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Welcome to the PWInsiderXtra.com live coverage of the Bellator 88 Preliminary Card, live from The Arena At Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia.
Fight #1 – Bellator Featherweight Division Fight
George Hickman (3-1-0) vs. Stephen Upchurch (2-1-0)
Referee: Will Fisher
Round One
The round begins with Hickman trying to nail Upchurch with a variety of kicks, Hickman starts to connect with kicks to the midsection of Upchurch. Hickman then scores a takedown on Upchurch and he gets back control, Hickman starts to nail Upchurch with ground and pound. Hickman locks in the rear naked choke and the tap out follows.
Fight Result: George Hickman def. Stephen Upchurch by submission via rear naked choke (2:19, R1)
Fight #2 – Bellator Catchweight Division Fight
Clay Harvison (9-5-0) vs. Ururahy Rodrigues (5-4-0)
Referee: George Allen
Round One
The round begins with Rodrigues catching Harvison with a front kick, Harvison tries to slow Rodrigues down with leg kicks. Rodrigues responds with some leg kicks of his own on Harvison, Rodrigues then forces Harvison up against the cage wall. Harvison takes the chance to nail Rodrigues with a knee strike and a right that drops him, Harvison then dives on top of Rodrigues. Rodrigues rolls for an arm bar and that forces a scramble to get the fight standing, Rodrigues then scores a takedown on Harvison and they quickly get back up. Harvison recovers to nail Rodrigues with knee strikes, Rodrigues then attacks Harvison with a variety of kicks. Rodrigues accidentally nails Harvison low and the fight is halted, the fight resumes with Harvison popping Rodrigues with a right. Rodrigues responds by clobbering Harvison with a few kicks before eating a right, Rodrigues goes for a takedown as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Harvison attacking Rodrigues with leg kicks, Rodrigues then scores a takedown on Harvison and they both get right back up. Rodrigues follows up the takedown by nailing Harvison with leg kicks, Harvison accidentally nails Rodrigues low and the fight is halted. The fight resumes with Harvison nailing Rodrigues with a three punch combo, Rodrigues barely connects with an overhand right on Harvison. Rodrigues follows that up by nailing Harvison with a kick to the rib cage, the fighters then exchange some leg kicks. Harvison is then forced up against the cage wall by Rodrigues, Rodrigues lands a few more leg kicks on Harvison as the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Rodrigues immediately nailing Harvison with leg kicks, Rodrigues follows that up by hitting Harvison with a push kick. Harvison also starts attacking Rodrigues with a variety of kicks, Harvison also nails Rodrigues with counter kicks. Harvison charges towards Rodrigues with throwing a few strikes, Rodrigues starts to throw wild looking punches at Harvison. Harvison resumes his leg kicking attack on Rodrigues, Rodrigues then pops a charging Harvison with a left. Harvison then drops Rodrigues with a knee strike from out of nowhere, Harvison follows with a few more strikes until the referee jumps in.
Fight Result: Clay Harvison def. Ururahy Rodrigues by TKO via strikes (3:34, R3)
Fight #3 – Bellator Catchweight Division Fight
Shane Crenshaw (6-1-0) vs. Ronnie Rogers (15-10-0)
Referee: Dan MIragliotta
Round One
The round begins with Crenshaw quickly putting Rogers up against the cage wall, Crenshaw then cracks Rogers with an elbow strike. The fighters grapple and Crenshaw messes up an arm throw attempt, Rogers winds up with back control on Crenshaw. Crenshaw finds a way to escape a rear naked choke attempt from Rogers, Crenshaw scrambles and the fight is standing again. Crenshaw then pops Rogers with a kick to the midsection, Rogers starts to attack Crenshaw with leg kicks. Crenshaw then scores a takedown on Rogers and he gets the open guard, Crenshaw then transitions to side control on Rogers while landing some elbow strikes. Rogers forces Crenshaw into the half guard as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Rogers nailing a grappling Crenshaw with a knee strike, Rogers continues to block takedown attempts from Crenshaw. Rogers barely catches Crenshaw with a spinning back fist, Rogers then starts attacking Crenshaw with leg kicks. Crenshaw recovers to pop Rogers with a wild right to the head, the fighters connect with a few wild swings. Rogers resumes his leg kick attack on Crenshaw, Crenshaw then catches Rogers with a counter right to the head. Rogers pops Crenshaw with a right as the round ends.
