“I’m recalling the fight right now, I’m playing it back in my head, he threw a rear kick as well which I blocked. And I was like, ‘F*ck you’ here’s my rear kick. So it just kind of happened like that,” Gonzales told the media in his post-fight scrum.

Gonzales (7-1) dropped Awad with a head kick and then finished him on the ground with strikes.

“I had a million scenarios played out in my head and that was probably not one of them. I’ve been working on that high kick tirelessly. I work on it daily. I see it from my training partners, I’m throwing it in practice landing it. Just to see it pay off and be able to put that on tape and put that performance on in the cage, it means a lot.”

Gonzales expressed a desire to return to action sooner than later with a couple dates in mind.

“I want to stay active, as active as possible. I’ve had a few layoffs for various injuries I’ve had over the years. I know they’re going to be in San Jose pretty soon. I know they’ve got a couple cards online so all options are on the table. I’d like to just keep this train rolling and get as much momentum going as I can to keep 2022 going.”

Asked if he would go to London for a fight, Gonzales laughed.

“Yeah, if they’re going to pay the taxes for me!”

Watch the full Bellator 273 post-fight press conference with Chris Gonzales above. More coverage from the event can be found below.

The post Bellator 273: Gonzales Willing To Fight In London If Taxes Get Paid appeared first on Cageside Press.

Awad, a longtime veteran of the Bellator cage, entered the evening on a four-fight skid, desperately in need of a win. That Awad’s losses had come to some of Bellator’s best and brightest, including a short-notice fight up and weight class (and then some, at a 175lb catchweight) against Paul Daley, gave him just the tiniest amount of breathing room.

A fifth loss, however, would potentially be fatal to Awad’s career aspirations in Bellator MMA.

Paired up with Awad was Mandel Nallo, the Canadian lightweight otherwise known as “Rat Garbage.” Nallo had been an undefeated prospect on the rise up until his previous fight, which saw him suffer the first loss of his career.

Someone was set to bounce back on Thursday. Or so you would think. That’s not at all how things played out, however.

Nallo’s opening kicks seemed to set a tone: “Rat Garbage” landed four before Awad had an answer. When Awad did answer, there wasn’t much behind his own kicks. Nallo would shoot, but Awad proved ready to fight that off; a second grappling exchange halted the action and left Awad face down in pain after a stray knee by Nallo landed low.

Minutes later, Awad was still prone on the canvas, audibly sucking in deep breaths, clearly in all sorts of pain. With time ticking away, Awad managed to ask the referee if he still had a minute to try and regain his composure. Regardless, it wasn’t enough. Still unable to climb up off his knees, there was no chance that Saad Awad was fit to continue. Five minutes having expired, the ref waved off the fight. Awad vs. Nallo ended in a No Contest as a result.

https://twitter.com/ImShannonTho/status/1316925520991444994

If Awad is game, this is one that could be rebooked down the line. It’s doubtful that anyone would blame him if he decided to move on from the match-up, however. Bellator, meanwhile, appears cursed when it comes to stoppages from nasty low blows, with Sergei Kharitonov and Peter Stanonik some of the other victims.

Official Result: Saad Awad vs. Mandel Nallo ends in a No Contest (unintentional low blow), Round 1, 1:44

The post Bellator 249 Results: Nasty Low Blow Ends Saad Awad vs. Mandel Nallo Early appeared first on Cageside Press.

Now, he returns to action for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic against a younger, motivated up-and-comer looking to live up to expectations in Mandel Nallo.

Awad was originally scheduled to return to action in September, but that fell through. Instead, it’s Nallo he’s been paired up with — a highly touted teammate of Georges St. Pierre at Montreal’s TriStar.

“He uses his reach well, I think that’s where he gives people problems,” Awad observed of his opponent, speaking to Cageside Press ahead of Thursday’s Bellator 249. “Because he’s kind of long, he stays in that pocket where he can hit you but you can’t hit him. He comes from a great gym.”

