Bellator 178 ‘Straus vs. Freire 4’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round-by-Round Scoring

Branko Busick vs. Tyrell Fortune

The Official Result

Tyrell Fortune def. Branko Busick via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

David Mundell vs. Ed Ruth

The Official Result

Ed Ruth def. Dave Mundell via TKO (Knee to the Body) R2, 3:12

Tim Caron vs. Jordan Young

Round 1

Kevin MacDonald is the referee for this matchup of unbeaten 195-pound prospects. Young moves forward into a few low kicks, but he’s able to pop off a few jabs. Both men seem very relaxed early but Young is the aggressor while Caron backs off, looking to counter. Caron continues to feel is way around the cage behind low kicks while Young seems unafraid of his foe’s power. Young paws with his left jab a few more times at the midway point and the still-growing crowd is beginning to get antsy. Young fires off a left-right upstairs, but both shots are blocked. Caron seems unwilling to let his hands fly; instead he continues to peck with the low kicks. Young backs his opponent into the cage and cracks him with a right to the jaw and after the ensuing scramble, Young locks in a D’Arce. Caron tries to escape, but he can’t and has no choice but to tap out.

The Official Result

Jordan Young def. Tim Caron via Submission (Brabo Choke) R1, 3:55

Tom English vs. Blair Tugman

Round 1

“Big” John McCarthy is the third man in the cage for this featherweight encounter. Tugman darts across the cage and lands a stinging low kick, but English shakes it off. Tugman is very aggressive as he darts in and out, but he’s a bit wild. English stays composed, looking to counter. Tugman tosses out a flailing flurry of punches, misses them all, and then is clipped by a short right to the head. A sharp right-left through the guard for English, but Tugman quickly regroups. English throws a few jabs at the midway point, but neither hit its target. English counters with a left hook over a lazy Tugman kick to the body, but it’s not a powerful punch. The feathers continue to feel each other out, not committing too much with any strikes. English pops the Connecticut fighter with a short counter left hook on the ear, which forces him to shoot in. English fends the shot off nicely but Tugman presses him into the cage. Tugman finally scoops his opponent up and takes him down just before the bell but it’s not enough to win the round. 10-9 English

Round 2

Tugman’s corner is throwing insults at English’s ground game, or lack thereof, and demands that he take the New Yorker down immediately. Listening to his corner perfectly, Tugman opts to stand back and throw out sporadic punches and low kicks early. Finally, Tugman shoots in with a double, but English’s sprawl is a beauty. Tugman’s strength and technique eventually prevails, though, as he drags his adversary down to the ground. Working from half guard on top, Tugman is pressing all of his weight down via knee-on-belly, but English wriggles his way underneath to recover to full guard. Back to half guard, Tugman is grinding him to bits, though he’s not working his ground-and-pound. After about two minutes, Tugman scoots over to side control and then to north-south position, looking for the choke. English is fending off the attack, but he’s unable to free himself and scramble to his feet. Tugman moves back to side control, but it’s a mistake; English explodes to his feet. Without wasting any time, Tugman snatches him right back down and lands in full mount. It’s all Tugman in the second 10-9

Round 3

English tags his opponent with a wild low kick early while Tugman stays back. As soon as English commits to a punch, Tugman changes levels and easily takes him down and into full guard. Tugman effortless passes from guard to side control, pressing his weight down into English. With over three minutes remaining, things are looking grim for English. Tugman dishes out a few elbows to the body from on top while English holds him tight, likely looking for a stall to get back to his feet. Tugman fishes for a cross-body key lock but misses it. Instead, he slides across to full mount. English is holding the grappler around the neck, hoping to survive until the final bell. Tugman rides over to his foe’s back and looks for the rear-naked choke and then forces the tap with only a few seconds left.

The Official Result

Blair Tugman def. Tom English via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R3, 4:54

Kastriot Xhema vs. Nick Alley

Round 1

Todd Anderson is the ref for this 165-pound catchweight duel. Alley comes out with a high kick immediately, but it’s blocked. The two are fighting at a fast pace early as they trade punches and kicks. Alley is nailed by a straight left to the head and he’s hurt. Another. Xhema cracks him with an elbow on the inside as well and Alley is in trouble. In an effort to clear his head, Alley ties Xhema up and presses him into the cage. Xhema is trying like mad to separate from his foe so he can continue to unload strikes, but Alley is like an octopus. Xhema finally breaks free and circles away. Both men are cut around the eye and swing wildly with punches. Xhema drills his opponent with a massive left uppercut, dropping him flat onto his back. Alley is badly hurt and then knocked senseless with a follow-up elbow to the dome. Terrific pro debut for Xhema.

The Official Result

Kastriot Xhema def. Nick Alley via KO (Punches) R1, 3:19

Dominic Mazzotta vs. A.J. McKee

Round 1

Todd Anderson is the referee for this featherweight special attraction. McKee comes out of his corner and stalks Mazzotta, while Dominic backs off and circles. A pair of kicks to the body of Mazzotta push him back and when McKee resets, he flattens Mazzotta with a left head kick. This one is over as Mazzotta is out cold, stiff as a board.

