In her return to The Forum in Los Angeles, California, Cyborg reigned supreme. The Brazilian legend defeated Bellator featherweight champion Julia Budd by fourth-round TKO (1:14) to claim gold once again.

“God is so amazing,” Cyborg told John McCarthy following her victory. “I [lost] my [UFC featherweight] belt here at The Forum and he [brought] me back here.”

With the victory, Cyborg became the first woman to hold belts in Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC and Bellator.

The performance itself reminded everyone of the Cyborg of old.

As the two fighters reached the center of the cage, Cyborg struck first, coming forward and landing a body shot. Budd slowed the pursuit of the challenger by clinching with her and forcing her back against the cage.

Cyborg escaped the clinch and landed a knee on the break that appeared to shake Budd momentarily. Budd tried to clinch again, but Cyborg brought the bout to the mat briefly, controlling where the two fighters went before Budd regained control of the clinch against the cage.

It was Cyborg who landed the better shots within the clinch, but she decided against staying in it. A slip on a high kick by Cyborg brought the fight to the mat, where both fighters had their moments — Cyborg a submission attempt and Budd some top control and ground strikes (one knee of which caused a break in the action due to the legality of it).

Things are heating up in round one between @CrisCyborg and @JuliaBudd.#Bellator238 pic.twitter.com/5qx3OTOt7o

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 26, 2020

Cyborg hurt Budd before the round came to a close, and she finished the opening five minutes with a couple of heavy ground and pound shots.

Cyborg came out swinging to start the second, not wanting to give her opponent a chance to recover.

Aggressive start to round 2⃣ from @CrisCyborg!#Bellator238 pic.twitter.com/BNSpdFrAGm

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 26, 2020

The Bellator newcomer continued to have success on the break of the clinch with her hooks. Cyborg set the pace throughout the round, forcing Budd to fight her fight.

Budd went back to the clinch to start the third round, but Cyborg held her own once again, matching every strike thrown by the champion.

Budd briefly looked for a high-crotch takedown before abandoning the move. Soon after, the fighters returned to range once again.

After a takedown, Budd found herself in a difficult situation with Cyborg on top of her raining down shots. She would stay on her back for the remainder of the round as Cyborg worked from top, nearly getting a finish before the bell.

Ouch! Round 3⃣is winding down!

Watch @JuliaBudd vs. @CrisCyborg LIVE on @DAZN_USA now!
https://t.co/gI5OvpCoYi#Bellator238 pic.twitter.com/XWGd4CiphQ

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 26, 2020

Cyborg took the center of the cage, stalking and looking for an opportunity in round four.

When she ultimately decided it was time to strike, Cyborg unleashed a flurry that overwhelmed the champion and rendered her incapable of continuing. A right hand to the body of Budd sealed the deal.

The loss was just the third of Budd’s professional career. She has been defeated by Amanda Nunes, Ronda Rousey and now Cyborg — the previous two losses coming in Strikeforce in 2011.

“It just wasn’t my night,” Budd said after the bout, “so I’ll be back stronger, but congrats to Cris and her team.”

The post Bellator 238 Results: Cris Cyborg stops Julia Budd to claim featherweight gold appeared first on The Body Lock.

Macfarlane defended her flyweight title for the fourth time with a unanimous decision victory (50-45, 50-44, 50-44) over Kate Jackson in the main event of Bellator 236 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu phenom put together a complete performance to retain her belt in front of her home crowd.

“You guys are seeing the evolution of Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, and it’s thanks to these guys in my corner,” the champion said to John McCarthy after the fight.

Always looking to get the fight to the floor, Macfarlane got a takedown a minute into the first round. She took top control and tried to pass, but Jackson was active from her back.

Jackson briefly thwarted Macfarlane’s momentum with upkicks and hammerfists, but Macfarlane got into side control before locking up an anaconda choke grip as the two fighters stood against the cage.

Jackson, bleeding from her nose, was able to find her own success toward the end of the round. Her elbows landed to the head of the champ as the two stood in close range, but they weren’t enough to peel the champion off of her, however.

The two fighters slugged it out for the remainder of the round.

The champ and the challenger came to blows at the end of round one.

Watch round two and the remainder of this championship bout between @Ilimanator and @KPAJackson LIVE on @DAZN_USA & @SkySports now!#Bellator236 #BellatorHawaii pic.twitter.com/v4nIDFe4vr

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 22, 2019

In the second round, Macfarlane got back to her game with a forward flurry that backed Jackson up against the cage and forced a grappling exchange.

Neither fighter managed to gain a significant advantage in the clinch, going back and forth until Macfarlane once again got a takedown with 1:45 remaining.

