Tag: Bellator 282

MMA Junkie Radio #3272: UFC on ESPN 38, Bellator 282 and PFL 5 recaps

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”


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

On Episode 3,272, the fellas look back at this past weekend’s slate of events: UFC on ESPN 38, Bellator 282 and PFL Week 5. They discuss the scoring in the UFC main event, new Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen, the upcoming Stevie Ray-Anthony Pettis PFL rematch and more. Tune in!

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 282 post-event facts: Johnny Eblen the newest undefeated champion

Johnny Eblen joined the short list of fighters to win a Bellator title with an undefeated record at Bellator 282.

The Bellator event schedule resumed Friday with Bellator 282, which took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and saw a new champion crowned in the main event.

[autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) captured the middleweight title with a dominant sweep over [autotag]Gegard Mousasi[/autotag] (49-8-2 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) by unanimous decision, becoming the eighth 185-pound champion in company history.

For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-fight facts from Bellator 282.

Cat Zingano thinks long-discussed shot at Bellator champ Cris Cyborg should be next

Cat Zingano moved to 3-0 under the Bellator banner Friday, but it didn’t come without some discomfort.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] moved to 3-0 under the Bellator banner Friday, but it didn’t come without some discomfort.

Zingano (13-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) dominated Pam Sorenson (9-5 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) in their women’s featherweight bout at the Bellator 282 preliminary card at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. She lost a point for an illegal knee, and when she threw another knee later, she wound up tweaking it – and said that led to a change in game plan the rest of the way.

“I’m happy with the performance,” Zingano told MMA Junkie after the fight. “I feel like I was very dominant. I get (to top position on the canvas) a lot and I stay there a lot, and I feel like I cause a lot of damage. It’s a very comfortable, happy place for me. I feel like I want to be doing more.

“I feel like I got some really good head kicks off on her and at one point, I watched one land and as I turned away, I just watched her head start dripping. I’m like, ‘Damn, she’s got a chin. That didn’t do anything but cut her.’ I cut her again and I cut her again, and it still wasn’t fazing her. … Once I hurt my knee, it was just top game and try to cut her up and see if I can get a finish from there.”

Zingano, who fought Ronda Rousey for the UFC women’s bantamweight title in 2015, has wins over Gabrielle Holloway, Olivia Parker and now Sorenson since she came to Bellator with one win each in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

She’s in the unique position of having a stoppage win over former UFC dual champ Amanda Nunes on her resume, as well as former UFC champ Miesha Tate. Nunes is the one who dethroned Cyborg for the UFC women’s featherweight title and took the crown as who many consider the best women’s fighter of all time.

Cyborg (26-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is coming off a decision win over Arlene Blencowe in April to defend the 145-pound title. Bellator’s women’s featherweight division isn’t so deep that there are many options beyond Zingano, and she thinks she should be next in line.

“I do (think I should get a title shot),” Zingano said. “I feel like I’ve done a good job moving up the ranks in Bellator and getting the experience. The environment is here. Me and Cyborg are here. We’ve both been talking about each other for quite a while. Putting it together obviously makes a lot of sense.

“I think we have very different styles, and different styles make awesome matchups. I think that’s cool and I think it’ll be interesting. We’re both OGs and we both came from training in the same kind of hard-knocks environments to come up and still figuring it out and making it happen.”

Check out Zingano’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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‘Expected’: Johnny Eblen knew he’d prove doubters, Gegard Mousasi wrong at Bellator 282

After Bellator 282, new middleweight champion Johnny Eblen reflected on his prediction coming to fruition.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] knew it all along.

Even though there was a crowd of doubters including his Bellator 282 opponent Gegard Mousasi, Eblen (12-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) proved them all wrong when he won the title with a dominant unanimous decision Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

“Expected,” Eblen told MMA Junkie at the post-fight news conference, as he sat with his title belt. “That’s pretty much it. It sounds like what it’s supposed to sound like. During this whole week, I knew this was going to happen. There were moments of doubt, but I worked through them like anybody else, any other hard-working man in the universe. Now, you’re a champion.”

Before the fight, Mousasi (49-8-2 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) predicted he’d finish Eblen. That didn’t fall on deaf ears. Eblen heard it and swept Mousasi on the scorecards with 50-45s across the board.