“But he’s fighting me now. So we’ll see how good he is,” the California native added. Awad believes he matches up well with Nallo. “I’m excited to see what approach he takes to fighting me. Firas [Zahabi, TriStar coach] down there puts together a pretty good game plan, and I don’t see him putting that kid right in front of me to stand and bang. And if he does, we’ll see what happens.”

While this fight feels like Awad being used to test whether a prospect is ready for bigger things, the veteran isn’t about to meekly accept any sort of gatekeeper status.

“To be honest, I think that kind of downplays my abilities and where I’m at,” said Awad. “I think the guys that did beat me, kind of got away with winning a decision they shouldn’t have won.”

In his mind, Awad remains the best in the world, he added. “I don’t think I’m a stepping stone for anybody.” The lightweight noted that no one’s walked through him, even outside of his weight class. And inside the lightweight division, he’s had great fights with all his opponents.

The circumstances around the fight provide a bit of added motivation. But, Awad added, “I’ll take any fight they can give me right now. Had it been when I was on a four-fight win streak and I was knocking on a title door, it’s probably a fight I wouldn’t have bothered taking because it would have done nothing for me.” But in a pandemic and on a skid is another matter.

Still, it wasn’t that long ago that Awad found himself in a vastly different set of circumstances, paired up with Benson Henderson for what was essentially a title eliminator. And since that time, Awad has accepted nothing but tough fights, against Brandon Girtz, Goiti Yamauchi, and Paul Daley.

The Daley fight, Awad’s most recent loss, taught him at least one key lesson. “I shouldn’t take a fight last minute up a weight class, five pounds above that weight class,” suggested Awad. “Then again I say that, but if they offered it to me, I’d probably f*cking do it again. Why? Because I like to fight. I don’t really steer away from fights, and I like guys that come to fight. Paul Daley’s a guy that comes to fight.”

It was simply too great an opportunity to turn down. “It’s something that, at the end of my career, had I not taken that fight, I would have looked back at it for the rest of my life and it would have bothered me.”

Of course, more time to train for one of the best strikers in the world, and to pack on a bit more weight, would have been nice. Then there’s the Goiti Yamauchi fight, where Awad admits he was “overconfident on the ground.”

“I think if I had fought a little bit smarter, I could have taken him out. He pulled off a slick arm-bar, I’m not taking anything from him, but I’m better than that,” Awad sad. “I know I’m better than that. He caught me, I can’t complain. I just want to get back in the win column, and go from there.”

After losing a handful of fights in a row, some fighters might be tempted to make drastic changes. In their training, their mental preparation, perhaps even switching camps. Awad, for his part, is staying the course.

“I always adjust my camps to the guys I’m fighting, but I always stick to what I like to do, and what my weaknesses are. I’m always trying to work on my weaknesses,” he explained. “I’m trying to stick to the course, I’m not trying to adjust anything based on that [Daley]  fight.”

If you get dropped, “you got hit and that’s it,” Awad added. And beyond that, he didn’t even have a game plan going into the Daley fight. While he would normally study an opponent and look for tendencies, “I didn’t have enough time to prepare for that, to break those things down so I could be able to attack them in different ways like I would other fighters.”

Awad’s return at Bellator 249 will mark his first fight of the pandemic, and therefore his first experience fighting without the crowd present. “For me, personally, I think it’s going to be an advantage,” opined Awad. He does feed off the crowd, he stated, which can lead to trying to do too much. “I’ll try to push to get a knockout when I don’t need to push to get a knockout, and it’ll kind of gas me out a little bit, because I’m a little bit tense, I’m trying to force a knockout when everybody knows you should never try to force a knockout, because it comes when it comes.”

“I think not having the crowd, I won’t go out there and try to force things. And if I don’t force things, I’ll get in my flow. And when I’m flowing, I’m pretty comfortable with where ever I’m at,” he finished.

Saad Awad returns to the Bellator MMA cage this Thursday, October 15 at Bellator 249 in Uncasville, CT. The main card airs on CBS Sports Network following online prelims.

