Check out the four fights that were featured to faceoff at Bellator 263 media day in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES – Bellator 263 media day took place Wednesday at the host hotel, and MMA Junkie was on the scene for the festivities. After fielding questions from reporters, the fighters came together for faceoffs.
Featured on the dais were [autotag]Manny Muro[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag], [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] vs. former lightweight champion [autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Gonzalez[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag], and [autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag].
You can watch watch the highlights of those faceoffs in the video above.
Bellator 263 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.
One of the most dominant female fighters in MMA history will return this spring in a rematch.
[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (23-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will put her women’s featherweight title on the line against [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] (12-8-1 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) in the Bellator 259 main event. The promotion announced the headliner during Friday’s Bellator 255 broadcast, which was its debut on Showtime.
Bellator 259 is set for May 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card for that event will air on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. In addition, [autotag]Christian Edwards[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) will fight [autotag]Ben Parrish[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in a light heavyweight bout on the card, and [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] (30-11-1 MMA, 8-9 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Adam Piccolotti[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 8-4 BMMA) has been booked at lightweight.
Cyborg and Smith first fought at UFC 198 in May 2016 in a 140-pound catchweight bout. That fight, in Cyborg’s home country of Brazil, was her UFC debut after signing as Invicta’s featherweight champion. She took Smith out with a TKO just 81 seconds into the fight.
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After she lost the UFC women’s featherweight title to current two-division champion Amanda Nunes in late 2018 – her first loss since her May 2005 pro debut – Cyborg had one more win in the UFC, then signed with Bellator.
In her promotional debut in January 2020, she took out longtime champion Julia Budd with a fourth-round TKO to win the belt. This past October, she had her first title defense and submitted Arlene Blencowe in the second round.
Smith signed a new deal with Bellator ahead of her shot at Cyborg’s title. It will be Smith’s first title bout in seven and a half years. She lost a fight for Invicta FC’s flyweight title to Barb Honchak in December 2013.
After that, Smith moved back to bantamweight in the UFC, where she went 4-3 in seven fights from 2014-2017. Her relationship with the UFC was a rocky one toward the end when it came to contract issues and, she has said, because of her involvement with Project Spearhead, an organization that wants to unionize MMA fighters.
Smith signed with Bellator and has gone 2-1 with decisions wins against Sinead Kavanagh and Amanda Bell sandwiched around a decision loss to Arlene Blencowe.
Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 243, which took place Friday in Uncasville, Conn.
Bellator’s second event since returning from a hiatus brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic took place on Friday with Bellator 243. The event again went down at the “Fightsphere,” which is located at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
The most decorated athlete in Bellator history headlined the card in winning fashion. Former three-time champ [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 18-5 BMMA) knocked out former UFC and WEC titleholder [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (28-8 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) in the first round of their anticipated rematch. With the win, Chandler went to 2-0 against Henderson and ended his current Bellator contract.
The talk is getting stronger that Chandler’s storied Bellator run may come to an end with this fight. If that’s the case, he goes out with a special resume. For all the figures, check below for 20 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 243.
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General
Betting favorites went 2-2 on the main card.
Betting favorites improved to 5-0 in Bellator main events this year.
Total fight time for the four-bout main card was 35:23.
Main card
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Chandler’s 18 victories in Bellator competition are tied with Patricio Freire for most in company history.
Chandler’s 15 victories in Bellator lightweight competition are most in divisional history.
Chandler’s 13 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.
Chandler’s 10 stoppage victories in Bellator lightweight competition are most in divisional history.
Henderson fell to 5-3 since he returned to the lightweight division in August 2016.
Henderson suffered his first knockout loss since Aug. 23, 2014 – a span of 2,176 days (nearly six years) and 12 fights.
[autotag]Timothy Johnson[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) has earned 11 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes both of his Bellator wins.
[autotag]Matt Mitrione[/autotag]’s (13-8 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) four-fight winless skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.
Mitrione has suffered six of his eight career losses by stoppage.
[autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] (19-5 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) has earned both of his Bellator victories by decision.
[autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] (29-11-1 MMA, 7-9 BMMA) fell to 1-3 since he returned to Bellator for a third stint in March 2019.
