Tag: Bellator 237

Scott Coker: Josh Barnett could be next on Fedor Emelianenko’s retirement tour

Bellator president Scott Coker has earmarked Josh Barnett as Fedor Emelianenko’s next opponent following the Russian legend’s win at Bellator 237 in Japan.

SAITAMA, Japan – [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] bid farewell to his Japanese fans at Bellator 237 with a first-round knockout of Quinton Jackson, and Bellator president Scott Coker said another former Pride FC legend could be next for “The Last Emperor”.

Speaking to reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage at the Saitama Super Arena, Coker said former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Josh Barnett[/autotag] (35-8, 0-0 BMMA) is a strong candidate to face Emelianenko (39-6, 3-2 BMMA) next.

“The guy that keeps knocking on the door is Josh Barnett,” Coker said. “He had an unfortunate situation two weeks ago, or a week ago in Hawaii. He was sick. I’ve been texting with him, and he’s recovering and getting back. He’d like to fight end of January, but I said that’s not going to happen because L.A. is already so booked up.

“But we’ll get Josh in there against the same opponent (Brazil’s Ronny Markes), and we’ll see how it works out. We’ll see if it’s something Fedor wants to do. I know Barnett would like to do it. He tells me he’d like to fight Fedor, so maybe that’s a fight we can put together.”

[lawrence-related id=475525,475402,475404]

There was some confusion immediately after Emelianenko’s post-fight interview, with the in-cage translation of his words suggesting his Bellator 237 appearance was the final fight of his career. But it transpired that it was simply his last fight in Japan, with the Russian legend targeting one more fight in the U.S., then a farewell fight in his homeland before he hangs up his gloves.

Coker said he’s happy to be guided by whatever Emelianenko chooses as he looks to give the legendary heavyweight the send-off he deserves.

“It’s really about what Fedor wants,” Coker said. “To me, I want him to feel respected by this sport. I feel like it’s our job to make sure that, as long as he wants to continue in this next year, we’re going to do it. If he really said he wanted to retire tonight I would’ve been all about it. I would’ve been like, ‘Hey, Fedor. Whatever you want.’ But I was in the back talking to his guys, and if we can do a fight in Moscow one day I really feel like it’s like ‘the king has returned.’

“It should be a big celebration. It should be an honoring of Fedor, which he probably won’t want any of it because he’s such a humble guy. But I feel like, (after) so many great years, he’s the GOAT. He’s the GOAT, and he proved it again tonight.”

And, Coker said, the 43-year-old has been turning back the clock with his performances as he bids to end his career on a high.

“I think this is the best I’ve seen him look in the last year-and-a-half,” he said. “So take that for what it’s worth, but he’s 3-1 in his last four fights in Bellator, so he’s doing very well. It’s really going to be up to him.”

[jwplayer xdsFE9HN-RbnemIYZ]

5 biggest takeaways from Bellator 237: What happened to ‘Rampage’ Jackson?, MVP debate, more

A recap of the most important storylines from Bellator 237, where Fedor knocked out “Rampage” in the main event.

What mattered most at Bellator 237 in Saitama, Japan? Here are a few post-fight musings …

* * * * *

1. ‘Rampage’ was fun … until he wasn’t

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] executed fight week perfectly right up until the moment he got in the cage, and the referee said “fight.” He was in vintage form and endlessly entertaining every time he appeared in front of the media, then rolled out an epic PRIDE-style walkout for his return to Japan after eight years that served as a major nostalgia trip for anyone who lived through that era.

But then the fight against [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] started, and it was a sad state of affairs. While “Rampage” has blown up in weight every fight since moving to heavyweight three years ago, this was by far the worst he’s physically looked. And it translated into an embarrassing result.

The 265-pound Jackson plodded around the cage, struggling to get his footing to target a meaningful punch. The best thing he did the entire fight was check a leg kick from Emelianenko. Otherwise he was a sitting duck, and Emelianenko took advantage as he put together smooth striking combinations before a final overhand stunned Jackson and led to his first knockout loss in 14 years.

No one wants to see that version of Jackson again. If he follows through on his post-fight message about shedding his unnecessary weight and making a return to light heavyweight, where he was once a UFC champion, then perhaps some intrigue will be restored. But if it’s going to be the guy who showed up Saturday night, then he might as well hang up the gloves.

