Category: MMA

My MMA Coverage Has Moved!

Hello! I have a special announcement. As of today, Monday, February 3, 2020, my mixed-martial-arts coverage has moved to my new website KnockdownNews.com. I will host all of my MMA work there in the future.

I will continue to post on this site, although it will be much less frequent and will not be MMA related. If you like my MMA work, I reccomend you give that site a peak and show it some love.

If the different websites feels confusing, feel free to follow me on Twitter @JackWannan where I post updates of my work, no matter where it is hosted.

Cheers!

Joshua Pacio Retains ONE Strawweight Championship With Split Decision Victory

Joshua Pacio made the second defence of his ONE Strawweight Championship (125 lbs) on Saturday, defeating Alex Silva via split decision after five rounds of competition. The fight main evented “ONE Championship: Fire & Fury,” which took place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

The fight was focused heavily on the ground game, as Silva was constantly trying for takedowns throughout the fight.

Pacio was in trouble during the second round, having to escape a head and arm choke, and a following heel hook.

Pacio became two-time champion in April, stopping Yosuke Saruta with a fourth-round knee, avenging a previous loss. The first defense of this reign came against Rene Catalan in November, stopping him with an arm triangle within two rounds.

Silva came into the fight on a two-fight winning streak. He has fought 13 times in ONE, making his promotional debut in 2012.

In the co-main event of the evening, Pieter Buist got a split decision victory over Filipino veteran Eduard Folayang.

ONE Championship returns on Friday with “ONE Championship: Warrior’s Code” on February 7th. Headlining the card is a Featherweight Muay Thai Championship bout between Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy and Jama Yusupov. The show will take place at Istora Senayan in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Read the full report for ONE Championship: Fire & Fury.

ONE Championship: Fire & Fury Live Coverage

ONE Championship returns to Manila, Philippines on Friday for “Fire & Fury.” Headlining the card, the promotion’s Strawweight World Champion (125 lbs) Joshua Pacio will attempt to defend his belt against Alex Silva. Also featured on the card is notable ONE talent like Eduard Folayang, Danny Kingad and more.

Follow along with the blog throughout the morning as live results roll in from the show. The six-fight “Lead Card” for the show starts at 5AM EST, with the “Main Card” beginning at 7:30AM EST. From the Mall of Asia Arena, it’s ONE Championship.

Quick Results:

Lead Card (5:00 AM EST)

Bout 1: Jomary Torres vs. Jenny Huang via No Contest (Torres Groin Injury)

Bout 2: Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym def. Chris Shaw via Unanimous Decision (Muay Thai Bout)

Bout 3: Gina Iniong def. Asha Roka via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 4: Lito Adiwang def. Pongsiri Mitsatit via Submission, Kimura (RD 1, 3:02)

Bout 5: Anne Line Hogstad def. Alma Juniku via Decision, Majority  (Muay Thai Bout)

Bout 6: Tatsumitsu Wada def. Ivanildo Delfino via Unanimous Decision

Main Card (7:30 AM EST)

Bout 7: Shoko Sato def. Kwon Won Il via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 4:05)

Bout 8: Petchdam Petchyindee Academy def. Momotaro via Decision, Majority

Bout 9: Danny Kingad (13-2) def. Xie Wei via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 10: Pieter Buist def. Eduard Folayang via Decision, Split

Bout 11: Joshua Pacio def. Alex Silva via Decision, Split (ONE MMA Strawweight Championship)

Live Coverage:

Bout 1: Jomary Torres (4-4) vs. Jenny Huang (5-5) (115 lbs) (MMA Bout)

In the first fight of the evening, Jomary Torres fought Jenny Huang. Both fighters were on a multiple-fight losing streak heading into this fight. A leg kick was caught by Torres at the start, throwing punches while keeping ahold of the leg. After trading punches, they went into a clinch against the cage. Injury time came as Torres was hit in the groin in the clinch. After a few minutes of a break, the fight resumed. Although the clinch was caused the strike, they resumed in stand-up. Huang tried for a judo throw in the clinch but couldn’t get it. In the clinch again, Torres was kneed in the groin again, causing another pause. Huang was awarded a yellow card, deducing 10 percent of her purse. The fight was then waved off and ruled a no contest.

Bout 2: Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym vs. Chris Shaw (145 lbs) (Muay Thai Bout)

In the first of three Muay Thai bouts in the evening, Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym fought Chris Shaw. Worth noting that ONE Championship Muay Thai fights are done in their MMA gloves. Rodlek walked out with a gladiator mask and cape. Shaw’s height advantage in the fight was visible. Lots of leg kicks were landed by both fighters in the first minute. Rodlek caught a few kicks in the round, always answering back with a punch.

Rodlek was coming forward and being more active at the start of the second round. In a clinch, Shaw threw Rodlek to the ground. Shaw kept trying to land an elbow to the head but never connected with it, it seemed. Shaw had a small cut on his nose.

Early in the final round, it looked like a cut was open on Rodlek’s head. Maybe one of those elbows connected. Rodlek had a good start to the round, although it became a more back-and-forth exchange as the round moved on. Shaw was swept in the second minute. While in a clinch against the cage, Rodlek waved at the crowd to get them to cheer. In the final minute, Rodlek landed a left-and-right hook combination that dropped Shaw. Rodlek didn’t do much more before the fight ran out of time. After securing a 10-8 round in the final moments, Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym walked away with a safe unanimous decision win.

Bout 3: Gina Iniong (8-4) vs. Asha Roka (4-1) (115 lbs) (MMA Bout)

In the next fight, 115-pound fighters Gina Iniong fought Asha Roka in an MMA bout. Roka’s last fight was a loss to against ONE’s star Stamp Fairtex. Iniong shot for a takedown right off the bat, getting it after a little resistance. Iniong went from half guard into side control. She went back into half guard as Roka wrapped one of Iniong’s legs between hers. Iniong landed lots of punches to the body. Iniong went into full guard. Iniong stood up, then went back to the ground in half guard. Iniong continued to throw strikes from her position. The round ended on the ground after Iniong stood up for a short moment.

Iniong got her second takedown a minute into the next round. Roka was able to escape bottom position, taking side control. Iniong flipped the position, putting Roka back on her back. Iniong put in a guillotine choke with a minute left in the round. Roka tried to punch her way out, but endured the choke until the round ended.

In the final round, they went into the clinch as Iniong wanted the fight to go back to the ground. She got a trip takedown in the second minute. They stayed on the ground until the final minute, where the referee stood them up due to inactivity. Roka landed some good punches as the fight ended, although she didn’t do anything substantial. The fight went all three rounds, with Gina Iniong getting the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 4: Lito Adiwang (10-2) vs. Pongsiri Mitsatit (10-4) (125 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Lito Adiwang, who is on a six-fight winning streak next fought Pongsiri Mitsatit, who has lost four of his last five. Adiwang charged forward with punches in the first minute, dropping Mitsatit. He continued with ground and pound, although Mitsatit was able to get back up and recover. Adiwang got a takedown in the second minute, trying for a choke although Mitsatit got up again, this time holding Adiwang from behind. They went back to the ground. Adiwang was still being held, although he was trying for a kimura. He went into a side control where he continued trying for the kimura, eventually making Mitsatit tap out. Lito Adiwang extended his winning streak to seven,  being the fifth of those five wins via stoppage.

