Bellator 80 Discussion

BELLATOR 80
November 9, 2012
Seminole HardRock Casino - Hollywood, FL



Featherweight Tournament Semifinals
Wagnney Fabiano vs Rad Martinez

Heavyweight Tournament Semifinals
Vinicius Queiroz vs Alexander Volkov

Who has the Easiest Semi-Final match between the two tournaments?
Who is the favorite in the FW semi-Final match up?
Who is more skilled in the Heavyweight Semi-Final Tournament Bout?
Which Tournament fight is most likely to end in submission or Knock Out?
Who is more likely to prevail for their country in the Heavyweight bout?
Who has more weapons in the Featherweight Semi-Final bout?
Pick the winners who will advance

I'll be going with Rad and Volkov.

Rad looks to be the much more athletic of the two and while he doesn't shine at any one aspect of MMA, he does all of them well. The only thing that Rad looked susceptible to was strikes as Malegarie was landing multiple punches throughout their bout. I think if he were up against someone with solid stand-up, he'd be in trouble. Luckily for him, Fabiano is not that guy. I think Rad uses his wrestling to stuff some takedowns and possible trips and beats on Fabiano throughout three rounds.

Volkov looked good for a late replacement against Rogers. If he came into that fight with more prep, I think he could've performed even better than he did. Queiroz got dropped early in his fight against Holata and fought his way back to a submission victory. I don't see Volkov allowing that to happen and I see him finishing Queiroz.

rooting for rad with all my strenght......

volkov by ko

owen evinger 7-3 vs joe warren 7-3

wagney fabiano 15-3 vs rad martinez 13-2

viniciuz queiroz 6-2 vs alexander volkov 17-3

brett cooper 16-7 vs darryl cobb 5-5

prelims

mike quinones 3-0 vs brandon girtz 7-2

robert otani 3-2 vs cristiano souza 5-0

josh quayhagen 6-0 vs cosmo alexandre 4-1 (rematch, cosmo loose in his debut)

Sky Moiseichik (2 - 1) vs Shanon Slack (4 - 0)

Joe Vedepo(13 - 4) VS Mike Bernhard(9 - 4)

Ryan DeRocher (3 - 3) VSTaylor Krahl 3-1

http://www.bellator.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205717955&DB_OEM_ID=23600

Excited to see Cristiano again, not too sure of what other names to look out for on the prelims.

Hoping for Fabiano and Volkov to win, though I don't know if Fabiano can get this fight to where he wants it to go.

Mikal wrote:Excited to see Cristiano again, not too sure of what other names to look out for on the prelims.

Hoping for Fabiano and Volkov to win, though I don't know if Fabiano can get this fight to where he wants it to go.

vedepo is a solid fighter also in the prelims...volkov should win the gp imo...

but im rooting as far as i can for rad martinez....take a look

picking also, cooper by ko and warren has to win if not he has to retire...

I'm really looking forward to Cosmo/Quayhagen II. Quayhagen has turned into a nice little prospect and Cosmo has definitely improved since his debut.

Going with Fabiano and Volkov

Bellator 80 lineup set, Brett Cooper vs. Darryl Cobb completes main card

The fight card is set for next week's Bellator 80 event.

The event features former featherweight champion Joe Warren (7-3 MMA, 5-2 BFC) vs. Owen Evinger (7-3 MMA, 0-2 BFC) in the headliner, as all as two tournament bouts.

A middleweight bout between Brett Cooper (16-7 MMA, 3-2 BFC) and Darryl Cobb (5-5 MMA, 0-1 BFC) rounds out the MTV2-televised main card.

Bellator 80 takes place Nov. 9 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The MTV2-televised main card follows prelims on Spike.com.

Cooper is on a 5-2 run, which includes recent Bellator victories over Valdir Araujo and Jared Hess. The only loss during the stretch came via decision to notable Alexander Shlemenko.

Cobb, meanwhile, opened his career with a 5-1 mark, which included a pair of Strikeforce victories. However, he's since lost four straight fights and is winless since April 2010.

The Season 7 tournament semifinals include featherweights Rad Martinez (13-2 MMA, 3-0 BFC) vs. Wagnney Fabiano (15-3 MMA, 1-0 BFC) and heavyweights Vinicius Queiroz (6-2 MMA, 1-0 BFC) vs. Alexander Volkov (17-3 MMA, 1-0 BFC).

