Cris Cyborg Open to Amanda Nunes Fight for a UFC vs. Bellator Bout
Nov 10, 2019
INGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 28: (L-R) Opponents Cris Cyborg of Brazil and Amanda Nunes of Brazil face off during the UFC 232 weigh-in inside The Forum on December 28, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Cris Cyborg has said she would be open to fighting Amanda Nunes again, provided their respective promoters can put together a deal.
Cyborg, who fights in Bellator, and Nunes, who competes under the UFC banner, fought in December 2018, with the latter knocking out her opponent in the first round.
Speaking to TMZ, Cyborg said she would be keen to go head-to-head with Nunes again in the future.
The 34-year-old said she would like to see a showdown between the pair in a champion vs. champion format. "Scott [Coker] (Bellator president) said 'yes, we can do that'," Cyborg added. "Just that I have to call him to make this happen. I think everybody would like to watch."
The Brazilian also confirmed she will next be in action against Julia Budd on January 20 in Los Angeles.
Per TMZ, in the past the only crossover event the UFC has been involved in was with Pride in 2003.
Earlier in the year, UFC boss Dana White said he found Cyborg difficult to work with and that she wasn't previously keen on facing Nunes for a second time. Per ESPN's Brett Okamoto, "White is asked at Contender Series about Cyborg. Says dealing with her was a nightmare and that she was never happy with anything they did. Reiterates again she did not want the Nunes rematch. Says he doesn’t care if she says he’s lying, she didn’t want it."
Cyborg left the UFC in August and signed with Bellator. Her previous fight in the UFC came against Felicia Spencer, winning via unanimous decision at UFC 240 in July.
Before that, Cyborg suffered a heavy loss at the hands of Nunes, with the latter clinching the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship; the first-round knockout is only the second defeat Cyborg has suffered in her MMA career to date:
With that in mind, you sense Cyborg will be keen to avenge the loss to her compatriot, although at the moment it feels unlikely the rival promotions will come together to put that fight on.
For the time being, Cyborg will be focused on making an impression in Bellator and will be the big favourite against Budd in her upcoming debut. It'll be intriguing to see what kind of test the Canadian can provide for her rival; the only losses of her career have come against legendary figures in Nunes and Ronda Rousey.
Bellator 232 Results: Lima Beats MacDonald via Decision in Main Event
Oct 27, 2019
INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 20: Rory MacDonald (blue gloves) and Douglas Lima (red gloves) in their Welterweight World Title fight at Bellator 192 at The Forum on January 20, 2018 in Inglewood, California. MacDonald won by decision. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Douglas Lima walked away as the biggest winner of the night at Bellator 232 by defeating Rory MacDonald for the welterweight title at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
Paul Daley, Patrick Mix, Manny Muro and Kevin Ferguson Jr. also earned victories on Saturday night.
Main Card
Douglas Lima def. Rory MacDonald via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
Paul Daley def. Saad Awad via TKO (Round 2, 1:30)
Patrick Mix def. Isaiah Chapman via submission (Round 1, 3:49)
Manny Muro def. Nick Newell via split decision (29-28, 27-29, 29-28)
Kevin Ferguson Jr. def. Craig Campbell via TKO (Round 1, 0:38)
Prelims
Ryan Hardy Evans def. Demetrios Plaza via submission
Lance Gibson Jr. def. Dominic Jones via KO
Devin Powell def. Marcus Surin via technical submission
John Lopez def. Dan Cormier via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Jornel Lugo def. John Douma via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Zarrukh Adashev def. Tevin Dyce via TKO
Highlights
MacDonald defeated Lima via unanimous decision back in January 2018, a result that Lima recently admitted he still thinks about "every day."
Twenty-one months later, the 31-year-old was able to get his revenge and reclaim his title.
Prior to the fight getting underway, there was no shortage of anticipation for the rematch:
The victory pushes Lima's record to 32-7. As Damon Martin of MMA Fighting noted, this is just the latest instance of Lima coming out on top in a rematch:
Douglas Lima reclaims the Bellator welterweight title with a unanimous decision win over Rory MacDonald (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
Lima wins the Bellator Grand Prix, $1 million grand prize and he remains undefeated in rematches in his career#Bellator232
Daley improved to 42-17-2 following Saturday's fight, as 33 of his victories have come via knockout/TKO. It marked the fourth consecutive defeat for Awad (23-13).
