Bellator 237 post-event facts: Michael Chandler sets stoppage record

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 237, which took place Saturday in Saitama, Japan.

The final Bellator event of the year took place Saturday with Bellator 237, which went down at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, with a card that aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN.

In the main event, [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) knocked out [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] (38-14 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) in the first round of their heavyweight clash. It was the first time “Rampage” has been stopped with strikes since 2005.

Check below for 31 facts coming out of Bellator 237.

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General

Betting favorites went 5-1 on the main card.

Betting favorites improved to 14-8 (with two no contests and one draw) in Bellator main events this year.

Total fight time for the six-bout main card was 43:56.

Main card

Emelianenko improved to 5-2 since he returned from retirement in December 2015.

Emelianenko improved to 9-2 (with one no contest) when facing former UFC champions.

Emelianenko has earned 31 of his 39 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his Bellator wins.

Emelianenko has earned all three of his Bellator victories by first-round knockout.

Fedor Emelianenko and “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 237. (Photo courtesy Bellator)

Jackson fell to 4-4 in his career in heavyweight fights.

Jackson has suffered four of his six career stoppage losses by knockout.

Jackson suffered his first knockout loss since Apr. 23, 2005 – a span of 5,362 days (nearly 15 years) and 24 fights.

[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 17-5 BMMA) has earned 15 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes 12 of his 17 Bellator wins.

Chandler’s 17 victories in Bellator competition are second most in company history behind Patricio Freire (18).

Chandler’s 12 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.

[autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) suffered his first knockout loss since Sept. 13, 2014 – a span of 1,932 days (more than five years) and 13 fights.

Outlaw has suffered three of his four career losses by stoppage.

Michael Page at Bellator 237. (Photo courtesy Bellator)

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]’s (17-1 MMA, 13-1 BMMA) earned his third victory in a 92-day stretch. He’s finished all of those wins by knockout.

Page’s 10 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are fourth most in company history behind Chandler (12), Patricio Freire (11) and A.J. McKee (11).

Page’s nine knockout victories in Bellator competition are tied with Douglas Lima and Patricky Freire for most in company history.

[autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] (22-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) improved to 7-3 since he dropped to the welterweight division in January 2015.

Larkin’s four-fight Bellator winning streak at welterweight is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Logan Storley (five) and Joey Davis (five).

Larkin has earned nine of his past 12 victories by decision. That includes all four of his Bellator wins

[autotag]Keita Nakamura[/autotag] (35-11-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) has alternated wins and losses over his past 10 fights.

Nakamura has suffered nine of his 11 career losses by decision.

Goiti Yamauchi at Bellator 237. (Photo courtesy Bellator)

[autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (25-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) improved to 6-1 since he moved up to the Bellator lightweight division in October 2016.

Yamauchi has earned 21 of his 25 career victories by stoppage. That includes nine of his 11 Bellator wins.

Yamauchi’s nine stoppage victories in Bellator competition are tied for fifth most in company history behind Chandler (12), Patricio Freire (11), McKee (11) and Page (10).

Yamauchi’s eight submission victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.

Yamauchi’s five submission victories in Bellator lightweight competition are tied for the most in divisional history.

Yamauchi’s five submission victories by rear-naked choke in Bellator competition are most in company history.

[autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag]’s (22-13 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) three-fight losing skid is tied for the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2018.

Cruickshank has suffered 10 of his 13 career losses by stoppage.

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of Bellator 237

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s Bellator 237 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a Bellator win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from Bellator 237 went with as their backing tracks in Saitama, Japan.

* * * *

Fedor Emelianenko def. Quinton Jackson via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:33

[autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag]: “Христе Боже” by Оригинал

[autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag]: PRIDE theme song

Michael Chandler def. Sidney Outlaw via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:59

[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]: ” 晴れわたる丘” by RYO the SKYWALKER

[autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag]: “Montana” by French Montana

Michael Page def. Shinsho Anzai via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 0:23

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]: “Montana” by French Montana

[autotag]Shinsho Anzai[/autotag]: “Rollin'” by Limp Bizkit

Lorenz Larkin def. Keita Nakamura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

[autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag]: N/A

[autotag]Keita Nakamura[/autotag]: “Fly Again” by Man With a Mission

Kana Watanabe def. Ilara Joanne via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:39

[autotag]Kana Watanabe[/autotag]: “Be the Best Together” by Fight League feat. Yshidakyoudia

[autotag]Ilara Joanne[/autotag]: “Arya Stark Is Coming To Town” by House of Snark, feat. Liane Walls & the Baby Snark Choir

Goiti Yamauchi def. Daron Cruickshank via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:11

[autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag]: “Speed TK (Remix)”

[autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag]: “Real American” by Rick Derringer

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

Bellator 237 results: Goiti Yamauchi makes quick work of Daron Cruickshank, wins by rear-naked choke

Goiti Yamauchi once again proved he’s a submission specialist.

SAITAMA, Japan – It didn’t take long for [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] to extend his winning streak to three Saturday night.