.@Ilimanator lands a convincing takedown late in round two!#Bellator236 #BellatorHawaii pic.twitter.com/HARhQOoAqM

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 22, 2019

Macfarlane worked from the top and looked to potentially have a fight-ending submission, but time ran out on the champion.

The third round featured the most striking of any to that point.

Though it isn’t typically her forte, Macfarlane was able to put together combinations and land heavy shots to keep the challenger guessing. Macfarlane would then take her down and pour on some ground and pound before the two fighters headed into the championship rounds.

The champion brought it back to her most comfortable position right away in round four. Jackson ate a few punches before finding herself on her back once again.

NO. ONE. IS. LETTING. UP. IN. ROUND. FOUR.

This is a war and neither @KPAjackson nor @Ilimanator are going to go easy.#Bellator236 #BellatorHawaii pic.twitter.com/zdpkIcR8oS

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 22, 2019

Macfarlane gave herself plenty of time to work. After adding to her already lengthy time in top control, Macfarlane moved to the back of Jackson with just over a minute remaining. Jackson held her hands together as the champion repeatedly tried to rip her arm away for a submission and managed to survive to see the final round.

“She’s super hard to finish,” Macfarlane said after the bout. “She’s never been finished before, and I clearly felt that.”

A chant of “Ilima” filled the arena as the champion was within five minutes of retaining her belt in front of a home crowd once again.

The theme of the first four rounds continued in the final. Macfarlane held her own with Jackson in the stand up and completely controlled the grappling exchanges to ensure that she would be walking away with her flyweight title and her undefeated record.

The post Bellator 236 Results: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane dominates Kate Jackson in Hawaii to retain flyweight title appeared first on The Body Lock.

“The Monsoon” battled back and defeated Andrey Koreshkov by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in the main event of Bellator 229.

The two welterweight contenders put together a back-and-forth three-round affair to close out the main card in Temecula, Calif.

The first half of the first round saw Koreshkov win the position battle. With Larkin backed up against the cage, Koreshkov leaned his weight on his opponent and landed some short shots to the head.

Once the two broke, a brief spurt of chaos ensued.

Koreshkov tagged Larkin with a spinning wheel kick that sent Larkin to the mat. Koreshkov pursued quickly, and, despite his looping ground shots, Larkin recovered and got back to his feet.

Back and fourth in round one! This fight is electric!#Bellator229 pic.twitter.com/FpZ1MPFzv5

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 5, 2019

“I had seen a flash, and I was just like — I don’t know what it was — but it was like, you better … you better get the F up,” Larkin said in his post-fight interview with John McCarthy.

With Larkin against the cage again, Koreshkov stayed close and picked his shots, trying to take advantage of his hurt opponent.

Larkin stopped Koreshkov’s approach with a stiff left hook that momentarily staggered Koreshkov. Having felt each other’s power, the rest of the round was relatively tentative.

Larkin’s time on the stool gave him a chance to recuperate with the help of his team.

“I got some of the best coaches in the game,” Larkin said. “And my coaches don’t lie. When I came back to the corner [after] the first round, my coaches were just straight up with me. They said, ‘We don’t think you got that round.’

“Fighters need stuff like that, and I had to snap into it, man.”

After the talk, he did just that.

The second round started similarly to the first, as it largely featured Koreshkov’s pressure against the cage. After roughly two minutes, the fighters returned to range, and it was Larkin who began pressing the action.

While Larkin’s offense came from his straight punches at range, Koreshkov attempted to find big, fight-ending shots, spending his energy on throwing his elbows and heavy overhand punches.

@Da_Monsoon is lettin' 'em fly in round two!#Bellator229 pic.twitter.com/Cx10S19qnc

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 5, 2019

Then, Larkin found his shots at victory with a right hand that landed behind the ear and later a flying knee that connected before the end of the round. Koreshkov was rocked and sent to his back both times, similarly to the way Larkin had been cracked in round one. Yet once again, the ground and pound wasn’t enough to get the finish.

The final moments of round two between @Da_Monsoon and @SpartanKoresh in our main event at #Bellator229 were INSANE! pic.twitter.com/35RHSzVZuL

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 5, 2019

Koreshkov returned to his stool still not fully recovered.

The third and final round would be the decider.

Larkin, without a submission win to his name, tried to notch his first halfway through the round. He wrapped his arms around the neck and jumped guard for a guillotine choke but was unable to hang on.

