Bellator 235: Barnett vs. Markes Full Report

In Bellator’s first of two evenings in Honolulu, Hawaii, they presented Bellator 235. Set to main event the card was MMA veteran Josh Barnett and Ronny Markes. During the show, people found out that Barnett was not cleared to fight, making the new main event Toby Misech and Erik Perez. Partnering up with the United Service Organizations, the theme of the show was “Salute The Troops.” Before the four-fight main card, Bellator 235 had three preliminary bouts.

Quick Results:

Prelims:

Bout 1: Cass Bell def. Pierre Daguzan via Unanimous Decision

Bout 2: Joseph Creer def. Ty Gwerder via Unanimous Decision

Bout 3: Hunter Ewald def. Brysen Bolohao via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 1:42)

Main Card

Bout 4: Joey Davis def. Chris Cisneros via TKO, Hammerfists (RD 1, 3:55)

Bout 5: Tywan Claxton def. Braydon Akeo via Unanimous Decision

Bout 6: Alejandra Lara def. Veta Arteaga via Unanimous Decision

Bout 7: Toby Misech def. Erik Perez via KO, Ground and Pound (RD 1, 0:54)

Bout 1: Cass Bell (4-0) vs. Pierre Daguzan (5-3) (Bantamweight)

Kicking off the preliminary card, undefeated Cass Bell fought Pierre Daguzan. The fight was the Bellator debut for Daguzan. Bell threw many kicks early on, including one which Daguzan caught. When another kick was caught in the second minute, Daguzan got a takedown from it. They got back up almost right after. While Daguzan didn’t get hurt too much, Bell did more work in the first round. There was some odd error where the first round was only three minutes long as opposed to five.

Daguzan caught another kick in the second round, getting his second takedown of the fight. He swept Bell by holding one leg while kicking the other. As they were getting back up, Bell landed a spinning back fist which hurt Daguzan. Bell landed a good counter-left straight halfway through the second round.

Daguzan caught another kick early in the final round. He took Bell down with it, but never got to the ground himself. They stood back up shortly after. Bell shot for a takedown, eventually securing it and getting on Daguzan’s back. Bell had a ton of time to work on the ground, starting to look for a rear naked choke. Daguzan got up, eventually returning to stand-up. Bell shot for another takedown halfway through the round, with Daguzan completely stopping it this time. On the way back to the feet, Bell landed another spinning back fist. They threw strikes for the rest of the round, although nothing landed clean besides a couple of punches from Bell at the end of the round. Getting the first decision victory of his young career, Cass Bell defeated Pierre Daguzan via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bell	10	10	10	30
Daguzan	9	9	9	27

Bout 2: Ty Gwerder (4-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-1-1) (Middleweight)

In the next fight, undefeated Ty Gwerder made his Bellator debut against Joseph Creer. The two fighters went into a body lock after a minute of striking. Gwerder tried for a takedown but couldn’t get it. A pause came after Gwerder was hit in the groin while up against the cage. They resumed after a short break. They resumed in stand-up as opposed to back up against the cage. Creer landed some good knees in the clinch. Both fighters had their moments with striking. Creer got a body lock takedown as the first round ended.

Heading into the second round, this fight become the longest one yet with Gwerder’s professional career. Creer went for a single leg takedown in the first minute after coming forward with punches. He eventually secured it. Both fighters did ground and pound. Creer got on Gwerder’s back. Gwerder stopped throwing punches and prioritized fighting off a rear naked choke attempt. The choke never got under Gwerder’s chin, but he spent a long time fighting it off. Gwerder eventually flipped over, taking top position before standing up and returning to striking. Creer tagged Gwerder with a straight. As expected, both fighters were fatigued. Creer threw Gwerder back to the ground and got on his back again.

The first two minutes of the third round saw somewhat slow-paced striking. Creer got another takedown, being dominant on the ground for three minutes. He tried for a kimura, but didn’t get much progress on it before the fight clock ran out., Ending the undefeated professional MMA record of Ty Gwerder, Joseph Creer got a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 29-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gwerder	9	9	9	27
Creer	10	10	10	30

Bout 3: Hunter Ewald (0-0) vs. Brysen Bolahao (0-1) (Catchweight 180 lbs)

In the final fight of the brief preliminary card, Hunter Ewald made his pro debut against Brysen Bolahao. Ewald was putting on the pressure early, backing Bolahao up against the fence. He shot for a takedown after 30 seconds of stand-up. Still standing up, Ewald got on Bolahao’s back. He eventually got a takedown, then started to search for a rear naked choke. It didn’t take long for Ewald to secure the choke, making Bolahao tap out. Getting a quick and fast win, Hunter Ewald had a successful professional MMA debut.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ewald
Bolahao

