Don’t miss highlight’s from Friday’s Bellator 222 in New York, which saw Kyoji Horiguchi capture a second title, and Rory MacDonald once again defend the welterweight championship.
Bellator’s latest tent pole event has come and gone. Bellator 222 turned out to be an action-packed card, and gosh darn if it wasn’t a whole lot of fun. Kyoji Horiguchi won a second title in a major promotion, and now holds bantamweight gold in both RIZIN FF and Bellator MMA. Rory MacDonald successfully defended his welterweight title, and advanced to the final of Bellator’s welterweight grand prix.
Lyoto Machida, meanwhile, kneed Chael Sonnen into retirement, with not one but two flying knees landing at various points of the pair’s light heavyweight battle.
Check below for highlights from the stacked card, which went down Friday at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Bellator 222 Main Card
- Rory MacDonald def. Neiman Gracie by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47 x2) – Bellator Welterweight Championship
- Lyoto Machida def. Chael Sonnen by TKO (Flying Knee and Punches) in Round 2 (0:22)
- Dillon Danis def. Max Humphrey by Submission (Armbar) in Round 1 (4:28)
- Patrick Mix def. Ricky Bandejas by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in Round 1 (1:06)
- Juan Archuleta def. Eduardo Dantas by KO (Right Hook) in Round 2 (4:59)
- Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell by Unanimous Decision (49-46 x2, 48-47) – Bellator Bantamweight Championship
Preliminary Card
- John Beneduce def. Kenny Rivera by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27 x2)
- Kastriot Xhema def. Whitney Francois by TKO (Punches) in Round 2 (3:17)
- Brandon Polcare def. Brandon Medina by Submission (Guillotine Choke) in Round 1 (4:33)
- Taylor Turner def. Heather Hardy by TKO (Punches) in Round 1 (3:53)
- Adam Borics def. Aaron Pico by KO (Flying Knee) in Round 2 (3:55)
- Valerie Loureda def. Larkyn Dasch by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
- Lindsey VanZandt def. Rena Kubota by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in Round 1 (4:04)
- Haim Gozali def. Gustavo Wurlitzer by Submission (Triangle Choke) in Round 1 (4:02)
- Mike Kimbel def. Sebastian Ruiz by Split Decision (30-27 x2, 28-29)
- Robson Gracie Jr. def. Oscar Vera by Submission (Armbar) in Round 1 (3:15)
- Marcus Surin def. Nekruz Mirkhojaev by Split Decision (30-27, 27-29, 29-27)
- Phil Hawes def. Michael Wilcox by TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) in Round 1 (5:00)
