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.

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 229: Koreshkov vs. Larkin Live Coverage

Bellator returned to the Pechanga Resort and Casino for Bellator 229. Headlining the card was Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin in a three round fight. Stay tuned to JackWannan.com throughout the night for live coverage.

Bout 1: Adel Altamimi (8-5) vs. Salim Mukhidinov (6-3) (Featherweight)

The first preliminary fight was Adel Altamimi versus Salim Mukhidinov in a featherweight bout. The entrances for both fighters aired, something which is rare for the Bellator prelims. Altamimi got a takedown, but the referee stood them up due to inactivity. Altamimi got another takedown as the round ended.

A pause came early in the second round as Altamimi was kicked in the groin. Altamimi took his time to recover, but eventually did get up and continue. Mukhidinov had strong striking in the second round, making sure the fight stayed in stand-up where he excelled. Mukhidinov reversed a takedown, taking top position halfway through the round. The second round ended on the ground.

Altamimi tried to take the fight to the ground again in the final round, but just like before failed to do so. Mukhidinov got top position after a sprawl. Mukhidinov stayed in top position, throwing strikes from above until the final seconds of the round.

Heading to the scorecards, it was Salim Mukhidinov who got the victory via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Altamimi	9	9	9	27
Mukhidinov	10	10	10	30

Bout 2: Anatoly Tokov (28-2) vs. Hracho Darpinyan (17-8-2) (Middleweight)

The second preliminary fight was between two experienced fighters in Anatoly Tokov and Hracho Darpinyan. Tokov took Darpinyan down with strikes early, although they got back up. Tokov kept applying the pressure and threw more strikes. Darpinyan was swinging wildy, though he did connect with a good hook. In the third minute of the fight, Tokov dropped Darpinyan again with a punch. Tokov continued ground and pound on the ground until the round ended.

Tokov got another takedown a minute and a half through the second round. Just like last time, Tokov went back to work with ground and pound. Once Tokov started to let elbows go on the ground, the referee stepped in and called a stop to the bout.

Anatoly Tokov picked up his fifth straight Bellator win, and the second in a row via stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Tokov	10
Darpinyan	9

Bout 3: Joe Schilling (4-5) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) (Middleweight)

The first main card fight was Joe Schilling fighting to escape a negative pro MMA record against Tony Johnson. Early in the first round, Schilling tripped Johnson with a leg kick. Schilling was clearly the better striker, although Johnson clearly had a good chin. Johnson surprisingly dropped Schilling in the final minute of the first round. In a matter of seconds, the round went in favour of Johnson. The fight didn’t end, but it came real close to ending in favour of Johnson.

In the second minute of the second round, Schilling showed that he is still in the fight by landing a strong left straight. Johnson scored a takedown halfway through the round, although they got up moments later. Other than that, it was a round well dominated by Schilling.

The third round saw a pause due to Johnson getting poked in the eye. Schilling threw a spinning backfist in the final round. In the third minute of the round, Johnson landed left hook counter-punch which took Schilling out cold. In his return fight in Bellator, Tony Johnson got a victory through a vicious knockout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Schilling	9	10
Johnson	10	9

Bout 4: Keri Taylor Melendez (3-0) vs. Mandy Polk (6-4) (Catchweight 118 lbs)

The fourth fight was the first women’s MMA bout of the evening. Undefeated fighter Keri Taylor Melendez fought Mandy Polk. In the opening seconds, Polk came running at Melendez and ate a punch. Melendez went to the ground in attempt to finish the fight but found herself in the bottom position instead. Melendez tried for a triangle choke and threw elbows while Polk’s head was trapped.

The second round showcase more of Melendez’s stand-up, as the fight stayed there for most of the time.

Polk got a takedown in the first minute of the final round. Melendez tried for the triangle choke again but let it go eventually. Polk took the back of Melendez and tried for a rear naked choke. They went back to stand-up where Melendez landed knees to the stomach. Remaining undefeated, Keri Taylor Melendez took a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27) After the fight she said Bellator should start a 115 pound division.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Melendez	10	10	10	30
Polk	9	9	9	27

Bout 5: Saad Awad (23-11) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (23-4) (Lightweight)

Before the next fight, we saw an interview with Ilima-Lei MacFarlane who will fight on December 21st against Kate Jackson. The co-main event of that show will be a Featherweight Grand Prix fight between A.J. McKee Jr. and Derek Campos. The co-main event of the evening was Bellator veterans Saad Awad and Goiti Yamauchi facing off. Yamauchi got shook by a right hook then was taken down shortly after. Yamauchi tried for an armbar on the ground which made Awad tap out. Moments after being shaken on the ground, Goiti Yamauchi earned a victory, being the first fighter to submit Saad Awad in years.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Awad
Yamauchi

Bout 6: Andrey Koreshkov (22-3) vs. Lorenz Larkin (20-7) (Welterweight)

The main event of the show was welterweights Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin battling. Larkin tried for a takedown early on with a body lock. Koreshkov kept Larkin against the cage for a minute before they returned to stand-up. Koreshkov landed a spinning back kick which dropped Larkin. A few more punches landed, but Larkin recovered and stayed in the fight.

