Bellator Postpones 3 May Events Because of Coronavirus Pandemic
Mar 30, 2020
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 26: President of Bellator Scott Coker speaks onstage during the Bellator-DAZN announcement press conference on June 26, 2018 at Viacom in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Bellator MMA)
Bellator postponed its three shows in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The organization will continue to monitor the situation closely and fully intends to reschedule the events as soon as possible," the company said in a statement, per ESPN's Ariel Helwani. "As always, the health and safety of our athletes, fans, partners and staff remains our top priority. We appreciate the understanding and patience of everyone involved during this incredibly difficult time."
Helwani reported the fate of Bellator's events in June remains undecided.
Here are the shows impacted so far: Bellator 242 (May 9), Bellator London (May 16) and Bellator 243 (May 29).
The promotion alsopostponed Bellator 241shortly before it was scheduled to happen on March 13. Bellator president Scott Coker had initially intended for the event to happen behind closed doors at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, before changing course.
"There was one thing on my mind: 'Is my staff, my fighters, my production crew, are we putting our people in harm's way?,' and I just couldn't come to an answer on that," Coker said onThe Luke Thomas Show(h/t MMAJunkie'sDanny Segura).
The coronavirus hascaused problemsacross the entire sports landscape, and MMA hasn't been immune.
UFC went through with its UFC Fight Night event with no fans in Brasilia, Brazil, but thenpostponedits next three shows. UFC 249 on April 18 appears to be in flux, as well, after Khabib Nurmagomedovsaid on Instagram Livehe's unable to leave Russia for his fight against Tony Ferguson.
Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Headlines World Featherweight Grand Prix Card
Mar 12, 2020
UNCASVILLE, CT - APRIL 22: Patricio Freire walks to the cage for his bout against Henry Corrales (not shown) at Mohegan Sun Arena on April 22, 2016 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)
Bellator's World Featherweight Grand Prix will continue at Bellator 241 with featherweight champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire meeting Pedro Carvalho in a quarter-final matchup.
The two-division champion taking on the streaking Carvalho is the main event, but the co-main will also have an impact on the 145-pound tournament.
Daniel Weichel and Emmanuel Sanchez will also be looking to advance in the tournament. The stakes are high, as the winner of the company's third grand prix will win $1 million and the featherweight crown. Douglas Lima and Ryan Bader are the previous tournament winners.
Patricio Pitbull (c) vs. Pedro Carvalho (featherweight grand prix quarter-final)
Daniel Weichel vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (featherweight grand prix quarter-final)
Paul Daley vs. Sabah Homasi
Matt Mitrione vs. Ronny Markes
Anatoly Tokov vs. Fabio Aguiar
Nick Newell vs. Zach Zane
Prelims (7:30 p.m. ET)
Robson Gracie vs. Billy Goff
Baby Slice vs. Kaheem Murray
Jordan Newman vs. Pat McCrohan
Romero Cotton vs. Justin Sumter
Mike Kimbel vs. Kenny Rivera
Killys Mota vs. Nate Andrews
Leandro Higo vs. Dominic Mazzotta
Leslie Smith vs. Jessy Miele
Ion Pascu vs. Mark Lemminger
Vladimir Tokov vs. Marcus Surin
Pitbull Looks to Keep Featherweight Title Streak Alive
Freire is one of the most successful champions in Bellator history. He'll look to add to his already legendary resume Friday.
There really isn't a record out there that the Brazilian doesn't either own or share. He's only the second simultaneous dual-division champion and holds the organization's record for most wins and title fights.
He'll put that legacy to the test against Carvalho, who trains at SBG in Dublin, in the main event. The 24-year-old has been on a tear with a 4-0 record since coming to Bellator, including finishes in his last three fights. The Portuguese hasn't lost since 2016 but will face the toughest test of his career.
Weichel and Sanchez Square Off in Grand Prix
The co-main event between Weichel and Sanchez is expected to bring fireworks. Weichel and Sanchez are running back their 2016 scrap in which Weichel won a split decision.
