Bellator – Page 2 – Syndication Server

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Oct. 22: Francis Ngannou claims heavyweight throne

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following PFL: Battle of the Giants and UFC Fight Night 245.

PFL: Battle of the Giants and UFC Fight Night 245 each had their impacts on divisional rankings.

In PFL’s main event, former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag], who never lost his title, returned to MMA and took out [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] in short order with a brutal knockout.

As a result Ngannou shifts into the No. 1 heavyweight slot. He was previously at No. 2. He also moves into No. 3 in the pound-for-pound rankings.

Also, [autotag]Anthony Hernandez[/autotag] took once step closer to middleweight title contention as he dominated [autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag] before a late-fight TKO finish.

Hernandez enters the rankings at No. 13.

Across the two cards, [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag], Raufeon Stots, Asu Almabayev, and Charles Johnson also picked up impactful victories. Each resulted in a bump-up in the rankings.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

Johnny Eblen rips Donald Cerrone wanting UFC return after steroid use: ‘It’s not a good look’

Bellator champ Johnny Eblen has a firm stance against steroid use and fighters competing past their prime.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Bellator middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] is not a fan of UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] eyeing a comeback to MMA.

Cerrone (36-17 MMA, 23-14 UFC) retired after a submission loss to Jim Miller, and was quickly inducted as a part of the UFC’s 2023 Hall of Fame. Retirement from professional fighting can undoubtedly have its perks, and Cerrone discovered something he thoroughly enjoyed: PEDs.

“I mean, right now, all the good sh*t after the non-USADA approved sh*t, I feel like I’m f*cking 21 again,” Cerrone told reporters last year on the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet. “You know what I’m saying? I’m telling you, guys – any of you fighters, when you’re done, go ahead and get on the TRT and put your wife in a bind because that’s when you’ll feel like an 18-year-old boy again.”

At the time, Cerrone said it would take “a crazy number” monetarily to bring him out of retirement. However, in recent days, Cerrone said he wants to return to the UFC for two more fights to reach 50 Zuffa fights across his WEC and UFC careers.

Considering his admitted use of steroids and other PEDs, Eblen is firmly against “Cowboy’s” return to action.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea to like retire, take a bunch of steroids, and then come back and fight again,” Eblen told reporters at a post-fight news conference. “It’s not a good look, man.”

Eblen also believes Conor Mcgregor, who hasn’t competed since breaking his lower leg in a trilogy fight against his American Top Team teammate Dustin Poirier, has started a trend of getting on PEDs while out of the drug testing pool in order to get ready for a big return.

“I think Conor paved the way, and I think he’s influencing a lot of other people to do it,” Eblen said. “I think people are trying to fight past their prime and use all these substances, and it’s just not natural. It’s not good. Your brain doesn’t heal from steroids, so all that CTE just adds up.

“I’m very against steroids. I’m very against people fighting past their prime.”

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Johnny Eblen showed his ‘whole deck of cards’ in Bellator title rematch, reveals ‘hit list’ of next opponents

Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen has a solid list of opponent he wants to see in the cage after beating Fabian Edwards in Riyadh.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Bellator middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] has a few names he wants to check off his list after another successful title defense at PFL: Battle of the Giants.

For the second time in 13 months, the undefeated Eblen (16-0) faced Fabian Edwards in a title fight. Eblen stopped Edwards (13-4) the first time around in the third round. This time, things were different as the fight went the distance, and the location played a factor too, according to the champ.

“I feel like it kind felt the same as the first time around, but this time I showed my whole deck of cards,” Eblen told MMA Junkie and other reporters during a post-fight news conference. “I utilized my wrestling a bit more. It was a similar type of fight, except the last fight, I caught him. This fight, I could have caught him. I hurt him early.

“I think the time change, it was a big, big impact on me. I really felt it in the fifth round. I think next time I fight out here, I’m going to have to come out earlier.”

