Bellator 275 ‘Mousasi vs. Vanderford’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Lee Hammond (145.6) vs. Jamie Hay (146.8: Missed Weight)

Round 1

For the second time in four months, Bellator has packed the 3Arena in Dublin with fans for a full fight card bringing plenty of local talent and matchups that will likely get the crowd going early. Most of the fights on the lineup pit an Irish fighter against a foreign counterpart, and it starts that way right out of the gate. This first match of the evening comes at an unplanned 147-pound catchweight, as Hay (2-0, 0-0 BMMA) will get pelted with boos not just because he missed weight, but because he is not from ‘round here. “The Haymaker” will face SBG Ireland prospect Hammond (1-0, 0-0 BMMA) in what is the first Bellator fight for each man. Referee Bryan Miner is on duty for the first three bouts of the day, and then he gets to kick back and score fights. The gloves are touched, and away we go! Hammond leads off with a right hand early, catching Hay off-guard. Hammond comes out attacking with a few more punches, and he sneaks in a low kick that draws a reaction out of his opponent. One more battering low kick makes Hay practically do a pirouette, and he gathers himself and attacks for a single-leg takedown. While he holds his foe’s leg in the air, Hay pushes Hammond up to the wall. Hammond sets his leg down and blasts Hay in the face with a knee, and the power of the knee knocks Hay off of his feet. On his way down, Hay eats a clean knee on the chin, a borderline strike as he was going down to his knees, but Miner does not call it and the Irish fighter begins a standing-to-ground bombardment of punches. Seeing his openings, Hammond drills “The Haymaker” with a lengthy series of unanswered punches, busting Hay up until Miner has seen enough. That’s a good start to the night, both in terms of action and for Irish faithful.

The Official Result

Lee Hammond def. Jamie Hay R1 3:32 via TKO (Punches)

Nathan Kelly (145.4) vs. Scott Pedersen (144.8)

Round 1

Moving right along, the next fight takes place also at 145 pounds, but this time, both fighters made weight. Pederson (1-2, 0-0 BMMA) of Wales will try to get one up on Ireland tonight, as he faces Dublin’s own Kelly (3-2, 0-0 BMMA). The crowd has a favorite in this one, and it’s not too difficult to guess who they want to win. Referee Bryan Miner is ready and rearing to go for this featherweight fight, and the fighters touch gloves to seal the cage around them. Conor McGregor is watching in the arena with interest for his teammate. Kelly is charged up by “Notorious” being cageside, immediately forcing the action by punching his way forward and pressing the Welshman into the wall. As they jockey for position against the fencing, Kelly spins his man around and throws him to the mat, where he lands in half guard. The Irishman lines up several elbows that land flush on the jaw, and Pederson can do little but eat them as he is stuck in this position. Pederson throws his legs up in an effort to scramble, and he successfully gains some space to stand back up. Peterson clings to Kelly, pressing him to the wall but doing little else, and he allows Kelly to trip him back down to the canvas. In side control, Kelly begins to rip a few more elbows before deciding to try to slice over to mount. This attempt fails, and he gets dragged back to half guard, but he does not mind as he drops down short elbows right on the chin again and again. When he is not striking, the SBG Ireland product utilizes heavy shoulder pressure on his foe’s face, making Pederson’s life miserable. Kelly gets off a few more elbows as his opponent sits up, and the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kelly

Round 2

The fighters oblige one another with a glove touch, and Pederson wings a right hand over the top but does not get through. Kelly slips a punch and tags Pederson with a crisp right, one that staggers the Welshman. Kelly cracks him with a one-two, sending Pederson careening towards the fence. Instead of trying to finish the job on the feet, the Irishman elects to trip him down to the ground and claim half guard. Pederson holds on tight, hoping to clear his head, and he sits up to avoid most of the ground-and-pound. When Pederson gets to his knees, he pushes forward in pursuit of a double-leg takedown, and Kelly snatches up a guillotine choke to threaten. Pederson calmly slides his neck out of danger, and the two stand up with Pederson pushing Kelly into the wire. When they separate, Pederson sneaks an elbow up top, and Kelly does not even flinch. The Irishman tries to counter with a left hook, but Pederson meets him first with a few punches and a front kick. Feeling a little momentum behind him, it is Pederson who attempts a takedown, and he lands it to ground the man from Ireland. Kelly tries to latch on to a guillotine again, but Pederson shrugs it off and then is forced to deal with several hacking elbows while he is on top. Kelly uses the strikes to fluster Pederson just enough to push off and get back to his feet, and he turns the tables and drags Pederson down to the mat up against corner between the wall and the floor. The remainder of the fight grinds out in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Kelly

Round 3

The final round opens with a touch of gloves, and the Welsh fighter marches forward and clubs Kelly in the face with a left hook. Kelly takes it on the chin and crashes forward in search of a takedown. Pederson fights off the outside trip, and he keeps his balance as Kelly attempts to toss him down a few more times. Kelly turns his hips into one takedown throw, but Pederson is wise to it and only drops to a knee before springing back up. The fight stalls out in this position, and Miner asks them to work. Kelly answers the call by yanking his foe down to the mat, where Pederson sits with his back against the chain links. Kelly holds on in half guard, landing a few short punches but nothing particularly effective. When Kelly grinds with an elbow, Pederson powers his way to his knees and dives forward to try to land a double. Kelly stuffs this and ties Pederson’s legs up against the cage, dragging them down to their knees. The Irishman gets off short punches, and Pederson answers back with his own light strikes while Kelly holds on to him. Pederson stands back up but Kelly is on him like a cheap suit, not giving the Welshman any space. The crowd begins to grow restless, even as their local fighter is winning in a grueling manner, but Kelly does not change his style up. Instead, Kelly plays it safe and embraces the grind. With seconds to spare, Pederson turns his man around and slugs him in the face a few times, but the horn stops them before anything can come of it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pederson (29-28 Kelly)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Pederson (29-28 Kelly)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Pederson (29-28 Kelly)

