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Luke Thomas
@lthomasnews
Combat sports analyst for (sometimes ). One half of . I’m an ape in the cage getting more amazing with age.
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Watched the most recent live chat, and really enjoyed the conversation with one of my favorite new fighters to watch . Took the liberty to sketch something out while watching. Can’t wait for the Rob Font fight. #UFC
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It really is amazing how many think they’re dunking when they’re parading their own ignorance.
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Replying to @lthomasnews
Really funny to me how many ppl are confidently being snarky because they don't know wrestling rules.
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From the champ on the benefit of locked hands:
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Replying to @lthomasnews
Game changer. Imagine how legit your control was when we had to learn how to keep top pressure without locking hands. Dangerous folkstyle wrestling
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We were talking about oversaturation 10-15 years ago, but nobody could have envisioned this. twitter.com/bigmarcel24/st
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Reminder: Bader has been using cross-wrist rides, aka “the Dagestani handcuffs,” to beat up people well before Khabib popularized it, and uses it to defeat the Russian legend Emelianenko.
Tough to watch as a Fedor fan but gotta give credit where it’s due. #Bellator290
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Since apparently most people responding don't seem to realize locked hands is a real thing in folkstyle wrestling and definitely not legal: ihsaa-static.s3.amazonaws.com/wrestling/Folk
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Even for the (once) very elite, sticking the landing for the last fight of a career is pretty tricky.
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MMA does legends dirty on their last fights consistently
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Going live in minutes. Join me!
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Join me live on YouTube immediately following the main event of #Bellator290 for results, reactions, analysis and more.
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Fedor again walked out to Serbian song. I can’t describe how much I love this man.
Happy retirement Fedor, you’re one of the greatest of all time & true icon of the sport. Love you.❤️ 🇷🇺🇷🇸
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Pretty cool scene to see the veteran fighters of the aughts all here to see Fedor off in his final fight.
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Instead of retirement fights, we should just take all of our favorite fighters to like Six Flags or something and have a chill time instead.
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OFFICIAL: Ryan Bader def. Fedor Emelianenko via TKO at 2:30 in round 1 #Bellator290
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There were parts to Fedor's game that put him ahead of his time, but a good portion of what made his style work was also athleticism and explosive ability. So much of that is gone and has been for some time. The ride needed to come to a close.
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Ryan Bader scores the first round stoppage and rather easily at that. Drops Fedor and then applies GNP after a bit of a gift wrap of the wrist. That's that.
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The Darth Vader breathing bit for Bader's intro is alright by me. Add in 'Paint It Black' and it's a party.
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This intro for Fedor is pretty good.
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“I started my period today so that should tell you that us women can do it all”
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Johnny Eblen is the most unheralded champ of a major organization in MMA. In terms of how good he is relative to the level of acclaim he gets for it, there's a yawning gap. He deserves much, much better.
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When I said Johnny Eblen would give Alex Pereira everything he could handle
Mfs talked mad shit to me
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Judges:
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Johnny Eblen def. Anatoly Tokov via unanimous decision #Bellator290
He retains his Bellator middleweight title.
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Eblen 4-1 or 5-0. Tokov a worthy adversary, but Eblen is stubbornly excellent: on point cardio, respectable power, highly functional striking and wrestling all day long. Not many miles on him either. That's a tough dude to beat.
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EBLEN SUPLEXES TOKOV IN THE FIFTH!
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Of note, they have the same management and Taira was a -1250 favorite in places to Aguilar's +980.
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Absolutely beautiful triangle into an armbar from Taira, getting the verbal tap from Aguilar.
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After 4, Eblen should be up comfortably. Tokov is tired and has no answer for Eblen's wrestling and rides. If Eblen can get another takedown and riding series, this fight is over.
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It's a reasonably close fight, but Eblen likely takes the third. He's landing thudding rights and is keeping Tokov off balance with his wrestling.
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Eblen's one-two can't miss. Tokov eats it flush every time.
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Locked hands not being illegal is the biggest gift to wrestlers in MMA.
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Eblen maybe steals round 2. He was getting stung early, but turns the tide by dropping Tokov and getting good GNP from a takedown.
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Tokov did the better striking. Not by a huge margin, but enough to take the first round. More concerning for Eblen is that Tokov also stuffed basically every attempt at a takedown.
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'Fortunate Son' as a walkout song choice is extremely good.
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This dude Matt that Ward just brought in the cage with JCVD is the guy who founded High Rollerz BJJ. That alone makes him great.
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OFFICIAL: Brennan Ward def. Sabah Homasi via TKO at 1:34 of round 2 #Bellator290
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First MMA fight back on CBS is a blood bath. Perfect!
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Head kick by Ward takes Homasi off of his feet! Follow up GNP and Ward wins!
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Homasi did the most damage in the first, but Ward was able to slow the fight down at times and even had a nice flurry to end the frame.
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Homasi is making Ward pay for the low, hunched over stance with the switch knees, but when he misses and slips, Ward is able to the get back with ease.
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Hard to see a probable scenario where Homasi-Ward goes to a decision. Hope I didn't jinx it!
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