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.

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.

Bellator 238: Budd vs. Cyborg Preview

Bellator will kick off it’s 2020 schedule on Saturday with the promotion debut of Cris Cyborg. Fighting for the first time outside of the UFC since 2016, she will challenge for Julio Budd’s Featherweight Championship in a five-round fight. The stacked card features many returning Bellator names, many other former-UFC fighters debuting and the continuation of the Featherweight Grand Prix. In the promotion’s return to The Forum in Inglewood, California, USA, this is Bellator 238.

Click here to jump to the main card.

Prelims

Bout 1: Tony Bartovich (0-0) vs. Jarett Conner (0-0) (Featherweight)

The preliminary portion of the card features a matchup between two debuting featherweights. Conner had a 2-4 record in amateur MMA, with Bartovich going 2-1. It’s worth noting that some of the preliminary fights could be bumped to the postlim spot, depending on how they go about scheduling the card.

Bout 2: Miguel Jacob (3-0) vs. David Pacheco (1-0) (Welterweight)

Undefeated welterweights Miguel Jacob and David Pacheco will be put against each other in the next prelim fight. Pacheco’s pro debut was in Bellator nearly a year ago, stopping Jorge Juarez. Jacob will be making his Bellator debut, picking up all three of his previous wins in the regional MMA promotion Fight Club OC.

Bout 3: Anthony Taylor (6-5) vs. Chris Avila (7-8) (Lightweight)

Anthony Taylor will see his return to Bellator this weekend, after fighting elsewhere for seven fights. Taylor made his debut in Bellator, going on a 1-3 run before going to other promotions. All three losses came via rear naked choke, with notable losses over James Gallagher and Adam Borics (who fights later on this card). He has since fought in high-level regionals like BAMMA and Combate Americas, currently riding a four-fight winning streak. His opponent, Chris Avila, will try to break even on his MMA record with this fight. He is 1-1 in Bellator, most recently losing to Brandon Faumui in April.

Bout 4: Brandon Bender (12-1) vs. Joshua Jones (9-5) (Featherweight)

After disappearing from the MMA scene for nearly six years, Brandon Bender will make his return against Joshua Jones on this undercard. Bender has an impressive 12-1 record, with his most recent (if you want to say recent) fight being a win over Mario Navarro at Bellator 116 in 2014, bouncing back from his sole loss. Around the same time, Jones debuted as a pro. He is 2-2 in his Bellator career so far, having two fights outside of the promotion within that timespan.

Bout 5: Curtis Millender (17-5) vs. Moses Murrietta (8-3) (Catchweight 175 lbs.)

Similar to Cris Cyborg’s fight, Curtis Millender will be having his first fight after his UFC run. Millender’s UFC career ended at 3-2, after losing to Belal Muhammad in April. He faces Moses Murrietta, who will also be debuting in Bellator. Murrietta has fought in LFA recently, although his last two fights were losses, including a 24 second stoppage.

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

California-based Bellator fighters AJ Agazarm and Adel Altamimi are booked against eachother for the next preliminary matchup. Agazarm has had his short pro career fully in Bellator, going 2-1. Altamimi made his Bellator debut in 2019, defeating Brandon McMahan with an armbar. He recently lost a scorecard battle against Salim Mukhidinov, and will attempt to bounce back from that loss on Saturday.

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

In 2018, Aaron Pico was known as one of Bellator’s biggest rising stars. However, back-to-back losses in 2019 have made people skeptical if Pico was actually worth what he was made out to be. He will be put against Daniel Carey on Saturday, with a loss extending the longest losing streak of his short career. All of Pico’s fights, win or loss, have all ended via stoppage. His last two losses came to Henry Corales and Adam Borics. Carey is 3-2, recently winning over Gaston Bolanos in September with a guillotine choke.

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

Also on the preliminary card, Cali fighters Ricardo Seixas Filho and Dominic Clark will battle. Both are coming off of losses, with Clark’s in Bellator against Joshua Jones. Filho’s last two fights were losses in LFA in 2018.

Bout 9: Jay Jay Wilson (4-0) vs. Mario Navarro (4-5) (Featherweight)

Undefeated Bellator fighter Jay Jay Wilson will bring Mario Navarro back to the cage in the next fight. Wilson had an explosive 2019, getting three wins, two of them in Bellator. Navarro has fought in Bellator before, but his last match was over three years ago, being a loss to Chinzo Machida.

