Bellator 109's Rick Hawn: ‘I’m not saying Keslar is a bad striker, but he seems more like a wrestler’

Rick Hawn and Ron Keslar weren’t supposed to be in the Bellator Season 9 welterweight tournament, but here they are in the finals.

Hawn (17-2 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) joined Keslar (11-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) in the competition after Matt Riddle and Mark Scanlon were forced to withdraw with injuries. At Bellator 109, he will fight in his third tournament final after appearances in Season 4 and Season 6, which he won.

For Keslar, it could be his biggest career opportunity after fighting the bulk of his career on preliminary cards. Hawn remembers training at the same gym as the Strikeforce veteran several years ago, but he said the fighter’s relative anonymity is a challenge to prepare for their meeting at Bellator 109.

“He’s kind of flying under the radar, so it’s been hard to see how he’s won most of his fights,” Hawn told MMAjunkie. “From what I’ve seen, he’s a strong grappler. He comes from a grappling-based gym so he’ll be stronger in those areas.

“He doesn’t seem to like striking as much as wrestling, so I have to be prepared for a lanky wrestler/grappler type, but someone who’s tricky in certain ways. I have to watch out for his wrestling, his size and length – he’s lanky. His mentality comes from the wrestling guys at [American Kickboxing Academy]: They’re mentally strong and they don’t break easy. This will be a tough fight, for sure.”

The two meet on Friday at Bellator 109, which takes place at Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pa. The event’s main card airs live on Spike TV following prelims on Spike.com.

Keslar won’t just have the advantage of surprise, but he’ll also come into the fight with a weight advantage. Hawn, though, said he’s prepared to grapple with extra bulk.

“I’m not really worried that he’s a bigger welterweight,” he said. “Mentally and physically, I’ve always fought guys that were bigger than me, whether it was in Judo or in MMA. If he was more of a striker, his length might cause a few more problems for me.

“I don’t think his strength will be a problem. I train with welterweights who are bigger and longer than him, who have 20 pounds on me. So I’m very confident and prepared. I’ve tailored my training camp for a guy like Ron, just like I do for every opponent I face in a tournament.

“My speed and my quickness will be my biggest advantages. My striking should set everything else up that I’m going to use, but it all goes back to my speed as a faster and lighter fighter. Cardio-wise, I’ll be good, as I expect him to be.”

If Keslar does what Hawn expects him to do in the fight, endurance will play a key factor in the fight. Although Hawn isn’t sure Keslar will focus on grappling, he believes that might be the case once they start to exchange punches.

“I’m not saying Keslar is a bad striker, but he just seems more like a wrestler,” Hawn said. “I’m prepared for the unknown – I’m not discounting his striking, but I’m aware that he’s a wrestler, so I’m more focused on that. Not having seen him on his back, that’s a place I’d like to take him to enjoy that advantageous position on top.”

A victory over Keslar would bring Hawn his second tournament win and a guaranteed shot at the welterweight title, which currently is up for grabs with the recent release of champion Ben Askren. After a long career with Bellator and a failed bid for the lightweight belt, Hawn looks forward to his first major title.

“I would like to finish it early by using my speed and striking,” he said. “I think I can do that. I’ve been working on my wrestling defense to avoid any dangerous situations, but I think it comes down to my speed and mobility as my keys to the feet. And I want to be able to dictate where the fight is going, whether it’s standing or on the ground.”

For more on Bellator 109, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.