The Official Result

A.J. McKee def. Dominic Mazzotta via KO (Head Kick) R1, 1:15

Saad Awad vs. Ryan Quinn

Round 1

“Big” John McCarthy is the ref for this special 165-pound catchweight battle. Awad goes with a head early but he misses. Quinn counters him with a pair of low kicks before changing levels and shooting in the double-leg. Awad stuffs him and when they rest, Saad cracks him with a right hook to the head. It’s a wild exchange and they tow wind up on the ground, where Awad takes Quinn’s back, fishing for a kimura and then a rear-naked choke. Awad is riding high on Quinn’s back and misses an armbar, allowing Quinn to explode up to his feet. Awad misses a right and left hook, which allows Quinn to shoot in and score the takedown. A wild scramble ensues and Quinn locks up the anaconda, but Awad escapes the BJJ black belt’s attempt. Back up, they trade left hooks before clinching. Awad stuffs a single-leg attempt from the Floridian and proceeds to slam several elbows to Quinn’s body. Quinn against explodes back to his feet and they trade some serious leather. Again Quinn shoots in and takes Awad down, but not much happens until the end of the round. It’s a very exciting, close round but Awad narrowly gets it. 10-9 Awad

Round 2

Awad blocks a right head kick as soon as the round begins, but he’s taken down via single-leg moments later. Quinn quickly snatches his foe’s back, but then abandons it and rolls into Awad’s full guard. It’s another scramble and Quinn again takes Saad’s back, but Awad fends off the rear-naked choke attempts. Awad creates enough space to roll over and winds up in Quinn’s guard but he has to defend a kimura. Awad backs up to his feet, but he dives right back down onto his opponent. After/ another wild exchange on the ground and scramble, Quinn rolls the Californian over and winds up Awad’s guard. The two men scramble yet again and the position is reversed. Awad breaks free, stands up and then plunges head first into the black belt and moves to side control. Awad achieves mount briefly but he runs out of time. 10-9 Awad

Round 3

Quinn wastes no time in shooting in and scoring a takedown via the double-leg. Awad inadvertently gives up his back but he’s able to spin out and pop back up to his feet. Awad just misses with a powerful right hook and swallows an uppercut for his effort. Awad shakes it off and resets, but Quinn takes him down against the cage. Awad reverses position and lands in Quinn’s guard, but he begins throwing punches from on top. Quinn covers up well, nullifying the strikes. When the two contenders stand back up, Awad thinks about taking his back, but backs off to reset in the center of the cage. Quinn misses a takedown because he shoots in from way too far out, but Awad misses his chance for full mount, settling for guard play instead. Quinn grabs onto Awad’s neck while on his butt, but his guillotine attempt is meager. Awad power through it and takes Quinn’s back with very little time left and stays there until the end. 10-9 Awad

The Official Result

Saad Awad def. Ryan Quinn via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3, 5:00

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Jessica Middleton

Round 1

The co-featured fight is up now and Kevin McDonald is the ref. Macfarlane comes right at Middleton but has to back away from the punches coming at her. Macfarlane wades through a small wave of punches and dives in for a takedown, but she’s stuffed. From there, the Hawaiian shoves Middleton into the cage and then drags her down to her back. Middleton is able to recover to half guard, but Macfarlane begins slamming down left elbows to the head. Middleton covers up, but gets mounted easily. Instantly, Macfarlane latches on the bar as she drops off to her left. Middleton fights it like crazy, but once Macfarlane stuffs the arm under her armpit, it’s over; Middleton taps out.

The Official Result

Ilima Macfarlane def. Jessica Middleton via Submission (Armbar) R1, 2:15

Bellator MMA Featherweight Championship:
Daniel Straus vs. Patricio Freire

Round 1

The featherweight championship headliner is underway and Dan Miragliotta is the ref for this, the fourth meeting between the two. Freire tags the champ with an overhand right as soon as the fight begins, but Straus shrugs it off. Straus slams a low kick into Pitbull’s lead leg, sending him stumbling off balance. A push kick from the champ, followed by another low kick. Freire circles to his right, looking for a way inside, but he eats a glancing, sweeping overhand left. Pitbull plants a left hand onto Straus’ jaw, but he has to eat a left hook in return. A Freire head kick is blocked at the midway point. Straus closes the gap and slams a left fist into his challenger’s chest before slamming him into the cage. They remain clinches against the cage, swapping positions every few moments. Finally, Miragliotta separates them and forces a restart with 38 seconds left. A hard right shin slams into the champ’s ribs in the closing moments and it’s a close one. 10-9 Straus

Round 2

The men tie each other like savages as soon as the frame begins and Straus goes for an inside trip. He misses it as Pitbull stuffs him hard and then locks on a tight standing guillotine. Freire drops to his back, torques his hips and cranks on the neck. Straus has nowhere to go and can’t escape and has no choice but to tap out almost as soon as the second round begins.

The Official Result

Patricio Freire def. Daniel Straus via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R2, 0:37