Earlier in the night, Mix put his undefeated record on the line against Isaiah Chapman. He wasted little time in improving to 12-0, ending the fight before the first round ended:
While Mix's victory took fewer than four minutes, it was not the shortest fight of the night. After having gone more than a year without a fight, Baby Slice needed just 38 seconds to defeat Craig Campbell in the first fight on the main card:
Bellator 231 Results: Frank Mir Defeats Roy Nelson Via Unanimous Decision
Oct 26, 2019
MILAN, ITALY - OCTOBER 12: A general view of Bellator 230 MMA fighting event at Allianz Cloud on October 12, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
Frank Mir defeated Roy Nelson via unanimous decision to cap Bellator 231 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Montville, Connecticut, on Friday.
The bout was a rematch of Mir's win over Nelson at UFC 130 in May 2011, also via unanimous decision.
Elsewhere, Phil Davis beat Karl Albrektsson via third-round TKO in the co-main event, while a matchup between Bellator fighter (and AEW wrestler) Jake Hager and Anthony Garrett ended in a no-contest.
Here's a look at the night's results as well as quick recaps of a few main card fights.
Main Card
Frank Mir def. Roy Nelson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in heavyweight fight
Phil Davis def. Karl Albrektsson via TKO at 3:06 of Round 3 in light heavyweight fight
Ed Ruth def. Jason Jackson via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) in welterweight fight
Ilara Joanne def. Bec Rawlings via submission (kneebar) at 3:35 of Round 2 in women's flyweight fight
Jake Hager vs. Anthony Garrett: no-contest (accidental groin strikes from Hager) at 1:56 of Round 1 in heavyweight fight
Preliminary Card
Phumi Nkuta def. Adrian Haly via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) in flyweight fight
Connor Dixon def. Orkhan Ismatzade via submission (kimura) at 0:42 of Round 1 in welterweight fight
Killys Mota def. Mandel Nallo via TKO at 1:16 of Round 3 in lightweight fight
Steve Mowry def. Gokhan Saricam via submission (kimura) at 0:56 of Round 2 in heavyweight fight
Dalton Rosta def. Claude Wilcox via TKO at 4:23 of Round 2 in light heavyweight fight
Tim Caron def. Lucas Pimenta via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)in middleweight fight
Jon Manley def. Thiago Oliveira via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) in welterweight fight
Elise Reed def. Rebecca Bryggman via TKO at 4:46 of Round 1 in women's atomweight fight
As noted by Steve Juon of MMA Mania, Mir used the tactic throughout the entire three-round match time and again, which helped him break a four-fight losing streak.
Nelson did end the final round on a high note thanks to this takedown:
But Nelson needed to end the fight before the bell.
Entering Friday, Mir hadn't won since July 15, 2015, and was 2-8 in his last 10. Nelson had lost his last three fights and 10 of his last 14, with his last win coming in Sept. 2017.
Still, both fighters undoubtedly have great resumes.
Mir, a former UFC champion, has a heavyweight title and a submission victory over Brock Lesnar. Nelson has 23 professional wins and four UFC Knockout of the Night honors.
Phil Davis vs. Karl Albrektsson
Phil Davis dominated his bout with Karl Albrektsson en route to a third-round TKO at 3:06.
Davis pinned Albrektsson on the side of the cage in the third and delivered numerous punches and elbows to the head and neck area before the referee called the fight.
The ending was symbolic of the fight, which featured an early takedown:
The four-time NCAA Division I All-American and one-time national champion wrestler at Penn State is 21-5 (with one no-contest).
He previously held the Bellator light heavyweight title after beating Liam McGeary in Nov. 2016 but lost his first title defense to Ryan Bader seven months later.
Albrektsson, 26, made his Bellator debut. He now owns a 9-3 professional record.
Jake Hager vs. Anthony Garrett
Jake Hager kneed Anthony Garrett multiple times in the groin, precipitating a stoppage and no-contest at 1:56 of the first round.
