5 Things I Learned from Bellator 106, Where Alvarez Turned Chandler’s Face Into Raw Meat

5. This is not 'Nam, there are rules, and no one likes an illegal knee… 

Back in 2009, Pat Curran defeated Daniel Straus with a knockout. This rematch for the featherweight title featured Straus charging out of the gates until Curran finally started fighting back in the second round. And then there was the knee. Curran threw a brutal, very illegal knee that landed smack in the middle of Straus's jaw while he was down, causing him to squirm in pain.

 

The disapproval from the crowd was almost instantaneous. Plenty of expletives were delivered in Curran's direction. Sure, he realized it and Straus was OK after getting checked out, but this changed things. At that moment, Curran turned into a heel. Just like the playground, no one likes a bully. With that one terrible decision, this fight because Curran's to lose. And that's exactly what happened.

4. It's very satisfying to watch King Mo get defeated. 

In the first round of a match back in February, Emanuel Newton knocked out former Strikeforce champion King Mo with a spinning backfist. Mo was far from aggressive in this fight, sparking the ire of many in the crowd who wanted to see some fireworks. It's almost like he was cowering away from attacks, giving Newton all the more reason to pounce.

When Mo lost his balance after a nasty attack, the crowd exploded. Although it wasn't a knockout, it felt damn good to watch him go down.

3. MMA crowds make funny innuendos out loud… And everyone notices it

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I've been to a couple of small MMA events before, but never something as big as a big Bellator event. Just as expected, the place was crawling with wolfpacks of bros in Tap Out shirts. It had that stench of beer and pure testosterone that only happens when a bunch of dudes are together. The crowd would bust each others' balls about the wildly hilarious and inappropriate things people would scream in the heat of the fight. See the above Tweet for an example. Also, while we're on the topic, how does this NOT happen more often?

2. Courtney Prather is thermonuclear hot.

After over 90,000 votes from readers at The Chive, fitness model Courtney Prather was voted the new Bellator Girl. She did not disappoint. In fact, she might just be BroBible's new obsession. Can you blame us? 

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1. Eddie Alvarez-Michael Chandler was “absolute bloodsport” and it was awesome.

Few things live up to the hype like Bellator 106's main event. The lightweight championship match was scrappy and tilted back and forth in each fighter's direction through the five rounds. But this re-match was Eddie's show and the crowd knew it. 

I mean, just look at Michael Chandler's face. LOOK AT IT. Covered in blood, this GIF is what makes MMA so freakin' glorious and wonderful. Chandler's face might as well be raw meat: 

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There were points where they were just bleeding on each other like lions mauling to the death for terrority. At one point, a girl next to me asked her boyfriend, quite loudly—”OMG, what if they have AIDS?” There was a short burst of laughter from the section before he told her they're tested.  

Chandler's comeback in the fourth round was downright incredible, getting the entire arena on its feet, screaming. This is around when I lost my voice. It was LOUD by the time of the fifth: 

The crowd had Eddie's back, straight up to the moment he was crowned champ by split decision. 

Congrats, Eddie. Enjoy that $80,000 purse. And hope I'm back in the arena when you get your next challenge in the cage. 

Brandon Wenerd is BroBible's publisher, writing on this site since 2009. He writes about sports, music, men's fashion, outdoor gear, traveling, skiing, and epic adventures. Based in Los Angeles, he also enjoys interviewing athletes and entertainers. Proud Penn State alum, former New Yorker. Email: brandon@brobible.com