The post Bellator 249: Saad Awad Learned a Lesson or Two from Daley Fight, But Would Do It All Over Again appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Georges is always training but right now he’s working on other stuff,” Nallo told Cageside Press. “I think Georges could come back any day and be the man. He’s still my favorite fighter and I still think he had the best MMA career of all time. But as far as right now, I think he like, he’s just enjoying his life.”

Nallo (7-1) is set to return to the cage for the first time since October 2019 when he battles Saad Awad at Bellator 249. The 31-year-old is coming off the first loss of his career against Killys Mota at Bellator 231, where many believed he broke his ankle during the fight — but Nallo mentioned that wasn’t the case.

“It was the acute foot drop from your nerve getting hit in your leg,” Nallo explained. “It’s happened to a couple of guys. Most recently it happened to Sean O’Malley in the UFC. It’s just one of those things you really don’t factor it in. It looked worse than it was, I was walking around all night (after the fight) it was just really swollen.”

Awad (23-13) looks to stop a four-fight skid and drops back down to the lightweight division. The 37-year-old will be looking for his first victory since June 2018. From a style perspective, Nallo loves the match-up.

“I think it’s a great match-up,” Nallo said. “I think it’s one that people have seen a few times over the years of a guy with a ton of experience versus a relative unknown. It’s one of those things where he has 40-plus fights. So to a degree, I kind of know, his style. I know what he does, I think he’s easier to study up on than somebody like me, so, or even my last opponent, you know, I really didn’t know much about him. I knew he was a good fighter. That’s it. And this guy’s a good fighter too, but I just have a little more information. So that’s always a plus.”

Bellator 249 takes place on October 15 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Featherweight champion Cris Cyborg battles Arlene Blencowe in the main event.

The post Bellator 249’s Mandel Nallo Doesn’t See Georges St-Pierre Returning: “He’s Just Enjoying Life” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator 232 saw the conclusion of the Bellator Welterweight Grand prix — and in a rare case of things going according to plan, it was Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima in the final. Lima, the man MacDonald had beaten to become champ in Bellator, had put on two stellar shows in the grand prix, and looked better than ever. MacDonald, meanwhile, had struggled against Jon Fitch, but bounced back opposite Neiman Gracie.

However, fighting Lima for the second time, MacDonald’s conservative game plan, designed to avoid the nasty leg kicks of the Brazilian, backfired. In the end, Lima reclaimed the title, won the million dollar grand prix, and get his revenge on MacDonald.

Full results from the event, plus a gallery of highlights, can be seen below.

Bellator 232: MacDonald vs. Lima 2 Results

Main Card

Douglas Lima defeated Rory MacDonald via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
Paul Daley defeated Saad Awad via TKO (punches), Round 2, 1:30
Patrick Mix defeated Isaiah Chapman via submission (kneebar), Round 1, 3:49
Manny Muro defeated Nick Newell via split decision (29-28, 27-29, 29-28)
Baby Slice defeated Craig Campbell via TKO (elbows), Round 1, 0:38

Preliminary Card

Ryan Hardy Evans defeated Demetrios Plaza via submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 3:03
Lance Gibson Jr. defeated Dominic Jones via KO (punches), Round 1, 1:58
Devin Powell defeated Marcus Surin via technical submission (mounted guillotine), Round 2, 5:00
Johnny Lopez defeated Dan Cormier via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Jornel Lugo defeated John Douma via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Zarrukh Adashev defeated Tevin Dyce via TKO (strikes), Round 2, 1:39

The post Bellator 232: MacDonald vs. Lima 2 Photo Highlights appeared first on Cageside Press.

Uncasville, CT — Scott Coker had plenty of ground to cover following Bellator 231 and Bellator 232 over the weekend. The back-to-back shows at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT saw the conclusion of the welterweight grand prix, and the crowning of Douglas Lima at 170lbs for the third time.