Main Card

Bout 10: Ava Knight (1-0) vs. Emilee Gettys (3-3) (Strawweight)

The main card begins with former boxer Ava Knight had a successful MMA debut three months ago, stopping Shannon Goughardy with body strikes on a Bellator card. In her second match, Knight will be paired against Emilee Gettys. Knight has a 19-2-5 record as a professional boxer, with her career spanning from 2007 to 2019. Gettys is on a three-fight winning streak, taking her career from a 0-3 record to an even record. The fight will be the debut of Gettys in Bellator.

Bout 11: Raymond Daniels (1-1) vs. Jason King (8-5) (Welterweight)

Experienced kickboxer Raymond Daniels will return to MMA in a fight with Jason King on the main card. Daniels has 35-3 kickboxing record, fighting in Bellator Kickboxing and GLORY in the past few years. His most recent MMA fight was a knockout of Wilker Barros with a flash right hook which made the rounds online. King is seemingly a good matchup for Daniels, having most of his wins and losses from striking battles. King has fought quite a bit in Valor FC, getting a first-round stoppage over Brian Jackson in November.

Bout 12: Juan Archuleta (23-2) vs. Henry Corrales (17-4) (Featherweight)

The next main card fight sees two eliminated fighters from the featherweight grand prix fight. Juan Archuleta, who lost to Patricio Pitbull, will fight Henry Corrales, who lost to Darrion Caldwell. The loss for Archuleta broke his impressive 18-fight winning streak. Corrales was riding a five-fight streak, not being favoured on the scorecards when fighting Caldwell.

Bout 13: Sergio Pettis (18-5) vs. Alfred Khashakyan (11-4) (Bantamweight)

As part of the trio of debuting former-UFC fighters on this card, Sergio Pettis will fight Alfre Khashakyan. Pettis fought in UFC 14 times, going back to 2013. While not having fought in the UFC in the past, Khashakyan will also be making his Bellator. In 2019, he on three in a row in 2019 in newly formed regional promotion LXF. Khashakyan’s most well-known fight is a loss to Sean O’Malley, on the series premiere episode of Dana White’s Contender Series.

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

The co-main event of the evening sees Darrion Caldwell and Adam Borics battle in the quarter-finals of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix. Borics debuted in Bellator in 2017, going 5-0 since then, all via stoppage. He stopped Pat Curran with ground and pound in September to advance through the first round of the tournament. Caldwell’s round-of-16 win over Henry Corrales was his first win in a year, losing twice to Kyoji Horiguchi before. The second of the two losses saw Caldwell lose his Bellator Bantamweight Championship. Caldwell has fought all but three of his pro bouts in Bellator (including a fight in RIZIN which was co-promoted by Bellator).

Bout 15: Julia Budd (13-2) vs. Cris Cyborg (21-2) (Bellator Featherweight Championship)

The main event of the evening will is Cris Cyborg taking a shot at the Bellator Featherweight Championship against the current champion Julia Budd. Cyborg’s last UFC fight was a win over Canadian prospect Felicia Spencer. Before that, she lost her UFC Featherweight Championship to Amanda Nunes in under a minute via strikes. The matchup was one which many argued deserved a rematch, but was not made as Cyborg’s departure from the UFC was one that was not on good terms.

Budd has been the promotion’s featherweight champ since 2017, capturing the belt by defeating Marloes Coenen. Since then she has made three defences, most recently against Olga Rubin. Budd’s two career losses come to the prolific Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey, although those losses were in 2011. Vegas currently has Cyborg as a heavy favourite, sitting at -450 currently.

Bellator’s next event after this one will be on February 21st, presenting Bellator 239 from the Winstar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, USA. Headlining the card currently is Ed Rush and Yaroslav Amosov.

Bellator 226: Bader vs. Kongo Full Report

It worked out perfect for MMA fans on Saturday, as Bellator 226 started just after the UFC 242 PPV had wrapped up. Broadcasted in full on DAZN, the card featured 20 bouts including the main event, featuring Ryan “Darth” Bader and Cheick Kongo. Bader attempted to defend his Bellator Heavyweight Championship in that fight. The show included some of the Featherweight Grand Prix first round fights, and it had mansy bouts with young MMA prospects in action. Live from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, USA, let’s look at how Bellator 226 went down.

