Bellator 143 live results: Joe Warren vs. L.C. Davis

Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis from the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. The event is headlined by a bantamweight title eliminator bout as former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Joe Warren takes on L.C. Davis. The co-main event is a middleweight contest between Joey Beltran and Kendall Grove. The main card airs on Spike TV at 9 PM ET with preliminary card action on Spike.com beginning at 6:30 PM ET. We will post prelims results as they happen and start live play by play when the Spike broadcast begins. 

Prelims results:

Jose Flores (5-0) 1st round KO (kicks) over Gilbert Jimenez in 2:17

John Teixeira (20-1-2) SD win over Gleristone Santos (28-29, 29-28 x 2)

Dan Charles (10-3) 2nd round KO (punches) over Chase Gormley

Darrion Caldwell (8-0) by 1st round submission at 2:35 (rear naked choke) over Shawn Bunch

Steve Garcia (6-0) by 1st round TKO at 4:59 (punches) over Eduardo Bustillos

Amador Ramirez (5-4) UD win over Saul Elizondo (29-28 x 3)

Abdul Razak (4-0) 1st round KO (punch) over Bryce Sheppard-Mejia in 1:26

And we’re live with the main card and the fighters are in the ring!

Heavyweights Vinicius Spartan (7-3) vs Ewerton Teixeira (3-0)

Big John is the referee for the opening bout. Spartan with a takedown 1:00 in. Quickly gets into side control and lands punches and elbows to the head. Teixeira sweeps into top position at 2:30. Spartan working for a triangle from the bottom but Teixeira out and to his feet. Standup is pretty even, with Spartan controlling the pace. Spartan with a flash takedown at 4:30 but Teixeira right back up. 10-9 Spartan

This is  the first action in over 2 years for each guy, Sean Grande informs us. Ken Shamrock is in the building. The announcers were going on about the “new scoring system” again in the prelims. Teixiera looks to be cut between the eyes from the damage done by Spartan in round 1. Spartan with a takedown at 1:45. Not much happening on the ground but Spartan is trying to advance and working for an armbar. Spartan landing elbows to the head and body around 3:30. Spartan gets an arm triangle and the tap after a series of elbows to the head to get the win.

WINNER – VINICIUS SPARTAN (8-3) by submission (arm triangle) at 4:00

Featherweights Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2) vs Henry Corrales (12-1)

Both guys are considered prospects but have losses to former Bellator champions. Randy Couture was just shown on camera at ringside in the background but not identified. His son was scheduled to fight in the prelims but his opponent missed weight by SEVENTEEN POUNDS.

Corrales getting the better of the standup early on, opening up a cut on the forehead of Sanchez. Sanchez with a flying triangle at 2:15 and it seems in pretty tight. Sanchez grabs an arm in an attempt to tighten the grip but Corrales escapes and ends up in top  position. Sanchez escapes and to his feet at 4:15. Sanchez’ face is all bloody but he’s winning the round. 10-9 Sanchez

They are going to re-air the Shawn Bunch/Darion Caldwell fight from the prelims. That was a great performance by Caldwell. Sanchez backs up Corrales with a punch/knee combo and takes him down at 1:30. Corrales to his feet at 2:30. They are going to announce Bobby Lashley’s opponent for Vengeance later tonight. Standup again is pretty even. Corrales with some bruising and swelling under his right eye. Sanchez takes Corrales’ back standing and takes him down right before the end of the round and gets a rear naked choke right at the end of the round. 10-9 Sanchez

Sanchez controlling the pace early in the round. Punches are coming much slower on both sides now. Sanchez connecting with a lot of kicks to the body and head while Corrales is almost exclusively punching. Corrales with a nice litle flurry of  punches at 4:00 and then defends a takedown attempt by Sanchez. Sanchez got a takedown right at the end of the round. Close but probably Sanchez’ as well. I’ve got it 30-27 Sanchez

WINNER – EMMANUEL SANCHEZ (11-2) by split decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28). No idea how anyone in their right mind could give Corrales all 3 rounds there. That judge should not be judging MMA. 

They just announced Lashley’s opponent in November as James Thompson. Yup, they’re trying to sign that one again. We shall see. Thompson, of course, won the first matchup 3 1/2 years ago and they’ve been scheduled twice since then and Thompson has pulled out due to injury both times.

