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Round 1
Bobby Wombacher draws the officiating assignment for this match at
145 pounds. Oliver (0-0, 0-0 Bellator) was a four-time NCAA
All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, where he won
two national championships. Triolo (0-1, 0-0 Bellator) made an
unsuccessful pro debut in the Legacy Fighting Alliance in April
2022. Oliver walks through a few leg kicks, connects with a
thudding right hand and completes a takedown.
Soon after, he frames an arm-triangle choke and prompts the
tapout.
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The Official Result
Jordan Oliver def. Andrew Triolo—Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
1:05 R1
Round 1
Wombacher remains in the cage as the referee for this bantamweight
tilt. Alves da Silva (11-3, 0-0 Bellator) makes his promotional
debut on the strength of a two-fight winning streak. Hodge (10-3,
0-0 Bellator) captured the interim LFA bantamweight championship in
March before signing with Bellator. Alves da Silva introduces
himself with a kick to the lower lead leg, only to run into some
heavy return fire from his counterpart. The Brazilian answers with
a few clean hands, as they settle into a more manageable pace.
Alves da Silva works front kicks to the body, then takes a shot
south of the border, resulting in a brief pause to the action.
Hodge continues to throw first, as his opponent targets the inside
and outside of his leg. Alves da Silva holds his ground in the
center of the cage, unleashes powerful left hands and pressures the
American backward. He stings Hodge with an overhand left, enough so
that the impact was acknowledged. Alves da Silva remains the more
active participant and airs out another volley of power punches.
A sweeping right hook sends Hodge crashing to the canvas. Alves da
Silva follows up with hammerfists until the job is
done.
The Official Result
Marcirley Alves da Silva def. Jerrell Hodge—KO (Punches) 3:53
R1
Round 1
This light heavyweight battle sees Jason Herzog as the third man in
the cage. Cauley (5-1, 5-1 Bellator) suffered his first pro defeat
to Luke Trainer on March 31. Salim (7-6, 0-2 Bellator) has lost
four of his past six fights. Cauley backs up his opponent with a
double jab, then bullies his way into the clinch along the fence.
They separate and move into open space, at which point Salim eats a
thudding right hand. Cauley snatches the collar tie and unloads
with knees to the body, then moves back into the clinch. Cauley
completes a takedown without much resistance, sets up shop in half
guard and cuts loose with punches. It might be a short night for
Salim. Cauley mixes in elbows and forearm strikes, all while
maintaining his position of choice. He threatens with a guillotine
choke, then resumes his efforts in top position. Credit to Salim
for staying alive. Cauley appears to be taking a breather, nearly
gets caught in an armbar and then lets the punches fly.
Cauley bites down on an arm-triangle, tightens his squeeze and puts
the American Top Team rep to sleep.
The Official Result
Sullivan Cauley def. Hamza Salim—Technical Submission (Arm-Triangle
Choke) 4:24 R1
Round 1
Kevin MacDonald steps in to referee this women’s featherweight
tilt. Silva (10-8, 1-3 Bellator) has gone 2-4 since she captured
the vacant Shooto Brazil women’s bantamweight championship in 2019.
Shakalova (7-1, 0-0 Bellator) enters her promotional debut on the
strength of a six-fight winning streak. Shakalova, fighting
southpaw, gets the blood pumping with lateral movement and a few
crisp jabs. Perhaps focused on defending takedowns, Silva sits back
and waits, allowing the Ukrainian to get in some punches. Shakalova
moves in on a single-leg but fails to secured the takedown and
steps back into open space. Silva starts to measure her target but
seems content to counter for now. The two women trade punches in
the center of the cage, though neither of them gains a discernible
advantage. Silva clips the nose with a counter left hook, though
her inability to cut off the cage appears to be costing her in
terms of effectiveness. Shakalova steps into a left hook, darts out
of danger and completes a double-leg takedown. Silva tries to wall
walk with 20 seconds to go and eats punches as she gets back to her
feet. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Shakalova
Round 2
They shake hands to start the middle stanza. Silva takes the center
of the cage and eats a pair of hooks. Shakalova steps into her
punches, bails on a single-leg and narrowly misses a spinning back
elbow. Silva is falling into a pattern of throwing one shot at a
time. The powerfully built Shakalov circles on the outside, fires a
one-two and exits without getting hit. Excellent head movement from
the Ukrainian newcomer, who changes levels and smartly abandons the
takedown attempt when nothing materializes. Output continues to be
Silva’s enemy. For every punch she lands, Shakalavo answers with
one, two and sometimes three of her own. Silva sends out a snappy
one-two and lands an inside low kick. Shakalova calls upon an
effective jab and keeps the lanky Brazilian at bay. She ducks in on
a single-leg, scores with a mat return and sets off a hellacious
flurry at the end of the round. Shakalova emerges with a
significant mouse under her right eye. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Shakalova
Round 3
Silva needs a finish but looks unwilling to make necessary
adjustments. Shakalova circles on the outside and either steps in
with punches or ducks in on attempted takedowns. It has been enough
to keep the Brazilian off-balance. Silva has a decided reach
advantage, but her Ukrainian adversary is the competitor
controlling the distance. Silva loads up on a body kick but
misfires. This looks a lot like the first two rounds. Shakalova
mixes in a leg kicks, moves laterally and steps in with a one-two.