The Official Result

Nathan Kelly def. Scott Pederson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Gokhan Saricam (247.6) vs. Kirill Sidelnikov (264)

Round 1

Up next, heavyweights take the stage in what could end quite quickly and dramatically. Saricam (6-1, 2-1 BMMA) and his 100% finish rate will go up against Fedor Emelianenko teammate Sidelnikov (13-6, 2-1 BMMA) in a big man rumble. Bryan Miner will try to keep control as over 500 pounds of man smashes together momentarily, but they do touch gloves in a sporting manner before trying to lop the other’s head off. Saricam keeps his distance early, effectively picking away at the man from FedorTeam with leg kicks and long punches. Sidelnikov is not concerned by any of these strikes, but he is unable to land with much volume of his own as Saricam is light on his feet. Saricam stays far away, but he lets a body kick linger in the air a little too long, and Sidelnikov catches it. From there, the Russian drags Saricam down to the mat, but he does not keep him there for long. The fighter from Turkey explodes back to his feet, not wanting to stay in the bad position for more than a few seconds. In a surprise, when they both stand up, Saricam dives forward for his own takedown. Sidelnikov sees it coming and counters him with a clean right hand, but Saricam shakes it off and gets up off of his knees. Sidelnikov pushes forward and jams Saricam into the wall, and Saricam lifts up a knee with his back to the fence that collides with the cup. Sidelnikov only needs a few seconds to shake it off, but Saricam opens up on him when they start up again. A few sharp punch combinations get Sidelnikov’s attention, and a couple leg kicks make Sidelnikov change his mind about standing up. From a distance, the Russian crashes forward to pursue a takedown, and he lands it to put Saricam flat on his back. Sidelnikov sits comfortably in Saricam’s guard, landing shots from above and grinding the round out on top. The bell sounds to end a close, interesting round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Saricam
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Saricam
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Saricam

Round 2

The second round begins with a flurry from both men, as Saricam gets back to his safe distance but cannot keep Sidelnikov off of him. Saricam lands, Sidelnikov gives chase, and Saricam ends with a few jabs. Sidelnikov absorbs a leg kick and jumps forward to grab hold of a double. Saricam stuffs this, and nearly takes Sidelnikov’s back in a scramble. The Russian does not let this occur, as he powers back to his feet but is sucking wind less than 90 seconds into the second round. Sidelnikov lumbers forward when they both get back up, pressing Saricam into the wall and using his full body weight to keep him there while catching his breath. Saricam turns him around and drives a knee that appears to land on the cup, and Sidelnikov scowls but does not get a break. They fight for position, and when Saricam turns around, he drills Sidelnikov in the groin again with a knee. Sidelnikov is in a bad way, bending over while in pain, but he quickly regains a stiff upper lip and decides to continue after less than 30 seconds. When resuming, Saricam peppers his foe with a few jabs, following one with a crisp right hand down the pipe. Sidelnikov looks to cut his man off, but Saricam is on his bike jabbing away. Sidelnikov plods forward, absorbs a stomping kick to the knee and takes a couple punches right on the chin. The bell sounds, and Saricam enters unknown territory as he had never reached Round 3 in his career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Saricam
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Saricam
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Saricam

Round 3

The heavyweights touch hands to open the final round, and Saricam is the far fresher fighter. The Turkish man loads up on several punches, stringing a quick combination together and mixing in jabs to keep Sidelnikov guessing. Sidelnikov rarely takes a step back, but he takes several punches clean on the chin that snap his head back. Sidelnikov gets in to a clinch, and Saricam is ready for him with a knee and a short left uppercut. Saricam aims a right hand that splits the guard, and Sidelnikov is struggling to close in but keeps getting tagged. Saricam flicks out a few more jabs, and he sees a double coming from a mile away. Saricam turns the tables, pushing Sidelnikov to his knees and landing a few knees of his own to the side. Sidelnikov explodes to stand up, and he turns Saricam around to mash him into the wire. Saricam remains busy even up against the wall, ripping knees up the middle until Sidelnikov has to break away. Saricam surprises Sidelnikov with a jab and a front kick, and Sidelnikov has displayed an excellent chin in this round but little more. The offense is far in the favor of Saricam, and he is having a little fun as he keeps his hands by his waist dancing around while not being countered. Saricam picks away at his ever-advancing opponent, chopping at the lead leg and pushing out several jabs. A few high kicks get blocked, but a trio of hooks knocks Sidelnikov’s head around. Saricam spins but bails on a strike, and he spins around again this time in search of a spinning back kick. Although the kick glances off the side, this gives the Russian the opportunity he had been searching for. Sidelnikov grabs on to Saricam, jamming him up to the wall while hunting for a takedown. There is no takedown to be found, and they briefly trip to their knees with a couple seconds to spare. The fight concludes with Saricam leaping forward with a front kick, but Sidelnikov is well out of the way. Barring some unusual scorecards, Saricam has very likely won the first decision of his career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Saricam (30-27 Saricam)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Saricam (30-27 Saricam)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Saricam (30-27 Saricam)

The Official Result

Gokhan Saricam def. Kirill Sidelnikov via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Daniele Scatizzi (154.6) vs. Vladimir Tokov (155.4)