Bout 1: Luis Vargas (2-3) vs. Chris Gonzalez (2-0) (Lightweight)

Starting off the evening was a battle between a fighter who was undefeated and a fighter who aimed to even his record. While eating punches, Gonzalez landed a takedown right off the bat. Gonzalez stayed in top position for quite some time, landing an elbow which cut Vargas open. Vargas was able to take top position for a moment before they stood back up. Gonzalez landed another takedown before the round ended. Gonzalez was able to put Vargas on the ground in the second round and land more strikes. Vargas actually had control earlier in the round, but it was less relevant. Gonzalez tried for a rear naked choke in the final round but couldn’t secure it. Vargas got in top position with a minute left and started to land shots in hopes to make an impact. After clinching up, they traded blows in the final moments. Gonzalez landed one last takedown before the fight ended. All three judges gave the fight to Chris Gonzalez (30-27, 30-26 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighting	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Vargas	9	9	9	27
Gonzalez	10	10	10	30

Bout 2: Hyder Amil (3-0) vs. Ignacio Ortiz (2-0-1) (Featherweight)

The second fight saw two undefeated athletes face off. Both fighters got busy with punches only seconds into the fight. Amil was landing combinations of strikes, including knees to the stomach. Amil landed a takedown in the second minute. He got off some ground and pound in the position before they stood up for the last minute. Early in the second round, Ortiz secured a takedown but had the position turned over by Amil eventually. They stood up later, with Amil getting another takedown, although they got up right after. In a fatigued final round, both fighters had their moments. Amil scored a couple of takedowns in the round. Ortiz tried for a kimura but couldn’t secure it. Another takedown was landed before the fight concluded. When going to decision, Hyder Amil extended his winning streak to four in a row after a split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28)

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Amil	10	10	10	30
Ortiz	9	9	9	27

Bout 3: Abraham Vaesau (5-2) vs. Renato Valente Alves (5-4) (Catchweight 178 lbs)

In the first catchweight bout of the evening, Abraham Vaesau faced Renato Valente Alves. Alves was making his Bellator debut in this fight, while Vaesau was riding a two fight winning streak within the promotion. The first round had stand-up trades spaced out between five minutes. The second round was quite similar. While both of the rounds were slow paced, it was Alves who was landing the more important shots. Early in the third round, Vaesau was landing tons of kicks. Alves scored a takedown with two minutes left in the fight. He put in a rear naked choke which eventually got the victory due to it. Despite the new scenery of being in Bellator, some things never change for Renato Valente Alves who got his fourth career rear naked choke win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Vaesau	9	9
Alves	10	10

Bout 4: James Terry (20-10) vs. Batsumberel Dagvadorj (5-0) (Welterweight)

The next fight saw the more experienced James Terry face a flawless Batsumberel Dagvadorj. Terry chased a single leg takedown after a minute of stand-up but had it successfully defended. Halfway through the round, Dagvadorj landed a left which dropped Terry. After some grounded strikes, Dagvadorj put in a bulldog choke which made Terry tap out. Batsumberel Dagvadorj had an impactful Bellator debut, beating promotional veteran via submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Terry
Dagvadorj

Bout 5: Cass Bell (3-0) vs. Isaiah Rocha (3-0) (Bantamweight)

Two undefeated bantamweights in Cass Bell and Isaiah Rocha faced off. Similar to the fight on the card before, Bell dropped Rocha with a left and then put in a choke, this time a guillotine choke to get the win. Rocha went out cold in the choke. All via finish, Cass Bell extended his record to 4-0.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bell
Rocha

Bout 6: Amber Leibrock (3-3) vs. Jessica Borga (2-2) (Featherweight)

In the first (and only) female fight of the evening, Amber Leibrock faced Jessica Borga. Leibrock had a clear height advantage. Borga tried for a takedown early on but was stopped, staying clinched against the cage. With a minute and a half left in the first, they went back to stand-up. Leibrock landed some good punches. Borga got a takedown, throwing punches before putting in an armbar that made Leibrock tap out. Making her Bellator debut, Jessica Borga earned her first professional MMA submission victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Leibrock
Borga

Bout 7: Adam Piccolotti (11-3) vs. Jake Smith (7-2) (Lightweight)

Lightweights were up next, as American Top Team’s Jake Smith faced Adam Piccolotti. Both fighters had very sharp striking, having their moments. Piccolotti got a takedown halfway through the first round. In the second round, Piccolotti got a takedown. He took the back of Smith and put in a rear naked choke to win the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Piccolotti	10
Smith	9

Bout 8: John Macapa (22-4-2) vs. Ashleigh Grimshaw (20-10-1) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card, two experienced featherweights in John Macapa and Ashleigh Grimshaw competed. The first round had explosive striking, with Macapa landing lots of hard combinations. Grimshaw developed a big cut above his left eye. Macapa had even more highlights in stand-up in the second round. After scoring a takedown, Macapa focused on ground and pound from top position. With many more cuts on his face, the doctor decided to stop the fight in-between rounds, giving a win to John Macapa.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Macapa	10	10
Grimshaw	9	8

