Bellator 154 ‘Phil Davis vs. King Mo’ Results: Play-by-Play & Round-by-Round Scoring

Thomas Diagne vs. Mark Dickman

Round 1

Diagne opens up behind his jab, throwing leg kicks behind it. Dickman looks to shoot quickly, feinting then shooting doubles. Diagne easily sprawls on the first one, but Dickman's second shot moments later allows him to run Diagne into the cage, switching to a single. Dickman trips Diagne down from a rear waistlock, then grapevines his near leg to keep him on his knees. Diagne tries to power up to his feet, so Dickman jumps on his back and sinks both hooks in less than two minutes into the fight. Diagne stands up to his feet then shakes “Tricky” off of his back, but he can't fully escape. Dickman shoots right back, works to the back and then jumps on with both hooks sunk again. He pulls Diagne to the mat and works for rear-naked choke, but can't get it under the jaw. Diagne frees himself from one hook, so Dickman rips him with left hands. Referee Jason Herzog looks in close to see if Diagne is still defending, but the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Dickman
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Dickman
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Dickman

Round 2

Diagne is stalking Dickman, working behind his jab again, but not landing many power punches, preferring to attack with sporadic leg kicks. Just before the two-minute mark of the round, Dickman shoots but Diagne sprawls nicely and denies him. Dickman keeps pressuring, finally running Diagne into the cage and bulling on another single-leg attempt. Dickman finally puts him on his seat, grapevining over Diagne's leg to trap him and essentially setting up the same scramble he used to get the back twice in the first round. He gets it again, but Diagne turns and gives up full mount. The French native tries to push off the fence and explode free, but Dickman holds heavy on top. Diagne turns over, going belly down while holding on Dickman's wrists with a two-on-one. Dickman lands right hands and elbows until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Dickman
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Dickman
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Dickman

Round 3

Diagne continues pressuring Dickman, knowing he's behind. He sprawls on Dickman's first few shots, but Dickman turns the corner on a double and takes Diagne's back once more, this time the fourth time. This time, rather than going for the rear-naked choke, Dickman just hammers away with punches, bloodying Diagne's face, which is creating a pool of blood below his head on the mat. Diagne just barely staying alive now while referee Jason Herzog looks on. Dickman slows for a moment, then gets busy with another salvo on a rolling Diagne. Diagne is essentially out of danger for a moment, but he's covered in blood and laying desperately on
his back, so Herzog opts to rescue him.

The Official Result

Mark Dickman def. Ousmane Thomas Diagne via TKO (Punches) R3 3:05

Stephanie Frausto vs. Jamielene Nievara

Round 1

Nievara sticks out a jab to ward off Frausto, who attacks early with inside and outside low kicks. Nievara runs through a Frausto kick with a pair of one-twos, touching Frausto with the right crosses. Nievara lands clean when she throws her right hand, but she's mostly backing up while Frausto chops at her legs idly. Nievara shoots, gets denied, then runs Frausto into the fence. They battle with over-unders until Frausto gets a takedown and it seems Nievara is content falling to her back. Frausto chips away with short punches until the round expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Frausto
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Frausto
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Frausto

Round 2

Frausto continues working the volume-oriented low kick game, outpacing Nievara who continues landing her right when she does choose to throw it. Frausto keeps trotting forward, touching the legs and body, but every so often, Nievara shoots a right hand and scores clean. The same sequence plays out until the midpoint of the round, when a harder Nievara right cross backs Frausto up, then Nievara charges her with rights and lefts. Frausto ties her up, Nievara puts her on the mat with an outside trip with under 90 seconds left in the round. Frausto tries to work a high guard, then nearly hits a flower sweep, but Nievara escapes and gets busy with hammerfists and elbows from full guard. Nievara keeps pounding away until the second frame expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Nievara
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Nievara
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Nievara

Round 3

Frausto lands a hard right body kick to start the third, but Nievara lands a pair of hooks that forces “Macaquinha” to shoot. Frausto switches from a single to a double and turns Nievara over, taking top position and moving to side control. Nievara manages to escape to her feet, but Frausto keeps the clinch. However, Nievara surprises her with an outside trip, then moves into full mount on the exhausted Frausto. Nievara moves to high mount and smashes away with punches and elbows until referee Mike Beltran intervenes.

