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With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from August 2023.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from August 2023. Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Knockout of the Month award for August.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting for your choice.
A little more than a year after a devastating knockout loss, Sidney Outlaw picked up a crucial win at Bellator 298.
A little more than a year after a devastating knockout loss, [autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] picked up a crucial win this past Friday.
Outlaw (17-5 MMA, 5-2 BMMA) outworked Islam Mamedov (22-3-1 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) for a unanimous decision to open the main card at Bellator 298 in Sioux Falls, S.D. It was his first win since a June 2021 submission of Myles Jury.
Outlaw was set to fight then-lightweight champion Patricky Freire for the title in July 2022, but Freire was forced out of the fight. Outlaw instead fought Tofiq Musayev in a co-feature – and was knocked out in 27 seconds. Set to try to get back on track in Bellator’s lightweight grand prix, Outlaw failed a drug test and was removed from the tournament completely.
The win over Mamedov was a tough task for a rebound, and Outlaw said his move from American Top Team in South Florida to the nearby Kill Cliff gym paid dividends, even though he didn’t leave ATT on bad terms at all.
“I’m not the best. I’m a beast,” Outlaw said. “I just push, push, push, push. … I’m just a dog on a leash. … With my old team down at American Top team, a couple other people – they did good (training me). I was just lost there. I was lost. I was lost. I was sick. I was dealing with a lot of stuff. I don’t want to offend anybody or anything, but the team I’m with now is definitely for me.
“I’m not going to debate about (which team is better). I love (ATT founder) Dan Lambert. He’s one of the best. Look at the empire he created. Mike Brown – that’s my man. I love Mike Brown, Marcos (DaMatta), Artem Levin, my best friend. I don’t want to offend anybody and say, ‘Oh, this team is better.’ Obviously, you see the work. But I love those guys. I love every bit of them.”
Check out Outlaw’s full post-fight interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 298.
The MMA world might start looking at Aaron Jeffery as its next hidden gem if he keeps it up.
The MMA world might start looking at [autotag]Aaron Jeffery[/autotag] as its next hidden gem if he keeps it up.
Jeffery (14-4 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) outworked the previously unbeaten Dalton Rosta (8-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) on the Bellator 298 main card this past Friday in Sioux Falls, S.D., for a unanimous decision. Jeffery was nearly a 2-1 underdog to Rosta.
The 30-year-old Canadian got back in the win column after a March loss to former Bellator title challenger John Salter. Before he arrived in Bellator, Jeffery’s only losses were to current UFC standouts Sean Brady, Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho – the latter two of which came in shots at a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
But without those DWCS setbacks, Jeffery might not find himself experiencing the kind of success that likely will have him as the promotion’s No. 4 middleweight this week.
“I hope (I’m living up to Bellator’s expectations),” Jeffery said at his post-fight news conference. “I don’t think I’ve lived up to my own expectations yet. I think I can do a lot better than that still. I think I’m maybe starting to get my groove here a little bit. I got a loss out of the way. You never want to lose, but I think having that behind me now, maybe there’s a little bit of pressure off, too. I think I’m only going up from here.”
As for his win, Jeffery admitted the optics of him as a slightly taller and less visibly muscled fighter than Rosta may have had people overlooking him. He was overlooked when he made his biggest splash before this – an upset of Austin Vanderford a year ago this weekend after Vanderford fought for the title.
But Jeffery said he doubted Rosta’s strength would be an issue.
“It’s not a f*cking bodybuilding contest,” Jeffery said. “Obviously, he’s a strong guy, and that’s a strength, and he can outmuscle a lot of guys. But I don’t know – I’ve never really been outstrength and outmuscled, so it didn’t intimidate me that much.”
Jeffery has won four of his past five fights, including three of four for Bellator.
Check out Jeffery’s full post-fight interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 298.
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It had been nearly five years since Logan Storley put away someone with his hands. He did it again in front of a friendly crowd.
It had been nearly five years since [autotag]Logan Storley[/autotag] put away someone with his hands, so to do it again in front of a friendly crowd no doubt was exhilarating.
Storley (15-2 MMA, 10-2 BMMA) this past Friday took out gritty slugger Brennan Ward (17-7 MMA, 12-7 BMMA) with a second-round TKO in the Bellator 298 main event. The fight took place in Sioux Falls, S.D., a little more than two hours from the town where Storley grew up and won six state wrestling titles.
Storley said fighting in front of his home fans was clutch, of course – he’s now 6-0 in the Sanford Pentagon, including 3-0 when Bellator sets up camp there. But most important, Storley is looking at the welterweight division and doesn’t see many options other than the champion, Yaroslav Amosov – who happens to be responsible for the only two losses, both decisions, of Storley’s career.
He lost a split call to him in November 2020, but three fights later, with Amosov out, Storley won the interim welterweight title with a win over Michael Page. Earlier this year, though, he lost a title unification fight to him and had to start back up the ladder.
“This is my second fight in the last five months,” Storley said after his win over Ward. “I was staying active, and there’s a big thing in this sport of getting back in that locker room, going through the pressure and doing that walk. I felt good in there tonight. I felt at home.
“We’ll see what happens (next). ‘MVP’ is a free agent. Jason Jackson is a teammate of mine. Me and Amosov – my only losses are to him, one guy who I think right now might be pound-for-pound best in any division, in any promotion. That’s one I want to get back, and that was a good start tonight.”
