First, the UFC veteran and West Chester Twp. gym owner was stuck in a 1-4 skid, and his job security likely was at risk. He also was fighting close to home, which assured he had hundreds of his jiu-jitsu students and friends in the stands.
But what Gurgel admitted was the most nerve-wracking of all was a Bellator 35 event in Lemoore, Calif. — where the newlywed’s wife was competing in her own MMA fight. Soon after he scored an impressive and efficient 44-second submission victory over Columbus fighter Billy Vaughan (9-7), Gurgel (14-7) said his focus was on the other side of the country.
“I just got married two weeks ago, and I need to go back and make sure my wife won to make it a complete night,” Gurgel said.
And a complete night it was. Frausto (11-1), who’s Bellator’s 115-pound women’s champion, scored a unanimous-decision victory over Karina Hallinan (3-5) in a non-title fight at the MTV2-broadcast event.
“It made my night complete,” Gurgel said after learning the news. “She got a unanimous decision. She didn’t get too beat up in the face. So hopefully I get sexy time when I get home.”
Gurgel, who hopes his preliminary-card win will get him back on Strikeforce’s Showtime-televised main cards, wasn’t the only Ohio fighter with a successful night. Cincinnati prospect Roger Bowling (9-1) defeated Josh Thornburg (5-2) via decision, Kent native Brian Rogers (7-2) knocked out Ian Rammel (4-3) and Dover’s Jason Freeman (7-5) submitted Columbus’ Jason Riley (9-6) with punches.
On the televised main card, two-time Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson (27-8) won the light-heavyweight title from Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (10-3), and women’s welterweight champ Marloes Coenen (19-4) scored a come-from-behind submission win over Liz Carmouche (6-1).
Strikeforce planning Ohio return
When the UFC skipped this past weekend’s Columbus event slot, which coincides with the three-day Arnold Sports Festival, Strikeforce swooped in.
It resulted in an announced attendance of 7,123, which is a similar figure that the California-based promotion has drawn in other new markets.
After the show, a Strikeforce official said the promotion likely will make a return to Ohio, possibly in conjunction with the 2012 Arnolds.
Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, voted best media outlet in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 World MMA Awards. For the latest mixed-martial-arts news, go to MMAjunkie.com.
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