The German's record might not look great with losses in two of his last three fights, but his only losses at featherweight have come against Pitbull. Outside of the champion, he's 9-0 in the division.
Sanchez may have lost the 2016 fight, but he's proved to be a dangerous opponent since. The Milwaukee native has gone 6-1 in the interim with a win over hyped prospect Tywan Claxton by submission in the opening round of the tournament.
The winners of these two matchups will form the second semifinal. The other side of the bracket already has a semifinal between A.J. McKee and Darrion Caldwell. Those two are set to fight for a slot in the championship bout on June 6 at Bellator 244.
Bellator 238 Results: Cris Cyborg Beats Julia Budd Via TKO to Win Title in Debut
Jan 26, 2020
Brazilian-American mixed martial arts superstar, current UFC Women's Featherweight Champion, and Claressa Shields sparring partner, Cris Cyborg, is seen during a news conference, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Cyborg (22-2 MMA, 1-0 Bellator) defeated Julia Budd (13-3 MMA, 7-1 Bellator) for the women's featherweight championship on Saturday during Bellator 238 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, with a fourth-round TKO. The victory came in her Bellator debut and marked her fourth different promotional title after she thrived as a champion with Invicta FC, Strikeforce and UFC.
Cyborg just went all berserker. Landed a long combination with punches to the head and body, kicks to the legs. Just murderous. It’s over. TKO in the fourth. Cyborg is a four-promotion champ. #Bellator238
Joshua Jones def. Brandon Bender via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
Women's Featherweight Championship: Cris Cyborg def. Julia Budd
There is no doubting Budd's talent, but she came up short against one of the all-time greats once again.
Despite entering the bout with an 11-fight winning streak that included her title win and three defenses, Budd now counts losses to Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes and Cyborg on her resume. That is the ultimate shortlist of the best fighters in women's MMA history, and Cyborg showed why she deserves to be there on Saturday.
While she lost to Nunes in December 2018 and saw her 20-fight winning streak come to an end, she was clearly the better fighter against Budd.
Cyborg set the tone early with a flurry of punches that pressed Budd back against the cage. Budd was dropped in the first round and warned because of an illegal knee, and she struggled to build any momentum in the middle rounds.
The victor was in full control by the end of the third with another flurry of strikes, putting Budd in a position where she likely needed some type of knockout.
Instead, Cyborg exploded in the fourth round and clinched the victory in impressive fashion.
Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal: Darrion Caldwell def. Adam Borics
A.J. McKee is officially on notice.
With a spot in the semifinals of the Featherweight World Grand Prix tournament and showdown with McKee awaiting the winner, Darrion Caldwell (15-3 MMA, 12-2 Bellator) needed less than three minutes to dispatch Adam Borics (14-1 MMA, 5-1 Bellator) with a rear-naked choke.
Once Caldwell got Borics to the mat, he was in full control and forced the submission with the finishing move.
"Honestly, this is my night. This is my tournament," Caldwell said after the win as McKee entered the cage, per Brent Brookhouse of CBS Sports. "The fact is, I see this man over my shoulder over here to my left looking like he wants some. Come get some."
Featherweight: Juan Archuleta def. Henry Corrales
Juan Archuleta's (24-2 MMA, 6-1 Bellator) victory over Henry Corrales (17-5 MMA, 5-5 Bellator) wasn't exactly the fans' favorite fight.
Dave Doyle of MMA Junkie suggested the veterans showed each other "maybe just a little bit too much respect" as they went with a "tactical display" instead of "fireworks that never materialized."
Archuleta set the tone in the first two rounds by landing punches whenever Corrales would come too close, although the latter did drop the victor in the third round. Unfortunately for Corrales, he had already dug himself too deep of a hole, especially after Archuleta unleashed an impressive slam near the end of the second round.
Bantamweight: Sergio Pettis def. Alfred Khashakyan
Welcome to Bellator, Sergio Pettis.
