Sherdog’s live
Bellator 290 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
Round 1
Bellator is back after a two-month break, and it is bringing out
the big guns and plopping them down on CBS for the first time. An
overstuffed preliminary portion, with 11 fights set to go down in
the span of three hours, will begin the proceedings at The Forum in
Inglewood, California. The promotion is bring a name right out of
the gate to start off the night, as former champ Caldwell (15-6,
12-5 BMMA) will look to get things back on track against Russian
youngster and FedorTeam stablemate Mikhailov (8-2, 2-1 BMMA). The
first assignment of the night goes to referee Raphael Davis, and
the bantamweights touch em’ up to start the evening’s festivities.
Mikhailov strikes first with a loud low kick, and Caldwell tries to
give him it back but it is swatted away. Mikhailov crashes forward
to throw hands, and his momentum makes him topple over. An awkward
scramble leads to Caldwell hitting his back momentarily, but they
spring back up and tie up in the clinch. Mikhailov catches a kick
up close to attempt to take the fight down, and he follows it with
a sweep. As Caldwell goes down, he keeps moving and slides around
to take the back. In an instant, Mikhailov is in big trouble, as
“The Wolf” has started hunting for a rear-naked choke while both of
his hooks are in. When Mikhailov attempts to escape out the side,
Caldwell looses his right hook to keep the fight in his wheelhouse,
and he continues his effort for a choke. Mikhailov scrambles
wildly, and Caldwell winds up on top in the guard to land a few
strikes. The Russian sits up, but he elects to close his guard to
slow down any oncoming fire from the ex-champ. Mikhailov ties his
man up, shutting down most of the offense that would be targeted at
him, but he cannot get Caldwell off of him by doing so. When
Mikhailov attempts to wriggle out of the bottom position, Caldwell
smacks him with a few hammerfists and shuts down a sweep attempt.
Caldwell stacks his foe up in the closed guard while grinding his
fist on Mikhailov’s face, and he tosses an armbar setup aside to
ride out the remainder of the round.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Round 2
The bantamweights touch gloves to initiate the second round, and
Mikhailov is the initial aggressor once more. His attack is
thwarted when Caldwell responds with a right hand that shocks the
Russian, and sets him on his seat. Caldwell leaps down to engage in
grappling, and he takes the back in a hurry and sneaks both hooks
in while setting up the rear-naked choke again. Mikhailov defends
well with two-on-one wrist control, fighting off the choke arm and
keeping his neck from being strangled. From behind his own head,
Mikhailov smacks Caldwell with several surprisingly effective right
hands, and Caldwell takes them all flush while still looking for a
choke grip. When the choke is not there for the American, he spins
around and moves into the guard to get off some ground-and-pound.
Mikhailov continues to strike off his back, using hammerfists and
occasional elbows while bucking to fluster Caldwell. Even with
Caldwell on top, Mikhailov is the one putting numbers together,
even if their individual impact is negligible. Caldwell drills the
Russian with a single elbow, and this forces Mikhailov to work his
way to the fencing and attack with more elbows of his own. With
Caldwell doing little but holding on, Davis stands them up with a
minute left in the round. They trade low kicks, and Mikhailov leaps
into a flying knee. Caldwell catches him in the air and shoves him
down to the mat, where he lands in side control. Mikhailov
scrambles like a madman to not succumb to a submission, and he
recovers his guard and flails with elbows from below. Caldwell
hangs on with little else coming offensively, and the round
ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Round 3
The final frame opens with a front kick from Caldwell, and
Mikhailov fires one right back at him. Caldwell goes up high with
the ball of his foot, slapping Mikhailov in the face. Mikhailov
loads up on a huge overhand right that buzzes past his foe’s hair,
and he gathers himself to swing a low kick and fire off two looping
hooks. Caldwell misses with a jab and a leg kick, but he does keep
Mikhailov away from him briefly. Mikhailov continues stalking his
adversary down, swinging and missing with high-arc strikes that
Caldwell sees coming. Caldwell goes up high again with a kick, and
Mikhailov blocks it in the nick of time and continues chasing. Most
of Mikhailov’s strikes are heavy but they also miss the mark, while
Caldwell remains composed and chips away with the occasional jab or
leg kick. The fighters go tit-for-tat with blows until Mikhailov
steps in with a hard right hand, shaking Caldwell up and allowing
Mikhailov to change levels in pursuit of his own takedown. Caldwell
falls to his knees, and Mikhailov moves to drag him to the ground
from behind. Mikhailov moves Caldwell to the wall and drops down a
few high-amplitude knees to the thigh, until Caldwell explodes to
escape. They stay tied up when standing, and Mikhailov just misses
with a slick foot sweep to take his man down. The two stay clinched
up as if they were 135-pound sumo wrestlers shoving one another
around, until Caldwell escapes and scores a left hook. Mikhailov is
on him shortly after the blow to re-engage, and he goes after
another trip and is kneed in the chest. Caldwell looks for a trip,
but Mikhailov has the proper leverage and dumps the former champ to
the canvas with 20 seconds to spare. Caldwell nearly returns to his
feet, only to get tripped back down by the Russian. Caldwell once
more stands back up, and Mikhailov hangs on to his back until the
horn sounds. This could be a tough one to score for the judges,
depending on what is valued most.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov (29-28 Mikhailov)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov (29-28 Caldwell)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov (29-28 Caldwell)
The Official Result
Nikita Mikhailov def. Darrion Caldwell via Unanimous Decision
(29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Round 1
Moving right along – the company has a real pace to keep if it
hopes to get another 10 fights out in the span of 2 hours and 34
minutes – the lone women’s match of the billing takes center stage.
