If you were to mention the name Emanuel Newton to me on February 20th 2013, I’d have looked at you dumbfounded. Mention him 24 hours later and I, along with a legion of MMA fans, would look at you with a combination of glassy-eyed awe and incredulousness. On February 21st, 2013 Newton (24-7-0) pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in recent memory by defeating a heavily favored Bellator Champion in one Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal. And he did it in one of the most spectacular ways possible: A knockout by spinning backfist to clinch the Bellator title for himself.
After defending the title in his last three bouts, including a decision win over King Mo in their rematch, Newton entered the Bellator cage again Friday night to face the headhunting Joey Beltran (15-11-1).
Although Newton KO’d Mo to claim the title, all three of his title defenses went to the hands of the Judges. On the inverse, Beltran has finished 12 of his 15 wins, 10 of those by TKO/KO. The test for Newton was to find a way around the striking of Beltran. For nearly three rounds, Newton was at the receiving end of a clinic. Beltran landed combination after combination with seemingly little response from the Champ. But at 3:07 in the third of five rounds, after weathering another onslaught of punches and kicks from the challenger, the lightning strikes again.
Newton lands a picture-perfect left spinning backfist. It’s ulna to lower mandible and Beltran is out…cold.
Emanuel Newton is STILL your Bellator Light-Heavyweight Champion of the World!