Bout 5: Alma Juniku vs. Anne Line Hogstad (115 lbs) (Muay Thai Bout)

Switching back to Muay Thai, the next fight was between Alma Juniku and Anne Line Hogstad. Juniku’s first fight in ONE was a Muay Thai loss to Stamp Fairtex. In the first round, Juniku caught a leg and ran Hogstad into the cage. The referee warned her that she can only hold the leg for a second. With under a minute left in the round, the referee told them to be more active.

Juniku took Hogstad down at the start of the second round by catching a leg again. Hogstad landed a good punch combination. Juniku caught a leg and swept Hogstad because of it. A pause came as the referee deemed this the third time that Juniku didn’t follow the rules for leg holding. Juniku was given a yellow card, which took away 10 percent of her fight purse. They resumed for the final few seconds of the round. 

Both fighters had maybe their best striking exchange at the start of the final round. The fight survived all three rounds, needing scorecards to decide who won. When looking at the scores, it was a majority decision that went in favour of Anne Line Hogstad.

Bout 6: Tatsumitsu Wada (21-11-2) vs. Ivanildo Delfino (8-0) (135 lbs) (MMA Bout)

The preliminary card wrapped up with Tatsumitsu Wada facing the undefeated Ivanildo Delfino. Wada’s last fight was a loss to Demetrious Johnson in August. This was Delfino’s ONE debut. The fighters went into a clinch in the first minute after Delfino caught a kick. Wada got a takedown from the clinch. With two minutes left in the round, Wada landed elbows to Delfino. Wada stood up, raining punches down to Delfino. Wada stayed in top position, throwing punches and elbows until the first round ended.

Wada landed a solid right hook in the first minute of the second round. He came in and went into a clinch with Delfino against the cage. They stayed in the clinch for many minutes, both landing strikes. Wada got a takedown in the final minute of the round. Wada did ground and pound for the final minute.

The final round opened with Wada getting another takedown, although they stood up in a clinch before much was done. They went back to the ground, where Wada was on top in side control. The rest of the round felt like a replay of the first, as Wada stayed in control and kept with striking from the top. Going to a decision, there was no doubt that Tatsumitsu Wada would prevail on all three scorecards.

Bout 7: Kwon Won Il (8-2) vs. Shoko Sato (34-16-3) (145 lbs) (MMA Bout)

The main card started with the very experienced Shoko Sato facing knockout artist Kwon Won Il. Il was showing some strong punches early in the fight. Sato put them into a clinch, backing Il up against the cage. They separated, with Sato trying for a takedown a minute later. Sato was wrapped around Il’s right leg against the cage. He failed to get the fight to the ground this time, as they returned to striking. Sato tried again for a takedown with two minutes left in the round. He got it to the ground with just over a minute left. Sato got on Il’s back, putting in a rear naked choke. The choke was fully put on, making Il tap out within seconds. While it took a while for Shoko Sato to get the fight to the ground, once he did, this fight was over.

Bout 8: Petchdam Petchyindee Academy vs. Momotaro (135 lbs) (Muay Thai Bout)

In the final Muay Thai bout of the evening, Petchdam Petchyindee Academy fought Momotaro. Like the other two Muay Thai fights earlier on the card, it was fought with the promotion’s MMA gloves. The fighters had fast leg kicks at the start. Momotaro came forward with punches in the first minute, dumping Petchdam at the end of the clinch. Momotaro caught a knee to the body, throwing Petchdam down. The referee warned him for that throw. In the final seconds of the round, Petchdam landed a hard elbow in the clinch. Petchdam danced while heading to his corner at the end of the round.

Momotaro opened the second round by dumping Petchdam to the ground. While it didn’t connect clean, Momotaro threw the rare axe kick to the head. This was a really good round for Momotaro, who landed lots of punches and came off as confident. Petchdam had a good combo of punches as the round ended.

Petchdam landed good knees in a clinch in the third round, and followed up with a kick to the body. The final round was a close one. The fight went to the scorecards. Both fighters were very respectful to each other after the fight. A majority decision went in favour of Petchdam Petchyindee Academy.

Bout 9: Danny Kingad (13-2) vs. Xie Wei (5-2) (135 lbs) (MMA Bout)

The first of three headlining fights featuring a Filippino fighter was Danny Kingad facing Xie Wei. Wei was making his ONE Championship debut after winning five-straight on the ONE Warrior and Hero Series. Kingad landed a loud left hook early in the fight. Xie caught a leg kick, connecting with punches because of it. Xie got a takedown, trying for a guillotine as Kingad picked him up and slammed him. Kingad had half guard on top. Xie was able to get up with two minutes to go in the round.

Xie landed a hook at the start of the second round which shook Kingad. They went into a clinch in the second minute. Xie did shoulder strikes in the clinch. Xie tried to throw Kingad down for a takedown, although Kingad got back up in the clinch a second after. They went back to striking with two minutes left.

Kingad shot for a takedown in the first minute of the final round. Xie stuffed it, landing knees to the head in the process. Xie got the fight to the ground, catching a kick and throwing punches which tripped Kingad. The referee stepped in and ended the ground game as Xie headbutted Kingad once. When they resumed, they went into a clinch against the cage. Xie threw another shoulder strike. Xie got a takedown and tried for a rear naked choke, although Kingad escaped and got back to his feet. They went back to the clinch. Xie stuffed another takedown in the final minute. Another timeout happened in the final minute as Xie kneed Kingad in the back of the head. They resumed in stand-up, in a clinch as the fight concluded. Consulting the judges, all three were in agreement that Danny Kingad won.

Bout 10: Eduard Folayang (22-8) vs. Pieter Buist (16-4) (170 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Before the next fight, Brandon “The Truth” Vero announced he will return on May 29th to defend his ONE Heavyweight Championship in the Philippines. In the co-main event of the evening, Filipino fighter Eduard Folayang challenged Pieter Buist. While Folayang entered the cage with more experience, Buist was riding a seven-fight winning streak heading into the fight. Buist was kicked in the groin, causing a pause in the second minute. When they resumed, Folayang went into a clinch after Buist landed some strikes. Buist tried for a standing guillotine from the clinch. Folayang got a takedown, escaping the choke in the process. Buist got up, and was caught in a guillotine choke in the process. They went back to the ground, where Buist was able to scramble out of the choke. They got up again, with Folayang still holding onto Buist. They returned to striking for the final seconds of the round.

After 30 seconds of striking at the start of the second round, they went into a clinch again. During that striking, Buist landed a good right hook. Buist slipped and fell in the second minute, allowing Folayang to get top position on the ground. Buist tried for a triangle choke on the ground. He switched to an armbar attempt which Folayang got out of. Folayang went into half guard. Not much more happened on the ground until the round ended.

Buist landed a head kick in the first minute of the final round which hurt Folayang. Buist tried for a standing guillotine, but Folayang escaped and went into a clinch. When they returned to striking, it was much slower paced as they were quite tired. Folayang caught a leg kick in the final minute, landing a takedown from it. The fight went all three rounds. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three judges giving the win to Pieter Buist. A great performance for Buist, who took the fight on two-weeks notice.