At flyweight, unbeaten Avsaragova (5-0, 3-0 BMMA), who represents
Akhmat Fight Club, plies her trade against former title challenger
Lara (9-6, 3-5 BMMA). When the ladies are ready to compete, the
third judge is not in position, so they have to wait. After a delay
of over minute, they finally can begin. This classic Russia vs.
Colombia matchup will draw officiating from referee Jonathan
Romero, and there is a sporting touch of gloves to get things
started. The two flyweights immediately start trading leather,
blasting one another with speedy combinations right out of the
gate. Lara strikes, only to get countered and knocked back.
Avsaragova walks forward with two punches and a head kick, and Lara
wades back and misses with a counter. When Avsaragova overthrows,
Lara crashes forward to take her from the side in pursuit of a
throw. The leverage is not enough to throw her to the mat, so Lara
lets it go and resets. The pace slows down, and Lara gathers her
thoughts and loads up on a left hand. Avsaragova responds with an
overhand right, and seeing it found its home, she fires off three
more in three separate exchanges to knock Lara’s hair around. Lara
attacks with a naked leg kick, and Avsaragova counters her over the
top. The power strikes from the Russian have busted up the nose of
her opponent, and she continues to load up on it as it has great
effect. Lara kicks up high and throws hands, and Avsaragova
measures her and blasts her in the face with a right hand on the
beak to knock her back. Avsaragova’s accuracy is shutting down
Lara’s attempts to throw caution to the wind, as she cannot get
long combos together before Avsaragova pops her with that right.
The Russian sticks out a jab and meets Lara’s two hooks with two of
her own, and she snipes Lara with a jab to totally disrupt Lara’s
blitz. Lara gathers her thoughts and starts to get off a few jabs
on her own side, and the two trade these single strikes until
Avsaragova follows one with a straight right hand down the pipe.
Lara changes stances back and forth and bobs her head when she
moves in a similar vein to Clay Guida, and Avsaragova catches her
with that nasty right hand time and again. Lara charges to initiate
some final offense to end the round, but time expires before can do
anything with it.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Avsaragova
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Avsaragova
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Avsaragova
Round 2
The ladies bump fists to begin the second frame, and Lara
reintroduces herself by winging a capoeira kick that misses the
mark by a wide margin. Avsaragova allows her to reset and absorbs a
body kick when walking her down, and Lara changes her target to
kick the lead leg. Avsaragova chambers her right hand and steps in
through a kick to ding Lara on the jaw, and Lara thinks twice about
throwing another head kick. Lara strides forward with a few
punches, only for Avsaragova to swat them away and drill the
Colombian in the face with her own short salvo. A single low kick
from Lara is met with two punches over the top, and Lara leans
forward and gets her head knocked back by a right hand. Lara loads
up on punches and manages to mark up Avsaragova’s left eye, but she
pays it no mind and continues her pursuit of the jab and follow-up
right. Lara pushes out her own jab as she stance switches
repeatedly, and she gets beaten to the punch with a straight strike
when she swings with a big hook. Lara kick the thigh to draw a welt
on the lead leg, and she charges with a barrage of punches that
Avsaragova largely slips out of the way from to counter. Lara slams
her fists on the raised guard of her opponent, and a few get
through and draw a reaction out of the Russian. When she looks for
a kick, Avsaragova catches her with a right to start the blood flow
from the nose again. Lara does not mind as her face looks like she
was eating strawberries, as she swings with bad intentions and
busts Avsaragova up. Lara continues to throw nothing but winging
strikes, and Avsaragova reels and her movement and evasiveness is
not all there. “Azul” continues throwing hands right to the end of
the round, and she might have done enough to sway it in her
favor.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lara
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lara
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lara
Round 3
After 10 minutes are in the books, the last round opens as the two
ladies double-touch their glove touch. Lara strikes first once
more, with a front kick up the middle to keep Avsaragova on her
toes. Avsaragova comes up short with her right hand, and Lara
lances a left hand out that skims the top of the forehead. Lara
steps through a jab to score a big left hook, and her punches are
having more of an impact as the fight progresses. Avsaragova gets
her head snapped back after tossing a low kick, and Lara does not
let her off the hook and tags her with a few more strikes.
Avsaragova wears them well and returns to her composed stance of a
jab with right to follow. Lara ignores it and brings up a body
kick, and she laughs and wipes the blood off her nose when she gets
popped. The Colombian measures her opponent with a solid left hand,
and she surprises Avsaragova with a head kick. When Avsaragova
tries to play the mirror game of throwing the exact same strike
back, Lara is well out of harm’s way. Lara turns with a side kick
and is countered when landing, but she shrugs it off to throw
hands. As Lara moves forward, she walks into a punch and they
appear to clash heads. She pays it no mind as she resets and
strings several punches together. Avsaragova’s offense has dwindled
and largely relegated to one or two strikes in a salvo, and Lara
tosses her defense in the outside garbage and throws haymakers.
Avsaragova looks for a level change, but Lara stops her in her
tracks and cracks her. Lara unloads with punches and stings the
Russian again and again, forcing Avsaragova to change levels once
more. Lara tosses that aside as she has only one plan in mind:
punch. She does just that, right to the final bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lara (29-28 Lara)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lara (29-28 Lara)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lara (29-28 Lara)
The Official Result
Diana Avsaragova def. Alejandra Lara via Split Decision (29-28,
28-29, 29-28)
Round 1
Light heavyweights take center stage now in a clash between two of
the top 10 under the Bellator banner. Officially billed at six feet
even on the Bellator website and 5-foot-11 on the broadcast, “The
Truth” Neal (7-1, 6-1 BMMA) may need to tell the truth about his
height as he appears considerably shorter than 6-foot-2 Swede
Albrektsson (13-4, 2-2 BMMA). The victor could place himself in
prime contendership opportunity, and referee Blake Grice is here
for it wherever it plays out. The two want to get things started
early, and they do not touch gloves before pursuing one another.
