Logan Storley ‘Learned A Lot About Myself’ at Bellator 274, Wants Yaroslav Amosov Rematch

The first five-round, non-title headliner in Bellator MMA history was billed as a classic wrestler vs. grappler matchup.

Logan Storley had other ideas. The four-time NCAA All-American wrestler from the University of Minnesota traded with Neiman Gracie for 25 minutes — including one potential “Round of the Year” candidate — en route to a unanimous decision triumph in the Bellator 274 headliner at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Saturday night.

“Just 25 minutes, I don’t think I shot one time,” Storley said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “Since I was 5 years old, turning 30 [now], that’s 25 years of just wrestling. The No. 4 ranked guy in the world, went toe-to-toe and got the better of him the whole time. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had. Landed big shots, took shots, kept moving. I think that was a huge step in my career over the last half hour.”

Storley appeared to be in control through three rounds when things got interesting. Gracie appeared to stun Storley during an exchange in Round 4, and the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt swarmed for the finish, forcing his opponent into desperation mode. Storley eventually recovered and hurt Gracie with a big right hand later in the frame. It was exactly the type of sequence Bellator officials must have had in mind when they elected to make all main events five-round affairs.

For his part, Storley believes he is better off for the experience.

“That fourth round kind of cut me up a little bit. He hit an elbow,” Storley said. “I felt great. That’s the best I’ve ever performed. I thought it was an exciting fight, I don’t know what you guys thought. I learned a lot about myself, I dug deep. And he did too. I landed all the bigger shots besides that one in the fourth round, and I dropped him. But he’s got a chin. I hit him hard a couple times and he took them.

“I’m excited. I think that’s a great opening for the first non-title five rounder.”

While Gracie has enjoyed success against other wrestling-based fighters such as Ed Ruth and Jon Fitch, Storley gave the former title challenger a different look.

“I knew that he couldn’t take me down. Everyone kept bringing up Ed Ruth’s fight and Jon Fitch .. much respect to those guys but my MMA wrestling is different than everybody else’s and I knew he couldn’t take me down,” Storley said.

“I know I have a chin on me. I wanted to push the pace. It wasn’t a wrestling style, where I was pushing the pace, but I was on my feet. I don’t think he expected that. I think he kind of punched himself out in a couple positions. And I hit him hard [in the ] first, second, third a couple times with that hook and that overhand right. I think that took a lot out of him.”

With the win, Storley is positioned near the top of the welterweight division. His lone career defeat came to reigning 170-pound champion Yaroslav Amosov via split-decision at Bellator 252 in a bout where he had his opponent in serious danger with a choke in the third round. Amosov is scheduled to defend the welterweight crown against Michael Page at Bellator London in May, and Storley believes he has a strong case for a rematch if the champion is victorious.

“Yeah, I want the title shot,” Storley said. “I fought the champ to a split decision. That was only three rounds and had him in trouble late in the third. During that fight, I got stronger. So I want the title shot. I think a lot of people want to see it, especially if it’s Amosov. I’m coming to get that belt.”

After going 25 minutes for the first time in his MMA career, Storley will be more confident going up against Amosov for a second time. He’ll also come equipped with some more tools in his toolbox, as he demonstrated on Saturday night.

“That fight was 15 minutes,” he said of the first meeting with Amosov. “I shot the whole time, scrambled. That took a lot out of me — him too. I didn’t have that confidence that I have now. I grew up those last 25 minutes as a fighter. That’s the biggest difference.”