Bout 11: Joshua Pacio (18-3) vs. Alex Silva (9-4) (125 lbs) (ONE MMA Strawweight Championship)

 

Finally, the main event of the evening saw Filipino fighter Joshua Pacio attempt to defend his ONE Strawweight Championship against Alex Silva. Silva landed a punch at the start, then clinched up and pulled guard. Pacio got up and made the fight go back to the feet. They clinched up again in the second minute. While Silva was the one trying to get the fight to the ground, Pacio ended up in top position. Pacio eventually got up, forcing the fight to go back to the feet again. Pacio landed a spinning back kick to Silva’s body. Pacio caught a leg kick in the final minute, bringing Silva to the ground. Silva stood up after Pacio did not seem interesting in going down. Silva shot for a takedown but got caught in a guillotine choke on the way down. He escaped, trying for a heel hook before they stood up again.

Silva caught a leg kick at the start of the second round, going to the ground again. While Pacio was in top position at the start, Silva scrambled into top position. Pacio threatened a guillotine choke many times. They got up and went back down with Pacio in top position, although stood up shortly after. Silva got another takedown with two minutes left in the round. Silva put in a head and arm choke from top position. Pacio eventually escaped the choke. Pacio almost got trapped in a heel hook as the round ended.

The third round started slow after two very active rounds. Silva was denied a takedown attempt many times in a row. When he finally got to the ground, he was in bottom position. They went back to stand-up shortly after. Silva got another takedown denied. Silva got top position on the ground in the final minute, although they didn’t do much.

In the fourth round, Silva pulled guard again. They stood up with just under half of the round left. Silva hit a head kick. A few moments later he also landed a good overhand left. Pacio’s jabs were powerful. Silva got a takedown with over a minute left in the round. Pacio scrabled into top position in north-south, and then half guard.

The fighters hugged to start the fifth and final round. Pacio landed a flying knee which rocked Silva. Silva got a takedown to stop the momentum. They got up again in a clinch. Pacio dumped Silva to the ground, then waited for the referee to stand him up. With two minutes to go, Silva got a single leg takedown. Silva stayed in top position until the round ended. Going all 25 minutes, scorecards we needed to see if Pacio would keep his belt. When going to decision, the fight was a split decision. Two of the three judges saw the winner as Joshua Pacio, making it the second defence of his championship.

Watch ONE Championship: Fire & Fury Weigh-Ins & Hydration Tests

On Friday, ONE Championship will return to the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines for “ONE Championship: Fire & Fury.” Headlining the card is Joshua Pacio attempting to defend his ONE Strawweight World Championship (125 lbs) against Alex Silva.

Before that, however, Pacio, Silva and the 20 other fighters on the card have to weigh-in and take their hydration test. The process will be broadcasted live on Youtube on Thursday at midnight EST. Watch in the link down below. Results from the weigh-ins will be posted below:

Fights confirmed (made weight and passed hydration test):

Bout 11: Joshua Pacio (18-3) vs. Alex Silva (9-4) (ONE Strawweight Championship) (MMA Bout)

Bout 10: Eduard Folayang (22-8) vs. Pieter Buist (16-4) (170 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Bout 9: Danny Kingad (13-2) vs. Xie Wei (5-2) (135 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Bout 8: Petchdam vs. Momotaro (135 lbs) (Muay Thai Bout)

Bout 6: Kwon Won Il (8-2) vs. Shoko Sato (34-16-3) (145 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Bout 4: Lita Adiwang (10-2) vs. Pongsiri Mitsatit (10-4) (125 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Bout 3: Gina Iniong (8-4) vs. Asha Roka (4-1) (115 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Bout 2: Rodlek Jaotalaytong vs. Chris Shaw (145 lbs) (Muay Thai Bout)

Bout 1: Jomary Torres (4-4) vs. Jenny Huang (5-5) (115 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Fights awaiting retest (cut-off time is 4PM PHT).

Bout 6: Tatsumitsu Wada (21-11-2) (Passed) vs. Ivanildo Delfino (8-0) (Failed) (135 lbs) (MMA Bout)

Bout 5: Alma Juniku (Failed) vs. Anne Hogstad (Passed) (115 lbs) (Muay Thai Bout)

WXC: Warrior Wednesday 11 Live Coverage

WXC returned on Wednesday with their 11th edition of “Warrior Wednesday.” In the main event, heavyweight Marcus Maulding and Josh Parisian put their winning streaks on the line. Stay tuned throughout the night for live coverage of the broadcast from Crystal Gardens, Southgate, Michigan, USA.

Quick Results:

Bout 1: Lawrence Bonds def. Charles Brown via Submission, Bulldog Choke (RD 1, 4:01)

Bout 2: Dante Brown def. Andrew Karsten via TKO, Knees (RD 1, 0:28)

Bout 3: Michael Gillmore def. Perry Stargel via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 4: Collin Anglin def. Will Frost via KO, Right Hook (RD 2, 1:36)

Bout 5: Antoine Blassingame def. Isaiah Gathings Jr. via TKO, Elbows (RD 2, 3:11)

Bout 6: Josh Parisian def. Marcus Maulding via TKO, Punches (RD 1, 3:57)

Full Coverage:

Bout 1: Lawrence Bonds (3-2) vs. Charles Brown (4-6) (Super Heavyweight)

The main card started with a super heavyweight fight between Lawrence Bonds and Charles Brown. Brown walked out to WWE wrestler The Undertaker’s theme. They went into a clinch at the start, with Bonds landing some punches to the body. Brown scored a head kick in the first minute, although it seemingly did not hurt Bonds, who went into another clinch. Brown landed another head kick in the second minute. While being held by Brown, Bonds started to bleed. Bonds got a single leg takedown, then scored punches from Brown’s back. He then put in a choke which made Brown tap out. Lawrence Bonds earned his fourth win as a pro, dealing with early adversity to get the stoppage win. He called out the main eventing fighters after the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bonds
Brown

Bout 2: Andrew Karsten (1-3) vs. Dante Brown (3-1) (Lightweight)

The next fight saw negative-record fighter Andrew Karsten face Dante Brown. Karsten shot for a takedown at the start of the fight, although Brown kept in in a clinch. While in the clinch,  Brown landed a knee which dropped Karsten and ended the fight. It was hard to tell what happened, although it was clear that Karsten was injured from a knee. In quick fashion, Dante Brown extending his winning streak to four in a row. Karsten was not in the cage for the official ruling.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Karsten
Brown

Bout 3: Perry Stargel (1-1) vs. Michael Gillmore (5-3) (Middleweight)

The third main ard fight saw the more experienced Michael Gilmore face Perry Stargel. Gilmore landed leg kicks early on. In the second minute, both fighters landed punches to the head in a fast exchange. Stargel caught a kick, taking Gillmore down with it. Gillmore got back up, although Stargel was still on his back. Gillmore turned around eventually, trying for a takedown. They eventually returned to striking as the round winded down.

When Gillmore landed leg kicks early in the second round, it was clear that Stargel had damage from the round before.