Round three between @SpartanKoresh and @Da_Monsoon is not going to disappoint either!#Bellator229 continues next on The Bellator App https://t.co/Y4hYPM3sjN and with @DAZN_USA as our SEVEN post-lims kick-off following the main event of the evening. pic.twitter.com/cahwCfcqwX

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 5, 2019

Both fighters showed signs of fatigue after a high-paced fight through 12.5 minutes. Koreshkov took advantage with his wrestling, again pinning Larkin against the cage in an attempt to win the round off of positions alone. The Russian sealed round three with a takedown before the final bell rang.

And ANOTHER slam to close out round three of the #Bellator229 main event.

Who do you think won? @Da_Monsoon or @SpartanKoresh? pic.twitter.com/Y6F1mnfpBA

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 5, 2019

Earning his third-straight win and the third of his Bellator career, Larkin called his shot after the bout.

“I gotta fight [Douglas] Lima,” Larkin said. “He gave me an L. I gotta get that back.”

The two previously fought when Lima held Bellator’s welterweight title. In Larkin’s promotional debut, he dropped a five-round unanimous decision to the champion at the time.

Lima is currently scheduled to rematch champion Rory MacDonald in the finale of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix on Oct. 26 at Bellator 232.

The post Bellator 229 Results: Lorenz Larkin squeaks out split decision in back-and-forth battle with Andrey Koreshkov appeared first on The Body Lock.

Catchweight – 133lbs: James Barnes vs. David Duran

Round 1 – After getting outstruck in the first half of the fight, Barnes rallied late with a big takedown from the back and closed out the round with big shots on the ground.

Round 2 – An early takedown and ground and pounded spelled the end for Barnes before he sunk in the rear-naked choke.

Result: James Barnes def. David Duran via second-round submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:51

James Barnes (12-4) avenges a loss from his amateur days, mounting, mashing and strangling David Duran for a second-round win! "Mooka" has finished 11, nine by sub and eight via choke. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/PXKvwDHxbd

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) September 28, 2019

Lightweight – 155lbs: Joshua Jones vs. Dominic Clark

Some early shots were traded but a Clark takedown would lead to him getting caught in a guillotine and forced to tap.

Result: Joshua Jones def Dominic Clark via first-round submission (guillotine) at 2:39

https://twitter.com/ImShannonTho/status/1178095235009789953

Featherweight: Weber Almeida vs. Castle Williams

Round 1 – The both start extremely fast and land their fair share of shots. Almeida hit a big slam before piecing Williams up on the feet and knocking him down twice.

Round 2 – Williams presses forward like last round but gets hit with a flurry, comes right back but eats a huge left hand that stops the fight.

Result: Weber Almeida def. Castle Williams via second-round TKO (punches) at 0:20

Fighting on the same night as his sensei, Lyoto Machida, Weber Almeida (3-0) cranks the crazy meter up to 11 and blasts Castle Williams early in round two! The "Silverback" has knocked out all three of his foes. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/kKnZjSSZav

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) September 29, 2019

Bantamweight: Leandro Higo vs Shawn Bunch

Round 1 – Things started out patiently. Over time, Bunch would end up landing the cleaner and bigger punches in and out of the clinch.

Round 2 – A clinch-heavy round eventually led to Higo jumping on a guillotine that he wound up getting the win with.

Result: Leandro Higo def. Shawn Bunch via second-round submission (guillotine) at 4:34

Leandro Higo (19-5) erases Shawn Bunch's good work and five-fight tear, snaring the Olympic alternate wrestler in a second-round, comeback guillotine! The former Bellator title challenger snaps a two-fight skid with his 14th finish. He has subbed 11. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/CjHh7plVtB

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) September 29, 2019

Catchweight – 175lbs: Michael Jasper vs. Johnny Cisneros

Round 1 – The opening frame is dominated by Jasper after Cisneros slips early. Control and punches and knees would be fed to Cisneros on the ground for the entirety of the round.

Round 2 – A much, much better round for Cisneros as he keeps the action on the feet and dictates the pace. A clear leg injury to Jasper would reveal itself. Cisneros capitalized with punches and kicks to get the finish.

Result: Johnny Cisneros def. Michael Jasper via second-round TKO (injury) at 4:28

An injured ankle, unfortunately, spells disaster for Mike Jasper, as Johnny Cisneros (13-7) capitalizes to seal a comeback in round two. The 39-year-old moves to 4-1 in his last five. He owns seven knockouts. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/vyF8mG9aaL

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) September 29, 2019

Catchweight – 165lbs: Antonio McKee vs. William Sriyapai

Round 1 – Taking place primarily on the feet, Sriyapai had little to offer while McKee showed off his unexpectedly wide-range of kicks. With a minute left, he got his signature takedown and started landing elbows and punches.

