Aaron Pico, a U.S. National and World champ while in high school who decided to forgo a college wrestling career for MMA, was choked out by Zach Freeman in less than a half-minute in his much-hyped first appearance at Bellator 180.
As for the two collegians-turned-Bellator-champs who lost their crowns ... Phil Davis, NCAA champ for Penn State, failed to successfully defend his Bellator light-heavyweight title against Ryan Bader, an All-American from Arizona State ... while Michael Chandler, a two-time Big 12 wrestling finalist at University of Missouri, also left the "world's most famous arena" without his Bellator lightweight title.
Bader wasn't the only former wrestler to have a night to remember at Bellator 180. In the main event, 40-year-old former University of Oregon All-American Chael Sonnen scored a unanimous decision over Wanderlei Silva ... while in preliminary events, former high school wrestler Ryan Couture and former East Stroudsburg University wrestler Matt Rizzo both came out as winners.
Aaron Pico was defeated by Zach Freeman in his MMA debut (Photo/Juan Garcia)Pico's stunning fail
Aaron Pico's Bellator MMA debut had to be the most anticipated -- and hyped -- of the year, if not in recent memory ... with full expectations being that the 20-year-old former wrestling/boxing champ would make short work of opponent Zach Freeman in his first pro MMA match. However, it was Freeman who made it a quick ending in a scheduled three-round lightweight bout.
"It took just 24 seconds for Freeman to drop Pico with an uppercut and then to lock on the D'Arce Choke," Forbes reported. (Yes, the business magazine covered the bout ... perhaps because it was held in New York.)
In its live play-by-play coverage, Sherdog.com wrote, "Freeman locks up a short guillotine and goes to work on tightening his grip ... He works the high elbow, Urijah Faber style from half guard. He presses his squeeze and Pico shows no ability to pass his guard, trapped in the choke, and is forced to tap. Incredible. Perhaps 2017's biggest upset has just been authored by one Zach Freeman."
After the upset, Freeman said, "I played his own game on him. He was going to be aggressive, which is my game. I wasn't going to give him any space. I was going stand there toe-to-toe and fight with the man. Here's the thing though, I told him, 'Aaron, now is my time. You're going to be a champion, dude. I'm 33 and on my way. I have a few fights in me.' It's a huge moment for me. It's my biggest victory. No one would take this fight, and I did. No one knew much about me."
The veteran Freeman improves to 10-2-0 ... while Pico now has a 0-1 record in his young career.
Light-heavy title goes from one ex-wrestler to another ...
Ryan Bader and Phil Davis had battled before ... first, a decade ago as wrestlers (Davis won), then, in Jan. 2016 at UFC on Fox 14 in Stockholm (where Bader avenged that collegiate loss).
In their third meeting, Bader not only defeated Davis, but took away the Penn State mat great's Bellator light-heavyweight crown, on a split decision, 49-46, 49-46, 47-48 in a five-round title bout.
Multiple media reports could not help but mention the lack of action. Here's how Forbes described it: "The only thing worse than a boring fight is a boring fight with a questionable decision. Phil Davis and Ryan Bader circled each other for five rounds throwing the occasional jab and non-threatening power strike, but neither man landed much of anything of consequence."
In his own assessment of the bout, Ryan Bader said, "My jab was working, and Phil did a great job of moving around; and he's hard to track down. Some people may see that as winning the fight, but you have to look at the punches landed and the takedowns."
"It was a bunch of relief, because I never got a chance to fight for a belt in any organization," the former ASU Sun Devil wrestler said. "The fight didn't necessarily go the way I wanted it to go. I wanted to come in here and make a huge statement, but how many people beat Phil Davis? I beat him twice, this time for a belt."
Bader now owns the Bellator light-heavyweight title belt, and a 24-5 overall record, while the former Nittany Lion is now 17-5 in his pro MMA career.
... while ex-Mizzou matman Chandler loses title to Primus
In the other Bellator 180 bout that saw a title change hands, Michael Chandler lost his Bellator lightweight crown to Brent Primus.
Primus scored a TKO (by doctor stoppage) over Chandler at 2:22 of the first round.
"The challenger unloads a low-cut kick that stumbles Chandler, then two more leg kicks that knock the champion off balance," is how Sherdog.com opened its live play-by-play account of the lightweight title bout. Those kicks injured Chandler's ankle, causing the former Mizzou Tiger matman to hobble ... and encourage the challenger to focus his attack on Chandler's injury. The referee decided the champ was unable to continue in the middle of the opening round.
After winning the title, Primus said, "It's a dream come true right now. I feel like I'm on top of the world. This is all of the sacrifices I've made, all the time away from my family, all the injuries combined makes this moment so special to me. I trained my butt off, and this is what it's all about in the end. Like I told Chandler months ago, I'm going to beat you and I'm going to give him a rematch after. I'm going to let my body recover and rest up, but then, I'm 100 percent up for a rematch."
Primus now owns the Bellator lightweight crown, and a perfect 9-0 record, while Chandler drops to 16-5-0.
Chael Sonnen won by unanimous decision over Wanderlei Silva (Photo/Juan Garcia)Sonnen scores win over Silva
In the main event, 40-year-old former University of Oregon All-American Chael Sonnen scored a unanimous decision over Wanderlei Silva. The judges scored the three-round bout 30-26, 30-27, 30-27 for the former Duck wrestler.
Sonnen used his wrestling experience to gain an advantage over Silva, taking down his rival at least once in each round. However, by the third round, Madison Square Garden fans booed both fighters for what they perceived to be a lack of action.
With the win -- his first in four years -- Sonnen is now 31-15-1 in his long pro MMA career; Silva drops to 35-14-1.
Ex-wrestler winners in the prelims
In a preliminary welterweight bout, Ryan Couture -- son of UFC Hall of Famer and Oklahoma State wrestling great Randy Couture -- earned a unanimous decision over Haim Gozali. Officials scored the three-round match 30-26, 30-27, and 30-27.
Ryan Couture was a two-time high school champ in Washington State before following in his father's MMA career path, where the younger Couture is now 12-5-0 ... while Gozali is 7-5-0.
Also in prelim action, Matt Rizzo submitted Sergio da Silva with an arm-triangle choke at 3:48 of the third round of their three-round bout.
In high school, Rizzo was twice a placer at the New Jersey state championships ... then wrestled at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania.
Rizzo is now 10-2-0 in MMA, while de Silva drops to 6-9-0.
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