The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/896287
24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK DARRION CALDWELL Alum • Wrestling There was a 307-day layoff between mixed martial arts (MMA) bouts for former NC State national champion wrestler Darrion Caldwell, due to injury, but it didn't seem like it during his first five-round fight for the Bellator bantamweight championship Oct. 6 in Thackerville, Okla. Caldwell beat Eduardo Dantas, the two-time champ in the 135-pound-limit weight class, by a unanimous decision for the title. The fight predictably featured world-class wrestling from the four-time ACC champion grappler — he took his opponent down at will throughout the 25-minute fight — but he also displayed some sharp striking in a dominat- ing performance, including an elbow that knocked down his opponent in the second round before he drew blood with some ground and pound in the fourth. Caldwell's title fight was postponed twice, so he was more than prepared for the mo- ment. "The Wolf" — his nickname a nod to his time in Raleigh — had beaten former Greco Roman world champion wrestler and one-time Bellator champion Joe Warren with a first-round submission in March 2016. Before his championship shot was set, though, Dantas got hurt. Instead of waiting around, Caldwell took a bout with dangerous veteran Joe Taimanglo, who at the time had 28 pro fights compared to Caldwell's nine. Taimanglo didn't make weight in the July 2016 bout, but Caldwell still took the fight — and was submitted nine seconds into the third and final round after he dominated the first two frames. That made revenge more important than a belt, so a rematch was set for Dec. 3, 2016 that would determine the No. 1 contender. Caldwell avenged his first loss as a professional fighter and took a unanimous decision victory. His title shot was originally set for April in Budapest, Hungary — but then Caldwell had to pull out with an injury, while Dantas defended the championship against a replacement. When the Dantas-Caldwell fight finally happened Oct. 6 on national TV, Caldwell scored a unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 48-47 according to the three judges) and won his first world championship. He shot his way up into the top 10 of the world-wide rankings after the belt was placed around his waist. The 29-year-old is now ranked No. 10 by Sherdog.com and No. 5 by FightMatrix, which has him right on the heels of rising UFC star Jimmie Rivera in their point system (290-281). However, the 5-10 fighter out of Rahway, N.J., now training in San Diego at Alliance MMA, knows that Bellator is going to bring in top competition to test him as the cham - pion. Dating back to his career at NC State, Caldwell has always been at his best under the brightest lights and against his best competition — and he's going to get a chance to prove it again … on a bigger, now world-wide stage. — Ryan Tice/Photo Courtesy Bellator MMA wolfpacker spotlight