It wouldn't be a typical Saturday without a "Bellator Moment" to share from the mixed martial arts (MMA) event that took place last night (May 4, 2012) at the Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
And this one didn't take very long, either.
Undefeated Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler met mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Akihiro Gono in the main event of the evening. Chandler's 155-pound belt, which he nearly got killed trying to pry away from Eddie Alvarez, who he damn near had to kill to ultimately win the strap last year, was not on the line last night.
It didn't matter because he fought like it was, storming out of his corner and connecting with a huge overhand right that sent Gono crashing to the canvas. Sensing that the Japanese fighter was terribly stunned, the Xtreme Couture-trained fighter poured it on think to force a referee stoppage.
Chandler didn't get much work in, finishing Gono in just 56 seconds, but perhaps that freshness will ensure a quick turnaround. And maybe even a rematch against Alvarez, who at this point appears to be the stiffest competition in the promotion. And there's no telling how long he'll be around for if he opts to switch sweaters at the expiration of his Bellator contract and test the deep Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) waters.
For a detailed play-by-play results of the fight between Michael Chandler vs. Akihiro Gono be sure to check out our complete Bellator 67 results post right here. And to check out our complete recap of the main card action on MTV2 click here.