Round Three
The round begins with Rogers catching a diving Crenshaw with a knee strike, Crenshaw then forces Rogers up against the cage wall. Rogers follows that up by nailing Crenshaw with a knee strike and a left, Rogers starts to attack Crenshaw with leg kicks again. Rogers cracks Crenshaw with another knee strike during a takedown attempt, Rogers pounds on Crenshaw with strikes after he slipped. Crenshaw eventually scores the takedown on Rogers and he gets the north/south position, Rogers then forces Crenshaw into his closed guard. Rogers attacks Crenshaw with elbow strikes while on his back, Crenshaw tries to attack Rogers with some ground and pound as the round ends.
Fight Result: Ronnie Rogers def. Shane Crenshaw by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Fight #4 – Bellator Lightweight Division Fight
Jerrid Burke (5-2-0) vs. Joe Elmore (6-5-0)
Referee: Mel Fisher
Round One
The round begins with Elmore quickly cracking Burke with leg kicks, Elmore then cracks Burke with a two punch combination. Burke uses his range to catch Elmore with a push kick, Burke also starts to attack Elmore with some leg kicks. Burke tries to attack Elmore with a few high kicks, Burke accidentally catches Elmore low and the fight is halted. The fight resumes with the fighters just swinging wildly at each other, Burke starts to effectively nail Elmore with jabs. Elmore then scores a takedown on Burke and he gets the butterfly guard, Burke clobbers Elmore with an up kick before eating some strikes. Elmore then moves to the half guard on Burke as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Burke locking in a jump guard guillotine on Elmore that forces the fight to the ground, Burke then has full guard on Elmore. Elmore holds onto Burke as he gets his head smashed on the canvas, Burke starts to attack Elmore with ground and pound. Elmore eventually forces himself with Burke on top of him near the fence, Elmore uses the cage walk to get the fight standing again. Elmore then rocks Burke with a bunch of lefts, Burke backs away while nailing Elmore with a right to the face. Elmore then drops Burke with a wild left and he goes out cold.
Fight Result: Joe Elmore def. Jerrid Burke by KO via punch (4:11, R2)
Fight #5 - Bellator Featherweight Tournament Opening Round Fight
Fabricio Guerreiro (17-1-0-1NC) vs. Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (18-5-0)
Referee: George Allen
Round One
The round begins with Guerreoro attempting a high kick on Khasbulaev, Guerreiro then catches Khasbulaev with a kick to the midsection. Khasbulaev starts to attack Guerreiro with some leg kicks, Guerreiro clobbers Khasbulaev with a knee strike to the chin. Khasbulaev responds by catching Guerreiro with a wild right, Khasbulaev then pops Guerreiro with a three strike combination. Guerreiro then scores a takedown on Khasbulaev and he gets the full mount, Khasbulaev uses a sweep to get himself on top of Guerreiro. Khasbulaev starts to attack Guerreiro with ground and pound, Guerreiro tries to roll for the arm bar on Khasbulaev. Khasbulaev postures up while landing violent strikes on Guerreiro, Guerreiro then rolls for a triangle choke and Khasbulaev escapes. Guerreiro then rolls for a heel hook on Khasbulaev and fails, Khasbulaev rolls for the heel hook on Guerreiro as the round ends.
Round Two
The round begins with Guerreiro catching Khasbulaev with a few punches, Khasbulaev then scores a takedown on Guerreiro and he gets the open guard. Khasbulaev transitions to the full mount on Guerreiro, Khasbulaev locks in the arm triangle choke and the tap out follows.
Fight Result: Magomedrasul Khasbulaev def. Fabricio Guerreiro by submission via arm triangle choke (1:15, R2)
