Tag: Bellator 286

Bellator 286 live and official results

Bellator 286 takes place Saturday, and you can join us for a live video stream and official results.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Bellator 286 takes place Saturday, and you can join us for a live video stream and official results beginning at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).

The event takes place at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

In the main event, featherweight champion Patricio Freire (33-5 MMA, 21-5 BMMA) takes on challenger Adam Borics (18-1 MMA, 9-1 BMMA). In the co-feature, former featherweight champ A.J. McKee (18-1 MMA, 18-1 BMMA) moves to lightweight to meet Spike Carlyle (14-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), who missed weight for the bout.

Official Bellator 286 results include:

MAIN CARD (Showtime 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Patricio Freire def. Adam Borics via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45) – to retain featherweight title
  • A.J. McKee def. Spike Carlyle via unanimous decision (29-26, 30-26, 30-27)
  • Jeremy Kennedy def. Aaron Pico via TKO (injury) – Round 1, 5:00
  • Juan Archuleta def. Enrique Barzola via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie 7 p.m. ET)

  • Bobby Seronio III def. Miguel Peimbert via unanimous decision (30-27, 20-37, 30- 27)
  • Islam Mamedov def. Nick Browne via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Jay Jay Wilson def. Vladimir Tokov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Khalid Murtazaliev def. Khadzhimurat Bestaev via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:02
  • Sumiko Inaba def. Nadine Mandiau via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 20-37)
  • Weber Almeida def. Ryan Lilley via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Lance Gibson Jr. def. Dominic Clark via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 1:49
  • Cee Jay Hamilton def. Richard Palencia via TKO (injury) – Round 2, 0:12
  • Keoni Diggs def. Ricardo Seixas unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) – postlim

Bellator 286 results: A.J. McKee weathers Spike Carlyle, wild brawl to win bloody scrap

A.J. McKee’s lightweight debut was one for the ages, an all-out thriller.

The lightweight debut of [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] was one to be remembered.

At Bellator 286, McKee (19-1 MMA, 19-1 BMMA) defeated [autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) via unanimous decision (29-26, 30-26, 30-27) in an all-time Bellator brawl.

The fight co-headlined the event at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif.

In what was seemingly one of the quickest escalations of action out of the gates in high-profile MMA history, McKee and Carlyle swung with reckless abandon. Each man landed their fair share of blows.

Carlyle, who is known for his wild, all-offense style, was met by some of his own medicine by McKee. When the fight initially hit the canvas, Carlyle was in an advantageous position. However, McKee leveraged him over in reversal.

In Round 2, McKee utilized his grappling and submission attempts to largely dominate. In a memorable moment of inactivity, McKee pretended to hump the head of Carlyle in response to a potential glove grab during a submission attempt.

It was more of the same in Round 3. McKee remained patient and controlled Carlyle, who pulled off his fair share of reversals. However, McKee always seemed to get the last word through action.

Carlyle was covered in his own blood as the horn sounded, with McKee on his back. The two men embraced moments before the largely lopsided judges’ scorecards read in favor of McKee.

With the win, McKee bounces back from a debated April loss to Patricio Freire via unanimous decision. After the defeat, which was the first of his career, many thought a trilogy fight against “Pitbull” was inevitable. However, McKee elected to move up in weight instead.

As for Carlyle, he loses for the first time in six fights. His previous loss was his final UFC bout, a defeat to Bill Algeo in 2020. Prior to Bellator 286, Carlyle missed weight by less than one pound and was required to forfeit 20 percent of his purse.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 286 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

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Bellator 286 results: Aaron Pico appears to dislocate shoulder as Jeremy Kennedy wins by injury TKO

Aaron Pico wanted to continue, but the cageside doctor wouldn’t let him.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] wanted to continue, but the cageside doctor wouldn’t let him.

Pico’s shoulder appeared to dislocate his shoulder during his fight [autotag]Jeremy Kennedy[/autotag] on Saturday night at Bellator 286. And just like that, after five minutes, the fight was over, with Kennedy awarded a first-round doctor-stoppage TKO at Long Beach Arena.