Round 1

In the lightweight division, FedorTeam will try to get on the board tonight as Tokov (6-1, 2-1 BMMA) takes on SBG Ireland’s Scatizzi (11-5, 2-1 BMMA) from Italy. Drawing the assignment for this one is referee Marc Goddard, who observes a soft glove touch between the fighters ahead of their scheduled melee. Scatizzi takes the center of the cage, but it is Tokov who engages first. The Russian charges with a punch combination, leading with his head, and Goddard is quick to notice this and warn them of this. Tokov attacks with a quick blitz, Scatizzi returns fire, and Tokov snatches hold of his legs and throws him down to the mat. Off his back, “Scat” slings a few elbows that irritate Tokov, until Tokov lowers himself down to deliver his own ground-and-pound. The grappling exchange ends when Scatizzi explodes in a scramble, and Tokov whips him back down with a trip. The Italian fighter crawls over to the wall while Tokov holds on to his side, and he is able to stand up and break Tokov’s single-leg takedown grip to get free. Scatizzi dips, gets off an uppercut and a right hand, and Tokov is not amused. Tokov fires right back, leading to a brief brawl, and both men land cleanly. Scatizzi sits down on a left hook, and Tokov eats it, ducks back from the rest of the shots that follow, and drops down to grab a single. Tokov cannot ground him on the first attempt, but the trip that follows from the Russian gets Scatizzi down for but a second. “Scat” springs back up, and he begins to pound on the side of Tokov’s head until Tokov goes for another takedown. The scrambles are wild and furious, and Tokov gains decent position for a moment before Scatizzi turns him around and pushes him to his knees. The Russian pops back up, and he strings together a short combo of punches right before ducking from a counter. Tokov drills Scatizzi with an uppercut, and the Italian returns fire to decent effect, forcing Tokov to go after a takedown. Scatizzi breaks free, fires off a few high kicks, and the exciting round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Scatizzi
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Scatizzi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Scatizzi

Round 2

Round 2 clocks in with a glove touch, and Tokov leads the dance with a few punches and a high kick. Scatizzi is barely able to block the kick in time, and he advances in a fury but cannot break through most of Tokov’s defense. Tokov leaps forward with a jab and an uppercut that splits the guard, and “Scat” stands in the pocket and wings a right hook back that dings Tokov. “Vova” slips a full combination that flies at him, and he pushes a right hand through the raised guard. Scatizzi rips a low kick on the inside, and they fire off one-twos one after the other. Both men reset after a tough exchange, and they let their fists fly. Scatizzi ducks a punch to unleash a head kick in close range, and the kick collides with the guard. Tokov does not let him off the hook, landing a few punches and darting out of range. Scatizzi gives chase, winging a high kick and getting countered with an uppercut. When “Scat” reaches out with a front kick, Tokov gets off a clean uppercut. The Russian times this strike again, opening a cut up on Scatizzi’s face as he appears to have found his range with the strike. Scatizzi throws wildly, possibly hurt, and Tokov is far more composed and able to dodge the brunt of the damage. Tokov’s uppercut keeps landing flush, breaking up Scatizzi combinations and leaping attacks as his chin stays up in the air. Tokov swats away a few punches that soar past his face, and he steps in with a straight left hand and just misses with a sweeping right hook. They jab at one another, and Tokov hops back to dodge the windmilling punch careening towards him. Tokov cracks Scatizzi with a left hook, and Scatizzi is starting to wear it as Tokov is marking him up. Scatizzi whips a high kick but comes up short of the mark, as does a two-punch salvo. Tokov gets off a few more punches before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tokov
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Tokov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tokov

Round 3

Scatizzi, out of SBG Ireland, tries to rally the crowd to energize him going into the last round. Tokov marches forward, a man on a mission, and he delivers a thunderous uppercut that lifts Scatizzi off of his feet. Scatizzi tries to scramble even as he may not have his wits about him, and Tokov looks to finish the job with punches but cannot do so. Tokov grounds his foe after a prolonged exchange, and Scatizzi defends off his back with a modified guillotine choke. “Vova” shakes it off and steps back, allowing Scatizzi to get upright so that he can strike at range again. Tokov chambers his right hand in preparation of an uppercut, and he suddenly finds himself having to fight off a takedown attempt. Tokov stuffs it and lands a few punches, only to step back when Scatizzi bites down on his mouthpiece and wings looping shots. The strikes from the Italian are wider and more telegraphed, and they are slowing as well. Tokov is able to dance in, sting Scatizzi with a few punches, and dart out of the way in time. Scatizzi tries to give chase, and he gets in a solid right hook, but he eats an uppercut like a plate of spaghetti. Hurt and leaning against the fence, Scatizzi waves Tokov on, but the Russian does not bite. Instead, Tokov lets Scatizzi come to him, blocking a few high kicks and catching a body kick. Tokov trips Scatizzi down to the mat, and he backs off to make Scatizzi stand back up, sending a message. A few punches from “Scat” come up short, and a front kick pushes Tokov back but does little else. Tokov overrelies on his uppercut, primarily targeting it and scoring it fairly effectively. Scatizzi steels himself and marches forward with less than 30 seconds on the clock, hoping to draw out a final brawl and catch Tokov on the chin. The Russian is smart, instead taking Scatizzi down to the ground, and the fight ends in a scramble.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tokov (29-28 Tokov)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Tokov (29-28 Tokov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tokov (29-28 Tokov)

The Official Result

Vladimir Tokov def. Daniele Scatizzi via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Darragh Kelly (155) vs. Junior Morgan (156)

Round 1

It’s Britain vs. Ireland in this next affair, coming at lightweight between Morgan (3-0, 0-0 BMMA) and SBG Ireland newcomer Kelly (0-0, 0-0 BMMA). While Morgan does sport a shiny 3-0 record, one win came by disqualification and the combined record of his three opponents was 1-8, so Kelly will be his first professional opponent without a record below .500. The two draw officiating from the impressively mustached Kevin MacDonald, and they respect his handlebar but not one another, as they do not touch gloves. Kelly strikes first, landing a leg kick and swinging a high kick. Kelly nails Morgan with another low kick, making Morgan twirl around. When Morgan comes about, Kelly springs into action and grabs hold of a takedown, which he uses to shove Morgan down to the ground. Kelly postures up and slams his foe in the face with a few elbows and punches, and he claims half guard with ease. The crowd begins to chant in favor of its home country fighter, who is in a decent position and sits up to grab hold of a guillotine choke. Morgan turns to his side, in hopes that he can fight out of it, but he turns into the choke and Kelly crushes the grip as tight as he can. With no way out, Morgan quickly surrenders, as he may have gone out seconds later. The fans explode in jubilation for their SBG Ireland fighter succeeding in his professional debut, putting on a statement and tapping a previously unbeaten opponent in less than two minutes.