In the first round, Jake Hager has hit Anthony Garrett several times in his inner circles
Hager, a former WWE wrestler who joined All Elite Wrestling this year, had dominated in the Bellator ranks. He won his first two fights via arm-triangle choke in the first round earlier this year.
Garrett made his Bellator debut on Friday after fighting for Shamrock FC. He entered the evening with a 4-2 professional mark.
Jake Hager vs. Anthony Garrett Ruled No-Contest After Groin Shot at Bellator 231
Oct 25, 2019
Jake Hager's fight against Anthony Garrett at Bellator 231 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, ended in a no-contest when the AEW star hit his opponent with a low blow in the first round.
As both fighters were locked up against the cage, Hager's knee caught Garrett in the groin and dropped him to the mat. The referee and medical staff briefly examined Garrett before determining he was unable to continue.
#Bellator231 Results: Jake Hager (2-0, 2-0 Bellator) vs. Anthony Garrett (4-2, 0-0 Bellator) -- No-Contest (Knee to the Groin) 1:56 R1 pic.twitter.com/ZUS8oTJLF4
Hager, who wrestled in WWE as Jack Swagger and currently competes for All Elite Wrestling under his real name, entered Friday's bout with a 2-0 record in his first two bouts in Bellator.
The 37-year-old Hager was an All-American wrestler at the University of Oklahoma, which earned him the nickname "The All-American American" in WWE. Hager also spent some time as a backup defensive tackle on the Sooners football team.
Hager signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2006 and remained with the company until his release in 2017. During his tenure, Hager won the ECW, World Heavyweight and United States Championships as well as Money in the Bank at WrestleMania 26 in 2010.
In addition to working his way into the world of MMA after leaving WWE, Hager joined Lucha Underground as Jake Strong and held the Gift of the Gods and Lucha Underground Championships.
Hager made his AEW debut this month, as he made a surprise appearance on the inaugural episode of AEW Dynamite by helping AEW world champion Chris Jericho and joining his Inner Circle stable.
Hager beat J.W. Kiser in his Bellator debut by arm triangle in January and used the same submission to beat T.J. Jones in May.
Based on his name recognition from his time in wrestling and the fact that he was a legitimate star as an amateur wrestler, Hager has already proved to be an asset for Bellator.
Given the nature of how this fight was stopped, a rematch between Hager and Garrett would seem likely at some point in the future.
Bellator 231 and 232 Fight Odds, Cards, Start Time, TV Schedule and Live Stream
Oct 24, 2019
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 26: Rory MacDonald attends 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)
The Mohegan Sun in Connecticut will host Bellator's two-night extravaganza starting with Bellator 231 Friday headlined by Frank Mir and Roy Nelson in a heavyweight showdown.
Saturday's Bellator 232 will feature the final in the Welterweight World Grand Prix with Rory MacDonald defending the 170-pound title against former champion Douglas Lima.
Both main-event bouts are rematches, though this will be the first time Mir and Nelson square off in Bellator. They previously met at UFC 130 where Mir won by unanimous decision. MacDonald beat Lima to win the Bellator welterweight title in January 2018.
Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta Fight Card, Odds TV Schedule and Predictions
Sep 27, 2019
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 is back at The Forum in Inglewood, California, on Saturday with a headline bout between Patricio "Pitbull" Freire and Juan Archuleta for the featherweight championship.
In addition to the featherweight title contest, Freire and Archuleta is one of four matchups at Bellator 228 that are part of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix.
The first set of matches in the tournament took place on Sept. 7, with Saturday's event closing out the first round of the 16-man competition. The show will also feature former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, who is looking to extend his record in Bellator to 3-0 when he takes on Gegard Mousasi.
Bellator 228 Fight Card and Odds
Featherweight World Grand Prix and Championship bout: Patricio "Pitbull" Freire (c) (29-4) vs. Juan Archuleta (23-1)
Middleweight bout: Lyoto Machida (26-8) vs. Gegard Mousasi (45-7-2)
Featherweight World Grand Prix opening-round bout: Darrion Caldwell (13-3) vs. Henry Corrales (17-3)
Featherweight World Grand Prix opening-round bout: Daniel Weichel (39-11) vs. Saul Rogers (13-2)
Featherweight World Grand Prix opening-round bout: A.J. McKee (14-0) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (28-9-1)
Patricio "Pitbull" Freire def. Juan Archuleta via second-round submission.
