Bellator 296 ‘Mousasi vs. Edwards’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round

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Bellator 296 coverage will begin Saturday at 11:55 a.m. ET.

Round 1

Vive la France! For the third year since 2020, Bellator has posted
up in Paris for a show to titillate those inside of the Accor
Arena. French fans will be treated to 14 bouts of various intrigue,
and the show will end with a pair of five-rounders but no belt on
the line in either. The proceedings commence in the light
heavyweight division between a pair of titanic finishers, as
Augusto (7-4, 1 NC; 1-2 BMMA) battles Biyong (9-2, 2-1 BMMA) in a
fight that might not last long. Referee Jacob Montalvo is ready and
awaiting the violence that is set to begin in front of his eyes,
but before that happens, the event begins with the two fighters
sharing a sporting glove touch. Biyong leads off with a jab and a
body kick, with his significant reach on display immediately.
“Gugu” replies with a chopping low kick, and Biyong says two can
play that game and gives him two back. Augusto recoils his limb on
the second strike, and he chambers and fires one that is out of
range. Biyong changes stances to evade a quick punch, and he comes
inside only to be greeted with two hooks. As Augusto looks to fire
off a few punches, Biyong advances and clinches him up, pressing
him to the wall and kneeing him in the gut. Augusto attempts to
turn the tables and trip the taller man out, but Biyong keeps his
balance and hops back until they split up. Augusto steps through
with a solid one-two, and Biyong takes it on the chin and
retaliates with a kick that misses and ends up with him falling to
the mat. The Brazilian marches him down, finding his target with
another clean right hand, and he drives Biyong back to the fencing.
As the light heavyweights trade knees, Biyong raises one up that
clacks off the cup to cause a pause in the action. Montalvo
recognizes this and allows Augusto to recover, and he asks Augusto
if he would like the position back. Augusto accepts this and the
fight resumes in the clinch, with him on the offense. Biyong shoves
him back when restarting, and he circles on the outside and looses
a left hand. Augusto beats him to the punch with a right hook, and
he surprises the Italian fighter by way of Cameroon with a
combination. Biyong gets stood up with a powerful right hand, and
his legs are not fully beneath him as Augusto marches him down.
“Gugu” slugs him in the chops again and winds up tied up, where he
tags Biyong with a sharp elbow before breaking free again. Augusto
plods forward, seeing Biyong is still compromised, and he smashes
him in the face with two fists before they wind up clinched. Biyong
turns him around, seeming to get his bearings back, and they
deliver short knees to the body one after the other. Biyong rides
the round out in this position, making certain he is fully back
with it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Augusto
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Augusto
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Augusto

Round 2

The fighters clap hands to start off the second stanza, and Biyong
leads off with a low kick. Augusto strings two punches and a leg
kick of his own, and he dodges the counter in time. Biyong stumbles
back and suddenly darts forward, swinging, but Augusto is wise to
it and defends himself. The Brazilian is pushed back to the wall as
the large men tie one another up, and they search for underhooks or
an advantageous position. Biyong shucks off the clinch when grabbed
in a body lock, and he surges forward with inaccurate punches.
Augusto strides forward with a big right hand, and this activates
Biyong, who lashes out with several fists that catch the Brazilian
on the chin. Biyong’s momentum backs “Gugu” back to the fence, and
he knees his man in the breadbasket a few times to score some
points. Biyong stalls out the match in this posture, even when
Augusto attempts to set up a Thai plum, and Augusto looks to escape
with a trip attempt. Biyong falls to a knee and climbs right back
up without issue, and he squeezes his body weight into Augusto like
he is trying to squeeze Augusto through the chain links like
Play-Do. Biyong stays busy enough with body shots, until Augusto
explodes out of the position with a big right hand. Biyong gives
chase and scores a right, and Augusto strikes with three punches to
knock “Hemle” into the wall. Biyong spins him around when backed
up, and Augusto breaks free with 20 seconds to spare. Augusto
glances a vertical elbow off the top of the head, and Biyong holds
on in the clinch until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Augusto
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Augusto
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Augusto

Round 3

The two hug it out to start off the last round, and Biyong takes
the middle of the cage and lunges with two whiffing punches.
Augusto clubs Biyong in the face with a right, and he tags a
leaning Biyong with an elbow right on the chin. As Biyong continues
to power forward, Augusto times a knee up the middle. Biyong ducks
down, trips Augusto out and sets him on his seat. The Brazilian
pops right back up to his feet, with Biyong holding on from behind,
and Augusto grabs the fence when Biyong tugs him down to the floor.
Biyong still manages to get Augusto down briefly thanks to an
observant Montalvo, and once more, Augusto springs upright and
turns himself around. Biyong hangs on in the clinch, taking a knee
to the sternum and pressing his forehead into the chest of “Gugu.”
Biyong half-heartedly considers a single-leg takedown, but Augusto
shuts this down and knees his foe in the sternum. Montalvo asks the
competitors to work as Biyong stalls, and Biyong grabs Augusto’s
right leg for a single that is nowhere close to completion. Augusto
elbows Biyong in the side of the head to keep him honest during a
takedown effort, and he rips an elbow up high when Biyong stands
upright. The Brazilian plants multiple short knees to the
midsection as they remain locked up, and he turns Biyong around
momentarily to frame up and smash him with a single elbow. “Hemle”
once more spins his man about, and they continue to dance around
until Augusto lines up a crisp knee to the body. Biyong takes it
like a champ and attempts to fire a few back, but they have far
less mustard on them. Biyong clings to his foe like a bad penny,
grabbing his fingers in the links of the cage to hold him there,
and the crowd grows restless. Augusto gains a short modicum of
space to pop Biyong in the chops with another elbow, and Biyong
dives in for a takedown that is blocked right before the final bell
sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Augusto (30-27 Augusto)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Augusto (30-27 Augusto)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Augusto (30-27 Augusto)

