Bellator 194 ‘Nelson vs. Mitrione’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round-by-Round Scoring

Dean Hancock vs. Marcus Surin

Round 1

Hancock is the lead aggressor here, pressing forward and pushing for a takedown. He goes behind and tries to take the back, but slips off Surin when he tries to sink his hooks in. Both men reset. Hancock jabs and now Surin comes forward, firing off combos to put his foe on the back foot. Hancock unfurls a spinning back kick to the ribs that seems to stun his opponent, so the man rushes in to finish. Surin blows a ragdoll takedown attempt and Surin gets top for a moment. He sinks one hook but can’t get any further. They scramble up and Hancock looks for a single, but Surin reverses and winds up on top, elbowing away. Hancock is able to scoot and scramble, but Surin sucks him back down and passes to side. In the dying moments of the round, Hancock scoots up again, but Surin drills him with knees to the body and clocks him with elbows. 10-9 Surin on the Sherdog card.

Round 2

Hancock again presses the action and walks his man down, pumping the jab and lobbing low kicks. Surin lands a hard right-hand hook and backs his man up. Hancock clinches up and Surin reaps him to the floor, easily getting into mount. Hancock tries to bump and roll, but Surin maintains and keeps punching and elbowing him to the body. Hancock eventually gets up, but he is immediately sucked right back down to the floor. Again, he is able to bridge up and gets smashed right back down to the floor where Surin sinks his hooks in. He initially looks for a rear-naked choke, but as Hancock rolls, he sinks in a fight-ending arm-triangle choke.

The Official Result

Marcus Surin def. Dean Hancock via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) R2 4:50

Walter Howard vs. Jarod Trice

Round 1

Both men slap gloves to start the contest. Trice the natural aggressor, moving and pumping off his left hand. Referee Dan Miragliotta warns Howard to keep his fingers inside. Trice digs to the body, then smacks a right hand there. Another body kick from Trice. Howard responds with a hard jab, then smacks the legs. Trice with wild overhands from the outside trying to make contact. Trice shoots about 90 seconds into the round but can’t get the takedown. Both men actively trash talking in there. Trice with a low kick and overhand right. Trice then throws so hard he almost goes ass over tea kettle. Before the bell, Trice lands another hard overhand right. 10-9 Trice.

Round 2

Trice is just hunting now, trying to locate the overhand right. Finally, about 45 seconds into the bout, he lands one. Trice shoots and presses his man to the fence, but can’t get the takedown he’s looking for. On the break, Howard jabs Trice in the eye and we’ve got a timeout from referee Miragliotta, who takes a point from Howard. As we start, Miragliotta tells both men to watch their fingers. Trice goes right back to the same gameplan of straight swinging, but manages to lands several nasty hooks, especially with the left hand. Trice shoots again and tries to put Howard on the floor, but can’t put his man on the mat. Left hook-overhand right lands for Trice before the bell. 10-8 with the point deduction.

Round 3

Round 3 is a wild fracas. Trice and Howard both unload with hooks and uppercuts on one another, simply winging with both hands and landing clean. Trice catches a kick from Howard and knocks him down with an overhand, but in following in to the mat, Howard briefly rolls through and claims top. Trice is up now, using a single toll through, claim top, then take a single-leg ride. Trice threatening the rear-naked choke, trying to crossface Howard. 10-9 Trice, making it 30-26 with the point deduction.

The Official Result

Jarod Trice def. Walter Howard via Majority Decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) R3 5:00

Regivaldo Carvalho vs. Tom English

Round 1

Well, this one doesn't last long. Both men come out, pumping jabs and trying to feel one another out. The minute English extends his jabs and tries to double it up, Carvalho drills him with a straight right that knocks him on seat. While English is still sentient, Carvalho dashes in with a Robbie Lawler-style diving bomb of a right hand which lands firm on the jaw and completely nukes English. Referee Kevin MacDonald is there in a flash for the ninth-fastest stoppage in Bellator MMA history.

The Official Result

Regivaldo Carvalho def. Tom English via KO (Punches) R1 0:17

Mike Kimblevs. Geoffrey Then

Round 1

Oh boy, we’ve got another quickie. Kimble works behind the jab and walks down Then immediately, putting his opponent's back to the fence. The minute Then tries to open up and defend himself, he throws out two flicker jabs that are immediately parried and simply get him lanced in the face with a right cross. Kimble is on top of his man in a heartbeat, although Then shows the wherewithal to throw up an armbar which actually looks decent. Even though he gets his hips perpendicular, Kimble elevates his foe and slams him hard, clearly rocking him and then exploding with a volley of hammerfists. Then is out and referee Keith Peterson is on it in a flash.

The Official Result

Mike Kimble def. Geoffrey Then via TKO (Punches) R1 1:03

Ronie Arana Leon vs. Ross Richardson

Round 1

Richardson closes the distance behind his punches and immediately gets a takedown. Immediately, he opens up with heavy ground-and-pound. Richardson rips away with punches to the body. Leon tries to kick him away, but Richardson dives right back on top and it’s simply rinse and repeat, as Richardson smokes him with right elbows, then digs to the body. Once more, Leon makes a valiant effort to kick his foe off of him, but Richardson maintains heavy hips and stays on top. Richardson gets back into full guard, crossfaces Leon, then smokes him with more right elbows, then a whole salvo of two-handed punches to the body, then more right elbows. All Richardson in the opening frame, 10-9.

