They faced each other in the quarterfinals at Bellator 14 on April 15. Ben Askren won a technical-submission victory when the referee stopped the fight even though Thomas never tapped out.

As soon as the fight was over Ryan protested but to no avail. Yet in what seemed like fate, British fighter Jim Wallhead (17-5) was forced to withdraw from the tournament when volcanic ash prevented him from traveling to the states to the following week for Bellator 15. Thomas told the “Official Voice of Fighters.com”, MMA Gospel Radio, that Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney made him the first alternate immediately following the fight with Askren. When Wallhead had to drop out, Bjorn went to bat with the athletic commission in order to get Thomas approved for the fight against Jacob McClintock (6-1). Thomas did exactly what he told MMA Gospel Radio he would do as he won by TKO to move into the semifinals.

Both Askren and Thomas have said they really wanted to fight one another again. Bjorn Rebney, the man fast becoming mixed martial arts most beloved CEO, put the fight together and we will now get to see who is the better fighter.

Also scheduled for Bellator 19 is the other semifinal fight between Steven Carl (13-1) and Dan Hornbuckle (16-2).

Carl had a very hard fought split-decision victory over Brett Cooper (8-5) to make his way into the semifinals.

Hornbuckle made his way into the semifinals by way of a triangle choke victory over “The Evolution” Tyler Stinson (17-6).

Stay tuned to Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio for information on the Bellator tournament and for interviews with more Bellator fighters.

MMA Gospel Radio airs every Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST/ 5-7 PM PST. Just go to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel in order to join in the live chat, listen live and become a part of the show.

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?

Minonzio forced a doctor stoppage “W” over Buck in Nottingham in July, handing Buck his first MMA loss.

Buck is a retired boxer hailing from Nottingham and looking for revenge.  He ended his career in the ring in 2000 at 10-4-1, winning his final five fights.

Saturday afternoon before the fights, Red Devil fighter and coach Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will hold a seminar featuring DREAM Middleweight GP Champion Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1), UFC welterweight “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (19-6), and “The Machine” Ian Freeman (19-7-1).

Just a week after winning a split decision over Brandon Thatch (3-1) in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, Brandon Magana (6-1) will fight Red Devil’s Erik Oganov (7-7) in Nottingham.

Called the protégé of Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1), Kiril Sidelnikov (3-2) will try to do something for the second time that Emelianenko has only had to do once: come back from a loss.

Sidelnikov draws American James Jack (3-2-1), who comes in off of a TKO of RJ Wishard (0-1) in August.

After having his 12-fight win streak snapped in a UD loss to Daisuke Nakamura (17-9) in August, Belgian welterweight “Moreno” Wim Deputter (18-3) will try to kickstart a new streak versus Mysail Khamanaev (0-0).

Other fights include:

Mikhail Malutin (5-6) v Beau King (2-3)
Dmitry Samoilov (4-2-1) v Bryan Harper (5-1)
Mikhail Zayats (5-1) v John Cornett (5-3)
“Judo” Jim Wallhead (14-5) v Igor Araujo (11-6)
Sergey Verdesh (1-0) v Jason Ponet (0-1)
Sergey Kornev (0-0) v Rosen Dimitrov (1-0)
Gadzhimurad Omarov (0-0) v Nills van Noord (0-0)
Akhmed Sultanov (3-1) v Sylwester Oleksy (0-0)
Christian Smith (4-5) v Clifford Hall (6-3)

Well, now we know the exciting British welterweight’s hiatus would last even less than six months.

Fighting for the first time in his native Nottingham Saturday night, Daley blasted undefeated Slovenian “Zelva” Bojan Kosednar (6-1) with a left hook at 4:53 of round one.

Lights out Kosednar!

Kosednar had already hit the deck at the end of Daley strikes three times before being knocked out.  The end was inevitable.

Daley is signed to a ProElite contract and his dominant return may have earned him a title shot versus the winner of 26 July’s EliteXC Welterweight Championship fight between eighth-ranked Jake Shields (20-4-1) and ninth-ranked “Goat” Nick Thompson (36-9-1).

If he wants it…

“Once I’ve found the path I originally set out on in the martial arts, I may return to this sport,” Daley confided last February.

After two high-profile North American victories and talk of Daley cracking the 170-pound top ten, it’s interesting that the Muay Thai kickboxer chose to return in his hometown with a promotion he’s had a relationship with since his second MMA fight.

Perhaps the one time CageRage and FX3 Champion’s path has lead him home to Britain to stay.

“Metabolic” Paul McVeigh (14-5) defended his Cage Warriors bantamweight strap from Steve McCombe (7-3-1) by second round rear naked choke.

In the card’s other anticipated welterweight fight, “Hellboy” Joachim Hansen‘s (17-7-1) pupil and Norwegian countryman Simeon Thoresen (9-0) tapped “12 Gauge” Matt Thorpe (10-7) in a Kimura in the first round.

“Judo” Jim Wallhead (14-5) scored a UD over welterweight Fabricio Nascimento (19-6), leaving Nascimento with consecutive losses for the first time in his career.

Italian heavyweight mean Matteo Minonzio (7-6) cut former pro pugilist Wayne Buck (4-1) to force a first round doctor stoppage TKO.

Lee Livingstone (5-1) tapped Wayne Murray (4-2-1) in a triangle choke.

Rocci Williams (1-5) lost his fourth straight in a Cliff Hall (1-0) guillotine choke.

Lightweights Abdul Mohamed (15-6-3) and Andre Winner (9-2-1) fought to a majority draw.

Chris Cooper (3-1) beat Tommy Rasmussen (0-3); Eddie Podolski (2-1) beat John Brotherhood (0-1); and Peter McGurk (3-0) beat John Phillips (6-2).