The Official Result

Jose Augusto Azevedo Barros def. Simon Biyong via Unanimous
Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Round 1

It’s an all-French collision for the second fight of the card, one
that will take place outside of a standard weight category because
one competitor missed weight. While the 6-foot-4 Camara (5-2, 1-1
BMMA) made his proper marks, the six-inch shorter Debienne (8-4,
0-0 BMMA) stepped on the scale nearly two pounds over the
welterweight cap. This de facto catchweight contest will be
officiated by referee Kevin MacDonald, and Debienne offers an
apologetic touch of gloves to lead off. Camara reaches with his
right hand outstretched, length far in his favor, and he tosses out
a body kick from two states away that nearly reaches his opponent.
Camara fakes a body kick again, pumping his hips to draw a
reaction, and he counters an oncoming Debienne with a left. Camara
pops out jabs, looking to follow them with straight left hands, and
Debienne is watching this and avoids most of them. Debienne lets
rip a low kick, and Camara counters him cleanly with a blistering
right hand. Debienne wobbles, and Camara switches stances and walks
him down. Camara fires off a leg kick and a left hook, and Debienne
gets his sea legs back and throws back offense. When Debienne
launches a low kick, Camara prepares his left hand across the
forward bow. Debienne catches Camara flush with a right hand of his
own, and it is one-and-done so that he can evade a head kick
zooming at his dome. Camara greets Debienne with a knee up the
middle, and he just misses taking a right hand on the temple.
Debienne is throwing heat, but few are landing, while Camara is
aiming his big left hook back at him. Camara jabs and paws out with
punches, beating Debienne to the punch repeatedly thanks to several
extra inches in his limbs. Camara snipes his man with a left hook
on the inside, and he hops away from a looping punch soaring at
him. The two trade power punches, missing with most of them, but
swinging hard enough to draw respect from the other. Camara steps
through a punch to snap out a left hook, and he swaps stances to
jab Debienne with his left twice and follow it with a right down
the pipe. Debienne loads up on bombs, and Camara sees them coming
from a mile away. Camara snaps out a head kick, and he catches
Debienne with a left and a front kick right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Camara
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Camara
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Camara

Round 2

The fighters touch ‘em up to get started again, and they whiff on
alternating hooks. Debienne dips back from the distance strikes
that buzz his hairline, and he gets off a few low kicks to the
outstretched leg of his rangy opponent. One such kick spurs Camara
into action, who runs at him throwing punches. Debienne chambers and looses a massive right hand,
rocking Camara badly and separating him from most of his senses.
Camara topples to his seat, and he desperately looks for a takedown
or some way to stand up and get back with it. As soon as Camara
stands, Debienne loads up with another devastating right, and
Camara goes down again. Macdonald bumps into them before actually
waving off the fight, and Debienne gets off a few more punches to
seal the deal before the match concludes. Camara’s eyes roll
back in his head during the final salvo, but he snaps right back to
consciousness and pleads with MacDonald to not stop the fight. This
never works, as by the time the referee has put hands on a fighter,
it is all over. This is a big win for Debienne, who becomes the
first fighter to stop the long, lanky welterweight with
strikes.

The Official Result

Roman Debienne def. Bourama Camara R2 1:04 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

Keeping things pushing, once again two Frenchmen take center stage,
this time at a pre-planned catchweight of 150 pounds. Ever since
his first pro loss in 2020, Adjoudj (5-1, 3-1 BMMA) has yet to
taste defeat including three wins under the Bellator banner, while
Sasu (4-2, 2-2 BMMA) suffered his first decision loss in his most
recent fight coming back in November 2021. The two young fighters
at 24 and 25, respectively, touch ‘em up while referee Jacob
Montalvo observes the proceedings. Adjoudj takes the center of the
cage and then some, advancing fast, but not letting his hands go.
Sasu leaves his left hand low, unconcerned by the early offense
that is not coming. Sasu backs him off and uppercuts his man in the
chin, and they wind up clinched. Adjoudj aims a few elbows from up
close, and Sasu changes levels in pursuit of a double-leg takedown
to elevate Adjoudj. “The Sultan” turns the corner and sets Sasu on
his seat, where he stacks him up awkwardly such that Sasu’s legs
are up in the air with his back on the wall. Sasu considers a
guillotine choke or something to keep Adjoudj honest, but he
settles to wall-walk and stand back up. Adjoudj is quick to pursue
a mat return, and he leverages Sasu down to the canvas again. The
pace slows down significantly with Adjoudj hooking his legs around
Sasu’s, thereby pinning him on his seat. Adjoudj smacks Sasu with a
few wayward punches when he finds an opening, which staves off a
standup from Montalvo for the time being. Sasu looks for butterfly
hooks to try to push off or gain some space, and Adjoudj takes
advantage of this by tying his legs up again to trap him. The
ground-and-pound is methodical but not particularly damaging, as
Adjoudj gets off some left hands and elbows. One such elbow forces
Sasu to lean over, and Adjoudj jumps down to pursue a guillotine
choke. Sasu survives the choke, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Adjoudj
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Adjoudj
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Adjoudj