Round 2

Richardson obviously knows he’s got an advantage on top and he’s looking to press it, as he rushes Leon behind a series of jabs and hooks, just trying to segue into the clinch. Once Richardson gets a hold of his man, he hits an easy outside trip and lands in half guard. Immediately, he opens up, just dropping fire on the bottom man. Leon is clearly wilting. Richardson easily slides his foot out and takes full mount and from there, it’s on like Donkey Kong. Richardson unloads a torrent of right hands, smashing Leon repeatedly square in the face. Leon is completely defensive and defeated now, simply waiting for referee Dan Miragliotta to step in. Richardson keeps up the offense to end the bout. Nasty ground-and-pound from Richardson to win and close the show.

The Official Result

Ross Richardson def. Ronie Arana Leon via TKO (Punches) R2 1:41

Tywan Claxton vs. Jose Antonio Perez

Round 1

Low crouching stance for the southpaw Claxton, who is darting in and out of the pocket with jabs and front kicks. The minute Perez even broaches the distance, Claxton changes levels, hits a double and dumps him in the middle of the cage. Claxton quickly powers his way to half guard after a series of right hands. “Speedy” settles easily in half and continues to unload with left hands and right elbows on the nearside. Perez is simply just trying to get upper body control and maintain. In the last five seconds, Claxton postures up and unloads another stream of big left hooks and right elbows from top. Easy 10-9 for Claxton.

Round 2

Second verse is the same as the first, as Claxton works crouching movement behind his jab and then hits a reactionary takedown on Perez the minute he steps forward. This time, Claxton dumps his man along the fence, which seems to suit him even better as he stacks him up along the fence and gets to hammering away from half guard. Claxton’s right elbows are vicious here. Perez keeps trying to control his opponent’s wrists and is simply getting nowhere against the superior athlete here. Claxton with less left hands that Round 1, but Perez is opening up to the nearside, allowing Claxton to liberally use his right arm to drop massive elbows on his face. Short flurry of right hands from Claxton as referee Keith Peterson warns Perez he needs to defend himself. “Speedy” postures up again and drops another salvo of right elbows, then rifles Perez with a series of short right hands. Perez is still conscious, but the man is simply broken and overwhelmed. Peterson realizes as much and wisely intervenes to save the bottom man from Claxton’s ongoing assault.

The Official Result

Tywan Claxton def. Jose Antonio Perez via TKO (Punches) R2 3:39

Liam McGeary vs. Vadim Nemkov

Round 1

Nemkov is the pressurer to start the bout, but the rangier McGeary backs him off with a long jab and fights his way off the fence, then begins to chop away with inside low kicks. Nemkov can’t quite get inside of McGeary’s range, but he’s clearly relying on the right uppercut which continuously just whizzes by the Brit’s face. More hard, extended jabs from Nemkov now until McGeary gets off the fence and the Russian thumps him with three straight inside low kicks. Make that four. An overhand right from the Russian just glides over McGeary’s head, but then he goes back to the inside low kick. McGeary tries to fire back with a body kick then a two-piece, but it’s not fooling Nemkov who knows the former Bellator champ must be hurting. Lead hook from Nemkov lands, but he can’t follow up. In the dying seconds, Nemkov smartly changes his level and completes a clean double, but it’s too late to get any offense going on top. Easy 10-9 Nemkov.

Round 2

Nemkov goes back to the well immediately, using the inside leg kick to set up his overhand right. McGeary smartly gets off the fence, but winds up tackled to the mat the minute he circles off. The Brit throws up his long limbs and has a look at a triangle, but Nemkov sees the setup immediately and stands up quickly. Back on the feet, the same dynamic continues to play out. The ex-Bellator champ McGeary continues to walk himself back into the fence, while Nemkov now isn’t just using inside low kicks, but chopping to the outside as well, and the Brit just simply can’t get set up at all. Right on time with the 10-second clapper, Nemkov lands two brutal low cut kicks, both of which visibly stumble McGeary, who simply has zero answer for the leg kicks. 10-9 Nemkov once more.

Round 3

It’s more of the same, Nemkov just chewing up McGeary’s legs, now inside and out. The former Bellator champ hits the deck off an inside low kick but Nemkov allows him to stand out of the butt scoot and regain his feet. McGeary tries to throw a right kick to the body, but Nemkov actually reacts to fast that he kicks McGeary’s kicking leg and knocks him right to his butt. McGeary regains his feet, but to say he is stepping gingerly would be putting it lightly. His left leg is simply mincemeat now. Nemkov lands a right hand, then throws another low cut kick which lands just above the ankle that completely collapsed McGeary. Referee Dan Miragliotta has seen enough of this and immediately darts in to stop the contest, giving Nemkov the leg-chopping victory.