Bellator 80's prelims include lightweights Mike Quinones (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. Brandon Girtz (7-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC), welterweights Robert Otani (3-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. Cristiano Souza (5-0 MMA, 1-0 BFC), welterweights Josh Quayhagen (3-0 MMA, 3-0 BFC) vs. Cosmo Alexandre (4-1 MMA, 4-1 BFC), featherweights Sky Moiseichik (2-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. Shanon Slack (4-1 MMA, 1-1 BFC), middleweights Joe Vedepo (13-4 MMA, 0-0 BFC) vs. Mike Bernhard (9-4 MMA, 1-0 BFC), and welterweights Ryan DeRocher (3-4 MMA, 0-1 BFC) vs. Taylor Krahl (3-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC).

The full Bellator 80 card includes:

MAIN CARD (MTV2)

Owen Evinger vs. Joe Warren
Wagnney Fabiano vs. Rad Martinez - featherweight-tourney semifinal
Vinicius Queiroz vs. Alexander Volkov - heavyweight-tourney semifinal
Darryl Cobb vs. Brett Cooper

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com)

Brandon Girtz vs. Mike Quinones
Robert Otani vs. Cristiano Souza
Cosmo Alexandre vs. Josh Quayhagen
Sky Moiseichik vs. Shanon Slack
Mike Bernhard vs. Joe Vedepo
Ryan DeRocher vs. Taylor Krahl

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31349/bellator-80-lineup-set-brett-cooper-vs-darryl-cobb-completes-main-card.mma

there could be some upsets in this card

^Yeah, I'd like to see Fabiano take it but I hope Volkov finishes Queiroz.

Regardless of who wins the FW fight, I hope Shah smashes him.

loving bellator right now.

i also got volkov and martinez.

cooper is really exciting, this is basically a showcase fight for him to enter the STACKED MW tourney next season.

I got Volkov and Martinez. They really want Warren to get back on the winning track.

I've got Fabiano and Volkov.

Fabiano really impressed me in his return after almost 2 years, won his fight fast and took little damage where as Rad Martinez went to a hard fought decision.

AudaxPowder wrote:I've got Fabiano and Volkov.

Fabiano really impressed me in his return after almost 2 years, won his fight fast and took little damage where as Rad Martinez went to a hard fought decision.

Yeah, Fabiano was solid. I hope he pulls this one off. The winner of that fight has Shah to look forward to which could suck for either of them.

volkov and rad...

wekka wrote:I'm really looking forward to Cosmo/Quayhagen II. Quayhagen has turned into a nice little prospect and Cosmo has definitely improved since his debut.

Didn't even notice Cosmo on the card! Awesome stuff, hope he can avenge his loss!

Bellator 80 headliner Joe Warren no longer flirting with featherweight, eyes tourney slot

Pat Curran taught Joe Warren he wasn't a featherweight.

Following a brutal knockout loss to Curran that stripped him of his belt, Warren (7-3 MMA, 5-2 BFC), who fights Owen Evinger (7-3 MMA, 0-2 BFC) on Friday at Bellator 80, said his priority is fighting as a bantamweight.

Retirement, though, is not an option.

"I know there are a lot of people out there that are saying I'm done, and hey, everyone's entitled to their opinion," Warren told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If anyone doesn't believe in me, I invite them to sit in front of their TV on Friday night and watch me pummel the s--- out of this guy. I'll change their perspective real fast."

Bellator 80 takes place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Warren vs. Evinger headlines the MTV2-televised main card, which follows Spike.com prelims.

Warren's brash confidence is one of his defining features. He isn't one to shy away from big challenges – or big proclamations. He entered the sport of MMA in 2009 with no amateur experience and immediately fought top-tier competition overseas. He went 2-1 before signing with Bellator, where he won the promotion's Season 2 featherweight tournament and then the title.

But the fighter acknowledges he's in new territory.

"I've never been in a situation where I've lost twice in a row," he said. "It's not something that's normal for me. Nothing has happened to me from my last two losses other than me just getting better from them. Those defeats were very upsetting for me, and they bruised my ego, but bruises heal, and they're all healed up now."

The 36-year-old Denver resident took curative measures by making good on a promise to try out for the 2012 U.S. Olympic wrestling team. The former Division I wrestler at the University of Michigan competed in the U.S. team trials in April, though he lost in the semifinals. Off the mats, he found a new MMA trainer and refined his skills.

A favorite to compete at the 2008 Olympics, Warren, who competed at 132 pounds, was suspended when he tested positive for marijuana while trying to advance to a qualifying tournament. In an interview with MMAjunkie.com prior to his fight with Curran, he admitted he still used the drug and held a license for medical cannabis in two states.

Warren hasn't fought since his loss to Curran, which took place in March. His manager was sharply critical of the fight's stoppage, which came in the third round when Warren slumped against the cage after eating a barrage of unneeded punches. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney also thought the fight was stopped late.

Warren, whom bantamweight Alexis Vila knocked out six months prior to his ill-fated featherweight defense, also admitted fighting at featherweight was ultimately unsafe.

