Tag: Bellator 271

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Nov. 16: Cris Cyborg, Max Holloway hold their positions

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings after UFC Fight Night 197 and Bellator 271.

A pair of former UFC featherweight champions shined in their recent bouts, but given their placement in the rankings, don’t have much room to move up.

Former UFC champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] put on another high-volume showcase against Yair Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night 197 but stays at No. 3 behind Alexander Volkanovski and A.J. McKee in the featherweight rankings.

Bellator women’s featherweight champ and former UFC champ [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] turned back the clock and made quick work of Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 271 to pick up her first opening-round finish since 2018, but stays at No. 2 behind her former opponent and current UFC champ-champ Amanda Nunes in the featherweight and pound-for-pound rankings.

You can check out the full rankings by division with each dropdown above.

Spinning Back Clique: ‘Fight of the Year’ candidates, Aaron Pico, Kayla Harrison and more

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week, we look back at the UFC Fight Night 197 and Bellator 271 headliners, look ahead to Saturday’s , and talk a little Jon Jones.

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Mike Bohn, Nolan King and Danny Segura discuss these topics with host John Morgan.

  • UFC Fight Night 197 produced another contender for “Fight of the Year” when Max Holloway outworked Yair Rodriguez in the main event. That came just a week after another monumental battle between Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler. So which one is the leader in the clubhouse as we come down the stretch in 2021?
  • After Holloway’s big win, should he be next in line for featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who beat him to win the belt, then beat him a second time to defend it? Both were close fights. Or should Holloway be thinking about a big-money fight like a rematch with Conor McGregor?
  • Aaron Pico has won five straight fights for Bellator and finally is starting to look like a title contender and not just a prospect. Now that he’s well clear of a slightly stunning two-fight skid, will 2022 be the year Pico breaks out and wins a Bellator title?
  • Jorge Masvidal is out of his fight against Leon Edwards at UFC 269, which was a long-awaited grudge match. Should the UFC give Edwards a title shot in the wake of that news? And what does it mean for Masvidal?
  • Kayla Harrison won her second $1 million PFL title in October, but now she’s a free agent. UFC president Dana White has seemed ho-hum about the potential to sign her to the featherweight division. But Bellator’s Scott Coker seems much more open about it – and Harrison was on hand in South Florida to watch Cris Cyborg’s latest title defense this past Friday. So where do we think Harrison will wind up: The UFC? Bellator? Or back in the PFL?

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Tuesday on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch the full episode in the video above.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3209: UFC Fight Night 197, Bellator 271 recaps and more

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

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

On Episode 3,209, the fellas look back at UFC Fight Night 197 and Max Holloway’s “Fight of the Night” win over Yair Rodriguez, which also became a solid contender for “Fight of the Year.” They also discussed Cris Cyborg’s latest dominant title defense at Bellator 271 and wondered if she can be the best women’s fighter in history without a win over Amanda Nunes. And they looked back at the other biggest fights on both cards.

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

Bellator 271 post-event facts: Cris Cyborg leads Bellator champs in defenses

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 271, which took place Friday and saw Cris Cyborg defend her title in 92 seconds.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] continued her reign of terror on Friday with another dominant title defense against [autotag]Sinead Kavanagh[/autotag] in the Bellator 271 main event.

Cyborg (25-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) recorded her third consecutive defense when she stopped Kavanagh (7-5 MMA, 4-5 BMMA) by knockout just 92 seconds into the headliner, which took place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

For more on the numbers, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 271.

Cris Cyborg after Bellator 271: If Kayla Harrison ‘really wants to fight me, she knows where I’m at’

Does Cris Cyborg have doubts about Kayla Harrison leaving PFL, or is she daring her to sign with Bellator?

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] dismantled Sinead Kavanagh in 92 seconds on Friday night to retain her women’s featherweight title at Bellator 271, which is nothing new at this stage of the champion’s illustrious career.

What is new – or rather, what would be new of she joins Bellator – is a fight with [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag], the former two-time Olympic judo gold medalist turned two-time PFL women’s lightweight champion.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, Harrison is a free agent right now. She’s the hottest MMA free agent on the open market. And she was cageside at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to get her first up-close look at Cyborg.

Yes, Harrison met with Bellator president Scott Coker. No, a deal does not seem imminent at the moment. But that didn’t stop the obvious questions from coming Cyborg’s way after her latest triumph.

“If she really wants to fight me, she knows where I’m at,” Cyborg told reporters, including MMA Junkie, after her Bellator 271 win. “(Her manager Ali Abdelaziz) can negotiate with Scott Coker to make the fight happen. I have nothing to say. I’m not gonna share my shine today. I’m here ready for anyone who wants to fight me, for sure.”