Storley’s TKO came nearly five years after he put away A.J. Matthews in August 2018 in the same building. (A 2019 TKO win over E.J. Brooks was due to an arm injury and stopped between rounds.)
Check out Storley’s full post-fight interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 298.
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Check out these photos from the Bellator 298 main event between Logan Storley and Brennan Ward.
Check out these photos from the Bellator 298 main event, a welterweight bout that saw former interim champion [autotag]Logan Storley[/autotag] defeat [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Photos courtesy of Bellator MMA)
Join us at 6:30 p.m. ET for a live prelims video stream and official results from Bellator 298 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Bellator 298 took place Friday, and MMA Junkie provided a live video stream and official results.
The event took place at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The main card aired on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
In the main event, former interim welterweight champion Logan Storley (14-2 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) took on Brennan Ward (17-6 MMA, 12-6 BMMA). In the co-feature, Valentin Moldavsky (11-3 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) met Steve Mowry (10-0-1 MMA, 6-0-1 BMMA) in a rematch.
Full Bellator 298 results include:
Logan Storley returned to the win column with a dominating performance against Brennan Ward in the main event of Bellator 298.
[autotag]Logan Storley[/autotag] is on the path toward another shot at the Bellator welterweight title, and his performance at Bellator 298 was an impressive first step.
In the main event at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., Storley (15-2 MMA, 10-2 BMMA) entered the Bellator cage in his home state looking to rebound from a title unification loss to Yaroslav Amosov in February. Standing in his way was a dangerous striker in Brennan Ward (17-7 MMA, 12-7 BMMA), but Storley was able to get the fight to his world on the ground to record a TKO stoppage at 4:05 in Round 2.
The left jab was an issue early for Storley, and Ward used it often. The takedown defense initially held well for Ward too, but Storley’s patience paid off with a nice shot and scramble to take top position midway through Round 1. Storley would keep Ward pinned to the canvas for the remainder of the frame.
Ward returned to the jab to begin the second round as he stalked Storley around the circular cage. It was just a matter of time before Storley found his opening and completed another takedown. Frustrated with being dominated on the ground, Ward began talking trash to Storley, trying to entice him to take the fight to the feet for a brawl.
Storley wasn’t having it, but the smack talk apparently lit a fire.
From that moment, Storley improved his positioning and began raining down hard punches from the top. Ward tried his best to scramble free, but Storley was too strong and maintained top control. More heavy right hand punches followed, and the referee Jason Herzog stepped in for the TKO stoppage.
𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘆 👊💥
The "Storm" continues in Sioux Falls as @StorleyStorm beats Brennan Ward to make it 6️⃣ wins in front of his home crowd!#Bellator298 pic.twitter.com/LEfO0dsdYM
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) August 12, 2023
After the fight, Storley credited his team for helping form a renewed focus on himself as a fighter. He didn’t get away from what he does best, and it paid off in a big way. Being honest about his position in the division, it’s not a title shot or bust situation for him now. Storley said he will do whatever is necessary to earn another crack at the champ.
All-in-all, it was a big moment for Storley, who was born less than a three-hour drive from the venue in Roslyn, S.D.
On the other side, Ward sees his three-fight stoppage winning streak come to an end. Returning from a lengthy layoff last February, Ward picked up impressive wins over Brandon Bell, Kassius Kayne, and Sabah Homasi – all of which were stoppage wins in Round 2.
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Complete results of Bellator 298 include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 298.
Check out these photos from James Gallagher vs. James Gonzalez at Bellator 298.
Check out these photos from [autotag]James Gallagher[/autotag]’s victory over James Gonzalez at Bellator 298 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Photos courtesy of Bellator MMA)
Check out these photos from Justine Kish vs. Diana Avsaragova at Bellator 298.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag]’s victory over Diana Avsaragova at Bellator 298 in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Photos courtesy of Bellator MMA)
Lucas Brennan was seconds away from his first professional loss, but was able to land an incredible knockout shot out of nowhere at Bellator 298.
[autotag]Lucas Brennan[/autotag] was less than 90 seconds away from his first professional loss, until he connected with a spectacular home run shot.
On the prelims of Bellator 298 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., Brennan (9-0 MMA, 9-0 BMMA) was dealing with a tough outing against Weber Almeida (7-2 MMA, 5-2 BMMA), who was up on all three judges’ scorecards going into Round 3. However, with his back against the wall, Brennan landed a knee that immediately put Almeida out cold at 3:32 to seal an incredible comeback.
Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter):
𝗦𝗸𝘆𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗞𝗢! 😱
A highlight reel knockout and epic comeback all rolled into one. Lucas Brennan, that was insane!
📺 Watch the #Bellator298 @MonsterEnergy Prelims LIVE ▶️ https://t.co/NxwCKFPRok pic.twitter.com/W3Q1rLJ37t
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) August 12, 2023
The finish was highlight-reel worthy under any circumstance, but for Brennan, the moment meant a comeback victory and the preservation of his undefeated record. It was only the second time in Brennan’s professional career that he saw a third round, breaking a streak of four consecutive first-round finishes.
For Almeida, the result is a heartbreaking one that halts the momentum of a two-fight winning streak.
Up-to-the-minute results of Bellator 298 include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 298.