Round 2

The second round opens with Sasu striding out of his corner as if
the last round had never happened. He walks Adjoudj down, and he
gets kicked in the body on the way in. Sasu wades forward, doing so
recklessly where he cannot pin Adjoudj down and land on him with
much. Adjoudj picks and pokes from the outside, moving laterally
and chipping with leg kicks or occasional jabs. Sasu no-sells the
strikes so that he can lash out with an uppercut and a few
follow-up punches. Adjoudj retaliates with a head kick, and Sasu
grabs it and pushes him down to the floor. Sasu’s legs may be a bit
wobbly, but he shakes it out and continues moving forward
fearlessly. Adjoudj intercepts Sasu with a vicious elbow, and Sasu
is stunned and may not be with it right now. Adjoudj tags his man
with two body kicks, spins with a wheel kick, and steps in with a
mighty knee. Sasu is in big trouble, and he shoots for a takedown.
Adjoudj grabs hold of a guillotine choke in hopes of sealing the
deal, and he bails on it to stand back up. Sasu hangs on with all
his might, and Adjoudj responds with a trip takedown to dump Sasu
to his back. Adjoudj hammers his downed foe with elbows, and Sasu
is hanging on to try to tie Adjoudj up and stop getting bludgeoned.
Adjoudj slows himself down so that he does not gas out hunting for
a finish, and as he levies down elbows, he rips open a cut on the
corner of Sasu’s right eye. Adjoudj hangs on to complete the
round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Adjoudj
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Adjoudj
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Adjoudj

Round 3

The last round is on, and the countrymen clap hands ready to resume
combat. Adjoudj sits back to throw a front kick, a body kick, and a
third that is intercepted by a blitzing Sasu. Sasu dings Adjoudj
with an uppercut and sits down on his own body kick, and he backs
Adjoudj up and is not entirely following him. Sasu walks through an
elbow and a foot sweep so that he can throw hands, and with his
hands low, he is deceptive with his timing. Adjoudj smacks him with
a spinning back fist, and Sasu shrugs it off like it was nothing.
Sasu trips Adjoudj out, and he manages to land in half guard with
three minutes remaining in the match. Sasu spins around when
Adjoudj turns to his knees, partially taking the back and putting
his body weight down on Adjoudj to keep him grounded. Sasu drags
Adjoudj back down and flattens him on his back once more, where he
postures up in half guard to bust Adjoudj in the chops with
hammerfists. Sasu uses a series of right hands to allow him to pass
guard to the side, and he gloms down to disallow Adjoudj from
kicking off the fence or otherwise exploding back to his feet. Sasu
grinds his elbow on the forehead and swings hammerfists, and he
winds up in north-south position working the body. Sasu shifts to
the side and then steps back to half guard to keep Adjoudj stuck.
Sasu punches the body a few times, perhaps to open up head shots,
but he does not throw those punches to the head. Sasu tries to
unload with punches with seconds to spare, and Adjoudj pushes off
the chest with his foot to gain enough space to hear the final bell
without taking much damage.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sasu (29-28 Adjoudj)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Sasu (29-28 Adjoudj)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sasu (29-28 Adjoudj)

The Official Result

Asael Adjoudj def. Georges Sasu via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-27)

Round 1

Unlike the previous prelims, a local fighter in Diatta (8-1, 2-1
BMMA) will be throwing down not with a fellow countryman but
instead a foreigner. Fresh out of Edinburgh, Scotland, Harvie
(5-2-2, 0-0 BMMA) will aim to make his successful organizational
debut in hostile territory. Neither combatant has ever been
finished, so a lot could be on the line as the crowd roars. There
is a quick glove touch to get things started for the
featherweights, and referee Blake Grice is on the scene. Harvie
leads off with a sharp jab, and Diatta fires back with the same.
This exchange continues a few more times, as the featherweights
find their range early. Diatta snaps the head back with one such
jab, and he follows it with two hooks. Harvie backs him off
momentarily with a front kick, and Diatta springs back into action
with a left hook. The two trade leather, with Diatta landing with
more power while the Scottish fighter is touching him. The power
jab from Diatta gets his foe’s attention, busting Harvie’s cheek
up, and Diatta complains of an eye poke that makes Grice intervene.
Diatta recovers after about 30 seconds, and Harvie is amped up to
get right back to throwing hands. Diatta’s accuracy flusters
Harvie, who takes a low kick and several jabs when trying to get
his own offense going. Harvie whiffs on three punches, and Diatta
stings him with a combination while evading the counters. Diatta
steps through a jab to loop a hook on the chin, and two body kicks
succeed. Harvie flashes out his own jab, not backing down despite
his face transforming from the damage sustained thus far. Diatta
paints a canvas of pain on Harvie’s face, smashing his nose up and
causing blood to pour from several points in the Scottish fighter’s
visage. Diatta does not slow down with his offense, and Harvie does
not appear impacted one iota despite looking like a crime scene.
Harvie shoots in suddenly for a takedown, where he plants the
Frenchman on his back with a minute to spare in the round. Crimson
leaks from Harvie’s nose and face as he holds Diatta down, doing
little else besides controlling. Diatta explodes back up and knees
Harvie repeatedly to the thigh before shooting in for a double.
Diatta bails on it to rip an elbow over the top, and he drops down
again for a double. This time, he dumps Harvie to the mat, and he
surges into action with a final salvo of swinging fists before the
bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diatta
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Diatta
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Diatta

