Bellator Europe 8 – Syndication Server

Bellator Europe 8 results: Costello van Steenis earns split decision over Fabian Edwards

Costello van Steenis scored yet another impressive win at Bellator Europe 8.

[autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] is no longer undefeated.

The heralded Bellator middleweight contender dropped a split decision to [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] in the main event of Saturday’s Bellator Europe 8 event. The card went down at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy.

As the judges’ 29-28, 28-27, 28-29 scores indicate, the bout was close and competitive. Van Steenis (13-2 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) had success early. “The Spaniard” did well in the striking department in the first round, pushing the action and landing several leg kicks while avoiding most of Edwards’ (9-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) strikes. The second round was more clear for van Steenis, as he took down Edwards and controlled the action to eventually advance positions and finish out on mount.

In the third round the tide turned for Edwards. The British fighter pushed the action and took van Steenis’ back off a failed takedown. He remained on top position for the majority of the round.

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In addition to the 185-pound main event, two other middleweights had dominant performances in Milan.

[autotag]Will Fleury[/autotag] used his superior ground game and control to outpoint [autotag]Kent Kauppinen[/autotag]; while [autotag]Michael Shipman[/autotag] outstruck [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] for the majority of their contest. Both Shipman and Fleury picked up 30-27 scores in all three judges’ scorecards for unanimous decisions.

Complete results Bellator Europe 8 results:

MAIN CARD

Costello van Steenis vs. Fabian Edwards via split decision (28-29, 28-27, 29-28)
Mike Shipman def. Pietro Penini via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Will Fleury def. Kent Kauppinen via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD

George Hardwick def. Nicolo Solli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Ion Pascu def. Stefano Paterno via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Alfie Davis def. Akonne Wanliss via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Daniele Scatizzi def. Gavin Hughes via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:41
Aidan Lee def. Jeremy Petley via knockout (knee) – Round 2, 1:22
Frans Mlambo def. Cory Tait via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-27)
Luke Trainer def. Alex O’Toole via TKO (unanswered strikes) – Round 1, 1:22
Richie Smullen def. Harry Hardwick via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Chiara Penco def. Aleksandra Toncheva Plamenova via TKO (unanswered strikes) – Round 2, 4:27
Danni Neilan def. Claire Lopez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:45

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Bellator Europe 8 results and live stream

Follow the action live as the Bellator cage returns to European soil for Bellator Europe 8 in Milan, Italy.

The Bellator cage returns to European soil as the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy plays host to Bellator Europe 8.

The main event features a battle of European middleweight contenders, as England’s [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) takes on the Netherlands’ [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA), while the co-main event showcases two more middleweights looking to deliver a statement performance, as Italy’s [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) faces off against England’s [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-2 BMMA).

The main card’s middleweight flavor continues with Ireland’s [autotag]Will Fleury[/autotag] (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) against England’s [autotag]Kent Kauppinen[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA), while the preliminary card is packed with a host of European prospects, including a notable lightweight battle between fellow Brits [autotag]Alfie Davis[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Akonne Wanliss[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA).

Follow the action via Bellator’s official live stream above, and stay up to date with the official results below.

MAIN CARD (MMA Junkie, 5 p.m. ET)

Fabian Edwards vs. Costello van Steenis
Pietro Penini vs. Mike Shipman
Will Fleury vs. Kent Kauppinen

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 1:15 p.m. ET)

George Hardwick vs. Nicolo Solli
Ion Pascu vs. Stefano Paterno
Alfie Davis vs. Akonne Wanliss
Gavin Hughes vs. Daniele Scatizzi
Aidan Lee vs. Jeremy Petley
Frans Mlambo vs. Cory Tait
Alex O’Toole) vs. Luke Trainer
Harry Hardwick vs. Richie Smullen
Chiara Penco vs. Aleksandra Toncheva Plamenova
Claire Lopez vs. Danni Neilan

Bellator Europe 8: Four burning questions ahead of fight night in Milan

Bellator Europe 8 predictions: Is it Fabian Edwards or Costello van Steenis in Italy?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator Europe 8 main card in Milan, Italy.