[jwplayer jikN3wh1-RbnemIYZ]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

‘Rampage’ Jackson responds to backlash after Bellator 237 loss: ‘I’ll never do a fixed fight’

Quinton Jackson won’t allow a narrative that he threw the fight against Fedor Emelianenko to go unanswered.

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] won’t allow a narrative to go answered that he threw the fight against Fedor Emelianenko in the Bellator 237 main event.

It only took moments after Jackson (38-14 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) was caught by a fight-ending punch from Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) on Saturday for the skeptics to raise questions. It was the first time “Rampage” had been stopped with strikes since 2005, and the shot that put him down might not have landed flush.

Moreover, Jackson came into the fight looking out of shape. His weigh-in registered at a career-high 265 pounds, and the result of all this was an effort that did not paint the former UFC champion in the best light.

But did Jackson compromise his fighting integrity in the most shameful of ways at Bellator 237? He took to social media to clarify that was absolutely not the case (via Instagram).

When that bag secured and the ladies waiting back in the room 😂💀🤦🏾‍♂️ @MKingRingo
@EntangledEntertainment (I’ll never do a fixed fight Fador won fair,i have to get my weight down,that loss was on me.. non fighters need to 🤫) much love to my real fans,you win some lose some

With the loss to Emelianenko at Saitama Super Arena in Japan, Jackson fell to 4-4 in his career as a heavyweight. He owned up to his lack of preparation and vowed to make changes going forward, saying he would return to light heavyweight moving forward.

[lawrence-related id=475531,475402]

[opinary poll=”do-you-really-believe-rampage-took-a-div” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Bellator 237 post-event facts: Michael Chandler sets stoppage record

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 237, which took place Saturday in Saitama, Japan.

The final Bellator event of the year took place Saturday with Bellator 237, which went down at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, with a card that aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN.

In the main event, [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) knocked out [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] (38-14 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) in the first round of their heavyweight clash. It was the first time “Rampage” has been stopped with strikes since 2005.

Check below for 31 facts coming out of Bellator 237.

* * * *

General

Betting favorites went 5-1 on the main card.

Betting favorites improved to 14-8 (with two no contests and one draw) in Bellator main events this year.

Total fight time for the six-bout main card was 43:56.

Main card

Emelianenko improved to 5-2 since he returned from retirement in December 2015.

Emelianenko improved to 9-2 (with one no contest) when facing former UFC champions.

Emelianenko has earned 31 of his 39 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his Bellator wins.

Emelianenko has earned all three of his Bellator victories by first-round knockout.

Fedor Emelianenko and “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 237. (Photo courtesy Bellator)

Jackson fell to 4-4 in his career in heavyweight fights.

Jackson has suffered four of his six career stoppage losses by knockout.

Jackson suffered his first knockout loss since Apr. 23, 2005 – a span of 5,362 days (nearly 15 years) and 24 fights.

[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 17-5 BMMA) has earned 15 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes 12 of his 17 Bellator wins.

Chandler’s 17 victories in Bellator competition are second most in company history behind Patricio Freire (18).

Chandler’s 12 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.

[autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) suffered his first knockout loss since Sept. 13, 2014 – a span of 1,932 days (more than five years) and 13 fights.

Outlaw has suffered three of his four career losses by stoppage.

Michael Page at Bellator 237. (Photo courtesy Bellator)

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]’s (17-1 MMA, 13-1 BMMA) earned his third victory in a 92-day stretch. He’s finished all of those wins by knockout.

Page’s 10 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are fourth most in company history behind Chandler (12), Patricio Freire (11) and A.J. McKee (11).

Page’s nine knockout victories in Bellator competition are tied with Douglas Lima and Patricky Freire for most in company history.

[autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] (22-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) improved to 7-3 since he dropped to the welterweight division in January 2015.

Larkin’s four-fight Bellator winning streak at welterweight is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Logan Storley (five) and Joey Davis (five).

Larkin has earned nine of his past 12 victories by decision. That includes all four of his Bellator wins

[autotag]Keita Nakamura[/autotag] (35-11-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) has alternated wins and losses over his past 10 fights.

Nakamura has suffered nine of his 11 career losses by decision.

Goiti Yamauchi at Bellator 237. (Photo courtesy Bellator)

[autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (25-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) improved to 6-1 since he moved up to the Bellator lightweight division in October 2016.

Yamauchi has earned 21 of his 25 career victories by stoppage. That includes nine of his 11 Bellator wins.

Yamauchi’s nine stoppage victories in Bellator competition are tied for fifth most in company history behind Chandler (12), Patricio Freire (11), McKee (11) and Page (10).

