Tag: Leslie Smith

Bellator 259 results: Cris Cyborg TKOs Leslie Smith with 9 seconds left to retain title

Cris Cyborg retained her title with a dominant showing against Leslie Smith at Bellator 259.

[autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] continued her dominance in Bellator.

Cyborg all but had her way with [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] for the majority of their championship main event before winning by TKO at the 4:51 mark of Round 5 to retain her women’s featherweight title.

The title fight was a rematch of a 2016 UFC bout in which Cyborg (24-2 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) stopped Smith (12-9-1 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) in the first round. The bout was contested at a 140-pound catchweight, and it marked Cyborg’s debut with the UFC.

In the first two rounds Friday, Cyborg completely dominated the action. The Brazilian connected with hard shots and wobbled and dropped Smith multiple times. On the ground, Cyborg was also ahead, scoring time on top while landing ground-and-pound.

Round 3 was Smith’s best. She avoided many big shots and absorbed less damage while also landing a few strikes of her own. Still, Cyborg maintained control and dominated the majority of the exchanges.

The last two rounds saw a much more patient Cyborg. She picked her shots and remained ahead on the scorecards, but her volume and aggression seemed significantly lower. She also mixed in takedowns in her offense, not often seen in her previous bouts.

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With the fight winding down, Cyborg countered with a right hook that sent Smith to the canvas. She followed up with a barrage of punches to force the referee to call off the fight before the bell sounded.

With the result, Cyborg is now on a three-fight winning streak under the Bellator banner and on a four-fight run since her TKO defeat against two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes back in 2018.

Meanwhile, Smith now has alternating wins and loses since joining Bellator in 2019.

Complete Bellator 259 results include:

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Bellator 259 breakdown: Will Leslie Smith fight fire with fire in Cris Cyborg rematch?

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the Bellator 259 featherweight title fight between Cris Cyborg and Leslie Smith.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the Bellator’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for Bellator 259.

Bellator 259 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Bellator 259 faceoff video highlights: Cris Cyborg, Leslie Smith have one last faceoff before rematch

Check out the ceremonial weigh-in faceoffs ahead of Bellator 259 at Mohegan Sun.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator makes its return Friday and the women’s featherweight title will be on the line.

Bellator 259 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena with the main card airing on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie. Atop the bill is [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (23-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), who defends her title against [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] (12-8-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) in the main event. The fight is a rematch of the two fighters’ 2016 bout, which Cyborg won by first-round TKO.

The co-main event also features a rematch. Former Bellator bantamweight champion [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 12-3 BMMA) returns to the division he once sat upon the throne of. He faces [autotag]Leandro Higo[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 3-3 BMMA), who missed weight by 1.5 pounds ahead of the bout.

Following Thursday’s official Bellator 259 weigh-ins, the athletes came face to face for some traditional pre-fight staredowns.

Check out the faceoffs below, including Cyborg vs. Smith, Caldwell vs. Higo, [autotag]Austin Vanderford[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag], [autotag]Valerie Loureda[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Hannah Guy[/autotag], and more.

Bellator 259 predictions: What are our three unanimous picks on the main card?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 259 main card, featuring Cris Cyborg vs. Leslie Smith.

Cyborg
vs.
Smith		 Caldwell
vs.
Higo		 Edwards
vs.
Vanderford		 Mandonca
vs.
Willis		 Edwards
vs.
Parrish
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 66-45		 cyborg2021
Cyborg
(86%)		 caldwell2021
Caldwell
(77%)		 vanderford2021
Vanderford
(70%)		 willis2021
Willis
(85%)		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
(83%)
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 68-43		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 68-43		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 66-45		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 mendonca2021
Mendonca		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 66-45
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 fedwards2021
F. Edwards		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 65-46
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 65-46
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 65-46		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 65-46		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 63-48
trophy copy 2020 Champion		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 62-49		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 61-50		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 fedwards2021
F. Edwards		 willis2021
Willis		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 60-51		 cyborg2021
Cyborg		 caldwell2021
Caldwell		 vanderford2021
Vanderford		 mendonca2021
Mendonca		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards
BetMGM
Betting Favorites		 cyborg2021
Cyborg -1400		 caldwell2021
Caldwell -350		 vanderford2021
Vanderford -225		 mendonca2021
Mendonca -125		 cedwards2021
C. Edwards -650

Bellator is back this week with a title fight at the top of the card.

Bellator 259 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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

In the main event, women’s featherweight champion [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (23-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) puts her title on the line in a rematch with challenger [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] (12-8-1 MMA, 2-2 BMMA). Cyborg is a huge favorite at -1400 at BetMGM, so it’s no surprise she’s one of three unanimous picks on the main card from our editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

In the co-feature, former bantamweight champ [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Leandro Higo[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 3-3 BMMA). Caldwell is a -350 favorite, and he’s a 12-0 unanimous pick from our staff members.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Austin Vanderford[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in a middleweight bout. Vanderford is a -225 favorite, but two of our pickers are taking Edwards in an upset.

[autotag]Maycon Mendonca[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is a slight favorite at -125 in his welterweight bout against [autotag]Jaleel Willis[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA). But it’s Willis with a big 10-2 picks lead.

