Patrício / Photo: Carlos Ozório
There was plenty of action on display in the black cage that was stage to the 41st Bellator event, in Yuma, Arizona, this Saturday.
The featherweight GP semifinals featured an all-Brazilian bout between Patrício “Pitbull” Freire and Wilson Reis – a rematch of the 2010 semifinal won by the former via unanimous decision. The fight seemed destined to end in the same fashion when Pitbull launch an onslaught of strikes that put out Reis’s lights 3:29 into the third round. Now Patrício faces Daniel Straus in the GP final, for a grand total of 100 thousand dollars in prize money from the tournament and a shot at current champion Joe Warren’s belt.
“I’m the kind of fighter who likes being complete, I’ll fight in whatever situation they put me in,” said Pitbull.
Ring of Combat champion Marcos “Lôro” Galvão was another Brazilian with a Jiu-Jitsu background in action, facing Bellator featherweight GP champion Joe Warren at a catch-weight fight meant to prepare Warren for an eventual go at the bantaweight GP, too. After three hard-fought rounds, the judges handed the win to the Bellator champion, in what has come to be seen as a controversial decision.
(Collaborator Junior Samurai)
Check out the results:
Bellator 41
Arizona, USA
April 16, 2011
Joe Warren defeated Marcos Loro via unanimous decision
Zach Makovsky defeated Chad Robichaux via technical knockout in R3
Featherweight GP semifinal
Patricio Freire knocked out Wilson Reis in R3
Daniel Straus submitted Kenny Foster via guillotine in R3
Brendan Tierney submitted Dano Moore via armbar in R1
Anthony Birchak submitted Tyler Bialecki via arm triangle in R1
Nick Piedmont defeated Michael Parker via split decision
Carlos Flores defeated Rudy Aguilar via technical knockout in R1