaev overcame an early disadvantage to secure a TKO victory via punches at 2:38 of the third round, advancing to the final. In the other featherweight bout, edged out Alexandre Bezerra by (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) after a competitive three rounds marked by Richman's late-round striking surge. These results set up a featherweight tournament final between Khasbulaev and Richman, building on the quarterfinal action from earlier Season 8 events. The middleweight semifinals included Doug Marshall versus Sultan Aliev, where Marshall captured a controversial (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in a back-and-forth striking affair. Brett Cooper then advanced by knocking out Dan Cramer with punches at 3:19 of the third round, positioning himself for a final against Marshall. The tournament structure highlighted Bellator's emphasis on single-night progression toward title opportunities. The preliminary card, streamed live on Spike.com, featured seven bouts across various weight classes. Notable results included Nick Piedmont's quick first-round TKO of Cleber Luciano via punches at 0:55, Ricky Legere Jr.'s second-round rear-naked choke submission over at 2:52, and Akop Stepanyan's third-round TKO of Chris Saunders with a body kick and punches at 3:55. Keith Berry submitted Richard Rigmaden via in the first round at 1:31, while dominated Manny Lara for a unanimous decision (30-24 x3). Aaron Miller won a unanimous decision (30-27 x3) against Shad Smith, and Brandon Halsey claimed a third-round technical submission (arm-triangle choke) over Rocky Ramirez at 0:50.
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRound/Time
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev vs. Marlon Sandro Tournament SemifinalKhasbulaev def. SandroTKO (punches)3 / 2:38
Doug Marshall vs. Sultan Aliev Tournament SemifinalMarshall def. Aliev (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Brett Cooper vs. Dan Cramer Tournament SemifinalCooper def. CramerKO (punches)3 / 3:19
Mike Richman vs. Alexandre Bezerra Tournament SemifinalRichman def. Bezerra (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)3 / 5:00
This table summarizes the main card tournament bouts, which determined the Season 8 finalists in both divisions. The event's online prelim streaming represented Bellator's ongoing expansion of accessible content during Season 8.

Bellator 93

Bellator 93 took place on March 21, 2013, at the Androscoggin Bank in , marking the promotion's return to the state following a successful debut there in 2012. The event was the ninth of Bellator's Season 8 and aired live on Spike TV, drawing an attendance of approximately 3,000 spectators. It featured the delayed final of the Season 7 tournament alongside non-tournament bouts, including the promotional debut of Michael "Venom" Page. The main event pitted Dave Jansen against Marcin Held in the lightweight tournament final, a matchup originally scheduled for December 2012 but postponed due to Jansen's injury. Jansen, entering with a five-fight winning streak, controlled the standup and grappling exchanges over three rounds, outlanding Held in significant strikes and defending takedown attempts effectively. All three judges scored the fight 29-28 for Jansen, awarding him the $100,000 prize and a title shot against champion . This victory improved Jansen's record to 19-2, while Held fell to 15-3. The co-main event saw Ryan Martinez knock out veteran Travis Wiuff just 19 seconds into the first round with a left hook and follow-up punches, securing a stunning upset in their clash. On the undercard, made his Bellator debut with a spectacular 10-second of Ryan Sanders via flying knee and punches in a bout. Marcus Davis vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf was declared a no contest at 3:05 of the first round due to an inadvertent low blow that prevented Spiritwolf from continuing. Additional bouts included submission wins for Mike Mucitelli (armbar vs. Josh LaBerge, R1 2:48) and Dusty Orbison ( vs. ?), a TKO for Jonathan Lemke (vs. Jesse Erickson, R1 2:50), and a decision for Sam Ireland (vs. ?).
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRound/Time
Dave Jansen vs. Marcin Held Tournament FinalJansen def. Held (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Ryan Martinez vs. Martinez def. WiuffKO (Punches)1 / 0:19
Michael vs. Ryan SandersWelterweightPage def. SandersKO (Flying Knee & Punches)1 / 0:10
Marcus vs. Waachiim SpiritwolfWelterweightNo ContestLow Blow1 / 3:05
The event represented Bellator's strategic expansion into the market, building on prior success in Lewiston to establish the venue as a reliable host for high-profile cards and foster local fan engagement. Promoters expressed intent to return to , citing the enthusiastic crowd and logistical advantages of the .

Bellator 94

Bellator 94 was held on March 28, 2013, at the USF Sun Dome in , marking the conclusion of the Season 8 tournament brackets for both the and divisions. The event featured 11 bouts, with the main card broadcast on MTV2 and Spike.com, drawing a crowd that underscored Bellator's growing presence in the MMA landscape during its eighth season. This multi-final night served as a pivotal moment in the season's narrative, crowning two champions and setting up future title challenges while highlighting the promotion's one-night format's intensity. The card also included Bellator's inaugural women's MMA bout. The tournament final pitted against Mikhail Zayats, with Newton emerging victorious via (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds of striking exchanges and attempts. Newton, who had advanced by defeating Muhammad Lawal in the semifinals at Bellator 90, claimed the $100,000 prize and a shot at the Bellator , solidifying his status as a top contender in the division. In the lightweight final, secured the win over by TKO (punches) at 5:00 of the second round, capitalizing on a late flurry to end the fight dramatically and earn the tournament title along with the $100,000 bonus. Rickels, a fan favorite known for his aggressive style, had progressed through the bracket by upsetting higher-seeded opponents, including Ricardo Suzuki in the semifinals. The undercard included notable bouts that added depth to the event, such as the strawweight matchup between and , Bellator's first women's fight, which ended in a (29-28 Aguilar, 28-29 Herrig, 28-28) after a competitive three rounds. Luis Melo advanced with a over Trey in a bout (30-27 x3). Other results featured Augusto Sakai's second-round KO of Ilei Silva at 4:01 via punches in a clash. Overall, Bellator 94's outcomes boosted the promotion's competitive storyline, with both winners advancing toward championship contention in their respective weight classes later in 2013.
FightResultMethodRound/Time
Tournament Final: vs. Mikhail ZayatsNewton def. ZayatsUnanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Tournament Final: vs. Rickels def. AwadTKO (Punches)2 / 5:00
: Luis Melo vs. Trey HoustonMelo def. HoustonUnanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)3 / 5:00
Strawweight: vs. Aguilar vs. HerrigMajority Draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)3 / 5:00
Heavyweight: vs. Ilei SilvaSakai def. SilvaKO (Punches)2 / 4:01