The Official Result

Jamielene Nievara def. Stephanie Frausto via TKO (Punches and Elbows) R3 2:43

J.D. Hardwick vs. Jorge Acosta

Round 1

Hardwick lands a couple outside leg kicks to start this Veteran’s Operations Wellness matchup. Acosta rushes his man and pushes Hardwick against the fence, but eats several knees to the body from the Thai clinch for his efforts before they separate. A wild exchange ensues and Acosta falls to his knees after Hardwick lands a heavy right hand behind the ear. Acosta scrambles to his feet, but Hardwick snatches a power guillotine and falls back to the canvas in full guard. Hardwick squeezes the choke and eventually Acosta goes out cold.

The Official Result

J.D. Hardwick def. Jorge Acosta via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 1:21

Sam Spengler vs. Doyle Childs

Round 1

Childs runs right into a clinch, landing a knee up the middle as Spengler pummels and grabs double underhooks, setting up a trip takedown into half guard. Spengler controls Child's head, landing short, hard hooks while looking for a pass to mount, but Doyle replaces guard, then looks for an armbar briefly. Doyle keeps trying to work his his up high, but Spengler staying very busy with punches and elbows from full guard. Doyle throws hammerfists from his back, but to little effect. It's classic, methodical ground-and-pound from full guard from Spengler. He lands a big rush of punches with 30 seconds left, forcing Childs to briefly kick him away to abate the blows. In the scramble, Spengler locks up a Peruvian necktie, but the bell saves Childs.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spengler
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Spengler
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Spengler

Round 2

Both men look tired as the second round starts. Doyle presses forward slowly behind his jab, while Spengler front kicks and low kicks to keep distance. After a minute or so of that, Spengler shoots, running Childs into the fence with a single, then running the pipe to put him on the mat again. Spengler sets up, pounding away from full guard while Doyle fruitlessly punches in return from his back. Somehow, Spengler's right eyebrow is cut. It's more of the same, as Doyle can't get close to an armbar as Spengler just keeps punching away from his full guard until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spengler
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Spengler
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Spengler

Round 3

It takes just 70 seconds for Spengler to get inside on Childs, grab him by the waist and put him on the mat. Once more, he stacks him up against the fence in full guard and starts punching and elbowing away. Spengler digs to the body with lefts, then goes up top with more punches. Doyle continues trying to sock him up from his back but it doesn't do much to slow Spengler. With 90 seconds left in the fight, referee Jason Herzog puts both men back on their feet. Spengler tries to grab him and lands another takedown, but Childs pushes him away. Spengler lobs lukewarm low kicks to keep Childs off of him, and Childs just lets time tick away.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Spengler (30-27 Spengler)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Childs (29-28 Spengler)
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Spengler (30-27 Spengler)

The Official Result

Sam Spengler def. Doyle Childs via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Andre Fialho vs. Rick Reger

Round 1

Reger opens up with several hard low kicks until Fialho knocks him down with a right cross counter, though it's mostly a slip on Reger's end. The Portuguese fighter comes forward and rocks Reger with a nasty jab, prompting a defensive single-leg attempt from “Boomer.” Fialho shrugs him off, then throws an uppercut-flying knee combo that just misses. Outside low kick, uppercut, then a crushing right hook. Reger is target practice for the American Kickboxing Academy fighter. Two hooks knock Reger down, but he scrambles back to his feet, yelling to pump himself up.