Stargel shot for a takedown in the first minute of the final round, although Gillmore stopped it. Gillmore got a takedown for only a second in the final round. When they got back to the feet, Stargel landed a good punch. Gillmore continued with the leg kick work. Stargel started to limp as the round was nearing its end. Stargel caught a leg kick, getting a takedown for a moment from it. The fight went the distance, with the judges giving the win to Michael Gilmore (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Stargel 9 9 9 27
Gillmore 10 10 10 30

Bout 4: Collin Anglin (6-1) vs. Will Frost (1-1) (Catchweight 150 lbs)

In the only catchweight fight of the evening, former LFA fighter Collin Anglin fought Will Frost. The record of Frost may be deceiving, as he also holds a 13-7 amateur MMA record. Frost came in with a good punch combination at the start. Anglin did similar, with the fighters going into a clinch for a moment after. Frost threw maybe 10 punches in a row to Anglin, who was retreating against the cage. Anglin landed a leg kick which tripped Frost a little. Anglin grabbed an ankle in the final minute, although Frost was able to slip out of the situation. As the round was in it’s final seconds, Anglin landed an uppercut which dropped Frost. Frost got hit with many more punches, although he survived until the round ended.

Anglin was much more dominant as the second round started. He was constantly moving forward with his strikes. Anglin came in with a right hook which dropped Frost and ended the fight. After a close first round, Collin Anglin didn’t leave it to the judges with the stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Anglin 10
Frost 9

Bout 5: Isaiah Gathings Jr. (3-0) vs. Antoine Blassingame (5-6) (Lightweight)

The co-main event of the evening saw undefeated Isaiah Gathings Jr. face Antoine Blassingame. Gathings was the much taller fighter between the two. Blassingame got a takedown in the first 30 seconds of the fight. Gathings tried for an armbar on the ground. He then tried for a triangle. Gathings switched between the armbar and triangle. He kept trying for submissions on the ground until the round ended.

Gathings tried for a heel hook from an imanari roll at the start of the second round. The roll got the fight to the ground, although Blassingame escaped the heel hook, taking top position on the ground after. Blassingame landed short-range elbows and punches from the top. While continuing the shots, Blassingame tried for a kimura. He went back to elbows, landing numerous shots in a row. After dozens upon dozens of unanswered shots, the referee finally stepped in to end it. Bringing his record up to an even 6-6, Antoine Blassingame bounced back after a tough first round.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gathings 10
Blassingame 9

Bout 6: Marcus Maulding (8-10) vs. Josh Parisian (11-3) (Heavyweight)

 

The main event of the evening saw former-Dana White’s Contender Series fighter Josh Parisian fought Marcus Maulding. Both fighters went into this fight on winning streaks. Maulding got a slam takedown in the second minute of the fight. In top position, Maulding landed some punches. When they got up in a clinch, a pause came as Maulding was kneed in the groin. After a few minutes, they resumed, with Maulding charging forward with wailing punches. He got another takedown. Parisian ate punches while getting up. Maulding slipped it seems while throwing a flying knee, which cut Parisian open. Parisian threw punches on the ground until the referee. Getting the first-round stoppage win, Josh Parisian extended his winning streak to five in a row. After the fight, Parisian said “let’s get it” to the challenge Lawrence Bonds offered earlier in the show. Bonds came to the cage, and they did a faceoff before the show ended.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Maulding
Parisian

Bellator 238: Budd vs. Cyborg Full Coverage

Bellator’s first event of 2020 was a big one, welcoming former UFC Champion Cris Cyborg to the promotion with a championship fight. Facing Julia Budd in the main event, Cyborg got the fight for the Bellator Featherweight Championship. The card also saw many other Bellator debuts, returning prospects and the continuation of the Featherweight Grand Prix.

Quick Results

Bout 1: Miguel Jacob def. David Pacheco via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 2: Anthony Taylor def. Chris Avila via Decision, Majority

Bout 3: Curtis Millender def. Moses Murrietta via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 4: Jay-Jay Wilson def. Mario Navarro via Submission, Armbar (RD 2, 2:48)

Bout 5: AJ Agazarm def. Adel Altamimi via Submission, Armbar (RD 3, 1:22)

Bout 6: Aaron Pico def. Daniel Carey via KO, Punch (RD 2, 0:15)

Bout 7: Joshua Jones def. Brandon Bender via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 8: Emilee King def. Ava Knight via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 2:18)

Bout 9: Raymond Daniels def. Jason King via TKO, Punches (RD 1, 3:07)

Bout 10: Sergio Pettis def. Alfred Khashakyan via Submission, Guillotine Choke (RD 1, 3:00)

Bout 11: Juan Archuleta def. Henry Corrales via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 12: Darrion Caldwell def. Adam Borics via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 2:20) (Bellator Featherweight Grand-Prix Quarter-Finals)

Bout 13: Cris Cyborg def. Julia Budd via TKO, Punches (RD 4, 1:14) (Bellator Featherweight Championship)

Bout 14: Ricardo Seixas def. Dominic Clark via TKO, Punches (RD 1, 0:34)

Bout 15: Tony Bartovich def. Jarett Conner via Decision, Unanimous)

Full Coverage

Bout 1: Miguel Jacob (3-0) vs. David Pacheco (1-0) (Welterweight)

The preliminary card started with someone’s undefeated record being put to an end. David Pacheco fought Miguel Jacob in a welterweight competition. The fight started with quite active striking from both fighters. Jacob was connecting more often. Jacob put the fight in a clinch against the cage in the second minute. They went back to stand-up about a minute later.

An eye poke happened to Jacob early in the second round, causing a pause. When they resumed, Jacob continued to be the more active striker. A cut around Pacheco’s right eye became apparent. Jacob was constantly moving to the side or backwards. While Jacob was benefitting more from the exchanges, both fighters were fighting a very fast pace.

That previously mentioned pace picked up right where it left off when the final round started. The round was practically the same as the two before, going the distance. When heading to the scorecards, it was Miguel Jacob who kept his undefeated record, with a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-26 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Jacob 10 10 10 30
Pacheco 9 9 9 27

Bout 2: Anthony Taylor (6-5) vs. Chris Avila (6-8) (Lightweight)

Coming in on a four-fight winning streak, Anthony Taylor returned to Bellator to battle Chris Avila. Taylor countered a kick with a punch early which tripped Avila. Taylor was backpedalling throughout the round but found success as a counter-striker. In the fourth minute of the round, Avila scored a good overhand right. They went in a clinch for a little before going back to striking. Taylor got a single leg takedown before the round ended. After the bell, Avila shoved Taylor off of him with his leg. Taylor clearly was offended by this.

Taylor continued to counter-strike in the second round. He did an interesting thing a few times, finishing a combination by pushing Avila away.

In the second minute of the final round, Taylor tried for another takedown. Avila was able to avoid it, with Avila getting some strikes in from close range. He scored a takedown a minute later. Avila tried for an armbar, getting top position in the process. Taylor escaped the armbar, and they both stood back up. 30 seconds later, Taylor shot for another takedown. They went to the ground, but on the way down Avila started to try for a kimura. They stood back up, where Avila was on Taylor’s back for a moment. Avila then tried for a guillotine as Taylor shot for another takedown. They stood back up with one minute left in the fight. Avila got on Taylor’s back, then switching to a normal clinch before separating. Both fatigued, Taylor and Avila were swinging wildly in the closing seconds. Needing judges to decide who won, it was Anthony Taylor who won through a rare majority decision (28-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Taylor 10 10 9 29
Avila 9 9 10 28

Bout 3: Curtis Millender (17-5) vs. Moses Murrietta (8-3) (Catchweight 180 lbs)

The next preliminary fight saw former UFC fighter Curtis Millender making his Bellator debut against Moses Murrietta. At the very start, Millender looked to try to do a glove touch but was punched. Both fighters were throwing hard and fast strikes right off the bat. Millender’s jab was lightning fast. A combination of punches had Murrietta backing up in the final minute of the first round.