Round 2 – McKee would get on top of Sriyapai early after a slip and pound him out for the TKO.

Result: Antonio McKee def. William Sriyapai via second-round TKO (punches) at 1:17

Long MMA's archetypal grinder, Antonio McKee (30-6-2) returns from five years' retirement with his first strike stoppage since 2001! The 49-year-old stops fellow senior William Sriyapai in round two with his son, A.J., looking on mere hours before his tourney bout. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/ukIfctXAfD

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) September 29, 2019

Strawweight – 115lbs: Ava Knight vs. Shannon Goughary

Round 1 – As expected, the boxing champion in Knight would find great success on the feet early with her punches. At around the two-minute mark Goughary would get the takedown and do some damage from mount and crucifix before looking for a triangle and armbar.

Round 2 – No takedowns attempts from Goughary led to Knight having her way. Every punch landed would do so with authority and a knockdown would be scored at one point for Knight.

Round 3 – Knight starts the round off imposing her will once again. Ripping the body and going up high before a final body punch puts Goughary down for good.

Result: Ava Knight def. Shannon Goughary via third-round TKO (body punch) at 1:46

"The Lady of Boxing" shows a couple of dimensions in her MMA debut, as Ava Knight (1-0) survives rough spots on the ground to educate Shannon Goughary in the sweet science! A third-round, body shot TKO starts this new chapter in the former WBC and IBF champ's career. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/WwMtQDRBvz

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) September 29, 2019

Featherweight: AJ Agazarm vs. Jonathan Quiroz

Round 1 – The pair traded kicks early before an Agazaem takedown. Quiroz would find his way back up where he would start to land the heavier shots in all exchanges. One of which included a clean head kick.

Round 2 – The round started off pretty similar to the latter half of the first. That was until Agazarm would find the takedown after having a couple stuffed. He would control from the back looking for rear-naked choke for a majority of the round.

Round 3 – It would be another strong start for Quiroz but in the end, he couldn’t keep Agazarm off of him for long. The BJJ black belt controlled the majority of the round against the cage before getting Quiroz’ back late.

Result: AJ Agazarm def. Jonathan Quiroz via unanimous decision (29-28 all)

Main Card

Featherweight: Daniel Weichel vs. Saul Rogers

Round 1 – A good first round for Rogers saw him being the aggressor moving forward for practically its entirety. He consistently landed better with hard shots but Weichel connected with one late that visibly stunned Rogers. He would survive.

Round 2 – Rogers would continue with his success into round two but Weichel would deal with the pressure better and fire back on most punches from Rogers.

Round 3 –  Weichel dictated things early in the third after stuffing a strong single-leg attempt. Despite working from the back foot now, Rogers still found his punches and kicks while Weichel was searching. He would end up finding one to as he stunned Rogers into shooting. But it would be to no avail. At the one minute mark, Weichel grabbed a trip that went nowhere. Rogers pushed forward late but couldn’t land anything too significant.

Result: Daniel Weichel def. Saul Rogers via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Featherweight: Darrion Caldwell vs. Henry Corrales

Round 1 – After a minute of feeling out, Caldwell snatched up a leg to get a takedown and work from side control. Caldwell briefly got mount before winding up in half guard and then full. Caldwell would throw some wild ground and pound strikes late but nothing too damaging connected.

Round 2 – Caldwell looked for two head kicks early before hitting another single-leg. This time against the cage where Corrales could wall-walk back to his feet. Caldwell stayed tight on his back, however. As he continued to search for the takedown, Corrales would make his escape. Caldwell circled away from Corrales on the feet only looking for kicks until he saw a takedown opportunity. Once going for it, Corrales would be able to defend again with the cage.

Round 3 – Caldwell’s main striking offense was his kicks as Corrales walked him down with punches and leg kicks of his own. Caldwell would receive a warning for lack of activity. Immediately after, he shot for a takedown that was stuffed against the cage. Corrales would end up jumping on a guillotine but would be unable to secure it.

Result: Darrion Caldwell def. Henry Corrales via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Featherweight: AJ McKee vs. Georgi Karakhanyan

One and done. McKee lands the knockout left hook instantly.

Result: AJ McKee def. Georgi Karakhanyan via first-round knockout (punches) at 0:08

"FASTER THAN A TIK TOK VIDEO!"

