Bellator 135 Results: Marcos Galvao Submits Joe Warren to Win Bantamweight Title

The Bellator MMA bantamweight belt changed hands on Friday at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. when Marcos Galvao submitted Joe Warren in the Bellator 135 main event.

Galvao made the best of a second chance at Warren.  The two first fought at Bellator 41 in April 2011 with Warren winning by unanimous decision.  This time around, the fight would not go to the judges’ scorecards.

Warren wasted little time closing the distance and getting the fight to the ground, but Galvao quickly got back to his feet.  Warren was the aggressor, relentlessly working to get the fight to the ground.  It proved to be his downfall in the second frame.

Warren quickly closed the distance in the second round and was working on taking Galvao’s back.  Galvao isolated a leg and rolled for a kneebar.  He extended the leg and Warren let out a scream.  Referee “Big” John McCarthy stopped the fight due to verbal submission.  Warren protested the stoppage, claiming he he wasn’t in danger.

“I was not in desperation. He had a good move, but come on. Give me a break. I did not submit. You all saw that,” said an upset Warren following the loss. “I’m the baddest man. That’s my belt!”

Galvao credited his jiu-jitsu training for the win.

“He’s a world champion in wrestling and I”m a world champion in jiu-jitsu.  I believed in my jiu-jitsu and I submitted him,” said the new champion.

L.C. Davis narrowly defeated Hideo Tokoro by split decision in the co-main event in an entertaining and back and forth fight.

Tokoro sprinted out of his corner with a flying knee attempt to start the bantamweight bout.  Davis delivered power punches, landing his left hand regularly.  Tokoro landed a spinning back fist that knocked Davis down, but Davis immediately bounced back to his feet.

Davis threw at a higher volume than Tokoro and knocked Tokoro down with a right hand in the second round.  Tokoro scrambled to his feet, but Davis punished him inside the clinch position.

Tokoro came out aggressive in the final frame.  He dropped Davis with a right hand.  He worked for an armbar, but Davis escaped.  Tokoro tried to finish with submission attempts, but Davis was able to avoid them en route to a split decision win.

“Every round was tough,” said Davis after the win.  “I was here to win, no matter what.”

In light heavyweight action, Francis Carmont won his Bellator debut by defeating Guilherme Viana by unanimous decision.  Carmont established his jab early and utilized leg kicks.  Viana had success with counter punching and secured a late takedown, but was outworked in the opening round.

Carmont began landing combinations in the second frame.  He staggered Viana with a right hand, but went for a takedown instead of looking to finish the fight standing.

Viana came back in the final round.  Carmont secured an early takedown, but Viana used a kimura attempt to sweep Carmont.  Carmont gave up his back and Viana worked to lock on a rear-naked choke.  Carmont defended the submission attempt and reversed Viana and finished the round in dominant position.

Lightweights kicked off the main card with Ryan Couture, son of UFC Hall of Fame fighter Randy Couture, making quick work of Dakota Cochrane.

Couture closed the distance and clinched Cochrane along the cage. Cochrane changed levels and worked to get the fight to the ground. Couture stuffed the attempt and worked his way about to Cochrane’s back. He quickly locked on a rear-naked choke that forced Cochrane to tap out.

“Dakota Cochrane is a tough, established veteran, and I got in here and took care of business quick,” said Couture following the win. “I’m looking forward to the next test. I know they’re only going to get tougher from here. Hopefully some day soon I’ll be knocking on the door of that title shot.”

Bellator 135 Full Results:

Marcos Calvao def. Joe Warren by verbal submission (kneebar) at 0:45, R2
L.C. Davis def. Hideo Tokoro by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Francis Carmont def. Guilherme Viana by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ryan Couture def. Dakota Cochran by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:23, R1
Rashad Coulter def. Jeremiah O’Neal by TKO (knee and punches) at 1:44, R1
Emmanuel Sanches def. Alejandro Villalobos by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Sean Holden def. Tim Roman by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Neal Ewing def. Logan Nail by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Stephen Banaszak def. Brad Mitches by submission (omoplata) at 2:51, R2
Klayton Mai def. Xavier Siller by submission (neck crank) at 3:55, R1
Deo Pacurariu def. J.P. Cole by submission (armbar) at 2:59, R1

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