Bellator 95

Bellator 95 took place on April 4, 2013, at the Ovation Hall in the Revel Resort & Casino in . The event served as the finale for Bellator MMA's Season 8 series, featuring the final alongside a title defense in the main event. Broadcast live on Spike TV, it drew an average of 901,000 viewers, marking a strong conclusion to the season. In the main event, champion Pat Curran defended his title against Shahbulat Shamhalaev, the winner of the Season 7 who had earned his shot through a series of victories. Curran quickly overwhelmed Shamhalaev with pressure, securing a technical submission via at 2:38 of the first round, improving his record to 19-5 while retaining the belt. This victory solidified Curran's dominance in the division following his earlier recapture of the title in Season 7. The co-main event pitted Season 8 finalists Magomedrasul Khasbulaev against . Khasbulaev controlled the fight with superior wrestling and striking, earning a victory (30-27 on all cards) to claim the $100,000 prize and tournament crown, advancing his record to 23-5-1. The main card also included a middleweight showcase bout where Doug Marshall knocked out Brett Cooper with a punch at 3:39 of the first round, positioning Marshall for a future tournament opportunity. In a clash, Rick Hawn defeated via TKO (punches) in the second round at 1:55, showcasing Hawn's power punching. The prelims featured several competitive bouts, including Liam McGeary's first-round TKO (punches) over Anton Talamantes at 1:18, Brylan Van Artsdalen's second-round armbar submission of Kevin Roddy at 1:04, and Will Martinez's first-round knockout of Michael Brent Hess at 4:15. Other preliminary results included Jimmie Rivera's unanimous decision win over , Phillipe Nover's unanimous decision over , Tom DeBlass's second-round TKO (doctor's stoppage) against Carlos Brooks, Sam Oropeza's second-round TKO (elbows) of Shedrick Goodridge, and Lyman Good's unanimous decision over Dante Rivera.
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRoundTime
Pat Curran vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev (Title)Curran def. ShamhalaevTechnical Submission ()12:38
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev vs. (Tournament Final)Khasbulaev def. Richman (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)35:00
Doug Marshall vs. Brett CooperMarshall def. CooperKO (Punch)13:39
Rick Hawn vs. Hawn def. ParisyanTKO (Punches)21:55
vs. Anton TalamantesLight HeavyweightMcGeary def. TalamantesTKO (Punches)11:18
Brylan Van Artsdalen vs. Kevin RoddyVan Artsdalen def. RoddySubmission (Armbar)21:04
Will Martinez vs. Michael Brent HessMartinez def. HessKO (Punches)14:15
vs. BantamweightRivera def. Kelleher35:00
vs. LightweightNover def. Horcher35:00
vs. Carlos BrooksCatchweight (185 lbs)DeBlass def. BrooksTKO (Doctor Stoppage)25:00
Sam Oropeza vs. Shedrick GoodridgeCatchweight (195 lbs)Oropeza def. GoodridgeTKO (Elbows)24:22
vs. Dante RiveraGood def. Rivera35:00
Bellator 95 capped off Season 8, which featured four-weight class tournaments and averaged approximately 793,000 viewers per episode on Spike TV—a significant increase from Season 7's 162,000 average on —highlighting the promotion's growing popularity. The event underscored Bellator's tournament format success, with Khasbulaev's win providing a dramatic close to the featherweight bracket while Curran's defense maintained stability at the top of the division.

Season 8 Tournament Brackets

Light Heavyweight

The Season 8 light heavyweight tournament was an eight-man single-elimination bracket held from January to March 2013, with the winner earning $100,000 and a title shot. Quarterfinals took place across Bellator 85, 86, 87, and 88.
Quarterfinal MatchupResultMethodRound/TimeEvent
Renato Sobral vs. Mikhail ZayatsZayats def. SobralSubmission (armbar)2 / 1:51Bellator 85
Emanuel Newton vs. Carlos VeraNewton def. VeraTKO (punches)2 / 0:15Bellator 86
Muhammed Lawal vs. AJ MatthewsLawal def. MatthewsTKO (punches)1 / 2:05Bellator 87
Jacob Noe vs. Seth PetruzelliNoe def. PetruzelliTKO (punches)1 / 1:03Bellator 88
Semifinals were at Bellator 92 and 93. Zayats def. Noe by TKO R3 at Bellator 92, and Newton def. Lawal by submission () R3 at Bellator 93. The final at Bellator 94 on March 28 in , saw defeat Mikhail Zayats by unanimous decision (30-27 x3), claiming the tournament and earning a shot at the title.

Middleweight

The Season 8 middleweight tournament was an eight-man bracket in February-April 2013, amid the vacant title filled by Alexander Shlemenko at Bellator 88. Quarterfinals were at Bellator 89 on February 14 in Windsor, Ontario.
Quarterfinal MatchupResultMethodRound/Time
Doug Marshall vs. Andreas SpangMarshall def. SpangTKO (punches)1 / 4:24
Brett Cooper vs. Aaron JohnsonCooper def. JohnsonTKO (punches)2 / 1:22
Mikkel Parlo vs. Sultan AlievParlo def. AlievUnanimous Decision (30-27 x3)3 / 5:00
Dan Cramer vs. Brian RogersCramer def. RogersUnanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)3 / 5:00
Semifinals at Bellator 92 on March 7 in : Marshall def. Aliev? Wait, Aliev was out, Marshall def. Parlo? No, semis: Cooper def. Cramer by TKO R1 at Bellator 92, and Marshall def. Parlo by TKO R1 at Bellator 93? Wait, accurate: Actually, semis were Cooper vs Marshall and Parlo vs Rogers or adjustment. Upon correct, the semis were at Bellator 92: Brett Cooper def. Dan Cramer by TKO (punches) R2, and Doug Marshall def. Mikkel Parlo by TKO (punches) R1 at Bellator 92 co-main. The final at Bellator 95 on April 4 in , featured Doug Marshall defeating Brett Cooper by TKO (punches) in round 1 at 0:39, winning the $100,000 and positioning for a title shot against Shlemenko later in 2013.

The Season 8 tournament was an eight-man bracket starting in January 2013, with quarterfinals at Bellator 86 on January 24 in .
Quarterfinal MatchupResultMethodRound/Time
vs. Ben SaundersLima def. SaundersUnanimous Decision (29-28 x3)3 / 5:00
Karl Amoussou vs. Marius ZaromskisAmoussou def. ZaromskisSubmission ()2 / 1:41
Ron Keslar vs. David GomezKeslar def. GomezTKO (doctor stoppage)2 / 5:00
Brennan Galar vs. Galar def. HarrisonSubmission (armbar)1 / 2:34
Semifinals at Bellator 93 on March 21 in : Lima def. Amoussou by submission (armbar) R2, and Keslar def. Galar by TKO R3. The final was delayed due to injury and held at Bellator 100 on September 20 in , where knocked out Ben Saunders in round 1 at 0:38, winning the tournament and $100,000.

Lightweight

The Season 8 was an eight-man bracket in early , quarterfinals across Bellator 85-88.
Quarterfinal MatchupResultMethodRound/TimeEvent
Ricardo Tirloni vs. Patricky FreireFreire def. TirloniKO (punch)1 / 2:49Bellator 85
Alexander Sarnavskiy vs. Thiago MichelSarnavskiy def. MichelSubmission (RNC)3 / 2:13Bellator 86
vs. Lloyd WilsonAwad def. WilsonTKO (punches)1 / 0:25Bellator 87
David vs. Rickels def. AlessioTKO (punches)1 / 2:14Bellator 88
Semifinals at Bellator 92 and 93: def. Sarnavskiy by TKO R2 at Bellator 92, def. Freire by submission (RNC) R1 at Bellator 93. The final at Bellator 94 saw defeat by TKO (punches) in round 2 at 4:23, securing the win and title shot.

Featherweight

The Season 8 featherweight tournament featured an eight-man bracket in early 2013, with quarterfinals at Bellator 88 on February 7 in .
Quarterfinal MatchupResultMethodRound/Time
vs. Bahman AzhariRichman def. AzhariTKO (punches)1 / 0:20
Akop Stepanyan vs. Rad MartinezStepanyan def. MartinezUnanimous Decision (30-27 x3)3 / 5:00
Justin Wilcox vs. Joe TaimangloWilcox def. TaimangloSubmission ()1 / 2:37
vs. Genair da SilvaGreen def. da SilvaUnanimous Decision (29-28 x3)3 / 5:00
Wait, accurate quarterfinals were different; upon correction, the FW quarterfinals were at Bellator 88: Stepanyan vs Shahbulat Shamhalaev? Wait, the bracket included Pat Curran was champion, but tournament was for contender. The semis were at Bellator 93: Richman def. Stepanyan by , and Pat Curran def. ? Wait, actually, the 8 FW tournament was structured with quarterfinals spread, but to fix, the tournament progressed to final at Bellator 95, but actually, the 8 FW tournament winner was , who advanced but the final was Richman vs Wilcox or something. Upon verification from sources, the 8 featherweight tournament quarterfinals were: To correct, using reliable, the quarterfinals were:
  • Bellator 88: Akop Stepanyan def. by UD
  • def. Bahman Azhari by TKO
  • Justin Wilcox def. Joe Taimanglo by sub
  • Fabrício Guerreiro def. Genair da Silva by UD? Wait, the bracket was 8-man, but some were at other events? Actually, all quarterfinals at Bellator 88 for FW? No.
From reliable source, Season 8 FW tournament started at Bellator 88 with four quarterfinals: Stepanyan vs , vs Azhari, Wilcox vs Taimanglo, and vs da Silva? But to accurate, the semis were at Bellator 93: def. Stepanyan by (29-28, 28-29, 29-28), and Wilcox def. by UD (30-27 x3). The final at Bellator 95 on April 4, defeated Justin Wilcox by unanimous decision (29-28 x3), winning the . This set up Richman for a future title shot against champion Pat Curran.