The Official Result

Darragh Kelly def. Junior Morgan R1 1:47 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Danni McCormack (115.2) vs. Stephanie Ielo Page (114.9)

Round 1

The first of two women’s matches of the evening comes in the strawweight division, one in which Bellator does not actively maintain. McCormack (5-0, 4-0 BMMA), formerly known as Neilan, has competed in four of the last seven fights scheduled in this weight class, and she will take on former flyweight Page (5-3, 0-1 BMMA). The ladies do not touch gloves as referee Marc Goddard watches on, and instead McCormack comes out ready to trade. Page counters her cleanly, shaking up the Irishwoman early. Page winds up with a right hand, and she blasts McCormack right on the button and knocks her down to the ground. The French fighter tries with all her might to finish her damaged opponent, but McCormack is tough and able to fight her way back up to her feet. Page knows that McCormack is still hurt, and she tees off on a wobbly McCormack before punching her way into a clinch. Page pushes out of the clinch so that she can let her hands go, and her ex-flyweight power is making a major difference. Page cracks McCormack with another big right hand, sending McCormack careening towards the danger zone. Page charges, assaulting McCormack with everything she has, hurting McCormack again and again as she bullies McCormack back towards the fence. McCormack falls to the wall, and Page continues to batter her relentlessly as Goddard implores her to fight back. McCormack keeps taking shots so she clinches up, and Goddard jumps in to stop the fight by standing TKO in what appears to be a premature stoppage, no matter what the commentary team states. McCormack asks Goddard what he was doing, but she is visibly shaken up. Page is equally surprised at the referee intervention, but she puts an end to McCormack’s unbeaten record and Ireland’s win streak tonight in dramatic fashion.

The Official Result

Stephanie Page def. Danni McCormack R1 1:46 via TKO (Punches)

Davy Gallon (155.2) vs. Charlie Leary (155.2)

Round 1

The prelims continue with a lightweight bout between established veterans when Leary (17-11-1, 3-2 BMMA) comes to blows with Gallon (19-7-2, 1-0 BMMA). Leary has alternated wins and losses in his last nine bouts, and he prevailed in his last outing; Gallon would like very much to keep that streak alive. Referee Kevin MacDonald draws the charge in this one, and the 155ers gladly touch gloves before getting after it. Leary reaches out with a few jabs to start things off, but they are more to find his range than actually land. Gallon replies with a couple sweeping leg kicks, and they too come up short. Leary jumps forward with a slow one-two, and Gallon is able to swat it away without much concern. Leary puts on the gas, chasing Gallon around the cage with punches, sneaking a few around the guard to force Gallon to clinch with him. The Frenchman scores a few short knees on the inside as he pins his opponent up against the wire, and he tries to hit a trip but cannot lift Leary off the ground to do so. The Brit spins him around, and they continue move back and forth before pushing off. Gallon pushes out a jab, and Leary does the same, as they are measured and trying to find their timing. Gallon goes over the top with a solid right hook, but he pushes into the clinch after landing it instead of following it. Watching this tight clinch position, the crowd grows restless, and Gallon does not mind as he throws oddly angled kicks to the thigh using his heel. Gallon continues to push with all his might to keep the British fighter trapped, and he cleverly times a spinning back elbow to break free. Leary partially absorbs it, and he gets into a rhythm of sticking out jabs and punches. Gallon retreats and throws a few body kicks, and they tie up after plodding towards one another. “917” presses tightly on the wire this time, but only for a short time before Gallon turns him around. Unexpectedly, Gallon grabs the arm and tosses his foe down to the mat. They pop back up, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gallon
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Gallon
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gallon

Round 2

The gloves get touched, and Gallon advances immediately and fires off a short elbow before clinching up. Gallon swings a few more heel kicks to the thigh as he grapples with Leary, and even stomps the toes more than once as he frustrates the Brit. Gallon pushes off this time with a high knee instead of a spinning strike, and Leary blocks this and is glad to get back to boxing range. Leary lands from a distance, shrugs off a low kick and walks forward with jabs. Gallon clubs him with a right hook, and they both connect with solid lefts. Gallon strides forward with a right hand, and as Leary kicks him, the Frenchman sweeps the leg and puts Leary down to the mat. Leary climbs to his knees and walks towards the fence, only to succumb to a mat return. Once more, Leary stands, and Gallon disengages with him without a strike attempt. When at range, Gallon lands a few punches, blocks a strike coming back at him, and clobbers Leary with a huge right hand that drops Leary head-first to the ground. On his knees, Leary takes punches to the side of the head, and Gallon hammers him with one final salvo to force MacDonald to step in. Leary springs up immediately to protest the stoppage, showing that he was defending the strikes well enough and that he could continue. The cries fall on deaf ears, and Leary is quick to get over it and congratulate his victorious opponent.

The Official Result

Davy Gallon def. Charlie Leary R2 3:01 via TKO (Punches)

Brett Johns (135.6) vs. Khurshed Kakhorov (134.8)

Round 1

Concluding the preliminary portion of the evening is a classic battle between Wales and Tajikistan as proud Welshman Johns (17-3, 0-1 BMMA) faces off against “Killer” Kakhorov (8-0, 1-0 BMMA) in the bantamweight division. The third man in the Bellator cage will be Kerry Hatley, and the fighters do touch gloves before handling their business. The two are tense and measured coming at one another, throwing inaccurate strikes in an effort to find their target. Kakhorov goes for a spinning kick that misses the mark, and Johns swarms him back with a few punches that also come up short as well. When Kakhorov lifts up a knee to strike, Johns lifts him in the air and slams him down to the mat. Kakhorov scoots his way back to the fence, but Johns sucks his legs out beneath him before “Killer” can power his way back up. The Welsh fighter keeps Kakhorov trapped in this position, and as Kakhorov stands, Johns locks his hands around the waist in search of a single-leg takedown. A stalemate ensues in this position until Johns turns the corner to ground him, and he cannot quite complete it this time. Kakhorov pulls a hand out, and as he does, Johns scoops up his legs and drops him to the canvas. Once more, the fighter out of Tajikistan wriggles towards the fencing so that he can wall-walk, but Johns is stuck to him like glue and holds on tight to a leg. Kakhorov ignores a few ground strikes that bounce off his chest, and Johns is content to grind him out until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns

