Last nights Bellator 20 had one of the most gruesome injuries in recent memory. Last season finalist from the middleweight tournament Jared Hess squared off against Elite XC vet Alexander Shlemenko for another shot at 185lb champ Hector Lombard. After dominating the first two rounds with wrestling and sub attempts in efforts to stifle the Russian striker. The 3rd round had Shlemenko desperately looking to finish by trying to time Jared’s takedowns with a knee. The plan worked but not necessarily the way anybody wanted or expected it to.

As Schlemenko connected with the knee Hess buckled awkwardly and crumpled putting his weight on his left knee, dislocating it. Head over to Middle Easy to see a slo motion gif of the horror.

Upon re-watching the fight I think Schlemenko’s 2nd round heelhook may have been the begining of the end of Hess’s knee.

Bellator is still in Texas for their 20th event, this time in San Antonio. Featuring fights from the current middleweight tournament and qualifiers for the heavy and bantamweight tournament for season 3. There will be no superfight action on this card sadly. Here are the picks though.

Middleweight Tournament Semi-Finals

Bryan Baker vs. Eric Schambari

This will actually be a rematch and a chance for Schambari to avenge his only loss. With both men being powerhouses this fight will come down to technique and cardio. Which one could also call a wash, this is actually one of the harder fights I’ve had to call since both fighters finished their quarter final fights in devastating fashion. So…..

- Baker via tko or UD

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Jared Hess

Hess being a finalist from last year showed toughness and grit by damn near going the distance with Hector Lombard. Shlemenko aka The Siberian Cyclone will put a hurting on Hess, but will eventually get put on his back and get pounded out.

- Hess via tko

Heavyweight Bout

Eddie Sanchez vs. Marcus Sursa

Going with Sanchez in this one, mainly because he was less spastic at the weigh ins.

- Sanchez via UD

Bantamweight Bout

Nik Mamalis vs. Mark Oshiro

These guys deserve better than me just doing a sherdog record comparison. I won’t be giving a pick but I will be looking forward to this bout mainly because I’m a sucker for the lighter weight class fighters, they always bring it and I doubt this fight will be a deviation.

Featherweight Non-Title Super Fight

Champ Joe Soto vs. Diego Saraiva
If this is the same Joe Soto that won his belt via hate crime ground and pound last year, then Saraiva stands little chance. Hopefully he will put on a better performance than last weeks last minute replacement meal/fighter Jay Silva did against middleweight champ Hector Lombard.

- Soto via Savagery

Welterweight Tournament Semifinal

Ben Askren vs. Ryan Thomas

Even though I expect Askren to come out on top. I have a funny feeling that Thomas will make it a sporting event, Ryan gives off the vibe that he is one of those fighters who performs better when angry. If Thomas can bum rush Askren he may get his revenge. But I can’t bet against a man with the wrestling and submission grappling pedigree that Ben brings into this fight. I’m picking Ben but will be rooting for Ryan.

- Askren via UD

Steve Carl vs. Dan Hornbuckle

While Steve Carl had to fight tooth and nail and win a close decision to get to the semi’s. Dan Hornbuckle got himself a 1st round submission while taking next to no damage. The Handler validated his favorite status and will more than likely make it to the finals in impressive fashion.

- Hornbuckle via TKO

From MMA Junkie

A potential fight between two of the world’s top 155-pound fighters outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is one step closer to fruition.

Just hours after officials from Bellator Fighting Championships distributed a press release campaigning for a fight between their lightweight champ, Eddie Alvarez, and Strikeforce lightweight title-holder Gilbert Melenedez, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he’s open to co-promoting the champion-vs.-champion bout.

“If the stars align and we can work out all the terms and conditions and timing, we’d do it,” Coker told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “Of course we would. Why wouldn’t we? Let’s go do this.”

With the likes of Frankie Edgar, B.J. Penn, Kenny Florian, Gray Maynard, Jim Miller and Diego Sanchez, the UFC has a stronghold on the world’s best 155-pound talent. That, of course, has long been the case and given the promotion just about every major lightweight fight of late.

But Alvarez vs. Melendez would pit two of the world’s top-10 lightweights against each other. And with the UFC’s upcoming Edgar vs. Penn II and Florian vs. Maynard bouts, it couldn’t come at a better time.

