Tag: Bellator 238

Bellator 238 results: Juan Archuleta outpoints Henry Corrales for decision

In what can best be described as a tactical affair, Juan Archuleta got back in the win column on Saturday night.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A pair of savvy veterans, [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] and Henry Corrales showed each other plenty of respect when the cage door was shut on their Bellator 238 main-card bout on Saturday night.

Maybe just a little bit too much respect.

In a fight which seemed to promise fireworks that never quite materialized, the featherweight duo put on a tactical display in front of a crowd which didn’t much appreciate the strategy. In the end, Archuleta (24-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) scored enough points to earn the decision, as he got a 29-28, across-the-board unanimous nod from the judges.

The pattern was set in the opening round, as Archuleta stayed on the outside and forced Corrales (17-5 MMA, 5-5 BMMA) to chase him. Corrales didn’t want to rush after him, a point that was underscored by Archuleta landing shots whenever Corrales closed the distance.

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This went on through the first round and into the second as the crowd got restless. Late in the second, Archuleta had the fight’s most memorable moment, as he got behind Corrales, lifted him up through Corrales’ attempt to grab the fence, and delivered a nice slam.

Corrales showed more urgency in the third and briefly dropped Archuleta a couple times, but it wasn’t nearly enough to turn the fight in his favor.

The bout was a matchup of fighters who had lost in the first round of the Bellator featherweight Grand Prix in their last outings. Archuleta has now won 19 of 20 with his 12th career decision win. Corrales’ third career decision loss was his second defeat in a row.

The featherweight bout was part of the Bellator 238 main card at The Forum. The main card streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 238 results include:

  • Brandon Bender def. Joshua Jones via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
  • Aaron Pico def. Daniel Carey via KO (punch) — Round 2, 0:15
  • AJ Agazarm def. Adel Altamimi via submission (triangle choke) — Round 3, 1:22
  • Mario Navarro vs. Jay Jay Wilson def. Navarro via submission (armbar) — Round 1, 2:48
  • Curtis Millender def. Moses Murrietta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Chris Avila def. Anthony Taylor via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Miguel Jacob def. David Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27. 30-26, 30-27)

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Bellator 238 results: Sergio Pettis stops Alfred Khashakyan in Bellator debut

Who said Sergio Pettis can’t finish a fight? He wasted little time in his Bellator debut.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Who said [autotag]Sergio Pettis [/autotag]can’t finish a fight?

The Milwaukee native was criticized during his UFC tenure for his lack of finishing ability. But Saturday night, in the first fight of his Bellator tenure, Pettis (19-5 MMA, 1-0 Bellator) wasted little time getting the job done.

A hellacious right hand sent opponent Alfred Khashakyan to the mat, and a flurry on the mat led to a finish by way of a deep guillotine choke. The time of the stoppage at Bellator 238 was 3:00.

Khashakyan (11-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA), of the Glendale Fight Club, is an aggressive fighter who had all 11 of his career wins via KO or TKO.

But that energy came back to bite him against Pettis. Khashakyan landed a nice right which momentarily stunned Pettis. But as Khashakyan went to follow up, he ran right into a violent right which landed flush on the jaw and sent him to the mat.

Pettis followed with a bunch of punches, mostly rights, and then transitioned to the guillotine choke. Referee Mike Beltran, one of the game’s best, had a rare off moment, as Khashakyan appeared to be out well before the fight was stopped.

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With his seventh career stoppage win, Pettis has won two in a row. Khashakyan had his third career stoppage loss.

The bantamweight bout was part of the Bellator 238 main card at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 238 results include:

  • Sergio Pettis def. Alfred Khashakyan via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 1, 3:00
  • Raymond Daniels def. Jason King via TKO — Round 1, 3:07
  • Emilee King def. Ava Knight via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 2:18
  • Brandon Bender def. Joshua Jones via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
  • Aaron Pico def. Daniel Carey via KO (punch) — Round 2, 0:15
  • AJ Agazarm def. Adel Altamimi via submission (triangle choke) — Round 3, 1:22
  • Mario Navarro vs. Jay Jay Wilson def. Navarro via submission (armbar) — Round 1, 2:48
  • Curtis Millender def. Moses Murrietta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Chris Avila def. Anthony Taylor via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Miguel Jacob def. David Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27. 30-26, 30-27)

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Video: Aaron Pico regains his mojo with a vicious knockout at Bellator 238

If you wrote Aaron Pico off after his recent setbacks, think again.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] vowed you would see the 2.0 version of his fight career Saturday night, and he delivered on his promise at Bellator 238.