Silva counters off the back foot, but her punches lack zip.
Shakalova stays at a safe range when she is not throwing punches.
She pushes the Brazilian backward with another three-punch burst.
Silva connects with an inside low kick, but she is not generating
the kind of offense she needs to alter the direction of this fight.
Silva shoots on a single-leg, connects with a left hook on the exit
and then delivers a stout right. Shakalova secures a takedown
inside the final 10 seconds to punctuate her performance.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Shakalova (30-27
Shakalova)
The Official Result
Katerina Shakalova def. Dayana Silva—Split Decision (29-28, 28-29,
30-27)
Round 1
Jason Herzog gets the nod to officiate this lightweight affair.
Davis (15-4-1, 6-1-1 Bellator) has gone the distance in eight
consecutive bouts. The 33-year-old Cruz (11-4, 1-0 Bellator) has
enjoyed a resurgence since being released by the UFC in 2021
following a failed two-fight run in the organization. Cruz explodes
out of the gate and gets his opponent’s attention with a flying
front kick to the chest. Davis lures Cruz into the clinch and slows
the pace along the fence. He works to a rear waistlock and looks
for an opportunity to trip. Cruz turns back into the London
Shootfighters rep but cannot break the underhooks. They trade
short-range knees, then separate. Davis fires a left hand behind a
leg kick, then unleashes a spinning wheel kick that misses. He
connects with a spinning back kick to the body and sends a powerful
right hand plunging into Cruz’s face. Cruz shoots on a double-leg
and completes the takedown with roughly 90 seconds to go. Davis
gets back to his feet without much trouble, though Cruz is sticking
close to him. Davis breaks free into open space, where he lets fly
with another errant spinning attack. The Englishman buries a kick
into Cruz’s lead leg and forces him backward as the bell sounds.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Davis
Round 2
Cruz moves forward, ducks a left hook and changes levels. Davis
denies the takedown and feeds him a few knees to the face at close
range. They float back into open space, with Davis firing off the
back foot. Cruz continues to apply pressure. Davis lands a jumping
knee and a series of rapid-fire shots to the side of the head, as
his Brazilian counterpart shoots on a takedown. Cruz goes nowhere.
Davis lands a knee off the break, slams home a right hand and
narrowly misses a spinning wheel kick. Cruz moves forward and
absorbs a left hand over the top. Davis keeps his opponent guessing
with feints and various attacks. Cruz stays light on his feet and
tries another takedown. Davis stuffs it and pushes him into the
fence before exiting with less than a minute to go. Not much
happens over the final 20 seconds of the round, though Davis
misfires on a spinning kick with his foot clanging off the cage.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Davis
Round 3
Cruz needs to change the direction of the fight if he wants to
leave with his winning streak intact. Davis steps into the center,
lands a side kick to the body and then throws a hook kick upstairs.
He delivers another spinning back kick to the body. Cruz appears to
have run out of answers. He lands a Superman punch, only to be
countered with a left hook. Davis sprawls on a takedown, snatches a
front headlock and backs out. A left hook drops Cruz briefly but he
does not seem to be significantly hurt. Davis connects with hooks
from both hands, the skill disparity between these two men becoming
more and more apparent as fatigue sets in. With 90 seconds left,
Cruz continues to press the issue. His efforts are admirable but
ineffective. Davis backs up to the fence, lands another jumping
knee and shuts down an attempted takedown from the Brazilian. The
two reset with 30 seconds left. Davis lands a right hook and moves
out of danger. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Davis
(30-27 Davis)
The Official Result
Allfie Davis def. Aalon Cruz—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)
Round 1
Wombacher draws the officiating assignment in this intriguing clash
at 135 pounds. Higo (21-6, 4-4 Bellator), a former Resurrection
Fighting Alliance champion, has not fought since losing a unanimous
decision to Danny Sabatello in the Bellator bantamweight grand prix
quarterfinals in June 2022. The 24-year-old Mikhailov (9-2, 3-1
Bellator) has rattled off six victories in seven appearances. They
touch gloves and get down to business. Mikhailov starts with a leg
kick and eventually positions himself for a takedown. Higo elevates
him from butterfly guard, then wall walks to his feet. Mikhailov
calmly returns him to the mat. Higo gets back to his feet, but the
Russian jumps to the backpack position and threatens with a
rear-naked choke as they fall to the canvas. Mikhailov peppers away
with punches, captures one of Higo’s arms with one of his hooks and
makes another pass at a rear-naked choke. Higo scrambles free to
the clinch and lands an elbow off the break. The Brazilian presses
forward, switches stances and catches a guillotine on an ensuing
scramble. Time runs out. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE:
10-9 Mikhailov
Round 2
Mikhailov takes the center of the cage at the start of Round 2 and
initiates a clinch but winds up with his back to the fence. Higo
pesters him with foot stomps and knees to the thigh. Mikhailov
clings to a whizzer and looks to move the Brazilian off-balance.