A lot of fighters are in the mix to challenge him next — including Lorenz Larkin. Coker gave an update on Larkin’s future, and the future of several other fighters, at the Bellator 232 post-fight press conference, with Cageside Press and other media outlets in attendance.

Lorenz Larkin

“We’re going to be taking Larkin to Japan to fight on the 29th, on our show. We’re still working out the opponent, but he will be fighting and representing Bellator against RIZIN. So he’ll be busy there. And I think that Douglas Lima would like to take a couple months off. And then we’ll figure it out. But I think Larkin, unless he loses in Japan, he’s probably the number one guy in the slot.”

Josh Barnett

“Josh is not going to fight in Japan. We know that for sure. Only because of the timing. And right now, they don’t have any heavyweights for Josh to fight. Our fight card with Fedor and Rampage, and Chandler and Benson Henderson, and the three fights with RIZIN versus Bellator, that’s already a five fight card.”

“We’ll have something soon to announce.”

Jon Fitch

“I haven’t talked to Jon. He told me he was going to retire. If he’s not retired, we can have a conversation. But he did tell me that unless he got the alternate slot and worked his way into this championship fight and the tournament finals, he was probably going to retire. When I get back to San Jose, I’ll reach out to him.”

Saad Awad

“Don’t look at him as a guy who just got knocked out by Paul Daley. Because Paul is a killer, Paul is a dangerous fighter. You guys have seen what Paul Daley can do. I’ve watched it for so many years, and he’s one of my favorite fighters of all time.”

“Saad took a very tough challenge here today. He could go back on a three, four fight win streak, you never know. I think that he did the best he could. Paul did what he does. And that’s it. But don’t judge Saad just on today’s performance. I say look at his overall body of work. But he’s got to turn it around pretty soon. We’re not going to count this one as a strike. He gets a pass for this one.”

Nick Newell

“Talking to MVP, watching that fight, and we were both saying, you know what, this guy is a special person. Special martial artist. He’s somebody that I really had a great time working with and I look forward to seeing his next fight.”

“I thought the fight was close, didn’t work out, and that’s just how this business is. He’ll learn from it, he’ll grow from it, he’ll continue on, and we’ll get him back as soon as he can. Because he’s a special martial artist and I’m going to support him.”

The post After Bellator 232, Scott Coker Gives Update on Futures of Josh Barnett, Jon Fitch, Nick Newell, and More appeared first on Cageside Press.

Stepping up on short-notice at Bellator 232 Saturday night in Connecticut was Saad Awad. Naturally a lightweight, Awad was moving up to take on Paul Daley in the co-main event of the DAZN-exclusive card.

The change in opponents came on just six days notice, and only 22 days removed from Awad’s last fight. Daley was originally scheduled to face Sabah Homasi, who was forced off the card due to injury.

Daley, having been bounced from the welterweight grand prix by rival MVP, entered Bellator 232 off a win over Erick Silva. Awad, meanwhile, had lost three straight bouts.

Awad circled on the outside when the catchweight co-main event got underway. Awad immediately fired off a trio of leg kicks, then fanned on a fourth. He’d let his hands go moments later, but shot for a takedown, fairly wild, after that. Daley easily avoided the takedown, and a second moments later.

Daley then went on the attack, Awad backing up. Awad waved his opponent in, and Daley accepted the invitation, launching a flying knee. Daley then got his own leg kick going, connecting with a crack. Awad, however, landed a clean right, stopping Daley in his tracks for a moment. Daley answered with a high kick. Another flying knee attempt let Awad grab the leg, backing Daley up to the fence — but Awad couldn’t get him down. A reverse elbow late in the round hurt Awad, and not long after he found himself on the ground. Covering up, he’d fire a sneaky elbow as Daley controlled from the back, followed by an upkick just before the buzzer.

