Bellator’s season 10 Heavyweight tournament final was on the main card of the Bellator 120 PPV, and the fight saw former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Alexander Volkov make short work of Blagoi Ignatov in a result that should net Volkov another title shot against Champion Vitaly Minakov.
Volkov stands 6’7 and is a skilled striker who has really grown to be a solid fighter in Bellator’s Heavyweight division. His conditioning has improved in each outing, and his leverage and ability to use his length have become very dangerous for opponents. Igantov is a fast starter who sets a fast pace and stays ahead of his opponents, but in Volkov he ran into a brick wall, and the brick wall was hitting back. Volkov pounded the face of Ignatov, and on the ground he won the position battle and finished the fight with a rear naked choke.
In the post fight interview, Volkov flashed some new found english skills, showing that the big Russian is very serious in working on his total package. He appears to be very focused on Minakov, who landed an uppercut early in the second round of their earlier meeting. He earned the stoppage with a flurry, as Volkov did not look comfortable on his back, but it also did look like Volkov was still defending himself.
He wants his belt back, and it looks like much more solid fighter is heading Minakov’s way for a re-match.
Also in Heavyweight action, frenchman and UFC discard Cheick Kongo scored a TKO over Eric Smith late in round 2 to keep his name in the mix in Bellator’s improving Heavyweight division. Kongo was his usual methodical self, as the pace slowed during the fight until he could get a head of steam and up the offensive output. Kongo looks good, a real physically gifted athlete, but kudos to the UFC for seeing that his value at this point in his career does not extend itself beyond a poster. It is unclear what Bellator may have in mind for Kongo next, though they are sure to keep him busy. A match-up with Blagio Ignatov is not out of the question, and neither is a slot in a season 11 Heavyweight tournament. From what we saw of Ignatov, he has a talent and conditioning ceiling that would see him the underdog against even a stiff like Kongo.
