Tag: Bellator 240

Bold statements: The 6 standout Bellator performances of 2020 so far

MMA Junkie’s Simon Head picks out six big statements made by Bellator fighters during the promotion’s curtailed 2020 event schedule.

With big-name signings, an ongoing $1 million tournament and growing excitement around the future of the promotion, 2020 looked set to be a big year for Bellator MMA. But the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic placed the sporting world – including Bellator – on an enforced hiatus as social distancing and quarantine measures were introduced in nations across the world.

It meant that Bellator’s event schedule hit the brakes after just three shows in 2020. But in those three events, we witnessed six fighters deliver contrasting, yet decisive, statements as they looked to further their respective careers inside the Bellator cage.

We take a look back at six big statements made inside the Bellator cage so far in 2020…

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Cris Cyborg ascends the throne

Bellator 238, Jan. 25, The Forum, Inglewood

Reports of [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]’s demise following her UFC title defeat to Amanda Nunes were grossly exaggerated, and the Brazilian women’s MMA icon emphatically proved that fact on her Bellator debut as she overpowered long-reigning champion Julia Budd to capture the promotion’s women’s featherweight title at Bellator 238.

Cyborg (22-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) put the pedal to the metal from the first round and kept her foot flat on the floor as she pushed a relentless pace on the Canadian before eventually breaking down the champion in the championship rounds for a fourth-round TKO finish.

The victory put Cyborg’s name into the history books as the first fighter to win titles in four major MMA organizations, having captured titles in Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC, and now Bellator.

Now, with the Brazilian back on top, but with a much deeper pool of 145-pound contenders to defend against, the challenges should come thick and fast once Bellator restarts its event schedule.

Next up: Bellator’s “super prospect” bounces back with big KO

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Kiefer Crosbie reveals how fighting and fatherhood combined to create his ‘biggest moment’

Irish Bellator fighter Kiefer Crosbie rode a rollercoaster of emotions during Bellator 240 fight week, but his win in Dublin gave him his “biggest moment.”

For Irish fighter [autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag], Bellator 240 was always going to be a big occasion, but circumstances came together to give him one of the most emotionally-charged fight weeks of his life, and his biggest moment as a Bellator fighter.

Crosbie (8-1 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) took on Iamik Furtado in the co-main event of Bellator 240 at Dublin’s 3Arena, where a packed crowd full of Crosbie’s friends, family and fans raised the roof as he captured a hard-fought split-decision victory.

But the win itself was merely the culmination of a crazy fight week, as Crosbie became a father just days before he stepped into the Bellator cage for the biggest fight of his career.

Initially, he was all set to go to the hospital on fight day for the delivery, but the baby eventually came on the Tuesday of fight week as Crosbie rode a rollercoaster of emotions before his weight cut.

It left Crosbie feeling supercharged when he stepped into the cage on fight night, and he dug deep to win the fight with a big final round as he claimed his fourth win as a Bellator fighter. The circumstances of that week mean that his victory will be one he remembers forever.

Check out Crosbie’s story, told by the man himself, in the video above.

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Relive Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7 on MMA Junkie (6 p.m. ET)

Need your Saturday night fight fix? Then check out the replay of February’s Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7 card from Dublin.

Getting a little antsy now that another Saturday night is on the horizon and there are no live fights to watch?

Well, Bellator is stepping up to fill in the void — and totally from a safe social distance, too.

Starting at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Bellator will re-air the memorable Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7 combo event, which went down at 3Arena in Dublin.

Bellator 240 was headlined by former lightweight champion [autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag]’ first-round submission of Chris Bungard; while Bellator Europe 7 saw [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] take an impressive unanimous decision over Judith Ruis.

Whether you caught this exciting night of fights the first time around or you missed it and are ready to catch up, Bellator’s here to give you a solid Saturday night of fights. So watch the video above to relive a fun time on the Emerald Isle, starting with the prelims t 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

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USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Feb. 25: Dan Hooker climbs the charts

Dan Hooker beat Paul Felder with a thin split decision in the UFC Auckland main event – but how far did it catapult him in the rankings?

Dan Hooker beat Paul Felder with a razor-thin split decision in the UFC on ESPN+ 26 main event.