Larking caught Koreshkov during a spinning back kick attempt, putting him against the cage in a clinch. When they went back to stand-up, Koreshkov landed a good overhand right. He also later landed a spinning back elbow. In clinch, Larkin landed a knee which dropped Koreshkov. Larkin landed more elbows from top position. Koreshkov got up but was dropped with another knee to the head. Koreshkov was hit with more elbows in the final seconds of the round but was able to survive.

Koreshkov got a takedown in the final round, although from bottom position Larkin tried for a guillotine. Koreshkov eventually slipped out. They stood up in a clinch with two minutes left. Koreshkov got another takedown with a minute remaining.

The fight went all scheduled fifteen minutes. With a split decision, Lorenz Larkin pulled off the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Koreshkov	10	8	10	28
Larkin	9	10	9	28

Bout 7: Derek Anderson (15-3) vs. Guilherme Bomba (10-5) (Welterweight)

After the main card, the postlims started with Derek Anderson and Guilherme Bomba. The first round was a striking focused one, with Anderson landing the good combinations. A pause came when Anderson was accidentally poked in the eye. The resumed shortly after, with Anderson seemingly not missing a beat. Anderson’s striking was ended by Bomba landing a takedown. Anderson got a takedown for a few seconds as the first round came to a close.

Both fighters were trading hard, audible punches early in the second round. Bomba got a single leg takedown and took the back of Anderson. Anderson flipped himself over and took top position.

The third round was another dominant one for Anderson. The fight went to the ground with two minutes left in the final round, with Anderson in the dominant position. Both fighters lasted all three rounds, with Derek Anderson prevailing via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Anderson	10	10
Bomba	9	9

Bout 8: Joey Davis (5-0) vs. Jeff Peterson (10-6) (Welterweight)

Staying in the welterweight division, the next fight was undefeated Joey Davis and Jeff Peterson. Early in the fight, Peterson tripped after getting hit by a leg kick. A minute into the fight, Davis scored a flying knee to drop Peterson and win the fight. Joey Davis extended his undefeated record with a chilling KO.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Davis
Peterson

Bout 9: Johnny Eblen (5-0) vs. Mauricio Alonso (13-7) (Middleweight)

Moving on, the next postlim fight was middleweights Johnny Eblen and Mauricio Alonso. Eblen got a takedown early on. Eblen stayed in top position, sometimes standing up, but throwing punches throughout.

Eblen got a second takedown a minute into the second round and did more ground and pound. The third round was the same story yet again, with Eblen getting a takedown and landing strikes. For a moment it looked like he could close out the fight, but it never happened. They stood up in the final minute of the fight and Alonso actually landed a few good strikes. Eblen got another takedown but was being hit from Alonso, who was on the bottom position.

The fight went all three rounds. Winning quite decisively, Johnny Eblen got his sixth win as a professional (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Eblen	10	10	10	30
Alonso	9	9	9	27

Bout 10: Vladimir Tokov (6-0) vs. Brandon Hastings (6-3) (Lightweight)

After his big brother picked up a win on the preliminary card, Vladimir Tokov aimed to do the same against Brandon Hastings. Tokov chased a takedown early but was stopped. The referee stepped in during a grappling exchange since Hastings was holding the fence to resist takedown. They resumed in stand-up, which is odd since that seemingly favours Hastings. Tokov got a takedown and stayed in top position for the rest of the first round.

Tokov had a dominant second round, landing numerous takedowns and staying in control throughout. The third round was much of the same, including many slams by Tokov. Vladmir Tokov prevailed on the scorecards (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Tokov	10	10	10	30
Hastings	9	9	9	27

Bout 11: Jordan Newman (1-0) vs. Riley Miller (0-0) (Middleweight)

The next fight saw undefeated Jordan Newman face the debuting Riley Miller. Newman brought the fight to the ground and took top position early on. Newman stayed on top of Miller, continuing ground and pound until the final seconds of the round when the referee stepped in to conclude the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Newman
Miller

Bout 12: Sunni Imhotep (2-0) vs. Kelvin Gentapanan (0-0) (Lightweight)

The next matchup was a lightweight battle between 2-0 Sunni Imhotep and debuting Kelvin Gentapanan. In the first minute of the fight, Gentapanan got a takedown. Gentapanan stayed the dominant fighter on the ground until the round ended. Imhotep had a better second round, landing tons of strikes on the ground. The final round saw Gentapanan in control most of the time on the ground. Going to the scorecard, Kelvin Gentapanan won via split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Imhotep	9	10	9	28
Gentapanan	10	9	10	29

Bout 13: Jay-Jay Wilson (3-0) vs. Jorge Juarez (4-1) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the card was Jay-Jay Wilson facing Jorge Juarez. Early on, Wilson put Juarez up against the cage, landing a takedown shortly after. He took the back of Juarez and put in a rear naked choke, getting a quick victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Wilson
Juarez