	Edwards vs. Van Steenis	Fleury vs. Kauppinen	Penini vs. Shipman
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 104-62	Edwards (57%)	Kauppinen (56%)	Shipman (77%)
Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 113-53	Van Steenis	Fleury	Shipman
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 111-55	Van Steenis	Kauppinen	Shipman
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 110-56 2017 Champion	Edwards	Fleury	Shipman
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 110-56	Van Steenis	Fleury	Shipman
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 109-57	Van Steenis	Fleury	Shipman
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 108-58	Edwards	Fleury	Shipman
Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 108-58 2019 Champion*	Edwards	Fleury	Shipman
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 106-60 2014 Champion	Edwards	Kauppinen	Shipman
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 104-62	Edwards	Fleury	Shipman
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 103-63	Edwards	Fleury	Penini
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 101-65	Van Steenis	Fleury	Shipman
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 101-65 2018 Champion	Edwards	Fleury	Shipman
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 99-67	Edwards	Kauppinen	Shipman
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 69-97	Van Steenis	Kauppinen	Penini

Bellator is back this week with its first overseas event since the start of the pandemic.

Bellator Europe 8 takes place Saturday at Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy. The card streams on MMA Junkie and Bellator’s YouTube page.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) tries to keep his unbeaten record intact when he takes on fellow middleweight [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA). It’s a close matchup with our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts. Edwards has just a slim 8-6 lead in the picks.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) meets [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) in a middleweight bout. Shipman has a big 12-2 picks lead.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Will Fleury[/autotag] (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Kent Kauppinen[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) in a third bout at 185 pounds. Fleury has a big 10-4 lead in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Edwards (57 percent), Shipman (77 percent) and Kauppinen (56 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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Bellator Europe 8 weigh-in results: Edwards, Van Steenis, full card hit marks

Check out the results from the official Bellator Europe 8 fighter weigh-ins.

The weigh-ins are in the books for Saturday’s Bellator Europe 8 event in Italy, and all the fighters hit their marks.

In the main event, Fabian Edwards (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) takes on Costello van Steenis (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) at middleweight. Edwards and van Steenis each were 185 pounds on the nose.

Bellator Europe 8 takes place Saturday at Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy. The card streams on MMA Junkie and Bellator’s YouTube page.

The full Bellator Europe 8 weigh-in results included:

MAIN CARD (MMA Junkie, 5 p.m. ET)

Fabian Edwards (185) vs. Costello van Steenis (185)
Pietro Penini (185.4) vs. Mike Shipman (184.8)
Will Fleury (185) vs. Kent Kauppinen (186)

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 1:30 p.m. ET)

George Hardwick (155) vs. Nicolo Solli (155.6)
Ion Pascu (171) vs. Stefano Paterno (170.4)
Alfie Davis (155.2) vs. Akonne Wanliss (155.4)
Gavin Hughes (154) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (155)
Aidan Lee (145.6) vs. Jeremy Petley (144.8)
Frans Mlambo (134) vs. Cory Tait (135.2)
Alex O’Toole (204) vs. Luke Trainer (205)
Harry Hardwick (145) vs. Richie Smullen (145.2)
Chiara Penco (115.8) vs. Aleksandra Toncheva Plamenova (114.6)
Claire Lopez (115.8) vs. Danni Neilan (115.4)

Costello van Steenis sees win over Fabian Edwards as passport to John Salter rematch

Dutch middleweight contender Costello van Steenis wants a rematch with John Salter, and says victory over undefeated Fabian Edwards should be enough to get it.

Dutch middleweight contender [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] will line up against [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] looking to prove a point and earn a rematch with the last man to defeat him.

Van Steenis (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) takes on Edwards (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) Saturday in the main event of Bellator Europe 8 in Milan. The event streams live on Bellator’s YouTube channel. Ahead of the matchup, van Steenis says he’s delighted to finally be able to line up against a man he revealed he’d asked to fight a few times before.

“I’m feeling great; I’ve been looking forward to this fight for a very long time – you could say for more than a year,” he told the media during a pre-fight virtual media session. “I’ve asked for his name a few times, now look. Santa came early, finally!”

The 28-year-old revealed that his desire to face Edwards stems not just from the Brit’s status as an undefeated contender, but from his attitude, of which van Steenis said he’s no fan.

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When asked if the tension between the pair is legitimate, van Steenis said he thinks it stems more from his side than from Edwards’.