Wombacher beckons the two men to up their output, as a stalemate
unfolds in the clinch. The referee steps in to reset them in the
middle of the cage.
Higo decks the Russian with a leg kick, snaps down on a guillotine
and wraps Mikhailov in full guard. Moments later, he
taps.
The Official Result
Leandro Higo def. Nikita Mikhailov—Submission (Guillotine Choke)
2:50 R2
Round 1
MacDonald gets the nod to referee this lightweight scrap. Tokov
(8-2, 4-2 Bellator), a Fedor Emelianenko protégé, has alternated
wins and losses in each of his past four outings. Pacheco (7-1, 0-1
Bellator) finds himself on the rebound following a decision defeat
to Killys Mota in his Bellator debut on Nov. 18. Tokov lands an
inside leg kick to get in gear. Pacheco answers in kind. Pacheco
flashes fasts hands and connects with a one-two, but he fails to
manage distance properly. Tokov moves and secures a takedown,
setting up in half guard. Some ground-and-pound follows, but
Pacheco manages to reclaim full guard. Tokov postures with punches,
avoids an armbar and passes guard. Pacheco manages to scramble to a
kneeling position, absorbs a series of knees to the right glute and
gets dragged back to the mat. Tokov moves to the back and scores
with punches, all while monitoring his opponents’ neck. Tokov
secures position with a body triangle with a minute to go in the
round, a rear-naked choke undoubtedly on his mind. They trade short
punches, though Pacheco does so blindly. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Tokov
Round 2
Pacheco fires an overhand right and a front kick to the body. Tokov
times a low single-leg and chain wrestles into a takedown. Pacheco
gets back to his feet and connects with a knee at close range,
though he cannot break free from the clinch. Tokov gets in on the
hips and drives into another takedown. The Russian avoids a
triangle and moves to the back in a seated position. Tokov slowly
imposes his will and secures himself once again with a body
triangle. Pacheco is again reduced to throwing blind backward
punches that offer little benefit. The Brazilian breaks the
triangle and works back to his feet, only to be dragged back down
to a seated position. Pacheco shows no outward signs of
frustration, though it has to be building. Tokov draws him back
into the body triangle with 30 seconds to go in the round. He
throws elbows to the shoulder, as the fans grow restless.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Tokov
Round 3
Pacheco lands a clean body kick to start Round 3. Tokov darts in on
a single-leg, as Pacheco answers with punches and elbows and climbs
to the back with a beautiful transition. The Brazilian makes a pass
at a belly-down armbar but surrenders position in the process.
Tokov gets to his back and locks in the body triangle once more.
Pacheco frees himself and returns to the center of the cage. He
connects with a one-two, as Tokov suddenly looks winded. Pacheco
avoids a single-leg and pounds away with punches on the crouched
Russian. The Brazilian has two minutes with which to work. Tokov
fights through fatigue, gets in on the hips and secures a
double-leg takedown. Pacheco opens his guard and hunts
opportunities for triangles and armbars. He sweeps into full mount
with 45 seconds left and cuts loose with punches. Tokov keeps
moving and gets himself out of harm’s way for the time being, then
ultimately gets back into top position. He unloads with punches of
his own until the bell sounds. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Pacheco (29-28 Tokov)
The Official Result
Vladimir Tokov def. Jairo Pacheco—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28,
29-28)
Round 1
This bantamweight confrontation sees Herzog as the third man in the
cage. The well-traveled Hill (22-5, 4-2 Bellator) has won six of
his past eight bouts. Kasumov (13-1, 0-0 Bellator) makes his
organizational debut with the wind of a four-fight winning streak
in his sails. Hill engages his counterpart in the clinch, where
they trade knees and punches. Back in open space, Hill lands a kick
to the lower leg but eats a brutal knee to the body. The Canadian
clinches, avoids a head-and-arm throw and works for a guillotine,
but the tireless Kasumov secures a takedown at the base of the
fence. Hill gets back to his feet, his experience paying dividends
in a difficult situation. He lands an elbow off the break and
connects with a right uppercut. Kasumov maintains his forward
pressure and delivers another takedown with 45 seconds to go. Hill
gets back to his feet, as Kasumov feeds him a shoulder strike in
the clinch. Hill lands some nice knees in the closing seconds.
