Unquestionably the biggest fight of the weekend, regardless of promotion, was the Bellator 295 main event featuring Raufeon Stots and Patchy Mix.
The interim 135lb title, held by Stots, was on the line. The label of Grand Prix champ was up for grabs. And a million dollars to the winner — who would then secure a shot at the winner of Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Pitbull.
Off the opening bell in Honolulu, Mix pressed forward, getting his hands going early in the Bellator 295 main event. Stots stayed mobile, and fired a low kick; the pair settled in, any early nervous energy appearing to have dissipated.
Stots fired his jab to the body, while Mix landed an outside leg kick. Moments later, Mix fired a jab up the middle, creating some space. His next blow would do a lot more than that. Mix fired a knee straight down the middle that crashed into Stots’ jaw. Raufeon Stots in turn went crashing back to the mat, and nothing else was needed to be done, said, or landed. Mix had the walk-off KO, the million dollars, a grand prix title belt, Bellator’s interim bantamweight championship, and a claim at being the bonafide best bantamweight in the promotion — a claim he will likely have a chance to solidify later this year.
OUT COLD! 😱@TeamMixMMA KNOCKS OUT @RaufeonStots to win the #BellatorBWGP $1,000,000 crown.#Bellator295 | LIVE NOW | @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/l0smOYG2yr
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 23, 2023
Mix, who had come up short in a title fight with Juan Archuleta a few years back, found his redemption in a big way on Saturday. The Stots win capped off an impressive run through the grand prix, that also saw him earn a decision win over ex-champ Kyoji Horiguchi, and submit dangerous Russian bantamweight Magomed Magomedov.
Official Result: Patchy Mix def. Raufeon Stots (ic) by KO (knee), Round 1, 1:20