A left hook dropped Murrietta in the first minute of the second round. Millender wasn’t in any rush to finish the fight, slowly walking towards Murrietta as he was recovering. A right cross from Millender 30 seconds later made Murrietta’s legs shake a little. It was clear that Millender had gotten into a groove. Millender got a double leg takedown in the final minute of the round. He tried for a darce choke before the bell went.

Murrietta continued to take shots, mostly jabs, in the final round. His movement implied he had injured his lead left leg. Murrietta shot for a takedown with over two minutes left in the fight, although Millender stayed against the cage and eventually returned to striking. As the fight was nearing it’s end, it felt like Murrietta was the less fatigued fighter. Millender landed a german suplex takedown in the final 20 seconds of the round. The fight went all 15 minutes, going to the scorecards to find a winner. Putting an end to his two-fight losing streak, Curtis Millender got a dominant unanimous decision victory in his Bellator debut (30-27, 30-26 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Millender 10 10 10 30
Murrietta 9 9 9 27

Bout 4: Jay-Jay Wilson (4-0) vs. Mario Navarro (4-5) (Featherweight)

Still undefeated as a professional, Jay-Jay Wilson was pitted against fellow featherweight Mario Navarro in the next bout. Wilson shot for a takedown in the first minute, putting Navarro up against the cage instead. Wilson threw some good knees in the clinch, getting a trip takedown after a minute. Wilson went wild with ground and pound, throwing dozens of punches. They stood up in the final minute, with Navarro throwing down Wilson and taking top position. Overall a great first round for Wilson.

Wilson threw an overhand right and then scored a takedown to start the second round. Wilson transitioned to Navarro’s back, trying for a twister. Navarro escaped and took the top position in side control. Wilson was able to get on Navarro’s back. He threw some punches before trying for a rear naked choke. He switched to an armbar, which got fully extended, causing the referee to step in and end the fight. After one and a half rounds of one-sided competition, Jay-Jay Wilson extended his record to five in a row.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Wilson 10
Navarro 8

Bout 5: AJ Agazarm (2-1) vs. Adel Altamimi (8-6) (Featherweight)

The next matchup saw AJ Agazarm and Adel Altamimi fight in a featherweight battle. Agazarm shot for a takedown early on, eating two punches after failing to get to the ground. He did not succeed to get the fight to the ground two more times. Altamimi caught a leg kick, throwing a punch and tripping Agazarm. Altamimi landed a loud kick to the body in the second minute. Agazarm tried again for a takedown, failing to get it there. The crowd booed when Agazarm paced around the cage for a moment. Agazarm came in with a combination in the final minute that seemingly shaking Altamimi with one. There was many more takedown attempts throughout the round which did not work for Agazarm. The fighters got in eachother’s faces after the bell

Agazarm got dropped in the second minute of the second round with a left hook. Agazarm was hit with hammerfist punches on the ground and a few hooks on the feet. He shot for a takedown which gave him time to recover. Agazarm finally got a takedown halfway through the round. Altamimi tried for an armbar, but Agazarm escaped. Agazarm tried for his own armbar on the ground. Agazarm tried for a rear naked choke, then went into full mount landing some strikes. Altamimi flipped on his stomach again where Agazarm threatened the rear naked choke. It was put in, although Altamimi slipped out of it. The second round was quite the turn of events, going from a near stoppage in favour of Altamimi to a dominant ground game from Agazarm.

Altamimi got shook by punches at the start of the final round. Altamimi shot for a single leg, maybe what was his first takedown attempt of the fight. Agazarm threw some punches while Altamimi still had ahold of one of his legs. Agazarm was able to look for an armbar, which made Altamimi tap out. Altamimi protested the stoppage despite tapping. After two very back and forth rounds, AJ Agazarm didn’t have to worry about the scorecards by making Adel Altamimi tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Agazarm 9 9
Altamimi 10 10

Bout 6: Aaron Pico (4-3) vs. Daniel Carey (7-3) (Featherweights)

In the next fight, Aaron Pico attempted to end his two-fight losing streak by facing Daniel Carey. Pico got a well-timed double leg takedown a minute into the fight. He threw some elbows from half guard. Pico kept in control on the ground with ground and pound until the final few seconds of the round.

In the opening seconds of the second round, Pico landed a left hook which knocked Carey out cold. Getting back into the winning column, Aaron Pico put on a highlight-reel knockout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Pico 10
Carey 9

Bout 7: Brandon Bender (12-1) vs. Joshua Jones (9-5) (Catchweight 160 lbs)

The final preliminary fight was a catchweight fight between Brandon Bender and Joshua Jones. Jones came flying at Bender with a flying knee at the start, although it did not connect. Jones caught a kick and countered with one of his own in the second minute. Bender scored a right hook that made Jones grin. Slipping while coming forward, Bender pulled guard on the ground. Bender got on Jones’ back. A cut below Jones’ left eye started to bleed. Jones started to stand up, although Bender started to squeeze for a rear naked choke. Bender landed on his back on the ground. Jones did ground and pound from top position. Bender almost got a heel hook in as the round ended.

Jones got a double leg takedown in the first minute of the second round. Bender was able to flip over into top position halfway through the round. Bender was quick to flip the position back over. Jones started with ground and pound more in the final minute of the round.

They went into a clinch at the start of the third round. Both fighters were clearly tired in the final round. Bender had some good punches coming forward. Jones got the fight to the ground with just over half the round left. After the fight ended, Jones told the broadcast that wrestling is better than jiu-jitsu. When going to decision, Joshua Jones added his win count to double digits (30-26, 30-27 & 29-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bender 10 9 9 28
Jones 9 10 10 29

Bout 8: Ava Knight (1-0) vs. Emilee King (3-3) (Strawweight)

Former boxer Ava Knight had her second pro MMA fight to kick off the main card, fighting Emilee King. Knight opened with hard punches. King brought the fight to the ground, pulling guard. King put in a guillotine choke, which had Knight in trouble quickly. She popped out of the choke, with King trying for an armbar next. That didn’t work either, with Knight taking top position. King was able to get on Knight’s back, slipping in a rear naked choke, flattening Knight out. She kept with the choke until Knight went cold, ending the fight. In her Bellator debut, Emilee King made headlines about her, stopping Ava Knight within one round.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Knight
King

Bout 9: Raymond Daniels (1-1) vs. Jason King (8-5) (Welterweight)

