Narrow Win for Warren in Bellator Tournament
Joe Warren, at the end of round one refused to bow out without a fight, even though he was nearly knocked out.
In the 2010 Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight tournament final, Warren eked out a split decision over the previously unbeaten Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, on Thursday at Fourth Street Live in Louisville, Ky. Of all the three judges, two of them for Warren and the three judges scored it 29-28.
For a time, it appeared as though, to see the second and third rounds, Warren would not survive. Freire battered him with jabs, power punches, a standing arm-triangle choke and even a takedown and Warren was thoroughly dominated for the first five minutes. With a pair of crackling right hands, the 22-year-old Brazilian dropped Warren and followed him to the ground, where he stepped up the assault, as round one drew to a close. Warren was forced to surrender his back as Freire had secured full mount. Freire cinched a tight rear-naked choke as the horn sounded.
In rounds two and three, Freire’s offensive output dropped noticeably, as he allowed Warren to get a foothold in the match. With 2:39 left in the second round, the Dream veteran scored with his first takedown and kept Freire on his back for the remainder of the period. In round three, Warren grew stronger and from the top he delivered three takedowns and bloodied Freire’s lip with elbows, forearms and hammer fists. To sway the judges, it was enough.
“He was a very strong competitor; it was a tough guy to break. He was a great opponent. I feel tired and happy. It was a tough fight. I knew it would be”, said Warren.
The 33-year-old Warren, with this narrow victory earns a shot at unbeaten Bellator featherweight champion Joe Soto later this year.