“I know a lot of haters and a lot of doubters doubted me,” Eblen said. “They said I was going to get finished. He even thought he was going to finish me inside three, but I knew he was wrong.”

Eblen’s corner consisted of a quartet of notable names. Dustin Poirier, Muhammed Lawal, Mike Brown, and Thiago Alves. He credits them for helping him get into top gear for his first major promotional title fight.

“The way I spar? That’s the way I spar,” Eblen said. “It was a normal Thursday sparring session. It’s the reason I brought Dustin along. He watches my rounds. He keeps me grooving and moving and feeling good. It was just another Thursday sparring session.”

Check out Eblen’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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Bellator 282: Best photos from Uncasville, Conn.

Check out the best photos from Bellator 282 in Uncasville, Conn.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Check out the best photos from Bellator 282, which took place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena. (Photos courtesy of Lucas Noonan, Bellator MMA)

Bellator 282 results: Johnny Eblen dominates Gegard Mousasi to win middleweight title

There is a new Bellator middleweight champion and his name is Johnny Eblen.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] didn’t just win the title Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena – he dominated in order to win it.

In the Bellator 282 main event, Eblen (12-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) defeated [autotag]Gegard Mousasi[/autotag](49-8-2 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) to earn the Bellator middleweight title in his first championship opportunity.

The opening round started out slow, but quickly burst into pandemonium when Eblen rocked Mousasi with a near-fight-ending right forearm to the nose. Mousasi grabbed hold of the former collegiate wrestling standout, only to be out grappled for much of the round. Once back up on the feet, Mousasi found some success before the round ended.

The confidence oozed out of Eblen, who even showboated a little bit to the crowd. Mousasi appeared to stun Eblen with a combination, but once again the collegiate wrestling background of the American shined through. He took Mousasi to the mat and made it difficult.

Mousasi worked back up, but was consistently met with hard shots from Eblen, who proved he had more than wrestling up his sleeve.

In Round 3, Eblen found his rhythm in the back half of the round after a competitive first half. Eblen landed big shots, particularly his overhand right that sent sweat from Mousasi spraying out of the chainlink on each connection. Mousasi pumped his jab and found success with it, but it was followed by another stretch of Eblen’s success.

The championship rounds saw Eblen get another takedown. He eventually worked to the back and looked for a rear-naked choke. Mousasi escaped and got up, only to be taken down again.

In Round 5, Mousasi had perhaps his best stretch of offense in the bout. Unfortunately for him, it promptly came to a halt when Eblen took him down again. An exhausted Mousasi slowly but surely worked his way up as the clock tick-tocked.

With the victory, Mousasi retains the middleweight title for the third time in a row. He also has a lone title defense from his first stint as champion, which brings his total to four. He moves to 13-1 since the start of 2016, including victories over Uriah Hall, Lyoto Machida, Douglas Lima, Alexander Shlemenko, and more.

As for Eblen, the defeat is his first as a pro fighter. Prior to Bellator 282, Eblen had largely run through his competition, which included John Salter among others.

With the victory, Eblen remains undefeated and becomes the Bellator middleweight champion. Prior to Friday, he only had one other win over a Bellator-ranked fighter, John Salter. Eblen signed with Bellator in 2019 with a 4-0 record, accumulated after a successful wrestling career at the University of Missouri.

As for Mousasi, the loss is only his second in 15 outings dating back to the beginning of 2016. The only other man to defeat Mousasi at that time was Rafael Lovato Jr., who won the title from him and retired prematurely due to health issues. The loss snaps a four-fight winning streak.

The full Bellator 282 results include:

  • Johnny Eblen def. Gegard Mousasi via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
  • Danny Sabatello def. Leandro Higo via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Magomed Magomedov def. Enrique Barzola via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 4, 1:27 – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Brennan Ward def. Kassius Kayne via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:11
  • Killys Mota def. Dan Moret via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Lucas Brennan def. Johnny Soto via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:34
  • Alexander Shabliy def. Brent Primus via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 1:22
  • Cat Zingano def. Pam Sorenson via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • Anatoly Tokov def. Muhammad Abdullah via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:28
  • Sabah Homasi def. Maycon Mendonca via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:58
  • Ilara Joanne def. Alejandra Lara via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • James Gonzalez def. Cody Law via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-26)
  • Aaron Jeffery def. Fabio Aguiar via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:32
  • Mandel Nallo def. Bryce Logan via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:07

Bellator 282 results: Danny Sabatello embraces boos, smothers Leandro Higo to advance in grand prix

Danny Sabatello egged on the crowd all the way through the Bellator 282 post-fight interview, until Raufeon Stots changed the mood.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Danny Sabatello[/autotag] might not make it look pretty, but he doesn’t seem to care.