Bout 9: Gaston Bolanos (5-1) vs. Daniel Carey (6-3) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card was the first of many featherweight fights. In this bout, Gaston Bolanos faced Daniel Carey. In stand-up, it was Bolanos who was doing most of the work. Carey jumped in for a guillotine during the stand-up, bringing the fight to the ground. He kept the guillotine in until the referee stopped the fight, as Bolanos went out cold. While Daniel Carey was not a part of the featherweight grand prix, he made a good case to be in the next one with his victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bolanos
Carey

Bout 10: Emmanuel Sanchez (18-4) vs. Tywan Claxton (5-0) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The first of four featherweight grand prix matches were up next. The undefeated Tywan Claxton faced the experienced Emmanuel Sanchez. Claxton earned a takedown early in the fight. They got back up shortly after with both fighters landing some decent punches. Claxton got another takedown, and while he didn’t do much he stayed in the dominant position on the ground. They got up with a minute left in the round. Sanchez got a takedown in the final moments, doing ground and pound to a seemingly defenseless Claxton. Claxton got a takedown halfway through the second round. In bottom position, Sanchez put in a triangle choke which Claxton endured for some time before tapping out. Emmanuel Sanchez became the first one to hand Tywan Claxton a loss, and advanced to the next round of the featherweight GP.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Overtime	Total
Sanchez	10
Claxton	9

Bout 11: Sam Sicilia (17-9) vs. Pedro Carvalho (10-3) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The second of four Featherweight Grand Prix fights on the card was Sam Sicilia versus Pedro Carvalho. Sicilia got a takedown in the first minute of the bout. When they stood back up, Sicilia landed some shots against the cage. He went for a second takedown halfway through the round. Carvalho got in top position. As the round was nearing it’s finish, Carvalho tried for a choke but couldn’t get it. Both fighters traded clean punches early in the second round. Carvalho reversed a takedown and took the back of Sicilia. Carvalho put in a rear naked choke which made Sicilia tap out quickly. 24-year-old Pedro Carvalho advanced into the second round of the Grand Prix via submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Overtime	Total
Sicilia	10
Carvalho	9

Bout 12: Pat Curran (23-8) vs. Adam Borics (13-0) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

Before the next fight, Cris “Cyborg” Justino did an interview in the octagon, discussing her newly signed contract with Bellator. The third Featherweight Grand Prix fight saw undefeated Adam Boris faced Pat Curran. The first round included pretty even striking. Early in the second round the crowd started to boo. With a minute left in the second round, Boris landed a knee which dropped Curran. Boris landed hammerfist strikes on the ground, finally finishing the fight in the final seconds of the fight. Continuing his undefeated career, Adam Boris will be seen again in the next round of the Featherweight Grand Prix.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Overtime	Total
Curran	9
Borics	10

Bout 13: Daniel Straus (26-8) vs. Derek Campos (19-9) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The final fight of the evening from the Featherweight Grand Prix was Daniel Straus versus Derek Campos. The fight went to the ground early after Straus slipped from throwing a kick. Campos was in half guard in top position for quite some time, attempting a head and arm choke at one point. Campos got another takedown in the first minute of the second round. The rest of the round was seemingly identical to the one before. On the ground in the final round, Campos really started to apply pressure with a choke. Straus was able to endure it somehow, despite how tight the choke became. Campos had a flurry of strikes on a helpless Straus until the fight came to a close. Going to the judges, all three had Derek Campos advancing to the next round (30-26, 30-25 & 30-25). The next four Featherweight World Grand Prix matchups will take place on September 28th.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Overtime	Total
Straus	9	9	9		27
Campos	10	10	10		30

The main event of the evening was Ryan Bader attempting to defend his Bellator Heavyweight Championship about Cheick Kongo. Bader was on a seven-fight winning streak, and Kongo went into this fight after eight-straight wins. Bader was working a jab early in the fight. Kongo shot for two takedowns but Bader stopped both of them. Bader scored a takedown in the second minute of the fight. Bader was smothering Kongo on the ground. With a minute or so left in the round, referee Mike Beltran paused the fight due to an eye poke. A doctor came into the cage to check on Kongo and ruled that he couldn’t compete. Due to it being an accidental poke, the fight was ruled a no contest. After Bader’s interview, he got into an altercation with Rampage Jackson. It didn’t look like there was any actual physical exchange between the two, as numerous people were there to separate them.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Bader
Kongo

Bout 15: Cornelius Savage (0-0) vs. Evan Gubera (0-1) (Middleweight)