Round 2

Between rounds, Harvie’s face is cleaned up well enough, but he has
taken some punishment after five minutes. Diatta picks up right
where he left off, jabbing and following those jabs with power
punches. Harvie slaps a kick down low, and Diatta counters with a
massive right hand that sends the Scottish competitor crumpling to
the mat. Diatta leaps down to finish the job, working Harvie over
and lashing out at any possible target. Diatta beats down the body
of his opponent while Harvie leans forward to protect his face from
further arm, and Diatta pushes him over. Diatta stands up and lets
Harvie up instead of dealing with upkicks, and the two reset on the
feet. Harvie charges in for a takedown from afar, and Diatta stuffs
him like a brick wall and throws him to his knees. Diatta slams his
fists into the sides of his opponent’s head, hurting him but not
doing enough to force a finish. Harvie recovers to sit up with his
back to the wall, and Diatta pushes him back over and slugs him in
the chops with his left hand. Harvie attempts to sit up to quell
the bludgeoning, and Diatta styles on him and moves from side to
side, even considering a guillotine choke. Harvie grits his teeth
and stands back up, and Diatta welcomes this so that he can plant
several jabs on his face in rapid succession. Harvie walks into an
uppercut, and he rips two elbows and a left hook over the top to
surprise the Frenchman. Diatta gathers his thoughts and wings a
left hook, and Harvie retaliates with a solid left to the body.
Harvie is in this to the bitter end, and he punches his way into a
diving takedown effort. Diatta shuts this down and drills him with
punches upside the head. The round wraps up as Diatta pummels his
man with effective blows.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Diatta
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Diatta
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Diatta

Round 3

The fighters have reached the final frame, and Harvie is not
slowing down. Harvie whips up a high kick and chains several
punches after, and Diatta sits down on several jabs to further
punish the Scotsman. Diatta meets his man in the middle with a left
hook, and Harvie rushes forward and shoots in for a takedown that
Diatta counters with a knee. Harvie falls to his knees, and Diatta
connects with several punches and hammerfists as Harvie hangs on.
Grice tells Harvie to fight back, and Diatta continues beating on
him and controlling Harvie without a fear in the world. Harvie
turns to his back, bloodied and beaten, and he fights his way up so
his seat. Diatta strikes again and again to any open target, be it
the side of the head, ribcage or even armpit. Harvie looks to
explode up or out, and Diatta is on him like a cheap suit. Diatta
opens up with several left hands when Harvie leans up to the
fencing on a knee, and Harvie shows signs of life by moving and
attempting to improve his position. Diatta batters his foe with
left hands even as Harvie stands up, and the gutsy Harvie escapes
this position thanks to a two-on-one standing wrist lock. Harvie
gains a little space, and he shoots for a feeble takedown that the
Frenchman welcomes. Diatta shoves him right over and lands in side
control, where he pushes past a Hail Mary inverted triangle choke
at the remainder of the match. The bell sounds, and this one-sided
shellacking has come to a conclusion.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Diatta (30-25 Diatta)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Diatta (30-25 Diatta)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Diatta (30-25 Diatta)

The Official Result

Fabacary Diatta def. Keir Harvie via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-26)

Round 1

Lightweights inhabit the cage for the next 15 minutes or less, when
Britain’s Wilde (15-4-1, 3-1-1 BMMA) aims to push his unbeaten
streak to five at the expense of Team Alpha Male product Gonzalez
(8-2, 7-2 BMMA). The speedy prelim pace continues on quickly as the
fighters come together and bump fists, and referee Blake Grice
oversees the two from afar. Gonzalez slaps out a body kick from a
distance, and Wilde ignores it and keeps his guard high for the
subsequent right hand over the top. Gonzalez sits down on a
whipping leg kick, and Wilde turns to try to take some of the venom
out of it. They clash together, trading hands, and neither man
appears worse for wear from the fierce exchange. Gonzalez leaps
forward with a right hand, and Wilde springs back to avoid it and
comes out firing with a spinning wheel kick. When Wilde lands, he
goes wild with a flurry of punches, forcing Gonzalez to shell up
and defend against the wall. Gonzalez bounces off the fencing and
throws back with a vengeance, swinging so hard he nearly throws
himself off-balance. Gonzalez stays on the outside as Wilde change
stances and advances, and the Brit scores a solid kick to the
outside of the knee. Wilde looses several punches, and Gonzalez
swats them away and wags his finger at him. Gonzalez blocks a head
kick and absorbs a flush calf kick that stumbles him, and he rushes
forward to consider a low single. Gonzalez abandons this track to
push out multiple jabs, and Gonzalez responds with a right hand and
a spinning back kick that lands right on the torso. Gonzalez checks
a leg kick and circles away, and he reaches his man with a right
hand but falls short on a second. Wilde spins with another back
kick, and Gonzalez takes it and is nearly countered with a right
hand when resetting. Gonzalez dives low for an ankle, and Wilde
yanks his leg out and gets free. Gonzalez walks through a body kick
to scoop Wilde off the ground, and he slams Wilde to his back.
Gonzalez ends the round on top, landing left hands.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wilde
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Wilde
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Wilde