Through the boos and jeers, Sabatello (13-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) remained consistently dominant against [autotag]Leandro Higo[/autotag] (21-6 MMA, 4-4 BMMA) and cruised to a unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) in the Bellator 282 co-main event Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Sabatello wasted no time. Like he’s done in his other Bellator appearances, Sabatello dragged Higo to the canvas and showed heavy control skills on the back. Sabatello coasted much of the rest of the round in this position – and returned to it again in Round 2. However, this time Higo reversed position and snatched Sabatello’s back – where he rode out the round.

In Round 3, there were some brief striking exchanges before the inevitable occurred. The fight hit the canvas again. This time, it was Sabatello in control. The boo birds showed up quite a bit and Round 3 was no different. Referee Dan Miragliotta saw enough in his estimation, as Sabatello was allowed to ride out the round on top. Sabatello taunted the crowd after the end-of-round horn.

In the championship rounds, Sabatello shot again. He got the takedown and entered guard after Higo briefly threatened an arm-in guillotine choke. Sabatello wet-blanketed Higo some more. Higo continuously got to his feet, only to be dragged back down again. Sabatello separated with 10 seconds left, got wild, and ate a spinning backfist before the round.

The final round was more of the same. Sabatello grappled more. Higo struggled more. The crowd booed more. Sabatello cruised to a decision as he avoided brief submission attempts and made sure to mouth off more after the final horn.

With the win, Sabatello advances to the Bellator bantamweight grand prix semifinal round where he’ll face interim champion Raufeon Stots later this year. Widely regarded as one of Bellator’s budding stars, Sabatello has not only looked dominant inside the cage – but also has built himself with his mic skills outside of it. His two other wins in Bellator include Jornel Lugo and Brett Johns.

Meanwhile, Higo has a three-fight winning streak snapped. The most recent time he lost prior to Friday was a September 2018 knockout defeat against Aaron Pico.

The full Bellator 282 results include:

  • Danny Sabatello def. Leandro Higo via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Magomed Magomedov def. Enrique Barzola via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 4, 1:27 – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Brennan Ward def. Kassius Kayne via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:11
  • Killys Mota def. Dan Moret via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Lucas Brennan def. Johnny Soto via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:34
  • Alexander Shabliy def. Brent Primus via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 1:22
  • Cat Zingano def. Pam Sorenson via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • Anatoly Tokov def. Muhammad Abdullah via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:28
  • Sabah Homasi def. Maycon Mendonca via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:58
  • Ilara Joanne def. Alejandra Lara via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • James Gonzalez def. Cody Law via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-26)
  • Aaron Jeffery def. Fabio Aguiar via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:32
  • Mandel Nallo def. Bryce Logan via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:07

Bellator 282 results: Magomed Magomedov jumps for a guillotine, becomes first to submit Enrique Barzola

At Bellator 282, Magomed Magomedov advanced to the grand prix semifinal with a win over Enrique Bazola.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Magomed Magomedov[/autotag] is back in the win column in a big way.

At Bellator 282, Magomedov (19-2 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) became the first to submit [autotag]Enrique Barzola[/autotag] (18-6-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in professional MMA, when he jumped for a guillotine and got that tap at 1:27 of Round 4. The event took place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

As a result of the win, Magomedov advances to the Bellator bantamweight grand prix semifinal round where he’ll fight [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA.

The first couple rounds were close, as both men secured takedowns in the opener. Magomedov utilized his striking well. Despite Barzola’s visible shrugging of the strikes, he struggled to dodge the punches.

Magomedov seemed a step ahead at times, but Barzola kept it competitive with his grappling and takedown threats. The finish came when the two tied up near the fence. Magomedov grabbed hold of Barzola’s neck and confidently pulled a guillotine. Magomedov rolled on top of Barzola and that was all she wrote.