Yamauchi’s eight submission victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.

Yamauchi’s five submission victories in Bellator lightweight competition are tied for the most in divisional history.

Yamauchi’s five submission victories by rear-naked choke in Bellator competition are most in company history.

[autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag]’s (22-13 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) three-fight losing skid is tied for the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2018.

Cruickshank has suffered 10 of his 13 career losses by stoppage.

Bellator boss Scott Coker favors Lorenz Larkin over Michael Page for next welterweight title shot

Bellator president Scott Coker says Lorenz Larkin could be the first man to challenge welterweight champion Douglas Lima in 2020.

SAITAMA, Japan – Bellator president Scott Coker says [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] is in pole position to be the first man to challenge Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima in 2020.

The departure of Rory MacDonald from Bellator to the PFL squashed any thoughts of a championship rematch between the Brazilian and the Canadian, and opened up a path to the gold for the next top contender at 170 pounds.

Coker says that man is Larkin (22-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA), who he puts just ahead of the likes of [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] in the welterweight pecking order to face three-time Bellator champ Lima in the New Year.

Larkin missed weight for his bout with Keita Nakamura before going the distance with the seasoned Japanese grappler at Bellator 237. But when chatting to reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage Coker said he wouldn’t penalize the American for his faux-pas on the scale.

[lawrence-related id=475490,475409,475419]

“We can look past that,” he said. “He came a long way and it’s not an easy task. I think that the flight, the trip, it’s just a different environment. I think in the timeframe that was different, that had a lot to do with it. The guy has fought – I don’t know his record offhand – but I think in 24 fights he has never missed weight. So we’ve got to give him a pass for that one.”

And Coker says the fact that Larkin is not just a top contender, but one that hasn’t yet faced Lima inside the Bellator cage, makes “Da Monsoon” the compelling choice to face “The Phenom” next.

“To me, I think the fight that we would like to see is Lorenz fight Lima, because he hasn’t fought him before,” he explained. “But I’d also like to see Lorenz fight ‘MVP,’ too. So, we’ll see. We’re going to mix it up and have some fun with that weight class.”

Larkin joked with reporters backstage after his win that he and Page were related and couldn’t possibly fight each other, but Coker’s grinning response to that suggested that he certainly sees the pair going head to head next year.

“Oh, is that what he said?” Coker laughed. “You know what, we’ll have a conversation with him. Don’t get too close!”

[vertical-gallery id=475629]

‘Rampage’ goes retro: Relive Jackson’s spine-tingling, Pride-inspired walkout at Bellator 237

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson served up plenty of old-school MMA nostalgia as he made his Bellator 237 walkout to the iconic Pride FC theme music.

The main event clash between Fedor Emelianenko and [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] at Bellator 237 saw two of the biggest stars from the Pride Fighting Championships era return to the spiritual home of the now-defunct Japanese organization, and “Rampage” wasn’t going to let the occasion pass without serving up a large dose of nostagia.

Jackson gave a nod of appreciation to his old organization – which was run by the man who co-promoted Saturday’s card, Rizin boss Noboyuki Sakakibara – with his walkout to the cage, as the iconic Pride FC theme exploded from the speakers, accompanied by the distinctive voice of the “Screaming Pride Lady” herself, the legendary ring announcer Lenne Hardt.

For longtime fans of the sport, it was a real goosebumps moment as “Rampage”, wearing his trademark chain around his neck, walked slowly down the ramp in front of a packed Saitama Super Arena.

Unfortunately for Jackson, his 11th appearance at the famous Japanese venue (10 in MMA, 1 in kickboxing) didn’t pan out as he would have liked, as he was stopped by a big right hand from heavyweight legend Emelianenko mid-way through the opening round.

But while his in-cage performance may not live long in the memory, for those longtime fans of Japanese MMA’s iconic Pride FC promotion, “Rampage’s” walkout certainly will.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

Michael Chandler delighted to bounce back with KO win at Bellator 237: ‘Things worked out perfectly’

Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler talks backstage after his first-round knockout victory at Bellator 237 in Saitama, Japan.

SAITAMA – Former Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] bounced back from his title defeat to Patricio Freire in style as he produced a one-shot KO of Sidney Outlaw at Bellator 237 in Japan, then said he won’t sit around waiting for another shot at the belt.

Three-time Bellator champ Chandler (20-5, 17-5 BMMA) produced a near-punch-perfect performance to stop Outlaw in the first round as he went to work on his opponent’s body early, then switched targets to the head to score an eye-catching knockout.