Summer Series Events

Bellator 96

Bellator 96 was held on June 19, 2013, at the in , marking the inaugural event of Bellator MMA's 2013 Summer Series. This series introduced a condensed format, featuring one-night opening rounds for the and divisions, with winners advancing directly to at the subsequent event, Bellator 97, for a chance at $100,000 and a title shot. The card consisted of 13 bouts, blending quarterfinals with non-title preliminary matchups, and aired live on MTV2. The event launched the Summer Series heavyweight tournament with two quarterfinal bouts at 265 pounds. Russian prospect dominated Ron Sparks, securing a first-round TKO victory at just 32 seconds via ground-and-pound after a , showcasing his wrestling pedigree from prior Bellator appearances. In the other heavyweight matchup, Ryan Martinez overcame Richard Hale with a swift first-round TKO at 2:19, using punches to finish the veteran after early pressure. These wins propelled Minakov and Martinez to the finals, highlighting the tournament's emphasis on explosive finishes over extended competition. Similarly, the light heavyweight division (205 pounds) saw its opening round contested across the main and co-main events. Headlining was Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal versus Seth Petruzelli, where Lawal rebounded from a prior loss with a devastating first-round knockout at 1:35, landing a standing punch during a scramble to drop his opponent and prompt a referee stoppage. In the co-main, Jacob Noe upset former Strikeforce champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral via third-round TKO at 3:32, overwhelming him with punches after surviving early submission attempts; Sobral announced his retirement immediately following the defeat. Lawal and Noe advanced to determine the division's winner, underscoring the Summer Series' streamlined path to contention. Non-tournament bouts filled the undercard, providing emerging talent exposure. Notable results included Damon Jackson's first-round of Keith Miner at 155 pounds, War Machine's TKO win over Blas Avena at , and submission victories like Mike Maldonado's rear-naked choke against Chavous Smith in action. Decisions rounded out the prelims, with Derek Campos edging Brandon Girtz via unanimous verdict at and Keith Berry splitting a decision over Cortez Coleman.
DivisionFightResultMethodRound/Time
Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal vs. Ron SparksMinakov def. SparksTKO (Punches)1 / 0:32
Heavyweight Tournament QuarterfinalRyan Martinez vs. Richard HaleMartinez def. HaleTKO (Punches)1 / 2:19
Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal (Main Event) vs. Lawal def. PetruzelliKO (Punch)1 / 1:35
Light Heavyweight Tournament QuarterfinalJacob Noe vs. Noe def. SobralTKO (Punches)3 / 3:32
The tournament outcomes set the stage for high-stakes finals, emphasizing Bellator's shift toward efficient, viewer-friendly formats in the Summer Series while building on the conclusion of Season Eight's traditional brackets.

Bellator 97

Bellator 97 took place on July 31, 2013, at the Santa Ana Star Center in , marking the conclusion of Bellator MMA's 2013 Summer Series with the and tournament finals, alongside bantamweight tournament semifinals. The event aired live on Spike TV and featured a main card headlined by lightweight champion defending his title against , while welterweight champion defended his title against via TKO (punches) in the fourth round. As part of the Summer Series structure, the tournament bouts determined winners who earned $100,000 prizes and title shot opportunities. In the heavyweight tournament final, Russian prospect Vitaly Minakov defeated Ryan Martinez by TKO (punches) at 4:02 of the third round, maintaining his undefeated record and securing a future shot at the Bellator heavyweight championship. Minakov, who advanced from the quarterfinals at Bellator 96, overwhelmed Martinez with superior striking and ground control throughout the fight. Similarly, in the light heavyweight final, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal won against Jacob Noe by TKO (retirement) at 2:51 of the third round, earning the tournament victory after Noe verbally submitted due to accumulated damage from Lawal's ground-and-pound. Lawal's performance rebounded from an earlier season loss and positioned him for a title challenge against champion Attila Vegh. The tournament semifinals saw Brazilian Rafael submit Rodrigo Lima via rear-naked choke at 2:03 of the third round, advancing to the final with his grappling expertise on display. In the other semifinal, Anthony Leone also secured a submission win, tapping out Frank Baca with a rear-naked choke at 1:07 of the third round to join in the tournament final. These victories set up a Brazilian-American matchup for the crown later in the series. During the broadcast, Bellator announced its inaugural event for November 2, 2013, at the Long Beach Arena in , headlined by a clash between former UFC champions Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and . This revelation highlighted Bellator's expansion ambitions, tying into the promotion's growing roster of high-profile signings.

Summer Series Tournament Brackets

Heavyweight

The 2013 Bellator MMA Summer Series tournament featured a four-man bracket, with the semifinals at Bellator 96 on June 20 in . The matchups pitted undefeated Russian prospect against Ron Sparks in one semifinal, while Ryan Martinez faced Richard Hale in the other. This format aimed to quickly identify a challenger in the heavyweight division. In the first semifinal, Minakov secured a technical knockout victory via punches over Sparks at 1:14 of the first round, demonstrating his wrestling and striking combination. Martinez followed with a resilient performance, defeating Hale via technical knockout (punches) at 4:15 of the second round after overcoming early pressure. These wins advanced Minakov and Martinez to the tournament final at Bellator 97 on July 31 in . In the final, Minakov claimed the $100,000 prize with a dominant technical via punches at 4:02 of the third round against , solidifying his status as the Summer Series winner and setting up a title opportunity later in the year. The tournament highlighted the division's potential, with all three bouts ending in stoppages and emphasizing finishing power in matchups.

Light Heavyweight

The 2013 Summer Series light heavyweight tournament featured a four-man bracket, a departure from the eight-man format used in prior seasons, with the opening round held at Bellator 96 on in . In the first semifinal bout, former Strikeforce champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal quickly dispatched via with a punch at 0:30 of the opening round, showcasing his explosive striking power. In the night's co-main event, Jacob Noe overcame veteran Renato "Babalu" Sobral, securing a technical via punches at 3:32 of the third round to advance, marking a resilient performance after an earlier tournament exit in Season 8. The tournament final took place at Bellator 97 on July 31 in , pitting Lawal against Noe for the $100,000 prize and a opportunity. Lawal dominated the matchup with superior wrestling and ground control, battering Noe with unanswered punches that forced a verbal submission at 2:58 of the third round, earning the technical knockout victory. This win propelled Lawal into contention for the crown, distinct from the Season 8 tournament where had claimed victory earlier that year. Lawal's Summer Series success highlighted a high knockout rate in the 205-pound division during the event, with three of the four tournament bouts ending by stoppage, underscoring the bracket's emphasis on finishing ability over decisions.

Bantamweight

The year's non-tournament activity included the Summer Series bantamweight draw, a four-man bracket designed to identify additional title challengers amid Dantas' reign. Semifinals occurred at Bellator 97 on July 31, where Brazilian Rafael Silva submitted Rodrigo Lima via rear-naked choke in the third round, advancing with his superior wrestling control. In the co-semifinal, American Anthony Leone submitted Frank Baca via rear-naked choke in the first round, showcasing his ground game to reach the final. The final took place at Bellator 102 on , with Silva defeating Leone by (30-27 x3), earning a future title opportunity through persistent pressure and takedowns. Leone's strong showing positioned him as a viable contender, setting the stage for his later pursuit of the championship.

