The submission train kept rolling right along at Bellator 198 on Saturday.
In the co-main event Saturday night at Bellator 198, surging featherweight Emmanuel Sanchez was set to take on UFC veteran Sam Sicilia. Both men were eyeing title shots in the promotion, though truth be told, it was Sanchez who was much closer to the goal.
Despite the power of Sicilia, Emmanuel Sanchez was more than happy to stand and trade early. While Sanchez had the higher volume of output, Sicilia managed to get the better of ‘El Matador’ early, and soon pressed him into the cage. However, Sanchez then rolled into a knee-bar attempt that got the crowd popping! Sicilia pulled free, but found himself caught again moments later. He’d escape again, and wound up in Sanchez’s guard. Sanchez threatened with upkicks as Sicilia pulled back, but it was Sam Sicilia dropping some heavy fists as time wore on. Sanchez, however, would escape to his feet and climb the back of his opponent. That wouldn’t quite work out as planned, but Emmanuel Sanchez then managed to lock in a standing arm triangle choke!
The choke was in tight, and you could see Sicilia’s face turning a deeper shade of red. Soon, Sanchez pulled him down. Sicilia went crashing to the canvas, and with the choke still locked in tight, he was forced to tap! Four straight submissions to open the Bellator 198 main card, each more impressive than the last!
After the big win, Emmanuel Sanchez told Bellator matchmaker Rich Chou and CEO Scott Coker to get off their phones and put him in a title fight for the featherweight belt. It’s getting hard to argue against him.
Emmanuel Sanchez def. Sam Sicilia by submission (arm triangle choke), Round 1, 3:52