And, speaking backstage to reporters, including MMA Junkie, after the fight, Chandler said he was happy to show his ability to bounce back with a decisive victory.

“That’s the thing, man. You just gotta hop back on that horse,” he said. I let that first string of losses really get to my head and kinda thought the whole world was ending, and the older you get the more you realize this sport is full of ups and downs and you can learn so much from a loss… there’s so much freedom that comes with a loss.

“It all depends on how you bounce off the bottom. I bounced off the canvas my last fight, but it just so happens I was able to hop in the cage and make another guy bounce off the canvas. That’s the game, man. It’s a game of inches.”

[lawrence-related id=475421,475399,475071]

Like his fellow Bellator veterans who competed on the card, Chandler loved the experience of fighting in Japan, and said he made a conscious effort to take in as much of the atmosphere as he could while still keeping his focus on the job at hand.

“Here I am, 10 years in the sport, just fought in the Mecca of MMA and this was an awesome experience. This was really cool,” he enthused. “It’s almost unfortunate that you don’t get to enjoy it as much as you should because you can’t be as present as you want to be. But I tried to be as present as I possibly could be and enjoy this experience.”

As for the fight itself, Chandler said his tactic of investing in the body early to open up the head paid dividends as he landed a huge right hand for the win.

“Get to the body, be fast, be in and out, and that’s what we were doing,” he said. “We were making some debits to the body. That paid off later and he thought I was going to the body, (and I) came to the head and then finished him.

“It’s always a surprise (when you get a KO). It’s so crazy as an outsider you look at a fight and you think it looks predictable because it almost looks choreographed because sometimes things just work out so perfectly. This worked out perfectly, but we were doing damage to the body. I think he thought we were going to the body and then (I) went to the head. I was starting to set up some leg kick stuff, some of the ups and downs. Some of the hands setting up the takedowns, the takedowns setting up the hands. And I finished it in the first round, which was great.”

And with his 20th career victory in the bag, Chandler said he would take some time off with his family before setting his sights on his next text in the summer of 2020. But he said he won’t sit around waiting for current champ Freire to put his belt on the line before making his return to action.

“Obviously the 155 belt is tied up – I’m not going to sit here and dwell on that,” he said. “It’s tied up because I let it be tied up. There’s no finger I can point at anybody besides myself. So I’m going to go back to the drawing board… Bellator always puts on a big card May, June-ish, so we’ll shoot for that.

“I’m not waiting for Patricio at all, in any aspect of life. I lost to him, I’m 2-1 against the Pitbull brothers right now. If he ever figures out
what he’s doing with the Grand Prix, whether he wins it or doesn’t win it, we’ll see what happens. For me, not that the belt doesn’t matter, but the paychecks are the same whether I go in and there’s a belt on the line or not. Fighting in front of the Saitama Super Arena crowd, this was great. So I’m in this for the experiences, I’m in this to become a better human being, a better man every single day. So we’ll see what happens.”

[vertical-gallery id=475590]

Bellator 237: Goiti Yamauchi faced adversity before he even stepped in the cage

Goiti Yamauchi faced adversity before he even stepped into the cage at Bellator 237.

SAITAMA, Japan – [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] faced adversity before he even stepped into the cage at Bellator 237.

Judging by the Japan-born fighter’s performance, you wouldn’t be able to tell pre-fight struggles existed. Longtime Bellator fighter Yamauchi (25-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) made quick of former UFC fighter Daron Cruickshank, submitting “The Detroit Superstar” by rear-naked choke at 3:11 of Round 1.

However, he lead-up to the fight was rough, Yamauchi alleged post-fight. The Brazil-based lightweight said he experienced illness at the least ideal time.

“I’ve been through a lot of bad situations,” Yamauchi told MMA Junkie. “At the end of the day, we won the fight. This is the most important thing.

“I got sick. I got really, really sick three weeks ago and couldn’t do any kind of training since then. More than two weeks, I couldn’t exercise. I couldn’t manage my diet. It was pretty tough.”

On the heels of illness, Yamauchi missed the lightweight limit by 1.8 pounds. As a result, Yamauchi was forced to forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Cruickshank (22-13 MMA, 0-1 BMMA). Despite what some may think, Yamauchi said the effort to make the weight was there.