There were plenty of viewers who scored the fight for Felder, but it was Hooker who got his hand raised in front of his home fans in New Zealand. One thing that can’t be disputed is the fight was a great one.

Going into UFC Auckland, Felder sat at No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings. Hooker was just inside the numbers at 15. So after Hooker’s win, how far did he climb? And how far did Felder have to tumble with the loss?

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Take a look at all the moves in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings. This week should provide some movement, too, when Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo fight for the UFC’s vacant flyweight title.

To find out where your favorite fighters fall in the latest rankings, scroll to the top of the page and select a division from the drop-down menu.

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Spinning Back Clique: What’s the biggest fallout from Dan Hooker’s win over Paul Felder?

What’s the fallout from Dan Hooker’s narrow split decision win over Paul Felder in the UFC on ESPN+ 26 main event in Auckland?

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, “Gorgeous” George, “Goze” and John Morgan unpack what went down at UFC on ESPN+ 26, including the Dan Hooker vs. Paul Felder main event.

SHOW RUNDOWN:

  • Dan Hooker beat Paul Felder with a razor-thin split decision in the UFC on ESPN+ 26 main event. Did the judges get it right? And what should happen next for Hooker and Felder?
  • UFC women’s strawweight Angela Hill fought for the sixth time in 11 months, which is a new promotional record. Is she the female Donald Cerrone? Should she keep fighting with this frequency, or should she chill out and wait for some big fights to try to get into title contention?
  • UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya got a lot of heat for a comment that seemed to make light of 9/11. He apologized after the fact. Did he really screw up in an unforgivable way? And was his apology on the mark?
  • Bellator had back-to-back events this past weekend – one in Thackerville, Okla., and one in Dublin. Who were the fighters that stood out from the two shows?
  • This week, Joseph Benavidez goes after a flyweight title once again when he takes on Deiveson Figueiredo for the vacant belt in the UFC Norfolk main event. Does he have to have this belt to cement his legacy?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 17 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

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Did UFC Auckland end in controversy or was right call made? | Spinning Back Clique.mp4

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan is joined by MMA Junkie Radio’s own Gorgeous George and Goze to unpack the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Auckland and Bellator 239/Dublin/240

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan is joined by MMA Junkie Radio’s own Gorgeous George and Goze to unpack the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Auckland and Bellator 239/Dublin/240

MMA Junkie Radio #3029: UFC Auckland and Bellator recaps, Fury-Wilder, Adesanya, more

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” look back at the UFC and Bellator shows from Friday-Saturday and react to the latest MMA news and notes.

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Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On Episode No. 3,029 of the podcast, the guys look back at a busy combat sports weekend with UFC Auckland, Bellator 239, Bellator Dublin and Fury vs. Wilder, and they react to the latest MMA news and notes.

THE RUNDOWN

  • UFC on ESPN+ 26 went down in New Zealand with a killer main event between Dan Hooker and Paul Felder. We look back at the card.
  • Bellator had back-to-back events with Bellator 239 in Oklahoma and Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7 in Dublin. We go through the most important results.
  • How did you score Hooker’s split decision win over Felder?
  • Should Hooker get Justin Gaethje next? That’s whom he called out.
  • Should Felder hang up the gloves after his loss? He said he was considering it, but his team says that was just in the moment.
  • Did Jimmy Crute have his coming-out party with a big TKO of Michal Oleksiejczuk in Auckland?
  • Should Karolina Kowalkiewicz call it quits after a fourth straight loss at UFC Auckland? We think she should.
  • Angela Hill set the new bar in Auckland with six UFC fights in less than a year. Should she take a rest and slow down?
  • UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya ruffled plenty of feathers with a 9/11 comment. He apologized after the fact and owned up to it. We break down the situation.
  • How was the Tyson Fury win over Deontay Wilder on Saturday night different from a big UFC event?
  • Submission Underground went down Sunday, and we recap the event.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Babies, kebabs and flying chairs: Georgi Karakhanyan recaps a crazy fight week in Dublin

Georgi Karakhanyan had a busy week in Dublin. He claimed victory, became a father and saw his friends narrowly avoid a brawl in a kebab shop.

It was a night to remember for [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] at Bellator 240 in more ways than one.