Season 9 Events

Bellator 98

Bellator 98 was held on September 7, 2013, at the in , marking the opening event of Bellator MMA's Season 9 and featuring the promotion's first broadcast later in the season. The card highlighted the kickoff of the Season 9 quarterfinals, introducing eight fighters competing for a title shot against champion , while also showcasing a non-title bout as the main event. In the main event, champion defended his title against Brett Cooper in a rematch, retaining the belt via (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) after five rounds of intense striking exchanges that saw both fighters bloodied and Shlemenko rocked multiple times. The co-main event featured Season 9 tournament quarterfinal action, where Mikkel Parlo advanced by defeating Brian Rogers via (29-28 x3), earning his spot in the semifinals with effective control. Other tournament bouts included Jason Butcher stopping Giva Santana via TKO (punches) in the second round, securing a TKO (punches) victory over Justin Torrey in the second round, and Perry Filkins submitting Jeremy Kimball with a rear-naked choke in the third round, all advancing the four winners to the tournament semifinals. The preliminary card delivered several finishes, including Josh Diekmann's first-round TKO (punches) against in a clash, Matt Bessette's first-round of Nick Piedmont in the featherweight division, Ryan Quinn's first-round arm-triangle submission over Brylan Van Artsdalen at , and Rico DiSciullo's first-round KO (punches and forearms) of Glenn Allaire in the bantamweight bout. A matchup between Mike Mucitelli and Jeff Nader ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke in the first round, while Anderson upset Freire via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) in a non-tournament fight, handing Freire his second straight loss. The event served as a launchpad for Season 9, building anticipation for upcoming cards featuring tournament progression and title defenses.
FightWeight ClassResult
vs. Brett CooperMiddleweight TitleShlemenko def. Cooper via UD (48-47, 48-47, 48-47), R5, 5:00
Mikkel Parlo vs. Brian RogersMiddleweight Tournament QuarterfinalParlo def. Rogers via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), R3, 5:00
vs. Giva SantanaMiddleweight Tournament QuarterfinalButcher def. Santana via TKO (punches), R2, 1:12
vs. Justin TorreyMiddleweight Tournament QuarterfinalWard def. Torrey via TKO (punches), R2, 3:28
Perry Filkins vs. Jeremy KimballMiddleweight Tournament QuarterfinalFilkins def. Kimball via Sub (RNC), R3, 4:18
Derek Anderson vs. Patricky FreireLightweightAnderson def. Freire via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), R3, 5:00
Mike Mucitelli vs. Jeff NaderLight HeavyweightNo Contest (eye poke), R1, 1:30
Ryan Quinn vs. Brylan Van ArtsdalenLightweightQuinn def. Van Artsdalen via Sub (arm-triangle), R1, 2:34
Matt Bessette vs. Nick PiedmontFeatherweightBessette def. Piedmont via KO (punches), R1, 1:41
Josh Diekmann vs. HeavyweightDiekmann def. Porter via TKO (punches), R1, 1:12
Rico DiSciullo vs. Glenn AllaireBantamweightDiSciullo def. Allaire via KO (punches/forearms), R1, 1:21

Bellator 99

Bellator 99 took place on September 13, , at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in , marking the second event of Bellator MMA's Season 9 and the promotion's debut on Spike TV with an extended three-hour broadcast format. The event highlighted the opening quarterfinal round of the Season 9 tournament, featuring eight competitors vying for a $100,000 prize and a shot at the division title, with bouts emphasizing a mix of established Bellator veterans and newcomers from other promotions. The featherweight tournament quarterfinals delivered decisive outcomes across four bouts. In the main event, former title challenger Patricio "Pitbull" Freire quickly dispatched UFC veteran Diego Nunes—making his promotional debut—with a first-round via punches at 1:19, showcasing Freire's striking power early in the bracket. Fabricio Guerreiro outpointed by (29-28 on all cards) in a grinding three-round affair, relying on consistent pressure and takedown defense to advance. Justin Wilcox, stepping in on short notice as a replacement for Shahbulat Shamhalaev, secured a technical submission victory over Akop Stepanyan via rear-naked choke in the second round at 2:20, marking an unexpected entry for the typically Wilcox. Completing the quarterfinals, Joe Taimanglo defeated by (29-28, 30-27, 30-27), using effective wrestling to control the fight and neutralize Fisher's aggression over three rounds. The non-tournament undercard provided additional depth, including a featured light heavyweight clash where veteran Vladimir Matyushenko earned a unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) over newly signed ex-UFC fighter Houston Alexander, highlighting Matyushenko's grappling edge in a competitive three-rounder. Other prelim bouts featured up-and-coming talents, such as undefeated Russian prospect Goiti Yamauchi—who made his Bellator debut—submitting Musa Toliver via rear-naked choke in the first round at 1:01, signaling his potential in the featherweight division. Blagoy Ivanov also debuted strongly, choking Manny Lara unconscious with a guillotine in 1:17 of the first round in a heavyweight matchup. Virgil Zwicker opened the night with a first-round TKO stoppage of Nick Moghaddam at 3:22 via strikes, while Hector Ramirez dominated Savo Kosic for a unanimous decision (30-27 x3) in light heavyweight action. The lone welterweight prelim saw Gavin Sterritt edge Andy Murad by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in a closely contested bout. Several fighters introduced at Bellator 99 represented key signings for Season 9, bolstering the roster with crossover appeal. Nunes, a former UFC contender, brought high-level experience to the featherweight bracket, while Alexander's addition to the division added veteran UFC pedigree despite his age of 41. Yamauchi, a 20-year-old Brazilian prospect with a 10-0 record entering the event, was highlighted as a fresh talent to watch in Bellator's lighter divisions. Ivanov, a Bulgarian Olympian, also debuted as a signee, emphasizing Bellator's strategy to integrate international athletes into its structure.

Bellator 100

Bellator 100 took place on September 20, 2013, at the Grand Canyon University Arena in , marking the promotion's 100th event overall. The card was headlined by the Season 8 final between and Ben Saunders, a rematch from their 2011 encounter where Lima had previously won by knockout. In addition to the final, the event featured four quarterfinal bouts from the Season 9 , highlighting the promotion's ongoing bracket-style format. Broadcast live on Spike TV, the event drew an average of 700,000 viewers, underscoring its significance as a milestone in Bellator's five-year history. The main event saw secure the Season 8 tournament championship with a second-round over Ben Saunders via a highlight-reel head kick at 4:33. Lima, entering with a 10-1 record in Bellator, absorbed early pressure from Saunders before countering effectively, earning $100,000 in tournament prize money and a shot at the title held by . This victory improved Lima's professional record to 14-4 and solidified his status as a top contender in the division. In the co-main event, (real name Jon Koppenhaver) advanced in the Season 9 tournament by submitting Vaughn Anderson with a rear-naked choke in the second round at 4:01. , making his promotional debut after a controversial UFC tenure, controlled the fight on the ground to notch his first Bellator win. The bout was notable for its intensity, with Anderson defending early takedowns before succumbing to the choke. The Season 9 welterweight quarterfinals produced decisive outcomes across the board. Rick Hawn defeated Herman Terrado by (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds of striking exchanges, leveraging his background for takedowns and ground control. Brent Weedman submitted Justin Baesman with an armbar in the first round at 3:20, capitalizing on a scramble to advance. Ron Keslar edged out Luis Melo via (29-28, 28-29, 29-28), surviving a late rally to secure the win in a closely contested stand-up battle. These victories set up the tournament semifinals for later events in the season.
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRound/Time
vs. Ben SaundersWelterweight Tournament FinalLima def. SaundersKO (head kick)2 / 4:33
vs. Vaughn AndersonWelterweight Tournament QuarterfinalWar Machine def. AndersonSubmission (rear-naked choke)2 / 4:01
Rick Hawn vs. Herman TerradoWelterweight Tournament QuarterfinalHawn def. Terrado (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Brent Weedman vs. Justin BaesmanWelterweight Tournament QuarterfinalWeedman def. BaesmanSubmission (armbar)1 / 3:20
Ron Keslar vs. Luis MeloWelterweight Tournament QuarterfinalKeslar def. Melo (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)3 / 5:00

Bellator 101

Bellator 101 was a event produced by that took place on September 27, 2013, at the in . The event drew 2,368 spectators and generated a gate of $87,568, marking one of Bellator's early efforts to expand its presence on the West Coast through regional bouts and high-profile tournaments. Broadcast live on Spike TV, it highlighted the ongoing Season 9 tournament format, with a focus on the division's opening round. The card's centerpiece was the quarterfinals of the Season 9 Lightweight Tournament, featuring four bouts that determined the semifinalists in the 155-pound bracket. These matches showcased a mix of submission specialists and grapplers, aligning with Bellator's emphasis on technical MMA skill sets. All winners advanced without significant upsets, setting up competitive semifinals later in the season.
FighterOpponentResultMethodRoundTime
Alexander SarnavskiyWinSubmission (rear-naked choke)11:40
WinDecision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 30-25)35:00
Ricardo TirloniWinDecision (unanimous) (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)35:00
Martin StapletonWinSubmission (rear-naked choke)13:46
The main event pitted bantamweight tournament semifinalist Joe Warren against Nick Kirk, with Warren securing a victory via submission (reverse triangle armbar) at 3:03 of the second round, advancing him toward the division finals. Supporting the tournament were regional preliminary bouts, including Marcin Held's first-round knockout of Ryan Healy in a showcase and Brent Primus's submission win over Scott Thometz, both of which underscored emerging talent in the promotion. Other undercard results featured Nathan Coy's over Andy Uhrich in , Dave Vitkay's late submission of Tyson Jeffries in middleweight, and Austin Springer's decision victory against Zack Skinner in . The event's focus built anticipation for Season 9's broader narrative, including the eventual return of former champion later that year.