“There’s no excuse to not make the weight,” Yamauchi said. “God is my witness. My family, all of my partners, they saw what happened. I was very disappointed because I didn’t make the weight, but I know what I’ve been through. It wasn’t so bad because I knew if it was any other fighter under my skin, they wouldn’t do the half of what I did.”

[lawrence-related id=475412,475416]

Bellator 237, the promotion’s debut in Japan, took place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena. The main card aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN.

Check out Yamauchi’s full Bellator 237 post-fight scrum in the video above.

[vertical-gallery id=475636]

Michael Page explains why avoided celebration after Bellator 237 knockout win

“MVP” knows how to read a crowd.

SAITAMA, Japan – [autotag]Michael[/autotag] Page is a man known for his celebrations.

When he finished Shinsho Anzai with a punch in Round 2 at Bellator 237, however, Page (17-1 MMA, 13-1 BMMA) elected not to engage in any theatrics – and for good reason.

An observer of his surroundings, Page took into consideration the concept of respect – an idea deeply rooted in the history of Japanese martial arts.

“I’m very aware of my surroundings,” Page told MMA Junkie after the fight. “You’ve got to read the crowd. You’ve got to read the moment. For me, just coming over here brought back some old-school memories of my martial arts youth days and having to bow for everything. … It was nice to switch off.”

If the fight began with neutral momentum, it didn’t take long for things to shift in Page’s favor. As the fight progressed, the apparent gap in speed and striking became apparent.

“He was playing a little bit awkward – really closed,” Page said. “He wasn’t really opening up very much, but still applying pressure, so it took me a little bit longer to find out exactly the range and what I wanted to do. Then, I started to open up more a little bit myself in the second round. That’s when I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s game over.’ I hit him with a shot, and he went down.”

[lawrence-related id=475397,475409]

Thus far in his pro MMA career, 18 opponents have attempted to take Page out. Only one has succeeded. That’s welterweight champion [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag]. Brazil’s Lima (32-7 MMA, 14-3 BMMA) is a fight Page knows will be run back in the not-so-distant future.

“He’s kind of now not interested,” Page said. “There’s talks of him going up. It feels like he’s trying distance himself as much as possible. Everybody else is what it is. I’m just going to keep fighting until he can’t get away from me. I will get that back.”

Bellator 237, the promotion’s debut in Japan, took place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena. The main card streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

To hear from Page, check out the video above.

[vertical-gallery id=475165]

[vertical-gallery id=323751]

Bellator 237 winner Lorenz Larkin sends message to ‘turtle’ Paul Daley

Lorenz Larkin has a new nickname for former opponent Paul Daley.

SAITAMA, Japan – [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag]’s performance Saturday night may have been his best since joining the promotion in March 2017.

On the Bellator 237 main card, Larkin (22-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) put on a high-level striking clinic against fellow former UFC fighter Keita Nakamura (35-11-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA). As a result of his efforts, Larkin walked away with an unanimous decision victory.

While Larkin won handily, he faced some controversy the morning prior to fight day. The California native missed the mark on the scales Friday, weighing in 173.5 pounds.

“The thing is, I did the same weight cut I always do,” Larkin told MMA Junkie, post-fight “I think I might have came in a little too heavy. It’s funny because I look at all the little comments and stuff on the internet. (I’ve) got 30-plus fights, and this isn’t including my amateur fights. I’ve never missed weight. Never came close to missing weight. Always have been on point.”

“This time, it is what it is. It happens. The first hour that I was in the tub, I dropped 3.4 (pounds). The next hour, it went from 3.4 to 0.4. So, that’s it. I’m not stupid when it comes to all of this. I listen to my body. … It’s not like I’m known for this.”

[lawrence-related id=475397,475419]

So what’s next for Larkin? The welterweight contender wouldn’t commit to a name and said he’s leaving his options open. However, there is one British fighter in particular Larkin refuses to rematch at this point in time.

“I don’t know,” Larkin said. “They always give me a name, but Leonardo – I’m not fighting his ass until he fights (Andrey) Koreshkov. And by Leonardo, I mean Paul Daley. (Expletive) Ninja Turtle looking – so, anyways. That’s what it is.

“Anybody else, we can set it up and I’ll talk to Scott. But for the turtle out there, you can’t fight me until you fight Koreshkov. Stop ducking.”

Bellator 237, the promotion’s debut in Japan, took place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena. The main card aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Check out Larkin’s full Bellator 237 post-fight media scrum in the video above.

[vertical-gallery id=475168]

[vertical-gallery id=475165]