Bout 4: Joey Davis (6-0) vs. Chris Cisneros (19-10) (Welterweight)

Kicking off the main card, Joey Davis attempted to stay undefeated, facing the much more experienced Chris Cisneros. Davis got a double leg takedown in the first 10 seconds of the fight. Davis landed lots of strikes from top position, but not enough in succession to end the fight. Cisneros was cut on the forehead, bleeding quite a bit from it. Davis turned up the intensity of strikes with about a minute to go, eventually doing enough for the referee to intervene. With a dominant and bloody performance, Joey Davis advanced his record to seven wins.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Davis
Cisneros

Bout 5: Tywan Claxton (5-1) vs. Braydon Akeo (3-0) (Featherweight)

Returning from his first loss as a pro, Tywan Claxton fought the still undefeated Braydon Akeo in the next bout. The first few minutes of the fight were slow, with both fighters turning up the head with two minutes to go. They went into a clinch after Claxton whiffed a wailing punch.

Akeo caught a leg early in the second round, trying to trip the other leg of Claxton. He couldn’t do it however, as Claxton recovered and went into a clinch. They returned to striking with three minutes to go.

Akeo tried for a takedown early in the third round, putting a body lock on Claxton. Going up against the fence, Claxton took control of the fight, landing strikes periodically. They got off the fencing halfway through the round. Akeo shot for a takedown, which Claxton stopped, putting Akeo up against the fence before dumping him to the floor. They got back up, but Claxton kept Akeo up against the cage. Claxton got another takedown in the final minute of the fight. He got on Akeo’s back and tried for a rear naked choke, but ran out of time before being able to finish the fight. Bouncing back from his September loss, Tywan Claxton put on a dominant performance (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Claxton	10	10	10	30
Akeo	9	9	9	27

Bout 6: Alejandra Lara (8-3) vs. Veta Arteaga (5-3) (Flyweight)

In the co-main event slot of the evening, Alejandra Lara and Veta Arteaga faced off in a potential fight to find the next Flyweight Championship challenger. Right as the fight started, both fighters didn’t waste time to throw fists. Lara was landing good kicks to the body early on. Lara put Arteaga up against the cage for a minute or so. The next time that Lara put Arteaga up against the cage, she landed some elbows. Lara connected with many punches late in the round. Arteaga slipped and fell, which allowed Lara to take the fight to the ground.

Lara picked up where she left off at the start of the second round, landing more punches. With under two minutes left in the second round, Lara landed a head kick which dropped Arteaga. Lara stayed on her up against the cage, landing tons of punches.

Halfway through the final round, Lara had another good attack, landing elbows and punches in close range. With just over a minute left, Arteaga was cut open on the forehead by a cut. She was bleeding quite a bit. Despite being hit with everything for three rounds, Arteaga still fought like a well-conditioned fighter in the closing seconds of the bout. After 15 minutes of domination by Alejandra Lara, she got a unanimous decision win, possibly putting her next in line for another title shot (30-26, 30-26 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lara	10	10	10	30
Arteaga	8	9	9	26

Bout 7: Toby Misech (11-7) vs. Erik Perez (19-6) (Bantamweight)

Just as the last fight wrapped up, former UFC fighter Liz Carmouche came to the stage to announce that she has signed with Bellator. Later on, we got a backstage report that Josh Barnett was not cleared to fight, meaning the next fight would be the main event. Obviously a disappointing result for Barnett, who last fought in 2016. In what was now the main event of the evening, Toby Misech and Erik Perez faced off in a bantamweight fight. Before the fight, the national anthem was performed. Misech came in over the bantamweight limit, being 141 pounds. This fight was the Bellator debut for Perez. Early in the fight, Misech landed a left hook that dropped Perez. He scored two more punches on the ground which knocked Perez out. Showcasing powerful one-shot hands, Toby Misech closed the show for Bellator 235.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Misech
Perez

Bellator 235 Preview

On the same weekend that the UFC holds their last show of 2019, Bellator will hold two of their final three shows of the year. This weekend, Bellator travels to Honolulu, Hawaii for back-to-back nights of MMA action. In the first show of the evening, MMA veteran Josh Barnett faces Ronny Markes, along with many other fights on the card.