After his wife won in the last fight, Jason King fought kickboxer Raymond Daniels. Daniels landed a side kick to the body at the start which dropped King. He got back up and they continued. They traded knees in the clinch, although a pause came after King was hit in the groin. Daniels landed a two-punch combination in the second minute which dropped King. Daniels waited for King to get back up. He dropped King again, this time right a left hook. King fell again, seeming tired and hurt. King shot for a takedown, trying for a leg lock. Daniels went to ground and pound from top position, landing punches until the referee stepped in. Showcasing his brutal striking skills yet again, Raymond Daniels stopped Jason King in a round.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Daniels
King

Bout 10: Sergio Pettis (18-5) vs. Alfred Khashakyan (11-4) (Bantamweight)

Before the next fight, Ryan Bader versus Vadim Nemkov for the Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship was announced for May 9th at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, USA. The next matchup saw former UFC fighter Sergio Pettis have his first Bellator fight, facing Alfred Khashakyan. Pettis landed a good counter-right in the first minute. Halfway through the round, Pettis landed a punch that dropped Khashakyan. He landed many more punches before putting in a guillotine choke that put Khashakyan out cold. In what could only be described as a brutal debut, Sergio Pettis added another win to his pro record.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Pettis
Khashakyan

Bout 11: Henry Corrales (17-4) vs. Juan Archuleta (23-2) (Featherweights)

After failing to dethrone Patricio Pitbull, Juan Archuleta returns to fight Henry Corrales. The first minute of the fight was somewhat inactive striking. As the round continued on, they both started to throw more punches but nobody connected cleanly with much. The crowd became a little restless near the end of the round. Archuleta shot for the takedown in the final seconds of the first round.

Archuleta was on the outside of the cage for most of the second round, coming in for combinations. Archuleta avoided punches and grabbed Corrales for a takedown with two minutes left. They got back up moments after. Corrales got a takedown in the last 10 seconds of the fight, starting ground and pound but not getting started until the round ended.

Corrales landed a good right hook in the second minute of the final round which clearly hurt Archuleta. He did not get to follow up with much more. The crowd started to boo again with a minute left in the fight. They had a good exchange of punches as the fight ended. Archuleta got on the cage and flipped off the disapproving crowd after the bell. When going to the scorecard, Juan Archuleta got the unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Corrales 10 10 9
Archuleta 9 9 10

Bout 12: Darrion Caldwell (13-3) vs. Adam Borics (14-0) (Featherweight Grand Prix Quarter-Final)

The co-main event of the evening saw a quarter-final fight in the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix between Darrion Caldwell and undefeated Adam Borics. Caldwell got a takedown a minute into the fight. Borics went to the cage and tried to get up. While they were on their knees, Caldwell got on the back of Borics. Caldwell put in a rear naked choke eventually which made Borics tap out quickly. Ending the undefeated record of Borics and advancing to the semi-finals, Darrion Caldwell made quick work of this fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Caldwell
Borics

Bout 13: Julia Budd (13-2) vs. Cris Cyborg (21-2) (Bellator Featherweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Cris Cyborg made her Bellator debut, challenging for Julia Budd’s Bellator Featherweight Championship. Cyborg landed body punches early on. They went into a clinch in the first minute. Budd had Cyborg against the cage. They separated after Cyborg threw a knee to the head and a punch. Cyborg got a takedown in the second minute, with Budd getting up moments after still in the clinch. Cyborg landed lots of knees to the body in the clinch. They went back to striking with two minutes left. Cyborg slipped while throwing a kick, allowing Budd to take top position on the ground. Budd went into side control after avoiding an armbar. She switched to north-south. Budd was holding Cyborg by the head and landed a knee strike, which made the referee step in as it was a grounded knee. They resumed in stand-up. Cyborg dropped Budd with a punch, then took top position on the ground. Cyborg got some hammerfist strikes in as the round ended.

Cyborg caught a leg and dumped Budd at the start of the second round. Cyborg threw punches to Budd when she got up, then held her against the cage. They switched between stand-up striking and clinch work over and over. Budd landed a good elbow when they went back to stand-up. Budd seemingly was doing better in stand-up in this round. Cyborg scored good knees in the clinch. Budd shot for a takedown in the closing seconds of the round, but did not get it and ate a knee to the head for her troubles.

Just like in the rounds before, they went into a clinch very quickly. They went back to stand-up around halfway through the round. Cyborg got a takedown with two minutes left. Cyborg got up while Budd was still grounded. After avoiding some upkicks, Cyborg got back to the ground in side control. Cyborg got in full mount and did fast ground and pound for the final few seconds of the round.

In the fourth round, Cyborg started to throw strikes like crazy. Mixing together strikes to the head and body, Cyborg dropped Budd to win the fight. After three dominant rounds, Cris Cyborg turned up the intensity in the fourth round to become the new Bellator Featherweight Champion.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Budd 9 9 9
Cyborg 10 10 10

Bout 14: Ricardo Seixas (8-2) vs. Dominic Clark (14-9) (Lightweight)

After the main event, there was two postlim fights. The first of the two was between Ricardo Seixas and Dominic Clark. Seixas landed a front kick which dropped Clark in the first minute. After a few more strikes on the ground, the referee stepped in to end the fight. Ending his two-fight losing streak, Ricardo Seixas stopped Dominic Clark in quick time with a rare front kick.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Seixas
Clark

Bout 15: Tony Bartovich (0-0) vs. Jarett Conner (0-0) (Featherweight)

 

The final fight of the evening was between debuting fighters Tony Bartovich and Jarett Conner. While Bartovich kept trying for clinches, Conner was throwing more strikes. Conner came in for a clinch, but Bartovich got a takedown from it. They stood back up still in the clinch. When they separated, Bartovich put together a combo of punches that connected. He shot for another takedown, landing it after a little resistance. Bartovich kept on Conner for many minutes. They returned to striking for the final 10 seconds of the fight.

Bartovich shot for a takedown in the first minute of the second round, although Conner stopped it. Upon second attempt, Bartovich was successful. Conner got top position for the final minutes of the round.

The fighters went into a clinch as the final round started. Bartovich got a takedown in the second minute. They got up with under two minutes left in the round still in a clinch. Bartovich threw some strikes in the clinch. Conner left the clinch in the final minute and charged forward with punches. After getting hit by some punches, Bartovich shot for a takedown. Conner took top position on the ground as the fight ran out of time. All three judges were in agreement that Tony Bartovich won, earning his first victory as a pro (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bartovich 10 10 9
Conner 9 9 10

Bellator will return in February, with two events in one weekend, starting on the 21st with Bellator 239 and then Bellator Dublin on February 22nd.

Laying Down Leather #10: Bellator 238, RIZIN, and Special Announcement!

Good morning and welcome to another edition of Laying Down Leather, the casual blog post discussing my thoughts on events throughout the past week. There’s a lot to discuss this week so let’s jump in.

Before the MMA thoughts, I have a very special announcement. On February 3rd, I will launch my new MMA news site, Knockdown News! This will be my final week doing MMA coverage on JackWannan.com, with the coverage switching next week.

It feels like a new chapter to me. One where I can continue to do what I love and hopefully reach more people. Also, I have many new ideas for the site. Some I’ve already unveiled at KnockdownNews.com, and some will be rolled out in the coming months.

Anyway, no more about me…

MMA

I did not catch much MMA this week due to my work. But, I am slowly working through the week.