It's all elbows between @SaadMMA and @Semtex_170 in round one of our co-main event here at The @MoheganSun Arena LIVE on @DAZN_USA and @SkySports! pic.twitter.com/Jqs5AU1ECD

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 27, 2019

Daley was on the offensive early in the second, but Awad was happy to fire back. Daley then slipped, falling to his back. Awad attempted to take advantage, but Daley was able to get to his feet and break free. Daley went to the body after that, then attacked the leg. A moment later, Daley connected, dropping Awad with a well-timed left to the back of the ear. Awad’s head bounced off the canvas, Daley added in a pair of follow-up strikes, and the ref made the save!

Post-fight, Daley explained that the difference maker in the fight was size, with Awad being a big 155lb’er, and himself being an undersized welterweight, but one who fought his whole career in the 170lb weight class.

Official Result: Paul Daley def. Saad Awad by TKO, Round 2, 1:30

The post Bellator 232 Results: Paul Daley Drops Saad Awad appeared first on Cageside Press.

No one can ever say Saad Awad isn’t a gamer. On less than a week’s notice, Awad, who normally fights at lightweight, will step in against Paul Daley at Bellator 232 this Saturday. That move comes as Daley’s original opponent, Sabah Homasi, was forced off the card due to injury.

Bellator CEO Scott Coker announced the news Monday.

Sabah Homasi has been forced to withdraw from his fight this Saturday due to injury.

Paul "@Semtex_170" Daley now faces @SAADMMA Awad in 175-lb. contract weight bout. pic.twitter.com/OaXhTIuXYy

— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) October 21, 2019

Daley vs. Awad will be contested at a 175lb catchweight, Coker revealed. The fight is the evening’s co-main event.

Daley (41–17–2) bounced back from a loss to nemesis Michael Page in the opening round of the welterweight grand prix to defeat Erick Silva at Bellator 223 in June. After joining the Bellator MMA roster full time in 2015, ‘Semtex’ has gone 6-4 in the promotion, including notable wins over Silva and Lorenz Larkin. Daley’s losses, meanwhile, have come to a who’s who of Bellator’s 170lb’ers: Page, Douglas Lima, Jon Fitch, and current champ Rory MacDonald.

Awad (23–12), a Bellator mainstay, last fought at welterweight in 2016, in a losing effort against Brennan Ward. He would then return to lightweight (after a catchweight bout at 165lbs), winning four straight, before embarking on a three-fight losing streak, the last fight of which came just weeks ago at Bellator 229.

Bellator 232 takes place October 26 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Rory MacDonald faces Douglas Lima to close out the welterweight grand prix in the main event.

The post Sabah Homasi Off Bellator 232, Saad Awad Steps Up Short Notice Against Paul Daley appeared first on Cageside Press.

Despite both fighters being in Bellator since 2013, Bellator 229 marked the first time veterans Saad Awad and Goiti Yamauchi fought. Awad has competed at both lightweight and welterweight, tallying a 23-11 record as a pro. The 36-year-old lost his previous two fights, against Benson Henderson and Brandon Girtz, both by decision, ahead of his matchup with Yamauchi.

Yamauchi has lost twice in his last nine matches. The 26-year-old submission-specialist has been incredibly active throughout his nearly decade-long career, earning a 23-4 record as a pro. Yamauchi was 4-1 in his most recent five bouts, with the lone loss coming to Michael Chandler by unanimous decision in January of 2018.

Both veterans began the fight patient, figuring out the range in the opening minute. Awad landed the first major strike of the night, sending Yamauchi stumbling backward with a big right hand. Stunned, Yamauchi quickly shot for a takedown, eating another few right hands for his troubles. Despite those strikes, Yamauchi was able to get the fight to the ground, with Awad in his guard. Yamauchi then latched on to Awad’s right hand after some ground strikes, and snapped on an armbar. Seconds later, Awad was tapping, and the fight was over. Yamauchi now owns the record for most submissions in Bellator history.

Result: Goiti Yamauchi def. Saad Awad by submission (armbar) in Round 1 (1:40)

The post Bellator 229 Results: Goiti Yamauchi Stays On Brand with First Round Submission of Saad Awad appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator lightweight Saad Awad returns this Friday at Bellator 229, where he will take on Japanese-Brazilian Goiti Yamauchi. It’s your classic striker versus grappler bout, with Yamauchi holding eighteen submission wins.

