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ARCHIVED STORY SPRING 2017
Pitbull wins featherweight title at Bellator 178
Patricio Pitbull, left, grapples with Daniel Straus on April 21 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Photo by Nicola Faraone
By Brian Woodman Jr.
(Uncasville, CT -- April 21) Brazilian featherweight Patricio Pitbull (14-4) defeated Bellator’s reigning champion in the 145-pound class on Friday evening at the Mohegan Sun Arena, winning the fight by submission at :37 in the second round. It was the first title defense for dethroned champion Daniel Straus (11-4) after regaining the belt and the pair’s fourth fight together.
Straus adopted southpaw stance as the two engaged in cautious standup during the first round of their five-round bout. But during the second round Pitbull attempted a guillotine choke in the clinch and dropped to the canvas with his legs wrapped around Straus’s waist. The referee promptly waved the fight off.
The main card opened with A.J. McKee (8-0) winning his featherweight bout with Dominic Mazzotta (11-2) at 1:15 in the first round by knockout. While Mazzotta adopted southpaw stance and attempted to block a high side kick, McKee still connected with his face and won the bout.
Saad Awad (20-9) won the chaotic catch weight 165-pound fight that followed. His opponent was Danbury native Ryan Quinn (13-7-1), who fights out of Coconut Creek, Florida along with Straus. Both fighters threw everything at the wall during the fight, which ended with Awad securing an unanimous decision.
The first round began with a furious exchange of strikes that ended when Quinn attempted a double-leg takedown and Awad responded by taking his back and dropping bombs. They wound up on their feet and Quinn shot for another double-leg takedown. The round culminated in a mad scramble where each fighter attempted a guillotine choke.
The second round had a similar tone, beginning with Quinn taking Awad’s back and ending with Awad attempting a bully mount as the bell rang.
The third and final round had Quinn shooting for more take downs, attempting a rear naked choke and a guillotine. Awad tangled on the ground with Quinn and attempted a rear naked choke as the round ended.
A women’s flyweight fight between Jessica Middleton (2-1) and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (6-0) preceded the main event. Macfarlane attempted a leg triangle and then switched to an armbar, submitting Middleton at 2:15 in the first round.
The preliminary card opened with a featherweight bout between Shane Manley (3-3) and Meriden, Connecticut’s Chris Foster (11-5). Foster won by split decision following three rounds that were primarily careful stand-up. Manley shot for a few takedowns during the fight and kneed Foster’s legs in the clinch during the third round.
Chris Foster, left, versus Shane Manley.
Photo by Nicola Faraone
Tyrell Fortune (2-1) lost a point during the second round after kneeing Branko Busick during the heavyweight bout that followed. But the judges still awarded Fortune an unanimous decision by 29-27.
Both fighters clinched during the first round with Fortune throwing lots of knees. Busick landed a few punches during the second round, apparently going for power while Fortune shot for takedowns. Busick, who made his professional debut that evening, landed an uppercut in the third round.
Ed Ruth (3-0)) generally dominated his middleweight fight with David Mundell (6-3), clinching a TKO victory at 3:13 in the second round. Mundell attempted a few uppercuts while Ruth leaned toward clinching and grappling. Ruth eventually landed a knee to Mundell’s ribs that prompted the referee to wave the fight off.
Tim Caron (6-1) landed a high kick early in his catch weight 195-pound fight with Jordan Young (7-0). But Young submitted Caron at 3:55 in the first round with a D’Arce choke after the fight went to the ground.
Blair Tugman (10-6) of North Haven submitted Thomas English (6-8) with a rear naked choke at 4:54 in the third round of their featherweight bout. Tugman generally dominated the three rounds.
Thomas English versus Blair Tugman.
Photo by Nicola Faraone
Kas Xhema of Greenwich made his professional debut by knocking out Nick Alley (1-1) at 3:19 in the first round. Both fighters were bleeding before Xhema knocked Alley down with two left punches to the face and began dropping -- bombs -- the referee waved the fight off.
The last fight on the undercard was a flyweight bout between John Lopez (6-4) of Hartford and Remo Cardelli (7-5). Cardelli won by unanimous decision, although the judges scored the fight differently.
Lopez aggressively shot for takedowns and clinched during the first round. Cardelli attempted to take Lopez’s back. The bell rang as Lopez attempted an armbar.
The referee briefly stopped the fight during the second round due to a cut over Lopez’s eye. The round continued and Lopez was saved by the bell after Cardelli attempted an armbar.
Lopez increased the pace during the third round, attempting a guillotine after Cardelli attempted a single-leg takedown. Cardelli later caught Lopez with a one-two punching combination. Lopez subsequently managed a double-leg takedown and attempted to submit Cardelli before the bout went to the stand-up phase again. The round ended with a powerful punching exchange.
The twilight bout results for this event will be posted on our blog.
(Editorial note: all fighter statistics for this story were based on information provided by Bellator.)
Nick Alley throws a kick at Kas Xhema.
Photo by Nicola Faraone