The former UFC fighter made his Bellator debut on Saturday in dramatic fashion, handling Alfred Khashakyan (11-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in the first round to improve to 19-5 in MMA and 1-0 in Bellator.
Pettis put Khashakyan to the mat with a strong right hand and then unleashed a round of punches before a guillotine choke led to the stoppage.
The notable punch that sent Khashakyan to the mat was key, as it represented a quick momentum swing after they were exchanging blows out of the gate.
Bellator 238: Featherweight World Grand Prix Continues with Caldwell vs. Borics
Jan 24, 2020
HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 23: Scott Coker, Bellator President, looks on as Darrion Caldwell and Adam Borics face off for their upcoming Bellator featherweight World Grand Prix fight during media day at the Paramount Theatre on January 23, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Bellator 238 is set to go down Saturday in Southern California, with Cris Cyborg vs. Julia Budd serving as the main event.
Cyborg's debut and her quest to capture another championship are the key storylines of the headliner, but it's not the only high-stakes bout on the card.
The Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix is set to continue with Adam Borics and Darrion Caldwell's quarterfinal the night's co-main event.
The tournament is Bellator's third of its kind. Ryan Bader became a two-division champion in the heavyweight tournament, and Douglas Lima recaptured welterweight gold in the other. This year, $1 million and the featherweight title awaits the winner.
Julia Budd (c) vs. Cris Cyborg: featherweight title fight
Darrion Caldwell vs. Adam Borics: Featherweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal
Henry Corrales vs. Juan Archuleta
Sergio Pettis vs. Alfred Khashakyan
Raymond Daniels vs. Jason King
Ava Knight vs. Emilee King
Prelims (7:30 p.m. ET)
Miguel Jacob vs. David Pacheco
Anthony Taylor vs. Chris Avila
Curtis Millender vs. Moses Murrietta
Jay Jay Wilson vs. Mario Navarro
AJ Agazarm vs. Adel Altamimi
Aaron Pico vs. Daniel Carey
Brandon Bender vs. Joshua Jones
Ricardo Seixas vs. Dominic Clark
Tony Bartovich vs. Jarett Conner
Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix Continues
The co-main event is about surviving and advancing. Borics' and Caldwell's differing backgrounds create an intriguing matchup.
Caldwell, a former Bellator bantamweight champion, is 5-0 at featherweight with the company. He advanced over Henry Corrales via unanimous decision in the opening round.
Borics has quietly risen through the ranks with a 14-0 record, including a 5-0 record in Bellator. He advanced via second-round TKO over veteran Pat Curran in his first tournament bout.
In the semifinals, the winner will see AJ McKee, who punched his ticket with a third-round submission win over Derek Campos at Bellator 236.
Budd Welcomes Cyborg to Bellator
Cyborg is one of the biggest stars in women's MMA. She's won a title in every major organization she's fought for and will look to add another one with a win over Budd.
Budd is in the midst of an 11-fight win streak and hasn't lost since November 2011, when Ronda Rousey beat her in 39 seconds. Her only other defeat on her 13-2 record was to UFC two-division champion Amanda Nunes in January 2011.
Cyborg is known for her ferocity, but Budd has defended her title three times and has won three of her last four fights via stoppage.
Cris "Cyborg" Justino had already etched her name into the annals of MMA history long before old promoter Scott Coker came calling to offer her what he called the richest contract in women's MMA history...
Bellator 238 Preview: Cris Cyborg vs. Julia Budd Headlines Card
Jan 21, 2020
Brazilian-American mixed martial arts superstar, current UFC Women's Featherweight Champion, and Claressa Shields sparring partner, Cris Cyborg, poses before Shields weighs in, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Bellator is set to kick off its 2020 offerings with the much-anticipated debut of Cris Cyborg in a women's featherweight title fight against champion Julia Budd at Bellator 238.
Cyborg has made a case throughout her long career that she is the most dominant female fighter of all time. Now she has her sights set on a title reign in Bellator.
Saturday's co-main event features a quarterfinal matchup between Adam Borics and Darrion Caldwell in the Featherweight World Grand Prix.
