FB TW IG YT VK TH
Search
MORE FROM OUR CHANNELS

Wrestlezone
FB TW IG YT VK TH

Lorenz Larkin Returns to Form, Sails Past Fernando Gonzalez in Bellator 193 Headliner




Bellator MMA’s investment in Lorenz Larkin may yet yield fruit.

Advertisement
The Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran handled his business in the Bellator 193 headliner, as he was awarded a unanimous verdict over Fernando Gonzalez on Friday at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. Larkin (19-7, 1-2 Bellator) swept the scorecards with 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 marks from the judges, recording his first win in three starts under the Bellator flag.

Gonzalez (27-15, 7-2 Bellator) had no answer for the speed disadvantage at which he found himself. Larkin tore into the Team Quest rep with a variety of strikes, from jumping oblique kicks and standing elbows to simple but effective jab-cross combinations. Gonzalez had issues with output for much of the fight, as Larkin often answered his single punches and kicks with two or three of his own. “The Monsoon” had Gonzalez teetering on the brink of being stopped late in the third round, where he dazed the well-traveled Californian with a right hand and then unloaded with left hands, elbows and a jumping knee along the fence.

Related » Bellator 193 Round-by-Round Scoring


In the lightweight co-main event, Millennia MMA export Saad Awad outstruck and outgrappled Pacific Xtreme Combat champion J.J. Ambrose to a unanimous decision across three rounds at 155 pounds. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Awad (22-9, 10-6 Bellator), who has rattled off three straight wins.

Ambrose (28-8, 1-3 Bellator) struggled to string together anything meaningful. Awad blew out his base with a series of kicks to the upper and lower lead leg throughout the first round, then pivoted to takedowns and positional control over the final 10 minutes. He mounted Ambrose on multiple occasions, advanced to the back and threatened with chokes. The finish never materialized, but Awad left no doubt about which man was the superior fighter.

The setback halted Ambrose’s run of consecutive victories at five.

Meanwhile, A.J. Matthews leaned on stinging leg kicks, body-head combinations and effective counterpunches, as he eked out a split decision over “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner Kendall Grove in a three-round middleweight showcase. Judges Michael Bell and Luis Cobian scored it 29-28 and 30-27 for Grove, while Ron McCarthy saw it 29-28 for Grove.

Grove (23-18, 4-5 Bellator) circled on the perimeter and fought almost perpetually off of his back foot. Matthews (9-7, 5-5 Bellator) targeted the lead leg in all three rounds, mixed in well-disguised left hooks and connected to the body with punches and kicks. Grove had his moments -- he delivered a knee from the collar tie in the first round and incorporated a stiff jab at various points in the 15-minute engagement -- but spent too much time moving laterally or straight back without throwing punches, leaving his opponent to capitalize.

The win snapped a four-fight losing streak for Matthews.

Elsewhere, promotional newcomer Jake Smith blew away Steve Kozola with punches in the first round of their lightweight feature. Kozola (8-2, 3-2 Bellator) withered 57 seconds into Round 1 and has now lost back-to-back bouts since starting his career with seven consecutive victories.

Smith (7-2, 1-0 Bellator) ate a few right hands but kept his vision clear and picked his shots. An overhand right on the counter staggered Kozola and left him susceptible to what came next, as his counterpart fired punches with both hands. Kozola hit the deck, where he was met with a burst of hammerfists that knocked him unconscious.

Operating out of a Gracie Barra affiliate in Portland, the 26-year-old Smith has rattled off four wins in his last five appearances.

In other action, blue-chip Arizona Combat Sports prospect Tyrell Fortune (4-0, 4-0 Bellator) cruised to a unanimous verdict over Joe Hernandez in a three-round heavyweight battle, drawing 30-26 nods from all three judges; and Tyree Fortune (4-0, 1-0 Bellator) took a unanimous decision from Michael Quintero (3-1, 0-1 Bellator) in a three-round catchweight clash at 215 pounds, earning 29-28 scores across the board.
Related Articles

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required
Latest News

POLL

Will Conor McGregor fight in 2024?

FIGHT FINDER


FIGHTER OF THE WEEK

Ben Tynan

TOP TRENDING FIGHTERS


+ FIND MORE