Competitive round. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9
Kasumov
Round 2
Kasumov goes about establishing the jab and pairs it with a low
kick. Hill answers with some shots to the leg of his own. Hill
switches stances and connects with a right hand, though his
opponent controls the center of the cage. Kasumov pumps out his
jab, avoids return fire and steps in with a short elbow. The
American Kickboxing Academy rep pursues the clinch but fails to
gain an advantage against Hill and separates. Hill throws a
half-hearted head kick, backs out of a clinch and puts together a
few combinations. Kasumov closes the distance, moves back into the
clinch and feeds the Canadian a few shoulder strikes. Hill fires
off a multi-punch volley but continues to give ground. Kasumov
shoots on a takedown and takes top position, but Hill keeps him at
pay with the threat of a guillotine choke. Another close round.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Hill
Round 3
They trade jabs and leg kicks, as Kasumov moves forward with
pressure, pushing his adversary toward the fence. Hill catches a
kick and feeds Kasumov punches from both hands before they break
free from one another. Kasumov hunts another single-leg, gets
shrugged off and gets back to throwing hands. Hill sits down on a
left hand and connects on a knee up the middle but leaves himself
open for a takedown. Kasumov drives forward but cannot get Hill to
the mat. Nevertheless, he continues to assert himself in the
clinch. Kasumov delivers a knee to the body, grabs the single
collar tie and slams home another knee. Kasumov jabs into clinch
range, scores with another shoulder strike and unleashes a knee to
the midsection. They trade knees, as Kasumov shoots on a takedown
and forces Hill to a seated position. Hill tries to bite down on a
guillotine but cannot create enough leverage to produce the right
amount of squeeze. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9
Kasumov (29-28 Kasumov)
The Official Result
Kasum Kasumov def. Josh Hill—Split Decision (29-28, 29-29,
30-27)
Round 1
Wombacher is in the cage to administer the law and order for this
anticipated featherweight scuffle. Brennan (8-0, 8-0 Bellator) has
finished seven of his first eight opponents, six of them via
submission, and emerged as one of the sport’s top prospects at 145
pounds at just 23 years of age. Almeida (7-1, 5-1 Bellator) has
rattled off back-to-back wins since his May 2021 defeat to Johnny
Soto. After a glove tap, Brennan fires off a body kick. Almeida
cracks the undefeated prospect with a stiff left hand and staggers
him where he stands. Brennan shoots in on the hips in a bid to
recover from the impact and stays on a single-leg for a time.
Almeida breaks free and connects with an overhand left. He
certainly has Brennan’s attention by now. The Lyoto Machida protégé
looks like he is ready to play spoiler here. Brennan circles on the
outside and lands a side kick to the body. Almeida drops him with a
counter left over the top, though Brennan gets right back to his
feet. Brennan shoots on a single-leg and settles for a body lock
but gets nowhere. Almeida stays calm on the outside and probes for
potential openings. Brennan ducks a spinning attack and gets a late
takedown, but the Brazilian scrambles back to his feet. They trade
leather at the bell. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9
Almeida
Round 2
The two men paw with their lead hands, the calm before the
inevitable storm. Almeida operates from a wide karate base, steps
into another powerful left hand and sprawls on a takedown. This is
not going according to plan for Brennan. Almeida pops him with low
kicks and counters whenever Brennan throws. The Brazilian switches
from southpaw to orthodox and back again before firing another leg
kick. A body kick follows. Brennan shoots for another takedown,
only to be cut off yet again. Brennan secures double underhooks in
the clinch, but Almeida keeps his balance and separates. Brennan
feints but finds nothing to his liking and eats another leg kick
for his troubles. Almeida is in control heading to the third.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Almeida
Round 3
Brennan makes no headway to start the third. Almeida continues to
counter effectively and keeps his adversary at a safe distance.
Brennan cuts loose with a multi-strike volley, though his efforts
are shrugged off. Almeida counters in the center of the cage and
keeps his head above water in what has turned into a tepid standup
battle. Almeida lands a sharp low kick that appears to hobble
Brennan briefly. He follows it with a push kick to the knee.