Lyoto Machida def. Gegard Mousasi via unanimous decision.
Darrion Caldwell def. Henry Corrales via second-round submission.
Daniel Weichel def. Saul Rogers via split decision.
A.J. McKee def. Georgi Karakhanyan via unanimous decision.
Main Event Prediction
Four months after adding the Bellator lightweight title to his resume, Freire is moving back down to his normal weight class to defend the featherweight crown for the first time since November.
Pitbull hasn't lost at 145 pounds since November 2015. His only defeat since then was against Benson Henderson at Bellator 160 when he suffered a broken leg that forced the match to be stopped in the second round.
All of this success has led to Freire to proclaim he's on his way to becoming the greatest featherweight in MMA history.
"I see [the Grand Prix] as a way to test myself and face guys I haven't beaten before," Freire told MMA Junkie's Nolan King. "I've dominated two generations of Bellator featherweights, and I'm going to dominate the third. I want people to write in the history books I'm the greatest featherweight fighter ever, and I'm aiming at greatest all around. The tournament is a good way to settle that."
The first step on Pitbull's journey to a Grand Prix triumph is a bout with Archuleta, who is seeking his sixth straight win since moving to Bellator in 2018.
Archuleta owns a 23-1 career record with an even split between knockouts and decision wins (11). The Spaniard will want to keep the fight standing and to use his power to wear down his opponent. His lone submission win came in October 2015 with Gladiator Challenge.
Speaking to MMA Junkie's Simon Head about this matchup, Archuleta explained the strategy he wants to implement:
"Cardio—going out and pushing the pace. Making him find his wall and exposing it, and making him want to quit—that's my driving force in this fight. I know he's not going to. He's a champion and he's shown his heart before. But I've got to find his wall, and I've got to find mine, and I've got to break through it and be victorious."
Trying to wear down Freire is a dangerous proposition because of his diverse skill set. The Brazilian owns 11 wins by knockout and submission, as well as seven by decision. In 33 career fights, Freire's only TKO loss was because of the leg injury he suffered against Henderson.
The only clear path for Archuleta to pull off the upset is keeping the fight upright and getting it into the later rounds.
Freire's dominance over the Bellator featherweight division since 2010 makes him a deserving favorite coming into the tournament. His ability to fight standing or on the ground gives him an edge over Archuleta in Saturday's main event.
Prediction: Freire via second-round submission.
Ex-UFC Star Cris Cyborg, Bellator Agree to Largest Women's MMA Contract Ever
Sep 3, 2019
Cristiane "Cris Cyborg" Justino signed with Bellator for the "biggest contract in women's MMA history," Bellator President Scott Coker announced Tuesday.
I am proud to announce that @BellatorMMA has signed @CrisCyborg to the biggest contract in women’s MMA history.
Cyborg had been with the UFC since 2016. She suffered the second loss of her professional career after Amanda Nunes knocked her out at UFC 232 last December. She rebounded with a unanimous-decision win over Felicia Spencer at UFC 240 in July.
Her matchup with Spencer was the final fight on her contract with the UFC, and the writing was on the wall almost immediately after the show. UFC President Dana White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto the 34-year-old likely "sees herself in the twilight of her career" and believed she "would like some easier fights."
White erased any doubt in August when heconfirmed the UFC wouldn't offer Cyborg a new deal, thus allowing her to pursue opportunities with other promotions.
With Cyborg now a member of Bellator, the question is how long she waits until challenging Julia Budd for the women's featherweight title.
The company could book the match right out of the gate given Cyborg's resume. She's 21-2 in MMA and held the UFC women's featherweight belt before falling to Nunes.
Once Cyborg hit the free-agent market, Budd said a move to Bellator "makes perfect sense" and addressed a possible title fight.
"I think I match up perfectly," she said, per MMA Fighting'sDamon Martin. "I think I have the recipe to beat her, and that's what I plan on doing if she ever comes to Bellator. I'm excited for that."