Pair the main events with the organizational debut of Sergio Pettis, Aaron Pico's first fight under Greg Jackson and former boxer Ava Knight's second MMA fight, and there's plenty of intrigue on the card.
Julia Budd (c) vs. Cris Cyborg: featherweight title fight
Darrion Caldwell vs. Adam Borics: Featherweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal
Henry Corrales vs. Juan Archuleta
Sergio Pettis vs. Alfred Khashakyan
Raymond Daniels vs. Jason King
Ava Knight vs. Emilee King
Prelims (7:30 p.m. ET)
Aaron Pico vs. Daniel Carey
AJ Agazarm vs. Adel Altamimi
Jay-Jay Wilson vs. Mario Navarro
Miguel Jacob vs. David Pacheco
Anthony Taylor vs. Chris Avila
Curtis Millender vs. Moses Murrietta
Brandon Bender vs. Joshua Jones
Ricardo Seixas vs. Dominic Clark
Tony Bartovich vs. Jarett Conner
Budd vs. Cyborg
Cyborg is one of the most decorated fighters of all time with belts in Strikeforce, Invicta and the UFC. Now, she's just one fight away from adding a Bellator championship.
Budd has been dominant in her own right. The Jewel is on an 11-fight win streak that stretches back to 2012. That includes nearly three years as Bellator champion.
The matchup to watch will be how Budd counters the early aggression from the Brazilian. Cyborg has a penchant for taking opponents out in the first round. Eleven of her 21 wins have been in the opening frame.
Budd has the ability to finish fights early. She took out Olga Rubin in her last fight in the first round, her first such win since 2012.
With both fighters' muay thai backgrounds, this should be a stand-up affair that gets better as it wears on.
Darrion Caldwell vs. Adam Borics
The co-main event features former Bellator bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell attempting to capture the World Grand Prix's 145-pound championship.
Borics, his opponent, has quietly risen through the ranks with a 14-0 record with wins over the highly touted Aaron Pico and respected veteran Pat Curran in his last two bouts. Caldwell earned his spot in the quarterfinals with a win over Henry Corrales in the opening round.
Either the former champion or the fast-rising prospect will face A.J. McKee in the next round and take a step closer to a world-title shot and a million-dollar prize in the tournament set to take place throughout 2020.
Bellator and Rizin Japan 2019 Results: Emelianenko, Chandler Score Knockout Wins
Dec 29, 2019
Fedor Emelianenko defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson via first-round knockout to cap off the Bellator 237 main card in Saitama, Japan, on Saturday (Sunday in Japan Standard Time).
Knockouts were the theme of the night, with four of the six main-card matches ending in KO or TKO. Only one went to a decision.
The Emelianenko win finished a main card that also saw Michael Chandler defeat Sidney Outlaw via another first-round knockout.
Bellator and Rizin Japan co-produced the fight card, which took place at Saitama Super Arena.
Here's a look at the night's results, as well as quick recaps of the top two fights on the card.
Bellator 237 Results
Heavyweight: Fedor Emelianenko def. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson via first-round KO at 2:44 (punches)
160-pound contract weight: Michael Chandler def. Sidney Outlaw via first-round KO at 2:59 (punches)
173-pound contract weight: Michael Page def. Shinsho Anzai via second-round KO at 0:23 (punches)
The 43-year-old Emelianenko posted a 38-6 professional record with one no-contest before Saturday. He most recently lost to Ryan Bader in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final on Jan. 26 via knockout.
Emelianenko retired in 2012 but came back three-and-a-half years later, defeating Jaideep Singh in a Rizin bout. He registered another victory in 2016 over Fabio Maldonado before making the move to Bellator. The Russian was 2-2 in the promotion before he fought Jackson.
Jackson, 41, is a former UFC light heavyweight champion. He had one successful defense in 2008 against Chuck Liddell before he lost the belt to Forrest Griffin in the 2008 Fight of the Year.
