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Bobby Lashley’s Next MMA Fight To Take Place At Bellator 162 On 10/21

https://youtu.be/ech7fYAxCuM

Current TNA World Champion and Bellator MMA crossover athlete Bobby Lashley has his next MMA assignment. Bellator officials announced this week that the pro wrestling star will return to the cage for his latest MMA bout at their upcoming event on October 21st in Memphis, Tennessee. No opponent, however, has yet to be revealed for Lashley’s fight.

The fight will mark the fifth appearance in the Bellator cage for the heavyweight contender who has been undefeated in the promotion thus far.

Lashley’s last fight under the Bellator banner took place at Bellator 145 back in November of 2015, where he defeated former PRIDE FC veteran James Thompson via TKO stoppage due to punches at just 54 seconds into the first round.

Bobby Lashley currently holds a pro MMA record of 14-2 and will be competing in his 17th MMA fight in what has been a 10-year part-time career he has pursued while doing pro wrestling on a semi-regular basis.

The only fight confirmed for Bellator 162 on October 21, 2016, which emanates from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee, outside of the Lashley vs. TBA bout is the return of former Bellator Middleweight Champion Alexander Shlemenko, who takes on veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 3, Kendall Grove.

Bellator 138: Bobby Lashley Predicting Early Knockout Win over James Thompson

In 2009, Strikeforce heavyweight Bobby Lashley was something of an oddity. An unknown commodity fighting for a promotion that, similarly, was trying to figure out its own identity. One part legitimate talent and one part freak-show draw, nobody quite knew what to make of Lashley and, when he left a relatively mainstream and talent-rich promotion to become a journeyman, it was was an odd blend of surprising and expected.

In 2015, however, Lashley is a legitimate player in Bellator’s heavyweight division. Riding a five-fight winning streak and owning a respectable 12-2 career record, he could be poised to contend for one of the top prizes in MMA.

The only thing between him and and a crack at the Bellator heavyweight championship? British slugger James “the Colossus” Thompson. While preparing for what might be the biggest fight of his career, the crossover star took the time to speak with Bleacher Report about his past, present and future in MMA.

“I enjoy it, that’s the biggest thing,” he said while discussing his development as a fighter. “I feel comfortable in the ring…I’m not having that adrenaline dump. I’m going out there, saying ‘I’ve trained with better people than this guy.’ There’s no sense in me trying to end things really fast. Just go out there and have fun.”

Lashley was a standout collegiate wrestler with accomplishments including three NAIA championships, three CISM medals and a third-place finish at the Team USA World Team Trials in freestyle wrestling. A knee injury forced him out of an Olympic bid, however, and he went on to professional wrestling from there, eventually signing on with WWE.

While a world-class wrestling base can allow fighters to instantly find decent success in the cage, Lashley practically went from the squared circle to high-level MMA almost overnight. His professional debut came in December of 2008 and, by January 2010, he was facing grizzled veteran Wes Sims in Strikeforce.

While he beat Sims, he would come up short against the unknown Chad Griggs and would fade into the the regional scene for a long while. He would later muse that he shouldn’t have signed with the promotion, but today feels his time in Strikeforce was more of a “double-edged sword.”

“If I was a bit more comfortable at the time, I think I would have been even better,” Lashley said. “It isn’t that I wish I wouldn’t have done it. If I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t have made the money that I have today that I made there, and I wouldn’t have the exposure…I don’t necessarily think that it was a bad thing for me to do it…When I was given the decision at the time, I jumped on it. If I knew what I know, I might have done the same thing…I had a good time and I really appreciate Scott [Coker] giving me the opportunity at that time. I learned a lot.

Though Lashley has been steadily improving as a mixed martial artist over the years, he remains a draw in professional wrestling. Sports entertainment remains a passion for him, and he is currently one of the top names in TNA, with a scheduled appearance “the next week” after the fight.

Don’t mistake his juggling of the two for a lack of commitment to MMA, though. “Lots of fighters have full-time jobs in addition to fighting,” he points out, and with a part-time schedule in TNA, he is free to train with American Top Team’s branches in Colorado and Florida, as well as with former UFC heavyweight champ Josh Barnett.

Lashley has fought Thompson before. Shortly after its inception, Indian promotion Super Fight League signed a slew of prominent MMA free agents, with the two gargantuan heavyweights competing in the main event of SFL 3. After a wild back-and-forth first round, Lashley’s cardio faded. While he was able to muster up some offense, Thompson was able to control much of the action with his clinch work, taking a 29-28 unanimous-decision win as a result.

Still, Lashley is feeling bullish about his chances in the rematch. “Some way, somehow, whether it’s knocking him down or taking him down, putting him on his back, I’ll drop a couple of bombs on him,” he predicted. “I’ll probably get a TKO. If he tries to cover up too much, I’ll submit him. I’ll finish him on the ground…I’ll get a finish in the first two rounds.”