Taking on former UFC fighter [autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag], Yamuchi (25-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) made quick work of the Michigan-based striker. Yamauchi submitted Cruickshank (22-13 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) by rear-naked choke at 3:11 of Round 1.

After a feeling-out process on the feet, Yamauchi secured a body lock of Cruickshank on the feet. From there, Yamauchi was able to drag Cruickshank to the ground and secure hold of the back. It didn’t take long before Yamauchi sunk in the rear-naked choke and got the tap.

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With the win, Yamauchi’s extends his winning streak to three. The Japan-born, Brazil resident has now won six out of most recent seven outings entering Saturday. Yamauchi’s submission of Cruickshank was the 10th of his career.

Cruickshank was the lone American representing RIZIN in the Bellator 237 head-to-head matchups. With the loss, “The Detroit Superstar” has his winless streak extended to three. Since being released from the UFC in mid-2016, Cruickshank has gone 6-5.

The lightweight bout opened the Bellator 237 main card, which took place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena. The card aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 237 results include:

  • Goiti Yamauchi def. Daron Cruickshank via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:11

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Bellator 237 predictions: Who’s picking ‘Rampage’ over Fedor in Japan?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 237 main card in Japan.

Emelianenko
vs.
Jackson
Chandler
vs.
Outlaw
Anzai
vs.
Page
Larkin
vs.
Nakamura
Joanne
vs.
Watanabe
Cruickshank
vs.
Yamauchi
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2019: 221-130 (63%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
(54%)
chandler2019
Chandler
(83%)
page2019
Page
(88%)
larkin2019
Larkin
(88%)
watanabe2019
Watanabe
(66%)
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
(57%)
Simon Head
@simonhead
2019: 138-71 (66%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
joanne2019
Joanne
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2019: 131-73 (64%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
joanne2019
Joanne
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2019: 225-126 (64%)
jackson2019-1
Jackson
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
watanabe2019
Watanabe
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2019: 224-127 (64%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
watanabe2019
Watanabe
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2019: 223-128 (64%)
trophy copy 2017 Champion
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
jackson2019-1
Jackson
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
watanabe2019
Watanabe
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2019: 222-129 (63%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
watanabe2019
Watanabe
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2019: 220-131 (63%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
nakamura2019
Nakamura
joanne2019
Joanne
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2019: 218-133 (62%)
trophy copy 2014 Champion
jackson2019-1
Jackson
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
watanabe2019
Watanabe
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2019: 122-76 (62%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
joanne2019
Joanne
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2019: 215-136 (61%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
watanabe2019
Watanabe
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2019: 212-139 (60%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
joanne2019
Joanne
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2019: 147-112 (57%)
emelianenko2019
Emelianenko
chandler2019
Chandler
page2019
Page
larkin2019
Larkin
joanne2019
Joanne
yamauchi2019
Yamauchi
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2019: 185-166 (53%)
jackson2019-1
Jackson
outlaw2019
Outlaw
anzai2019
Anzai
nakamura2019
Nakamura
watanabe2019
Watanabe
cruickshank2019
Cruickshank

For the first time, Bellator this week has touched down in “The Land of the Rising Sun” with a pair of heavyweight legends at the top of the ticket.

Bellator 237, the promotion’s debut in Japan, takes place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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

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In the main event, [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (38-6 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) takes on fellow PRIDE veteran [autotag]Quinton Jackson[/autotag] (38-13 MMA, 5-2 BMMA) in a bout between two fan favorites among the Japanese fans. Emelianenko is a slight favorite at the sports books, but he’s got a heavy lead from our 13 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers at 9-4 in the picks.

In the co-main event, former lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (19-5 MMA, 16-5 BMMA) takes on short-notice opponent [autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), who will step in for Benson Henderson. Chandler is a heavy favorite in the 160-pound contract weight bout, and only one of our pickers is going against him.

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 12-1 BMMA) is the biggest favorite on the card at as much as 10-1 n his 173-pound contract weight fight against [autotag]Shinsho Anzai[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). He’s got a heavy 12-1 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) meets [autotag]Keita Nakamura[/autotag] (35-10-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at welterweight. Larkin is a 5-1 favorite and has a heavy 11-2 picks lead.

Our most competitive fight, picks-wise, is at women’s flyweight between [autotag]Ilara Joanne[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Kana Watanabe[/autotag] (8-0-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), who is just a slight favorite. Watanabe has the slimmest possible edge in the picks at 7-6.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag] (22-12 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is a heavy underdog against [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (24-4 MMA, 10-3 BMMA), who has a massive 12-1 lead in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Emelianenko (54%), Chandler (83 percent), Page (88 percent), Larkin (88 percent), Watanabe (66 percent) and Yamauchi (57 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

Daron Cruickshank proud to be lone American representing RIZIN against Bellator

Daron Cruickshank will be the lone American fighter representing RIZIN at Bellator 237.

[autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag] will be the lone American fighter representing RIZIN at Bellator 237, a fact he’s proud of.

Competing in one of three cross-promotion fights, Cruickshank (22-12 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) takes on Goiti Yamauchi on Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The main card streams on DAZN.