AJ McKee needed only EIGHT seconds for his KO! MASTERFUL. #Bellator228 pic.twitter.com/wC83D2Mpxt

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 29, 2019

Featherweight – 145lbs: (C)Patricio “Pitbull” Freire vs. Juan Archuleta

Round 1 – With the two starting things out patiently, a kick would go low from Archuleta but the action quickly resumed afterward. Light on his feet throughout the start, Pitbull would be the one plodding forward. Swinging so hard and missing that he would fall down, Archuleta would have Pitbull come at him looking to capitalize. Archuleta would land a nice up-kick before having guillotine attempt applied on him by the champion. The challenger would end up escaping. Pitbull would land some nice knees to the solar plexus of the downed Archuleta and then some good punches to the head before the round’s end.

Round 2 – An early eye poke from Archuleta paused the action. Pitbull was okay and the two looked to land again. Off the end of his punch attempts, Archuleta went for a takedown that wound up in the two clinching against the cage jockeying for position.

Round 3 – Pitbull would land a big right straight that dropped Archuleta at the four-minute mark that cut him. Archuleta recovered fast but found himself in a similar position to round one. This time he got up quickly and the two battled for clinch control again. Starting to open up more now with their strikes, they traded jabs. A late takedown attempt from Archuleta found him in another guillotine.

Round 4 – Archuleta came out fast here looking to string combos together while Pitbull countered. A jab from Pitbull while Archuleta through a head kick led to Archuleta falling. Archuleta would try to kick him off but ended up getting his back taken. Standing up, the challenger would walk to the cage and try to break the hands of his opponent. Escaping after some elbows to the body, Archuleta accidentally connected with Pitbull’s cup again. Pitbull would sprawl on a takedown before the round ended.

Round 5 – Pitbull landed a nice one-two that wobbled Archuleta before a flying knee attempt. Archuleta pressed forward and went for a takedown against the cage leading to another clinch war. Searching for the finish, Archuleta would land his jab and some nice body shots. Pitbull would attempt a takedown attempt this time that was defended. The two battled in the clinch again with Archuleta working for takedowns before he got slammed at the bell.

Result: Patricio Pitbull def. Juan Archuleta via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 49-46)

Between the main and co-main events, the quarterfinal round of the Bellator featherweight Grand Prix would be decided in a unique drawing presentation.

December – AJ McKee vs Derek Campos

January – Adam Borics vs Darrion Caldwell

February – Daniel Weichel vs Emmanuel Sanchez

March – (C)Patricio Pitbull vs Pedro Carvalho

Main Event – Middleweight – 185lbs: Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi

Round 1 – After some light leg kicks from Machida, Mousasi would time one to land a straight punch that dropped Machida briefly. Machida would get right back to his kicks while Mousasi waited for the counters. Mousasi would blitz forward with a flurry that saw the last punch connect. Machida kept his focus on the legs. Mousasi started firing back with some of his own by this point.

Round 2 – The leg kicking began early and often from both men. Coming forward with another flurry of punches, Mousasi would find two that landed. Another flurry from Mousasi, this time his shots would be avoided. Machida started to push harder towards the end and land some kicks to the body.

Round 3 – An early head kick from Machida would graze Mousasi before a solid body kick. Mousasi was starting to land oblique kicks as his choice of kick. A Machida stumble off a leg kick led to Mousasi attacking with punches on the get-up. Another stumble found Machida off his back this time with Mousasi in his guard throwing punches whenever he had space. A late guillotine attempt from Machida gave his adversary a scare but he would survive.

Result: Gegard Mousasi def. Lyoto Machida via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

The rest of the Bellator 228 lineup can be seen below.

Postliminary Card (Following the main card on DAZN)

• Bantamweight – 135lbs: Adrian Najera def. Jason Edwards via third-round submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:28
• Catchweight – 130lbs: Benji Gomez def. Jonathan Santa Maria via decision
• Middleweight:  Osman Diaz def. Andre Walker via first-round submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:05
• Catchweight – 165lbs: Ian Butler def. Emilio Williams via second-round TKO (punches) at 0:53

The post Bellator 228: Pitbull vs Archuletta live results and highlights appeared first on The Body Lock.

Tomorrow night, September 28, the action will go down live in the Los Angeles Forum.

In the evening’s main event, we will see the 145-pound strap contested as Patricio “Pitbull” Freire defends against “The Spaniard,” Juan Archuleta. This will be Pitbull’s first bout back at featherweight since he captured the lightweight title in May by knocking out Michael Chandler in just 61 seconds.

For the challenger in Archuleta, he’s finally getting his long-awaited title opportunity. Currently riding a ridiculous 18-fight win streak that most recently saw him sleep former bantamweight champ, Eduardo Dantas, Archuleta is ready to claim what would be his 10th career title.

In the co-main event, we’ll see a rematch between two legendary MMA figures. Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida, and former Bellator middleweight champion, Gegard Mousasi, will meet once again.

