Bellator 278: Blaisdell Arena; Honolulu, Hawaii
The saying is the third times the charm, but that’s not always the case. For the former U.S. Marine “Girl-Rilla”, it took one more as Liz Carmouche is finally a champion. However, the third ever Bellator female flyweight champion does have some controversy involved.
She needed to make the fight with Juliana Velasquez a dog fight. And coming out chopping away at her lower legs, that’s what Carmouche was doing. But she was also following her around the cage, not cutting it off. Then again, applying pressure IS applying pressure in a fight. She got a takedown but did nothing with it. Later she got a second, and it was Velasquez that was more active from the bottom.
Velasquez’s left hand was starting to land with piston-like accuracy with Carmouche keeping her head on the centerline. That started to change the momentum in the contest. She had dropped Carmouche twice with it. Needing to change things back in a hurry, Carmouche got her third-takedown. And here is where the questions will now follow her.
Carmouche Finally A Champion Thanks To Mike Beltran
With just 13-seconds remaining in the fourth-round, normally spot on referee Mike Beltran becomes part of the storyline. Something an official in any sport tries not to do. Carmouche had Velasquez in a crucifix along the cage. She was finally landing some short-elbows, but none caused damage, let alone landed cleanly. And he jumped in to stop the fight.
Carmouche got up to start to celebrate, and Velasquez just sat there in utter shock as she not only takes her first-loss, but losses the belt on her second-defense. The KO stoppage at 4:47 gives Carmouche her first-championship after losing to Marloes Coenen in StrikeForce, and both Ronda Rousey and Valentina Shevchenko in the UFC. She’s also now 6-2 as a flyweight.
When questioned immediately afterwards by Big John McCarthy, she said:
“It was a much tougher fight than I expected. I’m glad he stopped it when he did”.
The MMA World Is Enraged
Immediately social media was a buzz.
Mike Beltran should never be allowed to referee a fight again! First he took away my title and now he takes away Juliana’s title. He should be held accountable! @BellatorMMA #Bellator278
— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) April 23, 2022
HORRIBLE STOPPAGE https://t.co/prb1yXQlwM
— Georgi Karakhanyan ? (@georgimma) April 23, 2022
Juliana Velasquez was up 30-27 on two scorecards before that Mike Beltran stoppage. #Bellator278 https://t.co/kviWgS56Sc
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) April 23, 2022
Without a doubt the uproar will be loud enough that the powers that be in Bellator will try to rebook a rematch as soon as possible. So now in back-to-back cards a Bellator champion walks out of the cage stunned that they aren’t wearing a strap anymore.
They say things happen in three’s. Tomorrow, “CYBORG”, Cristiane Justino defends her title. Here’s hoping she gets a good night sleep with it.
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