Albrektsson takes the center of the cage and walks Neal down, and
he starts to work a jab and use his range. Neal circles and winds
up with a big right hand, and charges in for a single-leg takedown
when that connects. Albrektsson backs up to the fencing to sprawl,
and he takes some time to stop the takedown before pushing his man
away. Albrektsson sticks Neal with a jab and winds up on a powerful
leg kick, one that draws a slight reaction from Neal. When
Albrektsson comes in to strike, Neal pushes out a solid jab and
checks a kick. Albrektsson does not give up on the chopping leg
kicks, even as Neal checks some of them, and Neal fires one right
back. They collide with looping hooks, bumping chest into chest,
and Neal changes things up for a double-leg takedown that is
defended…until it isn’t. Albrektsson hits his seat with his back to
the cage wall, and he smacks “The Truth” on the side of the head
while also fighting for a post arm to push off and stand. Neal uses
this exchange to score some unblocked right hands on the jaw, and
he keeps Albrektsson’s legs trapped beneath his own to trap him.
Albrektsson slithers his legs out and returns to his knee, and Neal
slams his knee into the posterior. Albrektsson hand-fights to stand
all the way up, and Neal holds him pressed to the wall until the
bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Neal
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Neal
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Neal
Round 2
To begin the second stanza, Albrektsson claims the center of the
Bellator cage and walks Neal down. Neal lunges with strikes and
manages to get Albrektsson’s attention with a check left hook, only
to be pushed back by a low kick and a right hand over the top. Neal
ducks down to loop a left around the guard, and he gets knocked
back by two punches and a body kick. Albrektsson pins him down with
a one-two and a left hook, and Neal shakes it off and rushes out
with a straight left that ends with their shoulders colliding.
Albrektsson sticks and counters with a right, and he jabs to the
body for good effect. Albrektsson chops the tree down with a kick
and rings Neal’s bell with a right hook, doing enough to shut down
a combination Neal was setting up. Albrektsson strikes and spins
with a back fist, and that comes up short. Neal walks through a jab
to snatch up a double, and he takes the Swede off his feet and
cinches his foe’s legs up in his own. Neal sits up to bop
Albrektsson in the face with a single blow, and Albrektsson tries
with all his might to work his way to one knee. Neal lifts up a
pair of big knees to the backside before Albrektsson stands, and
“King Karl” breaks off to reset. Neal kicks low and gets jabbed in
return strike, but he does not mind so that he can string together
two solid shots up top. Albrektsson drives his fists into the body
in response, and he nails the calf at the right time to give Neal
pause. Neal throws one of his own, but it has far less arc on it.
Albrektsson kicks low and punches high, and Neal’s reckless
swinging misses a few times. Albrektsson snaps the head back with
an uppercut, catching a charging Neal on the way forward. The round
ends with Albrektsson jabbing and keeping his distance.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson
Round 3
The two are amped up to get after it when the last round clocks in,
as Grice has to keep them backed off before they rush at one
another. When it begins, they do charge towards one another, and
Albrektsson lands from a safer distance before Neal can unload.
Albrektsson swipes with left hooks and jabs with the same hand to
give Neal fits, and he strikes the body and flusters Neal by
shutting down a Neal takedown entry. “King Karl” sits down on a
body kick that slams into the guard, and he shrugs off a low kick
to continue attacking the midsection. Neal intercepts a jab with
his own low kick, and he scores a right hand as he reaches forward.
Albrektsson splits the guard with a right hand, and the two are
taking turns to throw hands. Neal gets off a solid left to the
ribcage and changes levels in pursuit of a single in the open cage,
and Albrektsson hops back to the wall and sets his leg down. Neal
abandons it to get a Thai clinch and rip uppercuts to the chin, and
Albrektsson pushes off after taking a few flush. Albrektsson tosses
out a low kick that appears to graze the cup, and Neal waves Grice
off instead of pausing to recover. Albrektsson pushes out a front
kick that lands on the body, and he gets a one-two over the top
before Neal can try to strike back. Albrektsson continues his high
activity of striking all targets, low body or high, and Neal rushes
in for a shot that gets staved off with ease. Albrektsson puts a
right hand on the dome, and Neal shakes it off but does not throw
back this time around. Neal’s offense has diminished significantly,
largely relegated to single power strikes or an occasional double
jab, and Albrektsson pecks and pokes at him with distance strikes.
Albrektsson gets in a solid jab, and Neal responds in kind.