Former Rugby Star James Haskell to Transition to MMA, Signs with Bellator
Aug 22, 2019
Former rugby star and England international James Haskell has signed with MMA promotion Bellator.
The promotion announced the news on Thursday with the hashtag #Haskell2020, suggesting he will make his heavyweight debut next year:
🏉 👊 After finishing up a stellar 17-year professional rugby career, @jameshaskell has officially made the jump to MMA! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Who's excited for his Bellator debut? #Haskell2020pic.twitter.com/6LdE9UFNuB
The 34-year-old confirmed the move on Twitter, where former England international and Dancing On Ice winner Kyran Bracken poked fun at the former back-rower:
Per MailOnline's Will Griffe, Haskell retired at the end of last season after collecting 77 caps for England. On the club level, he's mostly remembered for his association with Wasps after coming up through their academy.
Haskell will train at London's Shootfighters gym, working alongside the likes of Michael 'Venom' Page, who has fought in Bellator since 2013.
Per Griffe, he has been following the sport and training in MMA for a long time and has even done some punditry.
England national team coach Eddie Jones has promised to attend his first bout:
Bellator crowned Ryan Bader as their heavyweight champion in a Grand Prix Tournament last year.
While the tournament was a success, it also highlighted the lack of heavyweight depth within the promotion, with Chael Sonnen―a natural light-heavyweight―making the semi-finals and 42-year-old Fedor Emelianenko advancing to the final.
Bader is also Bellator's light-heavyweight champion and competed in that division during his run in the UFC.
Athletes crossing into MMA from other, non-combat sports at a later age have had mixed success. Former football star and Heisman Trophy winner star Herschel Walker went 2-0 in Strikeforce, despite making his professional debut at the age of 47 (4:43 mark):
Haskell is a lot younger than Walker was at the time, and if he has indeed been training MMA for a long time, could find success in Bellator's thin heavyweight division.
Highly Touted MMA Wunderkind Aaron Pico Looks to Rediscover His Mojo
Aug 7, 2019
Touching four corners.
When Aaron Pico says that, it's not a reference to the geographic dot where four different states come together, not far from his new training headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
When Pico uses that phrase, it's a reference to the days when as a youth he'd run laps around the wrestling room. Each day, each lap, he insisted on touching each corner as he passed. His makeup—maybe even conscience—simply wouldn't allow him to cut them.
That instinct is what powered him to an Olympic wrestling bid and a skill set better built for MMA ascendance than any before it. After the 22-year-old unexpectedly dropped to 4-3 as a pro following his second-round TKO loss to virtual unknown Adam Borics in June at Bellator 222, he has fallen back on that instinct to get back on track. After two consecutive losses and with Bellator surprisingly keeping Pico on the bench for its upcoming Featherweight World Grand Prix, for Pico, change may be needed, although not necessarily to his mindset.
"I won't say, ‘Hey, I'm 4-3, f--k it, I'm gonna go out and get wasted,'" Pico said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. "It sucks to lose and it hurts, but I still put my head on the pillow every night knowing that I do everything I can. I know I touched all the corners. That'll be my approach until the day I die."
But this is not a feel-good story about returning to one's roots. Pico joined a new camp this spring—Albuquerque's vaunted Jackson Wink MMA Academy, home of UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, among others. The move came after a lengthy and by-all-accounts harmonious stay with the upstart Team Bodyshop in Pico's native California, and it speaks to Pico's recognition that something has to change outside the natural course of time.
What motivated the move?
"Biggest thing is the one-on-one training," he said. "Every day they're tailored toward me. I'm working with Greg Jackson, [striking coach Brandon] "Six Gun" [Gibson] and Mike Winkeljohn. ... I switched camps because I love Greg Jackson. I love [Team Bodyshop coach] Antonio McKee very much. There's no bad blood there."
Speaking of bad blood, Pico said he holds none toward Bellator for the grand prix snub. In fact, he almost went so far as to endorse the move.
"To be honest, even if I had won the last fight, I would have said no to the tournament," Pico said. "Bellator is looking out for me. If I win the grand prix, I'd have to fight [current champ] Patricio Freire."
