From the opening bell to the frantic shout "That's it!" from referee Jason Herzog some nine minutes later, one thing was clear at Bellator 147: Josh Thomson is ready for title contention.
After a submission victory over Mike Bronzoulis in his promotional debut at Bellator 142, Thomson continued to dominate inside the Bellator cage, taking home a second-round TKO victory over Pablo Villaseca and throwing his name onto the short list of contenders for Will Brooks' lightweight title in the process.
Thomson blitzed Villaseca from the get-go, notching a takedown and working to set up a triangle, then a straight armbar, then an omoplata in rapid succession early in Round 1.