“Obviously I want to win, but I want to win for the company because they’re putting me out there,” Cruickshank told MMA Junkie. “I’m the only non-Japanese fighter they are putting in to represent them. That kind of feels good to me because they think I’m going to represent them in the best way at 155 pounds.”

A RIZIN-contracted athlete and former UFC fighter, Saturday will be the first time Cruickshank has competed under the Bellator banner. It’s been a long time coming. In 2011, Cruickshank was booked to fight at Bellator 47. He went through a training camp and made weight at weigh-ins, just to be told the bout was canceled on fight day.

“The day of the fight, I got a call an hour after I was supposed to be at the venue saying that my fight was canceled and my opponent forged some of his medical documents,” Cruickshank said.

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At one point during Cruickshank’s career, the public perception was that the UFC was the only promotion worth competing for. When he decided to part ways with the promotion, RIZIN was uncharted territory for American fighters. Nine RIZIN fights later, Cruickshank is pleased with his decision.

“I was the first UFC fighter to go to RIZIN,” Cruickshank said. “I didn’t leave the UFC on a bad note. I was on a three-fight losing (skid), and they were basically like, ‘You’re not going to fight for six to eight months.’ Me being me, I like to fight often. I was like, ‘I’ve got to fight, guys.’ They were like, ‘We can release you and you can go somewhere else.’ I was like, ‘OK, let’s do that.’ Right out of the gate, I got a fight like a month after with RIZIN.

“The UFC is not the only place to fight. They are the name-brand, but other companies are coming up and they’re getting some eyes. The good thing for the fighter is that they have more options. With more options comes better deals. The organizations are going to be fighting over the people that are exciting.”

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Cruickshank said he views Bellator 237 as what will be a late Christmas present. The task at hand is tough, but Cruickshank predicted a first-round knockout.

“It’ll be nice to get back in the cage, and (Yamauchi) is pretty tough,” Cruickshank said. “It’s going to be a good performance by me knocking him out.”

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Bellator 237: Make your predictions for Fedor Emelianenko vs. ‘Rampage’ Jackson

We want your predictions for Bellator 237 in Japan.

We want your predictions for this week’s Bellator 237 event in Japan.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Wednesday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the Bellator 237 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. Bellator 237, the promotion’s debut in Japan, takes place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Make your picks for all six main card fights inside.

Bellator 237, Rizin FF 20 cards begin to fill out with multiple additions, including five crossover bouts

Multiple new additions have been added to December’s dual Bellator and Rizin FF cards in Japan, including five crossover contests.

Five additional fights have been added to the upcoming Bellator and Rizin FF joint cards being held in Saitama, Japan.

Bellator president Scott Coker shared the news of three crossover bouts that are headed to the Bellator 237 card at Saitama Super Arena, as well as two crossover bouts added to the Rizin FF 20 card also taking place at the same venue, two days later.

On the Bellator card, UFC veterans [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and [autotag]Keita Nakamura[/autotag] (35-10-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) will both make quick turnarounds and square off in a welterweight bout. Since dropping his first two promotional bouts with Bellator, Larkin has won his last three in a row, most recently picking up a split-decision win over Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 229. Nakamura made good in his Rizin debut, scoring a first round finish over Marcos Yoshio de Souza at Rizin FF 19.

Also headed to Bellator 237 is a women’s flyweight bout between [autotag]Ilara Joanne[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Kana Watanabe[/autotag] (8-0-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). Joanne recently picked up the biggest win of her career, submitting UFC veteran Bec Rawlings in her Bellator debut last month. Joanne, who’s riding a three-fight winning streak, recently called out 125-pound champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, but instead draws Japan’s undefeated Watanabe.

The third bout added to Bellator 237 is a lightweight bout between [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (24-4 MMA, 10-3 BMMA) and [autotag]Daron Cruickshank[/autotag] (22-12 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). Yamauchi is coming off back-to-back wins that include a decision over Daniel Weichel and a first-round submission over Saad Awad at October’s Bellator 229. Cruickshank, has dropped his last two in a row to Damien Brown and Tofiq Musaev, and he now looks to get back in the win column.

Meanwhile, on the Dec. 31 Rizin card, two bouts will take place under the Japanese promotion’s ruleset. [autotag]Yuki Motoya[/autotag] (23-7) faces undefeated [autotag]Patrick Mix[/autotag] (12-0) in a bantamweight bout, while [autotag]Mikuru Asakura[/autotag] (11-1) will take on [autotag]John Macapa[/autotag] (23-42) in a featherweight clash.

Meanwhile, Rizin officials announced a series of post-lim bouts to take place at Bellator 237, which the Japanese promotion is calling “Bellator Japan powered by RIZIN.”

The matchups include [autotag]Andy Nguyen[/autotag] (6-8) vs. [autotag]Ai Shimizu[/autotag] (5-1), [autotag]Ryuichiro Sumimura[/autotag] (14-7) vs. [autotag]Jon Tuck[/autotag] (10-5), [autotag]Jarred Brooks[/autotag] (15-2) vs. [autotag]Haruo Ochi[/autotag] (19-7-2) and [autotag]Hiroto Uesako[/autotag] (16-8) vs. [autotag]Yusuke Yachi[/autotag] (20-9).