Bellator 39: Results and Event Recap
Bellator 39 took place on April 2, 2011, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez defended his title with a unanimous decision over Pat Curran after five rounds. Rick Hawn defeated Lyman Good by split decision in a welterweight tournament semifinal, and Dan Cramer beat Greg Rebello by unanimous decision.
Alvarez retained over five rounds
The judges scored the championship bout 49–46, 50–45 and 50–45 for Alvarez. He mixed attacks to Curran’s legs, body and head with takedowns, while the challenger continued to resist through the full twenty-five minutes.
Alvarez’s body work was a recurring feature of the contemporary fight report. Curran stayed in the contest and scored a late takedown, but could not overturn the champion’s advantage. The unanimous decision marked Alvarez’s first successful defense of the Bellator lightweight belt.
Tournament places and a promotional debut
Hawn advanced to the welterweight final with scores of 29–28 and 30–27 in his favor, while the third judge favored Good 29–28. His clinch work and takedowns helped shape a close contest that divided the panel.
Patricky “Pitbull” Freire reached the lightweight tournament final by knocking out Toby Imada at 2:53 of round one, following a jumping knee with punches. Ben Saunders also won in his Bellator debut, stopping Matt Lee through a doctor intervention at 1:24 of round three.
Bellator 39 therefore combined a five-round title defense with tournament progression and a notable debut. Those different stakes give the supporting fights their own significance alongside the championship headliner.
Selected Bout Results
- Dan Cramer defeated Greg Rebello by Decision (Unanimous); round 3, 5:00.
- Eddie Alvarez defeated Pat Curran by Decision (Unanimous); round 5, 5:00.
- Rick Hawn defeated Lyman Good by Decision (Split); round 3, 5:00.
- Patricky Freire defeated Toby Imada by KO (Flying Knee and Punches); round 1, 2:53.
- Ben Saunders defeated Matt Lee by TKO (Doctor Stoppage); round 3, 1:24.
- Ryan Quinn defeated Mike Winters by Decision (Unanimous); round 3, 5:00.
- Dave Jansen defeated Scott McAfee by Submission (Brabo Choke); round 1, 4:58.
- Rene Nazare defeated Luiz Azeredo by TKO (Arm Injury); round 1, 5:00.
Sources
Article Tags
Bellator 39, Bellator, Mixed Martial Arts, Event Results