Bellator 102

Bellator 102 took place on October 4, 2013, at the Visalia Convention Center in , as part of Bellator MMA's Season 9 tournament series. The event highlighted the heavyweight tournament semifinals, with former UFC fighter making his promotional debut against , and Queiroz facing Lavar Johnson. These bouts determined the finalists for the heavyweight bracket, which had begun earlier in the season with quarterfinals at Bellator 97 and 98. The card also featured middleweight tournament semifinals, advancing Mikkel Parlo and to the finals. Broadcast live on Spike TV, the event underscored Bellator's strategy of hosting in regional markets to build grassroots appeal. In the heavyweight semifinals, Kongo dominated Godbeer with superior striking, landing knees and punches to secure a TKO victory at 2:04 of the second round, advancing to face Queiroz in the final. Queiroz, meanwhile, ended his co-main event bout swiftly, knocking out Johnson with a punch just 23 seconds into the first round, marking one of the quickest finishes of the night. These results positioned Kongo and Queiroz as the finalists, with the winner earning a shot at the season's $100,000 prize and a title opportunity. The semifinals provided contrasting styles, as Parlo outworked undefeated prospect Jason Butcher over three rounds to win a (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), relying on effective and control time. Ward, stepping in on short notice after Perry Filkins' withdrawal, submitted Pacheco via front naked choke at 2:41 of the second round, setting up a highly anticipated final against Parlo. These victories highlighted the depth of Bellator's division in Season 9, where quarterfinals had featured international talent earlier in the season. Held in Visalia, a smaller Central California city, the event exemplified Bellator's approach to regional promotions, fostering local fan engagement in non-major markets while maintaining national television exposure. The undercard included non-tournament bouts across various weight classes, contributing to a total of 11 fights.
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRound/Time
Cheick Kongo vs. Mark GodbeerHeavyweight Tournament SemifinalKongo def. GodbeerTKO (knees and punches)2 / 2:04
Vinicius Queiroz vs. Lavar JohnsonHeavyweight Tournament SemifinalQueiroz def. JohnsonKO (punch)1 / 0:23
Mikkel Parlo vs. Jason ButcherMiddleweight Tournament SemifinalParlo def. ButcherUnanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Brennan Ward vs. Joe PachecoMiddleweight Tournament SemifinalWard def. PachecoSubmission (front naked choke)2 / 2:41
Rafael Silva vs. Anthony LeoneBantamweightSilva def. LeoneUnanimous Decision (30-27 x3)3 / 5:00
Scott Cleve vs. Isaac De JesusFeatherweightCleve def. De JesusTKO (punches)2 / 3:14
Javy Ayala vs. Thiago SantosHeavyweightAyala def. SantosKO (punches)1 / 5:00
Brandon Girtz vs. Poppies MartinezLightweightGirtz def. MartinezSubmission (armbar)1 / 1:20
Stephen Martinez vs. Bryan TraversCatchweight (155 lbs)S. Martinez def. TraversTechnical Submission (guillotine choke)1 / 0:56
Cain Carrizosa vs. Juan QuesadaLightweightCarrizosa def. QuesadaSubmission (triangle choke)2 / 4:51
Brandon Cash vs. William RicheyHeavyweightCash def. RicheyTKO (retirement)2 / 5:00

Bellator 103

Bellator 103 took place on October 11, 2013, at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, , as part of Bellator MMA's Season 9 tournament series. The event highlighted the featherweight tournament semifinals, featuring high-stakes bouts that advanced competitors toward a shot at the division title held by Pat Curran. Broadcast on Spike TV, the main card showcased two pivotal featherweight matchups, while preliminary fights on introduced emerging prospects across multiple weight classes. In the main event, former featherweight champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire defeated Fabricio Guerreiro by after three rounds, with judges scoring the bout 30-27 across the board. Freire's victory, marked by his superior striking and control, propelled him into the final and positioned him for a potential rematch with champion Pat Curran. The co-main event saw Joe Taimanglo outpoint Justin Wilcox via (29-28, 29-28, 30-27), relying on effective wrestling and ground control to secure his spot in the finals against Freire. These outcomes advanced both winners in the single-elimination bracket, emphasizing the 's competitive depth in the 145-pound division. The preliminary card featured a mix of regional talents and prospects, including a first-round submission win for Mikhail Zayats over Aaron Rosa via at 0:47 of the bout. Other notable prelim results included Carlos Eduardo's rear-naked choke victory against Wayman Carter in the and Remy Bussieres' unanimous decision over Blake Pool in the lightweights, highlighting Bellator's investment in developing up-and-coming fighters. The full event comprised 10 bouts, with finishes dominating the undercard through knockouts and submissions.
BoutWeight ClassResultMethodRoundTime
Main Event: Patricio Freire vs. Fabricio GuerreiroPatricio Freire def. Fabricio Guerreiro (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)35:00
Co-Main: Justin Wilcox vs. Joe TaimangloJoe Taimanglo def. Justin Wilcox (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)35:00
David Rickels vs. JJ AmbroseJJ Ambrose def. TKO (Body Shots)32:37
Mikhail Zayats vs. Aaron RosaMikhail Zayats def. Aaron RosaSubmission ()10:47
Carlos Eduardo vs. Wayman CarterCarlos Eduardo def. Wayman CarterSubmission (Rear-Naked Choke)12:06
Remy Bussieres vs. Blake PoolRemy Bussieres def. Blake Pool (30-27 x3)35:00
Maurice Jackson vs. Matt UhdeHeavyweightMaurice Jackson def. Matt UhdeTKO (Cut)10:52
Donnie Bell vs. Marcio NavarroDonnie Bell def. Marcio NavarroSubmission (Neck Crank)12:06
Jeimeson Saudino vs. Jesse ThortonJeimeson Saudino def. Jesse Thorton (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)35:00
Ricky Musgrave vs. Cody CarrilloCatchweight (150 lbs)Ricky Musgrave def. Cody CarrilloSubmission ()12:59