Eight months after he stepped into the cage against Curran, his conviction has only grown stronger. But he hasn't lost his sense of humor about the steep odds he ran at headlong.

"I swear to God I thought [Curran] looked small when we were weighing in, but then when I shook his hand inside the cage I was like, 'Who is this guy?'" he said with a laugh.

The competitor in Warren ultimately believes he can turn around his career. Despite recent setbacks, he plans to compete in the Season 8 bantamweight tournament and hopes to get a shot at current champ Eduardo Dantas.

"I believe that my last two fights were freak occurrences," he said. "I've always fought the best, and I feel like what happened in my fight against Vila could have happened to anyone. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I know it sounds bad, but it's the truth. I got hit with a punch that I probably wouldn't get hit with a thousand other times.

"Against Pat Curran, what am I supposed to say. I fought a huge, talented featherweight, and I got caught with a big knee. I don't think I was out of shape or outclassed. I just feel like it was Vila and Curran's nights.

"I'm just really confident and excited now that I'm at a weight class where I'm comfortable. I'm going to have to cut some weight to get down to 135 pounds for this fight against Evinger, so I feel really good. I feel a lot more competitive at this weight. I'm going to be big and strong for all of these fights."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31464/bellator-80-headliner-joe-warren-no-longer-flirting-with-featherweight-eyes-tourney-slot.mma

Despite close call against Holata, Bellator 80's Queiroz ready to stand vs. Volkov

Vinicius Queiroz knows what he needs to look out for on Friday night. He knows, even though he doesn't remember much about the last time it happened to him.

Queiroz (6-2 MMA, 1-0 BFC) meets Alexander Volkov (17-3 MMA, 1-0 BFC) in the semifinals of Bellator's Season 7 heavyweight tournament on Friday at Bellator 80. He knows Volkov has heavy hands – as did his opponent in the opening round.

So to say that Queiroz wants to avoid a repeat of a month ago probably is an understatement.

Queiroz and Volkov meet at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. They're part of the MTV2-televised main card, which follows prelims on Spike.com.

Against Mark Holata at Bellator 75, Queiroz was dropped. That normally would be a bad thing, but Queiroz says it turned out to be a blessing in disguise – especially since he came back to win the fight.

"I honestly do not remember anything about the left hook that dropped me in my fight against Mark Holata," Queiroz told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I just remember being out there looking to defend the takedown, and next thing I knew I was trying to get up off the ground.

"Incredibly, it was that punch that actually woke me up in the fight."

That left hand nearly finished Queiroz, and he knows it.

"I knew that I had a big problem after I got clipped," he said. "Everything was going according to plan, and suddenly he's throwing punches at me trying to take my head off. Even though I was rocked for a moment, I was always calm and collected, looking for a way to get back up and finish him."

And finish Holata, he did. Moments later, Queiroz, a Team Nogueira product, had his opponent in an armbar that forced a tap, which was a nice comeback that pushed the Brazilian through to the semifinals.

Now Queiroz knows what it's like to be on the cusp of being finished. But still, he's never been knocked out. Holata came the closest. And he knows Volkov is going to want to do the same thing. But he believes he can stand up with the Russian.

"I think Alexander Volkov is a great striker," Queiroz said. "I know Volkov is very dangerous, just like Mark Holata was, but I believe God will bless me with the win again. I definitely feel confident that I have the power to knock Alexander Volkov out in this fight.

"I have all the weapons. I just have to land the right strike."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31484/despite-close-call-against-holata-bellator-81s-queiroz-ready-to-stand-vs-volkov.mma

Tournament comes with new love, new responsibility for Bellator 80's Rad Martinez

Most of Rad Martinez's 20s have been spent on a ceaseless carousel of work, training and fighting, and caring for his sick father.

But as he prepares for the semifinals of Bellator's Season 7 lightweight tournament, Martinez is about to write a new chapter in his life's story: marriage.

"Just when you think you don't need any more motivation, something comes in your life that gives you more motivation than you've ever had before," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Martinez (13-2 MMA, 3-0 BFC) meets IFL and WEC vet Wagnney Fabiano (15-3 MMA, 1-0 BFC) at Bellator 80, which takes place Friday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The fight serves on the MTV2-televised main card following prelims on Spike.com.

Martinez's fiancee, Patricia Kirkland, was one of thousands who saw an ESPN profile on the fighter that told the story of his promise to care for his father, Richard, who was bedridden after suffering a traumatic brain injury 21 years ago.

Kirkland, a New York Native and former national champion cheerleader, sent Martinez a message praising his character and the two began talking. Then she visited him in West Jordan, Utah.

"Patricia didn't bat an eye when she came to visit and saw my dad," Martinez said. "She jumped right in to help. Even after seeing my schedule and how I have to take care of my dad, she still wants to help and be there for me.

