Sherdog’s Top 10Sherdog’s Top 10: Bloodiest Battles
Red Lightning
Jared Hess was a mess after his encounter with a certain Cuban
judoka. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Bellator 12 -- July 19, 2009
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino | Hollywood, Fla.
Before Bellator MMA moved to the greener pastures and larger audience of Spike TV -- or even MTV2 -- Lombard had already begun to use the promotion to compile his own personal mixtape of mayhem. When all was said and done, the Olympic judoka would reel off eight consecutive victories under the fledgling organization’s banner to make him one of mixed martial arts’ most coveted free agents in 2012.
While the man known as “Lightning” has experienced mixed results since stepping into the Octagon, it is unlikely that Hess will forget the night the powerful Cuban used his head as a paintbrush, covering the canvas at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino with splotches of red en route to capturing the promotion’s inaugural middleweight crown.
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With Hess’ takedown shots being denied repeatedly, the Oklahoman resorted to pulling guard, and Lombard took advantage by mounting a heavy ground-and-pound barrage. Prior to round three, the ESPN Deportes broadcast briefly cut to a shot of Hess’ mother, who was already looking apprehensive after watching her son absorb some serious punishment in the contest’s first 10 minutes. It was about to get worse.
A series of elbows and punches from above had Hess oozing blood, and the action was halted twice in the third frame to examine the cut on Hess’ forehead, with the fighter himself even taking a moment to admire the pool of fluid on the canvas. Hess made it to round four, but after another stuffed takedown and another series of heavy shots from Lombard, the cageside doctor decided that the floor had been sufficiently decorated, giving the Cuban a TKO victory.
Number 6 » Beyond Recognition
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