The duo’s first fight came in February 2014 and saw Machida pick up the unanimous decision win in a fight of the night showing. Since then, they’ve had differing levels of success as Machida has gone 5-4 with a USADA suspension thrown in during 2016. Mousasi, on the other hand, is 11-3 since the loss to Machida and just recently had his eight-fight winning streak snapped thanks to the new champion, Rafael Lovato Jr.

It will be a night of action you won’t want to miss. Below you can see all of the results from today’s weigh-ins.

*William Sriyapai missed weight

Main Card (10:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM PST on DAZN)

• Featherweight – 145lbs: (C)Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (144.9) vs. Juan Archuleta (144.6)
• Middleweight – 185lbs: Lyoto Machida (186) vs. Gegard Mousasi (186)
• Featherweight: AJ McKee (144.9) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (145)
• Featherweight: Darrion Caldwell (144.9) vs. Henry Corrales (144.4)
• Featherweight: Daniel Weichel (144.2) vs. Saul Rogers (144.8)

Preliminary Card (7:30 PM EST / 4:30 PM PST on DAZN)

• Catchweight – 175lbs: Michael Jasper (174.7) vs. Johnny Cisneros (175.6)
• Catchweight – 130lbs: Benji Gomez (130) vs. Jonathan Santa Maria (129.3)
• Lightweight – 155lbs: Joshua Jones (155.9) vs. Dominic Clark (155.6)
• Featherweight: Weber Almeida (144.5) vs. Castle Williams (144.1)
• Bantamweight – 135lbs: Jason Edwards (134.4) vs. Adrian Najera (135.4)
• Catchweight – 165lbs: Antonio McKee (163.2) vs. William Sriyapai *(167.9)
• Catchweight – 165lbs: Emilio Williams (162.9) vs. Ian Butler (164.8)
• Featherweight: AJ Agazarm (146) vs. Jonathan Quiroz (144.7)
• Middleweight: Andre Walker (184.5) vs. Osman Diaz (184.4)
• Bantamweight: Leandro Higo (136) vs Shawn Bunch (135)
• Strawweight – 115lbs: Ava Knight (114.9) vs. Shannon Goughary (116)
• Catchweight – 133lbs: James Barnes (132.1) vs. David Duran (132)

The post Bellator 228 weigh-in results: All Grand Prix fighters on point appeared first on The Body Lock.

This fight will not count as a title defense for the champion, who was hoping to earn his first after winning the belt in January. Instead, Bader’s fight against Cheick Kongo in the main event of Bellator 226 will go in the books as a no-contest after the doctor deemed Kongo unable to continue after an eye poke at 3:52 of the first round.

“It sucks for it to end like that, you know,” Bader told John McCarthy in his post-fight interview. “Every shot I was hitting him with was hurting him. Took him down, beat him up a little bit and whatever happened — who knows? He couldn’t continue. Here we are. It sucks. I put in all this work and we get here and have to deal with this.”

For as long as it lasted, the fight was controlled by the champion.

Bader was the first to find a home for his hands. His left was landing early and often, forcing Kongo to search for a possible takedown.

The pace being put on by Bader in the first minute seemed to surprise Kongo. He was on the defensive after eating the left hands from Bader and soon found himself on his back after Bader cashed in on his first takedown attempt of the fight.

Much like Khabib Nurmagomedov did earlier in the day at UFC 242, Bader dominated the top position. Kongo scooted back to the cage in an attempt to find his bearings, but Bader’s pressure didn’t let up until referee Mike Beltran called for a break in the action due to an accidental eye poke by the champion.

Bader had Kongo pressed against the cage in a seated position. He was throwing short uppercuts when his right thumb slipped into the eye of Kongo, who immediately alerted Beltran of the foul.

The doctor examined the eye of Kongo, and Kongo told him that he could not see out of the eye according to the broadcast. Thus, the fight was waved off.

The Main Event is over after Kongo got poked accidentally in the eye. #Bellator226 pic.twitter.com/96CodjyJEw

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 8, 2019

Bader said that he wasn’t aware of his finger going into Kongo’s eye during the fight.

“You’re in the heat of the battle there, you know,” Bader said. “Fingers go in the eye all the time. It was unintentional. I didn’t see the replay. If it did go in his eye, I’m sorry.”

Both fighters appeared to be disappointed with the result as it was announced. The two previously showcased a bit of bad blood at the weigh-ins when Kongo shoved Bader during their staredown, but the end of the fight certainly didn’t provide the resolution that either fighter was seeking.