Round 2

The two tap their hands together to start off the round, and they
jab at one another simultaneously. Wilde lashes out with two high
kicks, one from each leg, driving Gonzalez back and making the
American defend himself. Wilde shovels an uppercut through the
guard, and he puts a body kick on the target to follow. Gonzalez
winds up on a right hook and misses the mark, with Wilde’s footwork
frustrating him. Wilde steps in with a right hand, and a subsequent
left hook gets Gonzalez’ attention. Gonzalez swings back hard, but
Wilde lands harder and cleaner, and he steps in with a vertical
elbow. Gonzalez attacks a low takedown, and Wilde hops away and
gets right back on the offense, backing Gonzalez right to the wall.
Wilde gets off a spinning back kick to the liver, and Gonzalez wags
his finger again but that landed cleanly. Wilde lands as right
hand, and Gonzalez counters with a right and trips the British man
down to his seat. Gonzalez hops over to the half guard and
immediately drives down his right elbow, until Wilde recovers the
full guard. Gonzalez tries multiple times to pass, and he gets to
the half guard on the other side while Wilde scoots his way back to
the fencing. Before Wilde can wall-walk, Gonzalez drags him to the
side, and he uses heavy shoulder pressure to threaten with an
arm-triangle choke. The submission is more for controlling position
than to actually elicit a tap, and he releases it so that he can
open up with a few body shots. Wilde sweeps him just at the right
time, and the two return to their feet with one minute remaining.
Wilde chops down low with a kick, and he spins with a wheel kick
that puts “The Lion” on rubber legs. Gonzalez engages in a ruthless
brawl, getting stung but throwing everything he has with booming
hooks. Gonzalez catches Wilde, but Wilde retaliates with a
picture-perfect spinning back kick to the ribs. Gonzalez grits his
teeth and shoots to take Wilde down to the mat, and he lands in
half guard and rides out the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wilde
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Wilde
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Wilde

Round 3

There is a double touch of gloves and a hug to start off the final
frame, and Wilde leads off the dance with a powerful leg kick.
Gonzalez sells out for a takedown, and Wilde springs and hops away
like a rabbit to escape the attempt. “The Experiment” spins around
and goes right back on the offense, driving Gonzalez back to the
wall with pressure alone. Wilde fakes a spin and opens up with a
long, straight left hand. Wilde digs a left to the body a few
times, and the pace wanes to single strikes. A left front kick from
Wilde is caught, and Gonzalez tosses his leg aside instead of
pursuing a takedown entry. Wilde sticks out a jab, and Gonzalez
counters with a left that stumbles and puts Wilde on his backside.
The fatigued Gonzalez does not give chase, instead allowing Wilde
back up, where Wilde backs him up again and digs a left to the body
and right to the head. Gonzalez chomps down on his gumshield and
slings leather, and Wilde sees the telegraphed, labored strikes
coming and watches them loop past him. Wilde grazes the foot of a
spinning back kick off the midsection, and Gonzalez sits down on
two hooks that back Wilde off. Gonzalez pushes forward, ignoring a
springing right hook, so that he can wing a right hand over the
top. Wilde counters with an uppercut, and Gonzalez jumps back and
reaches with a front kick that clacks into the cup. Wilde adjusts
his cup, tells Grice he can continue, and they get back to it with
75 seconds remaining. “The Lion” shoots for a takedown, and he gets
it, planting the Brit on his back in what becomes the closed guard.
Gonzalez softens him up with short punches, but time is not on his
side and his strikes are far from the fight-ending variety.
Gonzalez scores some more strikes, but they do not have a great
deal of oomph on them, and the match comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gonzalez (29-28 Wilde)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Gonzalez (29-28 Wilde)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Gonzalez (29-28 Wilde)

The Official Result

Tim Wilde def. Christopher Gonzalez via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

With designs of pushing his spotless record to 15-0 and hoping to
make a name for himself on enemy territory, Tajikstan’s Khamidov
(14-0, 1-0 BMMA) toes the line with the well-traveled French
fighter Petshi (18-5, 0-0 BMMA). This match takes place at 141
pounds, as agreed to by both men. Referee Blake Grice knows there
is a decent amount at stake here, and he is ready for wherever the
fight may go. It opens with a fist bump, and Petshi initiates
offense first with a pair of jabs and a jumping front kick.
Khamidov swats them away and responds with a high kick that glances
off the shoulder. Khamidov ducks a hook and replies with one of his
own, and they clash together in a clinch in the middle of the cage,
where they trade knees. They break free, and Petshi kicks low.
Khamidov times this leg kick to snatch up a single and dump the
Frenchman on his back. Khamidov hangs on in the guard, landing the
occasional strike but racking up control time and hunting for
passes. Khamidov moves to half guard, and Petshi defends off his
back to block any oncoming right hands. The two hand-fight, and
Petshi drags him back to a butterfly guard in hopes of a sweep or
push-off. Grice tells the fighters to work, with Petshi keeping
Khamidov largely at bay until Khamidov lowers himself back into the
guard that closes around him. Khamidov hops over to half guard on
the other side, and he drops down a solid elbow before Petshi wraps
his legs back around the waist again. The fans grow restless, and a
person in the crowd starts tooting an airhorn annoyingly. The horn
blares louder, and Grice stands the fighters up with 20 seconds
left. Petshi thanks Grice by leaping at his man with a knee, and
Khamidov is well out of the way. The two do not engage until the
round ends, and that obnoxious horn keeps on blowing.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Khamidov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Khamidov
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Khamidov

Round 2

The round kicks off with the fighters meeting right in the center
of the cage, and it does not take Khamidov more than 10 seconds to
land a takedown. Petshi moves to a knee, and he stands up only to
succumb to an immediate mat return. Khamidov lowers himself to the
closed guard, and he begins to smack Petshi’s dome around with
fists. The strikes are not individually powerful, but they add up
and appear to stave off Grice for the time being. Khamidov embraces
the grind, with light offense as Petshi is stuck on his back with
little to do on his own right. Khamidov’s position is effective but
he cannot land anything of note, and Petshi’s sweep attempts or
anything of his own are silenced. The French fans are not amused.
Khamidov slowly moves to half guard, thwarting a sweep and landing
a few right hands. Petshi tosses his legs up with 30 seconds to
spare, hopefully snaring his man in something, but Khamidov moves
right through it and gets to the side. The round ends, and at least
that horn has been silenced.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Khamidov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Khamidov
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Khamidov

Round 3

A quick glove touch opens the final round, and Khamidov spins with
a strike that Petshi tries to counter. Khamidov throws a high kick,
and when Petshi strikes back, Khamidov grabs hold of him and
pursues a takedown. Petshi rushes to the wall, and Khamidov takes
him down from behind and slams him to the floor. Petshi keeps
turning, and when moving to his knees, he gives up his back.