Bout 1: Hunter Ewald (0-0) vs. Brysen Bolohao (0-1) (Welterweight)

In the first preliminary bout of the show, Hunter Ewald will make his MMA debut against Brysen Bolohao. Ewald comes from a BJJ background, getting second place in the IBBJF 2019 American Nationals. He comes from the Longman Jiu-Jitsu gym in Kilauea, Hawaii. Bolohao made his MMA debut back in December of 2018, the last time that Bellator visited the state. He lost in that outing, getting choked out in the second round by Robson Gracie Jr. This time around he will try to get his first win as a pro.

Bout 2: Ty Gwerder (4-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-1-1) (Middleweight)

Making his Bellator debut, undefeated Ty Gwerder will face Joseph Creer in the next bout. Previously fighting in well-known regional promotion LFA three times, Gwerder will look for his fifth win as a pro on his biggest stage yet. Creer has fought twice for Bellator, most recently losing to Austin Vanderford at Bellator 225.

Bout 3: Cass Bell (4-0) vs. Pierre Daguzan (5-3) (Bantamweight)

The brief preliminary card will conclude with undefeated Bellator prospect Cass Bell facing Pierre Daguzan. Bell has fought his whole career as a pro in Bellator, getting all four of his wins via stoppage so far. Daguzan hasn’t won since early 2018, recently losing to Federico Vento and having a no contest outing against Bill Takeuchi.

Bout 4: Joey Davis (6-0) vs. Chris Cisneros (19-10) (Welterweight)

Starting off the main card, Bellator’s undefeated Joey Davis will face the much more experienced Chris Cisneros. Davis has built his whole pro career in Bellator, earning four stoppage wins out of his six victories thus far. He’s coming off of a one-minute victory over Jeff Peterson at Bellator 229. Cisneros has fought in Bellator before, losing a bout in late 2018 to Maki Pitolo. He has recently won twice on the regionals, fighting his way back to the big stage.

Bout 5: Ty-wan Claxton (5-1) vs. Braydon Akeo (3-0) (Featherweight)

Coming off his first loss as a pro, Ty-wan Claxton will be matched up against debuting Bellator fighter Braydon Akeo. Claxton is another one of Bellator’s homegrown talent, having won his first five fights as a pro within the promotion, including four via stoppage. He tasted defeat for the first time back in September, losing to Emmanuel Sanchez in the first round of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix. His opponent, Akeo, is one of the many Hawiian fighters on the card. He debuted as a pro in late 2018, with this fight being his fourth in just over a year’s time.

Bout 6: Veta Arteaga (5-3) vs. Alejandra Lara (8-3) (Flyweight)

In the only women’s bout of the evening, longtime Bellator fighters Veta Arteaga and Alejandra Lara meet for the first time. Arteaga’s last fight was a loss to Bellator Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei MacFarlane, who fights the day after her. The loss was a doctor’s stoppage due to a cut. Lara’s last fight was at Bellator 225, winning in the first round against Taylor Turner. Lara came in at 126.8 for the flyweight fight. Because of coming over the limit, she gave up 20% of her show purse for the fight.

Bout 7: Erik Perez (19-6) vs. Toby Misech (11-7) (Bantamweight)

The co-main event of the card sees former UFC fighter Erik Perez take on Hawaii’s Toby Misech. Perez is on a five-fight winning streak which dates back to his UFC run. He went 7-2 in the promotion before going to Combate Americas for two fights. However, coming off of a one-year layoff, Perez has something to prove in this matchup. Misech is 1-1 in Bellator, having last fought at Bellator 215, losing to Edurado Dantas via decision. Misech weighed in at 141 on Thursday, missing the 136 limit for bantamweight. Because of this, he lost 20% of his show money.

Bout 8: Josh Barnett (35-8) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7) (Heavyweight)

To say we haven’t seen Josh Barnett in a little while would be an understatement. Now at 42-years-old, Barnett hasn’t fought in over three years. Last time viewers saw him was at the end of his more recent UFC run, winning over Andrei Arlovski. Outside of MMA however, you may have seen Barnett doing pro-wrestling or grappling. After a 2016 battle with USADA while in the UFC, Barnett asked for his release in 2018. His contract signing with Bellator was announced in April, with this being his first fight for the promotion.

He meets Ronny Markes in the main event of Bellator 235. Markes is coming off of an unsuccessful 2019 PFL season, competing in the promotion’s light heavyweight division. He lost his first fight to Sigi Pesaleli, then missed weight for his fight at PFL #6, losing his final chance to score points before their playoffs. His career has also included a 2011 to 2014 UFC run, going 3-2 in the promotion. He has fought as light as middleweight in the past, but is going up to heavyweight for this contest.

Bellator will return on Saturday, finishing their double-header in Hawaii with a title fight between Ilima-Lei MacFarlane and Kate Jackson.

Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Live Coverage

In a weekend without a UFC show, Bellator took center stage with Bellator 225. Live from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. Their first meeting wasn’t a satisfying one, as an accidental groin strike only seconds into the bout made it end in a no contest. Fighting once again, the fighters will have a chance to put on a more competitive and fairer performance. Along with the main event was 13 other fights which were broadcasted through the Paramount Network and DAZN in a simulcast. If you’re following along live, this article will be updated as the night continues.

Bout 1: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1) (Welterweight)

The first fight of the evening was Gracie family member Khonry Gracie versus Oscar Vera. Gracie got a takedown after one minute of slow stand-up. He eventually went for an armbar which made Vera tap out. This was the second armbar loss that Vera took from a Gracie in a row.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gracie
Vera

Bout 2: Aviv Gozali (2-0) vs. Eduard Muravitskiy (9-8) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

The second fight was a catchweight bout at 165 pounds between undefeated Aviv Gozali and the more experienced Eduard Muravitskiy. Immediately, Aviv went for an imanari roll. He put in a heel hook and made Muravitskiy tap out in 11 seconds. This set the new record for quickest Bellator submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gozali
Muravitskiy

Bout 3: Sabah Homasi (12-8) vs. Micah Terrill (14-7) (Welterweight)

In the third fight, two more experienced fighters in Sabah Homasi and Micah Terrill faced off. Homasi trains out of American Top Team. Homasi came forward quickly with a right hook which dropped Terrill. In 17 seconds, the fight had concluded.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Homasi
Terrill

Bout 4: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-0-1) (Middleweight)

The next bout included the significant other of UFC fighter Paige VanZant, Austin Vanderford facing Joseph Creer. VanZant was in the corner for Vanderford for this fight. He is making the move down to middleweight in this bout. After a couple of minutes of close stand-up, Vanderford landed a slam takedown. He threw punches while on top in half guard. While in the position his mouthguard fell out, which he put back in without the referee having to step in. Vanderford landed some good hammerfist punches in the final minute of the round. Creer was cut open from an elbow. For the first time in the evening, a fight left the first round. Vanderford quickly got top position in the second round. More elbows cut Creer open badly in the second round. Much worse than in the first. The two major cuts were under and below the right eye of Creer. In-between rounds, Austin Vanderford extended his undefeated streak by doctor’s stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Vanderford	10	10
Creer	9	9

Bout 5: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-3) (Bantamweight)

In the fifth preliminary fight of the evening, Bellator prospect Ricky Bandejas faced Ahmet Kayretli, who was making his Bellator debut after a stint in LFA. A notable win that Bandejas picked up was over James Gallagher last year. Kayretli was landing good low kicks early. While Kayretli was coming forward with punches, Bandejas countered with a right hook which took down Kayretli and ended the fight. After two consecutive losses, Ricky Bandejas has finally found himself in the winners column.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bandejas
Kayretli

Bout 6: Mike Kimbel (3-1) vs. Chris Disonell (3-3) (Catchweight 140 lbs)

The next fight included Waterbury’s own Mike Kimbel. Kimbel made some waves in his second Bellator fight, getting a six second KO victory over Alex Potts. He faced Chris Disonell in the next fight. Both fighters took turns charging forward with punch combinations. Disonell initiated a clinch up against the cage. When they left the clinch, Kimbel had a good flurry of strikes. Kimbel landed a takedown. When they got back up they were both landing good shots, although Kimbel was clearly ahead. Disonell was able to put Kimbel on the ground. He postured up and swung away until the referee ended the bout. It was quite a turn of events for Chris Disonell, earning him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kimbel
Disonell

Bout 7: Jon Manley (11-6) vs. Thiago Rela (13-7) (Catchweight 175 lbs)

In a double debut bout, Jon Manley faced Thiago Rela in a catchweight bout. Rela came from CFFC on a losing streak while Manley has primarily fought in the CES and AMMO promotions. Both fighters have been in the UFC before. Early on, Rela caught a caught a kick and put Manley up against the cage. Rela got on Manley’s back, taking him to the ground. Manley tried for a kimura but couldn’t get it. They got back up, but Rela mounted Manley’s back once again and took him down. Rela chased a rear naked choke until the round concluded. Early in the second round Vera was kicked in the groin. A warning was issued as the kick was accidental. Rela took his time, but was able to continue in the fight eventually. Rela got on the back of Manley again, eventually taking him to the ground again. In the third round, Manley was on Rela’s back on the ground landing punches. These shots continued for quite some time, all unanswered. In the final seconds of the fight, Manley put in a rear naked choke which got him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Manley	9	9
Rela	10	10