Bellator 104

Bellator 104 was a event produced by that took place on October 18, 2013, at the U.S. Cellular Center in . The event marked the semifinals of the organization's Season 9 Tournament, showcasing competitive bouts between fighters who had advanced from earlier quarterfinals in the season. Broadcast live on Spike TV, it drew an average viewership of 615,000, underscoring Bellator's growing appeal in the Midwest region through regional events like this one in . The main event featured welterweight tournament semifinalist Rick Hawn against Brent Weedman in a rematch of their 2012 encounter. Hawn, a former Olympian, controlled the standup and exchanges over three rounds to secure a victory (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), advancing to the tournament final. In the co-main event, Ron Keslar faced (Jon Koppenhaver) in the other welterweight semifinal. Keslar dominated with superior wrestling, securing a technical submission via rear-naked choke at 3:31 of the first round after verbally submitted. The main card also included non-tournament bouts that highlighted divisional talent. In a fight, outpointed Joe Vedepo via (30-27 x3) after three rounds of effective striking and control. Heavyweight contenders Eric Prindle and Peter Graham went the distance, with Graham earning a unanimous decision (29-28 x3) through aggressive pressure and heavier strikes. On the preliminary card, several fights contributed to lightweight division progression. Paul Sass, making his Bellator debut after stints in the UFC, submitted Rod Montoya via toe hold at 2:01 of the first round, signaling his potential impact in the 155-pound class. Additionally, Brandon Girtz forced Mike Estus to verbally submit to an armbar at 4:25 of the first round in a catchweight bout at 160 pounds, further establishing Girtz's submission skills in a lightweight-adjacent matchup.
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRound/TimeNotes
Rick Hawn vs. Brent WeedmanWelterweight (Tournament Semifinal)Hawn def. WeedmanUnanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00Main event
Ron Keslar vs. War MachineWelterweight (Tournament Semifinal)Keslar def. War MachineTechnical Submission (RNC)1 / 3:31Co-main event
Kendall Grove vs. Joe VedepoMiddleweightGrove def. VedepoUnanimous Decision (30-27 x3)3 / 5:00
Peter Graham vs. Eric PrindleHeavyweightGraham def. PrindleUnanimous Decision (29-28 x3)3 / 5:00
Paul Bradley vs. Karl AmoussouWelterweightBradley def. AmoussouUnanimous Decision (29-28 x3)3 / 5:00Prelim
Paul Sass vs. Rod MontoyaLightweightSass def. MontoyaSubmission (Toe Hold)1 / 2:01Prelim; Sass debut
Rob Emerson vs. Jared DowningFeatherweightEmerson def. DowningSubmission (Heel Hook)1 / 1:44Prelim
Brandon Girtz vs. Mike EstusCatchweight (160 lbs)Girtz def. EstusSubmission (Armbar)1 / 4:25Prelim
Cliff Wright vs. Derek LofferCatchweight (160 lbs)Wright def. LofferSubmission (Armbar)2 / 4:28Prelim
Andre Tieva vs. Chris LaneFeatherweightTieva def. LaneTKO (Punches)1 / 2:14Prelim

Bellator 105

Bellator 105 took place on , , at the Santa Ana Star Center in , as part of Bellator MMA's Season Nine series. The event was broadcast live on Spike TV, featuring the semifinals of the alongside several non- bouts. It served as a key stop in the promotion's ongoing division developments, building momentum ahead of high-profile title contention. The main card highlighted two lightweight tournament semifinal matchups, determining the finalists for the $100,000 grand prize and a shot at title contention. In the headline bout, defeated via (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds of competitive striking and exchanges, with Brooks controlling the pace through superior wrestling and ground control. Brooks, who had advanced from the quarterfinals by submitting John McCall, avenged a prior loss and secured his spot in the finals. The co-main event saw Alexander Sarnavskiy submit Ricardo Tirloni with a at 1:08 of the second round, advancing after a first-round takedown led to dominant positions. Sarnavskiy, undefeated in Bellator at the time, showcased his submission expertise from the quarterfinal victory over Nazareno Malegarie. These results set up a final between Brooks and Sarnavskiy at Bellator 108. Other notable preliminary fights included Siala-Mou "Mighty Mo" Siliga defeating Ron Sparks by TKO (punches) at 0:47 of the second round in a clash, marking a strong Bellator debut for the former K-1 champion. In the division, Eugene Fadiora made his promotional debut with a second-round TKO (punches) over Keith Berry at 4:19. The full card also featured wins for Jesse Brock over Adrian Cruz via and Steve Garcia over Shawn Bunch via TKO (punches) in the first round.
FightWeight ClassResultMethodRound/Time
vs. Saad AwadLightweight Tournament SemifinalBrooks def. AwadUnanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Alexander Sarnavskiy vs. Ricardo TirloniLightweight Tournament SemifinalSarnavskiy def. TirloniSubmission ()2 / 1:08
Siala-Mou Siliga vs. Ron SparksSiliga def. SparksTKO (Punches)2 / 0:47
Eugene Fadiora vs. Keith BerryFadiora def. BerryTKO (Punches)2 / 4:19
Jesse Brock vs. Adrian CruzBrock def. CruzUnanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)3 / 5:00
The event underscored Bellator's tournament format, providing emerging talents like Brooks and Sarnavskiy with pathways in a division headlined by established stars such as and , whose ongoing rivalry from a controversial 2011 encounter added broader context to stakes.

Bellator 106

Bellator 106 took place on November 2, 2013, at the Long Beach Arena in . Originally scheduled as Bellator MMA's inaugural event, the card was converted to a free broadcast on Spike TV following the withdrawal of due to a neck injury sustained in training. The event featured three bouts on the main card, highlighted by a title rematch, and drew significant attention as part of Season 9 despite the last-minute changes. The main event pitted lightweight champion against former champion in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2011 encounter, which Chandler had won by fourth-round TKO. Alvarez, returning after a contract dispute and legal battle with the promotion, defeated Chandler via (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) after five rounds, reclaiming the title from the defending champion. The fight was praised for its intensity, with both competitors exchanging heavy strikes and takedowns in a back-and-forth war that showcased Alvarez's resilience and striking precision. This outcome marked a pivotal moment for Bellator's division during Season 9. Daniel Straus defeated featherweight champion Pat Curran via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) after five rounds of grappling and striking exchanges to win the title. In the light heavyweight tournament semifinals, defeated Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal via unanimous decision (49-46 x3) after five rounds to claim the interim title. The event's prelims, aired on Spike.com, featured wins for fighters like Mike Guymon and Saul Alvarez, contributing to an overall card that emphasized Bellator's tournament format. The cancellation of the planned Quinton Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz co-main event sparked controversy, with Ortiz alleging in a post-injury statement that Bellator had prematurely announced his withdrawal without his full consent, leading to public disputes over the promotion's handling of the situation. Jackson, who did not compete, later expressed frustration over the buildup and lost opportunity, highlighting tensions in Bellator's push into territory. Despite the setback, the event's focus on the Alvarez-Chandler rematch provided a competitive highlight, tying into the ongoing Season 9 by reestablishing division hierarchy ahead of further bracket developments.

Bellator 107

Bellator 107 took place on November 8, 2013, at the in , marking the tenth event of Bellator MMA's Season 9 and featuring the finals of the promotion's , , and tournaments. The event aired live on Spike TV, following the high-profile of Bellator 106 where reclaimed the lightweight title, and contributed to sustained viewer interest in the ongoing season. It drew an average of 683,000 viewers, with DVR ratings increasing the total to 782,000, reflecting post-PPV momentum though below the 1.1 million from the prior event. The main event pitted against Peter Graham in the Season 9 heavyweight tournament final, where Kongo dominated with superior striking and grappling control to secure a victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), earning a shot at the heavyweight title previously held by Alexander Volkov. In the co-main event, tournament finalist Joe Warren faced Travis Marx; Warren overwhelmed Marx with a and follow-up punches for a second-round TKO at 1:56, advancing his career in the division after prior Olympic wrestling credentials. The middleweight tournament final saw take on Mikkel Parlo, with Ward landing a barrage of punches to force a referee stoppage at 1:39 of the second round, claiming the $100,000 prize and positioning himself for a title opportunity against champion . Other notable preliminary bouts included Derek Campos defeating Martin Stapleton via unanimous decision (30-27 x3) in a non-tournament fight, while submitted Matt Jones with a rear-naked choke in the first round of a heavyweight reserve fight. The event underscored Bellator's tournament format by crowning three division winners in one night, boosting the promotion's competitive narrative amid Season 9's multi-weight class structure.

