Watch/Don’t Watch From SRS: UFC 237 And Bellator 221

Viviane Araujo flattens #15 Talita Bernardo, R3

Araujo has a great future in the UFC. Araujo fought up 20 pounds and knocked out a top 15 bantamweight. Outstanding. She was beating Talita from early on and got the pressure put on her at the end of round two that looked like it could spell trouble. Araujo didn’t coast, instead knocked out Bernardo in the third round. I can’t tell you how impressive this is. Out of her weight class, late notice, against a top 15 opponent. This is a big one for her. She’s a stoppage machine.

SRS’ Rec: Probably should watch this one, but definitely the third round.

Raoni Barcelos one sided Carlos Huachin, R2

Barcelos threatened on the feet, on the ground, in the submission game, in ground and pound. Raoni Barcelos has some exceptional boxing, which was put over accordingly on commentary. He moves to 14-1 career and is 3-0 in the UFC, following an impressive RFA run as well. This is a guy who could barely get in the cage for two years. The finish will be controversial to some, but I’m okay with it.

SRS’ Rec: Probably should. Barcelos is a pretty nice emerging prospect and is worth your time.

CAROLINA beats the piss out of Priscilia Cachoeira, UD

This one is not a good technical fight. Carolina keeps her chin straight up, but prevents overhands pretty well by jumping into the clinch. Cachoeira can’t cut off Carolina effectively, so she’s chasing and swinging at air and getting countered. Carolina lands a sick head kick, but doesn’t seem to know how to apply an armbar, or maintain side mount. Then there’s an illegal knee thrown, but Carolina didn’t mean to do it, I don’t think.This is an exciting fight, but this is not good MMA.

SRS’ Rec: This is a hell of a scrap. Can’t imagine either one ever get into very relevant fights, but worth the watch.

Clay Guida beats BJ Penn

BJ Penn is a piece of shit in and out of the cage. BJ Penn didn’t get knocked out! He’s improving! He didn’t do terrible in the first round, but that’s not exactly saying a lot. We got vintage Penn and vintage boring Guida in round one, then Guida just ran away with this fight. He really beat Penn’s ass in round three. I would say it was uncomfortable, but seeing Penn get beaten up isn’t uncomfortable.

SRS’ Rec: No

Warlley Alves assaults Sergio Moraes, R3 TKO

This is filthy. Alves just chops away at the legs. This continues for three rounds until in the last minute he puts Moraes away. Jeez.

SRS’ Rec: Watch the highlights. This was sustained assault.

Thiago Moises defeated Kurt Holobaugh, UD

Moises has a beautiful takedown on Holobaugh in round one, then does the same after round two after Kurt opens strong. Back on the feet, Moises relies on some really hard elbows, but the pace of this fight is really impressive. Moises really dominated this fight, and didn’t give up until the final bell.

SRS’ Rec: No.

Ryan Spann puts Little Nog out to pasture, R1

Spann takes down Little Nog, but can’t submit him. They hit the feet, and Little Nog seems happy to slug it out. Unfortunately for him, Spann puts him flat on his ass. That’s a wrap.

SRS’ Rec: Oh yeah.

#11 Irene Aldana taps #13 Bethe Correia, R3

Correia came closer to featherweight than bantamweight. She’s not good, shouldn’t be ranked, and sure as hell shouldn’t have been in this main card fight. Aldana fights literally the only way Correia can stay in the fight — by allowing her to get inside and wade away. She does counter very well, though. Correia is able to land some heavy punches at times, but shoots a lazy shot and gets belly-down armbarred with the quickness. Aldana may have rid us of Bethe for good. Bethe Correia was gifted a draw with Reneau and a win over Eye. This should have been her fifth straight loss.

SRS’ Rec: Yes. This is a good one.

Laureano Staropoli beat down Thiago Alves, UD

Staropoli is pushing forward and throwing the kitchen sink while Alves does a lot of nothing. This continues for two and a half rounds, with Staropoli beating the piss out of Alves. Finally in the last 90 seconds or two minutes, Alves puts more than a leg kick on Staropoli, and scores with some knees. It’s not enough. He was outclassed. Staropoli is 2-0 in the UFC. Good enough to land him in a UFC Argentina main event, probably.

