Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Photo Highlights

Matt Mitrione vs Sergei Kharitonov, Bellator 225
Matt Mitrione vs Sergei Kharitonov, Bellator 225 Credit: Bellator MMA

With a 100% finish rate through fourteen fights, Bellator 225 was one of the best cards of the year so far.

Bellator 225 delivered something completely unexpected on Saturday night in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The promotion’s first trip outside tribal land in the state was a deep card, with a better-than-average set of prelims, and a solid main card. On paper, it was good, not great. In the end, it was great bordering on brilliant.

Fourteen fights, fourteen finishes. That’s all you really need to know about Bellator 225. But if you look a little closer, you’ll find the middleweight debut of Austin Vanderford promising to strong future for ‘Mr. VanZant’ in the 185lb weight class. An upset of Mike Kimbel that proves the young prospect still has much to learn about patience, after he tried himself out hunting the finish. A record-setting heel hook submission for Aviv Gozali. The first career finish for Khonry Gracie, son of UFC legend Royce.

That was just on the preliminary card. Strong outings from Yaroslav Amosov, Tyrell Fortune, Alejandra Lara, Vitaly Minakov, and Sergei Kharitonov made up the main card. Really, it’s hard to find fault in an event with nothing but finishes. So instead, just check out the highlights in case you missed them, which can be found below!