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Harrison, who’s undefeated at 12-0, certainly wants to fight Cyborg, She said as much in an interview with MMA Junkie moments after Cyborg’s win. Whether or not it happens, though, is to be determined. And Cyborg seems to have her doubts.

“If she really wants to fight me, she can sign with Bellator, and we’ll fight,” Cyorg said. “We’re gonna talk about this back and forth, back and forth. I don’t think she’s gonna come out of PFL. I think she’s gonna continue PFL. This is just part of the game.”

Were those doubts? Or was that a dare?

Whatever her next fight might be – perhaps against Cat Zingano or a rematch with Arlene Blencowe if Harrison doesn’t sign – Cyborg said she will “let Scott Coker do his job.”

As for Harrison?

“Thank you for coming. It was nice,” Cyborg said. “She was coming to visit my house. I hope she really liked it.”

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Kayla Harrison: ‘The greatest compliment I can give to Cris Cyborg is that I want to fight her’

Kayla Harrison sat cageside at Bellator 271 to witness Cris Cyborg for the first time and then talked about potentially fighting her afterward.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Could [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] be on a collision course toward a future fight? Maybe, maybe not. But they were in the same building for the first time Friday night.

Harrison was cageside at the Seminole Hard Rock Resort & Casino where she watched Cyborg knock out Sinead Kavanagh in the first round of their Bellator 271 headliner to retain the Bellator women’s featherweight title. It was easy work for Cyborg.

It was also the first time that two-time PFL women’s featherweight champion Harrison, who trains out of nearby American Top Team, got an up-close look at Cyborg (25-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in action.

“My first impression was she’s not as big as I thought she was gonna be,” Harrison told MMA Junkie with a laugh.

Then she got serious.

“But all joking aside, obviously Cyborg is a trailblazer in the sport,” Harrison said. “She’s a pioneer. She’s a trailblazer. The only problem with that is I’m on this trail now. But it was great to watch her live. I’m super impressed as always. She puts on a hell of a show, and I’ve got nothing but respect for her.”

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Fresh off winning a 2021 PFL title for $1 million just last month, undefeated Harrison (12-0) is currently the hottest free agent in MMA. She was at the Hard Rock on Friday night to open dialogue with Bellator president Scott Coker about possibly signing with the promotion. Harrison was without representation as her manager, Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA, wasn’t in attendance.

Harrison didn’t say much about her meeting with Coker, other than “it went good.”

Depending on how well it went and if there’s more discussion to be had, it’s possible that Harrison could be challenging for Cyborg’s title in 2022. That’s something both women would welcome – especially Harrison.

“Listen, she’s one of the greatest of all time,” Harrison said of Cyborg. “I don’t care which way you slice it. You can’t deny her her greatness, and I’ve made it no secret that I wanna go down as the greatest. So, in order to do that, you’ve got to beat the greatest, and she’s one of those people. So, for me, the greatest compliment I can give to Cris Cyborg is that I want to fight her. That’s the greatest honor I can say, is that I wanna share the cage with you for 25 hard minutes. I would be over the moon to have an opportunity to fight her.”

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Bellator 271 results: Cris Cyborg starches Sinead Kavanagh to defend title, entertains Kayla Harrison

Was there every any doubt about the Bellator 271 main event?

Was there every any doubt about the Bellator 271 main event?

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] asserted her dominance as Bellator women’s featherweight champion once again Friday night, knocking out [autotag]Sinead Kavanagh[/autotag] in the first round at the  Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

The fight was a clear mismatch on paper, with Cyborg (25-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) entering as a 30-to-1 favorite and Kavanagh (7-5 MMA, 4-5 BMMA) a 13-to-1 underdog, and it played out that way in the cage.

Cyborg wasted no time blitzing Kavanagh with punches, forcing a clinch near the cage, After a few moments, they separated, but Cyborg immediately blitzed again and landed hard shots, forcing Kavanagh to clinch once more. Kavanagh was bleeding from her nose by the time a third exchange occurred, and this one ended the fight after Cyborg dropped Kavanagh to the canvas with a hard right hand. Kavanagh managed to clip Cyborg, but the champ simply overwhelmed her to score the finish just 1:32 in the first round.

Cyborg’s tear through Bellator continued as she’s now 4-0 with the promotion, including three title defenses. Cat Zingano seems like a natural next opponent, but there’s potentially another option in Kayla Harrison, who was in attendance Friday night.

Harrison, 31, is a free agent after winning the 2021 PFL women’s lightweight championship. She was expected to speak with Bellator president Scott Coker during the week about possibly joining Bellator.