Albrektsson steps in to land a kick on the breadbasket, and he
walks Neal down and swings heavily. Neal dives low for a single
with 10 seconds to spare, and Albrektsson moves to the fence and is
scooped up and thrown to the ground at the bell. When he stands, he
looks to Neal and there is a bit of confusion if there is hostility
or joy after the fight being over. They figure it out, and realize
they had fun over the last 15 minutes, and hug it out.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson (29-28
Albrektsson)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson (29-28
Albrektsson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson (29-28
Albrektsson)
The Official Result
Grant Neal def. Karl Albrektsson via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28,
29-28)
Round 1
Switching gears to the lightweights, Gonzalez (7-2, 6-2 BMMA), who
last fought against the future champ Usman Nurmagomedov, looks to
get back to his winning ways at the expense of the debuting
Rohskopf (7-1, 0-0 BMMA). The fists are bumped as impressively
mustached referee Frank Trigg watches on, and they measure one
another and circle until Rohskopf prods out a front kick. Gonzalez
swats it away and kicks the upper calf in response, and Rohskopf
whips a low kick to reply. Gonzalez keeps working the calf until
Rohskopf breaks it up with a few punches, and Gonzalez loads up on
power shots to knock the Bellator neophyte back. Rohskopf scores a
low kick as the pace slows, and Gonzalez rushes out with a head
kick that brushes off the guard. Rohskopf advances, swinging wide
with his strikes, and Gonzalez is more composed and lands cleaner
when countering. Rohskopf looses a kick and gets countered with a
heavy right hand, and he shakes his head as he backpedals. “The
Lion” sprints forward to strike, and Rohskopf tosses him aside and
throws back. Whether for a slip or failed takedown entry, Gonzalez
falls to his face and Rohskopf snatches up a front choke. The two
roll all the way through it, and Gonzalez springs back to his feet
and lets out a laugh. Grinning even as Rohskopf walks him down,
both Gonzalez and Rohskopf land strikes with bad intentions behind
them. Rohskopf plants the ball of his foot on the chest, walking
Gonzalez back to the fence in hopes of trapping him and smacking
him upside the head with the instep of his foot. Gonzalez rushes
out of the way and absorbs a low kick on the way out, and he walks
into a counter right when blitzing in. Gonzalez wings a big
overhand right, and Rohskopf times a perfect takedown entry to take
some of the sting out of it. The takedown is pushed away, and
Rohskopf loads up on a right that collides with the guard and makes
Gonzalez bounce off the fencing. The extremely close round
ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rohskopf
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Rohskopf
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rohskopf
Round 2
Both lightweights saunter towards one another on hopes of another
fun five-minute period, and they proceed to throw heavy hands at
each other. They both connect with emphasis, and they collide,
leading to them toppling to the mat. Rohskopf manages to take
Gonzalez from behind and subsequently rolls to mount, and he sits
up to snatch up a choke. Gonzalez jumps right through it and
returns to his feet, and is now on a mission. They both throw
hands, and Gonzalez lands first with a right hand that bounces off
the top of the head. Rohskopf takes a second to recover and
suddenly realizes his legs are not totally beneath him.
“The Lion” sees this and pounces, smashing Rohskopf with a lethal
right hand and putting the Bellator debutant down for the count.
Rohskopf, on his seat clinging to consciousness, reaches out feebly
for an ankle or some kind of auto-pilot takedown, and Gonzalez
pounds on him until Trigg has no choice but to step
in. Rohskopf may have gone out in the exchange, but he
comes to after the fight ends, and Gonzalez is now the victor. This
is the first finish of the night, and a much-needed one for the
preliminary pace that Bellator was keeping.
The Official Result
Christopher Gonzalez def. Max Rohskopf R2 1:22 via TKO
(Punches)
Round 1
The heaviest fight of the card goes down next, as “Tall Steve”
Mowry (10-0, 1 NC; 6-0, 1 NC BMMA) welcomes 2019 PFL champ Isaev
(9-0, 0-0 BMMA) to the promotion. The two combining for about 516
pounds of meat and 14 finishes across their 19 wins, it is likely
that referee Herb Dean may be needed at a moment’s notice. The big
men bump fists before trading them, and Mowry claims the middle of
the cage and paws out left hands. Isaev wades back as jabs come
towards him, but he cannot get out of the way from a low kick.
Instead, he fires back, and Mowry takes a funny step when absorbing
it. They reach at one another with jabs, and the Russian strikes
with two successive calf kicks. Mowry crashes the pocket and brings
up a few knees on the inside before Isaev pushes him back, and they
return to striking range. As Mowry is about to load up, Isaev
charges and tackles him down to the mat, where he lands immediately
in side control and begins working Mowry over with elbows. Mowry
recovers back to guard and slows down the attack of Isaev, and he
looks to start isolating Isaev’s left arm possibly for a kimura or
keylock setup. Isaev wriggles his arm out and strikes with short
strikes, and Mowry responds with a slicing elbow off his back.
Mowry again lashes out with an elbow, forcing Isaev to strike back
with a heavy left from above. Mowry throws his legs up to set up a
triangle, and when Isaev fights out of it, Mowry looks to kick off
the hips and stand. Isaev does not fall for this escape and leaps
back on top, and he moves right back into elbow range from “Tall
Steve.” Isaev lands a few shots to little effect, and Mowry tries
to set up rubber guard in pursuit of a triangle again. Isaev stops
this even sooner and smacks Mowry in the head a few times as if to
signal for him to knock it off. Isaev sits comfortably in guard,
trading punches while Mowry hits with elbows. With seconds left in
the round, Mowry hunts for a kimura, and the round ends in this
position.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mowry
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Isaev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mowry
Round 2
The heavyweights touch gloves to start off Round 2, and they trade
kicks early. When Mowry goes for a high kick, Isaev spins with a
wheel kick that glances off the shoulder. Mowry shuts down a sudden
Isaev level change and throws the Russian down to the mat, and he
winds up taking the back as Isaev moves. Isaev gets flattened out,
and Mowry unloads with punches to both sides of the head. Isaev
tries to hang on to one arm to stop the onslaught, and Dean tells
him to fight back or he will stop it. Mowry moves over to mount,
and he snatches up an arm-triangle choke. Isaev considers tapping,
but opts out of it to shift back to mount and work Isaev over with
punches and short elbows. Mowry slows himself down, possibly to
conserve energy or because he gassed himself out looking for the
finish, and he postures back up and hammers Isaev with an elbow.
