Former Bellator MMA welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov stormed back into the win column in a big way Friday. At Bellator 182, he took less than a round to finish off Chidi Njokuani, striking first with a spinning back fist, then later flooring his opponent and dropping bombs until the ref mercifully waved things off. It was a statement victory in the first fight back for Koreshkov, who lost his belt last November to Douglas Lima.
Since that time, the Bellator welterweight landscape has changed dramatically, with Rory MacDonald having made his promotional debut, defeating Paul Daley, not to mention free agent signing Lorenz Larkin coming in and immediately challenging for the title at Bellator NYC. Yet Koreshkov does not care who has the belt, and his message is simple.
“Rory or Douglas, it doesn’t matter. Be ready, because I’m coming, I’m coming for them both” he said following the event to assembled media members, with Cageside Press in attendance.
When asked if the fresh blood in Bellator’s welterweight division motivated him, or if it bothered him that free agent signings might get a short road to the title, the former champ said that it didn’t. Via translator, Koreshkov said he wasn’t “upset or disappointed by it or motivated or anything.” Instead, he feels like he “has a path he wants to take to the title. He feels he made a mistake a year ago, and lost his title, and today was the first step in the right direction, and he hopes the next step is a title shot.”
You can watch the entirety of Koreshkov’s post-fight appearance below.
