Tag: Adel Altamimi

Video: 20 must-see Bellator ‘fire’ fights (in full)

If you’ve got nearly six hours to kill, here you go with some classic Bellator action.

Since its first event held in 2009, Bellator has given us some of the most memorable fights in MMA history.

While events remain on hold because of coronavirus pandemic, Bellator has put 20 of its greatest bouts – “fire” fights, if you will – all in one place, which you can watch in the video above.

The complete list, which goes for nearly six hours, includes:

  • 1. [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] 1 – Bellator 58 | 0:00
  • 2. [autotag]Joe Schilling[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Melvin Manhoef[/autotag] – Bellator 131 | 24:51
  • 3. [autotag]L.C. Davis[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Hideo Tokoro[/autotag] – Bellator 135 | 37:25
  • 4. Michael Chandler vs. [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] – Bellator 165 | 55:41
  • 5. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] – Bellator 238 | 1:31:16
  • 6. [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] – Bellator 138 | 1:56:41
  • 7. [autotag]Henry Corrales[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] – Bellator 214 | 2:09:58
  • 8. [autotag]Anatoly Tokov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gerald Harris[/autotag] – Bellator 218 | 2:17:18
  • 9. [autotag]Derek Campos[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brandon Girtz[/autotag] 3 – Bellator 181 | 2:29:29
  • 10. [autotag]Paul Daley[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] – Bellator 170 | 2:49:20
  • 11. [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag] vs. Paul Daley – Bellator 158 | 2:59:15
  • 12. Douglas Lima vs. [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] – Bellator 221 | 3:18:09
  • 13. [autotag]Patricky Freire [/autotag]vs. [autotag]Roger Huerta[/autotag] – Bellator 205 | 3:33:28
  • 14. Patricio Freire vs. [autotag]Daniel Straus[/autotag] – Bellator 178 | 3:44:52
  • 15. [autotag]Saad Awad[/autotag] vs. Brandon Girtz – Bellator 219 | 3:57:46
  • 16. [autotag]AJ Agazarm[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Adel Altamimi[/autotag] – Bellator 238 | 4:19:31
  • 17. [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] – Bellator 233 | 4:36:10
  • 18. Douglas Lima vs. [autotag]Ben Saunders[/autotag] 2 – Bellator 100 | 4:57:18
  • 19. Patricio Freire vs. [autotag]Emmanuel Sanchez[/autotag] – Bellator 209 | 5:11:22
  • 20. [autotag]Ricky Bandejas[/autotag] vs. [autotag]James Gallagher[/autotag] – Bellator 204 | 5:44:13

So sit back, relax and enjoy the action.

Bellator 238 post-event facts: Cris Cyborg achieves MMA’s first quadruple crown

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 238, which took place Saturday and saw Cris Cyborg beat Julia Budd in the main event.

The first Bellator event of the year unfolded Saturday with Bellator 238, which went down at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., with a main card that streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

In the main event, [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (22-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) enhanced her legacy with another championship belt when she scored a fourth-round TKO of [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) to claim the women’s featherweight belt.

The card also featured a quarterfinal bout in the ongoing Bellator featherweight grand prix, as well as some other notable results. For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 30 post-event facts about Bellator 238.

General

Betting favorites went 4-2 on the main card (5-2 overall in fights where odds were available).

Total fight time for the six-bout main card was 41:59.

Main card

Cris Cyborg

Cyborg became the first in history to win titles in Bellator, UFC, Invicta FC and Strikeforce.

Cyborg became the second in history to win titles in Bellator and UFC. Eddie Alvarez also accomplished the feat.

Cyborg has earned 18 of her 22 career victories by knockout.

Budd had her 11-fight winning streak snapped for her first defeat since November 2011.

Budd has suffered all three of her career losses by stoppage.

Budd suffered her first knockout loss since Jan. 7, 2011 – a span of 3,306 days (more than nine years) and 14 fights.

Darrion Caldwell

[autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 12-2 BMMA) improved to 6-0 in Bellator featherweight competition. He’s 8-0 in the weight class during his career.

Caldwell’s six-fight Bellator winning streak in featherweight competition is the second longest active streak in the division behind A.J. McKee (16).

Caldwell’s six submission victories in Bellator competition are tied for second most in company history behind Goiti Yamauchi (seven).

[autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) had his 14-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

[autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (24-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) has earned four of his six Bellator victories by decision.

Sergio Pettis

[autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (19-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) earned his first submission victory since Sept. 28, 2013 – a span of 2,311 days (more than six years) and 15 fights.

[autotag]Alfred Khashakyan[/autotag] (11-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) earned the first submission victory of his career.

[autotag]Raymond Daniels[/autotag] (2-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) improved to 2-0 since he returned to MMA competition from a nearly 11-year layoff in May.

Daniels has earned both of his career victories by knockout.

[autotag]Jason King[/autotag] (8-6 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) has suffered five of his six career losses by stoppage. He’s suffered all those defeats by knockout.

[autotag]Emilee King[/autotag] (4-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is on a four-fight winning streak after starting her career 0-4.

[autotag]Ava Knight[/autotag] (1-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) suffered the first loss of her career.

Preliminary card

Aaron Pico

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] (5-3 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) improved to 5-2 since he dropped to the featherweight division in September 2017.

Pico has earned all of his career victories by knockout.

Pico’s five knockout victories in Bellator featherweight competition are third most in divisional history behind A.J. McKee (six) and Patricio Freire (six).