“Tall Steve” gets off a few more elbows until Isaev turns to the
side, and Isaev kicks and bucks but Mowry is going nowhere and
keeps beating on him. The punches and elbows rip open a cut on the
side of Isaev’s right eye, and Mowry jumps over to the side for
another arm-triangle choke. When that does not elicit a tap, Mowry
gets back to mount once more and proceeds to slug it out with the
Russian. Posturing up and hammering him with punches, he slowly and
methodically works from on top. Isaev survives with enough head
movement and protecting his face with his gloves, and Mowry grinds
his elbow on the face to make the Russian’s life miserable. Mowry
considers a wrist lock to a keylock, but Isaev pulls his arm free
and puts his guard up when Mowry sits up to pummel him. Mowry
appears spent, but he sits on top of a likely equally exhausted
Isaev until the bell sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Mowry
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Mowry
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Mowry
Round 3
Having made it to the 10-minute mark surprisingly, the two
heavyweights touch their gloves, and Isaev takes a step back to aim
a head kick at the advancing Mowry. Mowry walks through it to back
Isaev to the wall, where he unloads a short salvo of knees to the
chin. Isaev appears totally spent as he leans his back to the cage,
and Mowry holds him there and lands sporadic knees. Isaev winds up
with an uppercut to force a break, and he charges with every bit of
his remaining energy reserves and knocks Mowry off his feet with a
resounding double. Isaev gets to the guard and begins to do work
with his left hand and arm, punching and elbowing Mowry in hopes of
getting the round back and then some. The American tries to lock
down Isaev’s left arm again, but there is nothing to it as Isaev
uses his full body weight to keep Mowry down and not able to sweep
or shift his hips. The punches from Isaev bloody up Mowry’s nose,
and he uses his right hand to pepper the body with short but
frustrating blows. Mowry scoots himself back to the fence, and he
finds himself on the tough position of the corner of the cage and
the floor. This allows Isaev to open up with some heavy left hands,
until he pulls “Tall Steve” away from the wall. Mowry kicks off the
fence to turn or gain some leverage, but the heavy Russian smothers
him and pounds on him. A punch and a possible headbutt to the chest
come from Isaev, but the latter could be from the movement as he
was striking. Mowry goes to the body and head indiscriminately with
his right hand, and he grinds out the remainder of the fight.
Depending on how the first round is scored, a draw could be on the
table here.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Isaev (29-27 Mowry)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Isaev (28-28)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Isaev (28-28)
The Official Result
Steve Mowry vs. Ali Isaev is Scored a Unanimous Draw (28-28, 28-28,
28-28)
Round 1
In the featherweight division, Corrales (20-6, 8-6 BMMA) will look
to take the shiny zero from Magomedov’s (9-0, 1 NC; 1-0 BMMA)
flawless record. The two will be joined in the cage by referee
Jonathan Romero, who clocks them in as the fighters opt not to
touch gloves. Magomedov sweeps out with a low kick from too far
away, and Corrales is equally distant with jabs. When Magomedov
steps in, Corrales catches him with a low kick. The Russian pins a
front kick to the chest, and Corrales swipes out a low kick in
response. When Magomedov strikes the calf, Corrales is coiled and
ready with an overhand right. Magomedov shoots in from afar to get
his hands clasped around the waist, and Corrales sprawls
effectively against the cage wall to stop the first entry.
Magomedov is not to be denied, as his second adjustment bears fruit
as he drags Corrales to the mat. Corrales stands right back up,
only to be thrown to the canvas for his effort. “OK” shows that he
is OK by popping up right back to his feet, and he slips an
uppercut when Magomedov breaks away to change it up. Corrales
sways, and Magomedov ducks in for a takedown that scores for about
a second before Corrales springs up. Magomedov squeezes Corrales
against the wall but cannot keep him there, as Corrales explodes
out and throws hands. Magomedov gets drawn into a brief brawl, and
he gets knocked back by an overhand right but grits his teeth and
moves back into action. Corrales slams a kick to the calf, and he
ducks right into a standing elbow as Magomedov barrels towards him.
Magomedov cracks his man with an uppercut, and Corrales blinks it
out and digs punches to the midsection. Corrales does work on the
low calf of his opponent, and they proceed to slug it out.
Magomedov gets off a solid right hand, while two calf kicks from
Corrales punctuate the energetic frame.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
Picking up almost exactly where they left off, the two
featherweights immediately engage to start off the second period.
Magomedov headhunts his target while the American is comfortable to
slam his shin and foot into Magomedov’s calf relentlessly.
Magomedov forces Corrales to ricochet off the wall after an
exchange, and Corrales fights his way off of it with fists of his
own. Corrales welcomes a slugfest, and Magomedov drills him upside
the head and makes some marks form on Corrales’ right temple. The
two trade hands, and Corrales sits down on two nasty leg kicks, the
latter of which makes Magomedov take a moment to assess his balance
and the weight he can put on his lead wheel. Magomedov strides
forward unconcerned, and Corrales greets him with another chop to
the calf and a jab that splits the guard. Magomedov pierces his
foe’s guard as well with quick, straight strikes, and they trade
one after the other in succession. Magomedov attempts to counter a
low kick with a huge overhand right, but the punch slides off the
shoulder as Corrales comfortably rolls it. Magomedov counters a jab
with a right hand that wraps around the guard, and they both tag
one another on the chin with impunity. Simultaneous left hooks land
on the targets, and Corrales mixes the strikes up with some body
shots while Magomedov is primarily focused on the dome. Corrales
strings kicks and punches together, and he rings Magomedov’s bell
with a right hand immediately before the horn. As the round ends,
Magomedov rushes forward for a takedown, and Romero is there to
stop it as time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Round 3
The last round begins as Corrales strikes the body to lead off, and
Magomedov walks forward right into a body kick. As Corrales sets
his leg down, Magomedov is on him in pursuit of a takedown. Unlike
the first round, a sweaty Corrales slides out of the grip and
resets in the middle of the cage on his feet. When he takes the
center of the cage again, he kicks low and punches high, with a low
kick into an overhand right. Magomedov reels and wobbles when
absorbing the kicks, but he is still there for the fight. Magomedov
just gets out of the way from a body shot, and he punches his way
into a double. Corrales pushes off the fence to turn while
Magomedov holds him in the air, and this allows him to escape when
he hits the ground. Corrales jumps back up and gets out, where he
moves directly to the middle of the Bellator fighting circle.