Now well established at Jackson Wink MMA, Pico returned to The Forum back home in the Los Angeles area looking to shake off back-to-back knockout losses when he took on Daniel Carey in a preliminary bout.

Pico (5-3 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) still has that knockout power he’s shown since he broke into MMA, but he also displayed patience, which was missing from his game before, as he felt things out in the first round of the featherweight fight.

Then, in the second, when he saw a real opening, he pounced. Pico threw a wicked left that seemed part punch, part forearm smash.

Check it out below:

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However you wish to categorize it, it was the end of the night for Carey (7-4 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) at the 15-second mark of the round.

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.

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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.”

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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.”

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Bellator 238’s Alfred Khashakyan says he’s no stepping stone for Sergio Pettis

Alfred Khashakyan says anyone thinking he’s just a stepping stone for Sergio Pettis at Bellator 238 will be very much mistaken.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — [autotag]Alfred Khashakyan[/autotag] plans on playing spoiler this Saturday.

Khashakyan (11-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) takes on former UFC fighter [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] at Bellator 238, and will also be making his promotional debut. But while most eyes are on Pettis, Khashakyan says anyone viewing him simply as a springboard for Pettis’ Bellator career is very much mistaken.

“I don’t know if they think that, but I don’t know if they’ve seen my fights or not,” Khashakyan told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “I hope that’s not what they brought me for, because it’s definitely going to be an upset.”

Khashakyan is happy to be taking on a name like Pettis (18-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), which means more eyes will be on him, too.

“He is Anthony Pettis’ brother. He has a big name, good following,” he said. “It’s a better opportunity for me to show who I am, so I’m actually happy to fight him.”

All 11 of Khashakyan’s professional victories have come by way of knockout, and he’s notched wins over some notable names, including UFC veterans Albert Morales and Chris Beal. Despite his solid resumé he wasn’t able to secure a UFC contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017, where he ran into Sean O’Malley. But that experience was a valuable one for Khashakyan, who has since worked his way back up to the big stage.

“I feel like that fight I didn’t take my diet seriously and just getting in the cage I was already dizzy, light-headed,” he recalled. “So I learnt a lot about preparation. Just because I can knock everybody out, doesn’t mean that if I don’t feel good, I might not be able so knock them out. So, I took my diet seriously, came back, I got three knockouts (in the) first round to show people that I’ve still got what I have. The power is still there.”

Khashakyan is relaxed and confident ahead of the matchup, and says he believes his knockout power will see him add another finish to his resume on Saturday night.

“I feel like I got so much power maybe first-round KO if not second-round KO,” he said. “I don’t see it going three rounds.”

Jay Jay Wilson before Bellator 238 fight: ‘I’m going to die, or he’s going to die’

Jay Jay Wilson with some simple, but super intense, thoughts heading into his fifth professional fight.

LOS ANGELES – [autotag]Jay Jay Wilson[/autotag] goes into his fights with some intense thoughts.

For this one at Bellator 238? Kill or be killed.

The young Kiwi takes on [autotag]Mario Navarro[/autotag] (4-5 MMA, 1-3 BMMA) this Saturday at The Forum in nearby Inglewood.

Wilson (4-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) has competed for less than a round combined in all four of his pro MMA wins, attributing his fast finishes to his mentality.

“I go in there thinking … my mindset before I go into the ring is I’m going to die, or he’s going to die, and I want to go to my family,” Wilson told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I’m going home. That’s my mindset, so that’s why I go out there with killer instincts.”

He takes on a more experienced opponent in Navarro, but he’s expecting the outcome to be the same as every fight. It’s a trend he hopes to make a career out of.

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“I finish this guy,” Wilson said. “I get this guy out of the first round. I go out there, if I catch him on my feet, I catch him on my feet. If not, I’m going to put him down and do what I do best.

“I’m really happy for all my success since I’m so young right now. I’m 22 years old, and I’m coming out and finishing these guys in the first two minutes. I want to keep this train rolling, I want to keep this going all the way for the rest of my career. I want every fight to go like this. I want to go out there right from the beginning, I want to try and finish the fight.”

Representing a new wave of fighters from New Zealand, Wilson can only hope to emulate UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya by being active and fighting on a regular basis.

“So right now, I’m not thinking about contending or getting a title or anything,” Wilson said. “Right now, I just want to fight. That’s a thing I took from Israel Adesanya is just fight. I watched him have eight fights in one week, and here I am having eight fights in a year.”

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