Bout 8: Kastriot Xhema (3-3) vs. Connor Dixon (0-0) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

Another home-state fighter in Kastriot Xhema faced Connor Dixon, who was making his professional debut. After a chaotic first minute, Dixon tried for a guillotine but couldn’t secure it. Dixon was trying for tons of takendowns although he didn’t do a ton. He was clearly tired after trying for so many takedowns. Dixon was in control on the ground through the second round. Dixon tried for an arm triangle, then went for an armbar but couldn’t get either. In-between rounds, Xhema told his corner that he broke his right thumb. Xhema got cut badly at some point in the fight. Dixon got another takedown early in the final round. Dixon put in an armbar that made Xhema tap out. A great debut for Connor Dixon, in the final two rounds he always kept the fight where he wanted it to be.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Xhema	9	9
Dixon	10	10

Bout 9: Nick Newell (15-2) vs. Corey Browning (5-2) (Lightweights)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card, Nick Newell fought Corey Browning. Newell is known for having only one hand, and fought in his hometown on this show. Browning was coined as the “hype killer,” having a high profile win over Kevin Ferguson Jr., also known as “Baby Slice.” Newell early on took Browning to the ground and tried for an arm triangle choke. He fought for it for a few minutes, eventually making Browning tap out. Newell cut a great promo after the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Newell
Browning

Bout 10: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0) (Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card was two undefeated heavyweights in Tyrell Fortune and Rudy Schaffroth facing off. Fortune tried for a takedown in the second minute of the first round but couldn’t get it. Fortune was hit with leg kicks that seemingly affected him hard. Schafforth was caught with punches after a leg kick made him fall. Fortune hit him with tons of punches on the ground before putting in a rear naked choke which made Schaffroth tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Fortune	9
Schaffroth	10

Bout 11: David Rickels (21-5) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) (Catchweights 175 lbs)

Bellator’s greatest showman and longest-time employee David Rickels fought undefeated Yaroslav Amosov. Rickels did his best tribute to Japanese fighter turned politician Genki Sudo with his walkout. Among the many things he did to tribute Sudo was the “We Are All One” flag which a cornerman carried to the cage. Amosov landed a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. Amosov had top position for most of the round. Rickels was taken down again in the second round. Amosov put in a d’arce choke which made Rickels tap out. Yaroslav Amosov extended his undefeated record beyond the amount of pro wins that “The Caveman” has attained. This was also the first career submission loss for Rickels.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rickels	9
Amosov	10

Bout 12: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5) (Bantamweights)

In the only women’s fight of the evening, Alejandra Lara faced Taylor Turner. Turner was known for her win over championship level boxer Heather Hardy. Lara was making her bantamweight debut in this fight. Lara got a trip takedown early in the fight. Lara landed a few punches before Turner got up and went into a standing clinch against the cage. Lara scored another takedown. She landed a lot of strikes in top position. She took the back of Turner and continued with strikes until the referee ended it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lara
Turner

Bout 13: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Tim Johnson (12-5) (Heavyweight)

Before the co-main event of the show, we had the fighters from the Welterweight Grand Prix finals show up. Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald came to the cage for an interview with John McCarthy. They faced off at the end of the interview. That fight will take place on October 26th, being a rematch between the two. It was also announced on October 25th Frank Mir will fight Rory Nelson. In the co-main event of the evening, Vitaly Minakov faced Tim Johnson in a short notice matchup. Minakov opened with some good punches before he landed two suplexes to take Johnson down, although he got back up seconds later. They went back to striking. Johnson was stunned by a right jab, then taken out cold by a few more punches.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Minakov
Johnson

Bout 14: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7) (Heavyweight)

In the main event of the evening, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. In their faceoff at the start, referee Dan Mirgliotta ribbed on them, asking if their cups are in. Mitrione was active from the start, throwing tons of punches. Near the end of the round, Mitrione’s mouthpiece kept falling out. On the third time that it fell out, he was warned that a point could be taken away. In-between rounds, Mitrione said he was wearing the wrong mouthpiece. Mitrione’s mouthpiece fell out again in the second round. Mitrione was hit with a punch and then a knee which dropped him, then was finished shortly after. Mitrione looked distracted before he was hit with the shots, looking at where his mouthpiece went. While this fight, like their first meeting had a controversial finish, this time around a winner left the cage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mitrione	10
Kharitonov	9

From start to finish, Bellator 225 was only stoppages. Bellator will return on September 7th, with Ryan Bader facing Cheick Kongo, with the Bellator Heavyweight Championship on the line. The event will be the first of three September events that the promotion will be putting on.