Magomedov tests the waters with a low kick, and Corrales laughs it
off and smashes him with his own that is much harder. This draws a
limp out of the Russian, who hops away and shakes his leg out to
try to get some feeling back in it. Corrales lets him do this a few
times while measuring him with jabs, aware that Magomedov will not
be striking him while adjusting his own balance. When he seems to
have his feet beneath him, he scores a solid left hook, a one-two,
and charges for a takedown. Corrales jumps out of the way and nails
him with a low kick to further force the limp, and he follows it
with a double jab. Magomedov stalks a retreating Corrales around
the cage, as Corrales circles and keeps a safe distance to watch
for takedowns. One such takedown from afar allows him to sprawl,
and he gets off a few punches to disrupt Magomedov. Corrales lets
him have it with one final barrage of fists and feet, and the fight
comes to a close.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Corrales (29-28 Corrales)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Corrales (29-28 Corrales)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Corrales (29-28 Corrales)
The Official Result
Henry Corrales def. Akhmed Magomedov via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
Round 1
In July 2022, Larkin (24-7, 2 NC; 6-2, 1 NC BMMA) and Berkhamov
(14-0, 1 NC; 1-0, 1 NC BMMA) met in what was an important
welterweight fight between two surging fighters, as Larkin had
strung together six straight wins in Bellator while Berkhamov had
never been defeated. In an exchange against the cage, Larkin struck
Berkhamov with an elbow to the back of the head, and the fight was
called off and ruled a no contest. A smidge over six months have
passed, and the two are slated to run it back with a place in the
top 10 possibly at stake. The 170-pounders will be joined by ref
Raphael Davis, who hopes they keep things above board this time
around. There is not a touch of gloves to start off the rematch,
and instead, Berkhamov comes out with his right hand outstretched.
Larkin backs away with a kick to the body, and he gets backed into
the cage and ducks a two-hook salvo that flies at him. Larkin kicks
the leg as Berkhamov advances, and he chops the outside. Berkhamov
does the same, and both men wobble from the hard kicks. Larkin
punches his way off the cage, only to get backed up again by the
Russian. Berkhamov loads up on his left hand, sneaking one around
the guard, and drilling Larkin with a forearm strike. “The Monsoon”
appears angered by the blow, and he gets away to reset.
They clinch up again in the middle of the cage, and Larkin winds up
with a fiery elbow that has flames licking off of it as it collides
square into the temple. Berkhamov’s legs flop back as he falls
lifelessly to the ground, face-first and dreaming of better
things. Larkin knows his work here is done and strides
away before Davis can reach them. Just like that, Berkhamov’s
undefeated record comes to a crushing end, and Larkin has scored an
early “Knockout of the Year” candidate right there. What an
incredible elbow, and what a way to get the crowd lathered up
before the main card starts.
The Official Result
Lorenz Larkin def. Mukhamed Berkhamov R1 1:41 via KO (Elbow)
Round 1
If Bellator wanted to introduce itself to the masses on CBS with an
all-action banger, the matchmaking for this welterweight main card
opener could not be more on point. In 49 pro fights combined,
Homasi (17-10, 6-4 BMMA) and Ward (16-6, 11-6 BMMA) have only
needed to involve the judges six times at fight’s end. Both men
sport exactly 11 knockouts apiece, so referee Blake Grice needs to
be ready here. The violence begins without a touch of fists from
the amped up sportsmen, and they rush right towards one another
ready to throw bombs. Ward walks straight into a jump knee, and he
surprises Homasi with a takedown attempt. Homasi gets out of harm’s
way and sweeps the leg with a low kick and busts Ward in to the
face with a few punches. Ward swings back, and he gets his cheek
cut up from a blow from “The Sleek Sheik.” Ward continues to march
forward, walking through a front kick that pops him on the chin,
and advancing to throw heavy leather. Before he gets there, Homasi
kicks out his lead leg. Ward springs back up and advances to throw
haymakers, and he eats a few and suddenly lifts Homasi and throws
him down to the ground. Ward takes his back in a hurry, getting
both hooks in and fishing for a forearm beneath the chin. Homasi
sits up to put Ward leaned back against the wire, and keeping Ward
from getting the proper leverage to pull off the choke. Homasi
explodes out of the bad position and gets to his feet, but not
before Ward nails him with a vicious elbow. Homasi wobbles back and
kicks at Ward’s leg, and Ward takes a flying knee right on the
button and shakes his head mockingly. Ward sees another jump knee
coming at him, backs off to let Homasi fall to the ground, and he
leaps down to the floor to take Homasi’s back again. Homasi
wriggles and powers back upright, and considers his own takedown
before bailing on it to just stand. Homasi fires off a head kick,
and Ward taps the back of his own head before racing forward to let
loose hammers. The two end the frenetic round squeezed against the
cage.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Homasi
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Homasi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Homasi
Round 2
Ward motions to his opponent that he has his eyes on him before the
round starts, and he marches out confidently and backs Homasi to
the wire. Homasi intercepts him with a chopping kick, but Ward
still corners him and lays into him with several heavy blows.
Homasi grits his teeth and unleashes a huge right hand, and he
rocks Ward and sends him staggering back. Ward initiates a brawl
when he gathers his thoughts, and Homasi gets stung with a jab and
falls to the ground. Ward grabs hold of a guillotine choke when
standing, but when this is not there, he releases the grip and
pounds on Homasi. Homasi barely survives against the cage wall,
with Grice keeping a close eye on it but letting it play out, and
Ward is not letting him off the hook.
Homasi turns his back and looks for a standing back fist, and Ward
meets him with a shin to the chin. “The Sleek Sheik” crumples to
the mat, clearly defeated, and Ward works him over with relentless
punches. Blood sprays from Homasi’s head, turning his blonde hair a
brilliant shade of dark pink, and Ward’s punches finally get Grice
to step in and call a halt to the fight. Bellator
promised violence with this matchup, and violence is exactly what
was delivered.