They come together in the center of the cage, as Brennan grabs the
collar tie and connects with a devastating knee up the middle that
turns out Almeida’s lights in an instant. A hammerfist follows
before Wombacher can arrive on the scene. What a turn
of events.
The Official Result
Lucas Brennan def. Weber Almeida—KO (Knee) 3:32 R3
Round 1
MacDonald draws the officiating assignment for this bantamweight
pairing. Barzola (19-7-2, 3-2 Bellator) won Season 2 of “The
Ultimate Fighter Latin America” in 2015 and compiled a 6-3-1 record
across 10 appearances in the UFC before parting ways with the
organization. The undefeated Bates (7-0, 7-0 Bellator) looks like a
potential homegrown building block for Bellator. Bates rattles
Barzola with a left hook, then applies heavy pressure. He bullies
his way to a takedown, perhaps catching Barzola off-guard with his
aggression. Barzola gets back to his feet, as they jockey for
position in the clinch. Bates lands a knee to the body, separates
briefly and gets back to applying pressure. Barzola struggling to
navigate the range. He wisely closes the distance and secures a
takedown with a little more than two minutes left in the round.
Barzola operates from half guard initially, then postures with
punches in full guard. Standing-to-ground punches score for the
Peruvian. Barzola clears the legs and passes to side control and
drops some elbows. He moves back to half guard, feeds Bates a
forearm strike and cuts loose with a quick burst of punches.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Barzola
Round 2
Bates takes the center of the cage and gets off kicks to various
levels from his southpaw stance. Barzola pushes him towards the
fence with punches but fails to corral him along the fence. Bates
escapes to the relative safety of the center of the cage. Barzola
closes in and secures a key takedown with three minutes left in the
period. He scores with ground-and-pound from half guard, then
passes to side control. Barzola goes back to work from half guard,
feeds the Californian some palm strikes and keeps his position with
crushing shoulder pressure. Bates has no answers for Barzola on the
ground. Barzola alternates between maintaining control and
posturing up with punches. He slides back to side control and moves
towards a crucifix. Bates successfully defends but eats more
punches as the round ends. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE:
10-9 Barzola
Round 3
Bates uncorks a labored spinning kick. Barzola gets in on his hips
and drags him to the mat from behind. Bates sweeps into mount
briefly, but Barzola escapes, gets back in on the hips again and
secures another takedown. A demoralizing development for Bates.
Barzola progresses to side control and unloads with punches and
hammerfists. Bates tries to build his base, but fatigue has taken
hold. Barzola continues to make him carry weight. Bates out of
nowhere wheels to the back and pulls a flying armbar out of his
hat. Barzola frees himself after a few tense moments, moves back to
side control and scores with elbows. He moves to the back and
starts to threaten Bates’ neck. Barzola flattens out the Antonio
McKee protégé, then floats to full mount. Punches flow, followed by
hammerfists. Barzola flattens him out again and continues to punish
the prospect with elbows, punches and hammerfists. SHERDOG
VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Barzola (30-27 Barzola)
The Official Result
Enrique Barzola def. Jaylon Bates—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)
Round 1
Herzog steps up to officiate this women’s bantamweight contest. The
unbeaten Avsaragova (6-0, 4-0 Bellator), a decorated amateur
wrestler, operates out of the Akhmat Fight Club. The 35-year-old
Kish (8-6, 1-2) has lost six of her last eight fights since
starting her career 6-0—a run that included two wins in the UFC.
