Yahoo Sports Patricky ‘Pitbull' Knocks Out Josh Thomson; Josh Koscheck KO'd in Debut (Bellator 172 Results)
Patricky “Pitbull” Freire demolished Josh “The Punk” Thomson with a forearm uppercut in the second round to earn the biggest victory of his career on Saturday in San Jose, Calif.
Thomson never had a chance in the fight. Although he came out sharp, giving Freire several looks and throwing a few leg kicks, he was not able to withstand Freire's pressure and punches. Freire knocked Thomson down in the first round with an overhand right. Thomson scrambled to survive, but never quite recovered.
The two collided heads in the second round, which seemed to daze Thomson, who had not fought since December 2015. He fell to the mat quickly and then was rocked with a wicked uppercut. Freire finished him with a right hand while Thomson was out on the mat.
Freire is now in line for a lightweight title shot against champion Michael Chandler.
The lightweight fight was pushed up to the main event slot after the original main event of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Mitrione was scrapped. Mitrione had kidney stone pain and could compete.
RELATED > Fedor vs. Matt Mitrione Bellator Bout Canceled
The official result saw Freire defeat Thomson via KO, Round 2, 0:40.
Cheick Kongo def. Oli Thompson via unanimous decision in their main card fight. Kongo dominated Thompson with right hands and wicked knees in the first round, en route to the unanimous decision victory. The fight saw Kongo essentially laying on top of him for much of the 15-minute contest, pounding him relentlessly with shots. Kongo's punches weren't strong enough to finish Thompson though. Both fighters gassed halfway Through round 2. Thompson figured out a way to survive from his guard, but never threatened Kongo.
Anatoly Tokov defeated Francisco France via TKO in their bout. After a controversial kick to the crotch, Tokov defeated France via at 2:24 in Round 2 after a series of punches. Tokov pulled off the victory after he was controlled in the first round on the ground. France fell to his back and tried to lure Tokov to the mat again in the second round, but Tokov instead kicked him between the legs. The fight was stopped temporarily because of the low blow, but when they stood up Tokov finished him with right hands, including a final punch that bounced France's head off the mat.
Veta Arteaga defeated Brooke Mayo via TKO in Round 3 in an exciting, competitive fight. The cageside doctor stopped the fight after Mayo's left eye blew up like a balloon. Mayo yelled repeatedly “I can see,” but the fight was still stopped. Mayo nearly finished Arteaga in the first round with a rear-naked choke, but Arteaga proved far too scrappy. Arteaga had superior power and hit Mayo with a right hand that led to the swelling and the stoppage.
In early action, Mauricio Alonso wrecked former UFC fighter Josh Koscheck with a series of right hands at 4:42 of Round 1. Koscheck never got out of first gear. He looked tentative and slow, while Alonso pushed the action and showed more aggression. The loss comes in Koscheck's Bellator debut.