The Official Result
Brennan Ward def. Sabah Homasi R2 1:34 via TKO (Head Kick and
Punches)
Bellator Middleweight Title Fight:
Johnny
Eblen (184) vs. Anatoly
Tokov (184.8)
Round 1
The two ledgers for this middleweight championship collision are
immaculate, as champ Eblen (12-0, 8-0 BMMA) remains undefeated as a
pro with eight wins under Bellator, while FedorTeam staple Tokov
(31-2, 7-0 BMMA) has emerged victorious in all seven of his
Bellator matches as well. Something’s got to give for this evenly
matched title fight, one that will be watched closely by referee
Frank Trigg. Intensity is high between these two combatants, who
decide not to touch gloves and do break their gaze ahead of their
scheduled 25-minute melee. Right after the bell rings, however,
Tokov reaches out a fist and Eblen bumps it. The two fighters test
the waters with half-hearted jabs, likely to find their range, and
Tokov strikes first with a three-punch combination. Eblen wears it
well and keeps his approach of jab first. Tokov slips one and wins
a left over the top, and Eblen rolls with it well and prods his man
with a jab and a calf kick. The Russian loads up on a right hand,
and he sneaks a left hand in on the inside to catch Eblen
off-guard. Eblen advances fearlessly, tagging Tokov and forcing him
to stumble and check his feet after slipping. Tokov attacks the
body while Eblen’s single and double jab is his most used weapon
thus far. When Eblen lands a kick, Tokov follows it with a crisp
right hand over the top and he rushes forward to grab hold of the
champ. Tokov cannot ground him, so he releases the grip and fires
off a high kick that gets blocked. Eblen recovers and kicks low,
and they both sling hooks at one another. Eblen ties the Russian up
and knees him in the chest, and Tokov replies in kind. Eblen
absorbs a knee and takes an elbow flush before breaking, and his
strike on the break misses by a matter of inches. As Tokov reaches
a left to the body, Eblen prepares a check left hook, and he comes
up short and also misses the mark with a head kick. Eblen looks to
change levels, and Tokov stands him up and gets shoved back to the
wall. They trade knees against the clinch, and Eblen rips an elbow
over the top before squeezing Tokov back to the fence. Eblen breaks
off and scores a strike on the way out, and the two get off knees
on the inside before the close round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tokov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Round 2
There is a slight tap of gloves to start off the second round, and
the first attack comes from the champ. Kicking low, Eblen scores
and moves away, but Tokov catches him with two punches that make
Eblen stick his tongue out. The two men start trading fiercely, and
two jabs lead into a powerful right hand from Tokov that stuns
Eblen momentarily. Eblen advances, only to get caught with a right
hook, and his jab is starting to mark Eblen’s face up. Eblen grins
and plods forward, winging up on a one-two and looking for a clinch
before Tokov pushes away. Tokov keeps the advancing Eblen at bay
with jabs, and he mixes up a leg kick. Eblen marches forward to
swing a huge right hand, and Tokov shakes it off and swings back
with bad intentions. Eblen catches a kick, and he lets it down and
they trade kicks on the sternum. They both kick the midsection
again, taking turns to kick the body one after the other. Jabs keep
doing damage on the face, and Eblen walks through them to scores a
pair of thudding right hands on the cheek. Tokov sneaks in one-two
and ducks out of the way before Eblen tags him, and he counters a
low kick with an emphatic overhand right. Tokov kicks the sternum
and dings him with a left, and Eblen dives in for a takedown. Eblen
gets stuffed, and Tokov makes him pay with a few punches and a
right hand that staggers the champ by landing on the top of the
head. Tokov eats a one-two, and he absorbs a fierce elbow on the
jaw that floors him. Tokov climbs back to his feet, and Eblen is
right there to take him to the mat. Tokov moves back upright
against the cage wall, and Eblen holds him there to the bell.
Another close round is in the books.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tokov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Round 3
The sportsmen tap hands to start off Round 3, and Eblen lands the
first strike again with a calf kick. Eblen comes out swinging, and
Tokov slips them all and fires back. As soon as Tokov lands a kick
to the body, Eblen imitates him. The champ rushes forward in
pursuit of a takedown, and he takes the Russian clean off his feet
and sets him down to the mat. Tokov climbs back up briefly, but the
mat return from Eblen trips him out once more. Eblen frustrates the
challenger by setting him down and getting off some solid ground
strikes, and Tokov manages to climb up but cannot get Eblen off of
him. Mat return after mat return land for Eblen, who is wearing
Tokov down and forcing him to spend all his energy fighting off
takedown attempts and getting back upright. Eblen lets him go and
spins with an elbow, and Tokov dodges it but does not avoid the
overhand right that soars at his face. Tokov’s offense falls
significantly when back at striking range, with single shots coming
while Eblen is still throwing fire. Tokov sprawls a takedown entry
in the middle of the cage, and he ducks down when expecting an
elbow that inevitably comes on the break. Tokov pushes out a
one-two that does not have much heat on it, and he dodges and
weaves from Eblen jabs and stops a takedown from coming together as
well. Eblen finds the home with a right hand, but a one-two wobbles
his legs. Tokov throws back with a vengeance, but Eblen is hitting
harder at this point as Tokov appears to be fading. Tokov does work
two hooks around the guard, and he reaches a right hand over the
top before the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Round 4
The middleweights have reached the championship rounds, and referee
Trigg wipes sweat from his brow. The fighters are also sweaty and
wiped out, and they go right to battle. A kick from Eblen makes him
fall over, and Tokov leaps on top of him as they slide around on
the floor. Tokov gets back up first, gets off a punch or two, and
has to defend a takedown effort from the champion. Eblen succeeds
in dragging Tokov to his knees, and he ropes his left arm beneath