After the bell rang, Pico did what he could to fight on. First, his team immediately began working on his left shoulder, trying to pop it back into place. For a moment, it looked like they succeeded as the referee asked Pico to get into his fighter stance. But then the cageside doctor was called in to examine, and Pico tried to show he had proper motion in his shoulder. After a couple minutes of trying to convince them he could continue, the referee waved it off on the advice of the doctor.

Afterward, Kennedy (18-3 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) wanted to make it clear that he was better than Pico (10-4 MMA, 10-4 BMMA) during their time in the cage.

“No, I hit him with a left hook on his way in, and we got into grappling exchanges,” Kennedy said. “I know his wrestling pedigree. From a lot of those mat returns, they were kind of feeling easier and easier as the round came on. I respect Pico. I knew maybe something is going on. But I was just going for the kill the whole time, hunting that choke. That’s my position. I get your back. When you’re trying to get up on the cage, I’m going to mat return you and maul you.”

It was an unfortunate end to Pico’s Southern California homecoming fight as the result snapped a six-fight winning streak. Kennedy now has won two fights in a row. 

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 286 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

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Bellator 286 results: Juan Archuleta’s takedowns key in decision over Enrique Barzola

Juan Archuleta put his wrestling to good use in his victory over Enrique Barzola at Bellator 286.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] put his wrestling to good use in his victory over [autotag]Enrique Barzola[/autotag] at Bellator 286.

Archuleta (26-4 MMA, 8-3 BMMA) got at least one takedown on Barzola (18-7-2 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) in each round on Saturday, and as a result, got the unanimous decision nod by scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 30-27 at Long Beach Arena.

The fight was originally scheduled for the bantamweight division, but moved to a 141-pound catchweight on weigh-in day after Archuleta requested the change and Barzola obliged.

Archuleta came out of the gate extremely aggressively, throwing heavy shots and tagging Barzola to back him up. He shifted to a takedown roughly 90 seconds in, but Barzola denied him against the fence before breaking free. Barzola got his composure and tried to get back into the fight, but Archuleta maintained his pressure. He walked right into a Barzola takedown, though, and that prompted a scramble. Archuleta threw an illegal kick to a downed Barzola in the waning seconds, but to his luck, it only landed on the arm.

The second round started with some striking exchanges before Archuleta shot for the first takedown of the frame, which was denied. Barzola started to land some more solid strikes, which forced Archuleta to keep working for the takedowns. He got one with just over three minutes remaining, but he couldn’t do anything with it before Barzola got back up. Archuleta kept at it, though, and worked more cage control and brief takedowns in for the remainder of the round.

Archuleta knew what he needed to do in the final round, and he quickly landed a takedown. Barzola avoided being held down for too long, but valuable time got taken off the clock. Archuleta didn’t let Barzola have much space, and he kept working from the clinch and against the cage. Barzola had a late moment where he took the back and worked a rear-naked choke, but he couldn’t finish the fight.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 286 results include:

  • Bobby Seronio III def. Miguel Peimbert via unanimous decision (30-27, 20-37, 30- 27)
  • Islam Mamedov def. Nick Browne via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Jay Jay Wilson def. Vladimir Tokov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Khalid Murtazaliev def. Khadzhimurat Bestaev via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:02
  • Sumiko Inaba def. Nadine Mandiau via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 20-37)
  • Weber Almeida def. Ryan Lilley via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Lance Gibson Jr. def. Dominic Clark via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 1:49
  • Cee Jay Hamilton def. Richard Palencia via TKO (injury) – Round 2, 0:12

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

 

Bellator 286 discussion thread

Bellator 286 takes place Friday in California, and you can discuss the event here.

Bellator 286 takes place Saturday at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. It kicks off at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT). You can discuss the event here.

Be sure to follow along with the latest card updates in our Bellator 286 live results post, and then discuss the event in the comments section below.