Unfortunately, the bout expected to open the main card, which saw [autotag]Christian Edwards[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) as a big -650 favorite at light heavyweight against [autotag]Ben Parrish[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), was called off following the day’s official weigh-ins. Edwards was our third unanimous pick.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Cyborg (86 percent), Caldwell (77 percent), Vanderford (70 percent), Willis (85 percent) and Christian Edwards (83 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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Bellator 259 pre-event facts: Cris Cyborg meets Leslie Smith in rare rematch

Check out all the facts and figures about Bellator 259, which takes place Friday with a Cris Cyborg vs. Leslie Smith title-fight headliner.

Bellator returns from a one-week hiatus on Friday with Bellator 259 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Women’s MMA legend and reigning Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg (23-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) returns to action in the main event. She’s set to rematch Leslie Smith (12-8-1 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) in a fight from UFC 198 in May 2016, which the Brazilian won swiftly by TKO in just 81 seconds.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as other notable bouts on the card, check below for 15 pre-event facts about Bellator 259.

Cris Cyborg headlines Bellator 259 in rematch with Leslie Smith

One of the most dominant female fighters in MMA history will return this spring in a rematch.

[mm-video type=video id=01es22fgvjp05jjq0b playlist_id=01eqvpne7c1q486dvv player_id=01eqvpqbw4ymnv0rjh image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01es22fgvjp05jjq0b/01es22fgvjp05jjq0b-38820601d3cde418cd3fc34dc578fb1e.jpg]

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.

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Leslie Smith vs. Amanda Bell headed to Bellator 245 in Connecticut

The first night of Bellator’s back-to-back events later this month has a new women’s featherweight bout on the bill.

The first night of Bellator’s back-to-back events later this month has a new women’s featherweight bout on the bill.

[autotag]Amanda Bell[/autotag] (7-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) will take on [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] (11-8-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) at Bellator 245. MMA Junkie confirmed the booking with a Bellator official following an initial report from Sherdog.com.

Bellator 245 takes place Sept. 11 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., where Bellator has been holding every-other-week events the past several weeks during the COVID-19 era. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie. The following night, Bellator 246 takes place at the same venue.

Smith will be looking to get back in the win column following a decision loss to Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 233 in November 2019. That snapped a three-fight winning streak that included a majority decision victory over Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 224 in her promotional debut after coming over from the UFC after a seven-fight run there.

Amanda Bell

Bell will be looking for her first winning streak since a modest two-fight run in 2017. At Bellator 233, she finished Janay Harding with a TKO with just 16 seconds left in their fight. That was her return to the win column after a 22-second knockout loss to Blencowe at Bellator 224. She has alternated wins and losses her past five fights.

With the addition, the Bellator 245 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (Paramount, DAZN, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida
  • Gabrielle Holloway vs. Cat Zingano
  • Taylor Johnson vs. Ed Ruth
  • Raymond Daniels vs. Peter Stanonik

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie)

  • Rafael Carvalho vs. Alex Polizzi
  • Tyrell Fortune vs. Jack May
  • Keith Lee vs. Vinicius Zani
  • Khonry Gracie vs. Trevor Gudde
  • Amanda Bell vs. Leslie Smith

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Leslie Smith plans to ‘focus on the finish’ ahead of Bellator 241 return

Bellator women’s featherweight contender Leslie Smith says her recent decision loss has reminded her to press for the finish ahead of her bout at Bellator 241.

UNCASVILLE, Conn – [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] returns to action at Bellator 241 on Friday after being served with a sharp reminder of one of MMA’s age-old mantras: “Never leave it in the hands of the judges.”

Smith lost a unanimous decision against Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 233 last time out, and admitted that she had become just a little too comfortable being in a fistfight, rather than going hard for the stoppage.

“It’s a reminder to never leave it to the judges – frickin’ judges!” she sighed. “I know it. Everyone knows you can’t leave to the judges. But it’s easy to forget that sometimes, especially if you’re like me and you’re just having a really good time fighting and having fun punching people in the face. It reminds me that I need to really focus on the finish, so that’s what I’m going to do in this fight.”

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Smith (11-8-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) takes on Jessy Miele (9-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) in a featherweight bout at Mohegan Sun Arena. The event takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie. And, after watching tape of her opponent’s recent performances, Smith said she’s looking forward to facing a fighter with a fighting style she believes will mesh well with her own.

“I think that she’s a very well-rounded fighter, and I’m excited to see that it looks like she comes forward, and I think she’s going to bring out a very good and exciting fight,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to that.”

“I’m ready for everything. In (her) last fight I saw she had a lot of confidence in the striking. … I’m excited about fighting people that have a lot of confidence in the striking because I just love to punch people in the face. It’s a lot easier to punch someone in the face when they’re trying to punch you in the face at the same time, so that’s where I know that I shine the most. I’m ready for any place else that it might end up, and we’ll see.”

Victory could potentially push Smith towards her goal of a title fight with newly-crowned 145-pound champion Cris Cyborg, though she admitted that she isn’t concerning herself with that possibility as she focuses on the job at hand.

“I have no idea (if I’ll be next); it’s not really anything that’s in my control,” Smith said. “That is always the hot question, ‘If you win this, are you going to get a title fight?’ or ‘How far away from a title fight are you?’ Well, I’ve been hearing ‘title fight’ since I signed for the division. I don’t write the contracts, I just sign them, so all I can do is win the fight and then we’ll see what comes up.”