The long running idea of “Co-promotion aka The Scourge of Boxing” being bad for MMA is starting to ring hollow with possible super fights like this being in the works. The sheer objectivity obliterating nature of having the best fight the best regardless of promotional allegiance while not entirely new to mma, it is still rarely seen. Hopefully both organizations can come to an agreement and make this mma fanboys dream a reality.

Thanks to Bloody Elbow for the pic.

Bellator’s second season keeps on rolling with tonight’s event taking place at the Monroe Civic Center in Monroe, LA. With Paulo Filho coming down with a case of “Too Strong”, he has been replaced by UFC veter…er former signee Jay Silva in the evenings non title catchweight fight with the organizations middleweight champ Hector Lombard. The event will also feature the semi final round of the featherweight tournament and also have some random heavyweight action. Now onto the picks.

Main Event: Non Title Catchweight (190lb)

Hector Lombard vs. Jay Silva

Silva is taking this fight on less than a weeks notice, hope he gets paid well, dude is going to catch a beating.

- Lombard by whatever he wants.

Featherweight Tournament Semi-Finals

Wilson Reis vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire

Both fighters have nasty bjj, so the difference will be in the stand up. Unless Wilson has improved his striking form last year I see him taking an L.

- Pitbull via tenacious beat down.

Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Joe Warren

Georgi blitzed his quarter final opponent Bao Quatch in the 1st round while Warren went to decision in his. While Warrens world class wrestling could secure him a decision win, the tournament format favors the fighter who can win as quickly as possible while taking little damage as possible. Going with the more experienced and less fatigued fighter.

- Karakhanyan via tko

Heavyweight

Shawn Jordan vs. Douglas Williams

Don’t know too much about either guy other than their records. Seeing as Williams is at 6-11, I’m going with Jordan. When you have damn near twice as many loses than wins, I wouldn’t be surprised if your own mother bet against you.

- Shawn Jordan via not sucking

Saddening news from Strikeforce, courtesy of MMAfighting.com,

Jake Shields is not the only Strikeforce titleholder without a contract with the promotion. 135-pound women’s champion Sarah Kaufman is in the same boat.

It’s been two-and-a-half months since Kaufman (11-0) defeated Takayo Hashi for the belt in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers 6 and she still has not been re-signed by the promotion.

“We’ve talked a few times here and there and I think they’re just trying to figure out what their plans are in terms of the 135-pound division since it is a deep division,” Kaufman told MMAFighting.com Tuesday. “They feel I just fought Miesha Tate, Shayna Baszler not that long ago as well, and I just fought the No. 2 girl (Hashi), they’re just trying to figure out what they’re going to do with the division, as they want to have a tournament. I personally don’t want to wait till after the tournament is complete because that’s at least another probably eight months before that’s done.”

Strikeforce’s shoddy handling of female mma is getting ridiculous, with the Megumi Fujii fight coming up along with the 115 pound tourney for the 3rd season maybe Bellator is the promotion that will give female fighters the stage, prestige and most importantly the stability they deserve.

Props to mma photog extraordinaire Esther Lin

From MMA Fighting,

The pound-for-pound best female fighter in the world, Megumi Fujii will fight on the June 10 Bellator event, CEO Bjorn Rebney announced Friday.

Her opponent is yet to be named but Fujii is also likely to compete in the rumored 115-pound tournament to be held in Bellator’s third season which starts in August. Other rumored tournament participants include Rosi Sexton and Elena Reid.

Since Strikeforces proposed April 8 woman tournament has yet to come to fruition and no new developments on the Womens Grand Prix promoted by FCF that featured the likes of Adrienna “AJ” Jenkins vs Jan Finney and Shayna Baszler. And with the unofficial face of female mma Gina Carano off making movies with no return to mma in sight, maybe Bellator can pick up where Gina and Strikeforce left off.

This Bellator event will have bouts in the lightweight semi finals, a 160lb super fight with the organizations lightweight champ and a random heavyweight bout. Another event being held in a theatre, The Wang Theater in particular, can’t help but be impressed by Bellators somewhat obscure yet unique venue choices. Now on to the fights.

Non Title Super Fight

Champ Eddie Alvarez vs. Josh Neer

Fighting at a catchweight of 160lbs. this fight should be an interesting one. With both fighters being aggressive strikers you have to give the edge to the more well rounded fighters and the guy who can implement a plan B if the stand up battle isn’t going as planned. With his last 4 wins coming via submission, usually after battering his opponents first Eddie Alverez should take this fight in exciting fashion. Neer’s will to fight seems to evaporate once the fight hits the ground and this fight should be no different.

