Bellator Fighting Championships returned for round six on Spike TV last night (Feb. 21, 2013) with a featherweight tournament final and the season eight light heavyweight and welterweight tournament semifinals with what was almost certainly the most violent main card in the promotion's 90-event history.
The main event was capped off with a highly intriguing featherweight tournament final between top Russian striker Shahbulat Shamhalaev and American wrestler Rad Martinez in a bout that had been delayed over two months after Shamhalaev had fallen ill on fight night last December.
Everyone knew going in that Shamhalaev had the striking advantage while Martinez held the grappling edge and whoever could impose their will was almost certainly going to win the fight.
That proved to be true as early on, Shamhalaev was in complete control, scoring with repeated low kicks and landing his overhand right with power in a slow-paced stand-up fight, but Martinez turned the tables with a big takedown in the final two minutes, keeping the striker on his back and dropping occasional elbows to come close to evening out the round.
In the second, however, Martinez never found an opening to shoot in for a takedown and after he was hurt from a big punch from the Russian, he never fully recovered. As Martinez staggered and worked to regain his bearings, Shamhalaev poured it on with knees and short punches on the feet, eventually putting the Utah native down for good with a huge overhand right followed by a vicious strike on the ground to punch his ticket to a title shot as well as $100,000.
Shamhalaev will now await the winner of the upcoming Pat Curran vs. Daniel Straus fight for the Bellator featherweight title.
In the most talked-about fight of the evening, former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal attempted to advance to the Bellator season eight tournament finals against Emanuel Newton, a 29 year old Californian and former MFC light heavyweight champ in his own right.
Lawal entered the fight confident, perhaps too confident, as his guard was low and he was repeatedly caught with swift strikes from the fleet-footed Newton, who worked quick combinations and found a home for his left jab and leg kicks.
When "The Hardcore Kid" got comfortable, he pressed the action and started working in power strikes as Lawal countered, with both men landing heavy blows on the inside.
Then it happened.
Lawal attempted to counter off of a Newton combination with a heavy strike of his own, but he was exposed and Newton caught him completely by surprise with one of the most perfectly timed spinning back fists which caught him square on the button and sent the part-time TNA fighter slumping in a heap to the canvas, knocked completely out cold.
In one instant, Lawal's dreams of winning a Bellator title were briefly dashed while Newton's never looked brighter.
For complete Bellator 90 results and detailed round-by-round commentary of all the televised fights click here. For a recap of the King Mo knockout defeat and an animated gif, click here and here.
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