Bellator 148 Results, Updates & Play-by-Play

Javy Ayala vs. Carl Seumanutafa

Round 1

Ayala immediately gets hold of Seumanutafa’s left leg and drives him against the fence, but after Seumanutafa throws a knee, Ayala raises up to work over-unders. The heavyweights trade short body shots as they clinch along the cage. Ninety seconds in, Ayala gets the leg again and this time completes the takedown. Seumanutafa turns his back as he tries to stand, and Ayala tries to take it. Seumanutafa stands, gets slammed back down, stands and gets slammed again. Ayala lands a couple right hands from riding position before Seumanutafa stands once again. Big slam from Ayala puts Seumanutafa back in the kneeling position near the center of the cage, eating right hands which are coming in with increasing force. Ayala lands a dozen or more and referee Mike Beltran looks close to stopping the fight just before the storm relents. Ayala stops throwing momentarily and pushes Seumanutafa toward the fence, where “Badwater” goes belly down and Ayala sinks in his hooks. Seumanutafa kneels, and now Ayala is riding too high, about to slip off, so he tries an armbar with 30 seconds remaining. Seumanutafa stacks up to relieve pressure on the arm, slips loose and finishes the round dropping punches on Ayala’s face.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ayala
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Ayala
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ayala

Round 2

Seconds into the round, Ayala comes leaping at Seumanutafa with a flying knee, knocking the big Samoan to his back in the middle of the cage. Ayala dives on him and they move nearer the fence, where Seumanutafa holds Ayala in half guard and tries a kimura from his back. The kimura doesn’t seem tight but does allow Seumanutafa to sweep to the standing position, leaving Ayala on his knees against the fence. Seumanutafa gets in a few good right hands as he keeps Ayala trapped up against a cage post. Ayala is back up with 3:00 left in the round; Seumanutafa stays glued to him and hits a trip takedown 20 seconds later. Straight to full mount goes Seumanutafa, who drops a couple nasty elbows on Ayala’s face, opening a gushing gut on the inside corner of Ayala’s right eye. Ayala reclaims half guard but Seumanutafa is back in mount seconds later, unloading with more heavy blows. Ayala goes belly down and Seumanutafa keeps throwing until referee Beltran steps in to stop the bout.

The Result

Carl Seumanutafa def. Javy Ayala via TKO (Punches) R2 3:46

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Amber Tackett

Round 1

Macfarlane shoots for a single-leg against the fence and plants Tackett on the ground within 20 seconds of the opening bell. “The Ilimanator” keeps her hips high as she works to pass Tackett’s high guard. Tackett threatens to sweep, but Macfarlane catches an armbar in the transition and works to stretch out the limb while Tackett defends on her knees. Macfarlane won’t give up on the arm, and now she’s got Tackett’s other arm trapped between her knees. Macfarlane finally pries the left arm loose, stretches it out and gets the verbal submission.

The Result

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane def. Amber Tackett via Submission (Armbar) R1 2:09

Art Arciniega vs. Justin Smitley

Round 1

The featherweights come out swinging, and it’s Smitley connecting with wide, looping punches in the center of the cage. Smitley backs up and lands a couple leg kicks on the incoming Arciniega, who catches up near the cage and lands a hard right hand. More kicks score for Smitley, chopping at Arciniega’s left knee. Smitley sticks a right hand, eats a hard right hook in return and gives a grin to Arciniega. A couple jabs get through for Smitley, whose leg kicks have fallen off here in the middle of the round. Grinning again is Smitley, this time after dodging a punch from Arciniega and returning a right straight. Smitley continues to move around the outside, not leaving a stationary target as Arciniega tries to work from the center. Smitley is looking to counter in the last minute but there’s not much to counter as Arciniega is not letting loose with his hands.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Smitley
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Smitley
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Smitley

Round 2

Smitley continues to strike off his back foot, landing a few jabs and leg kicks in the opening minute. Arciniega seems content to walk after him, looking to line up a shot but not throwing much of anything. It’s more of the same until midway through the round, when Arciniega connects with a hard left hook. Smitley jogs away and shakes it off, comes back to deliver a leg kick and gets swiped with a right hand, to which he shakes his head at Arciniega. It’s coming together a bit for Arciniega here in the second half of the round, though the strikes are still few. Smitley ducks under a wide left hand and tags Arciniega with a right on the exit. More circling and parrying ensues in the final minute of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-10
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Smitley
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Smitley

Round 3

The featherweights are back in the familiar position to start the last round, with Smitley circling about six inches off the cage while Arciniega hops after him from the inner ring. Leg kicks connect for Smitley, who’s staying just far enough out of range that he can duck and weave out of the way of Arciniega’s combinations. Good head movement from Smitley as Arciniega steps inside throwing four or five punches and comes away with nothing. Smitley counters the next combination with a left hook, misses with the follow-through uppercut. Arciniega dodges a front kick from Smitley, who grins wide again as they approach the final minute. Arciniega puts a few punches on the body of Smitley but there’s not much behind them. Smitley keeps circling and backpedaling, evading Arciniega’s offense down the stretch.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Smitley (30-28 Smitley)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Smitley (30-27 Smitley)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Smitley (30-27 Smitley)

The Result

Justin Smitley def. Art Arciniega via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Raphael Butler vs. Tony Johnson