Jackson moved from UFC to Bellator in 2013 and has gone 5-3 with the promotion. He made a brief return to the UFC Octagon in 2015, defeating Maldonado.
Jackson has been out of action since September 2018, when he took down Wanderlei Silva via a second-round TKO.
Emelianenko entered the fight as a slight -135 favorite ($135 bet to win $100), per Caesars Sportsbook.
Outlaw vs. Chandler
Chandler dominated his bout with Outlaw en route to a first-round knockout win, the first of two to end the main card:
The 33-year-old Chandler held a 19-5 professional record entering the fight. He has been with Bellator since 2010, winning the promotion's lightweight title three times.
Chandler's most recent bout occurred against Patricio Freire, who took the lightweight belt via first-round TKO.
Fight Matrix ranks Chandler as the 16th-best lightweight MMA fighter in the world.
Outlaw was a late replacement for Benson Henderson, who announced on Dec. 5 that he was pulling out of the fight because of an injury. The ex-UFC lightweight champion said he hoped Bellator would set up a rematch between him and Chandler, who beat Henderson via split decision in a November 2016 title bout.
Outlaw, 27, entered the fight with a 14-3 professional mark, including nine straight victories. He won his Bellator debut on Nov. 15, when he beat Roger Huerta via unanimous decision.
Outlaw only had a 43-day break between fights.
Fedor Emelianenko Knocks Out Rampage Jackson in 1st Round at Bellator 237
Dec 29, 2019
Fedor Emelianenko is seen before a mixed martial arts bout at Bellator 208, in Uniondale, NY on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. Emelianenko won via first round TKO. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Fedor Emelianenko took down Quinton "Rampage" Jackson via first-round knockout in the Bellator 237 main event on Saturday (Sunday in Japan Standard Time).
Emelianenko and Jackson are past their primes on the north side of 40 years old, but the two fighters were among some of MMA's biggest names in past years.
Both have stellar resumes. The 43-year-old Emelianenko posted a 38-6 professional record with one no-contest before Saturday, and he's also won PRIDE and WAMMA heavyweight championships.
Emelianenko nearly added a Bellator heavyweight title as well, but Ryan Bader defeated him via first-round knockout in the weight class' World Grand Prix Final on Jan. 26.
Emelianenko is also in the middle of a successful second act in his MMA career. The Russian retired in 2012 but came back three-and-a-half years later, winning his first two fights.
The Russian then began competing for Bellator, where he's 3-2.
As for Jackson, the 41-year-old has beaten some of the sport's biggest all-time names, including Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson and Matt Hamill.
His win over Liddell gave him the UFC light heavyweight belt in May 2007 thanks to a first-round TKO. Jackson successfully defended his title via unanimous decision over Henderson four months later but lost a championship bout to Forrest Griffin in July 2008.
The Griffin-Jackson matchup, which ended in a unanimous decision, was voted as UFC's Fight of the Year.
Jackson won four of his next five fights after the Griffin bout but lost three straight afterward. He signed with Bellator in 2013 and has found success, going 5-3.
Jackson had not fought since September 2018, but that bout resulted in a second-round TKO win over Wanderlei Silva.
Emelianenko entered the fight as a slight -135 favorite ($135 bet to win $100), per Caesars Sportsbook.
Michael Chandler Beats Sidney Outlaw by 1st-Round Knockout at Bellator 237
Dec 29, 2019
INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 20: Michael Chandler Jr (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Goiti Yamauchi (not pictured) in their Lightweight fight at Bellator 192 at The Forum on January 20, 2018 in Inglewood, California. Michael Chandler Jr won by unanimous decision. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Michael Chandler emerged victorious over late fill-in Sidney Outlaw at Bellator 237 thanks to a first-round knockout in Saitama, Japan, on Saturday (Sunday in Japan Standard Time).
Outlaw replaced the injured Benson Henderson, who announced Dec. 5 that he was pulling out of the fight because of an injury.
A lightning-quick right hand led to the knockout at 2:59:
The 33-year-old Chandler was 19-5 before the Outlaw battle. The Bellator veteran is a three-time lightweight champion and recently lost the belt to Patricio Freire via first-round TKO.