Unless Edwards goes on an undeniable run, which is hard to do given Bellator’s event schedule, there won’t be a trilogy fight against Eblen. So the champ will be looking forward to facing a new opponent. In fact, Eblen has made it easier for the Bellator and PFL matchmakers by laying out a “hit list” of names.

“Derek Brunson, Costello van Steenis and Impa (Kasanganay), those are the guys that are on my hit list,” Eblen said. “Whoever’s ready to fight first.”

UFC veteran Brunson (24-9) won his PFL debut last November in a unanimous decision over Ray Cooper. Van Steenis (15-3) is 7-2 under the Bellator banner, and picked up a win over Gregory Babene in May.

Kasanganay (18-4) would be an exciting rematch from their February bout at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions. Eblen won the fight by split decision, but it took a late rally to get the job done. Kasanganay is also a month away from potentially securing his second consecutive light heavyweight PFL championship.

For now, Eblen will enjoy the fruits of his labor after securing his third Bellator title defense, and await the next challenge that promotion produces.

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Bellator fighter Daiane Silva improving after bad weight cut led to hospitalization, coma

Bellator fighter Daiane Silva’s condition is improving as her time in a hospital crosses one month, much of which was spent in a coma.

The condition of Bellator fighter [autotag]Daiane Silva[/autotag] is improving as her stay in a London hospital crosses one month, much of which included being in a coma.

Silva (3-0) was scheduled to compete against Eman Almudhaf in a women’s featherweight bout at Bellator Champions Series: London on Sept. 14. During the final stages of a weight cut with expectations of hitting the 146-pound non-title divisional limit, Silva began to show signs of severe physical stress due to dehydration and fainted, a person with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie under the condition of anonymity.

The 29-year-old Brazilian subsequently was hospitalized and was induced into a coma, where she remained for several weeks. But Silva has displayed increasing levels of consciousness throughout this week as she remains in the hospital.

After being informed of MMA Junkie’s reporting, Silva’s manager, Alex Davis of Davis MMA Management, who was not present on-site at the event in England when the incident occurred, issued a statement updating his client’s condition and praised Bellator/PFL for its support throughout the recovery process.

“Daiane had an accident as she made weight for her debut in Bellator in London,” Davis told MMA Junkie. “She was promptly seen by a doctor and was transported to a hospital in very delicate condition. She was admitted and has been kept in Intensive Care Unit since. She has been under carful medical treatment, and has been steadily improving.

“Bellator, myself, her team, her doctor and the medical team at the hospital having been working closely together to support her and help her get well. Please join us in our support and well wishes for her and her family as she recovers from a very difficult situation. I would also like to commend Bellator’s support through all of this.”

According to Davis, Bellator/PFL is paying Silva’s entire fight purse and flew a family member from Brazil to be by her side in person.

Newly crowned PFL women’s featherweight superfight champion Cris Cyborg, who is from the same home state as Silva in Parana, Brazil, offered support following her title win vs. Larissa Pacheco at PFL: Battle of the Giants on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“It’s really sad,” Cyborg said. “She had a tough cut. … It’s sad. We just pray for her and hope she recovers fast. I know she’s in a bad situation, but we pray for her and support for her so she can come back soon.”

Bellator/PFL officials did not immediately return MMA Junkie’s request for comment on the situation and why it has not been addressed publicly by the organization.

PFL: Battle of the Giants predictions: Name the last time Cyborg was an underdog. We’ll wait.

Check out our staff members’ picks and analysis for PFL: Battle of the Giants in Saudi Arabia.

The PFL returns to pay-per-view this week with three title fights in Saudi Arabia.

PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN /ESPN+) takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Records: McKee (22-1), Hughes (12-1)
Past five: McKee 4-1, Hughes 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: McKee honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.18.24): McKee -180, Hughes +150
Junkie pick results: McKee 11, Hughes 0

Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen

Records: Kadimagomaev (11-1), Mohsen (13-4)
Past five: Kadimagomaev 4-1, Mohsen 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Kadimagomaev -1100, Mohsen +700
Junkie pick results: Kadimagomaev 11, Mohsen 0

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards

Records: Eblen (15-0), Edwards (13-3)
Past five: Eblen 5-0, Edwards 4-1
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Eblen No. 5
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Eblen -345, Edwards +275
Junkie pick results: Eblen 11, Edwards 0

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco

Records: Cyborg (27-2), Pacheco (23-4)
Past five: Cyborg 5-0, Pacheco 5-0
Division: Women’s featherweight
Rankings: Cyborg No. 1, No. 1 pound-for-pound; Pacheco No. 2, No. 5 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Cyborg +120, Pacheco -140
Junkie pick results: Cyborg 7, Pacheco 4

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira

Records: Ngannou (17-3), Ferreira (13-3)
Past five: Ngannou 5-0, Ferreira 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Ferreira No. 11, Ngannou honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Ngannou -245, Ferreira +200
Junkie pick results: Ngannou 10, Ferreira 1

Preliminary card picks

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

Taha Bendaoud vs. Tariq Ismail: Ismail 9, Bendaoud 2
Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov: Ibragimov 10, Campos 1
Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov: Zaynukov 11, Sanders 0
Marcos Breno vs. Raufeon Stots: Stots 11, Breno 0

Check out all the main card picks below.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

	Ngannou vs. Ferreira	Cyborg vs. Pacheco	Eblen vs. Edwards	Kadimagomaev vs. Mohsen	McKee vs. Hughes
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 168-94	Ngannou (66%)	Cyborg (68%)	Eblen (83%)	Kadimagomaev (84%)	McKee (86%)
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 173-89 2017, 2022 Champion	Ngannou	Pacheco	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 171-91	Ngannou	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 166-96 2014 Champion	Ngannou	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Nolan King @mma_kings 163-99 2023 Champion	Ngannou	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Matt Erickson @MattE 161-101	Ferreira	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 160-102	Ngannou	Pacheco	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 157-105	Ngannou	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Simon Samano @SJSamano 157-105	Ngannou	Pacheco	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Brian Garcia @thegoze 156-106 2017 Champion	Ngannou	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 151-111	Ngannou	Pacheco	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 143-119	Ngannou	Cyborg	Eblen	Kadimagomaev	McKee

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants ceremonial weigh-ins live stream

Catch a live video stream of the PFL: Battle of the Giants ceremonial weigh-ins in Saudi Arabia at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT).

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – PFL: Battle of the Giants ceremonial fighter weigh-ins take place Friday, and you can catch a live video stream of the proceedings here on MMA Junkie at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT).

The weigh-ins take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN pay-per-view, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen.

Francis Ngannou (17-3) is back in MMA for the first time since January 2022, and for the first time in the PFL, when he meets Renan Ferreira (12-3) for the heavyweight superfight title. And Cris Cyborg (27-2) and her Bellator title take on Larissa Pacheco (23-4), the reigning PFL women’s featherweight winner, for the women’s featherweight superfight title.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants: Make your predictions for 3 title fights in Saudi Arabia

We want your predictions for Saturday’s PFL: Battle of the Giants event in Saudi Arabia.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those reader consensus picks will be part of the main card staff predictions we release ahead of PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN/ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh.

Make your picks below.

Taha Bendaoud vs. Tariq Ismail

Records: Bendaoud (3-0), Ismail (8-1)
Past five: Bendaoud 3-0, Ismail 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.14.24): N/A

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-fortaha-bendaoud-vs-tariq-ismail_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Mostafa Nada vs. Ahmed Sami

Records: Nada (9-3), Sami (11-4)
Past five: Nada 5-0, Sami 3-2
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.14.24): Nada -185, Sami +145

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-mostafa-nada-vs-ahmed-sami_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov

Records: Campos (5-0), Ibragimov (7-0)
Past five: Campos 5-0, Ibragimov 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.14.24): Campos +650, Ibragimov -1300

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-nacho-campos-vs-ibragim-ibragimov_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov

Records: Sanders (9-4), Zaynukov (15-4)
Past five: Sanders 4-1, Zaynukov 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.14.24): Sanders +270, Zaynukov -400

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-dedrek-sanders-vs-makkasharip-zaynukov_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Marcos Breno vs. Raufeon Stots

Records: Breno (15-3), Stots (20-2)
Past five: Breno 3-2, Stots 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Stots No. 14
Odds (as of 10.14.24): Breno +375, Stots -600

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-marcos-breno-vs-raufeon-stots_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes

Records: McKee (22-1), Hughes (12-1)
Past five: McKee 4-1, Hughes 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: McKee honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.14.24): McKee -190, Hughes +150

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-aj-mckee-vs-paul-hughes_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen

Records: Kadimagomaev (11-1), Mohsen (13-4)
Past five: Kadimagomaev 4-1, Mohsen 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.14.24): Kadimagomaev -700, Mohsen +425

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-husein-kadimagomaev-vs-zafar-mohsen_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards

Records: Eblen (15-0), Edwards (13-3)
Past five: Eblen 5-0, Edwards 4-1
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Eblen No. 5
Odds (as of 10.14.24): Eblen -700, Edwards +425

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-johnny-eblen-vs-fabian-edwards_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-cris-cyborg-vs-larissa-pacheco_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-francis-ngannou-vs-renan-ferreira_mmajunkie” customer=”mmajunkie”]

PFL: Battle of the Giants fight card (as of Oct. 14, noon ET)

MAIN CARD (DAZN pay-per-view, 4 p.m. ET)

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira – for heavyweight superfights title
Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco – for women’s featherweight superfights title
Champ Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards – for Bellator middleweight title
Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen
A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1:30 p.m. ET)

Marcos Breno vs. Raufeon Stots
Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov
Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov
Mostafa Nada vs. Ahmed Sami
Youssef Al Housani vs. Taha Bendaoud

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants weigh-in results: Everyone on point, including three title fights

Check out the PFL: Battle of the Giants weigh-in results from Saudi Arabia, featuring three title fights.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN, ESPN+) fighter weigh-ins at the host hotel in Saudi Arabia.

Among those who weighed in were former UFC champion Francis Ngannou (17-3) and reigning PFL season winner Renan Ferreira (13-3), who meet in the main event for the heavyweight superfights title. The same happens between incoming Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg (27-2) and reigning PFL winner Larissa Pacheco (23-4), who fight for the women’s 145-pound superfights belt.

Plus, Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen (15-0) has his title on the line in a rematch against Fabian Edwards (13-3), and former Bellator featherweight champ A.J. McKee (22-1) continues his surge at lightweight against Paul Hughes (12-1).

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Below are the full PFL: Battle of the Giants weigh-in results:

MAIN CARD (DAZN pay-per-view, 4 p.m. ET)

Francis Ngannou (256.8) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5) – for heavyweight superfights title
Cris Cyborg (144.5) vs. Larissa Pacheco (144.1) – for women’s featherweight superfights title
Champ Johnny Eblen (184.7) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.9) – for Bellator middleweight title
Husein Kadimagomaev (146) vs. Zafar Mohsen (145.8)
A.J. McKee (155.8) vs. Paul Hughes (155.8)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1:30 p.m. ET)

Marcos Breno (136) vs. Raufeon Stots (135.8)
Dedrek Sanders (154.9) vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov (153.6)
Nacho Campos (145.9) vs. Ibragim Ibragimov (145.5)
Taha Bendaoud (145.5) vs. Tariq Ismail (145.1)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Gegard Mousasi hits PFL/Bellator with $15 million breach of contract lawsuit

The latest chapter in the Gegard Mousasi saga has started to unfold, and it involves a $15 million lawsuit.

In a 65-page civil suit filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Mousasi alleges breach of contract, among other claims, by Bellator after it was purchased by the PFL, and the PFL and “new Bellator” in general. Among the named defendants are PFL executives Peter Murray, Donn Davis, Ray Sefo, Mike Koran, Jim Bramson and George Pineda.