Avsaragova circles on the outside. Kish throws a kick to the lead
leg, then fires a front kick to the body. More leg kicks follow
from the UFC vet, who steps into an overhand right. Avsaragova has
offered nothing of substance two minutes into the match. Kish
appears to have zeroed in on the leg as her target of choice,
though the South Dakota natives in the crowd are growing
increasingly restless with the lack of activity. Kish lands a nice
right hook to the body, but her inability to cut off the cage is
limiting her effectiveness. Avsaragova continues to circle and do
almost nothing. Kish clinches with a body lock, but Avsaragova
powers into top position as the bell sounds. SHERDOG
VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kish
Round 2
Kish tags the lead leg with more kicks and avoids the return fire
without issue. Avsaragova circles on the perimeter, bounces on the
balls of her feet and connects with a leg kick. A barnburner this
is not. Kish lands Superman punch but fails to follow it with
anything, and the two women resume their uneventful dance in the
center of the cage. Kish moves forward behind a right hand and
backs it up with a leg kick before eating a counter right hand from
Avsaragova. Neither woman throws more than one or two strikes at a
time. Avsaragova starting to pick up her activity a bit. She
follows a two-punch volley to the head with a solid inside leg
kick. Kish responds by throwing a right hook to the leg. Damage is
starting to mount on Avsaragova’s upper lead leg. SHERDOG
VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kish
Round 3
Kish steps forward with her jab, and the two women trade inside leg
kicks. Avsaragova circles incessantly. Kish connects with hooks
from both hands, switches stances and drives another kick into the
thigh, where discoloration has taken hold. Avsaragova stops Kish in
her tracks momentarily with a jab but once again fails to back it
up with anything of substance. The combinations are just not there
for Russian. Nevertheless, Kish has developed a mouse under her
right eye. The flyweights draw a Bronx cheer from the crowd as they
engage one another with punches. Kish follows a right hook to the
body with a left hook upstairs, the bout drifting into its final
minute. She follows with a front kick to the chest and a clean
one-two. Avsaragova fails to answer. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Kish (30-27 Kish)
The Official Result
Justine Kish def. Diana Avsaragova—Unanimous Decision (29-28,
30-27, 30-27)
Round 1
MacDonald suits up to officiate the main card opener at a 160-pound
catchweight. Outlaw (16-5, 4-2 Bellator), a former two-division
Ring of Combat champion, has won 11 of his past 13 bouts, losing
only to Michael Chandler and Tofiq Musayev. Mamedov (22-2-1, 2-1
Bellator) has secured 10 of his 22 career victories by submission.
Outlaw drops Mamedov with a jab inside the first 30 seconds but
allows the Russian to get back to his feet. Mamedov, bleeding from
the nose, steps into a right hand and gets himself into the fight.
Outlaw ducks into a double-leg takedown, denies Mamedov’s bid to
build his base and moves to the back. Outlaw dumps him back to the
mat, scrambles out of a potentially disadvantageous position and
gets back on the hips. Mamedov gets back to his feet, only to be
dragged back to a seated position. The Russian escapes, moves to
the back and threatens briefly with a rear-naked choke. Outlaw
turns him away and scrambles back into top position. He closes out
the round throwing knees to the hamstring. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Outlaw
Round 2
Mamedov takes the center of the cage, as the two men trade jabs.
Outlaw cracks the Russian in the nose with another jab, forcing him
to wipe away the blood. Mamedov looks a little gun-shy on the feet.
Outlaw continues to score with his jab, denies an attempted
takedown and dodges a flying knee. Mamedov steps into a leg kick
but eats a one-two in return. Outlaw ducks into a single-leg
takedown and drops the Russian to a seated position. Mamedov
struggles back to his feet, but Outlaw stays on the hips and nearly
gets a takedown. A blatant fence grab from Mamedov goes unnoticed.
Outlaw drags him back to the mat, but Mamedov reverses into top
position. He tries to work from half guard, only to get swept.
Outlaw lands some body-head punches as the bell sounds.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Outlaw
Round 3
Mamedov might need a finish as Round 3 starts. Outlaw circles on
the outside and counters and overhand right with a left hook.
Mamedov is throwing only single shots at this point. Outlaw doubles
up on his jab and follows it with a leg kick and a chopping
overhand right. Mamedov closes the distance with one-two, shrugs
off a body lock and connects with an uppercut. An ill-advised
spinning attack opens the door to another Outlaw takedowns.
Valuable time continues to melt away from the clock. Mamedov gets
back to his feet but cannot keep the American off his hips. Outlaw
drags him back to the canvas, withstands a wild scramble and gets
back to a dominant position. Mamedov gets back to his feet, only to
get returned to the mat seconds later. Outlaw grapevines both legs,
preventing Mamedov from escaping again. The Russian appears to be
resigned to his fate with 30 seconds to go. Mamedov gets back to an
upright position, but Outlaw maintains a body lock and fires knees
into the back of his thigh as the bout concludes. SHERDOG
VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Outlaw (30-27 Outlaw)
The Official Result
Sidney Outlaw def. Islam Mamedov—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)
Round 1
Herzog gets the nod to referee for this featherweight showcase. SBG
Ireland’s Gallagher (11-2, 8-2 Bellator) has rattled off four
victories in five appearances, falling only to Bellator
bantamweight grand prix winner Patrick Mix. Gonzalez (10-6, 1-1
Bellator) has held titles in the Ring of Combat and Cage Fury
Fighting Championships promotions. Gonzalez connects with a
spinning backfist during their initial exchange. Gallagher wisely
closes the distance and secures a takedown. He takes a kneeling
position above Gonzalez, rides out a scramble and settles in full
guard. Gallagher fires a series a short elbows, stacks the Matt
Serra protégé and fends off a heel hook and kneebar. Gallagher eats
a few upkicks but maintains top position. He drops punches, though
Gonzalez’s guard is causing him considerable difficulty. Gallagher
stacks Gonzalez again and makes a brief pass at a standing heel
hook. Gallagher bails on the submission attempt and chooses instead
to unload with hammerfists, short elbows and punches.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Gallagher
Round 2
They trade body kicks on the feet. Gonzalez targets the inside of
the lead leg, then goes high with a partially blocked head kick.
