Bellator MMA Finds Success, Shows Signs Of Growth At MSG Event

Bellator made its "biggest and boldest move" as an MMA promotion last night by coming to N.Y. and "putting 12,133 fans" in MSG, with the fight card headlined by Chael Sonnen-Wanderlei Silva and Matt Mitrione-Fedor Emelianenko as the co-main event. It is the "biggest venue they've ever been in." Many of the fighters, both winners and losers, "trended on Twitter throughout the night, which has to please those monitoring such things" (NEWSDAY.com, 6/25). But YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole writes the Sonnen-Silva headliner was a "dreadful affair" in which Silva, who had not fought in more than four years, "showed no semblance of cage presence." It was "fun at times and dreadful at others, particularly in the main event" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/25).