Check out the highlights from this past weekend’s Bellator 198: Fedor vs. Mir!
Chicago, IL — Saturday night’s Bellator 198 cemented its position as one of the biggest Bellator cards of all time thanks to a star-studded main event, and four straight finishes to open the main card. Topping the night was the return of ‘The Last Emperor’ Fedor Emelianenko, and even if it was for but a moment, the heavyweight legend looked his old self, sending opponent Frank Mir crashing to the canvas off a short uppercut. The face plant by Mir was a rough finish for a fighter coming off a two-year layoff, but for Russia’s Fedor, it was a chance to carry on in Bellator’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix, and perhaps have one last moment of glory.
Earlier in the night, jiu-jitsu was the story. With the legendary Royce Gracie watching over the card, not one, not two, nor three but four submission wins were rattled off once the action got underway at the AllState Arena in Chicago. Dillon Danis stunned with a toe-hold is his pro debut. Neiman Gracie followed with an arm triangle choke, then Rafael Lovato Jr. scored a sneaky arm-bar on Gerald Harris. Finally, in the co-main event, Emmanuel Sanchez followed in Gracie’s footsteps with another arm-triangle choke.
It was an unprecedented rush of finishes, and a stellar night overall. Below, you can check out some of the highlights from the main card, and post-fight press conference afterward, courtesy of Bellator MMA and Cageside Press staff writer Mike Straus!
