Event: Bellator 19

Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010

Location: Dallas, TX

Venue: Verizon Theatre

Broadcast: MTV 2

Bellator 19 Live Odds

Bellator 19 was a mixed martial arts event by Bellator Fighting Championships. The event took place on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas.

The event featured the semi-final match ups of the promotions welterweight (170 lbs) tournament as well as a non-title super fight featuring the promotions featherweight (145 lbs) champion Joe Soto.

MMA star Dan Hornbuckle and former U.S. Olympian Ben Askren both booked passage into the championship round of Bellator Fighting Championships’ Season 2 Welterweight Tournament at Bellator 19 on Thursday with dominant performances.

Joe Soto vs Diego Saraiva:

In the “Super Fight,” Soto assumed the dominant position early on in the fight and landed a huge elbow to Saraiva’s forehead near the end of Round 1, opening a deep cut that forced the ringside doctor to stop the fight at the end of the round. It was the first time that Saraiva (18-9-1) had been stopped in 38 career pro bouts.

Dan Hornbuckle vs Steve Carl:

Iraq War veteran Steve Carl (13-2) took Hornbuckle to the ground shortly after the opening bell of their semifinal-round fight, but “The Handler” maintained his composure on his back, using a tight kimura to end the fight just 2:31 into Round 1. Hornbuckle has now recorded 10 submission wins 10 nine knockouts in his 23 career fights.

Ben Askren vs Ryan Thomas:

While the first Thomas-Askren fight ended in controversy (a disputed referee’s stoppage), this fight was controlled from the get-go by Askren, the two-time NCAA wrestling Champion at the University of Missouri. Askren held the dominant position for all three rounds, winning a clear-cut unanimous decision that improved his pro MMA record to 5-0. It was the first time that one of his fights had ever gone past the first round.

Bellator 19 Main Card:

Joe Soto def Diego Saraiva

Dan Hornbuckle def Steve Carl

Ben Askren def Ryan Thomas

Bellator 19 Preliminary Card:

Douglas Frey def Aaron Wise via submission

Joshua Smith def Donyiell Winrow via unanimous decision

Johnny Bedford def Jared Lopez via TKO

Scott Barrett def Ty Lee via TKO

Joe Christopher def Brandon McDowell via submission

Chas Skelly def Daniel Pineda via submission