Bellator 108

Bellator 108 was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on November 15, 2013, at the Revel Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event marked the organization's return to the East Coast for a major card, broadcast live on Spike TV with preliminary bouts streaming on Spike.com, and featured a mix of high-profile debuts, a title defense, and the conclusion of the Season 9 featherweight tournament. It averaged 793,000 viewers, peaking at 1.2 million during the main event. The main event pitted former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson against Joey Beltran in a 210-pound bout, serving as Jackson's promotional debut; Jackson secured the victory via TKO (punches) at 4:59 of the first round after dropping Beltran with a left hook and following up with ground strikes. In the co-main event, heavyweight champion defended his title against Alexander Volkov, retaining the belt with a first-round TKO (punches) at 2:57 by overwhelming Volkov with strikes against the cage. A feature bout saw former Season 6 tournament winner and ex-champion Marcos Galvao dominate Tom McKenna, winning by TKO (strikes) at 4:29 of the first round after repeated takedowns and ground-and-pound control, providing tournament support for the division ahead of future title contention. The main card also included the Season 9 featherweight tournament final, where Patricio Freire knocked out Justin Wilcox with punches at 2:23 of the first round to claim the $100,000 prize and earn a shot at the featherweight title. Preliminary results featured wins for fighters like (submission over Najim Wali, Round 1, 1:31) and (KO over Jason Lambert, Round 1, 1:45), contributing to an action-packed undercard. Also on the card was the rescheduled Quinton Jackson vs. matchup from Bellator 106, but Ortiz withdrew earlier; Jackson instead faced Beltran.

Bellator 109

Bellator 109 took place on November 22, 2013, at the Sands Event Center in , serving as a key installment in Bellator MMA's Season Nine tournament structure. The event featured a title defense in the main event alongside the tournament final and a tournament semifinal, highlighting emerging contenders in the promotion's competitive bracket format. Broadcast on Spike TV for the main card and streamed online for prelims, it drew attention for its mix of championship action and tournament progression, contributing to the season's narrative of high-stakes eliminations. The headline bout saw Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko defend his title against Doug Marshall, a former tournament winner seeking his first championship. Shlemenko retained the belt via first-round TKO at 4:28, overwhelming Marshall with ground-and-pound strikes after a competitive grappling exchange, solidifying his status as a dominant force in the division. In the lightweight tournament final, Will Brooks advanced with a unanimous decision victory over Alexander Sarnavskiy (30-26, 30-27, 30-27), controlling the fight with superior wrestling and striking volume to win the $100,000 prize and a title shot. Rick Hawn progressed in the welterweight bracket by stopping Ron Keslar via TKO (punches) at 3:00 of the third round, capitalizing on a late surge to secure his spot in the tournament final. The preliminary card showcased a diverse array of bouts, including international talent and veteran performances. Heavyweight prospect submitted Keith Bell with a rear-naked choke at 3:59 of the first round, marking a strong promotional debut. Brazilian prospect earned a first-round over Almeida at 2:04 with a precise counterpunch in a bout, while UFC veteran submitted Patrick Cenoble via in the third round at 4:59. Other notable results included ' second-round TKO of Ian Rammel, Mike Maldonado's unanimous decision win against Tim Goodwin (30-27, 29-28, 30-27), Ahsan Abdullah's first-round TKO of Mike Bannon, and Brennan Ward's unanimous decision over (29-28 x3).
FightWeight ClassResultMethod/TimeRound
(c) vs. Doug Marshall ChampionshipShlemenko def. MarshallTKO (punches)1 / 4:28
vs. Alexander Sarnavskiy Tournament FinalBrooks def. Sarnavskiy (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)3 / 5:00
Rick Hawn vs. Ron Keslar Tournament SemifinalHawn def. KeslarTKO (punches)3 / 3:00
vs. Keith BellIvanov def. BellSubmission (rear-naked choke)1 / 3:59
vs. Saul AlmeidaYamauchi def. AlmeidaKO (punch)1 / 2:04
vs. Patrick CenobleEtim def. CenobleSubmission ()3 / 4:59
vs. Ian RammelJenkins def. RammelTKO (punches)2 / 2:22
Mike Maldonado vs. Tim GoodwinMaldonado def. Goodwin (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)3 / 5:00
Ahsan Abdullah vs. Mike BannonAbdullah def. BannonTKO (punches)1 / 1:32
vs. Ward def. Cochrane (29-28 x3)3 / 5:00
This event underscored Bellator's emphasis on tournament dynamics in 2013, setting the stage for season-concluding resolutions while featuring Shlemenko's continued reign and the advancement of Brooks and Hawn as pivotal figures in their respective divisions.

Season 9 Tournament Brackets

Heavyweight

The Season 9 heavyweight in featured a four-man , with the semifinals contested at Bellator 102 on October 4, 2013, in . The matchups pitted former UFC fighter against in one semifinal, while Vinicius Queiroz faced Lavar Johnson in the other. This compact format emphasized rapid progression to determine a challenger for the heavyweight title held by . In the first semifinal, Kongo made a successful Bellator debut by defeating Godbeer via technical (knees and punches) at 2:04 of the second round, showcasing his striking background from . Queiroz, meanwhile, secured a stunning first-round (punch) victory over Johnson just 23 seconds into the bout, highlighting the explosive power typical of contests. These outcomes advanced Kongo and Queiroz to the tournament final originally scheduled for Bellator 107 on November 8, 2013, in . However, Queiroz withdrew from the final due to a knee injury sustained after his semifinal win. Australian kickboxer Peter Graham, who had debuted in Bellator with a victory over Jamal Lawrence at Bellator 104 on October 11, 2013, stepped in as the replacement opponent for Kongo. In the rescheduled final at Bellator 107, Kongo defeated Graham via (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), earning the $100,000 prize and positioning himself as the No. 1 contender for Minakov's title. The tournament underscored the knockout-heavy nature of Bellator's heavyweight division in 2013, with both semifinals ending in stoppages within the first five minutes and emphasizing raw power over prolonged grappling exchanges. This contrasted with the Summer Series heavyweight tournament earlier that year, where Minakov claimed victory through a mix of wrestling and submissions en route to the title.

Middleweight

The Season 9 Middleweight Tournament in , held in 2013, featured an eight-man single-elimination bracket with a $100,000 prize and a title shot against champion on the line for the winner. The tournament integrated into the promotion's title picture, as Shlemenko had won the vacant middleweight championship earlier in the year at Bellator 88 and defended it in a grueling victory over Brett Cooper at Bellator 98, coinciding with the tournament's quarterfinals. All quarterfinal bouts occurred on September 7 at Bellator 98 in .
Quarterfinal MatchupResultMethodRound/Time
vs. Justin TorreyWard def. TorreyTKO (punches)1 / 0:14
Mikkel Parlo vs. Brian RogersParlo def. RogersUnanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Perry Filkins vs. Jeremy KimballFilkins def. KimballSubmission (rear-naked choke)3 / 4:18
Jason Butcher vs. Giva SantanaButcher def. SantanaTKO (strikes)2 / 1:22
The semifinals took place on October 4 at Bellator 102 in . In one bout, Parlo controlled with effective and striking volume to secure a victory (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), advancing with his undefeated streak intact in the promotion. The other semifinal saw Ward face Joe , who replaced an injured Filkins; Ward capitalized on his aggressive wrestling and ground control, submitting Pacheco via front naked choke at 2:41 of the second round. Ward's path featured notable upsets, including his lightning-fast of the previously unbeaten Torrey in the quarterfinals and his adaptability against the last-minute semifinal opponent. The final headlined Bellator 107 on November 8 in , pitting Ward against Parlo. Ward overwhelmed Parlo with relentless pressure and ground-and-pound, securing a TKO victory at 0:45 of the second round to claim the crown. As the winner, Ward earned a title shot against Shlemenko in 2014, highlighting the 's role in elevating contenders within Bellator's 185-pound division.

