Riggs, a veteran of both Strikeforce and the UFC, is arguably one of the more notable acquisitions that the Bellator brass has made in recent memory. Despite having been bounced around some of the larger promotions in the last couple of years, Joe has proven that on any given day he has the skills beat just about anybody out there.

However, such was not the case when “Diesel” stepped inside the cage against Baker last Saturday, when the the Judoka in Baker was able to deftly put an end to Riggs’ promotional debut in a definitive matter.

After a tentative first-round where both Joe and Baker felt each other out for first 5-minute round, the two finally began to open up in the second stanza. After a few takedown attempts were thwarted by Riggs, a man who is often regarded for his punching power, Baker worked his opponent against the fence.

Clinching with Joe, Bryan threw several knees to the body that were answered by short hooks on the inside from Riggs. Once separated, Baker began to open up and eventually collapsed Joe to the mat with a short left-hook. Bryan stood over his opponent waiting for the referee to intervene and call a halt to the bout, which he did with just under four-minutes clocked in the second-round.

Many suspected that Baker would utilize his superior ground game to take Riggs where he was weakest, though Bryan proved that the threat of his grappling prowess only made him that much more dangerous and was eventually able to beat Joe at his own game. The victory has earned Bryan the highly-unofficial “Knockout of the Night” award, thought the momentous victory was later trumped when “The Beast” proposed to his girlfriend inside the cage. She said yes, which commentator Jimmy Smith joked that the would-be-finance should feel no added pressure since they were broadcasting live on MTV2.

The win extended Baker to a two-fight streak since his loss to Alexander Shlemenko in the finals for the 185-pound tourney last June. He could very well find himself back in the tournament bracket, though nothing has been announced as of yet.

UPDATE (6:09 EST PM): Sherdog.com reports that with the win, Baker has now secured his spot in the upcoming season-five tournament.

UFC and Strikeforce veteran Joe Riggs will be making his organizational debut for Bellator at the promotion’s next event dubbed Bellator 43, which will also feature the organization’s welterweight final pitting Jay Hieron against Rex Hawn, where the winner of said bout will move on to contend for Ben Askren’s 170-pound title.

Meeting Riggs at 185-pound will be WEC veteran Bryan Baker, who was a finalist in the promotion’s season two middleweight tourney. With a win here, either man can throw himself back in the thick of things in the middleweight division and possibly make their way back into the tournament bracket in the immediate future.

Joe was last seen in action as a welterweight, when he took on Candian prospect Jordan Mein this past January. Mein dominated Riggs en route to a second-round TKO win. The loss snapped a two-fight win streak for Riggs, who had previously recorded stoppage wins over Louis Taylor and Trent Thorne, with the latter in the middleweight division. Riggs has bounced around weight classes his entire career. Beginning as an over sized super heavyweight at 300-pounds, Joe eventually pared down to 170, though he has constantly had trouble making the required weight limit and has opted in the past for catch weight bouts.

Riggs is perhaps one of the more well known and tested veterans to enter Bellator, though Baker has proven that he is no slouch himself. Bryan, 25, has only twice been defeated in his professional career. In his last outing, Baker was able to bounce back from an upset TKO loss to Alexander Shlemenko in the middleweight finals, by dominating two-time UFC title challenger Jeremy Horn en route to a well-deserved decision win.

Baker is currently battling with Leukemia–a cancer of the white blood cells.His disease was revealed during a Bellator broadcast in late September of last year, and he was only three-weeks in remission before his bout with Horn.

Bellator 43 takes place on May 7th at the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma and will be televised live on MTV2. The promotion officially announced the bout earlier today.

Both men have something to prove: Can Riggs mount a comeback in his career and become consistent enough to be recognized as one of the best in the world? And will Baker make good on his second lease at life and make it back to the top of his division? What do you think of the bout, MMA peeps? Sound off in the comment section below.

He is slated to take on middleweight prospect Bryan Baker on September 23 for Bellator 30.

The promotion confirmed the bout recently, however MMAJunkie.com
were the first to report the bouts validity this past July.