Round-by-round updates and official results begin at approximately 7 p.m. ET for the preliminary card and 10 p.m. ET for the main card.

Bellator 286 results: Sumiko Inaba pushed by Nadine Mandiau, grinds out unanimous decision win

At Bellator 286, Sumiko Inaba was tested by an opponent she’d previously finished but ultimately got the win.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – It might not have been the performance [autotag]Sumiko Inaba[/autotag] was hoping for, but perhaps it was one she needed.

Facing [autotag]Nadine Mandiau[/autotag] for a second time, Inaba was pushed – and almost finished – but ultimately grinded out a unanimous decision win Saturday night at Bellator 286 from Long Beach Arena. After 15 minutes, the judges scored the fight 29-28 and 30-27 twice for Inaba, but those scores were deceiving given how close the fight truly was.

And that might’ve come as a surprise since Inaba (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) needed just 65 seconds to beat Mandiau (2-6 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) by TKO as amateurs back in October 2018.

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It was clear early in the first round that the rematch could play out differently as both women found success landing combinations in the early going. It wasn’t until a hard right hand by Sumiko allowed her to take the fight to the mat without about 2 minutes left. Inaba tried for a finish, but Mandiau found her way back to the feet. Still, Inaba landed a front kick that knocked Mandiau back to the mat, but she defended with an armbar attempt to close out the round.

Round 2 is when Inaba was caught in the most trouble. After dominating most of the frame, she spent the final minute fending off a deep triangle choke attempt. Mandiau also had control of one wrist and delivered elbows. At one point, the referee appeared ready to step in but didn’t. Ultimately, Inaba found a way to squeeze her head out and escape just before the bell rang.

By the third round, Inaba had greater success landing combinations to start. Mandiau tried for a takedown that Inaba ultimately fought off and ended up taking her back. Inaba couldn’t capitalize completely on the position, but when they stood back up she kept finding success with her punches.

The victory marked the first decision of Inaba’s five-fight professional career. She’d won her previous four Bellator matchups with three knockouts and one submission.

Up-to-date Bellator 286 results include:

  • Khalid Murtazaliev def. Khadzhimurat Bestaev via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:02
  • Sumiko Inaba def. Nadine Mandiau via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 20-37)
  • Weber Almeida def. Ryan Lilley via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Lance Gibson Jr. def. Dominic Clark via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 1:49
  • Cee Jay Hamilton def. Richard Palencia via TKO (injury) – Round 2, 0:12

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

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Bellator 286 video: Richard Palencia’s gnarly leg break stops fight vs. Cee Jay Hamilton

Bellator 286 got off to a gruesome start when Richard Palencia broke his leg in the first fight of the night.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Bellator 286 got off to a gruesome start Saturday when [autotag]Richard Palencia[/autotag] broke his leg in the first fight of the fight.

After a kicking exchange in the opening moments of the second round of his bantamweight bout with [autotag]Cee Jay Hamilton[/autotag], Palencia stepped back and saw his leg buckle.

Palencia (10-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) immediately collapsed to the ground holding his leg in agony, and the bout was waved off just 12 seconds into the second round at at Long Beach Arena, giving Hamilton (16-9 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) the TKO victory.

Check out the NSFW replay below (via Twitter):

It was a shocking way for Palencia to suffer his first defeat.

He seemed to be in good spirits as he was placed on a stretcher and removed from the cage by medical staff.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

Work with Carlos Condit, Tony Ferguson and Jon Jones has Aaron Pico in best form for Bellator 286

Aaron Pico has been guided into Bellator 286 by three former UFC champions.

LOS ANGELES – [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] has been guided into Bellator 286 by an all-star cast of names.

Pico (10-3 MMA, 10-3 BMMA), who meets Jeremy Kennedy in a key bantamweight bout on tonight’s card at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif., has had no shortage of positive influence going into a bout he believes could secure him a title shot for the first time.

Although he’s no stranger with working with decorated names, the lead-up to Bellator 278, which airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie, has been something especially unique.

