Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 256, which took place Friday in Uncasville, Conn.
Bellator’s second event of the year took place Friday with Bellator 256 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
The opening fight of the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix headlined the card. Former champ [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) became the first man to advance to the semifinal round when he beat [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] (26-11 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) by unanimous decision, avenging a knockout loss from August 2012.
For more on the numbers, check below for 15 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 256.
Ryan Bader avenged his 2012 loss to Lyoto Machida and advanced to the tournament semifinal.
[autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] is the first fighter to move on in the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix.
Bader, the former 205-pound champion who currently holds the promotion’s heavyweight title, exacted a measure of revenge by defeating [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] pn Friday in the Bellator 256 main event in Uncasville, Conn. Bader (27-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) dominated Machida (26-10 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) over five rounds to claim a unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-45 and 49-45.
Their rematch from a 2012 clash in the UFC was the first quarterfinal bout of the Bellator light heavyweight tournament. Bader will now take on the winner of Corey Anderson vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, which is set to go down next Friday at Bellator 257.
Bader put on one of the most dominant performances of his career to advance to the semifinal.
In the first round, both competitors didn’t take long to get warmed up. Bader and Machida remained active, trading leg kicks and testing each other on the feet. Machida’s kicks began to add up as he was targeting Bader’s body and legs. The most significant shot of the round was a left head kick that connected flush on Bader, who did well in closing the distance and pressuring Machida against the cage until the bell rang. Machida had the best exchanges of the round, but things would go down hill from there for the 42-year-old.
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The second round started similar to the first with Machida staying on the outside and picking apart Bader with varied kicks. However, with about two minutes remaining, Bader changed the tune of the fight by taking down “The Dragon” and maintaining top control from turtle position while landing heavy ground-and-pound until the bell rang.
The fight was a one-sided beatdown after that. Bader repeatedly took down down Machida in the third, fourth and fifth. In all three rounds, Machida struggled to get up while taking significant damage from Bader’s heavy and continuous ground-and-pound.
With the win, Bader successfully bounced back from his TKO loss to Vadim Nemkov last August, which saw him lose his light heavyweight title. Bader is now 8-1 in his last nine bouts.
Meanwhile, Machida is now on a three-fight losing streak and 4-6 in his past 10.
Complete Bellator 256 results:
Ryan Bader def. Lyoto Machida via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-45, 49-45) – advances to light heavyweight grand prix semifinal
In the main event, former light heavyweight champion and current heavyweight champ [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] (27-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] (26-10 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) in the opening round of Bellator’s 205-pound tournament. The two first fought in the UFC nearly nine years ago, and Machida won by knockout. This time, Bader is a -300 favorite at BetMGM in the rematch, and our 12 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts are taking him unanimously – one of three 12-0 nods on the main card.
In the co-feature, former UFC title challenger [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is a -185 favorite against former Invicta FC women’s flyweight [autotag]Vanessa Porto[/autotag] (22-8 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), and Carmouche is a near-unanimous pick on the main card at 11-1 from our staff members.
Also on the main card, our only truly contentious fight from a picks standpoint takes place at lightweight with [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) just a -125 favorite against [autotag]Jeremy Kennedy[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). Borics has a slim 7-5 picks lead.
Our second unanimous nod is former UFC title challenger [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), who is a huge -800 favorite against promotional newcomer [autotag]Olivia Parker[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in a women’s featherweight bout. Zingano, not surprisingly given the odds, is a 12-0 pick.
And to open the main card, our third 12-0 unanimous pick is [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (25-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) in a lightweight bout against [autotag]Dan Moret[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). Yamauchi is a -400 betting favorite.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Bader (64 percent), Carmouche (69 percent), Borics (72 percent), Zingano (90 percent) and Yamauchi (88 percent) are the choices.
Check out the Bellator 256 competitors’ ceremonial faceoffs.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator makes its return Friday and kicks off its light heavyweight grand prix with a rematch between heavyweight champion and former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] and [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag].
Bellator 256 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The entire card will be live and free on MMA Junkie.
Following Thursday’s official Bellator 256 weigh-ins, the athletes came face to face for some traditional pre-fight staredowns.
Check out the faceoffs below, including Bader vs. Machida, [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vanessa Porto[/autotag], [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jeremy Kennedy[/autotag], [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Olivia Parker[/autotag], and more.
We want your predictions for Friday’s Bellator 256 event in Connecticut.