Karakhanyan fell to 1-1 since he moved up to the Bellator lightweight division in February 2020.
Karakhanyan has suffered eight of his 11 career losses by decision.
Preliminary card
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[autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] (3-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) has earned both of her career stoppage victories by knockout.
[autotag]Nainoa Dung[/autotag] (3-2 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 3-0.
Dung suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Myles Jury’s efforts in the closing minutes of a tight fight earned him his second straight victory.
Win or lose, [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] has long been a tough out, as [autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] found out on Friday night.
The lightweight duo engaged in 15-minutes of trench warfare on the main card of Bellator 243. In a fight which ended up with both competitors throwing 59 strikes, Jury had a little bit more left in the tank in the final round, as he pulled away over the final couple minutes for a split decision victory.
The judges’ scores were 27-30, 30-27, and 29-28 in favor of Jury (19-5 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The opening round saw the taller Jury impose his jab, while Karakhanyan (29-11-1 MMA, 7-8 BMMA) would close the distance and land overhand shots. When he closed the distance, Karakhanyan attempted takedowns which ended up in clinches along the cage which ended in stalemates.
Karakhanyan did his best job implementing his game plan in the second round. He closed the distance and landed multiple takedowns, though Jury found his way back to his feet before his opponent could do any damage.
The fight’s defining moments occurred midway through the third. Jury shot for a takedown. Karakhanyan jumped and took Jury to the mat with a guillotine. Jury escaped, though, found himself in top position, and threw elbows, one of which cut Karakhanyan open. Jury was the aggressor the rest of the way as he sealed the win.
With his sixth career decision victory, Jury has now won two straight fights. Karakhanyan has now lost three of his past four fights.
The lightweight bout was part of the Bellator 243 main card at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Up-to-the-minute Bellator 243 results include:
Myles Jury def. Georgi Karakhanyan via split decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)
Sabah Homasi def. Curtis Millender via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Adam Borics def. Mike Hamel via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
In the main event, former Bellator lightweight champ [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 17-5 BMMA) takes on ex-UFC and WEC champ [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (28-8 MMA, 5-3 BMMA). Chandler is more than a 2-1 favorite in the fight, and he’s got the support of a whopping 12 of our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts in the picks.
In the co-main event, [autotag]Timothy Johnson[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) will go after his second Bellator heavyweight win on the heels of his upset of 9-1 favorite Tyrell Fortune in February. This time, he’s just a slight underdog against [autotag]Matt Mitrione[/autotag] (13-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA), but it’s Mitrione with a big 11-3 picks lead.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) is a big favorite against [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] (29-10-1 MMA, 7-8 BMMA) in their lightweight bout, and he’s got a 10-3 picks lead.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Sabah Homasi[/autotag] (13-8 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) will try to upset [autotag]Curtis Millender[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) at welterweight. Millender nearly is a 3-1 favorite, and hes got a heavy 11-2 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Chandler (62 percent), Mitrione (79 percent), Jury (83 percent) and Millender (88 percent) are the choices.
Veteran Georgi Karakhanyan looks to make it two straight victories when he meets Myles Jury on the main card of Bellator 243.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Bellator’s [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] has seen and done it all by this stage of his career.
The seasoned veteran showed he still has something left when he submitted Paul Redmond at Bellator 240, ending a two-fight skid. And now he’s aiming for a victory that will prove he’s still get what it takes to take out some of the company’s biggest names
Karakhanyan (29-10-1 MMA, 7-8 BMMA) meets Myles Jury (18-5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) in a lightweight fight on Friday’s Bellator 243 main card in an opportunity to show where he stands. The California-based competitor talked about what this fight would mean at this stage of his career when speaking with reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s Bellator 243 media day. You can watch the interview in the video above.
Bellator 243 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Check out all the facts and figures about Bellator 243, which takes place Friday with a Michael Chandler vs. Benson Henderson main event.
Bellator puts on its second event since returning from a coronavirus-induced hiatus on Friday with Bellator 243, which takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN.
A high-stakes lightweight rematch goes down in the main event. After former multi-time Bellator champ [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 17-5 BMMA) won the first fight by split decision in November 2016, [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (28-8 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) will get a shot at redemption as he attempts to continue his best winning streak in years.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about Bellator 243.
