Chad Leonhardt knockout video of Dan Keenan at Bellator IX

Damn. Bellator is collecting some nice highlights!

by dana blanco on May 31, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions

Leonhardt is from the IFL right? That was a nasty KO by the way.

by c-war on May 31, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Good chin on the punch, but great knee.

by iagoof22 on May 31, 2009 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed. i want to watch some bellator now

by Bennie Blanco on May 31, 2009 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Seems to me that being very aggressive and throwing hard deliberate shots is the way to go in the beginning of your career. Until you’re facing top level competition, sheer power and aggression will take out young talent that isn’t quite sure of itself yet. Hell it worked for Wandy all the way to the top. Ufortunately now it’s only working 30% of the time or so, but you can tell in this clip that Chad came out to hurt him, period. Good highlight.

by Punch You in the Ovaries on May 31, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

good post Ovaries. I like your logic!

by john on Jun 1, 2009 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

That was quite the sweet knee. I think what made so awesome was not just the fact that it was on the button. But like the play-by-play guy said timed perfectly.

by TBlades on May 31, 2009 12:01 PM EDT reply actions

can someone explain how Bellator works? why and how do they have events like every week?

by newfie on May 31, 2009 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions

well, they are being handled by espn. not sure of the ownership, but it seems to me as though it’s like an MMA version of Friday Night Fights. These are small shows and the guys are probly getting paid peanuts. There is no real build up or marketing towards each card, they just get a venue, book fights and televise them. It’s pretty simple. This is a great example of where the sport could be headed. We should get more and more small shows televised regularly with unknown/up and coming talent but the big events(UFC, Affliction, etc) will continue to be PPV. Bellator isn’t the best fighters but there’s no reason it can’t be entertaining.

by Crowls on May 31, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Not exactly Crowls, Bellator is the first MMA organization to air events on any member of the ESPN family of networks. They have an exclusive television deal with ESPN Deportes Bellator. It’s first season on Deportes began in April, 2009. Bellator employs a tournament format where fighters compete by fighting their way to a championship. When a tournament fighter wins a bout, he moves one step forward in the rankings. In the season finale, two fighters who have climbed their way to the top and won their spot in the final bout will fight for the Championship in their weight class. The purses are the same for each weight class. Bellator’s pay scale is well above industry standard. Opening round tournament winners receive $25,000, semi-final round tournament winners receive $50,000 and final round tournament winners receive $100,000. The losing fighters in each round also receive substantial pay, which is incrementally higher in each round ($10,000 for first round, $25,000 for second and $40,000 for third).

In a nutshell, that is what Bellator is.

by mmarco on Jun 1, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

thanks for the info fellas! i appreciate it! you’re as good as google

by newfie on Jun 1, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions

bellator has had some good highlight finishes so far, it figures since they have so many fights in such a short amount of time.

by sean on May 31, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions

Damn that was a badass knee forsure ..

by $Curt$ on May 31, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions

That knee was timed absolutely perfectly. Keenan’s knees barely left the canvas before Leonhardt delivered the decisive blow. Great KO.

by BigRedOne on May 31, 2009 1:03 PM EDT reply actions

Bellator will definitely be a hit on ESPN2 after the performances they’ve had

by John on May 31, 2009 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

iv got to say they run a good org.

by Nokia on May 31, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

KTFO. What a sweet ass knee,and the punch too,sweet as.

by Bons on May 31, 2009 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

All I could say is “ouch” – nice finish

by UFC Champ on May 31, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn that was a nice KO, I really hope Bellator will make it to ESPN2.

by DL92 on May 31, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

WOW. Owned.

by scissorfight on May 31, 2009 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

Damn that knee killed him !

by Keyvan on May 31, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

At least the winner saw he has won and quit. That shows some class.

by hatteras on May 31, 2009 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

I agree, classy, not like the Soko special the other day.

by UFC Champ on May 31, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

its like something out the new ufc game with the mouth piece flying

these bellator guys a pretty good.

by ruanfiy on May 31, 2009 4:57 PM EDT reply actions

Ya he stole that move from UFC Undisputed for sure , they should get royalties for anyone spitting out their mouth pieces in a ko.

by Dayzah on May 31, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions

hahaha!

by Cali Rick on Jun 1, 2009 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

flawless victory..

by SuperBad on May 31, 2009 7:10 PM EDT reply actions

That was pretty awesome, I’m glad he took that overhand right so well because that knee was just perfect.

by Scott on May 31, 2009 9:29 PM EDT reply actions

Man I’ve been hooked on Bellator, my dad let me know the fights were on a few weeks ago. We’ve been watching them ever since and they never disappoint. It may be a smaller event but these guys know what they’re doing, easily more entertaining than any Fight Night I’ve seen recently. My dad’s warming up to MMA, the rare fights he sees are usually lay-n-pray ones that embarrass me… but the Bellator tournament is turning it around because it’s definitely more exciting finishes than boxing. I’ve seen, what like only 3-4 fights go to decision in weeks? Awesome.

Anyway, just some insight on the reach Bellator is having on the Latin community.

Anyone else see Hector Lombard? That guy is a beast at 185, he’d kill most of the UFC division.

by Cali Rick on Jun 1, 2009 1:38 AM EDT reply actions

Lombard did indeed have a ufc contract to fight Karo back in UFC 78 but had visa issues. (You know the anti-cuba antics run into sports as well). Anyways, I’m happy the guy ca now fight in the states, definately a great fighter. But who knows, maybe Bellator is just as good for him as a fighter.

by Megumi-Fujii on Jun 1, 2009 7:45 AM EDT reply actions