After securing his first win in the promotion against Brandon Girtz earlier this year, Myles Jury was looking to make it two in a row on Friday against Georgi Karakhanyan at Bellator 243. The pair met in a lightweight bout, one that saw Karakhanyan moving up from featherweight for the second straight fight, after making a name for himself at 145lbs.
In recent years, however, the former WSOF featherweight champ had struggled with the weight cut, and after winning a bout against Paul Redmond in February, it appeared like lightweight was the future for “Insane.”
Jury was concerned about his own future at Bellator 243. “Fury” opened on the outside against Karakhanyan, who took a big overhand swing between leg kicks in the early going. Jury fired back, and mixed in some kicks as well. Karakhanyan caught a kick and countered, continuing to threaten with his right and work his jab. Fairly evenly matched early, Karakhanyan fell back on his strength, pressuring Jury into the fence while working on a takedown. Jury employed a whizzer to keep upright, and while he’d escape, Karakhanyan went right back to the same approach. Jury would drop a few elbows in response. Karakhanyan would end up cut open by the end of the round, however. Jury would land a knee in the clinch in the last twenty seconds.
Jury opened the second round with a couple of kicks, to the body, outside of the leg, mixing them up in general. Karakhanyan’s overhand right would flash, but he continued to eat leg kicks, even an oblique kick or two. The teep kick was there for Jury, and a knee in the clinch. Jury appeared to be in his comfort zone, pulling ahead in terms of volume; Karakhanyan seemed content to load up on his right hand, looking for the KO. He’d land that right with about two minutes remaining, but it wasn’t flush, and Jury stayed standing, back to the fence. Well, until Karakhanyan took him down anyway. He could not keep Jury down, however, with “Fury” popping right back up. As the second round finished, Karakhanyan was again looking for a takedown.
Jury would land a standing elbow early in round three. As the round progressed Karakhanyan went back to hunting the takedown. But Jury would pull free, and Karakhanyan seemed to be waning. Karakhanyan, however, would jump into a guillotine attempt, which looked tight. Jury was too slick though; a maneuver that might have worked in the opening minutes didn’t late in the third. Jury pulled free, and worked on taking the back. Karakhanyan’s ground game was skilled enough to prevent that, but Jury would end up in guard on top to finish the round, and the fight.
A close one, and a second straight win for Jury, who is making the best of things in his new home.
Official Result: Myles Jury def. Georgi Karakhanyan by split decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)