Fialho keeps accosting him with heavy punches, hurting him badly with another pair of lefts, then he drops him with a nasty right hook. Fialho dives in and nails Reger's stiffened body with a final hammerfist before referee Ed Collantes can get in to stop the fight. An absolute blowout and a brutal finish for Andre Fialho.

The Official Result

Andre Fialho def. Rick Reger via KO (Punch) R1 2:11

Adam Piccolotti vs. Ray Wood

Round 1

Wood opens with a tricky side kick that he brings upstairs, clipping Piccolotti on the chin. Wood keeps with the kicking offense, landing a side kick to the body. When he kicks low, Piccolotti catches the kick, dumps him and moves to half guard on top. Wood tries to kick Piccolotti away, but the Californian dives right back onto him, then takes his back when “All Business” tries to hop back up to his feet, sinking both hooks.

Piccolotti forces him belly down and pounds him and when Wood rolls back to full mount, Piccolotti grabs an arm-triangle choke. He doesn't quite have it, as Wood gives a thumbs up to referee Mike Beltran. Wood tries to shrimp away out of mount, but Piccolotti controls him and re-takes the back cleverly. Wood stands, carrying his man on his back now. When he stands straight up, Piccolotti sinks the rear-naked choke and drags his man backwards back down to the mat, where the only option left is to tap.

The Official Result

Adam Piccolotti def. Ray Wood via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 3:17

Josh San Diego vs. Jeremiah Labiano

Round 1

San Diego takes a low, crouching stance to start the bantamweight contest, then abandons it for an open, southpaw stance, flicking kicks at Labiano to probe the distance. Labiano throws three punches and a head kick, but San Diego easily moves out of the way, then resumes touching Labiano's lead left leg with outside low kicks. At the halfway point of the opening round, San Diego steps inside and tackles Labiano to the mat. Labiano underhooks the thigh and looks to sweep, but San Diego escapes and stands up. When San Diego throws an axe kick to the body, Labiano knocks him off balance and jumps back to his feet. Hard right lands for San Diego, prompting a Labiano shot. Labiano doesn't get it, but he runs San Diego into the cage. San Diego frees himself, but he throws a lazy head kick late and is knocked to his back from a hard Labiano right hand.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-10
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 San Diego
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 San Diego

Round 2

San Diego presses into the pocket behind a jab, but he can't land on Labiano with punches, still relying on his kicks. Labiano surprises San Diego with a quick counter jab, then pops him with another. San Diego leads with several right overhands from the southpaw stance and misses. It's largely a defensive struggle on the feet halfway through the fight, with both fighters just missing their jabs and checking the other man's kicks. San Diego touches the body with a kick, then lands a left cross, then another body kick. Feints and foot shuffling for San Diego now, but his spinning back kick comes up short. San Diego lands a quick head kick, forcing Labiano to shoot a single. San Diego balances on his plant leg and drills Labiano with elbows, but eventually, Labiano tackles him to the canvas. San Diego pops back up with 10 seconds left, then just misses a spinning back elbow from the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 San Diego
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 San Diego
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 San Diego

Round 3

San Diego is the forward aggressor in the final frame, but when he looks to a launch a right head kick, Labiano tags him with a jab. Labiano is trying to attack more openly now, but San Diego just picks him off with quick counter jabs. Labiano catches a quick takedown on a rushing San Diego, but can't do much on top before referee “Big” John McCarthy stands them up. With 20 seconds to go, suddenly San Diego comes alive, rushing Labiano with heavy punches, diving into a beautiful full mount when Labiano blows a takedown and letting loose at incredible speed with heavy punches.

He just keeps punching and punching until the final bell sounds, having seemingly used all 15 minutes of energy in the last 20 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 San Diego (30-28 San Diego)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 San Diego (30-27 San Diego)
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 San Diego (30-27 San Diego)

The Official Result

Josh San Diego def. Jeremiah Labiano via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Saad Awad vs. Evangelista Santos

Round 1

Awad ducks low, rolling with hooks from side to side to close the distance and clinch. When he does, Santos uses his size to turn Awad around, then trip him to the mat from the bodylock. “Cyborg” postures in full guard trying to pound, but Awad swings for an armbar. Rather than pulling out and settling in guard, Santos rolls back with a leg grapevine and looks for a heel hook.