Khamidov attempts to get his hooks in, and he flattens Petshi out
momentarily. Khamidov isolates the neck, latching onto a rear-naked
choke with a palm-to-palm grip, and the forearm slides beneath the
chin while Petshi is face-down. Petshi has no way out, with
Khamidov completely shutting him down, and he taps
out. Tajikstan’s Khamidov is now 15-0 as a pro with
eight finishes on his ledger, and he may have a tough time finding
adversaries going forward.

The Official Result

Sarvarjon Khamidov def. Kevin Petshi R3 1:33 via Submission
(Rear-Naked Choke)

Round 1

Although the promotion did not make much mention on weigh-in day,
this next prelim comes officially outside the bounds of the
featherweight division. Clocking in .2 pounds over the 146-pound
max, Niedzielski (17-5, 1-1 BMMA) seems relatively unaffected and
it was not certain if his purse will be impacted. Regardless of
what happened, Landu (18-9, 3-1 BMMA) would not miss an opportunity
to compete in front of loyal fans again, as his last two Bellator
Paris appearances ended courtesy of his knees. The Polish fighter
has never been knocked out, so something might have to give here.
Referee Blake Grice is prepped and ready, and the athletes touch
gloves. Landu is fired up from the home fans, and he reaches his
arms up and out repeatedly. Neither man engages with much in the
first 30 seconds, until Niedzielski tosses out a high kick that
misses and a leg kick that turns Landu a bit. Landu recovers and
fires off a leg kick of his own, and Niedzielski completely ignores
it. Landu strikes with another, and Niedzielski walks him down and
reaches him with a left hook. Landu chains a leg kick into a right
hook, and Niedzielski leans back to avoid the blow and attacks with
a chopping kick. Niedzielski chases Landu down, thumping the
Frenchman’s leg up with strikes, and he clubs a left on the side of
the head. Landu shakes it off and evades a body shot to paw out a
few right hooks. Niedzielski swings with a haymaker that misses the
mark, and he recovers and is not made to pay for it as Landu just
watches on. Niedzielski plants the ball of his foot on his foe’s
midsection, and he lands a second to the same spot as Landu strafes
away. Niedzielski hammers the lead calf with his shin, and Landu is
unable to get much going on his end. Landu’s right hand is blocked
quickly, and Niedzielski does not appear concerned about the power
coming his way. The Polish man walks Landu down, getting off leg
kicks and letting Landu swing and miss. Niedzielski catches a kick
and tosses Landu to the floor, and he does not give chase and
instead allows the Frenchman to stand. Niedzielski cracks his man
with a right, and kicks Landu’s right leg out. Allowing Landu to
stand, Niedzielski is there when Landu stands so he can beat it
down with another kick. Landu changes stances, and he comes up
short with a body kick before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Niedzielski
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Niedzielski
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Niedzielski

Round 2

The fighters clap hands to get started again, and Landu comes out
of his corner aggressively. Landu swings with a vicious left hand,
and he stuns Niedzielski immediately. Landu charges like a bull,
flailing his fists and popping Niedzielski with a couple additional
strikes. Landu calms himself down, having been effectively
countered with a thudding right hand on the way in. Niedzielski
chips away with body kicks, and he slides to the side to dodge a
right hand. Landu circles and takes a clean left hand on the chin,
and he does not fire back. When Landu does spur himself into
action, Niedzielski is there to bust him in the chops with a
straight left. Landu comes up short throwing a body kick, and
Niedzielski loops a home run punch that makes Landu run backwards.
The fighters largely swing for the fences with single blows, and
neither man lands effectively as a result. The blocks are high, the
punches are off target, and the pace slows. Niedzielski punches his
way forward, and Landu responds with a level change. Niedzielski
bucks him off and hammers the lead calf with a kick, and Landu
limps back and stamps it out to get some feeling back in it. The
Polish fighters pushes out a one-two, and the leg kicks from
Niedzielski have actually opened a cut on his lower shin.
Niedzielski escapes the blitzing Landu, who throws caution to the
wind and fails to hit him. The strange round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Niedzielski
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Niedzielski
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Niedzielski