If he can pull if off, a bout with Bellator heavyweight champ Vitaly Minakov could be in his future. Circle back to Bleacher Report for our coverage of Bellator 138.

All quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report.

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Bellator 130 Fail-GIF: Bobby Lashley’s Opponent Flops to Mat, Loses

(Props: ZombieProphet)

We know that some of you think we’re die-hard Bellator haters, simply because we have no problem calling a garbage show a garbage show. But believe us, we don’t go out looking for ways to embarrass America’s #2 MMA promotion — this stuff just has a way of finding us.

Like tonight at Bellator 130, for example. We were prepared to give Bobby Lashley a respectful pat on the back for running through his fifth consecutive non-Wiki opponent. But it was the way Lashley won that made us shake our damn heads.

The former WWE star and current TNA attraction faced off against undefeated British heavyweight Karl Etherington, who had come into the fight with a 9-0 record, and all wins coming in the first round — seven of which were earned in under a minute. On paper, Etherington is no can. He was also billed as a judo black belt, which is kind of hard to believe when you watch the GIF of the finish, in which the Brit tries to pull Lashley to the mat, loses his grip, and flops onto his stomach where Lashley bashes him until Etherington taps to strikes. Not exactly Rousey-esque.

For God’s sake, Coker, it’s time to give Lashley one of your real heavyweights. Like…uh…um…Joey Beltran? I have no idea. This is about as good as heavyweight MMA gets in Bellator, unfortunately. Full Bellator 130 results are after the jump, with links to GIFs of the finishes courtesy of the Zombie. Short version: Emanuel Newton defended his title against that guy, and Marloes Coenen won her Bellator debut against some lady.

(Props: ZombieProphet)

MAIN CARD
– Emanuel Newton def. Linton Vassell via submission (rear-naked choke), 0:47 of round 5
– Bobby Lashley def. Karl Etherington via submission (punches), 1:31 of round 1
– Marloes Coenen def. Annalisa Bucci via submission (rear-naked choke), 0:57 of round 3
– Dave Jansen def. Rick Hawn via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x 2)

PRELIMINARY CARD
– David Rickels vs. Davi Ramos
– Ricky Musgrave def. Joe Wilk via TKO, 2:45 of round 1
– Marcio Navarro def. Cody Carillo via submission (strikes), 2:09 of round 3
– Daniel Gallemore def. Gzim Selmani via TKO, 4:33 of round 2 …when Gallemore slugs Selmani in his fat belly, it’s just mean.
– Sam Oropeza def. Gary Tapusoa via TKO, 2:31 of round 1
– Darrion Caldwell def. Anthony Dizy via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Aaron Derrow def. Nate Jolly via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Alex Huddleston def. Derek Bohi via TKO, 4:04 of round 1

(The Hardcore Kid’s hardcore victory dance.)

Bellator 130: Newton vs. Vassell Fight Card, TV Info and Predictions

Love or hate Emanuel “Hardcore Kid” Newton’s style, it has been effective. The reigning Bellator light heavyweight champion will put his belt on the line Friday night at Bellator 130 when he faces Linton “The Swarm” Vassell at the Kansas Star Arena in …

Fresh off his sudden knockout of Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran via spinning back fist last month, Newton is ready to go at it again. Vassell has won nine fights in a row, including a three-fight win streak in the Bellator promotion.

We’ll see if he can crack The Hardcore Kid.

The Newton-Vassell clash main events the card, but the co-feature will see Bobby Lashley compete in his second Bellator event. After submitting Josh Burns in his debut, The Dominator will take on the undefeated Karl Etherington.

Lashley has become a major draw for the Spike network, appearing recently on Impact Wrestling shows. With his brand on the rise again, can he pick up another victory to continue his ascension?

Here’s the viewing information for the event and predictions for each bout on the card. Just below the table is a closer look at the two featured bouts.

The Dominator Will Blow Through Etherington

While fights featuring Lashley might feel like gimmick bouts, this one is not. It appears Lashley has serious designs about contending and winning the Bellator heavyweight title. He’ll have to win a few more times, but matchmakers with the company probably won’t make it that tough on him considering his star power.

Because all parties involved seem to have a desire to elevate Lashley, he’ll be taking on a fighter who has yet to have a blemish on his record. This looks great on paper, but in reality, Etherington isn’t all that good.

The last time we saw him in Bellator, his stamina was a major concern, and he nearly lost to a journeyman heavyweight named Jason Fish. Here’s that entire fight:

Etherington‘s takedown defense was less than stellar, and he was totally gassed about three minutes into the fight. Against a big, strong and physical wrestler like Lashley, he won’t stand a chance. The Dominator will win by submission.

