Daniel Weichel Choke Submits Desmond Green in Featherweight Final at Bellator 119

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It all came together for Daniel Weichel.

The former M-1 Global champion submitted Desmond Green with a second-round rear-naked choke in the Bellator MMA Season 10 featherweight tournament final at Bellator 119 on Friday at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada. Green (11-3, 3-2 Bellator) conceded defeat 2:07 into round two.

After a relatively even opening frame, Weichel (34-8, 3-0 Bellator) went about the business of dismantling his opponent. The German submission specialist wobbled Green with right hands, sprawled out of a desperate takedown attempt and moved to the Team Bombsquad standout’s back. From there, he secured his hooks, cinched the choke and elicited the tapout.

In victory, Weichel secured a shot at the Bellator featherweight crown currently held by Pat Curran.

Alessio Shuts Down Late Replacement Wisely

Onetime King of the Cage and Tachi Palace Fights titleholder John Alessio utilized takedowns, a shutdown top game and elbow-laden ground-and-pound in capturing a unanimous decision from Eric Wisely in a featured pairing at a 160-pound catchweight. All three cageside judges scored it 30-27 for Alessio (35-17, 1-1 Bellator), who had not recorded a victory since March 2012.

Undersized and outgunned, Wisely (22-9, 1-1 Bellator) spent the majority of his time either on his back or retreating from his Canadian counterpart in the standup. Alessio was most effective in the first and third rounds, where he grounded the Team Conquest export and grinded away with elbows, forearms, shoulder strikes and punches.

The defeat halted Wisely’s streak of three straight wins.

Zaromskis Outclasses Anderson, Snaps Skid

Tight punching combinations and ferocious leg kicks carried former Dream champion Marius Zaromskis to a one-sided unanimous decision over Vaughn Anderson in a welterweight showcase. All three cageside judges scored it for Zaromskis (20-8, 4-2 Bellator): 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.

Anderson (16-3-1, 0-2 Bellator) was a non-factor outside of a short right hand that briefly staggered the Lithuanian striker in the first round. Zaromskis, meanwhile, floored the Canadian with a right hook to the liver and peppered him throughout with punches from the perimeter, often tipping his spear with a searing straight left. The American Kickboxing Academy representative turned to leg kicks over the final 10 minutes, limiting Anderson’s mobility by attacking his lead leg with repeated shin-to-thigh contact.

The win snapped a two-fight losing streak for Zaromskis.

Butler, Rossborough Fight to Ugly Draw

Alliance MMA’s Raphael Butler and journeyman Nick Rossborough fought to a split draw in a forgettable, foul-marred heavyweight match. Two of the three cageside judges scored it 28-28, with Patrick Buckley siding with Butler by a 28-27 score.

Rossborough (23-18-1, 0-0-1 Bellator) had his chances. The well-traveled Strikeforce alum had the undefeated Butler reeling with a left hook in the first round. Rossborough pounced on the former Golden Gloves champion, transitioned to his back and fished for a rear-naked choke. In what can only be described as an act of sheer desperation, Butler (8-0-1, 3-0-1 Bellator) threw an intentional backward head butt that resulted in a point deduction. However, referee Graham Bettes inexplicably restarted the heavyweights on the feet, negating the advantageous position Rossborough had worked to achieve. Butler then survived one last flurry from “Leatherface” and forced the fight into a second frame.

Rossborough had nothing left in the tank for rounds two and three, as Butler scored with takedowns and smothered him with a stifling top game.

Prelims: ‘The Gladiator’ Outpoints Horodecki

In preliminary action, former Sengoku champion Marlon Sandro (25-5-1, 8-3 Bellator) picked up a unanimous decision over Chris Horodecki (20-5-1, 1-2-2 Bellator) in their encounter at 145 pounds, securing 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 marks on the scorecards; Strong Style Fight Team’s Brian Rogers (11-6, 4-4 Bellator) knocked out Adrian Miles (14-6, 0-1 Bellator) with a flying knee 1:29 into the second round of their middleweight clash; Jason Meisel (5-3, 1-0 Bellator) took a unanimous verdict from Remy Bussieres (3-1, 1-1 Bellator) in a 159-pound catchweight battle, earning 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 nods from the cageside judges.

Malcolm Gordon (5-0, 1-0 Bellator) kept his perfect professional record intact with a unanimous decision over Chris Kelades (6-1, 0-1 Bellator) in a 130-pound catchweight affair, sweeping the cards by 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 scores; Behrang Yousefi (6-4, 1-0 Bellator) submitted Chad Freeman (8-6, 0-1 Bellator) with a triangle choke 2:47 into the first round of their 160-pound scrap; and heavyweight Stuart Austin (8-0, 1-0 Bellator) stayed perfect by submitting Craig Hudson (4-4, 0-1 Bellator) with a rear-naked choke at 4:56 of round one.