Chandler's next fight was supposed to be a rematch with Henderson, who said in his announcement that he hoped Bellator would reschedule the bout. Chandler beat Henderson via split decision in a November 2016 title bout.
As for Outlaw, the up-and-coming 27-year-old began the evening with a nine-match winning streak and a 14-3 mark. He recently signed with Bellator and debuted Nov. 15, taking down Roger Huerta via unanimous decision.
Bellator and Rizin Japan co-produced the fight card, which took place at Saitama Super Arena.
Bellator Salute: Barnett vs. Markes Fight Card, TV Schedule and Live Stream
Dec 20, 2019
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 23: UFC Fighter Josh Barnett attends the SMASH Global V pre-Oscar fight at Taglyan Complex on February 23, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images,)
Following a four-week hiatus, Bellator is back with a full weekend of action from Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii that starts Friday with a USO Salute to the Troops event.
The main event of that show will be a heavyweight showdown between Josh Barnett, who is making his return to mixed martial arts for the first time since 2016, and former King of the Cage heavyweight champion Ronny Markes.
Rising welterweight star Joey Davis will be featured on the undercard against veteran challenger Chris Cisneros. Former women's flyweight title contender Alejandra Lara is going for her second straight victory this year when she takes on Veta Arteaga.
On Saturday night, the headline bout will be Ilima-Lei Macfarlane putting her flyweight championship on the line against Kate Jackson. The show also features the start of Bellator's Featherweight World Grand Prix with undefeated A.J. McKee taking on Derek Campos in a quarterfinal matchup.
Bellator USO Salute to the Troops Card
Heavyweight Bout: Josh Barnett (35-8) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7)
Bantamweight Bout: Toby Misech (11-7) vs. Erik Perez (19-6)
Women's Flyweight Bout: Alejandra Lara (8-3) vs. Veta Arteaga (5-3)
Featherweight Bout: Tywan Claxton (5-1) vs. Braydon Akeo (3-0)
Welterweight Bout: Joey Davis (6-0) vs. Chris Cisneros (19-10)
Bantamweight Bout: Cass Bell (4-0) vs. Pierre Daguzan (5-2)
Welterweight Bout: Hunter Ewald (0-0) vs. Bryson Bolohao (0-1)
Middleweight Bout: Ty Gwerder (4-0) vs. Joseph Creer (5-1-1)
Date: Friday, Dec. 20
Network: Paramount Network
Main Card Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
Preliminary Card Live Stream: Bellator.com (Starts at 8:45 p.m. ET)
Barnett's last MMA fight came in September 2016 when he defeated Andrei Arlovski by submission in the main event of a UFC Fight Night show. The 42-year-old has remained active in combat sports over the past three years, working in various professional wrestling promotions.
In April, Bellator President Scott Coker announced on Twitter that Barnett signed with the promotion:
Friday's bout with Markes is the first step in a journey that Barnett anticipates ultimately ends with him beating Ryan Bader to become Bellator's heavyweight champion.
"Tough dude, (Bader) really asserted himself in that (Bellator heavyweight grand prix) and had some great performances," Barnett told MMA Junkie's Danny Segura. "I think it would be foolish to ever discount Bader or to undermine what he's done, but I don't see him as someone that could keep me from being champion. I'm a better fighter, and I'm bigger."
Barnett has the skill set to emerge as a title contender. The former Pancrase openweight champion has finished 29 of his 35 career victories. His diversity as a power puncher and wrestler allows him to match up against anyone in the heavyweight division.
Bellator isn't making things easy on Barnett in his quest to be crowned champion, though. Markes, who is making his debut for the promotion in this match, briefly overlapped with The Warmaster in UFC from 2013-14, but their paths didn't cross at that point.
Now, though, Markes can make himself into a potential title contender in his highest-profile fight to date. The Brazilian last fought in June when he defeated Sigi Pesaleli via second-round TKO in the Professional Fighters League.
