Despite the loss of its main event, Bellator 235, the promotion’s Salute the Troops show in Hawaii, offered up plenty of action Friday.
Bellator 235 hit a major speed bump with the last-minute loss of its main event. Josh Barnett took ill Friday in Honolulu, Hawaii, leading to his removal from the card. Barnett had been expected to face off with fellow UFC alum Ronny Markes. With no chance of finding a replacement, the card moved forward with a makeshift main event featuring Toby Misech and Erik Perez.
Perez, a UFC veteran who left the promotion on a win streak, went undefeated in a pair of fights with Combate Americas in his post-octagon career. But it was out in a flash when he ran up against Misech, the dropped the promotional newcomer in the opening round.
It was Alejandra Lara stealing the show on Friday however. The Colombian, a former title challenger, picked apart fellow contender Veta Arteaga across three full rounds, bloodying her badly by the end. The performance was quite a statement, especially given the fact that Arteaga gave champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane her toughest test to date earlier this year, at least before the fight was stopped due to an Arteaga cut.
There was no such stoppage on Friday, but the bloodied Arteaga had no answer for the formidable kicks. The win should propel Lara back into title contention, as she’s now on a two-fight win streak, both dominant performances.
Check below for a gallery of highlights from Bellator 235!