With the victory, Magomedov advances to the Bellator bantamweight grand prix semifinals where he’ll face Patchy Mix later this year. He also gets back in the win column after a loss to Raufeon Stots in August. A former ACB champion, Magomedov has only lost as a professional to Stots and former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan.

Meanwhile, Barzola loses for the first time in Bellator. When he entered the cage Friday, he was coming off consecutive wins over Nikita Mikhailov and Darrion Caldwell. His Bellator stint comes after a 10-fight UFC tenure in which he went 6-3-1.

The up-to-the-minute Bellator 282 results include:

  • Magomed Magomedov def. Enrique Barzola via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 4, 1:27 – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Brennan Ward def. Kassius Kayne via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:11
  • Killys Mota def. Dan Moret via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Lucas Brennan def. Johnny Soto via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:34
  • Alexander Shabliy def. Brent Primus via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 1:22
  • Cat Zingano def. Pam Sorenson via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • Anatoly Tokov def. Muhammad Abdullah via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:28
  • Sabah Homasi def. Maycon Mendonca via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:58
  • Ilara Joanne def. Alejandra Lara via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • James Gonzalez def. Cody Law via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-26)
  • Aaron Jeffery def. Fabio Aguiar via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:32
  • Mandel Nallo def. Bryce Logan via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:07

Bellator 282 video: Alexander Shabliy crushes ex-champ Brent Primus with violent knockout

Violence was in the air at Mohegan Sun Arena.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Alexander Shabliy[/autotag] hasn’t been in Bellator long, but he continues skyrocketing toward the top.

At Bellator 282 on Friday, Shabliy (21-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) melted former lightweight champion [autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 9-3 BMMA) to score a TKO at 1:22 of Round 2. The event took place at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The two fighters threw heat and Primus dropped to the canvas after a big punch. Shabliy went in for the kill and snatched consciousness with a series of follow-up shots.

With the win, Shabliy extends his winning streak to seven. Meanwhile, Primus has lost two fights in a row.

The up-to-the-minute Bellator 282 results include:

  • Alexander Shabliy def. Brent Primus via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 1:22
  • Cat Zingano def. Pam Sorenson via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • Anatoly Tokov def. Muhammad Abdullah via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:28
  • Sabah Homasi def. Maycon Mendonca via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:58
  • Ilara Joanne def. Alejandra Lara via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • James Gonzalez def. Cody Law via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-26)
  • Aaron Jeffery def. Fabio Aguiar via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:32
  • Mandel Nallo def. Bryce Logan via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:07

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Bellator 282 results: Cat Zingano overcomes injury and point deduction to win decision over Pam Sorenson

Dominant at Bellator 282, Cat Zingano beat Pam Sorenson but it came at a price as she suffered another leg injury.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] is still unbeaten in Bellator.

At Bellator 282, Zingano (12-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) defeated [autotag]Pam Sorenson[/autotag]f (9-5 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27) and potentially secured her position as the next title challenger for Cris Cyborg. The event took place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena, with Zingano vs. Sorenson on the back half of the prelims.

In Round 1, Zingano was her own worst enemy. She drove a brutal knee into the skull of Sorenson, who was split wide open. A point was deducted by the referee and the action continued.

For nearly the entire fight, Zingano remained in control one way or another. Whether along the fence or on the mat, Sorenson couldn’t escape the control of the former UFC women’s bantamweight title challenger Zingano.

While Zingano cruised to a largely lackluster but dominant decision win, it came at a price. She suffered a leg injury sometime late in the fight that left her unable to stand or walk without the help of her cornermen.

With the win, Zingano moves to 3-0 in Bellator. Her other victories came against Olivia Parker and Gabrielle Holloway. Bellator 282 was her first competition since June 2022. As for Sorenson, she falls to a two-fight skid.

The up-to-the-minute Bellator 282 results include:

  • Cat Zingano def. Pam Sorenson via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • Anatoly Tokov def. Muhammad Abdullah via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:28
  • Sabah Homasi def. Maycon Mendonca via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:58
  • Ilara Joanne def. Alejandra Lara via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
  • James Gonzalez def. Cody Law via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-26)
  • Aaron Jeffery def. Fabio Aguiar via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:32
  • Mandel Nallo def. Bryce Logan via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:07

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