Cageside Press caught up with Awad ahead of the fight, which will be the first of his new contract with the promotion. At 36, it seems likely that the lightweight will finish out his career with the company. It’s a sentiment Awad feels is very possible.

“I love everyone at Bellator, I love the way they treat me. I don’t see myself going anywhere any time soon,” he told us.

That kind of security it key for a father of two young children. And like Dad Cerrone, and Daddest Man on the Planet Stipe Miocic, fatherhood changed Awad as well.

“It did, it did. It motivated me to press harder. I thought things were going to get easier, but it gets harder,” he said. After a day of training, of course, there’s no taking time off from being a dad, Awad pointed out. Get home, and it’s time to be a father.

“It’s a whole new mental game for a dad. You have to be able to adapt, and push through,” he explained. Yet while it’s hard, Awad added that “I love it. I love being able to fight for my kids, I love knowing that I’m fighting for them, and pushing, and going through all the emotions.”

Awad’s son doesn’t yet know what dad does for a living, but his daughter, the older of the two, does. Calling it “boom boom boom,” she tries to mimic her dad in the gym while he’s working out. “She’s excited. She’s only been to one, but she’s excited about this next one coming up. She’s starting to understand.”

Awad’s daughter won’t be the only one cheering him on Friday. The Temecula crowd has always been hugely supportive of their local hero. Three of Awad’s last four fights have been in the Inland Empire city, and Bellator 229 will make it four out of five.

The last time Awad fought in Temecula was in March, and things did not go his way. The ‘Assassin’ was caught early by Brandon Girtz, and while it would go the distance, Awad was on the wrong end of the decision.

As a takeaway, said Awad, one thing learned was “to be a little bit more cautious. I went into that fight like I do every fight, with my own game plan about how I’m going to fight, and sharpen my own tools.” Saying he was wary not to worry too much about his opponent — “because then you fall into fighting defensively” — Awad feels he didn’t respect Girtz’s power enough.

Or, more accurately, “I wouldn’t say I didn’t respect his power, because I knew he had power. I just thought I was going to catch him before he did, and he caught me early. That kind of threw me off,” Awad said. So moving forward, the lesson learned is to “be more cautious with my strikes, so I’m not just going in there with my chin up and biting down on my mouth piece.”

That could result in a tough balancing act for a fighter using the hashtag #nomoredecisions lately. “I kind of do open myself up a lot. I’ve been a little bit hesitant lately— I wouldn’t say hesitant, I do try to finish guys, but guys have been fighting me different,” explained Awad.

His reputation has been getting out there. Opponents know he hits hard and can finish them. “I don’t like to overextend myself and just go out there and chase people around, because then I open myself up to takedowns and other things. So I think guys are learning how to fight me,” he continued. “So by them doing that, they kind of backpedal, backpedal, backpedal, and try to get me to bite, and they can shoot in or whatnot.”

At the same time, said Awad, “I hate decisions man, I really do. Even that fight, I thought I stole the fight.” Adding that he took nothing away from Girtz, who fought a tough fight, Awad said he felt like he came back and “gave everything in that fight.” Enough to win, in his opinion.

So, no more decisions, but stay cautious, against Goiti Yamauchi. No easy task.

The key to victory, Awad said simply, is to “smoke his ass, to be honest. Go out there and fight him. Don’t make it a jiu-jitsu match.” After all, he reiterated, it’s a fight, not a grappling match. “I’ve just got to go out there and make it a fight. Fight the way I fight, not fight the way he fights. I think it’ll be a good fight.”

Saad Awad faces Goiti Yamauchi in the co-main event of Bellator 229 this Friday, October 4 at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA. The card airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN.

The post Saad Awad Not About to Allow Goiti Yamauchi to Turn Bellator 229 Fight into Jiu-Jitsu Match appeared first on Cageside Press.