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Main event
Michael Chandler
Chandler competes in his 23rd Bellator bout, tied with David Rickels for the most appearances in company history.
Chandler 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 14 victories in Bellator lightweight competition are tied with Patricky Freire for most in divisional history.
Chandler’s 12 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.
Chandler’s nine stoppage victories in Bellator lightweight competition are tied with Patricky Freire for most in divisional history.
Chandler’s six submission victories in Bellator competition are tied for second most in company history behind Goiti Yamauchi (eight).
Chandler’s 11 appearances in Bellator title fights are most in company history.
Chandler is one of three fighters in Bellator/UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce history with three title reigns in a single weight class. Randy Couture and Douglas Lima also accomplished the feat.
Chandler’s six victories in Bellator championship fights are second most in company history behind Freire (eight).
Chandler’s five losses in Bellator title fights are the most in company history.
Benson Henderson
Henderson is a former UFC and WEC lightweight champion. He’s 0-2 in Bellator title fights.
Henderson is 5-2 since he returned to the lightweight division in August 2016.
Henderson’s four-fight Bellator winning streak in lightweight competition is the second longest active streak in the division behind Patricky Freire (five).
Henderson’s four-fight MMA winning streak is his longest since 2011.
Co-main event
Matt Mitrione
[autotag]Matt Mitrione[/autotag] (13-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA), 42, is the oldest of the eight scheduled main-card fighters.
Mitrione’s three-fight winless skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2018.
Mitrione vs. Kharitonov marked the third shortest no-contest in Bellator/UFC/WEC/Strikeforce/PRIDE combined history at just 15 seconds. Only Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachim Spiritwolf (6 seconds) at Strikeforce Challengers 12 and Kevin Casey vs. Antonio Carlos Junior (11 seconds) at UFC Fight Night 80 were faster.
All of Mitrione’s career bouts have taken place under the Bellator or UFC banners.
[autotag]Timothy Johnson[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) has earned 10 of his 13 career victories by stoppage.
Remaining main card
Myles Jury
[autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) is 1-1 since he returned to the lightweight division in September.
[autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] (29-10-1 MMA, 7-8 BMMA) was successful in his Bellator lightweight debut at Bellator 240 in February.
Karakhanyan is 1-2 since he returned to Bellator for a third stint in March 2019.
[autotag]Curtis Millender[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) was successful in his return to Bellator for a third stint with a win at Bellator 238 in January.
We want your predictions for Friday’s Bellator 243 event in Connecticut.
We want your predictions for Friday’s Bellator 243 event in Uncasville, Conn.
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 243 event staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. Bellator 243 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Make your picks for all four main card fights inside:
Bellator is stacking up its second event in its return from a hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Two new fights have been added to Bellator 243, which takes place Aug. 7 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.: A lightweight bout between [autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] and [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] on the main card and a 150-pound catchweight bout between [autotag]Derek Campos[/autotag] and [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] on the prelims.
MMA Junkie verified both matchups with a Bellator official. Campos vs. Borics was first reported by Combate.
Jury (18–5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) is coming off a unanimous decision win over Brandon Girtz in February. He successfully bounced back from a defeat to Benson Henderson, which marked his Bellator debut. Meanwhile, Karakhanyan (29-10-1 MMA, 7-8 BMMA) looks to continue a successful campaign at 155 pounds. The former featherweight fighter most recently fought in February where he submitted Paul Redmond.
In the 150-pound catchweight bout, featherweights Campos (20-10 MMA, 8-8 BMMA) and Borics (14-1 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) have their first fights since getting bounced from the ongoing Bellator featherweight grand prix. Campos lost to A.J. McKee and Borics fell short to Darrion Caldwell.
Additionally, MMA Junkie confirmed bouts between [autotag]Joel Bauman[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Taylor Johnson[/autotag], which was first reported by Cage Side Press, and[autotag] Chris Lencioni[/autotag] vs. [autotag]AJ Agazarm[/autotag], which was reported by Fansided.
Bellator 243 is being headlined by a key lightweight bout pitting former Bellator champion Michael Chandler against former UFC champion Benson Henderson in a rematch from 2016, which Chandler won by split decision.
With the additions, the Bellator 243 lineup includes:
