A visibly improved Caveman Rickels and a game Bomba Vasconcelos put on a bloody, entertaining show in the co-main event of Bellator 210.
David Rickels hatched out of an oversized egg on his way to the cage at Bellator 210 — and that was just the start of the action. Facing Brazil’s Guilherme Vasconcelos, a.k.a. Bomba, the fists flew fast and furious in Bellator 210’s co-main event at the WinStar World Casino on Friday in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Rickels and Bomba exchanged early, with Rickels showing more in the way of combos. The Brazilian was firing single strikes more often than not, and after a clinch saw them go down, it was Rickels on top. Yet they didn’t stay down for long, and back on the feet, a stand-up war broke up. Bomba lit up Caveman. Caveman returned fire, landing harder shots, and adding in a knee. Bomba was covering up, but he was able to get Caveman down and put him on his back. Rickels, in a confidence booster, got back up pretty quick, however.
In the second, it wasn’t long before Vasconcelos thought takedown, pressing Rickels against the cage. Caveman broke free, fired off a combo, and reset. His punches were crisper, his power greater, and he seemed unfazed by anything Bomba managed to land. The Brazilian continued to look for a way to tie up or take down Caveman, who walked forward and began putting together more combinations, mixing in kicks, and forcing Bomba to retreat. The Brazilian then moved in for a takedown; Rickels defended with a guillotine but wound up just giving up position.
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Rickels opened the third with a kick, and was in the driver’s seat as the final frame got underway. A combo, a knee to the body, came from Caveman. Bomba answered back with kicks, but he was being pushed back. Rickels then landed a trip and took the Brazilian down, going to work in full guard. The Brazilian scrambled free, but was at a disadvantage on the feet. He’d get Rickels to his back in the final ninety seconds. Caveman fired elbows from his back, utilizing a closed guard, but that also meant he finished the round on his back.
With little doubt over the first two rounds, however, it was Rickels with his hand raised after fifteen minutes.
David Rickels def. Guilherme Vasconcelos by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
