DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix Results=HELLBOY!

Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen came in as an alternate and did what no Lightweight has been able to do, and that is obliterate Shinya Aoki for the 1st DREAM Lightweight Title. Hansen was bounced from the tournament in a previous loss to Eddie Alvarez via decision loss back in May, but Sunday was back as an alternate where he defeated Kultar Gill by submission to become the reserve fighter. Aoki seemed to have Caol Uno tapped out by his patented triangle choke but the Japanese veteran held strong though he never got any offense going to lose via decision to the Grand Prix favorite. Shinya was on to the finals.

Eddie Alvarez hooked up with Japanese bomber Tatsuya Kawajiri for an amazing slugfest fight! It was a Pier 6 brawl (thank you JR) as Kawajiri stopped takedowns early and cut Eddie open below his eye. From there Alvarez unloaded two punches for a knockdown though Tatsuya recovered only to be dropped again by a vicious knee to the belly. The doctors check on Eddie's cut (nice timing) as Kawajiri recovered and proceeded to drop Alvarez to the canvas with a brutal left! All hell broke lose as Eddie got to his feet and both men just threw bones non-stop. Over and over a right/left combo from Alvarez and finally Tatsuya falls to the canvas to be pounded out by the American! What a great fight but it came with a price. The doctors would not allow Eddie to fight in the finals and he withdrew though he protested as much as he could to fight on.

Enter Joachim Hansen vs Shinya Aoki for the finals and the belt. Hansen avoided the ground assault of submissions Aoki is famous for and just straight threw down catching Shinya with a punch that turtled him up and away from his attacker. A few more strikes for good measure and the ref stepped in. Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen is now 19-7-1 and holds the DREAM title.

Though I am happy for Hellboy (my tournament pick to win it all from the start I might add), I am sad for Alvarez who probably would have won the thing and deserves a title shot soon. Eddie has snuck under the radar for far too long and is an exciting, solid fighter. The day belongs to Joachim though and Aoki is left wondering what could have been.