“From my part, there is beef,” van Steenis said. “He’s the one that I wanted to fight for a long time because of his attitude. He’s got a very cocky, stupid, attitude. I believe his part is probably fake because he does that with everybody. So it is real.”

As well as looking to hand Edwards his first career defeat, van Steenis is also looking to re-establish himself as a title contender after a decision defeat to [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] at Bellator 233. The Dutchman said victory over Edwards would put him in a position to face the American again and deal with what he considers to be unfinished business from their first fight.

“After I beat Fabian I’ll definitely fight John Salter again,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s up for it. But I don’t mind, actually. I’ll fight anybody after this fight, whenever. As long as I’m healthy, I’ll just say yes to anything, but I want John Salter next. I don’t believe we finished this fight. It could have gone both ways, and if there were championship rounds it probably would have ended differently.”

Bellator Europe 8’s Costello van Steenis wants Edwards win, Salter rematch

Bellator Europe 8’s Fabian Edwards ‘fully tuned-in’ ahead of Costello van Steenis test

Bellator middleweight contender Fabian Edwards says victory over Costello van Steenis should put him right in the mix to face the division’s top names.

Bellator middleweight contender [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] has been putting the COVID-19 lockdown to good use, as he has spent some quality time with his family. But, given the fact that his brother is UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards, it’s meant that “The Assassin” hasn’t missed a beat ahead of his upcoming assignment.

England’s Edwards (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) will take on Dutch contender Costello van Steenis (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) in the main event of Bellator Europe 8, which takes place Saturday at Allianz Cloud in Milan. The event will be streamed live via Bellator’s YouTube page.

Ahead of the matchup, Edwards told MMA Junkie that he didn’t have to kickstart a fight camp when he learned of his booking, because he’s been training throughout the lockdown.

“It’s been good. I’ve had some extra time with my kids and my family, and I’ve been training constantly,” he explained. “Since the fight was called off and everyone went into lockdown, I was fortunate to have my brother to train with, so I’ve been training every single day. When Bellator came to me to tell me about this fight, I was already training, so for me to kick it up another notch was easy to do, because I wasn’t on the sofa.”

The matchup pits two dynamic European contenders head-to-head in a matchup that could propel the winner toward the division’s biggest names, and while Edwards admitted he has eyes on a host of top names at 185 pounds, his upcoming opponent’s ties to former middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi aren’t lost on him.

“When I beat this man, I’ll be calling out the likes of John Salter, Gegard Mousasi – I’ll even be calling out Douglas Lima, because he thinks he’s big enough to come up to middleweight,” he said, before revealing the temptation to call out Mousasi, who could be in van Steenis’ corner on fight night, might be too much to resist.

When asked how he might react if he defeats van Steenis, Edwards said, “We say ‘when,’ not ‘if.’ When I sleep him or choke him, do what I want with him, I’m running over and I’m screaming at Gegard,” he laughed. “I’m screaming at him! So you better be ready for that!”

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Edwards’ last performance saw him edge a split-decision verdict against fellow countryman Mike Shipman at Bellator Europe 6 last November. It was a fight that saw the pair spend a sizable amount of time clinching and battling against the fence. It’s not how Edwards likes to fight, but he said his acceptance of the position during the fight was something he has since addressed in training.

“I fell out of love with actual wrestling, but I’ve gotten back into it in this training camp,” he explained. “Especially because my last fight was close, but it wasn’t because of wrestling, it was because of my reaction to getting off the cage. I was too content to hold. I’m happy I had a fight like that so early in my career because I understand now, so when I fight a guy like John Salter, he’ll do something similar and I’ve fixed those errors and will be able to deal with him a lot better.”

As for van Steenis, Edwards says he’s expecting a tough, durable challenge, but he suggested that the Dutchman won’t surprise him with anything he hasn’t seen before.

“I think he’s more durable than the guys I’ve previously fought,” he said. “But, in terms of skillset, I don’t believe he brings any high fight IQ. He’s explosive, but we’re all explosive, so I don’t believe he’ll bring that much to the table. He’ll be game, but he won’t stay on his feet for long. I’m not saying I won’t attempt a takedown, but he’ll probably attempt the first takedown due to me putting strikes on him. I don’t think he’s at the very highest level, but he’ll probably be the toughest guy I’ve fought.”