The Bellator veteran picked up a submission victory over Irish fan favorite Paul Redmond on the preliminary card at 3Arena in Dublin, then revealed backstage after his win that his son had been born DURING his fight.

“She just actually had it already,” he told reporters backstage after his victory. “I haven’t talked to her, but it’s my baby boy. ‘Little Georgi’, I call him – Georgi Jr. First time in Dublin, the baby’s born. I just went with the experience. I never went through this (before) and I’m all about experiences, so I’m very happy.”

Remarkably, that wasn’t the only fight week drama for Karakhanyan (29-10-1 MMA, 7-7 BMMA), who also revealed that his friends got involved in an altercation with some local hooligans in a kebab shop before fight night.

“I love Dublin – all the people here are cool … except a few hooligans who tried to beat up my homies,” he said. “They were having a kebab at a kebab place at Temple Bar, and something crazy happened, and I guess they started throwing chairs at them. They kept their calm. I’m happy they didn’t beat them up.”

Fortunately, Karakhanyan’s team left it to Georgi to look after the fighting on their Dublin trip, and he got the job done inside the Bellator cage thanks to a second-round guillotine choke.

Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7 post-event facts: Charlie Ward closes in on KO record

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7, which took place Saturday in Dublin.

Bellator closed out a very busy weekend of fights on Saturday with the split-event showcase that was Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7, which took place at 3Arena in Dublin.

There were a few noteworthy results to stem from the lineup, someone of which had historical significance. For more details, check below for 30 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 240/Bellator Europe 7.

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General

Betting favorites went 7-1 on the main card.

Betting favorites improved to 3-0 in Bellator main events this year.

Total fight time for the eight main card matchups was 1:26:54.

Bellator 240

[autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) has earned eight of his 10 career victories by stoppage.

Primus’ eight victories in Bellator lightweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Michael Chandler (14) and Patricky Freire (14).

Primus’ six stoppage victories in Bellator lightweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Chandler (nine) and Freire (nine).

[autotag]Chris Bungard[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) has suffered all three of his career stoppage losses by submission.

[autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) has earned three of his four Bellator victories by decision.

[autotag]Iamik Furtado[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

[autotag]Bec Rawlings[/autotag] (8-9 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) snapped her five-fight losing skid for her first victory since March 2016.

Rawlings improved to 1-3 since she returned to the women’s flyweight division in November 2017.

[autotag]Elina Kallionidou[/autotag] (7-4 MMA, 0-4 BMMA) remained winless in four career Bellator appearances.

Kallionidou has suffered all four of her career losses by decision.

[autotag]Ricky Bandejas[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) has earned nine of his 13 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his Bellator wins.

[autotag]Lewis Long[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) has suffered all six of his career losses by stoppage.

Bellator Europe 7

[autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) failed to finish her opponent for the first time in her Bellator career.

[autotag]Judith Ruis[/autotag] (6-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) has suffered four of her five career losses by decision.

[autotag]Charlie Ward[/autotag] (8-4 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) improved to 5-1 since he returned to the middleweight division in November 2017. He’s 7-1 overall in his career at the weight class.

Ward’s five stoppage victories in Bellator middleweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Alexander Shlemenko (eight) and John Salter (six).

Ward’s five knockout victories in Bellator middleweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Shlemenko (six).

[autotag]Kyle Kurtz[/autotag] (10-8 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has suffered seven of his eight career losses by stoppage. He’s been finished by knockout in six of those defeats.

[autotag]Austin Clem[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) earned the first decision victory of his career.

[autotag]Aaron Chalmers[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

[autotag]Richard Kiely[/autotag] (3-3 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.

[autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] (29-10-1 MMA, 7-8 BMMA) was successful in his Bellator lightweight debut.

Karakhanyan improved to 1-2 since he returned to Bellator for a third stint in March 2019.

[autotag]Paul Redmond[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) fell to 5-3 since he was released from the UFC in July 2015.

Redmond has suffered seven of his nine career losses by stoppage.

Redmond suffered his first submission loss since Dec. 31, 2013 – a span of 2,244 days (more than six years) and 12 fights.

[autotag]Richie Smullen[/autotag] (5-2-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

[autotag]Justin Moore[/autotag] (9-5 MMA, 0-2 BMMA) has suffered all five of his career losses by stoppage.