Upon announcing the grand prix field—about a month after Pico's loss to Borics—Bellator President Scott Coker didn't mince words on the omission.
"We think he's going to still come back and be great, but I think it's time to take a beat," Coker said. "Let him train and let him get through this process."
Pico said he was fine with the decision, but not without the pride of an elite athlete.
"They know what they have [in me]," he said. "Let those guys beat each other up."
But back to Pico's recent deeds, where an interesting dynamic is emerging. On one hand, Pico insists his shortcomings are based on nothing more than experience, or a lack thereof. The flash nature of his losses supports that argument.
"It comes down to cage time," Pico said. "I think it's better to take a flash knockdown. [Against Henry Corrales] I got greedy and I got hit. It goes hand in hand with cage time. ... It was just a lack of experience."
On the other hand, Pico's actions away from the cage arguably contradict that narrative. Changing camps can't directly remedy a lack of live cage time. If that was the only issue on Pico's radar, that sort of change would be unnecessary, especially given his strong relationship with Bodyshop. Predictably, Pico declined to give specifics on what he hoped to improve or what he was working on at Jackson Wink, but he did acknowledge that he was doing more than simply biding time until time caught up to him.
That's a noteworthy observation for reasons that go beyond Pico. Arguably the gold standard for MMA training over the years, Jackson Wink has had some high-profile defections lately. Last year, star welterweight and former Jackson Wink fighter Donald Cerrone likened the gym's atmosphere to a "puppy mill."
Sanchez, whose 2009 fight with Clay Guida is part of the 2019 class of the UFC Hall of Fame's "Fight Wing," left Jackson Wink after spending much of his 17-year career there. In other words, the same personalized attention Pico relishes seemed to be in absence for Sanchez.
"Come fight time, you'd get a couple mitt sessions with Winkeljohn, never really learning anything, just kind of tuning up what I already had," Sanchez said, per MMA Junkie. "With Greg Jackson, it was maybe one or two privates a camp, but never really any true love—the type of love that a trainer should have for his fighter. They were just basically going through the motions with Diego Sanchez."
It's not pure speculation to suspect that Jackson Wink is benefitting from Pico's presence as much as vice versa. And it may not shock you to learn that Pico's view of the gym differs from that of Sanchez.To hear Pico tell it, the issue was more on the student than the teacher.
"Diego Sanchez said he didn't get attention," Pico said. "If you show up and put the work in and you're passionate, the coaches are going to be there for you. I show up on time. If you come with a great mindset, they'll be there."
Time will tell whether Jackson Wink can concoct the magic elixir for Pico, as it has for so many over the years. In the meantime, it seems Pico is on the shelf for seasoning. New recipe, same ingredients.
"I'm in a good place mentally," Pico said. "Sometimes you just need a step back to take a step forward. If I got outclassed for three rounds, that would be a different thing. … Now it gets really, really detailed."
Scott Harris covers MMA and other topics for Bleacher Report.
Mixed Martial Arts light-heavyweight fighters Lyoto Machida (25-8), left, and Chael Sonnen (30-16-1), right, pose during their pre-fight press conference, Tuesday April 9, 2019, in New York. Machida and Sonnen headline Bellator MMA's return to New York City at Madison Square Garden on June 14. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
In what was perhaps the final fight of his MMA career, Chael Sonnen fell to Lyoto Machida by second-round technical knockout at Bellator 222 from Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday night.
After Machida took Sonnen down with a flying knee and finished him with punches early in the second round, Sonnen laid his gloves in the middle of the ring and seemed to announce his retirement:
Chael: I had a hell of a lot of fun. I had a good run. I’m walking out. I appreciate the memories.
Chael puts his gloves on the mat and walks out after embracing with Machida.
If Sonnen is indeed done as a fighter, he left an indelible mark on the sport for his talking perhaps as much as his fighting.
Chamatkar Sandhu of Pro Fight League and ESPN's Marc Raimondi are among those who praised Sonnen following Friday's bout:
Chael Sonnen is a legend. He might call himself a bad guy but he's always been one of the good guys in this sport. Congratulations on a hell of a career @ChaelSonnen. You're the man. Respect.
