Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of Bellator 206 from the SAP Center from San Jose, California for their first exclusive card on DAZN.
Mauro Ranallo and Big John McCarthy are calling the show.
The main event and co-main fighters were brought out on stage prior to the start of the main card as the Black Eyed Peas blared in the arena.
Gaston Bolanos def. Ysidro Gutierrez by KO at 1:37 of Round 2
In the first round, Bolanos started out with leg kicks and was in control of the tempo of the round. Gutierrez did land some quality counter strikes during the round.
In the second round, Bolanos used a push kick to set up a powerful left hand that connected behind the ear to drop Gutierrez. He followed with strikes and referee Mike Beltran stopped the fight.
Bolanos improves to 4-1 with all of his pro fights with Bellator.
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Keri Melendez def. Dakota Zimmerman by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
In the first round, Melendez rocked her with a front kick before throwing Zimmerman to the canvas. Melendez was controlling the striking and working in Zimmerman’s half–guard. In the final minute, Zimmerman went for an armbar, which Melendez attempted to defend and Zimmerman could not fully apply.
Zimmerman’s strategy in the second round but to take the fight to the canvas and work off her back, but could not take Melendez down with her. In the closing minute, Melendez landed ten knees to the body and won the round.
Both seemed tired in the final round. Melendez landed the better strikes as the two traded following a takedown by Zimmerman, which Melendez reversed.
I scored the fight 30-27 for Melendez, John McCarthy had it 29-28 with Zimmerman winning the first round on his card.
Aaron Pico def. Leandro Higo by TKO at 3:19 of Round 1
Pico came out and immediately landed with a combination. Higo responded with a knee to the face and combination of his own. Pico hurt Higo and placed him against the fence landing head and body strikes, which Higo absorbed and came back.
Pico rocked Higo with an enormous right hand that dropped him, he was on top with hammer fists and Higo somehow got to his feet. The fight should have been stopped, but Pico attacks with a right elbow and the next strikes ended the fight.
John McCarthy was unhappy with the late stoppage.
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Douglas Lima def. Andrey Koreshkov by rear-naked choke at 3:04 of Round 5
This is their third fight with Koreshkov winning the first fight by unanimous decision in July 2015 and Lima stopping Koreshkov by TKO in November 2016.
All fights in the Welterweight Grand Prix are five round fights.
The first round was uneventful after Lima landed a body kick and Koreshkov returned with a spinning back kick. The majority saw Koreshkov work for a takedown and clinch against the fence without any success. Koreshkov landed short knees to the thigh and a left hook during one exchange. I scored it 10-9 for Koreshkov.
Lima won the second round as he was able to get his striking off with a left hook and body kick. Lima started attacking with leg kicks. Koreshkov had to close the distance to eliminate the kicking game but ate a right hand from Lima at the end. 10-9 Lima.
The third round featured minimal output from Koreshkov, who clinched against the cage and was not able to take Lima down. Lima attacked with more leg kicks after getting off the fence and trying to keep the fight in the center. 10-19 Lima.
They showed Daniel Cormier in the crowd between the rounds and he received a huge reaction.
Koreshkov was stopped with another takedown attempt in the fourth round and placed against the cage. When they broke away from the fence, Lima connected with a right elbow. In the final seconds, Lima landed a beautiful right hand and may have been his best strike of the fight. 10-9 Lima and he is up 39-37 heading into the final round.
Lima was having a lot of success with his right hand in Round 5. Lima got control of Koreshkov’s back and locked in a rear-naked choke to become the first person to submit Andrey Koreshkov.
Lima will face the winner of the Paul Daley vs. Michael “Venom” Page fight in the Grand Prix.
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Quinton Jackson def. Wanderlei Silva by TKO at 4:32 of Round 2
There was a level of honesty rare on MMA broadcasts with Mauro Ranallo and John McCarthy acknowledging both men are past their primes.
In the first round, Silva was using his jab and both had their moments landing with shots. It was a more patient game plan by both because of the respect for each other’s power. Jackson hit a body kick that seemed to be the most significant strike of the round.
In the second, Jackson rocked Silva with a right hand that Silva was hurt by and he grabbed hold of Jackson. Silva seemed exhausted but did engage in another flurry of strikes. Jackson connected with an overhand right to drop Silva and finished him with strikes.
Their series is tied 2-2.
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Gegard Mousasi def. Rory MacDonald by TKO at 3:23 of Round 2 to retain the Bellator middleweight title
Mousasi landed with his right hand early on, which MacDonald came back and landed one of his own. The difference in this round was Mousasi’s power jab that landed frequently and kept MacDonald at bay.
In the second, MacDonald rolled for the legs and ended up underneath Mousasi, who entered MacDonald’s guard. This was a bad spot as Mousasi started connecting with elbows and eventually passed his guard and mounted the welterweight champion. Mousasi began dropping elbows and Herb Dean stopped the fight.
Mousasi looked excellent in this fight.