Cris Cyborg had a successful Bellator debut on Saturday, stopping Julia Budd in the fourth round. The fight was amazing to me as it was another example of the nonstop pace that Cyborg can work. To say it’s impressive is an understatement.

Read: Cris Cyborg Claims Bellator Featherweight Championship, Stopping Budd In Four Rounds

I’m happy that Darrion Caldwell advanced into the next round. It sucks to see Adam Borics take his first loss as a pro, but obviously, we will see him again. Caldwell versus McKee in the next round should be really fun. I wonder how long we’ll have to wait to see that. Hopefully enough time for me to decide who I think will win.

Read: Darrion Caldwell Advances In Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix With First Round Stoppage

Um, I think many expected Sergio Pettis to have a good debut in Bellator, but did many expect that? That was pretty, well, uh, brutal for his opponent.

Unrelated to Bellator, but I watched CES on Friday and quite enjoyed it. I have not followed CES closely in the past, but they put on some good fights and had a pretty good television product for a regional MMA promotion. I’ll check them out again soon.

Read the full coverage of CES 60

RIZIN announced many fights for RIZIN 21, and I have a few thoughts.

The elephant in the room is that it’s a weak card. And while this could change, it currently lacks any of the promotion’s major stars. This wasn’t a shocker to me since everyone just fought a month ago.

With that being said, I’m happy to see Roque Martinez and Kyle Aguon on the card. The representation of Guam in JMMA is such an interesting crossover.

What’s Ahead

This week I’ll have my late full scouting reports of UFC on ESPN+ 24 and Bellator 238 out on the site. Before switching over to Knockdown News on Monday, I’ll have live coverage of ONE Championship on Friday morning.

Laying Down Leather will continue as a Monday morning series on Knockdown News.

Have a great week!

 

CES 60 Full Coverage

Rhode Island-based MMA promotion CES started 2020 with a bang, stacking CES 60 with prospects and championship fights. Headlining the card was Matt Bissette and Charles Cheeks III fighting for the vacant CES Bantamweight Championship. The card also saw the flyweight and heavyweight belts on the line too.

Quick Results

Bout 1: Richie Santiago def. Giorgi Kudukhashvili via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:15)

Bout 2: William Knight def. Rocky Edwards via KO, Punch (RD 3, 2:56)

Bout 3: Ashiek Ajim def. Andres Rodriguez via TKO, Punches (RD 3, 3:14)

Bout 4: Blaine Shutt def. Johnny Lopez via Decision, Split (CES Flyweight Championship)

Bout 5: John Gotti III def. Marcos Lloreda via Decision, Unanimous

Bout 6: Greg Rebello def. Jordan Mitchell via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 1:07) (CES Heavyweight Championship)

Bout 7: Matt Bessette def. Charles Cheeks III via KO, Punch (RD 3, 4:01) (CES Featherweight Championship)

Full Coverage

Bout 1: Richie Santiago (7-2) vs. Giorgi Kudukhashvili (5-3) (Bantamweight)

After an unsuccessful fight on Dana White’s Contender Series, Richie Santiago returned to CES to face Giorgi Kudukhashvili. Kudukhashvili put Santiago against the cage in a clinch in the first minute after some close striking. He eventually got a takedown, although Santiago was quick to get back up into the clinch again. Kudukhashvili landed a slam to put Santiago back down, though they got back up again soon. Kudukhashvili landed a knee to the head with a minute left in the round which seemingly dropped Santiago. They went back to the feet with under a minute left. A left hook rocked Santiago, shooting for a takedown. Kudukashvili threw Santiago for a takedown, getting on his back and throwing some punches. Santiago had a great scramble, getting top position and throwing a few punches before the round ended.

Santiago slipped because of a kick at the start of the second round, going to the ground because of it. Kudukashvili kept ahold of Santiago, throwing him back down when they got back up. Santiago took top position and started to throw tons of strikes. He started to throw elbows, eventually doing enough for the referee to step in and end it. Getting out of a tough first round, Richie Santiago got his first win via strikes.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Santiago 9
Kudukhashvili 10

Bout 2: William Knight (6-1) vs. Rocky Edwards (12-9-1) (Light Heavyweight)

William Knight, who is a Dana White’s Contender Series “development fighter,” fought Rocky Edwards in this next fight. Knight was coming off a loss from CFFC in November, being stopped within a round by Tafon Nchukwi. Knight landed a loud kick to the body in the opening seconds. They went into a clinch and eventually went to the ground, with Knight getting top position. He landed shots to the body while in half guard. They got back up with just over two minutes left in the round. Knight got another takedown, but had to defend a kimura attempt that Edwards was trying for on bottom position. Edwards swept Knight, flipping the position. Knight flipped it back around before the round ended.

Knight let some strikes go to start the second round. He got some more in when they got into a clinch. Edwards got on Knight’s back on the ground. They were in a bit of a stalemate, as Knight had a hold of one of Edwards’ arms. They stayed in that position basically for the rest of the round.

Knight was throwing lots of kicks to start the final round. With two minutes left in the round, Knight landed a left jab and an overhand right that dropped Edwards. The referee was quick to step in and end the fight. Bouncing back from his first loss as a pro, William Knight has still yet to go to the judges as a pro.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Knight 10 9
Edwards 9 10

Bout 3: Ashiek Ajim (2-0) vs. Andres Rodriguez (4-0) (Bantamweight)

In the next fight, undefeated bantamweights Ashiek Ajim and Andres Rodriguez battled. Both fighters were showing quick hands at the start. Rodriguez was hit with a leg kick which made him stumble. Ajim connected with a good few strikes, but then fell while throwing a kick, and got hit with a punch while getting back up. They went into a clinch, separating eventually. Ajim was the better striker for the rest of the round.

In the first minute of the second round, a pause came as Ajim was poked in the eye. When they resumed, both fighters were landing good punches. Ajim shot for a takedown after more than a minute of stand-up. Rodriguez did a good job stopping it and bringing the fight back to striking. He landed a takedown with a minute left in the round. They got back to their feet shortly after.

Ajim was the better striker in the third round, landing some shots which were clearly hurting Rodriguez. They went into a clinch after Rodriguez was hit with many punches up against the cage. Ajim landed a left hook and right straight which dropped Rodriguez for a walk-ff knockout win. Advancing his undefeated record to 3-0, Ashiek Ajim showcased his powerful striking.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Ajim 10 10
Rodriguez 9 9

 

Bout 4: Johnny Lopez (12-4) vs. Blaine Shutt (7-4) (CES Flyweight Championship)

In the first of three championship fights of the evening, CES crowned their flyweight champion. Competing for the vacant crown was Johnny Lopez and Blaine Shutt. They went into a clinch against the cage in the first minute. Shutt got the throw takedown, although Lopez stod back up. After battling for a long time against the cage, they finally separated with just over a minute left in the round. Lopez tried again for a takedown before the round ended.

There were two minutes of inactive striking in the second round before Shutt went into another clinch. Shutt got on Lopez’s back in the final moments, trying for a leg hold before the round ended.

After Shutt landed a decent few strikes, Lopez put them in a clinch yet again. Very slow-paced fight. Lopez threw some elbows to the head while Shutt had him against the cage. They returned to stand-up for only 30 seconds with a minute left. Shutt got Lopez to his knees in a takedown attempt but didn’t finish it before the round ended.