Round 1

Butler counters the first leg kick from Johnson with a straight right hand over the top. Butler initiates a clinch on the fence, but Johnson drops levels and drives forward for a single-leg takedown. Butler backs up against the fence and gets stood up with an underhook. Johnson lands a few short punches and then drives a knee up the center, square into the cup of “The Silencer.” Butler drops to his knees as referee Mike Beltran pauses the action and sends Johnson to a neutral corner. Butler recovers and action resumes with just over three minutes on the clock. Johnson hits a quick takedown but can’t keep Butler on his back, and the boxer is able to scramble back to his feet. Johnson keeps him on the cage, tries to take the back and gets shaken off. Left hook connects for Butler, forcing Johnson to back up after missing with wild counterpunches. Johnson changes levels again, gets Butler to sprawl and spins to take the back. Johnson is unsteady on the back and Butler shakes him off to wind up in the wrestler’s full guard. Referee Beltran issues a warning to Butler for raking Johnson’s face with an open hand, then warns both fighters to “watch the fingers in the eyes.” Butler tries to get busy with ground-and-pound in the last 20 seconds but Johnson keeps him close to avoid damage.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Butler
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Butler
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Butler

Round 2

Johnson brings the fight straight back to the fence, trapping Butler against the cage with an underhook. Butler escapes after 30 seconds and sidesteps a couple wild punches, then misses a few of his own. Butler sprawls on a takedown attempt, gets pushed against the cage again but this time is able to reverse. The heavyweights walk out to the center, still in the clinch, and Johnson fails on a trip takedown. They finally disengage at the halfway mark, but when Butler steps forward to throw hands, Johnson shoots and hits a high double-leg. Johnson postures up in Butler’s open guard and drops a couple right hands on his body. He puts a forearm across Butler’s throat, prompting the Silencer to roll to his knees. Johnson gets in a couple left hands before referee Beltran warns him not to strike the back of the head. Butler powers back to his feet for the final 30 seconds but Johnson remains in control of the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 3

Johnson changes levels and plows Butler to the ground at the base of the fence within 15 seconds of the bell. Butler wraps a couple punches around Johnson’s dome and gets a warning from the ref for punching the back of the head. Butler kneels up against the cage, allowing Johnson to slowly climb on his back. Johnson’s right hook is blocked by the fence, so he pulls Butler away from the cage and onto his back. Johnson drops a couple short shots from side control before Butler rolls out and back to his feet. Halfway through the final round, Butler remains pressed against the cage. More slow-motion clinch work ensues until referee Beltran separates the fighters. They’re apart for all of 10 seconds before Johnson hits another takedown, and now he works from top position with under two minutes left. Butler covers up on his knees as Johnson drops right hands, the wrestler angling his punches under the armpit or to the side of the head as Butler shifts underneath. Butler doesn’t appear hurt, but he’s offering nothing in return. Referee Beltran tells him to improve, and when he doesn’t, the fight is stopped.

The Result

Tony Johnson def. Raphael Butler via TKO (Punches) R3 4:24

Ryan Couture vs. Patricky Freire

Round 1

Couture lands the first punch of the fight about 30 seconds into the round, a stiff jab on the mouth of “Pitbull,” who circles the edge of the cage. Freire comes out to the middle and lunges at Couture with a Superman punch, but the American covers up. A quick combination sends Couture backpedaling, but as Freire closes in, he throws a kick and gets tripped to the floor. Pitbull scrambles back to his feet and dashes away before Couture can clinch. A straight left-right hook combination scores for the Brazilian, then a straight right has Couture staggering backward. Couture dives on Freire’s legs and gets sliced open by what looks like a standing elbow to the bridge of the nose. Couture steps into the pocket with a lazy low kick and pays the price, as Freire absolutely demolishes him with a left hook to the jaw. The unconscious Couture collapses to the ground in a heap, and Patricky Freire has added another knockout to his highlight reel.

The Result

Patricky Freire def. Ryan Couture via KO (Punch) R1 3:00

Chris Honeycutt vs. Paul Bradley

Round 1

Honeycutt comes forward at the start of the fight, trying to jab his way into range while Bradley threatens with hooking counters. “The Cutt” paws with a left hand and leans in, maybe looking to shoot, but he leaves his head out there for a thumping right hook counter. Honeycutt’s legs give way and Bradley pounces, clubbing the Californian with another big right hand as he staggers to his feet. Honeycutt collapses again, turns his back and tries to crawl away but Bradley is all over him, bombing with massive right hands. A couple more punches and Honeycutt goes limp, belly down, and referee Mike Beltran steps in to stop the fight. Honeycutt protests but the stoppage -- which looked proper in real time -- while Bradley gets up on the cage and screams at the Fresno crowd after clobbering the local favorite.

The Result

Paul Bradley def. Chris Honeycutt via TKO (Punches) R1 0:40

Paul Daley vs. Andy Uhrich

Round 1

Veteran referee “Big” John McCarthy is the third man in the cage for tonight’s welterweight main event. The southpaw Uhrich puts a few kicks on the lead leg of his orthodox opponent in the opening minute, then denies a clinch attempt from Daley and shoots in to try a takedown. Daley throws away Uhrich and then catches him coming back in to deliver a clinch knee to the gut. Uhrich tries again for the takedown, can’t get it and disengages. Daley presses forward as Uhrich backs up toward the fence, and referee McCarthy warns “Semtex” to keep his hands closed while striking. Daley misses with a couple left hooks near the fence, then finds the target with a right uppercut that puts Uhrich to sleep immediately. Uhrich falls face-first to the canvas and Daley strides away as the ref steps in to wave it off. Daley walks over to the fence and starts jawing at Josh Koscheck, who is sitting cageside to oblige his once and future opponent in a little back-and-forth.

The Result

Paul Daley def. Andy Uhrich via KO (Punch) R1 2:00