- Alverez via tko

Lightweight Semi Finals

Pat Curran vs. Roger Huerta

Both fighters finished their quarter final fights in impression fashion other than that Curran has a huge uphill battle in front of him. Other than another flash KO, I don’t see Huerta losing.

-Huerta via UD

Toby Imada vs. Carey Vanier

Since I procrastinated to the point that the event is now on I will cut this short. Vanier is good but Toby is scrappy and crafty.

- Imada via sub

Heavyweight

Pat Bennett vs. Cole Konrad

This Konrad kid is supposed to be something special. I will go along with the hype for the sake of brevity.

- Konrad via tko

The all middleweight quarter final main card event will be taking place in Kansas City. Barring any preemption it should be a competitive night of 185lb. action. Coupled with some noteworthy action from the under card should that occur.

All fighters made weight and no injuries were reported, so lets get to the picks.

Middleweight Tournament Quarter Final

Bryan Baker vs. Sean Loeffler

On paper this looks like one of the more promising bouts of the evening. You have and up and coming finisher in Loeffler and a once defeated talent in Baker, whose sole L comes from Chael Sonnen in a fight he took on 2 weeks notice. Both men at 6′3 are large middleweights and have records filled with both ko/tko and submission wins. Going to flip a coin on this one and hope for the best.

- Loeffler via sub

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Matt Major

In this fight we have a once defeated and relatively new fighter in Matt Major going up against the veteran Siberian cyclone Alex Shlemenko. I would be lying to you if I were to say I have not been swayed by the article onMiddle Easy about Shlemenko being a destroyer. His propaganda/highlight film is what won me over.

- Shlemenko via spinning lariat

Ryan McGivern vs. Jared Hess

This will be Hess’s 2nd shot at the middleweight tournament, last year he made it to the finals only to get judo tossed and viciously pummeled by Hector Lombard. McGivern also seems to be a guy who can make it pretty far but not do too well when placed against any known competition. I think the story of Ryans career will play out once again.

- Hess via UD

Eric Schambari vs. Luke Zachrich

In a compelling battle of unknowns I will defer to a more Two-Facian method of fight analysis.

- Zachrich via Shambari coming up bad heads

Welterweight Tourney Quarter Final

Dan Hornbuckle vs. Tylor Stinson

Its another early bracket pick looking like its going to be in favor of one of the favorites in Dan Hornbuckle. At 6′2 he is a tall welterweight and anyone who has seen the his fight and KO of mma veteran and showman Akihiro Gono last year, knows that Dan has servicable striking and knows how to use his height and reach. Other than being a southpaw, I don’t see any other advantages for Stinson

- Dan “The Handler” Hornbuckle by TKO

Jacob McClintock vs. Ryan Thomas

Thanks to a series of unfortunate events, one advantageous the other not so much Ryan Thomas is back in the welterweight tournament. Following his controversial and questionable loss to Ben Askren, Thomas has returned to replace ‘Judo’ Jim Walhead who is unable to fight due to environmental travel restrictions

Wallhead (18-5), who was anticipating making his U.S. debut with Bellator, is unable to travel from his native England due to the volcanic ash cloud that has halted air travel across Europe over the last several days.

That being said Thomas is getting another highly decorated grappler in McClintock and will likely get subbed again. Unless he comes out like a house on fire and swings for the fences, ‘Tick Tock’ will remain undefeated

- McClintock via sub

Brett Cooper vs. Steve Carl

In a compelling match up of pretty even fighters…both of whom I am not too familiar with. I will defer to a coin toss and just hope for an exciting bout.

- Cooper via UD

Featherweight Tournament Quarter Final

Patricio Friere vs. Will Romero

As a huge fan of the feather and bantamweight divisions I am going to give this my pick for Fight of The Night. In a battle of undefeated up and comers we have Patricio “Pitbull” Friere one of the early dark horses for the featherweights. Going up against Will Romero another fighter with a perfect record looking to make a name. Both fighters are tenacious in their offense and like to finish and I expect nothing but fireworks. And while I have nothing against the Canadian Crusher in Romero, I can’t bet against a Brazilian nicknamed Pitbull. Those guys are usually quality fighters.

- Patricio Pitbull via sub