The matchup will also see the pair fighting inside a largely empty arena, and while the eerie silence of fighting with no fans in the stands may be strange for some, Edwards said he’s fine with it, and even said the experience will take him back to the early days of his career.

“Growing up, I used to have ‘straighteners’ in the park!” he laughed. “No crowd, just one guy in front of me and maybe one or two people watching. So this is bringing me back to that experience, it’s raw. I haven’t been doing anything different (to prepare), but I’m mentally ready. I’ve been telling everyone around me I’m really looking forward to having no crowd. Just hearing my corner team, hearing the shots connect. I’m fully tuned in.”

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Full fight card announnced for Bellator Europe 8 in Milan

The full fight card for Bellator Europe 8, set for Milan, Italy on Sept. 24, has been confirmed.

The fight card for the first leg of Bellator’s Italian triple-header is now set.

Bellator Europe 8 takes place Sept. 26 at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy, with a 10-fight preliminary card setting the stage ahead of a three-bout all-middleweight main card.

Headlining the event is a battle of European middleweight contenders as England’s [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) takes on the Netherlands’ [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA).

Co-main event support comes in the form of an Italy vs. England clash, as former Venator middleweight champion [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) faces off against former BAMMA 185-pound champ [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-2 BMMA). Kicking off the main card is a battle between hard-hitting 185-pounders as Ireland’s Will Fleury (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) takes on England’s Kent Kauppinen (12-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA).

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The preliminary card features a battle between British lightweight prospects as [autotag]Alfie Davis[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Akonne Wanliss[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), while former Cage Warriors featherweight tournament champion Aiden Lee (8-4 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) takes on seasoned Canadian veteran Jeremy Petley (13-8-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA)

With the additions, the Bellator Europe 8 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

Fabian Edwards vs. Costello van Steenis
Pietro Penini vs. Mike Shipman
Will Fleury vs. Kent Kauppinen

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie)

[autotag]George Hardwick[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nicolo Solli[/autotag]
[autotag]Ion Pascu[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Stefano Paterno[/autotag]
Alfie Davis vs. Akonne Wanliss
[autotag]Gavin Hughes[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Daniele Scatizzi[/autotag]
Aiden Lee vs. Jeremy Petley
[autotag]Frans Mlambo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Cory Tait[/autotag]
[autotag]Alex O’Toole[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Luke Trainer[/autotag]
[autotag]Harry Hardwick[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Richie Smullen[/autotag]
[autotag]Chiara Penco[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aleksandra Toncheva[/autotag]
[autotag]Claire Lopez[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Danni Neilan[/autotag]

European middleweights Fabian Edwards, Costello van Steenis set for Milan showdown

Two of Bellator’s top European middleweight contenders will go head to head in Milan, Italy as Fabian Edwards and Costello van Steenis face off at Bellator Europe 8.

Two of the top middleweight talents on Bellator’s European roster are set to collide in Italy as England’s [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] puts his undefeated record on the line against Dutch contender [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag].

The two 185-pound contenders will go head to head in the main event of Bellator Europe 8, which takes place Sept. 26 at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy. Bellator officially confirmed the matchup Tuesday.

The fight marks Edwards’ (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) return to action for the first time since his split-decision victory over fellow countryman Mike Shipman at Bellator Europe 6 last November. That victory capped off a successful year for the Birmingham native, who went 4-0 inside the Bellator cage in 2019 following a stint with UK promotion BAMMA.

He’ll be facing van Steenis (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA), who is looking to bounce back after his decision defeat to John Salter at Bellator 233 last November.

After that fight, “The Spaniard” was booked to face Edwards at Bellator’s May 16 event in London, but that show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the pair have been rebooked and are set to face off at Bellator Europe 8, with the winner set to move a big step closer to a possible shot at the Bellator 185-pound strap.

Also confirmed on the card are two more middleweight matchups, as Ireland’s Will Fleury takes on England’s Kent Kauppinen, while Italy’s Pietro Penini faces the aforementioned Shipman.

Confirmed bouts for Bellator Europe 8 include:

Fabian Edwards vs. Costello van Steenis
Will Fleury vs. Kent Kauppinen
Pietro Penini vs. Mike Shipman