Horn, a UFC veteran, was released from said promotion after suffering a three fight losing streak to Dean Lister, Nate Marquardt and finally Rousimar Palhares. However since his release following the skid, Horn has been on a roll, completing a 6-fight win streak all by way of first round submission–all but one opponent.

Baker, who was an early favorite to win Bellator’s season two middleweight tournament met with the dynamic striker, Alexander Shelemnko. While Baker would clearly have a grappling advantage with his black belt in Judo, the talented grappler became a victim of his own success.

After finishing his last few opponents on strikes, it would be Bryan who found himself on the recieving end, and lost the bout to Shlemenko by way of TKO inside of the first round, ending his run towards a title bid against juggernaut Hector Lombard.

A win for either competitor will be a step in the right direction to possibly throw their name in the hat for Bellator’s next middleweight tournament, possibly in season 3.

Bellator 30 is expected to take place in Louisville, Kentucky at the Fourth Street Live! arena, on September 23.

So, MMA peeps, how do you like this match up? Who do you favor? And do you think the winner who comes out victorious could represent a true challenge for the next middleweight tournament? Let your opinions known below.

The addition of Baker is a good one for the tournament. He is a former high school wrestler who is now a black belt in judo and trains at Team Wildman in Denver, Colorado. He has wins against UFC veteran “Outburst” Rory Singer (12-9) and former IFL Grand Prix winner “Suave” Matt Horwich (24-13-1).

Baker says his singular goal is to advance through Bellator’s Season 2 tournament to earn the chance to take on reigning World Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard.“I put so much effort into my training that it gives me 100 percent confidence that I’m going to win every time,” Baker said. “Lombard has the belt and I’m coming for his belt. I’d say that he better stay on top of his training or else he’s in for a big surprise.”

This is just one of many additions Bellator has made in their off season. Former Olympian and highly touted prospect Ben Askren (3-0) signed an exclusive long term agreement and will participate in the welterweight tournament. Hardcore MMA fan favorite Dan Hornbuckle (14-2) also looking to make a splash in the welterweight tournament. Other fighters include “The Taz” Bao Quach (16-9-1), William Romero (4-0), Jim Wallhead (17-5) and Mike Ricci (1-0) to name a few.

Bellator is doing what many fans have been wanting to see for a long time. They are taking all the highly touted prospects along with a few well established fighters and giving them a  way to fight one another. I see Bellator as an organization that is becoming the proving grounds for these prospects. They will have to step in the cage, face each other and then look to fight men like Bellator FC middleweight champion Hector Lombard (22-2-1) and lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (17-2).

I have no idea what Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney has planned for the future or where he sees his organization in comparison to the UFC but I feel they could become the perfect feeder organization for Dana White, Joe Silva and the UFC. The only question remaining is if the fans will actually support them and get out to am event.

Last season the events seemed to be lacking fans from what I could tell. I wonder if the periodic signings slowly trickling out is a planned event in order to keep them in the news and to bring in more fans? If so it is a brilliant move. I have seen more people talk about this company in the last 6 months then I did during their first season. If this is any indication the fans will come out to support all the hard work they have put in to the new season and tournaments.

I have my doubts but with four events in Kansas City I hope for the best. The Midwest is a hot bed for MMA with hardcore fans that follow even the most obscure fight organization. My question to you is, will you be attending a Bellator event?

On the undercard of 33, lightweight “Wrecking Ball” Marcus Hicks (8-0) swung through formerly undefeated “9mm” Ed Ratcliff (6-1) in 1:42.

Steve Cantwell (5-1) impressed in a first round rear naked choke deconstruction of 205-pound “Wrecking Machine” Tim McKenzie (11-5).

Top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) scored a unanimous decision after a three-round workout with late replacement Bryan Baker (6-1).

“Cleat” Rich Crunkilton (16-2) went into the trenches with lightweight Sergio Gomez (7-2) to score a unanimous decision.