Gallagher changes levels, drives his opponent to the fence and
completes a takedown. Gonzalez immediately pops back to his feet,
only to be dragged back to the mat. Gallagher fires an elbow from
the top, smothers an attempted armbar and maintains control on top.
Gonzalez stays active with punches and heel strikes from the
bottom, though gravity is obviously working against him. Gallagher
moves to north-south position, rethinks his ambition and settles
back into half guard. Gonzalez continues to lose valuable time.
Gallagher lands two standing-to-ground punches as the round ends.
SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Gallagher
Round 3
Gallagher opens the round with a body kick. Gonzalez answers with a
wild flurry of punches. Some land. Most miss. He backs Gallagher to
the fence and uncorks a front kick to the body followed by more
punches. Gallagher ducks into another takedown, and the ground
battle resumes. Gonzalez denies a mat return and rolls into top
position. He shifts to side control and moves to the knee-on-belly
position. Elbows land. Gonzalez progresses to north-south position,
then moves back to side control and connects with a knee to the
body. Two minutes to go. Gonzalez now works his ground-and-pound
from half guard. The tide has turned but Gonzalez needs a finish.
It fails to materialize. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE:
10-9 Gonzalez (29-28 Gallagher)
The Official Result
James Gallagher def. James Gonzalez—Split Decision (28-29, 29-28,
29-28)
Round 1
Wombacher is the third man in the cage in this middleweight
feature. The undefeated Rosta (8-0, 8-0 Bellator), another
promising American Top Team prospect, has won all eight of his
fights in convincing fashion. Jeffery (13-4, 2-1 Bellator) failed
to gain entry to the UFC in two appearances on Dana White’s
Contender Series. Rosta feints at the start, then throws a mean leg
kick. Jeffery answers with one of his own. Rosta unleashes a heavy
punching combination to the head, resets and connects with another
leg kick. Jeffery presses forward and clinches. Rosta turns him
into the fence, separates and lets his hands go. Jeffery eats a
one-two but answers with a sneaky left hook at close range. They
engage one another in the clinch again. Jeffery responds to the
American Top Team rep’s pressure with knees to the body. Rosta
breaks away and lands with punches from both hands. Jeffery moves
back into the clinch and knees the inner thigh. Rosta trades places
with him along the fence, as they exchange knees to the midsection.
Rosta gets in on the hips late but gets cut off. Wombacher calls
for a pause to the action in the closing seconds due to an
incidental illegal knee from Jeffery. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Rosta
Round 2
Rosta slams his shin into Jeffery’s thigh, as they get reacquainted
with one another. Jeffery continues to march forward under fire.
Rosta gets in on the hips, sheds a front choke and dives in on a
single-leg. Jeffery sprawls and pancakes downward, forcing Rosta to
a kneeling position. Rosta gets back to his feet, eats a standing
elbow for his troubles and continues to push for a takedown.
Jeffery again sprawls effectively, mixing in hammerfists to the
side of the head. The tide seems to be turning ever so slightly in
the Canadian’s favor. With a minute to go, Jeffery keeps Rosta
pinned in a kneeling position, all while feeding him hammerfists.
Jeffery flirts with a choke, then drives a series of elbows into
the back. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Jeffery
Round 3
It looks like anybody’s fight at the start of Round 3. Jeffery
opens with a pair of leg kicks and presses forward. Rosta scores
with a left hook, then compliments it with a three-punch flurry.
Jeffery stays in his face. Rosta drives the Canadian to the fence
but runs into the sprawl and absorbs a knee to the head. Jeffery
connects with a short standing elbow. Rosta turns him into the
fence but looks to be fighting a losing battle in the clinch.