the chin threateningly. Putting his forearm over the mouth to
disrupt breathing when there is no choke to be found, Eblen
frustrates his flagging foe with his body weight and pressure. The
Russian climbs back upright even with Eblen leaning on him, and
Eblen dumps him back to the ground. Not yet defeated, Tokov is only
down for a second or three before he stands, and Eblen welcomes him
back up so that he can plant him back on the floor. Slower than
before, Tokov manages to work his way up, walking up the wall, and
Eblen’s hands are still locked around him. Eblen lets them go to
release a short elbow, and he ducks a punch to grab hold of Tokov
and take him for a ride. Tokov holds onto the neck in a nonexistent
guillotine choke, and Eblen easily lifts his head out and climbs
into the guard. Tokov closes it up, not able to get up this time,
and Eblen settles on top to get to work with strikes. Eblen
postures up and drops down fists, and Tokov scores a trio of
effective hammerfists off his back before spinning around to get to
one knee. Eblen presses heavily on his adversary, clinging to him
even as Tokov knees him a few times. As time expires, Eblen goes
after one single, and he cannot land it before the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Eblen
Round 5
Five minutes are left, and Tokov may need a finish to win the
title. They bump fists one last time, and Tokov moves to the center
of the cage. Tokov lunges forward with a jab, and Eblen replies
with a right hand over the top. Tokov gets in a left hand, but it
is one-and-done as Eblen is out of the way and Tokov does not throw
a second strike. Eblen loops a left to land on the ear, and Tokov
blinks it out and looks for an angle to return fire. The Russian
steps in with a clean left hand, one that lands on the chin and
makes Eblen nod at him. Eblen engages him with a brief brawl, and
he connects with a few as Tokov does as well. After the exchange,
Eblen imposes his wrestling, lifting Tokov off the floor and
slamming him down for an exclamation point. Tokov muscles his way
up, but it is a hollow victory, as Eblen rips him right back down
in morale-crushing fashion. Eblen continues to throw Tokov around,
tossing him down every time Tokov stands. Tokov moves to one knee
as Eblen pounds on his thigh with his own knees, and he is
seemingly out of options. Grabbing the fence and getting away with
it despite Trigg looking right at him, Tokov stands up and is
tossed back down like a sack of potatoes. Tokov shows heart by
standing once more without absorbing much in the way of strikes,
but Eblen is clinging to him like a cheap suit. To make a
statement, Eblen hits a belly-to-back suplex with 30 seconds to go,
and this angers Tokov, who stands up and throws hands. Eblen
crashes forward for one last takedown to seal the fight, and Tokov
latches on to a guillotine choke and squeezes it with all of his
remaining energy. Right as the last second ticks off the clock,
Eblen slips his neck out, and it is all over. Barring something
bizarre, Eblen will move to 13-0 as a professional by notching his
first championship defense. Other than the first two close rounds
that could have gone either way, Eblen showed his championship
mettle to firmly take over in Round 3 and beyond.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Eblen (48-47 Eblen)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Eblen (50-45 Eblen)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Eblen (50-45 Eblen)
The Official Result
Johnny Eblen def. Anatoly Tokov via Unanimous Decision (50-45,
49-46, 49-46)
Round 1
The fight everyone has been waiting for has arrived. Five rounds of
heavyweight action, if needed, will determine the next Bellator
champ. The titleholder Bader (30-7, 1 NC; 8-2, 1 NC BMMA) comes in
undefeated as a heavyweight with a win over his opponent in 2019,
while Emelianenko (40-6, 1 NC; 4-2 BMMA) has the luxury of not
planning another fight camp again. Most do not expect this one will
last long, so referee Herb Dean is making sure his shoelaces are
nice and tight to keep up with these heavy hitters. Emotions and
tensions are high in the building, but the two sportsmen are cool
as cucumbers and calmly double-bump fists before looking to lop the
other’s head off. Bader moves to the center of the cage, and he is
quick out of the way when Emelianenko lunges with a looping right
hand. Bader pops him with a jab, and he reaches out with a left as
Emelianenko darts away. After a level change, Bader pushes out a
jab to get his attention, and he scores a clean left hook.
Emelianenko’s nose is damaged already, and they come together and
swing fists. Bader unloads with a vicious right hand and knocks the
legend clean off his feet, and he leaps down to finish the job.
Bader smashes down with elbows and punches, and he staves off a
potential armbar setup to pass to half guard. The damage on
Emelianenko’s nose continues to grow as blood leaks into his eyes,
and Bader pounds on him with nasty hammerfists. Emelianenko turns
to his side, in big trouble, and Dean is closing in on the two.
Bader slugs away with a number of unanswered fists, and he
continues to beat down on Emelianenko and crush him with relentless
ground strikes. There is no way out for the Russian, and Bader is
not about to slow down or stop battering him. As Bader continues
clobbering Emelianenko, Dean steps in to halt the fight, with
Emelianenko’s right eye a mess as well. Emelianenko
does not seem too disappointed by the defeat, and he actually
smiles when a few MMA icons like Mark Coleman enter the cage to
embrace him. In the post-fight interview, Bader explains how tough
it was to beat up someone he idolized again. Thanking everyone for
their support for all these years, “The Last Emperor” takes his
gloves off and sets them in the center of the cage. Whether this
retirement sticks or not, we will see; if this really is it, it
spells the end of an incredible career. Little more needs to be
said, so we will just say that it was an honor to watch and call
his fights for all these years. The sport will never slow down,
though, and next week there is a matchup between two of the top
five pound-for-pound fighters at UFC 284. We will be here for it,
and we hope you are too.
The Official Result
Ryan Bader def. Fedor Emelianenko R1 2:30 via TKO (Punches)