Based on pre=show odds, Bellator's light heavyweight tournament figured to be a battle between two former national champion wrestlers, Phil Davis, a former NCAA champion from Penn State, and "King" Mo Lawal, a three-time national freestyle champion.
After Lawal scored a decision of Linton Vassell, and Davis finished Emanuel Newton with a first round Kimura, the match appeared on for the four-man tournament finals. But instead, Francis Carmont came out for the tournament championship fight and was stopped quickly by Davis.
The tournament rules were in the event of an injury to a winner, the loser of the first-round match would replace him.