Round 3

The fighters try to pump up the crowd to start off the last round,
and the audience responds with a large amount of whistling. Landu
strikes, lashing out with punches that knock Niedzielski clean off
his feet and down to the floor. It might not have been a clean
knockdown blow but rather one that came when Niedzielski was in
transition, but Niedzielski is on his back regardless of the nature
of the strike. The Polish fighter throws his legs up, pursuing an
immediate defensive triangle choke. Landu pushes past it to set up
an armbar, but he is attempting to crank on it before it is
actually locked down. This allows Niedzielski to sit up and wriggle
his arm out of it without much concern, and the two fighters stand
back to his feet. Landu appears the more energized, as he tags
Niedzielski with a few punches and drives Niedzielski back.
Niedzielski, attempting to recover, backpedals while Landu swings
hammers at him. The Frenchman catches him with another strike,
prompting Niedzielski to secure a reactionary takedown that
deposits Landu to the mat. Landu stays on his back, attempting
offense and throwing strikes, while Niedzielski calmly resides over
him and slashes down an elbow or two. Niedzielski clings to his man
while Landu tries to scoot to the wall, and Grice calls for action
as the fighters hit the final minute mark. Landu bursts back up to
his feet with the wall at his back, and he punches his way out of
the tie-up to get some space. Landu launches a flying knee at his
opponent, and Niedzielski is several feet away. Landu’s own
momentum allows him to bowl Niedzielski over, and with seconds to
spare, Landu claims top position. The fight ends, and this could be
a close one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Landu (29-28 Niedzielski)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Landu (29-28 Niedzielski)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Landu (29-28 Niedzielski)

The Official Result

Yves Landu def. Piotr Niedzielski via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

A pair of lightweights born in 1989 that both made their pro debuts
in 2011 will collide in this upcoming tilt, as submission-savvy
Rogers (15-5, 3-3 BMMA) faces off against Caen, France, rep Gallon
(21-8-2, 3-1 BMMA). “Tha Hangman” would prefer to keep his
alternating win/loss streak going because a victory would follow
that pattern next, while Gallon attempts to bounce back from his
first defeat in five years. The fighters touch ‘em up in front of
cage steward, referee Jacob Montalvo. Rogers strides forward to
take the center of the cage and advance, and Gallon greets him with
an inside leg kick and one that slides up to pound into the cup.
Montalvo recognizes this and allows Rogers to recover. Rogers does
not need more than a few seconds to wave the fight back on, and he
re-introduces himself to Gallon with a three-punch salvo. Rogers
shoots in for a double, and he lifts Gallon off the ground and puts
him down. Gallon stands right back up, and Rogers secures a smooth
mat return with emphasis. Rogers lands a single punch before
shifting around to pressure Gallon down on his knees, and he jumps
guard in pursuit of a guillotine choke. Gallon turns to his side,
and he defends by hooking his arms beneath his own leg.

As Gallon is holding on, defending himself properly and
successfully, Rogers transitions his grip to secure a brabo choke.
Montalvo sees something he does not like, and he intervenes to stop
the fight. Gallon, still conscious and just fine, is apoplectic
that the fight was halted despite his condition. This is a
mistake from Montalvo, and it is an unfortunate situation for
Gallon. With any luck, the promotion can re-book this match for a
future date.

The original ruling of this match is that Saul Rogers defeated Davy
Gallon at 2:12 of Round 1 via Technical Submission (Brabo Choke).
This is only in place for a few minutes, until the organization
announced on the broadcast that the result had been overturned to a
no contest.

The Official Result

Saul Rogers vs. Davy Gallon is ruled a No Contest
(Overturned) R1 2:12

Round 1

Two wildly inventive submission practitioners will treat
fans to a likely grappler’s delight at 170 pounds up next. Sweden’s
Enkamp (11-3, 4-1 BMMA) surprised Mark Lemminger last May with the
promotion’s first Buggy choke, while Poclit (8-1, 1-0 BMMA) most
recently created his own choke he called “The Lucanator,” which
looked like an extremely modified arm-triangle choke mixed with a
strangely angled guillotine choke. If those two recent triumphs are
any indication, the audience could be in for a treat. Referee Kevin
MacDonald is paying extremely close attention in case something
unorthodox comes up, and before they tangle, the welterweights
touch gloves. Poclit slowly advances, dodging a jab and looking for
an angle. Neither fighter commits to a strike for the first 40
seconds, until Enkamp lands a few punches and Poclit shoots for a
takedown. Enkamp defends with a guillotine choke off his back, and
Poclit pushes past it and moves to the dangerous guard of his
adversary. Enkamp holds his legs up high for an unorthodox triangle
choke, and succeeds in reversing Poclit to place him on his back.
Enkamp rains down a few powerful punches, and Poclit explodes into
action and sweeps Enkamp to his back. Enkamp defends with a high
guard, keeping his legs in the conversation to threaten with
something. Enkamp slides his leg up and his shin under the chin to
search for a rare and elusive Gogoplata, and Poclit recognizes this
slick maneuver and break out of it. Enkamp attempts to turn his man
over, but Poclit hangs on and lands a few punches. Enkamp threatens
with a couple upkicks while throwing his legs up and around the
shoulder for an inverted triangle choke. Poclit smashes out of it
with elbows, and the exciting grapple-heavy round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp

Round 2

The fighters touch ‘em up to get started, and Enkamp swings
and misses with a body kick. Unwilling to take things to the mat
again, the two tentatively strike at one another, cautious and
largely hurling single strikes. Enkamp lands the flusher of the
blows as the two paw at one another, doing little but circling the
other. This lull of activity continues until Enkamp connects with a
hook kick that partially graces the face, and Poclit answers with a
takedown that dumps the Swede to the floor. Poclit locates himself
in the guard of his opponent, and he calmly does work while not
falling into any trap from Enkamp. Enkamp pushes off the wall to
gain better leverage, and he twists over in pursuit of an armbar
without actually grabbing hold of Poclit’s arm. Poclit jumps to the
back, where he clings to it until the round ends. The score could
go either way in this five-minute stretch.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Poclit
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Poclit