We want your predictions for Friday’s Bellator 256 event in Connecticut.
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 Wednesdday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the Bellator 256 main card staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. Bellator 256 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
‘King Mo’ Lawal shares his thoughts on the quarterfinal matchups for Bellator’s light heavyweight grand prix.
[autotag]Muhammed Lawal[/autotag] is keeping a close eye to the upcoming Bellator light heavyweight grand prix.
The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion likes what Bellator has put together for their 205-pound division this spring – an eight-man tournament where the light heavyweight title is being disputed throughout the entirety of the bracket.
Defending titleholder [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] hopes to solidify his status as champion, while [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag], [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag], [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag], [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag], [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] will attempt to dethrone the champion and leave the grand prix reining over the division.
Lawal, who’s got plenty of experience in MMA tournaments, having won the Rizin FF heavyweight grand prix in 2015 and competed in the Bellator heavyweight grand prix in 2018, is excited to see this upcoming tournament unfold. And although he feels Nemkov might retain his title through the entirety of tournament, “King Mo” admits the grand prix is as competitive as they come.
Speaking with MMA Junkie Radio, Lawal shared his thoughts the upcoming Bellator light heavyweight grand prix.
It will have been four years since Anthony Johnson last fought and yet, he’s still viewed as being as dangerous as they come.
When Bellator returns to action in April, it’s suffice to say the promotion is giving fans what it wants: a light heavyweight grand prix stacked with big names.
The 205-pound tournament will kick off April 9 at Bellator 256 with two quarterfinal matchups: [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag], and [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag]. The other side of the bracket will play out the following week at Bellator 257, with champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] defending his title in a rematch with [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag], and the matchup everyone can hardly wait to see – [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag].
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When assessing the tournament, who do you think emerges as the winner? And what would be the best outcome for Bellator? The “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura weighed in during this week’s episode – and guess what? “Rumble” was a popular choice coming off a four-year layoff.
Check out their discussion in the video above. The full episode can be seen below.
Anthony Johnson and Yoel Romero will collide right off the bat with high stakes in Bellator’s latest grand prix.
Bellator on Tuesday announced that its next grand prix will be at light heavyweight, and it features a dream matchup right out of the gate.
The tournament is set to get underway April 9 at Bellator 256 with the first two quarterfinal matchups: [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] vs. promotional newcomer [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag]. The other two quarterfinal matchups are scheduled for April 16 at Bellator 257, with champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] defending his title against [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag].
All four fights on both events will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and air on Showtime.
Courtesy of Bellator
Like previous Bellator tournaments, the title will be on the line in each round leading up to the final.
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The fight between Bader (27-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) and Machida (26-10 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) is a rematch from 2012, when Bader knocked out Machida at UFC on FOX 4. For heavyweight champion Bader, 37, the grand prix marks the start of his quest to reclaim the 205-pound title he lost to Nemkov last August. Machida, 42, a former UFC light heavyweight champ, is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak.
Anderson (14-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), 31, signed with Bellator last year after a lengthy run in the UFC. He made a successful promotional debut last November when he finished Melvin Manhoef in the second round at Bellator 251. Yagshimuradov (18-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), 31, fights out of Ukraine and will make his promotional debut riding an eight-fight winning streak after most recently competing in the ACA and ACB promotions.
For his first title defense, Nemkov (12-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) draws Davis (22-5 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) in a rematch. Their November 2018 bout ended with Nemkov, 28, winning by split decision. Since then, Davis, 36, has reeled off three consecutive wins to earn a shot at claiming the belt for a second.
Ever since Johnson (22-6 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and Romero (13-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) signed with Bellator late last year, fans have salivated at the possibility of a matchup between the two heavy hitters who have competed for UFC titles. Johnson, 36, is making his return to the cage for the first time since announcing his retirement after a loss to Daniel Cormier in April 2017. Romero, 43, has spent the past eight years competing at middleweight and will look to snap a three-fight losing streak as he moves up a division.
On this week’s episode of Spinning Back Clique, host John Morgan is joined by Simon Samano, Danny Segura and “Gorgeous” George Garcia to recap the key storylines from the week and discuss the biggest matchup looking ahead into 2021.
On this week’s episode of Spinning Back Clique, host John Morgan is joined by Simon Samano, Danny Segura and “Gorgeous” George Garcia to recap the key storylines from the week and discuss the biggest matchup looking ahead into 2021.