Middleweights Joey Beltran (16-11) vs Kendall Grove (21-15)

This could be a loser leaves town match with Beltran having lost 3 of his last 5 and Grove 2 of his last 3. Both likely have bigger price tags than the majority of the roster. Hard to believe Beltran was a heavyweight not all that long ago. Kerry Hatley is the ref, so expect some shenanigans.

Grove looks like the one who would be two weight classes above Beltran as he seriously looks like he could trim down to Welterweight, if not lightweight. Both guys keeping their distance early on. Crowd turning on the fight halfway through the first as they may not have landed 10 punches between them. Grove pushes him to the cage and lands a nice punch combo at 2:45. Announcer tonight are talking a lot about The Ultimate Fighter on Spike, in this case relating it to Grove. I find that interesting for some reason. Way more interesting than this fight. Beltran seems to be the aggressor so may be winning the round but neither guy has done much of anything. 10-9 Beltran, I guess.

Sean Grande called that an entertaining first round in his very best Tony Schiavone impersonation. Strikes landed were 27-8 for Grove in Round 1. They threw almost the same amount though. They were actually debating whether that first round could be 10-8 Grove. WHAT? Beltran with a takedown at 1:45 but lets Grove up right away. Nice punch exchange at 2:15. Beltran starting to control the cage at 2:45. Grove bleeding from the mouth after  the punch exchange. Beltran starting to land leg kicks at will. Grove just keeping away and throwing from distance. Grove’s leg starting to buckle every time he gets hit at the end of the round. Crowd booing again as Grove is essentially just running away. 10-9 Beltran

Grove landing from distance at the start of the round. Grove also throwing leg kicks of his own. Grove with a nice kick/punch combo at 1:30 that backs Beltran up. But Beltran still basically chasing him around the cage. Beltran gets inside the range and lands a nice combo at 2:15. Grove runs away again. Grove knocks Beltran down with a punch out of nowhere and he was out but got  one more punch in before Hatley stopped it. Nice finish but terrible fight.

WINNER – KENDALL GROVE (22-15) by KO (punch) at 2:27 of Round 3

They interviewed James Thompson at cageside. With his thick accent it was hard to make anything out but he seems eager to fight Lashley again. Might be #PlansChange as they are saying the main event is next, meaning no re-airing of the Bunch/Caldwell fight. 

Main Event – Bantamweights Joe Warren (12-4) vs LC Davis (13-6)

They aired the walkouts but nothing special. Warren gets a title shot with a win and could be done with a loss as this is the last fight on his contract. John McCarthy is the ref. He stopped the fight where Warren lost the title by verbally submitting where Warren took a tantrum afterward. Warren controlling the action early and gets a takedown 1:15 in. Warren just holding him down and doing just enough to avoid a standup. Warren postures up at 3:15 to land some hammerfists and then right back into Davis’ guard. Davis almost made it to his feet at 4:15 but Warren dragged him right down again. Crowd starting to boo. 10-9 Warren unless you’re going with the alleged “new scoring” and then it’s a 10-8

Davis hit with an accidental eye poke to start the round. Sean Grande does the Michael Cole fake laugh when John McCarthy asks Davis if he can see and then if he’s ugly. Warren takes Davis down immediately on the restart but Davis to his feet right away. Davis pressing the action in this round, connecting with more punches. Warren went for an angle slam at 1:45 but Davis slid off his shoulders. Warren with a takedown at 2:45. Davis landing light punches to the head and body from the bottom as Warren tries to pass. Davis to his feet but Warren takes his back and drags him back down with a Greco Roman throw. Warren back into top position at 4:15.  10-9 Warren

Warren with a takedown 30 seconds in. Davis up quickly but Warren stays on his back and brings him down again. Warren into top position at 1:15. Jimmy Smith gave round 2 to Warren. I guess it was closer than Round 1 but seemed pretty clearly for Warren to me. Davis up but Warren takes him down again at 2:30. Warren takes his back at 3:00, which allows Davis to get to his feet. Warren takes him down again at 3:45. Davis landing punches to the body and head from the bottom. Warren with a couple of hard elbows from the top. Warren into mount at 4:30. Davis works out of it but Warren still all over him. 10-9 Warren

WINNER – JOE WARREN (13-4) by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

Crowd booed the announcement but that was probably more for the fight than the decision itself. Warren gets a title shot with the win. 

Show started great but the co-main and main were kind of awful so it’s hard to give this show a recommendation. Maybe check out the prelims.

Thanks for joining me here for Bellator. See you next  time!