Mohammad Yahya picked up his second win of the year in his Bellator MMA debut in Newcastle, England.
At Bellator 191, airing Saturday on Spike TV, a welterweight featured bout between Mohammad Yahya and Ash Griffiths went down as the second fight in on the main card. Interestingly, Yahya came in well under the welterweight limit, weighing in at 163lbs. The action took place in Newcastle, England and aired via tape delay.
Griffiths got the bout to the floor early, muscling the smaller Mohammad Yahya to the canvas. Yahya controlled his opponent’s posture, and kept Griffiths trapped in his closed guard. Unable to pass, Griffiths looked to work in some elbows, but the pair scooted back to the fence, where Yahya worked back to his feet. Griffiths then pulled guard in a guillotine attempt, but was unable to finish. That opened the door for Yahya to land some ground and pound, then attack from the back, taking Griffiths down again.
More ground and pound followed, and before long, the ref had seen enough, waving it off. With the win, Mohammad Yahya became the first fighter from the United Arab Emirates to score a win in Bellator MMA.
Mohammad Yahya def. Ash Griffiths by TKO, Round 1, 3:26
