A.J. McKee Subs Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 253, Advances to Featherweight Grand Prix Finals

A.J. McKee (17-0) defeated Darrion Caldwell (15-4) via submission (neck crank) at 1:11 of round one

Bellator
253Credit: Bellator MMA

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Jason Jackson (13-4) defeated Benson Henderson (28-10) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Joey Davis (8-0) defeated Bobby Lee (12-5) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Raufeon Stots (15-1) defeated Keith Lee (7-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Jeremy Kennedy (16-2, 1 NC) defeated Matt Bessette (24-10, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Jaleel Willis (14-2) defeated Mark Lemminger (11-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Jay-Jay Wilson (7-0) defeated Sergio de Bari (5-2) via KO (punch) at :20 of round one

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Kaheem Murray (4-3) defeated Kevin Ferguson Jr. (3-3, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Sullivan Cauley (1-0) defeated Jason Markland (0-2) via TKO (punches) at :28 of round one

Bellator 253Credit: Bellator MMA

Thanks to
Bellator 253‘s main event, we now know one finalist for
Bellator
MMA‘s featherweight grand prix.

Darrion
Caldwell was thought to be a major challenge for A.J. McKee,
but the former Bellator bantamweight champion was unable to mount
much offense. McKee (17-0) was able to latch in a neck crank after
a successful takedown by Caldwell (15-4) that forced the former
champ to submit at 1:11 of Round 1. McKee will now face the winner
of Patricio
Freire and Emmanuel
Sanchez for the featherweight championship.

The welterweight co-main event saw former
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion Benson
Henderson face off against former
Legacy Fighting Alliance welterweight king Jason
Jackson. “The Ass-Kicking Machine” was the larger fighter
inside the cage and that size nullfied a lot of the wrestling of
Henderson (28-10). With sharper striking, Jackson (13-4) was able
to take a clear decision winning 30-27 on all three scorecards.

Welterweight prospect Joey Davis
looked great against Bobby Lee.
Davis (8-0) was able to control Lee (12-5) on the ground over 15
minutes of action. This led to the undefeated fighter earning a
clear-cut unanimous decision win with scores of 30-26, 30-27 and
30-27.

The main card opened up with a bantamweight bout between Keith Lee
and Raufeon
Stots. Both men had their moments over 15 minutes but it was
Stots (15-1) who did enough in the eyes of the judges. Three 30-27
scorecards awarded “Killa” a unanimous decision win over Lee
(7-4).

In preliminary action, Jeremy
Kennedy (16-2, 1 NC) dominated Matt
Bessette (24-10, 1 NC) and picked up scores of 30-27, 30-26 and
30-26 in his favor; Jaleel
Willis outstruck Mark
Lemminger over 15 minutes to earn three 29-28 scorecards;
Jay-Jay
Wilson needed just 20 seconds to notch an impressive knockout of
Sergio de
Bari; Kaheem
Murray (4-3) easily won a decision over Kevin
Ferguson Jr. (3-3) picking up three 30-27 scorecards in the
process; and Sullivan
Cauley (1-0)
needed just 28 seconds to finish Jason
Markland (0-2) with punches and win his pro debut.

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