Pat Curran pulled off a dramatic submission in the final seconds. | Photo: Keith Mills/Sherdog.com
Curran submitted Daniel Straus with a dramatic fifth-round rear-naked choke to reclaim the featherweight championship in the Bellator 112 headliner on Friday at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind. Straus (22-5, 8-2 Bellator) tapped out with just 14 seconds remaining in the match, as he submitted for the first time in more than five years.
“All I can say is that I have mad respect for Daniel Straus,” Curran said. “He’s a hell of a fighter and has a hell of a heart. I was able to push through in the fifth round with the rear-naked choke. I had to dig deep and come out with the win.”
Straus was in control for much of the fight. The 29-year-old American Top Team representative routinely beat Curran to the punch, landing more often and with more authority. A counter left hook blindsided and dropped Curran in the second round, leaving him with serious damage to his right eye. However, he fought on.
Sensing the need for a finish, Curran (20-5, 10-2 Bellator) picked up the pace in the fifth round. He attacked Straus with short right hands and knees before scoring a takedown with roughly 90 ticks left on the clock. From there, he transitioned to the back and fished for the rear-naked choke. Straus twice gave the thumbs up sign, but all the while Curran tightened his grip, ultimately forcing the submission.“I knew it was close, but I think Daniel was edging each round,”
Curran said. “I had to lay it all on the line, and thank God I got
the choke in the fifth. All my blood, sweat and tears go into this.
I’m just happy that I got my belt back
and I can go back home and get my s--- together.”
Burrell (10-4, 1-1 Bellator) never had a chance to establish himself. Roughly half a minute into the bout, Koreshkov uncorked a head kick. En route, the Russian’s knee struck Burrell on the chin, staggering the 24-year-old Philadelphia native. Koreshkov then swarmed with a volley of punches for the stoppage.
A protégé of Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, Koreshkov now has nine first-round finishes on his resume.
Oropeza (11-2, 3-1 Bellator) backed up the American Top Team-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and capoeira stylist with a series of body kicks and then leaped in with a clean right hook to the jaw. Souza collapsed, went to all fours and ate a burst of unanswered punches to the side of the head.
The 28-year-old Oropeza has finished his last six opponents, four of them inside one round.
Much of the match spilled onto the floor, where McDonough spent more time in advantageous positions. The 28-year-old did his best work in the second round, as he bullied Juarez to the ground, passed his guard and mixed in punches and knees.
Juarez (21-9, 5-1 Bellator) struck for a pair of takedowns in round three, but a failed guillotine choke allowed McDonough to assume top position and ride out the decision.
The defeat halted a four-fight winning streak for Juarez.