Round 3

The two men clap hands to start off the last frame, and
Enkamp is the early aggressor with stomp kicks to the knee and a
grazing right hand. Poclit darts in, changing levels in pursuit of
a double, and he easily tackles Enkamp to his back. Poclit lands in
half guard, and Enkamp twists while reaching his left leg around
the back of his foe. Poclit ignores this while using his full body
weight to shut down anything Enkamp throws at him. Poclit nullifies
his opponent with his wrestling, thwarting any submission setups
before they can materialize. Poclit opens up with a few let hands,
doing so until Enkamp’s rubber guard around Poclit’s shoulder makes
him think twice. Enkamp considers a triangle choke, and when Poclit
moves to pass guard, Enkamp turns that maneuver into an inverted
triangle choke. Poclit slides his neck out and shifts to the side,
where Enkamp is ready to defend with his legs in some fashion.
Poclit keeps grinding, landing a single hammerfist before Enkamp
rolls for an armbar. Poclit keeps his limb free, and Enkamp
attempts a sweep and manages to flip Poclit to his side. An
unsuccessful kneebar from Enkamp concludes this match, and judges
have their hands full here.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp (30-27 Enkamp)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp (29-28 Enkamp)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Enkamp (29-28 Enkamp)

The Official Result

Luca Poclit def. Oliver Enkamp via Unanimous Decision
(30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

The lone women’s match of the billing headlines the
preliminary portion of the card, and it comes in the flyweight
class. Former title challenger Kielholtz (6-5, 6-4 BMMA) looks to
get back on track after dropping three straight fights – including
two split decisions – while “Bittencourt” Cristina (6-1, 0-0 BMMA)
will be making her Bellator debut today. The ladies decide not to
touch gloves in front of referee Kevin MacDonald, who will be the
cage commander for the next 15 minutes or less. Kielholtz sticks
out several jabs to find her early range, as the shorter woman, and
she backpedals as the Brazilian walks her down. Kielholtz keeps her
foe honest with swatting strikes, and she dodges the left hook that
zooms past her face. Kielholtz splits the guard with a front kick,
and she gets stood up with a clean left hook. The pace is tentative
and measured, and they take turns striking at one another.
Kielholtz reaches with a right hand, but it is her jab that finds
the mark. They trade jabs at the same time, and Kielholtz swings up
a high kick that is blocked and low kick that is not. Cristina gets
off occasional blows, but she overthrows with punches as she slowly
meanders forward. Kielholtz catches her foe at the end of a
combination, and she checks a leg kick. Cristina swings and misses
with a right hand, and Kielholtz snipes her with a left in
response. Cristina keeps her high guard up to block a pair of
punches, and the left hand from Kielholtz gets through. Kielholtz
threads the needle with a few right hands, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz

Round 2

Kielholtz starts off the round with a leg kick and a left
hand, and Cristina flails back and counters with a left of her own.
Cristina walks forward, preparing counters, but Kielholtz is able
to beat her to the punch with faster strikes and movement to
protect herself from danger. Kielholtz gets off a jab to the chest,
and a punch that is more of a push from the Brazilian sits her on
her seat. Kielholtz stands right back up, no worse for wear, and
she blasts Cristina in the face with a short left hook. Kielholtz
smiles at her handiwork, while Cristina blinks it out. Kielholtz
strings together a few punches to back her foe off, and her head
movement allows her to dodge the jab aimed at her. When Cristina
sits down on a leg kick, Kielholtz immediately counters her with a
clean left to make her think again. Kielholtz looks to pierce the
guard with her jab, and she kicks the lead leg for good measure.
Cristina swings and misses with counters, as Kielholtz is in and
out before she gets touched. The former title challenger sticks out
a jab, and she stands firm a little too long to get smacked by a
right hand from “Bittencourt.” Kielholtz continues her nip-tuck
style of striking, not overcommitting to much and largely picking
away with single blows. Cristina times a punch to pursue a
takedown, and Kielholtz defends it and stands her up to thwart it.
Kielholtz jabs repeatedly, and when Cristina lands on her,
Kielholtz shakes her head dismissively. Kielholtz gets off a leg
kick and two hooks, and she parries a haymaker to score a right
hand. Kielholtz keeps moving, using two-punch combinations to
decent success. After landing three successive blows, Kielholtz
takes a step back and the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz

Round 3

The last round kicks off with an aggressive Cristina, who
pushes forward and keeps her guard up to protect herself from
Kielholtz fire. The Dutchwoman does just that, attacking with high
strikes and low kicks to mix things up. They trade low kicks, with
Cristina seemingly reminded that she can use these strike as she
gets tagged with a few. Cristina loads up on a big right, and
Kielholtz slips it and bops her on the nose with a left. The fans
in the building seems less than thrilled with the methodical, but
not scintillating, striking affair playing out before them. The
fighters continue their pace until the midpoint of the round, when
Kielholtz decides to put some power behind her strikes. Cristina
provides plenty of pressure but her volume is low, and Kielholtz is
comfortable to back away or circle while landing on her. Kielholtz
flicks out jabs and follows some but not all with right hands, and
Cristina is out of answers. Kielholtz changes stances a few times
to further overload the computer of the Brazilian, who is largely
relegated in this round to a heavy bag that occasionally swings
back with lumbering strikes. Kielholtz loads up on a power right
hand, and Cristina tanks it and does not budge. Cristina lands a
single jab, and Kielholtz targets the head, body and legs
indiscriminately. Kielholtz connects with power strikes, trying to
do some damage, and the match ends with a ringing of the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz (30-27
Kielholtz)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz (30-27 Kielholtz)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kielholtz (30-27 Kielholtz)