Also on the card, Hiromitsu Miura (9-4), Brock Larson (23-2), Alex Serdyukov (7-4), and “The Pink Pounder” Logan Clark (10-1) added wins to their respective records.

Bantamweights Kenji Osawa (13-7-2) and American Top Team’s Chris Manuel (6-0-2) reached a split draw by scores of 29-28 for Osawa, 29-28 for Manuel, and 28-28.

The main event between Stann and Marshall spanned the most action-packed 1:35 of the televised card.

At the bell, Stann marched forward while a more cautious Marshall circled in a hurky-jerky Muay Thai stance.

Stann scored first, a kick to Marshall’s thigh.  Marshall countered with the same, but Stann grazed a right hook across the “Rhino’s” horn.

Again, the light heavies traded leg kicks, but Marshall’s counter was checked by a statuesque “All American”, sending the champion off-balance into the cage.

Stann was just too powerful as Marshall wrapped a Thai clinch around the back of his opponent’s neck at the cage, but wasn’t strong enough to control Stann’s head.

Marshall broke the clinch with a right haymaker and Stann countered with a spot-on left hook that dropped Marshall to his ass.

Stann followed Marshall to the mat with a barrage of fists, but referee Herb Dean waved the battle finished as Marshall struggled to avoid the onslaught.

Stann burst into tears upon victory.  “This belt represents all my Marines and my friends who couldn’t be here right now, who died in combat with me.”

Stann looked polished in victory after spending time with Team Quest to prepare and will be a tough customer for future challengers.

Another tough customer, lightweight Marcus Hicks, treated formerly undefeated Ed Ratcliff to a man-sized, first-round whoopin’.

After a clumsy standing guillotine against the cage by Hicks, “The Wrecking Ball” broke the clinch with an uppercut, then retreated with looping roundhouse that landed flush on Ratcliff’s chin.

Hicks pressed and dumped shell-shocked “9mm” on the mat in a double-leg takedown.  This time Hicks’s guillotine would bite deep and Ratcliff tapped.

The 5’6″, stocky Texan, Hicks, improves his high-pressure strategy with every outing.

After suffering a 41-second TKO premier in the WEC c/o newly-crowned champion, Stann, Steve Cantwell has followed with consecutive first round stoppages.

A Cantwell right high kick partially landed and backed up Tim McKenzie, a light heavyweight with a win over former division champion Doug Marshall.

Cantwell followed with a right piston, left hook combo that dropped McKenzie.

On the mat, Cantwell wrestled into the full mount where still-dazed McKenzie rolled to his stomach under Cantwell’s looping G’n'P.

Cantwell easily dug-in a rear naked choke causing McKenzie to tap once and weakly.

Chael Sonnen appeared ready for WEC Middleweight Champion “Ely” Paulão Filho (16-0); but, late replacement for Filho, Bryan Baker wasn’t prepared for Sonnen.

Sonnen out-positioned and banged Baker in three rounds fought mostly on the mat.

In another three-round decision, Rich Crunkilton won unanimously in a bloody slog with Sergio Gomez also fought mostly on the mat because of Gomez’s inability to clear his feet during Crunkilton’s textbook takedowns.

The blood started flowing in the first frame, obviously from a Crunkilton elbow to the back of Gomez’s head unseen by referee Herb Dean.

Miura knocked out Blas Avena (2-2) at 2:35 of the first round.

“The Natural” John Alessio (22-11) was disqualified in 1:50 after kneeing middleweight Larson in the noggin while his knees were down.

Welterweight Serdyukov blemished Ryan Stonitsch’s (8-1) perfect record in the kickboxer’s WEC debut with a triangle choke submission at 1:35 of round one.

“The Pink Pounder” rebounded from a loss to TKO WEC rookie middleweight Scott Harper (8-4) at 4:37 of round one.

Filho, the WEC Middleweight Champion, bailed out of the rematch with Sonnen after checking into a Brazilian clinic for substance addiction.

Baker, a student of “Wildman” Thomas Denny (25-16), had won all of his fights by stoppage until a split decision over Eric Schambari (7-1) last December.