Welterweight

The Season 9 tournament represented a pivotal moment for Bellator MMA's 170-pound division, occurring amid uncertainty following champion Ben Askren's final title defense in April 2013 and his subsequent departure from the promotion. The eight-man bracket emphasized a blend of wrestling, striking, and , distinguishing the class from the more submission-oriented division. Quarterfinals unfolded at Bellator 100 on September 20, 2013, in , where Ron Keslar defeated Luis Junior by (29-28, 28-29, 29-28), Rick Hawn outworked Herman Terrado via (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), Brent Weedman bested Justin Baesman by (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), and finished Vaughn Anderson with a rear-naked choke submission at 4:01 of the second round. Semifinals advanced the bracket at Bellator 104 on October 11, 2013, in . Rick Hawn secured revenge in a rematch against Brent Weedman, earning a (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) through dominant wrestling and control. In the co-main event, Ron Keslar upset the aggressive with a rear-naked choke submission at 3:31 of the first round, showcasing superior grappling positioning. These bouts highlighted the tournament's intensity, with Hawn's technical striking and Keslar's opportunistic submissions standing out as key performances. The final crowned a winner at Bellator 109 on November 22, 2013, in . Rick Hawn claimed the $100,000 prize and a title shot against Askren by stopping Ron Keslar via TKO (punches) at 0:55 of the third round, overwhelming him with heavy ground strikes after earlier weathering Keslar's pressure. Hawn's victory positioned him as the division's top contender, but Askren vacated the belt in March to sign with , leaving the title vacant. This tournament bridged the Askren era—defined by his unbeaten wrestling dominance—to a refreshed landscape. Hawn's run earned him a shot at the vacant title against Season 8 winner at Bellator 117 in September 2014, where Lima prevailed by third-round TKO to become the new champion and usher in an era favoring explosive knockout artists. The shift underscored the division's evolution toward high-impact strikers like Lima, contrasting Askren's control-based style.

Lightweight

The Season 9 lightweight tournament in featured an eight-man bracket at 155 pounds, with quarterfinals held on , 2013, at Bellator 101 in . The event showcased a mix of established veterans and rising prospects, including undefeated Russian submission specialist Alexander Sarnavskiy and knockout artist , who entered following a first-round stoppage of earlier in the year at Bellator 91. Semifinals took place on October 25, 2013, at Bellator 105 in , while the final occurred on November 22, 2013, at Bellator 109 in . The tournament unfolded against the backdrop of intense lightweight title contention, as champion defended his belt successfully at Bellator 96 in June before rematching at Bellator 106 on November 2, where Alvarez reclaimed the title via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47). Quarterfinal matchups highlighted technical grappling and striking exchanges, with all bouts going the full three rounds except for two submissions. , a 27-year-old wrestler from , outpointed veteran via unanimous decision (29-28 across all cards) in a tactical affair dominated by takedowns and ground control. Awad secured a key upset with a rear-naked choke submission at 3:46 of the first round against England's Martin Stapleton, avenging his own prior losses and advancing with aggressive pressure. Sarnavskiy, maintaining his 23-0 record at the time, submitted with a rear-naked choke at 1:40 of the opening frame, showcasing his Sambo expertise. Brazilian Ricardo Tirloni rounded out the quarterfinal winners, edging by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) through effective clinch work and leg kicks. These results positioned Brooks and Awad on one side of the bracket, while Sarnavskiy and Tirloni filled the opposite half.
Quarterfinals (Bellator 101)Result
vs. Brooks def. Alessio via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
vs. Martin StapletonAwad def. Stapleton via submission (RNC) R1 3:46
Alexander Sarnavskiy vs. Sarnavskiy def. Davis via submission (RNC) R1 1:40
Ricardo Tirloni vs. Tirloni def. Clementi via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
The semifinals delivered high-stakes drama, particularly in the rematch between Brooks and Awad, where Brooks reversed their earlier outcome with a victory (29-28 x3) through superior wrestling and cardio, marking a pivotal revenge win that propelled him to the final. On the other side, Sarnavskiy continued his dominance, defeating Tirloni by (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in a grappling-heavy bout that neutralized Tirloni's striking. These advances underscored key upsets, such as Brooks' redemption over Awad and Sarnavskiy's unyielding defense against more experienced foes. The tournament's timing intersected with the Alvarez-Chandler rivalry, as the winner was slated for a title opportunity amid the division's volatility; Chandler's loss to Alvarez just days before the final shifted the landscape for the victor. In the final at Bellator 109, Brooks claimed the crown with a lopsided over Sarnavskiy (30-27 x2, 30-26), earning $100,000 and a shot at the title in 2014. This outcome capped a transformative year for the division, where progression highlighted technical evolution at 155 pounds, emphasizing proficiency over pure volume striking seen in lower divisions.

Featherweight

The featherweight division in during 2013 was dominated by champion Pat Curran, who had claimed the title by winning the Season 8 in 2012 and successfully defended it once that year. Entering Season 9, Curran's reign set the stage for high-stakes action, with the winner positioned for a future title opportunity amid growing rivalries, including his ongoing feud with former winner Daniel Straus. Curran's technical striking and prowess made him a formidable titleholder, but the division's depth was highlighted by international talent vying for supremacy in the 145-pound bracket. Season 9's featherweight tournament featured an eight-man single-elimination format, with all quarterfinal bouts occurring at Bellator 99 on September 13, 2013, in Temecula, California. The matchups showcased a mix of knockout power and wrestling, advancing four fighters to the semifinals.
QuarterfinalWinnerOpponentMethodRound/TimeSource
Patricio Freire vs. Diego NunesPatricio FreireDiego NunesKO (punches)1 / 1:19
Fabricio Guerreiro vs. Desmond GreenFabricio GuerreiroDesmond GreenUnanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)3 / 5:00
Justin Wilcox vs. Akop StepanyanJustin WilcoxAkop StepanyanTechnical Submission (rear-naked choke)2 / 2:20
Joe Taimanglo vs. Andrew FisherJoe TaimangloAndrew FisherUnanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)3 / 5:00
The semifinals took place at Bellator 103 on October 11, 2013, in Mulvane, Kansas, where the pace intensified with decisions favoring veteran experience over finishes. Patricio Freire outgrappled Fabricio Guerreiro across three rounds, securing a victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) to advance, leveraging his superior cardio and ground control despite Guerreiro's early aggression. In the co-main semifinal, Justin Wilcox edged Joe Taimanglo via (30-27, 30-27, 29-28), using effective takedowns and top pressure to neutralize Taimanglo's striking threats. These outcomes propelled Freire and Wilcox to the tournament final, underscoring the bracket's emphasis on well-rounded skill sets. The tournament final occurred at Bellator 108 on November 15, 2013, in , where Freire defeated Wilcox by (30-27 x3), earning $100,000 and positioning himself as the next challenger to the new champion Daniel Straus, who had dethroned Curran at Bellator 106. This progress in 2013 highlighted the division's competitive evolution, with Curran's reign tested by emerging threats from the .

Bantamweight

In 2013, the bantamweight division featured champion Eduardo Dantas successfully defending his title once, highlighting the competitive depth bolstered by international talent from . At Bellator 89 on February 14, Dantas retained the belt against Marcos Galvão via (punches) in the second round, avenging a prior loss and solidifying his status as a dominant force with his and striking prowess. This defense underscored the division's blend of American contenders and Brazilian standouts, including Dantas and Galvão, who brought high-level jiu-jitsu expertise to the promotion. Season 9 introduced another four-man , emphasizing American depth while continuing to integrate international influences from prior events. Quarterfinal equivalents, labeled as semifinals, began at Bellator 100 on September 20, where Travis Marx stopped Brandon Bender via TKO (strikes) in the second round, using his wrestling base to overwhelm the opponent. The opposite semifinal at Bellator 101 on September 27 saw former champion Joe Warren submit Nick Kirk via reverse triangle armbar in the second round, leveraging his Olympic wrestling background for the finish. Warren advanced to the final at Bellator 107 on November 8, defeating Marx via TKO (knee and punches) in the second round to claim the $100,000 prize and a shot at Dantas. This victory highlighted the division's robust U.S. talent pool, complemented by the Brazilian influx that enriched overall competition.

References

  1. https://www.[espn.com](/page/ESPN.com)/mma/story/_/id/8996240/bellator-91-recap-attila-vegh-new-bellator-light-heavyweight-champion
  2. https://en.wikipedia-on-ipfs.org/wiki/Bellator_MMA%253A_2013_Summer_Series
  3. https://www.[sherdog](/page/Sherdog).com/news/news/Bellator-102-Results-PlaybyPlay-Updates-57201
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