[autotag]Adel Altamimi[/autotag] (8-7 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) has suffered six of his seven career losses by stoppage.

Altamimi suffered the first submission loss of his career.

[jwplayer soVu1tGE-RbnemIYZ]

Bellator 238’s Adel Altamimi ready to bounce back after decision defeat

“I’m from a different culture and stuff, and this (loss) happening is a little bit damaging.”

LOS ANGELES – After marking his Bellator debut with a quickfire submission win, Iraqi fighter [autotag]Adel Altamimi[/autotag] was brought back down to earth with a unanimous decision loss to Salim Mukhidinov at Bellator 229 last October. Now the 30-year-old karate black belt plans on bouncing back into the win column at Bellator 238 this weekend.

Chatting to MMA Junkie ahead of his bout against noted grappler [autotag]AJ Agazarm[/autotag], Altamimi (8-6 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) revealed he learned not to let his ego get in the way of his success in the cage after competing injured last time out.

“It was really big lesson to me,” he explained. “A lot of people don’t know what’s going on in camp, or injuries, but it’s never been an excuse when you get in there. But it was a big lesson to me. It was the first time in my career that I went to a decision, but I learned a lot how to stay there (in the fight) for 15 minutes. I was injured, and I was injured during the fight, too. But I just wanted to stay there. That’s who I am, I will never give up. I got a little punched in the face, but I will never quit.”

Altamimi said he still wouldn’t be able to bring himself to pull out of a fight at short notice, but his experience of picking up an injury in the leadup to his last fight has helped him to taper back his intensity as he prepares for his next test inside the Bellator cage.

“Sometimes your ego… I never backed down, I never turned down a fight because you’re injured and stuff, especially when you’re injured the week before (the fight),” he explained. “I never want to call and go: ‘Hey, I’m hurt. I’m this, I’m that.’ But yeah, (I’m) definitely being smart in the camp when you get closer, being smart and not getting hurt. It was a good lesson. And I fought a good opponent. He was really good, not taking anything away from his skills. All respect to him.”

[lawrence-related id=482714]

Altamimi has seven submissions to his name, but that stat serves as a smokescreen to his predominant skillset – karate. The black belt in Kyokushin karate admits he hasn’t yet been able to showcase his full striking arsenal as a mixed martial artist, but says he’s hoping to do just that against BJJ specialist Agazarm (2-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) on Saturday night.

“It’s exciting, because I know what he’s going to bring to the fight,” he said. “He’s comfortable to grapple and not be on the feet, but it’s going to be a test. I’m a black belt in jiu jitsu. I have eight wins, seven submissions and one knockout. I believe that’s why Bellator matched us up, because he’s a grappling specialist and you see my record, and they see a test of skills. But you know my background, I’m a champion in karate, I’m a black belt in karate, and I still haven’t shown a lot of my striking. I’m excited to show a little bit of my striking and takedowns and wrestling. I’m excited for it.”

With a notable name from the grappling world lining up against him on Bellator’s first big fight card of 2020, Altamimi has the perfect opportunity to bounce back in eye-catching fashion, and the Baghdad-born featherweight says he’s ready to do just that after a tricky time in his career.

“Yeah. Last year it was life-changing. There was a lot of change and pressure. I’m from a different culture and stuff, and this (loss) happening is a little bit damaging, but it takes a little bit of time to reset and get back to yourself,” he said. “A lot of changes happened … I’m good. I’m excited for this one. I know where I am and I’m seeing clear in front of me. I have the hunger and fire inside of me, and I’m excited and ready to go.”

[jwplayer fBOMrheg-RbnemIYZ]

A.J. Agazarm vs. Adel Altamimi booked for Bellator 238

A.J. Agazarm will return to take on an American war hero at Bellator 238.

[autotag]A.J. Agazarm[/autotag] is back.

A decorated grappling world champion, Agazarm (2-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) will return to action at Bellator 238 against [autotag]Adel Altamimi[/autotag] in a preliminary card bout, a promotion official informed MMA Junkie on Tuesday.

Altamimi previously had alluded to the fight in a recent Instagram post.

Bellator 238 takes place Jan. 25 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card will stream live on DAZN after prelims on MMA Junkie.

Since he lost his professional MMA debut in January 2019, Agazarm has won back-to-back fights. Despite being victorious in his most recent outing, Agazarm stressed his desire to be more “mean-spirited” the next time he steps into the cage.

“You can go do whatever you want to do to think you’re going to be tough,” Agazarm told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at Bellator 228. “There’s certain guys that think that’s going to do the trick, but it all comes down the wash. It’s about being mean-spirited.

[lawrence-related id=467437,463010]

As for Altamimi (8-6 MMA, 1-1 BMMA), his decorated military background and story of courage has been well documented. The Iraq-born California resident lived out a dream when he stepped into the cage at Bellator 214 in January. Altamimi submitted Brandon McMahan that night, but lost his second bout to Salim Mukhidinov in October.

The up-to-date Bellator 238 lineup now includes:

  • Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg
  • Adam Borics vs. Darrion Caldwell
  • Aaron Pico vs. Daniel Carey
  • Mario Navarro vs. Jay Jay Wilson
  • Khonry Gracie vs. Hector Saldana
  • David Pacheco vs. Craig Plaskett
  • Brandon Bender vs. Gabriel Green
  • Dominic Clark vs. Ricardo Seixas Filho
  • Tyler Beneke vs. Jarrett Connor
  • A.J. Agazarm vs. Adel Altamimi

[vertical-gallery id=447057]