Shutt had Lopez against the cage for a large portion of the fourth round. Shutt climbed on his back for a moment. When they went to the ground, Lopez was the one in top position.

At the start of the fifth round, Shutt put Lopez to the cage. Lopez got some good strikes in before they returned to stand-up. Lopez came in with a few punches before shooting for a takedown. They went to the ground where Shutt had a hold of one of Lopez’s arms. Shutt tried for a banana split, with Lopez escaping the position by starting to throw strikes. From one rare submission to another, Shutt then tried for a twister. He couldn’t fully lock it in. Shutt landed some knees in the clinch before the fight ended. Being the first main card fight to go the distance, Blaine Shutt became the CES Flyweight Champion in what was quite differentiating scorecards (50-44 Shutt, 50-45 Lopez & 49-46 Shutt).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Lopez 9 9 9 9 9 45
Shutt 10 10 10 10 10 50

Bout 5: John Gotti III (4-0) vs. Marcos Lloreda (5-7) (Welterweight)

Before the final two title fights, undefeated John Gotti III fought Marcos Lloreda. The crowd was quite behind Gotti, even booing Lloreda when he was introduced. Lloreda was landing good leg kicks early on. A pause came in the first round as Gotti was hit low by accident. Gotti punch combinations which had Lloreda retreating. Llorda got a takedown, getting on Gotti’s back. Gotti eventually spun out of the position, taking top position on the ground. The crowd was chanting Gotti’s name at this point. Gotti landed some good hammerfist strikes in top position.

Gotti shot for a takedown in the first minute of the second round. He was not successful, getting hit with some strikes when he got back up. Damage from previous leg kicks started to show on Gotti’s legs. Lloreda came in for a flying knee, but Gotti caught him and slam him to the ground. Gotti got on Lloreda’s back with a minute and a half to go in the round. Gotti stayed in control on the ground until the round ended.

At the start of the final round, Gotti shot for a takedown. Lloreda tried for a submission from bottom position. Gotti got on Lloreda’s back. Lloreda spun around and took full mount. Gotti turned around, letting Lloreda take his back. Lloreda tried for an armbar, but never really secured it. Gotti found himself in scary positions many times on the ground. When they got back up, Gotti threw Lloreda back down and got on his back. The fight went all fifteen minutes with John Gotti III earning a unanimous decision victory, extending his undefeated record to five (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Gotti 10 10 9 29
Lloreda 9 9 10 28

Bout 6: Greg Rebello (25-9) vs. Jordan Mitchell (8-13) (CES Heavyweight Championship)

In the co-main event, Greg Rebello defending his CES Heavyweight Championship against Jordan Mitchell. The challenger, Mitchell, went into this fight with a negative record and had lost in his last fight before. Rebello put Mitchell up against the cage for a little before landing a takedown. Rebello tried for a kimura from side control, although Mitchell was able to prevent it. Rebello landed lots of short punches to Mitchell’s head from side position. On Mitchell’s back, Rebello threw even more punches. Numerous unanswered strikes happened, knocking Mitchell’s mouthpiece out at some point. It arguably could have been stopped, although the fight did continue to the second round.

A doctor checked Mitchell out before the second round started. Mitchell charged forward at the start, going into a clinch. They separated, with Mitchell eating some shots while cornered. They took turns throwing lots of punches. Mitchell got a takedown, returning to the ground and pound that he had success with in the round before. He kept with the punches until the referee stepped in and ended it. After the fight, Rebello announced that this fight would be his last. Ending his career on his own terms, Greg Rebello retained his Heavyweight belt and put a stop to Jordan Mitchell in the second round.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Rebello 10
Mitchell 8

Bout 7: Matt Bessette (23-9) vs. Charles Cheeks III (14-7) (CES Featherweight Championship)

 

Finishing the trio of championship fights, Matt Bessette and Charles Cheeks III fought for the vacant CES Featherweight Championship. Right off the bat in the fight they went into a clinch. Cheeks brought it to the ground with a trip takedown. He tried for a head and arm choke from side position. Cheeks hopped on Bessette’s back, trying for a rear naked choke. When they got back up, Bessette landed a few punches. They went back into a clinch again, where Cheeks landed a few punches to the body. They separated with under a minute left. Bessette scored with an uppercut. Cheeks caught a kick, taking Bessette to the ground.

Bessette tried for a flying knee as the first round started. Cheeks got a takedown. They got back up in a clinch as the round as closing out.

Cheeks held onto Bessette for a clinch after he was hit by a combo of punches. Bessette got a guillotine, bringing Cheeks to the ground in the second minute of the third round. Cheeks got out of the choke, and they stood back up shortly after. Cheeks was the one landing punches when they first got up. He tried for a takedown that Bessette denied. With just over a minute left in the fight, Bessette landed a right hand which knocked Cheeks out cold. After a close few rounds, Matt Bessette won back the CES Featherweight Championship with a hard walk-off knockout. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Bessette 9 9
Cheeks 10 10

Cris Cyborg Claims Bellator Featherweight Championship, Stopping Budd In Four Rounds

Cris Cyborg stopped Julia Budd in the fourth round with strikes, becoming the new Bellator Featherweight Champion at Bellator 238, from The Forum in Inglewood, California, USA.

After three dominant rounds, Cyborg upped the intensity at the start of the fourth round, scoring head and body strikes which overwhelmed Budd. After Budd was dropped by strikes, referee Mike Beltran stepped in to end the fight.

The fight was the Bellator debut for the Brazilian fighter.

Cyborg fought in the UFC from 2016 to 2019, being the UFC Featherweight Champion for four fights, losing her belt to Amanda Nunes in late 2018.

Coincidentally, her loss to Nunes also came at the venue of Saturday’s Bellator event.

“This is new era. I am very happy to be Bellator champion,” said Cyborg after the fight.

Budd had defended her Bellator Featherweight Championship three times before losing it on Saturday.

“I’m so disappointed … It’s hard,” reflected Budd after the fight.

In the co-main event of the show, Darrion Caldwell stopped Adam Borics within a round, advancing to the semi-finals of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix.

Bellator returns with a back-to-back weekend of events on February 21st and 22nd.

Darrion Caldwell Advances In Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix With First Round Stoppage

Darrion Caldwell advanced to the semi-finals of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix on Saturday, making Adam Borics tap out in the first round at Bellator 238 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, USA.

The win for Caldwell advanced him to 14-3 as a pro, ending the undefeated record of Borics.

Caldwell earned a takedown after a minute of stand-up. He got on Borics’ back and put in a rear naked choke, which made Borics tap out quickly.

With this win, Caldwell will fight AJ McKee in the semi-finals of the tournament. The other side of the bracket is still yet to be determined, with Patricio Pitbull vs. Pedro Carvalho and Daniel Weichel vs. Emmanuel Sanchez set for March 13th.

Caldwell’s last win prior to this fight was over Henry Corrales, going to decision after three rounds. In the fight before that, Caldwell lost to Kyoji Horiguchi, losing his Bellator Bantamweight Championship.

The main event of Bellator 238 was Cris Cyborg challenging Julia Budd for the Bellator Featherweight Championship.