The 31-year-old has made it clear he's excited to challenge someone of Barnett's stature, but he's not coming into this matchup intimidated.
"I watched a lot of fights of Josh," Markes told MMA Junkie's Farah HannounandGeorge Garcia. "I watched live in the day, Josh fighting 'Minotauro' in 2006, and now I'm so happy. I'm so happy to fight the guy—he's a legend in the sport. But now is my time."
Markes has 19 wins in his career, with 12 of them coming by TKO or submission. This will be his first fight as a heavyweight since February 2017, but his past experience should make it easy for him to adjust carrying the additional weight against one of the most renowned 265-pound fighters in MMA history.
Bader has been king of Bellator's heavyweight division since moving up in weight to take part in the world grand prix last year. He's 3-0 with one no-contest in the weight class.
Barnett and Markes are bringing their own distinct styles into Bellator. The winner will be able to send a loud and clear message to the champion that they are coming for him in 2020.
Bellator 236 Card
Women's Flyweight Championship: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (c) (10-0) vs. Kate Jackson (11-3-1)
Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal: A.J. McKee (15-0) vs. Derek Campos (20-9)
Welterweight Bout: Jason Jackson (10-4) vs. Kiichi Kunimoto (20-8-2)
Women's Flyweight Bout: Juliana Velasquez (9-0) vs. Bruna Ellen (5-2)
Bantamweight Bout: Raufeon Stots (12-1) vs. Cheyden Leialoha (7-1)
Lightweight Bout: Nainoa Dung (3-0) vs. Zach Zane (10-7)
Lightweight Bout: Keoni Diggs (7-0) vs. Scotty Hao (4-2)
Featherweight Bout: Kai Kamaka III (5-2) vs. Spencer Higa (6-8)
Lightweight Bout: Dustin Barca (3-0) vs. Brandon Pieper (11-13)
Welterweight Bout: Ben Wilhelm (3-0) vs. Keali'i Kanekoa (2-2)
Bantamweight Bout: Swayne Makana Lunasco (0-0) vs. Kaylan Gorospe (0-0)
Flyweight Bout: Nate Yoshimura (0-0) vs. Chas Dunhour (0-1)
On the second night of Bellator's weekend extravaganza, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane puts her flyweight title and perfect record on the line against Kate Jackson in the main event.
Macfarlane has been an unstoppable machine since her career started in 2015. The Honolulu native is 9-0 in Bellator and each of her last five wins have come via stoppage, including three straight in the third round.
Jackson could be the fighter to test Macfarlane's submission skill set, though. The 33-year-old does have three losses on her resume, but she's never been submitted in 15 professional fights.
Speaking to Cole Shelton of BJPenn.com, Macfarlane did cite Jackson's diverse fighting style but pointed out she's had success recently against opponents who have never been finished:
"I was thinking about it, basically four [of my previous] opponents, none of them had been finished before. [Emily] Ducote had never been submitted before, Valerie [Letourneau] had like 16 fights and never been submitted before. So, I ended up finishing all of them. Even though Kate has never been submitted before and has a good ground game defense, she hasn't dealt with 10th Planet [Jiu Jitsu]. Our style is different and we do go for the attack and always are on the attack. Never say never, maybe I'll be her first finish."
The Ilimanator has come into her own as a submission specialist. Her go-to finisher is the armbar and if she can get this fight to the ground, expect her to attack Jackson's arms.
Jackson has quietly emerged as a force in the women's flyweight division for Bellator. The English fighter has won each of her last two bouts since a unanimous-decision defeat against Valerie Letourneau in Dec. 2017.
If Macfarlane's best shot to win is on the ground, Jackson will do everything in her power to keep this fight standing. Six of her 11 career wins have come by knockout or TKO, including a first-round stoppage against Lena Ovchynnikova in June.
Even though Jackson comes into this matchup as the underdog, her knockout power is going to give her a chance to capture her first Bellator title. All she has to do is land the right punch to put the champion back on her heels.