Pico’s coach Brandon Gibson connected him with former interim UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Carlos Condit[/autotag], who was very close throughout training camp.

“Carlos and coach Gibson are very, very close – like brothers – and I just said, ‘Hey, listen. I need a change. There’s some things I’m looking to learn and I think Carlos can really help me with it,'” Pico told MMA Junkie. “It did. I started working with him two, three days a week with one-on-ones and privates and he’s really shown me a lot. He’s a legend and I look forward to continuing to work with him after this fight.”

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Another marquee name Pico crossed paths with is former interim UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]. “El Cucuy” stopped at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., ahead of his UFC 279 fight vs. Nate Diaz, and Pico said his knowledge was undeniable.

“I drilled with him a little bit,” Pico said. “I didn’t really do much with him because he’s so much bigger than me. We didn’t get to spar, but I’m super happy and proud of is when Tony came in, he wasn’t a big-leaguer or anything like that. He really took his time to show amateurs things and show up-and-comers new moves. He really did. … He’s a really humble guy and I’m really happy that I met him and everyone in the gym was so excited when he walked in. He’s a legend.”

To cap it all off, Pico got a fight week phone call from one of his idols in the sport, former UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]. Pico and Jones have many career parallels, and that’s created a bond between them in recent years. To get an extra boost of encouragement meant a lot to Pico, he said, and he’s ready to deliver with a stellar performance.

“He just said, ‘Winners win. Go out there and win, we expect you to win. It’s as simple as that… Just go out there and win, do your job,'” Pico said. “I really like Jon Jones a lot, he’s really shown me a lot of cool moves and sometimes he’ll be on FaceTime and watch me hit pads. He’ll give me a little advice here and I’m very thankful for the knowledge, he’s the greatest of all time, there’s no doubt about it.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

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Patience the name of the game for eventual Bellator title hopeful Lance Gibson

Lance Gibson has title aspirations in Bellator. That should come as no surprise, given he’s a professional fighter.

LOS ANGELES – [autotag]Lance Gibson[/autotag] has title aspirations in Bellator. That should come as no surprise, given he’s a professional fighter.

But six fights into his career, he’s realistic about his trajectory so far and his eventual path to a potential shot at the lightweight belt.

“One thing I know about myself is I’m just improving every single time I step in there,” Gibson told MMA Junkie at Thursday’s Bellator 286 media day. “I’m showing new aspects of my game and I’m getting better and better every training session. I’m open to whatever the universe brings me … it’s an honor to be in Bellator and be able to be successful in Bellator and continue winning and continue my undefeated streak.

“I want to eventually be the lightweight champion in Bellator. But at the end of the day, time will tell. I have to be patient. … When my time comes, that’s my time. I’ll be ready.”

Saturday, Gibson (6-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) puts his unbeaten record on the line against short-notice replacement opponent Dominic Clark (15-12 MMA, 0-2 BMMA), who stepped in when Diaz Brothers protege Chris Avila pulled out. They fight on the Bellator 286 prelims at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Avila, Gibson acknowledged, would’ve done more for his resume with a win. And he hopes that matchup gets rebooked down the road. But until then, he’s focused on doing what he has to do to get a win over a longtime fighter in Clark.

“It’s a part of the game,” Gibson said. “It’s a part of mixed martial arts. Sometimes, you lose opponents. Sometimes they change at the last minute. Sometimes they back out. I’m happy to be in here. That’s all I can say. I’m ready to go Saturday night.”

Check out the full interview with Gibson in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.

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Photos: Patricky Freire vs. ‘Liver King’ vs. Paulo Costa liver eating contest

Surprise! Liver King crashed the Bellator 286 weigh-ins for an impromptu liver eating contest against Paulo Costa and Patricky Freire.

Bellator 286 fight week festivities surprisingly featured a liver eating contest Friday between UFC middleweight [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag], Bellator lightweight [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag], and viral social media influencer “Liver King.” (Photos via Lucas Noonan/Bellator)