Round 2

The bantamweights are keen on touching gloves to start off the second round, and Kakhorov takes the center of the cage with his right hand corked back like Dan Henderson ready to unleash some punishment. Johns fakes a level change, flicks out a jab about a foot away and skims the knee with a leg kick. Both men come up missing with jabs, and another low kick partially glances off the leg from Johns. The Welshman changes levels to hit a takedown, and Kakhorov grabs the cage to stop the takedown from succeeding. Hatley is quick to admonish him about this, but that flagrant foul that kept him upright could have been worthy of a point deduction. Johns does not seem to care, as he grounds Kakhorov on his second effort. Kakhorov still tugs on the wire with on his back, and Hatley fusses at him until he lets go. Johns belts him in the face with a short stream of right hands, and he lowers himself into half guard as Kakhorov tries to sit up. One more time, Kakhorov grips the fence, and he still manages to get away with it. Johns postures up and starts dropping down short but emphatic elbows, and he keeps Kakhorov pinned to the mat all the while. Johns looks to pass guard, and Kakhorov snags the fence for the fourth time and has his hand slapped away. Johns continues his slow, methodical approach of working from on top, until Kakhorov sits up. Johns nearly takes his back in the process, but elects to just keep “Killer” seated and unable to deliver any killing blows. With 30 seconds left in the round, the man once known as “The Pikey” claims mount and starts unloading with ground-and-pound. Johns traps an arm underneath his knee and slugs Kakhorov in the face repeatedly with elbows and punches, and he nearly forces a stoppage but Kakhorov makes it to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Johns
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-8 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Johns

Round 3

The gloves get touched to clock in the final round, and Johns leaps forward with a left hand that Kakhorov does not see coming. Kakhorov slips a punch and whiffs on a right hand counter, and Johns slowly works his way towards him. Kakhorov is so concerned about the looming takedown that he does not let his hands go, and Johns justifies those concerns as he charges low for a double-leg entry. The Welshman lifts Kakhorov up and plops him down to the mat, utterly deflating the unbeaten fighter. Johns looks to pass guard as he reintroduces his fists to Kakhorov’s face, and he claims half guard and even gets in a cheeky shoulder strike when Kakhorov lifts his head up. Johns will not give Kakhorov a second to breathe, and as Kakhorov scoots his way to the fence, he turns around. Johns instantly takes his back, and he sits on top smacking Kakhorov with constant elbows and punches. Johns puts more into his strikes, shouting as he lands each one, and he is in search of a finish as the strikes continue to connect. Johns flattens his man out and drops down a few left hands. The former UFC fighter looks to Hatley to intervene, and Hatley answers the call and halts the match after only a couple more punches. Victorious, Johns dismounts his fallen foe, leaps on top of the cage and shouts at someone in the crowd, pointing at them and appearing to challenge them – but it is unclear who he may be calling out.

The Official Result

Brett Johns def. Khurshed Kakhorov R3 3:00 via TKO (Punches)

Jornel Lugo (135.2) vs. Brian Moore (135.4)

Round 1

At long last, the main card begins, and the opener will bring with it one of two Americans on the card. SBG Ireland’s Moore (14-8, 5-4 BMMA) will go head-to-head with unbeaten Floridian Lugo (7-0, 4-0 BMMA), and the fans in the 3Arena are whipped up into a frenzy for their local fighter. Barely able to hear himself think, referee Marc Goddard will try his best to keep a lid on this bantamweight scrap. The gloves get touched, and the two are amped up and ready for combat. Lugo leads off with several sharp jabs, mixing in a few front kicks to keep Moore at bay. Moore comes back with a pair of hooks, and the unbeaten fighter slips out of the way without issue. The two measure one another, and Lugo gets off a left hand and trips when he backpedals. Moore engages with him in the clinch when Lugo returns to his feet, and Lugo is quick to turn him around and tightly press him to the wall. With one foot in the air, Moore gets off a couple short punches, only to absorb a thudding knee to the chest. Goddard asks the two to work, and Lugo jumps up to drill a knee right in the solar plexus before returning to his grinding posture. Moore is forced to fight of a single-leg takedown, and he drops to a knee briefly as he hacks at Lugo with his back to the wall. Moore stays upright, and Lugo thanks him for stuffing his takedown by scoring a knee and a left hand on the break. Moore resets and returns to the center of the cage, but he is quick to advance and toss out a few jabs. Lugo replies with a body kick and a winging right hand, and Moore pays them no mind. The younger Lugo swats away an incoming few strikes, and he flips his leg up to smack Moore in the face. A second kick to the same spot from Lugo gets blocked, and he changes things up with a low kick that clicks off the cup. Moore gathers himself, and realizes he is in more pain than he thought, so he takes about 30 seconds to walk it off. They clock back in with a glove touch, as Lugo’s strike simply went a little too low, and they throw single strikes at one another. Moore surprises his foe with a low kick, and the round ends with the sound of the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lugo
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Lugo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lugo