For Bellator, this is not the first time one of its highly anticipated heavyweight bouts have ended in such fashion in 2019.

In the main event of Bellator 215 in February, Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov’s clash ended in a no-contest after just 15 seconds in the cage. Mitrione hit Kharitonov with a low blow that rendered the Russian unable to continue.

The fight was later re-booked for Bellator 225 in August, and Kharitonov emerged victorious by second-round TKO.

The post Bellator 226 Results: Ryan Bader retains title in bizarre fight with Cheick Kongo appeared first on The Body Lock.

The main event is a Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix title bout that will see Rory MacDonald attempt to defend his title from Jon Fitch.

The co-main event is a Bellator Women’s Flyweight Championship bout between Ilima-Lei Macfarlane and Veta Arteaga. Arteaga will be challenging Macfarlane for her title.

Read on for results and video highlights.

Bellator 220 Results

Main Card

• Rory MacDonald vs. Jon Fitch scored a majority draw (46-48, 47-47, 47-47)
• Ilima-Lei Macfarlane def. Veta Arteaga via TKO (cut/doctor stoppage) -R3, 1:50
• Benson Henderson def. Adam Piccolotti via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
• Phil Davis def. Liam McGeary via submission (strikes/injury) – R3, 4:11
• Gaston Bolanos def. Nathan Stolen by TKO (punches) – R1, 2:21

Preliminary Card

• Aviv Gozali def. Travis Crain via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 2:15
• Brandon Faumui def. Chris Avila via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
• Matt Perez def. Justin Tenedora via KO (punches) – R1, 4:52
• Cass Bell def. Peter Ishiguro via KO (punches) – R2, 2:59
• Chuck Campbell def. Bruno Casillas via KO (knee) – R1, 1:45
• Hyder Amil def. Paradise Vaovasa via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 2:34
• Josh San Diego def. Brandon Laroco by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Jordan Williams def. Diego Herzog via TKO (punches) – R3, 1:21
• Abraham Vaesau def. Justin Roswell via TKO (punches) – R1, 1:59

Bellator 220 Video Highlights

View the first round of Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Veta Arteaga.

Catch the FULL FIRST ROUND between the champ – @Ilimanator and the challenger – @Ms_Veta at #Bellator220. pic.twitter.com/LTQfArg26o

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 28, 2019

Watch the entire first round of Adam Piccolotti vs. Benson Henderson below.

Check out the dynamic FULL FIRST ROUND of tonight's bout between @AdamPiccolotti and @BensonHenderson. pic.twitter.com/0XCM2W2nAO

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 28, 2019

Check out the full first round of Nathan Stolen vs. Gaston Bolanos.

FULL FIRST ROUND – Nathan Stolen vs. Gaston Bolanos – This first round was !

The #Bellator220 Main Card is live now on @DAZN_USA!
Tune in with @SkySports in the . pic.twitter.com/SjFi1unpUK

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 28, 2019

JUST. LIKE. THAT. IT IS OVER!

Chuck Campbell with NASTY knee KO! Watch #Bellator220 right now https://t.co/j4BIUf4XnH pic.twitter.com/yeKcxrXayA

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) April 28, 2019

.@CassBellMMA connects with his knee and gets the KO!

Watch @BellatorMMA #Bellator220 https://t.co/j4BIUf4XnH pic.twitter.com/05OUgQT4fd

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) April 28, 2019

The post Bellator 220 Results and Video Highlights: Rory MacDonald vs. Jon Fitch ends in majority draw appeared first on The Body Lock.

Despite the fact that Gallagher was handed a relatively beatable opponent at Bellator 217, the matchup was still a high-stakes one considering that he was stepping back into the cage for the first time since his first-ever career defeat in August last year. On that day, Gallagher was crushed by underdog Ricky Bandejas in the first round.

This time around, it was all Gallagher. The Irish bantamweight needed just 2 minutes and 30 seconds to sink in the fight-ending rear-naked choke finish and record his seventh career finish by way of submission.

????@StrabanimalMMA is victorious in his return to the Bellator cage with a rear naked choke at #Bellator217.

Watch the main event in the ?? at 9/8c on @ParamountNet & simulcast on @DAZN_USA. pic.twitter.com/NgYWT2AsgI

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) February 23, 2019

Overall, the event was a major success for Bellator, who continue to make major moves in Europe. The promotion also announced today that they will be returning to Dublin in September for another Irish-heavy fight card.

In the co-main event, Myles Price (11-7) managed one of the biggest wins of his career to date by defeating Peter Queally (11-5) in an all-Irish lightweight fight.

Read on for full results.