Awad tries to kick free, so Santos goes belly down, looking for a toe hold. Awad sits up while Santos is below him, still digging for a leglock. Awad starts unloading with clean, unblocked punches while the Brazilian is getting hammered on bottom. Referee Jason Herzog gives Santos every opportunity to work, eating punches for a full minute or more before he makes any progress on the leg. “Cyborg” creates some space and abandons the leglock, but now he's cut open and Awad crushes him with hammerfists and elbows. This should've been over a minute ago, and finally, Herzog makes it official.

The Official Result

Saad Awad def. Evangelista Santos via TKO (Punches and Elbows) R1 4:31

Phil Davis vs. Muhammed Lawal

Round 1

Davis keeps the distance with low and body kicks, while Lawal winds up on big right hands to counter him over the top. Nothing lands especially clean until just past the two-minute mark, when Lawal cracks Davis clean over the top with a right hand, then does it again moments later, stumbling “Mr. Wonderful” slightly and backing him off. With 65 seconds left in the first round, Davis tries a right head kick, but again eats a right-hand counter that trips him up. He comes back with a clever Superman punch then a low kick that get “King Mo's” attention. Davis ducks low into the pocket looking for a takedown, but eats a short right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Lawal
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Lawal
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Lawal

Round 2

Lawal keeps measuring Davis off of his kicks. Next time, “Mr. Wonderful” throws one, Lawal catches his leg and tackles him to the mat, but can't hold Lawal down. Davis winds up on a massive head kick that sails high over the head of a ducking Lawal. Lawal brings out the jab, but Davis tries to kick him away and clips him on the cup. Referee John McCarthy calls for a brief pause for Lawal to recover, but “King Mo” takes less than a minute after the glancing blow. The crowd boos at the halfway mark of the fight as Davis swoops from side to side in front of Lawal, touching him with low kicks. Davis steps in to kick and touches Lawal on the cup as “King Mo” drills him with a left hook to the body, and Lawal shakes off the glancing low blow. Right to the ribs for Lawal lands as he ducks under several wild Davis swings, then puts a right on Davis moments later when “Mr. Wonderful” kicks. Davis ducks low, then lands a nice casting right over the top, his best punch of the fight. Lawal returns fire and lands a right hand behind a flurry. Lawal winds up on an overhand right and bounces off Davis' guard. Two hard Davis body kicks are blocked by Lawal on the forearm.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Lawal
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Lawal
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Lawal

Round 3

Both Lawal and Davis show off the jab in the first minute of the final round, then Davis gets back to his leg and body kicking. Lawal closes distance and clinches briefly, but Davis escapes. Lawal steps back in with a clean right uppercut, then glances with a left hook behind a big swinging right. Davis kicks inside, Lawal lands a left hand, then swarms with more punches that make “Mr .Wonderful” circle out. Davis lands a sneaky right that stands Lawal up, clearly hurting him. Davis lands another right hand, then tackles the dazed Lawal to the canvas.

Davis tries to move to side control but “King Mo” starts to scramble. Davis yanks him off the fence and keeps him down with seatbelt position. Davis goes for a kimura and when Lawal rolls, Davis steps over his head, potentially threatening the armbar. Lawal goes over the top and escapes to his feet with just under a minute to go. Davis winds up on a slow head kick but only stumbles himself. Lawal swarms on Davis with big hooks but can't land. Davis shoots and gets sprawled on. Lawal throws one more overhand right at the bell that hits air.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Davis (29-28 Lawal)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Davis (29-28 Lawal)
Jeff Miller scores the round 10-9 Davis (29-28 Lawal)

The Official Result

Phil Davis def. Muhammed Lawal via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00