Rafael Carvalho beats favorite and wins middleweight belt at Bellator 144

R. Carvalho is the new Bellator middleweight champion. Photo: Disclosure/Bellator

Brazil has another champion in Bellator. In the 144th edition of the event, held on Friday night (23), in Uncasville (USA), Raphael Carvalho entered the cage Circular was considered a big underdog, but he knocked out favorite Brandon Halsey and left the fight area with the show's middleweight belt. The fighter born in Rio de Janeiro achieved victory with a spectacular kick to the waist that led the North American to a spectacular knockout in the second round (watch the video below).

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 The fight

The fight started as expected. Brandon Halsey took the initiative and took down the Brazilian. The North American tried to end the fight in the first moments when he landed a katagatame on the ground. But Rafael escaped the choke and almost surprised his rival with a triangle counterattack.

Afterwards, the North American continued to press on the ground, but without any major risks to Carvalho.

The second round felt like a replay of the opening round. Halsey closed the distance and pressed Rafael against the bars, but this time without being able to take down the athlete from Rio de Janeiro. When the Brazilian managed to separate, he connected with a kick to the belt and opened the way to victory.

The North American went to the ground and with two more blows delivered, the central referee interrupted the duel and Raphael Carvalho won the middleweight belt.

With victory, Raphael Carvalho becomes the third Brazilian Bellator champion. The event already has Patrick Pitbull with the featherweight title (up to 66 kg;), and Marcos Loro with the bantamweight belt (up to 61 kg.).

Video: Watch Rafael Carvalho win at Bellator 144

More Brazil at Bellator 144

In addition to the victory of Raphael Carvalho, o Bellator 144 trouxe outro (quase) brasileiro no programa de lutas que deixou o cage circular com a vitória. Nascido no Japão e radicado em Curitiba desde os três anos, Goiti Yamauchi venceu Isao Kobayashi por finalização, aos 3m50s do terceiro assalto, com um mata-leão.

With the victory, the featherweight reached his fifth victory in six fights for the second largest MMA organization in the world.