Hardcore Kid is Too Slick for Vassell

Many Bellator fans would prefer to see Newton taking on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson or Liam McGeary, but friendship and injury, respectively, eliminated those opponents from consideration.

Vassell isn’t a pushover. He has excellent wrestling skills. He’s long at 6’4″, and he’s always in great shape. The problem for him is that if the fight remains standing, he’s not quick enough defensively to avoid the unorthodox striking habits of the champion.

Newton is a cerebral fighter. He knows Vassell will sell out to get the takedown.

When he does, look for Newton to stop him in his tracks with jabs and rhythm-disrupting kicks. Just when it seems as though Newton is content to pitty-pat, he’ll fire a destructive counter that will lead to another stoppage win for the champion.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.

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Bellator 123: In Another Time, Bobby Lashley Might Actually Have Been Something

Put away your cigarettes and barbecue lighters folks, because a highly flammable statement is about to drop, and there’s no need for anyone to get hurt here.
In another time, Bobby Lashley might actually have been something. Something in MMA. Something…

Put away your cigarettes and barbecue lighters folks, because a highly flammable statement is about to drop, and there’s no need for anyone to get hurt here.

In another time, Bobby Lashley might actually have been something. Something in MMA. Something pretty good.

Now, make no mistake about what that statement infers: He’s not something pretty good right now. He’s a 38-year-old man better known for pro wrestling than his MMA career, a man who just beat up a faceless 8-7 collection of tribal tattoos live on Spike TV.

But it’s hard not to think that, had Lashley made the jump to MMA 10 years ago when he was leaving the ranks of collegiate wrestling as a would-be 28-year-old, there might have been something there.

He’s got respectable athleticism for a big man, and he’s shown an ability to improve against even the longest odds, particularly in his Bellator 123 win. That came after a year off, which could have been crippling to man of his experience and age, but it wasn’t.

His gas tank was better, his use of side control was sound and the times he postured up to strike on the ground were genuinely threatening.

Sure, he beat a faceless collection of tribal tattoos, but is that his fault?

All he can do is win the fights he signs for; if those fights aren’t coming against Cain Velasquez, there’s not really much he can do about it.

It’s not outlandish to imagine Lashley, all imposing physicality and sky’s-the-limit potential, rampaging through the regional scene right as the UFC was enjoying it’s first boom in the mid-aughts.

That Lashley was never a pro wrestler, but instead a man who saw a dearth of heavyweight talent in non-choreographed combat and elected to choose true competition over a fat pay check signed by Vince McMahon.

He’s a man who perhaps got into the UFC by 2008 instead of starting his career then, a man on the rise right around the time that pro wrestling’s Brock Lesnar was marching toward a heavyweight title.

He’s a man who maybe gets a few wins on prelims and undercards, showing that his striking is serviceable and he’s accented his wrestling with ruthless ground-and-pound and capable submissions, and all of a sudden, he’s a decent mixed martial artist.

This isn’t to say that Lashley was destined to be great, to be a world champion revered by all. It’s not to say that, if he’d jumped to the UFC back then that he’d be a surefire Hall of Famer today. Plenty of athletic wrestlers have come and gone, fizzling out on the end of another man’s fist—and those fists fizzle guys that much quicker at heavyweight.

But it is to say that, while it’s easy to poke fun at him for battering an overmatched opponent and padding one of the softest 11-2 records the sport has ever seen, don’t ignore what might have been.

All Bobby Lashley can be is what he is; in another time, that could have ended up as something pretty respectable.

Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!

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Bellator 123: Curran vs. Pitbull 2 — Quick Results + GIFs

The first leg of tonight’s #FridayNightWars MMA double-header kicks off with the Bellator 123: Curran vs. Pitbull 2 main card, live from Uncasville, CT, at 8 p.m. ET on Spike. We’re saving up our liveblog energy for UFC Fight Night 50 later this evening, but follow us after the jump for quick results from the Bellator card, as well as GIFs of all relevant knockouts and submissions. As always, follow us on twitter at @cagepotatomma for live commentary and ball-busting.

MAIN CARD (Spike TV, 8 p.m. ET)
Pat Curran vs. Patricio Freire
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs. Dustin Jacoby
Cheick Kongo vs. Lavar Johnson
Bobby Lashley vs. Josh Burns
Tamdan McCrory vs. Brennan Ward

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike.com, 6 p.m. ET)
Rico DiSciullo vs. Marvin Maldonado
Steve Garcia vs. Kin Moy
Josh Diekmann vs. Mike Wessel
Dan Cramer vs. Perry Filkins
Mark Griffin vs. Mike Mucitelli
Pete Rogers vs. Phillipe Martins
Brandon Fleming vs. Blair Tugman
Matt Bessette vs. Scott Cleve