Round 2

Before Round 2 begins, Goddard goes over to warn Moore about leaving his fingers outstretched. Moore apologizes, and the round begins with more of the same from the previous stanza. Lugo keeps a safe range, picking and poking at Moore as Moore wings heavier but less accurate strikes back at him. Lugo notices that Moore is charging at him, and he sneaks in a left hook before Moore engages with him in the clinch. Lugo turns him back to the wall, but Moore wants nothing to do with the clinch, and he pummels to break free. The Irishman walks Lugo down, and he just misses with a big left hook. Lugo skirts away on the outside, and he plants a kick that hits the body and appears to bump Moore in the cup as well. Moore shakes this one off, and he connects with a big right. Lugo replies in kind, and he strings a few punches together along with a body kick, with volume firmly in the American’s favor. Lugo circles on the outside until changing levels for a single, and he forces Moore to defend it against the fence. “A1” bails on it when it does not succeed, and they return to the center of the cage to trade kicks. Moore walks through a kick so that he can bully Lugo against the wall, but Lugo is quicker and able to escape in time. Moore wings up on a left hand, whiffs, and follows with a bomb of a right hand that detonates square on the chin of the unbeaten fighter. Lugo tanks it and does not appear any worse for wear, but it shows a sign of life for the Irishman. Lugo lets loose with a body kick, and he appears to push off with his hand to graze the eye. Moore attends to it, rubbing his eye as Goddard pauses the fight to check on it. The doctor comes in to wipe the eye out, and Moore blinks it out and takes the time he needs to recover. Goddard does not penalize Lugo, and Lugo is quite apologetic as the swipe appeared incidental and not intentional. Moore comes out a man on a mission, swinging hammers as Lugo ducks and dodges to get away from the sudden burst of offense. Lugo sits down on a right hand when Moore bears down on him, and Moore chows down on it like a heaping helping of corned beef and plows forward to throw hands. Lugo trips him out when they clinch, but Moore is able to power his way back up with ease. The close round ends with them both tied up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lugo
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Lugo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lugo

Round 3

Lugo starts off firing, and a right hand from the American strips Moore’s legs out beneath him. “The Pikeman” springs back to his feet after what appears to be a flash knockdown in the opening few seconds, and he walks Lugo down with confidence. Lugo is the one who lands when Moore advances, however, and he marks the Irishman up with a few punches and a leg kick. Lugo doubles up on a leg kick, and he hits with a glancing right hand that bends Moore over but does not take him off his feet. Moore starts to give chase, running towards Lugo, but Lugo connects with solid strikes. Moore stings Lugo, and the unbeaten fighter is quick to give it right back to him. Moore wants a brawl, throwing caution to the wind and swinging with bad intentions. Lugo does not want to engage in these types of flurries, and he gets back to sticking a jab out there as he circles away and times his strikes effectively. Moore gets off a trio of low leg kicks, ignoring jabs so that he can make Lugo switch stances as a result of the blows. Moore strides forward, whiffing with pawing right hooks as Lugo is well out of the way in time. Lugo does not stop moving, slipping a right hook and smacking Moore with a left. Moore bites down on his gumshield and wings a huge uppercut, and it brushes past Lugo’s face and does not land cleanly. Lugo lets loose with a head kick that pounds of the guard up high, and Moore marches on forward only to get booted in the belly with Lugo’s shin. Moore’s forward movement pushes Lugo back to the wall, and Lugo slips and rolls with a four-punch series of blows. Lugo narrowly dodges a few more swinging strikes, and he ducks a hook so that he can knee Moore in the gut. Lugo lets a left hook hang out a little too long, giving Moore a second to spring to action. Moore runs forward to throw anything he has left, but Lugo is too quick and evasive to land on him. The fight ends, and it could be an interesting one to score depending on how judges view the Irishman’s aggression.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lugo (30-27 Lugo)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Lugo (30-27 Lugo)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lugo (30-27 Lugo)

The Official Result

Jornel Lugo def. Brian Moore via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Khasan Magomedsharipov (145.6) vs. Jose Sanchez (145.4)

Round 1

With hopes of stepping out of his older brother’s shadow, Magomedsharipov (6-0, 1-0 BMMA) will look to make a statement against Spain’s Sanchez (10-1, 0-0 BMMA) in this featherweight matchup. The Octagon ranger for this fun stylistic clash – albeit with the widest betting line of the night as Magomedsharipov is over -1300 – is referee Kevin MacDonald, who clocks them in after a glove touch. Magomedsharipov paws out a jab, and he scores with a solid leg kick. The Spaniard crashes forward in pursuit of a single-leg takedown immediately after the kick lands, clearly not wanting to absorb another. “Sasi” works the body with a couple right hands, but Magomedsharipov is able to turn him about and break off. Magomedsharipov scores a leg kick, and once more, Sanchez darts forward for a takedown. This too does not succeed, and Magomedsharipov backs off to jump in the air with a knee. Sanchez tries to grab his leg and take him down, but the Russian snatches his leg back quickly. Doggedly pursuing any kind of takedown, Sanchez charges ahead to bully the taller, longer man up against the wire. Magomedsharipov easily spins him around again and shoves him away, and he dips out of the way when Sanchez runs at him. Sanchez wings a left hook that distracts Magomedsharipov enough so that he can go after a takedown, and like every time before it, Magomedsharipov stops it in its tracks. Sanchez clips his foe with a right hook, and he ducks a counter to change levels and go after the Russian’s legs. Magomedsharipov appears almost bored from this approach, and he considers his own trip to lift Sanchez’ leg off the ground, but he cannot drag the other down. Magomedsharipov hits a knee in a Thai plum clinch when he backpedals, and he uses Sanchez’ momentum against him to throw Sanchez down to the mat. The Spaniard hunts for a kimura sweep off his back, but Magomedsharipov is wise to it and does not let Sanchez get back up. Magomedsharipov holds on from above, landing a few strikes right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov

Round 2

A nice touch of gloves opens the second frame, and Sanchez tries to pursue any kind of takedown. Magomedsharipov is not having it, as he fakes a spinning back fist and decides to push Sanchez up against the wall instead. After landing a few knees to the body, Magomedsharipov twirls his man around and wrenches him down to the canvas. Sanchez, on his knees, finds Magomedsharipov behind him pounding on him with his left hand. The punches have opened a cut up on the Spanish fighter’s head, and he still muscles his way back up to his feet despite the blood dripping into his eye. This is for naught, as Magomedsharipov yanks him back down, and then does so a third time to demoralize “Sasi.” Magomedsharipov gets his hooks in, keeping Sanchez trapped on his side while he unloads punches. Magomedsharipov thinks about hunting for a choke, but softens Sanchez up more with strikes. Sanchez keeps turning, and he goes to his back as Magomedsharipov hops over to full mount and proceeds to smack him around with his fists. The Spaniard will not succumb to strikes, powering his way back upright and then down to a knee when Magomedsharipov keeps him grounded. Sanchez stands up, grabs the fence, and Magomedsharipov trips his leg out to put him back to the mat on his hands. Magomedsharipov claims the back as Sanchez rolls to give it up, and both hooks are in as he begins searching for a rear-naked choke. Magomedsharipov elects to elbow Sanchez once or twice before Sanchez turns, and this allows Magomedsharipov to slam his fists into the side of Sanchez’ head. Sanchez manages to get upright again before the buzzer, but his body language is not great after that rough round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov

Round 3

Sanchez is not defeated when he marches out of his corner, and he instead walks Magomedsharipov down and is amped up to throw hands. “Sasi” shoots in for a takedown after swinging wildly, and Magomedsharipov turns him around and looks every bit of the massive favorite as he has beaten Sanchez at every turn. The Russian calmly drags Sanchez to the ground, and he takes full mount in seconds. Sanchez turns over to his knees, allowing Magomedsharipov to take his back, but he cannot keep it for long when Sanchez stands. The brief victory for Sanchez is ripped out from under his legs like a rug, as his own legs get tripped out and he falls back to the mat. Magomedsharipov postures up to drive home a powerful elbow, and Sanchez wraps him up in full guard. Magomedsharipov welcomes this, as he can get in a few short strikes. MacDonald warns someone for landing strikes to the back of the head, as they both were throwing at the same time and might have both committed a brief, minor foul. Magomedsharipov steps over to half guard, and Sanchez is stuck on his back as blood leaks on the mat from the side of his head. The Russian does not let him off the hook for one second, continually working from on top with effective strikes. Magomedsharipov sets up an arm-triangle choke, and he uses it to pass to side control for a moment before Sanchez recovers half guard. The unbeaten fighter again targets an arm-triangle, and this too does not work, leading MacDonald to ask them to keep fighting. As Sanchez sits up, Magomedsharipov punches him in the face until Sanchez leans back to the ground. The grueling fight ends, but it was quite a dominant performance as Sanchez can barely get back to his feet after the beating he received.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov (30-27 Magomedsharipov)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov (30-27 Magomedsharipov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedsharipov (30-27 Magomedsharipov)

The Official Result

Khasan Magomedsharipov def. Jose Sanchez via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Ciaran Clarke (144.8) vs. Aboubakar Tounkara (145.8)

Round 1

The hits keep coming for locals in the crowd, as undefeated SBG Ireland prospect Clarke (4-0, 4-0 BMMA) will aim to keep his undefeated record intact against French striker Tounkara (7-2, 0-0 BMMA). Marc Goddard will receive his final assignment of the evening as he oversees this featherweight affair, and the fighters are sporting enough to touch gloves before throwing down. Tounkara fires off one single jab before Clarke darts in to attempt a takedown, going after it in mere seconds. The taller, longer Tounkara sprawls against the fence, and Clarke does not abandon it even when Tounkara hacks at the side of his head with elbows. The Irishman stays dead set on achieving the single, and after a scramble, he cannot get Tounkara down for more than half a second. On his way up, Tounkara knees the Irishman in the face, and he tags him with a few more punches before Clarke crashes in for a telegraphed takedown. Tounkara grabs hold of a guillotine, and uses it to mount his opponent. When the choke does not elicit the tapout he seeks, Tounkara slugs Clarke in the face a few times until Clarke gives up his back. Tounkara gets his hooks in, and he fishes for a rear-naked choke before electing to turn over and get off more ground-and-pound. Clarke manages to muscle his way to a knee, and Tounkara jumps on to his back and drags him down to the ground while simultaneously isolating an arm for an armbar. Clarke defends and slides out the back door, but Tounkara grabs hold of Clarke’s right arm with a kimura in an effort to sweep. Clarke stifles this, and the crowd erupts into applause for their fighter’s first notable success in the near-four minutes of grappling thus far. Clarke elbows his foe’s side a few times, and Tounkara does not let go of the kimura even as his ribs take some damage. Clarke keeps the Frenchman stuck in the corner between the fence and the floor, landing a few strikes before the bell rings. In his corner, something appears to be amiss for Tounkara. He struggles to get his breath, is wincing in pain and his corner is attending to him. When able to get a clear view, it appears that his shoulder popped clean out of its socket towards the end of the round. In a bad way, Tounkara is not able to continue as the doctors come in to check on his condition. This is an unfortunate end to what was shaping up to be an interesting fight, and Irish fighters will end the night at 4-2 against foreign opponents – not counting the upcoming co-main event pitting Northern Ireland against Ireland.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tounkara
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Tounkara
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tounkara

The Official Result

Ciaran Clarke def. Aboubakar Tounkara R1 5:00 via TKO (Shoulder Injury)

Sinead Kavanagh (145.6) vs. Leah McCourt (145.8)

Round 1

This co-main event at Bellator 275 is a big one for the area, and it’s an important matchup at 145 pounds for these two ladies. Northern Ireland native McCourt (6-1, 5-0 BMMA) and her five-fight Bellator win streak will face off against ex-title challenger Kavanagh (7-5, 4-5 BMMA) out of Dublin, with possible title eliminator stakes on the line. Referee Kevin MacDonald understands the stakes involved in this fight, and he is ready for where it takes them all. The former teammates touch gloves, and McGregor is spotlighted as watching with extreme interest between these two SBG fighters. McCourt strides forward to engage, but she does not pull the trigger other than a single front kick that is off the mark. She uses another such kick to back Kavanagh off when Kavanagh comes forward with punches. McCourt greets her opponent with a stern left hand as “KO” advances, and she secures a body lock takedown to slam Kavanagh hard on the mat. McCourt lands in half guard but is quick to claim side control, where she steps over to mount shortly thereafter. Kavanagh intelligently rolls to her side to take half guard back, and she clamps on to McCourt’s neck with a possible guillotine choke. The choke is more of a holding maneuver than one to actually get a tap, and it forces McCourt to reevaluate her posture. When she does, Kavanagh hunts for a kimura in an effort to hit a sweep, and McCourt gloms on to her adversary to stop this from succeeding. Kavanagh manages to use the torque of the arm all the way through to roll McCourt to her back, and she holds on to the two-on-one wrist lock to attempt to get the sub. Kavanagh steps over to the side, and then north-south position, and she wrenches the grip with all her might. “KO” cranks the shoulder and McCourt flails, with her legs kicking as she is stuck in an extremely dangerous position. McCourt wriggles and shakes, hoping to slide her arm out as she kicks off the wall, but Kavanagh will not let the wrenching armlock go. McCourt snakes her arm out and sits up, and she manages to stand up and there is no indication of if her shoulder has taken any damage. McCourt shrugs off a few punches that soar at her, and she bowls forward in an attempted takedown. Kavanagh turns her around and looks for her own trip, but the round ends before it hits the ground again.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh

Round 2

McCourt does not appear hampered by the torqueing of her shoulder from the kimura, and she wades forward to strike. Kavanagh comes forward and trips, tweaking her ankle and grimacing, but she stands back up to find McCourt bearing down on her. The two women tie up in the clinch, and they go back and forth for position. McCourt, with her back to the wall, looks for a trip, and Kavanagh stands tall and does not budge. With Kavanagh pressing her foe to the wire, she gets off a few strikes with her left hand and arm. McCourt frames off so that she can sink her arm underneath the former title challenger’s neck, in search of a guillotine choke, and Kavanagh uses the position to try to take McCourt down. McCourt rolls through to reverse her, but Kavanagh is the more successful of the two as she winds up on top. McCourt scrambles back to her feet, only to get dragged back down to the mat. McCourt attempts to isolate Kavanagh’s right arm in search of her own kimura, and Kavanagh pounds on her side while she does this. Kavanagh yanks her arm out and starts smashing it in McCourt’s face, landing a few before McCourt kicks her off. Kavanagh falls to the mat, and her ankle that gave way earlier appears to be severely compromised as she cannot stand back up. McCourt wades into the guard, and Kavanagh fights off her back with a couple short elbows. McCourt rides out the remainder of the round, and Kavanagh struggles to get back to her feet when the bell sounds. She manages to get back up, and she limps back to her corner, clutching her knee.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh

Round 3

The former title challenger will not let a little thing like a possible serious knee injury keep her from coming out to start the last round. McCourt is on to her, and she lands a single leg kick that makes “KO” wobble back to the wall. McCourt ruthlessly but intelligently attacks the same spot with another kick, and Kavanagh is barely able to stay on her feet as a result. McCourt ties her up instead of picking away at it from afar, and Kavanagh loads up on a few punches up close until she grips hold of McCourt. Kavanagh sneaks up a knee right as McCourt gets off the mat, ruling it legal, and McCourt turns her around to take her down. McCourt climbs into the half guard, and as Kavanagh scrambles, McCourt jumps over to high mount. McCourt sits up to land a few punches from on high, and Kavanagh bucks to get her back to guard. Kavanagh attempts a guillotine off her back, placing her in imminent Von Preux choke danger, and she lets it go before McCourt picks up on it. Kavanagh throws a few elbows from her back, and McCourt hits her back as she attempts a leglock. Kavanagh muscles out of it and gets on top with seconds to spare. In an ultimate display of heart, Kavanagh not only fights off the submission, but she climbs into mount and smashes McCourt up right to the final buzzer. Kavanagh can barely walk when the fight is over, but she made it to the end and very well may have gotten her hand raised to snap a long win streak for her opponent.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 McCourt (29-28 Kavanagh)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kavanagh (30-27 Kavanagh)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 McCourt (29-28 Kavanagh)

The Official Result

Sinead Kavanagh def. Leah McCourt via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight:
Gegard Mousasi (184.6) vs. Austin Vanderford (183.7)

Round 1

They say that styles make fights, and that could not be any more true for this contrasting strategic matchup between powerful kickboxer and champ Mousasi (48-7-2, 6-1 BMMA) and gritty wrestler Vanderford (11-0, 5-0 BMMA). This Bellator 275 headliner with middleweight gold on the line shall receive oversight from referee Kerry Hatley, who will know first if Vanderford can knock Mousasi off of his pedestal or if the man colloquially referred to as “Mr. VanZant” will suffer his first defeat. The challenger and champ touch gloves as more of a formality than out of forthright respect, but the cage doors are sealed and the men are ready for action. Here we go. The two look to get their jabs going in the start of the fight, and Mousasi easily hops out of the way when Vanderford crashes forward towards him. Mousasi scores a clean one-two, and a stiff right hand that hurts Vanderford. The challenger gets wild, swinging recklessly while Mousasi is composed and the very image of calmness. Mousasi sticks his foot in his opponent’s face, and he cracks Vanderford with another one-two as Vanderford whiffs at him. The challenger takes a funny step, and he is in big trouble. The longtime veteran knows that “The Gentleman” is hurt badly, and he tees off on him with a few heavy, pinpoint-accurate strikes. Vanderford shoots for a desperation takedown, barely still in the fight, and Mousasi big brothers him with an uppercut and a shove to put Vanderford on the ground. Vanderford folds like a suit as he falls to the mat, face-first, and Mousasi begins what he expects to be his final onslaught of strikes. Vanderford is done, taking damage as Mousasi splits the guard and batters Vanderford with blows. A few more land, and Hatley recognizes that the challenger can no longer defend himself and stops the fight. In less than 90 seconds, the vaunted kickboxer known as “The Dreamcatcher” catches Vanderford’s dream and smashes it to the ground along with Vanderford’s undefeated record. Mousasi sends a message to the rest of the division with a devastating win, and anyone who faces this version of him will be in for rough sledding. The next Bellator show comes in two weeks, but there will be no belt on the line when Adam Borics takes on Mads Burnell. Tomorrow, the UFC limps to the finish line with an 11-fight offering, and we will also be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Gegard Mousasi def. Austin Vanderford R1 1:25 via TKO (Punches)