Cyborg, 36, was asked in the cage about a possible matchup and made it clear that she welcomed it.

As for Kavanagh, the loss snapped a two-fight winning streak for the SBG Ireland teammate of Conor McGregor. It was her first fight in 13 months.

Complete Bellator 271 results:

  • Champ Cris Cyborg def. Sinead Kavanagh via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:32 – to defend women’s featherweight title
  • Linton Vassell def. Tyrell Fortune via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Aaron Pico def. Justin Gonzales via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
  • Arlene Blencowe def. Pam Sorenson via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Steve Mowry def. Rakim Cleveland via submission (Kimura) – Round 1, 3:28

Twitter reacts to Cris Cyborg’s quick KO of Sinead Kavanagh to defend title at Bellator 271

See the top Twitter reactions to Cris Cyborg’s title defense over Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 271.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] defended her women’s featherweight title for the third consecutive time when she beat [autotag]Sinead Kavanagh[/autotag] in Friday’s Bellator 271 headliner.

Cyborg (25-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) continued her dominance since joining the organization with a first-round knockout victory over Kavanagh (7-5 MMA, 4-5 BMMA) in the championship bout, which took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Cyborg’s title defense over Kavanagh at Bellator 271

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Bellator 271 video: Roman Faraldo points at opponent, leaps across cage for stiffening flying knee KO

Could this be a “Knockout of the Year” candidate?

Lightning might not strike twice, but [autotag]Roman Faraldo[/autotag]’s flying knees do.

For the second time in his short promotional tenure, Faraldo won by flying knee Friday when he knocked out [autotag]Robert Turnquest[/autotag] at 1:17 of Round 1.

Bellator 271 took place Friday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The main card aired on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

The finishing sequence began with a jab. It might not have looked like much initially, but the blow clearly stunned Turnquest (5-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), who stumbled backward, hurt. Faraldo (11-8 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) smelled blood in the water. He put his hands down, pointed at his foe, who was backpedaling, and leaped across the cage.

In the air, Faraldo switched knees. The knee moving from back to front clocked Turnquest upside the head leading to a “Knockout of the Year” candidate. Upon impact, Turnquest crashed into the base of the cage where the fence and canvas meet. No follow up shots were thrown – and none were needed. Turnquest was stiff and out cold.

Check out Faraldo’s flying knee knockout below:

With the win, Faraldo stays undefeated as a professional. Training at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla., Faraldo is a training partner and friend of former UFC welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal.

All six of Faraldo’s pro fights have ended with him victorious by knockout, including a flying knee knockout of Pat Casey in his Bellator debut.

The update Bellator 271 results include:

  • Roman Faraldo def. Robert Turnquest via knockout (flying knee) – Round 1, 1:17
  • Cody Law def. Colton Hamm via knockout (elbows) – Round 1, 4:21
  • Valerie Loureda def. Taylor Turner via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Muhammed DeReese via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Ethan Hughes def. Mahmoud Sebie TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:05

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Bellator 271 results: Valerie Loureda returns to win column, brings back dance celebration

Valerie Loureda was ecstatic to get back into the win column – and danced in celebration to show it.

[autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] punched her ticket back into the win column at Bellator 271.

Entering a fight off a loss for the first time as a professional, Loureda (4-1 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) defeated [autotag]Taylor Turner[/autotag] (5-8 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) on the preliminary card.

Bellator 271 took place Friday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The main card aired on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

The fight took place in the striking department, largely from a distance. A lengthy flyweight fighter at 5-foot-10 with a 71-inch reach, Turner tried to utilize her height and length to her advantage.

However, Loureda’s movement became tricky for her slower opponent. She circled around her lengthy foe. She moved in and out with both brief striking attacks and combinations. Overall, the bout was slowly paced, but Loureda did what she needed to do to get her hand raised.

Upon the final bell’s sound, Loureda celebrated in vintage fashion. She showed off her dance moves both before the decision was read – and afterward. It was a close call as a dissenting judge sided with Turner, but the anticipatory drama gave her even more reason to break out in dance once more after her hand was raised.

With the win, Loureda bounces back from a unanimous decision loss against Hannah Guy. The defeat followed a 3-0 start to her career which included victories over Tara Graff, Larkyn Dasch, and Colby Fletcher.

As for Turner, the loss is the third in her most recent four fights. She entered Bellator 271 with a .500 promotional record with a win against Heather Hardy and a loss to Alejandra Lara.

Updated Bellator 271 results include:

  • Valerie Loureda def. Taylor Turner via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Muhammed DeReese via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Ethan Hughes def. Mahmoud Sebie TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:05

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