It was supposed to have been a signature moment in Melvin Manhoef’s mixed martial arts career. He was in the Bellator 155 main event against Rafael Carvalho on May 20 in Boise, Idaho, the Bellator MMA middleweight championship up for grabs. Not much went right for Manhoef.
Typically an aggressive, in-your-face knockout machine, he fought cautiously against Carvalho. The Brazilian entered the cage on a 12-fight winning streak, having just upset Brandon Halsey for the 185-pound title. For whatever reason, Melvin Manhoef did not fight like Melvin Manhoef. He paid for it on the scorecards, losing a controversial split decision after five rounds.