Jeffery sprawls again, meets him with punches and hunts for chokes
from the front headlock position. Rosta clings to a single-leg for
reasons known only to him. Jeffery stays on top, forces Rosta to
carry his weight and applies his ground-and-pound. Rosta exits,
changes levels and goes nowhere. Jeffery sprawls again, slams
elbows into the back and drives hammerfists into the ribs. Rosta is
out of answers, as he clings to an ankle. Jeffery cracks the downed
Rosta with two brutal kicks to the body, gets away with an illegal
stomp and bleeds out the remaining time. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Jeffery (29-28 Jeffery)
The Official Result
Aaron Jeffery def. Dalton Rosta—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28,
29-28)
Round 1
MacDonald takes his final officiating assignment of the night as
this heavyweight rematch serves as the co-headliner. Moldavsky
(11-3, 6-2 Bellator) was a semifinalist in the 2016 Rizin Fighting
Federation openweight grand prix. Mowry, a Kill Cliff Fight Club
export, has yet to taste defeat as a pro. The two men fought to a
no contest due to an accidental eye poke a year ago. The 6-foot-8
Mowry opens with a leg kick. Moldavsky clips him with a one-two,
then goes to the body. Mowry delivers a pair of knees to the
midsection in the clinch, then goes high with one. Mowry pushes the
Fedor Emelianenko disciple into the fence, but Moldavsky turns the
tables with a takedown. The Russian settles in side control but
cannot control Mowry for long. Back on the feet, they trade jabs
and stiff right hands. Moldavsky ducks into another takedown and
applies his ground-and-pound, then drags him back to the mat after
Mowry briefly gets back to his feet. The Russian neutralizes Mowry
with top control and ground-and-pound, mixing punches with
hammerfists and forearm strikes. With a minute to go, Moldavsky has
begun to establish his superiority. Mowry manages to get his legs
involved and kicks off his opponent. Moldavsky is relentless,
though, and secures another takedown with 15 seconds to go. Big
punches follow. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9
Moldavsky
Round 2
Mowry shakes off an attempted clinch and resets in the middle of
the cage. However, Moldavsky ducks into a takedown, lands punches,
scores with mat return and forces the Kill Cliff Fight Club rep to
accept bottom position. The Russian chips away with punches. Mowry
kicks him away for a time, but Moldavsky drives him right back to
the canvas. He works the body with punches, as a smattering of boos
from the crowd shower the combatants in the cage. This is not going
well for Mowry, to say the least. Moldavsky continues to pile up
points with his ground-and-pound, the gulf between them growing by
the second. With a minute to go, MacDonald asks for more action. He
restarts them soon after, giving Mowry 30 seconds with which to
work. Mowry shoots on a single-leg, bails on it and scores with a
few knees before bell sounds. The boos get louder. SHERDOG
VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Moldavsky
Round 3
Moldavsky greets his fading counterpart with winging power punches,
then executes another takedown. Elbows to the head and punches to
the body follow. Moldavsky frees himself from an attempted omoplata
and settles back and full guard. Rinse and repeat. With each
passing second, Mowry gets closer and closer to his first
professional defeat. Moldavsky continues with his merciless grind.
MacDonald intervenes with a restart, as the crowd cheers its
approval. Mowry sprawls on a takedown attempt but can only keep the
Russian at bay for so long. Moldavsky drops him to a seated
position, and the grind resumes again. MacDonald calls for action
with 40 seconds to go in the bout. Moldavsky throws a few punches,
then smothers Mowry with top control until the end. SHERDOG
VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Moldavsky (30-27 Moldavsky)
The Official Result
Valentin Moldavsky def. Steve Mowry—Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)
Round 1
Herzog answer the call to officiate this welterweight main event. A
four-time NCAA All-American wrestler at the University of
Minnesota, Storley (14-2, 9-2 Bellator) has lost twice to current
Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov. Ward (17-6, 12-6
Bellator) won the Bellator Season 9 middleweight tournament in
2013. The welterweights measure one another at the start. Storley
gets in gear with a leg kick. Ward answers with multiple jabs, but
leaves his legs open. Storley secures a takedown, but Ward forces
him to scramble out of a choke. Back on the feet, Ward stalks with
his hands low and clips his counterpart with a left hook. Storley
secures a takedown with three minutes to go and gets busy in half
guard. Punches flow first, then elbows. Ward doing well to
neutralize the wrestler. Storley stays busy enough to avoid a
restart, but he is not doing much damage. SHERDOG VIRTUAL
SCORE: 10-9 Storley
Round 2
Ward touches the All-American wrestler with his jab and connects
with a sneaky right hand. Storley answers with a leg kick but
absorbs several more jabs. Can Ward stay upright long enough? He
jabs effectively to the head and body, throws an overhand right
behind it and eats a leg kick. Storley swoops in for a perfectly
timed takedown, and with roughly three minutes to go in the round,
Ward again finds himself pinned to the canvas. Storley mixed
punches with short elbows, then hammers Ward’s exposed ribs with a
series of right hands. Ward, clearly frustrated, resorts to trash
talking. Storley briefly climbs to full mount and unleashes punches
and elbows, the intensity of his shots increasing with each passing
second.
Ward finally turtles, resulting in the stoppage.
The Official Result
Logan Storley def. Brennan Ward—TKO (Punches) 4:05 R2