There will never be another Chael Sonnen. Truly a one-of-a-kind character in MMA. One of the best and smartest entertainers in the sport’s history. Pretty damn good fighter, too. #Bellator222
Sonnen appeared to be overmatched against Machida, as The Dragon nearly forced a stoppage in the first round before finishing him quickly in the second.
With the victory, Machida improved to 26-8 overall and extended his winning streak to four in a row. The expectation is that the 41-year-old Brazilian is now in line for a Bellator middleweight title shot against Gegard Mousasi.
Mousasi, 33, beat Rafael Carvalho for the championship at Bellator 200 in May last year, and he is in the midst of an eight-fight winning streak split between Bellator and UFC.
Machida and Mousasi fought once before for the UFC in 2014, and Machida prevailed with a unanimous-decision win.
While Machida will look to become a champion in Bellator for the first time, the 42-year-old Sonnen is set to ride off into the sunset with a 30-17-1 career record and a resume that includes fights against many of the biggest names in the history of the sport.
In addition to Machida vs. Sonnen, here is a look at the results for every fight on the preliminary and main cards for Bellator 222, including the welterweight title main event between Rory MacDonald and Neiman Gracie.
Additionally, MacDonald advanced to the finals of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix, where he will face Douglas Lima. That fight will be a rematch from Bellator 192, which saw MacDonald beat Lima by unanimous decision to win the Bellator welterweight title.
Gracie represented a dangerous test for MacDonald since the Canadian had drawn against Jon Fitch and lost to Gegard Mousasi in his previous two fights. Meanwhile, Gracie was a perfect 9-0 in his professional career with eight submission victories.
The Brazil native was aggressive in attempting to take down MacDonald and trap him in one of the submission holds from his vast repertoire:
While Gracie came close on a few occasions, MacDonald did well to control the pace of the fight for the most part and maintain the power position on the mat:
MacDonald's performances in his previous two fights left plenty to be desired, but he appears to be back on track and ready for what promises to be a competitive rematch with Lima.
Meanwhile, Gracie now has a blemish on his record, but he looked impressive in defeat and likely won't stray too far from the title scene.
At just 30 years of age, his best years are likely ahead of him, and he showed Friday that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division as he continues to improve and gain experience.
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell
In the first fight on the main card of Bellator 222, Kyoji Horiguchi and Darrion Caldwell went the distance in a clash for the Bellator bantamweight title.
While Caldwell held his own and took Horiguchi down on a few occasions, Horiguchi earned a unanimous-decision victory to become the new champion:
✊@Kyoji1012 is victorious once again and is the new Bellator bantamweight champ via unanimous decision at #Bellator222.
The 28-year-old Horiguchi was making his Bellator debut after successful stints in the UFC and Rizin. With the win, he improved his sparkling career record to 28-2.
Since he was already the holder of the Rizin bantamweight title entering Friday's fight, Horiguchi made history, per Mike Bohn of USA Today:
HISTORY! Kyoji Horiguchi becomes the first fighter in MMA history to titles from two major promotions simultaneously. #Bellator222
Meanwhile, Caldwell fell to 13-3 in what was his second defense of the Bellator bantamweight title since winning it from Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 184 in October 2017.
Friday's title fight was the rematch of a bout between Horiguchi and Caldwell at Rizin 14 in December for the Rizin bantamweight title. Horiguchi won that fight by third-round submission, but Caldwell posed a stiffer challenge this time around.
The first few rounds of Friday's fight were fairly even, and they included some lightning-quick flurries, such as this exchange in the third:
However, over the final two rounds, Horiguchi was able to establish a position of dominance and hold Caldwell at bay for the most part.
ESPN's Ariel Helwani noted that although Horiguchi is technically a Rizin fighter, he is obligated to defend the Bellator bantamweight belt in order to avoid relinquishing it:
Kyoji Horiguchi wins the Bellator bantamweight title by defeating Darrion Caldwell via decision. As a result, he must defend the belt in Bellator at least once a year, despite still being a Rizin fighter/champion.
Because of that, Horiguchi figures to be busy over the next year, and he can also make the case for being the best bantamweight fighter in the world if he wasn't already.