Mousasi is seeking a minimum of $15 million in damages (H/T MMA journalist John Nash). The 39-year-old Dutch former Bellator champion most recently fought in May 2023, and his struggles to get a fight after the PFL purchase Bellator, and therefore Mousasi’s contract, became widely discussed when they went public earlier this year.

Gegard Mousasi has filed a complaint against Bellator Sport Worldwide, LLC, New Bellator, LLC (a subsidiary of PFL),+ individuals alleging breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for relief for Monopsonization. pic.twitter.com/l8TbfAUqyB

— John S. Nash (@heynottheface) October 17, 2024

Exhibits in the lawsuit include copies of emails going back to January from Mousasi’s manager, Nima Sapafour, attempting to get clarification on what PFL’s intentions were with his client. After Mousasi went public with his frustrations with the company and threatened a lawsuit, the promotion annouced his release in April.

The suit gives insight into Mousasi’s contract with Bellator. Ahead of the sale to the PFL, Mousasi had a deal that was to pay him a flat $200,000 for his fight and a $50,000 bonus if he won with a finish – but also a guaranteed $600,000 “promotional fee” for each fight.

In communications between PFL/Bellator officials and Sapafour, Mousasi’s cost is brought up as an issue, despite his contractual status. And because Mousasi was unable to fight elsewhere, again contractually, the suit brings additional allegations.

The claims by Mousasi, including to court documents, are for “breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for relief for Monopsonization under Section 2 of the Sherman Act … and misclassification-related labor and employment claims.”

The suit is asking for no less than $15 million in “compensatory, consequential and/or equitable monetary damages” and requested a trial by jury.

Mousasi (49-9-2) in May called the promotion “the worst organization” and threatened legal action “in an interview. His release was announced soon after.

In May 2023, Mousasi lost to Fabian Edwards. It was his second straight setback. Mousasi fought in the UFC from April 2013 to April 2017 with a 9-3 record with the promotion, then went to Bellator as a free agent. He went 7-3 under the Bellator banner with two reigns as middleweight champion.

Fabian Edwards: ‘Small details’ will lead to rematch victory at PFL: Battle of the Giants vs. Johnny Eblen

At PFL: Battle of the Giants, a confident Fabian Edwards gets another crack at Johnny Eblen’s Bellator middleweight title.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] gets a second crack at Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen, and isn’t putting too much into losing the first matchup.

At PFL: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh, Edwards (13-3) will look to avenge the loss to Eblen (15-0), which came at Bellator 299 last September. All it took was one win, and “The Assassin” now finds himself days away from another Bellator title shot.

“It feels right,” Edwards told MMA Junkie and other reporters at media day. “Some people say it’s too soon and all of that, but for me, it feels right. … “I just look at it as one fight doesn’t mean that’s how all the fights will play out. I look at it as a new fight, but I’ve felt him before.”

The loss to Eblen snapped a three-fight winning streak for Edwards. He immediately returned to the win column in his following outing against Aaron Jeffery, winning by unanimous decision.

Looking back on the first meeting, Edwards believes he was doing everything properly against Eblen until an ill-timed mistake left an opening. Ahead of the rematch, he studied the first fight and said he watched the finishing sequence “thousands” of times, which taught him an important lesson.

“The small details,” Edwards said when asked what is different going into the rematch. “That’s what this fighting game is, it’s the small details that make a difference. I look back at the last fight, it was a small mistake that made a difference, and I made sure I corrected those.”

The scorecards were all over the place in the first meeting with Eblen. One judge had both rounds for Eblen, another scored both for Edwards, while the third scored one round for either fighter.

This time around, whether it’s on the scorecards or by early stoppage, Edwards is confident he will leave Riyadh with the Bellator middleweight title.

“I get my hand raised by any means,” Edwards said. “I feel like the last fight, I was beating him. It wasn’t any areas that he was outclassing me at. But it’s MMA, it’s 4 oz. gloves, and you get yourself caught sometimes. That’s what I believe happened.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.