Bellator 217 results

Main Card

The post James Gallagher bounces back with a first-round submission victory at Bellator 217 in Dublin appeared first on The Body Lock.

Bellator Newcastle’s main event is a clash between Patricky “Pitbull” Freire and Ryan Scope.

Bellator Newcastle Results

Main Card

• Patricky Freire def. Ryan Scope via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
• Corey Browning def. Aaron Chalmers via submission (heel hook) – R3, 0:20
• Chris Bungard def. Terry Brazier via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 2:06
• Fabian Edwards def. Lee Chadwick via unanimous decision

Prelims

• Arunas Andriuskevicus def. James Mulheron via KO/TKO (doctor stoppage, cut) – R3, 0:42
• Jim Wallhead def. Abner Lloveras via unanimous decision
• Cal Ellenor def. Nathan Greyson via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 3:49
• Nathan Rose def. Ranjeet Baria via KO/TKO (punch) – R1, 4:59
• Justin Burlinson def. Maciek Gierszewski via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 4:04
• Luke Westwood def. Richard Kallos via KO/TKO (punches) – R3, 1:32
• Ashley Reece def. John Ross via KO/TKO (punches) – R1, 3:42
• Tommy Quinn def. Martin Hudson via KO/TKO (punches) – R1, 3:02
• Kieran Lister def. Davie McLaughlin via KO/TKO (uppercut) – R1, 1:19
• Joe Calboutin def. Milad Ahady via KO/TKO (strikes) R1, 3:30
• Mindaugas Gerve def. Tony Mustard via KO/TKO (hand injury) – R1, 1:46

Bellator Newcastle Highlights

Big knee right up the middle from @PatrickyPitbull in the first round of tonight’s main event of #BellatorNewcastle. pic.twitter.com/IcaFz9cp2Q

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) February 9, 2019

.@AaronCGShore so close with the walk-off KO!#BellatorNewcastle pic.twitter.com/K110IDn0qA

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) February 9, 2019

The post Bellator Newcastle Results and Highlights: Pitbull vs. Scope appeared first on The Body Lock.

The great Fedor Emelianenko will clash with Ryan Bader in the featured bout of the evening; the winner will be named Bellator’s new heavyweight champion.

In the co-main event, Aaron Pico will meet Henry Corrales in what is sure to be an exciting featherweight fight. Another notable fight on the main card is a bantamweight battle between Ricky Bandejas and Juan Archuleta.

Bellator 214 will also see a couple of high-profile athletes make their mixed martial arts debut. Jake Hager will face JW Kiser in a heavyweight bout. Hager is better known as Jack Swagger from his days in the WWE. AJ Agazarm, jiu-jitsu ace and former D1 wrestler, will also step into the cage for the first time.

The Bellator 214 prelims begin at 6:30 pm ET and the main card starts at 9:00 pm ET. The event will be live on Paramount Network and DAZN.

Follow along for live results, coverage, and highlights of Bellator 214.

Bellator 214 Results

Main Card

• Ryan Bader def. Fedor Emelianenko via KO (punch) – R1, 0:35
• Henry Corrales def. Aaron Pico via KO (punch) – R1, 1:07
• Jake Hager def. JW Kiser via submission (arm-triangle choke) – R1, 2:09
• Juan Archuleta def. Ricky Bandejas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Adel Altamimi def. Brandon McMahan via submission (armbar) – R1, 1:16

Prelims

• Thor Skancke def. Jesse Merritt via submission (north-south choke) – R1, 4:26
• Jesse Roberts def. AJ Agazarm via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Weber Almeida def. Odan Chinchilla via KO (head kick and punch) – R1, 3:04
• Art Rivas def. Sean Johnson via KO/TKO (punches and knees) – R1, 4:30
• Jay Jay Wilson def. Tyler Beneke via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 1:31
• Ryan Lilley def. James Barnes via KO (head kick) – R1, 1:03
• Craig Plaskett def. Ian Butler via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Desmond Torres def. Steve Ramirez via submission (arm-triangle) – R1, 4:21

Bellator 214 Highlights

JUST LIKE THAT!!!! ??@RyanBader with the HUGE KO against Fedor Emelianenko!#Bellator214 pic.twitter.com/7fm2XFY1zh

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 27, 2019

?WOW! What a stunner!!!@HenryCorrales86 shocks everyone!!#Bellator214 pic.twitter.com/Siz1acPVKe

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 27, 2019

WOO! Listen to that kick ?@RyanTheLionMMA #Bellator214 pic.twitter.com/FEEw3FiEWS

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 27, 2019

The post Bellator 214 Results and Highlights: Fedor vs. Bader appeared first on The Body Lock.