SRS’ Rec: Decent, but you can pass. There’s a lot of MMA tonight.

#4 Alexander Volkanovski beat #1 Jose Aldo, UD

This is a primarily stand up fight, which you would figure favors Aldo. However, Volkanovski is able to take the first two rounds, playing Aldo’s game. This is huge for him. Aldo coasted through this one, and was dominated as a result. Not violently dominated or anything, but Volkanovski ran away with every round of this fight. Volkanovski is 7-0 in the UFC and should be getting Holloway soon.

SRS’ Rec: Watch the highlights because these are two great fighters, but this isn’t a great fight.

Jared Cannonier defeated Anderson Silva, R1 TKO Injury

UFC/ESPN messing up the audio on Anderson Silva’s entrance theme is unforgivable. Anderson Silva doesn’t have a finish at middleweight since the second Sonnen fight. Silva is still really fast, but Cannonier lands a good three punch combo. Silva’s string of miserable luck and weird fights continue when Cannonier destroys Silva’s knee with an inside leg kick. Feel bad for Cannonier, as that’s what all the attention will be on. Cannonier worked that crowd magnificently.

SRS’ Rec: Yeah, sure.

UFC Strawweight Championship
Jessica Andrade defeated Rose Namajunas (c) to become champion

Rose Namajunas is sticking and using her range expertly in the opening minute of the fight. That continues for two and a half minutes. Rose stifles a slam with a double wristlock, then by threatening an armbar. Rose even briefly gets a takedown. The entire first round is Rose Namajunas in so many different ways beating Andrade. Andrade wisely tries to make it a brawl in the pocket, because nothing else works.

I dunno who kept stats saying the significant strikes in round 1 are the same, but they shouldn’t be doing it any more.

That slam just made me a little sick to my stomach. Namajunas got spiked on top of her head. That was huge for Andrade. She was getting mollywhopped. Rose held on to the double wristlock, and prevented her from bumping flat. It cost her the UFC Strawweight Championship. I was horrified that Namajunas was paralyzed at first.

SRS’ Rec: YES.

BELLATOR 221

Tywan Claxton drubbed James Bennett, UD

Well, this isn’t Claxton’s highlight reel knee KO, that’s for sure. He takes this fella down and pounds away. The size discrepancy is huge. Round two is exactly like rounds one. James Bennett tried to get Von Flue choked, but apparently Claxton didn’t know how. Bennett came out before this acting like he enjoyed the beating he was getting the prior two rounds, and was rewarded with a third helping.

SRS’ Rec: Pass

Jack Swagger slaughters TJ Jones, R1

Takedown, double and top wristlock attempts. Arm triangle gets it done. Hager holds onto the submission hold a little too long, then heels the crowd hard afterward.

SRS’ Rec: Sure. Especially the heel work after this fight.

AJ McKee Antonio McKee’s Pat Curran

McKee takes Curran down and controls him through round one. Curran takes McKee down in round two, but ends up getting sliced open from the bottom. The crowd doesn’t like this fight, and I can’t really say that I blame them. It’s not good. It’s not fun. It’s not something you want to see out of a prospect vs. legend fight, not that Bellator really cares. It’s difficult to have an impressive performance against Pat Curran. This was a couple of takedowns and a bunch of single punches.

SRS’ Rec: Nope.

Bellator WW GP Tournament Semifinals
Douglas Lima deads MVP, R2

MVP comes out aggressively and lands some kicks at length. Lima took MVP down but did NOTHING. MVP cracks Lima, but gets too aggressive and Lima foot sweeps in. Lima KO’s MVP with a huge punch. That’s why ideally you don’t make a habit of crossing your feet in that stance during an MMA fight. AMAZING. If MVP and Lima fought ten times, I’m not sure they don’t end up going 5-5.

SRS’ Rec: Oh Hell YEAH.

Bellator Lightweight Championship
Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (FW Champ) TKO’d Michael Chandler (c) to win the title

This doesn’t last long. Pitbull rushes Chandler with a combo, clips him and drops him. THAT’S IT. Chandler isn’t happy, but he was DONE.

SRS’ Rec: Oh yeah, you gotta see this.