The Official Result

Vadim Nemkov def. Liam McGeary via TKO (Low Kicks) R3 4:02

Heather Hardy vs. Ana Julaton

Round 1

Hardy flicks her jab out off the bat, but Julaton after returning some punches runs right into the clinch and grabs over-under along the fence. Hardy works her back off the fence, but Julaton maintains her clinch position and drives her into the far side of the fence. Hardy looks for a standing guillotine, but it’s not a legitimate submission, it’s just “The Heat” trying to control her foe. Julaton can’t buy the takedown though and Hardy elbows her to the body while she drives for the takedown. Hardy keeps punching and elbowing and eventually muscles Julaton to the ground, driving her into turtle position. All of a sudden, Hardy is on top of her foe and working a bulldog choke, trying to strangle the turtled Julaton. This is where the round ends. 10-9 Hardy.

Round 2

Julaton digs to the body and rushes into the clinch, immediately getting a takedown on Hardy and setting up in full guard. Julaton allows Hardy to get too close to the fence, Hardy scrambles to her seat, but can’t quite gather her feet. Julaton continually sucks her to canvas, eating short shots while sucking her woman back down to the canvas. This is just Julaton tying up Hardy and keeping her inert, but she is doing it effectively. 10-9 Julaton.

Round 3

Once more, Julaton just bulls forward and runs Hardy right into the fence. She’s working on a single-leg takedown but getting nowhere in particular, so after 90 seconds of working, referee Kevin MacDonald splits them up. You won’t believe this, but off the break, Julaton immediately runs the American into the cage immediately, working double under in pursuits of a takedown. Surprisingly, MacDonald breaks them up again after only maybe 20 seconds of clinch work. On the restart, Hardy jabs and Julaton low kicks. Hard jab lands for “The Heat,” but Hardy again allows Julaton to segue right back into the clinch and can’t extricate herself. The American uses an overlook to smartly control her foe, landing short knees to the body. Hardy now even hammerfisting to the thigh. Wow, ref Kevin MacDonald just isn’t having the clinch battle at all, and split them again with 30 seconds to go. Hardy steps in with a hard jab, but for whatever reason, invites the clinch herself and looks for a headlock throw. Hardy winds up actually throwing herself into bottom position.

The Official Result

Heather Hardy def. Ana Julaton via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Derek Campos vs. Patricky Freire

Round 1

Campos works behind the jab and backs Freire back to fence, landing the right cross. He tries to go back to well and immediately gets cracked with right hands from “Pitbull.” Freire digs to the body with the right hand, engendering an exchange. Both men fire their hands, with Campos landing a right hook, but Freire lands a simultaneous left hand that rocks his man badly. Campos hits the deck and the Brazilian is simply relentless, smelling blood. Freire follows up with both hands on fire, rushing the rocked American on his back foot. Campos is not long for this world. Freire eventually lands a glancing left then a crushing right up top that drops Campos to the turtle position and prompts an immediate stoppage.

The Official Result

Patricky Freire def. Derek Campos via TKO (Punches) R1 2:23

Roy Nelson vs. Matt Mitrione

Round 1

Both heavyweights come out working jabs, but Mitrione is the more disciplined fighter, working inside low kicks to stumble “Big Country.” After another exchange of jabs and low kicks, Nelson runs into the clinch and buys himself a takedown, stacking Mitrione against the fence and landing right hands. Mitrione landing lead uppercuts in a particularly sassy fashion. “Meathead” tries to kick Nelson off of him, but can’t control the action, allowing Nelson to settle back into top position and land more right hands. Mitrione starts the bout meaningfully on the feet but winds up on his back, eating shots to end. Still, 10-9 Mitrione on the Sherdog card, courtesy of his cleaner, harder standup.

Round 2

Mitrione continues working his jab and low kicks, marking up “Big Country” while Nelson throws overhand rights. Mitrione lands a crisp right cross, then trips Nelson up again with an inside low kick. Nelson barrels in and tries to find the takedown, but just eats shot to the body instead. Mitrione separates briefly and lands more of his standup ouevre, moving to southpaw and landing clean jabs, inside low kicks and left hands. Nelson eventually drags “Meathead” to the floor but it is too little, too late. Its 20-18 Mitrione on the Sherdog scorecard.

Round 3

Again, Mitrione is flicking a jab and working inside low kicks, all of which land flush. Nelson bull rushes his again and gets a takedown. Mitrione is trying to control Nelson’s upper body, but “Big Country” is moving much faster and more forwardly now, perhaps sensing he is behind on the scorecards. Nelson gets to half guard, drops a bevy of right hands, then moves into side control. Nelson briefly moves into the top crucifix and feeds Mitrione a stream of right hands, before his fellow “Ultimate Fighter” alum extricates himself and gets back to half guard for a moment. Nelson is relentless, however, continuing to pound away with right hands and working to pass. Again, Nelson looks to pass to side and while Mitrione blocks, he eats another salvo of rights. Mitrione tries to kick his man off, but Nelson stays heavy and continues feeding him punches. 10-9 Nelson, but 29-28 Mitrione on the Sherdog card. How the judges consider Round 2 will determine the bout.

The Official Result

Matt Mitrione def. Roy Nelson via Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28) R3 5:00