"I just proposed to her a few weeks ago, but I knew a couple months ago that she was the one for me. She brings a lot of joy into my life where there wasn't much before."

With that joy, he said, also comes the realization that his life could get even more complicated. And now more than ever, he's aware that his success in MMA is directly tied to his family's well-being.

"I'm more determined to do well and provide for her and the future family that we're going to have together," Martinez said.

So far, he has availed himself well under the Bellator banner. Two non-tournament fights ended in wins, and he recently outpointed Brazilian Nazareno Malegarie at Bellator 76 to advance to the semifinals against Fabiano.

Fabiano, a Brazilian with a decorated submission background, has more high-level experience than Martinez. At the same event as Martinez, he lulled Russian Akop Stepanyan to the ground to earn a first-round tapout for his eighth career submission win.

"It's pretty obvious what his game plan out there," Martinez said. "He wants to get you to the ground, catch you in a submission and break something.

"I think my wrestling background is going to help me out a lot in this fight. His wrestling hasn't looked that great, so I think if I'm smart and keep this fight standing, it will be a big benefit for me in this fight."

Should he win, Martinez faces the prospect of a finals meeting with Russian Shahbulat Shamhalaev, who took out the promising Mike Richman at this past week's Bellator 79. Shamhalaev garnered strong accolades for the performance, but Martinez isn't listening to those.

"I don't really pay attention to what people say about who's going to win the tournament," he said. "I just have to go out there and take out whoever's standing in front of me. I don't really care about who's supposed to be the favorite or any of that. I just have to keep winning fights."

Whether he wins on Friday or not, though, Martinez believes he's proven that he's more than just an interesting story on the MMA landscape. Kirkland is now by his side in West Jordan and is helping to care for his father.

The Bellator cage already has hosted one marriage proposal; Bryan Baker got a "yes" from his fiancee following a win at Bellator 43.

A tournament check of $100,000 would be a great deposit on the engaged couple's honeymoon.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31493/tournament-comes-with-new-love-new-responsibility-for-bellator-80s-rad-martinez.mma

November 9
6 p.m. ET.

Free Live Stream

SPIKE
Bellator Livestream
www.spike.com
Spike Full Episodes Spike Video Clips Spike on Facebook

Bellator 80 weigh-in results: Warren-Evinger, tourney semifinalists all on target

All fighters on Thursday successfully made weight for Friday's Bellator 80 event.

The official weigh-in event took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., the same venue that hosts Friday's event.

The event features a pair of tournament semifinal bouts in the Season 7 heavyweight and featherweight tourneys, plus the return of former featherweight champion Joe Warren in his drop back to bantamweight.

In the heavyweight tournament semifinals, Vinicius Queiroz (240.5) takes on Alexander Volkov (226) with the winner advancing to meet Rich Hale in the season-closing Bellator 84 on Dec. 14 in Hammond, Ind. In the second semifinal bout in the 145-pound tourney, Wagnney Fabiano (146) meets Rad Martinez (145.8). The winner of that bout advances to the finals at Bellator 84 against Shahbulat Shamhalaev.

And in his first fight since losing the featherweight title to Pat Curran this past March, Warren (135.6) was on the mark for his fight against Evinger (135.2) in the main event.

Friday's main card airs on MTV2 following prelims on Spike.com. You can also watch a live stream of the entire event on MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The full Bellator 80 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (MTV2)
•Owen Evinger (135.2) vs. Joe Warren (135.6)
•Vinicius Queiroz (240.5) vs. Alexander Volkov (226)
•Wagnney Fabiano (146) vs. Rad Martinez (145.8)
•Darryl Cobb (185.2) vs. Brett Cooper (185.8)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com)
•Brandon Girtz (156) vs. Mike Quinones (154.6)
•Robert Otani (170.8) vs. Cristiano Souza (170)
•Cosmo Alexandre (168.2) vs. Josh Quayhagen (169)
•Sky Moiseichik (146.4) vs. Shannon Slack (149.2) - 150-pound catch weight fight
•Mike Bernhard (185.6) vs. Joe Vedepo (185.4)
•Ryan DeRocher (170) vs. Taylor Krahl (171)

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31512/bellator-80-weigh-in-results-warren-evinger-tourney-semifinalists-all-on-target.mma

Volkov vs Hale will be a fun final.

Mikal wrote:

wekka wrote:I'm really looking forward to Cosmo/Quayhagen II. Quayhagen has turned into a nice little prospect and Cosmo has definitely improved since his debut.

Didn't even notice Cosmo on the card! Awesome stuff, hope he can avenge his loss!

I believe Cosmo will win, his improvements each bout have been impressive. Bellator knows how to build up a fighter the right way.