For those who weren’t satisfied with the main event, Bellator had some postlims to showcase. The first of six fights was a pro debut for Cornelius Savage, facing Evan Gubera who aimed to get his first pro victory. The way Savage moved in the cage was very stiff, but not due to an injury or anything like that. Savage got a double leg takedown in the third minute. In the final minute of the round he got a single leg takedown too. The second round was a pretty slow one, with both fighters having their moments in stand-up. In the final round, Savage seemed to be the more fatigued fighter. Gubera tried for a triangle choke and an armbar in the final moments of the fight but failed to get Savage to tap out. The scorecards were split, but two of the three gave that fight to Cornelius Savage (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). After the fight the crowd voices their displeasure, as did Mauro Ranallo and John McCarthy on the English commentary.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Savage	10	10	9	29
Gubera	9	9	10	28

Bout 16: Daniel Gonzalez (2-2) vs. Jon Adams (0-0-1) (Flyweight)

Flyweights took the octagon next, as Daniel Gonzalez and the winless Jon Adams faced off. The first round was pretty fast paced between the two, with both of them staying in stand-up throughout. In the second round it was Gonzalez who was the aggressor. He landed a knee at the end of the round which dropped Adams. The referee stepped in eventually to give Daniel Gonzalez his second Bellator win, leaving Adams winless.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gonzalez	10
Adams	9

Bout 17: Peter Ishiguro (1-1) vs. Elias Anderson (0-1) (Catchweight 140 lbs)

The next fight was a catchweight bout between Peter Ishiguro and Elias Anderson, who was hunting for his first pro win. Both fighters had a good first round, being somewhat evenly matched in stand-up. Late in the round Anderson caught a kick and nearly got the fight to the ground because of it. Ishiguro had quite a vocal fanbase in the somewhat empty crowd, chanting his nickname “Wasabi.” Ishiguro’s left jab was utilized quite well in this fight. Late in the second round, Ishiguro was able to counter a takedown attempt, earning top position as the round concluded. Anderson had the better final round, keeping a fast tempo of punches while Ishiguro had clearly gotten fatigued. The fight went the distance with all three judges ruling it in favour of Peter Ishiguro (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ishiguro	10	10	9	29
Anderson	9	9	10	28

Bout 18: Favian Gutierrez (2-2) vs. Alan Benson (0-1) (Middleweight)

The next post-lim fight saw Favian Gutierrez aim to snap a losing streak against Alan Benson, who was chasing his first pro victory. The first round was somewhat inactive, although Gutierrez was the one dictating the pace. In the second round, Benson was dropped by punches. He was able to recover on the ground, with Gutierrez in top position on the ground. They stayed in this position until the round ended. The final round was a pretty slow one. In a split decision, it was Alan Benson who was given the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). This was the second decision of the night that had people up in arms. Maybe the judges got tired as the broadcast was reaching the seventh hour.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gutierrez	10	10	9	29
Benson	9	9	10	28

Bout 19: Albert Gonzales (1-1) vs. Tyson Miller (0-0) (Catchweight 180 lbs)

In the second last post-lim of the night, Albert Gonzales and Tyson Miller made their Bellator debut. After a minute or so of competition, Gonzalez broke his leg after a kick was checked, ending the fight. While it was through an unfortunate outcome, Tyson Miller made his professional debut. Gonzalez was stretchered off.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gonzales
Miller

Bout 20: Ivan Batinich (3-1) vs. Daniel Compton (2-1) (Middleweight)

Concluding the evening was Ivan Batinich facing Daniel Compton in a middleweight fight. Compton immediately shot for a takedown in the first round. Batinich contested the takedown attempt, eventually being the one who scored a takedown and took top position. Batinich landed a suplex and then tried for a rear naked choke. He also attempted an armbar but it didn’t work. Before trying for a choke, a cut above the left eyebrow of Batinich appeared. Compton got some elbows in when clinched against the cage just before the first round ended. The second round had a hectic ground game from both fighters. Batinich took the back of Compton with a minute and some left in the round. He went after the rear naked choke, finally putting it in after Compton was fighting it for a minute or so. With 30 seconds left in the round, Compton tapped out, giving Ivan Batinich his fourth professional victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Batinich	10
Compton	9

Bellator has a hectic fall scheduled after a somewhat quiet summer. With eight shows scheduled over the next three months, Bellator has their hands full. Later this month, the promotion will put on a double header on September 27th and 28th. The first show, Bellator 227 will take place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, including big names like James Gallagher, Michael “Venom” Page and Benson Henderson. The next day, Bellator will come back to The Forum in Inglewood, California, USA, for Bellator 228. The main event of that card will see Patricio Pitbull put his Bellator Featherweight Championship on the line against Juan Archuleta. The card will also include the second half of the Bellator Bantamweight GP First Round.