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Liz Carmouche added a huge and impressive accompaniment to her career when Carmouche stopped Juliana Velasquez in the fourth round of the Bellator 278 main event to capture the Belletter Flyweight Championship on Friday night. Carmouche, for more than 12 years in his professional career, won the championship for the first time in his career.
In the first four rounds, the two fighters fought hard and inflicted heavy losses on their opponents. Carmouche won early with his leg kick, but Velasquez also paid his respects in boxing. It looked as if the fight would go in Velasquez's favor, as Velasquez twice knocked Carmouche down with a punch.
As the competition entered the championship round, however, the pace shifted slightly towards Carmouche, which took the fight to the canvas. From there, Carmouche moved to the crossfax position and made small punches to Velasquez's head, which had trapped itself.
Referee Mike Beltran saw enough and jumped, a decision Velasquez and her team apparently and audibly noted they did not agree with. Immediately after the pause, the crowd of first responders, veterans, and military personnel became excited for one of their own. Velasquez, meanwhile, and her cohorts presented their case to Beltran, who did not want to hear it.
"I knew that if she had been a little more fussy, I would have had more answers and that would have been really bad for her," Carmouche said of the post-fight halt. "So, I'm glad he [stopped fighting]."
With the victory, Carmouche remained undefeated in the Bellator and extended her winning streak to four. As far as Velasquez is concerned, she loses for the first time in her professional career and it comes to a halt.
It is possible that this fight will result in a rematch to resolve any long-standing dispute. But Karmoch finally achieved the goal of holding gold, and there is no need to give it up. And the former member of the United States Marine Corps did so first in a ceremony with a crowd of respondents and military members.
It is possible that this fight will result in a rematch to resolve any long-standing dispute. But Karmoch finally achieved the goal of holding gold, and there is no need to give it up. And the former member of the United States Marine Corps did so first in a ceremony with a crowd of respondents and military members. (click here for more details )
Bellator 278's third major competition was another Bantamweight Grand Prix wild card bout. Undefeated Jornel Lugo (8-0) faced "Italian gangster" Danny Sabatello, who has won five games in a row, most recently against former UFC fighter Brett Johns last May.
The Bellator 278 results include:
Liz Carmouche def. Juliana Velasquez via TKO (elbows) – Round 4, 4:47 – for women’s flyweight title
Danny Sabatello def. Jornel Lugo via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) – bantamweight grand prix wild card
Grant Neal def. Christian Edwards via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Manny Muro def. Nate Andrews via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Weber Almeida def. Fabricio Franco via TKO (referee stoppage) – Round 1, 3:01
Dante Schiro def. Scotty Hao via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:03
Blake Perry def. Makoa Cooper via submission (anaconda choke) – Round 2, 4:14
