Bellator 216 saw the debut of Mirko Cro-Cop, Valerie Loureda, and Erick Silva in Bellator MMA. With two of the three coming up with key wins, it was a big night for the newcomers. Yet the main event was the fight that all eyes were on. Michael ‘Venom’ Page. Paul Daley. A grudge match that had been building for years. So of course, MVP vs. Daley failed to live up to the hype.

How could it? That’s not to say it was a bad fight, it simply wasn’t what fans were expecting. Scratch that — early on, it was a bad fight, with Daley refusing to engage. As the fight wore on, it upped its status to “okay,” but now that MVP vs. Daley has come and gone, there’s no question it failed to meet expectations, lofty as they were.

That said, Valerie Loureda met hers, earning a first round TKO finish for the main card’s only stoppage. And Cro-Cop continued to turn back time, earning a close decision against Roy Nelson, and evening their career series at one win a piece.

Check below for full results, and some of the best photo highlights from Bellator 216!

Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley Results:

Main Card

Michael Page def. Paul Daley by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Mirko Cro-Cop def. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Cheick Kongo def. Vitaly Minakov by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Yaroslav Amosov def. Erick Silva by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Valerie Loureda def. Colby Fletcher by TKO, Round 1, 2:55

Preliminary Card

Nekruz Mirkhojaev def. Pat Casey by submission (neck crank), Round 3, 1:18
Jesse Kosakowski def. Rodolfo Neves Rocha by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:05
Vinicius de Jesus def. Rodolpho Barcellos by TKO, Round 1, 3:46
Tyrell Fortune def. Ryan Porkyfky by TKO, Round 1, 2:21
Kemran Lachinov def. Kastriot Xhema by technical submission (knee-bar), Round 2, 0:53
Justin Sumter def. Reginaldo Felix by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:27
Demetrios Plaza def. Drews Rodriguez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

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Uncasville CT- Vinicius de Jesus was the third fight of the preliminary card at Bellator 216 this past Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena. He made quick work of Rodolfo Barcellos (winning by TKO at 3:46 of round one) which impressed everyone in attendance. The media was then sent scrambling for the chance to talk with the victor coming off of his statement victory.

Not only was this victory special for where de Jesus is in his career, but to win at home in Connecticut, with family and friends surrounding him is always an important memory being created.

“This is what I fight for, bringing the show for everyone is special but in the end it is the moments with my family that are most special,” he said back stage. “This is a family business, my wife is a black belt, my father is my coach, this is our life.”

“This is my fucking arena, I’ll fight anywhere but if you come here to fight me, I’m the lion, I’m the predator, you will taste defeat.”

This is arguably Vinicius de Jesus’ arena, as his four Bellator bouts have all taken place at Mohegan Sun Arena. Through those four fights, he has gone 3-1. The one loss came via split decision, but de Jesus didn’t leave this one to the judges. A first round KO is a big way to continue the path to a title fight, and fight some big time names on the way.

“At least Barcellos was man enough to face me. Dillon Danis keeps running away from everyone,” de Jesus said. “My next fight will be with Danis, Bellator set it up, he needs to fight I just beat up a BJJ black belt, I want to show him you need to be a complete fighter in this sport.”

de Jesus has not been shy in showing his interest for fighting Dillon Danis. The 1-0 BJJ specialist has been inactive since his debut, and now is in suspension talks due to his UFC 229 antics. It was rumored by many via twitter that Danis may have been a possible opponent for de Jesus early in the matchmaking process for Bellator 216, obviously until UFC 229 changed some of those plans.

“He doesn’t fight me, he doesn’t fight anyone. He claims he is the best in Bellator, he has one fight with a guy without jiu jitsu. Fighting guys like that is easy. He acts tough, well fight a guy like me who can match you on jiu jitsu and make your life hell striking.”

Vinicius de Jesus has made it known who he has in mind for his next scrap, now it is up to Danis and Bellator to set it up. de Jesus is now a winner in 6 of his last 7 and improved to 7-2-0 overall over the weekend. His performance proves what many media members already knew, that it is time for Vinicius de Jesus to face some bigger names, he is as ready as ever.

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Uncasville, CT — It wouldn’t be MMA if things went according to plan. Hosted over back-to-back nights at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, Bellator 215 and Bellator 216 were a couple of tentpole events that didn’t quite live up to their big top billing. Bellator 215, in particular, fizzled, though as Bellator CEO Scott Coker mentioned following the second of the events, there were some good fights on the card. Just not the main event, which ended 15 seconds in when Matt Mitrione landed a low blow on Sergei Kharitonov.

The main event the next night, MVP vs. Daley, went the distance. Yet it was an anticlimactic end to a heated grudge match, a fight in which Paul Daley decided now was the time to wrestle, after years of complaining about wrestlers holding him down. That Michael Page struggled as much as he did shows he still has work to do, but Page at least took home the decision win, and moves on in the welterweight grand prix.

Coker, meanwhile, was left to address what went right, what went wrong, and where Bellator goes from here.

“I thought it would be more of a striking event,” he said of MVP vs. Daley. “But I don’t blame [Daley], because he’s fighting a very good striker as well. I think that he thought if he could wrestle him, take him down, maybe mix it up a little bit, some more opportunities might open up to score with his hands. But it just didn’t happen, I think time ran out on him.”

That it did. While Coker said he doesn’t score fights, but rather observes them as a fan, he did add that “the theme of the first couple rounds seemed like there was not much action on his [Daley’s] part. I think he had a slow start, and I think he lost the first couple of rounds, just on inactivity. So now, MVP just has to win one round.”

“That’s the nature of these five rounds fights, it’s get busy, get there early. I think he started just a little bit too late.”

The bout was another piece of the welterweight grand prix puzzle. With talk of another grand prix to come, Coker admitted that one will happen. Just not yet. “We are not going to be doing multiple tournaments at a time,” he insisted.

That having been said, Coker confirmed Bellator officials had talked about a featherweight tournament next, though nothing has been decided.

Bellator 216 certainly had a better atmosphere than 215 the night before, which saw some iffy judging and a main event end early due to a low blow. “Today we had some great fights. And last night we had a couple of great fights,” he said of the double-header. “We’ve been on a role with Hawaii and all the different, great fight cards we’ve had. And last night, to me, it was an okay night, it didn’t end well, but we had a couple good fights on the televised portion of the card. I think they were pretty good.”

“Then today, I enjoyed a lot of the fights. I know a lot of the fighters feel a certain way, or some of the journalists feel a certain way, but you’ve got to respect the judges, let the commission do their job. That’s the ruling.”

On the heavyweight front, Coker confirmed that Cheick Kongo will fight for gold next. “Kongo is the number one contender, that is the number one contender fight, and he’ll be fighting Ryan Bader at some point, maybe summertime,” the Bellator CEO told reporters.

Then there’s Cro-Cop, who topped Roy Nelson is a fight that went to decision. One name in mind for the Croatian legend is Fedor Emelianenko. It’s the biggest legends fight any promotion could make.

Though Coker has not spoken to Fedor since Bellator 19 in January, he revealed that “I’ve always said look, if you want to do one in Russia, or fight one in Japan, before he moved on and retired, that would be a lot of fun for us. Especially if you want to do it in Moscow. I know Mirko wants to avenge that fight, he’s told me personally, his management has repeatedly asked me about it. But it’s something I have to talk to Fedor about.”

One place Bellator might not be getting back to any time soon is Canada. The promotion has been absent for years despite boasting two reigning Canadian champions. Asked by Cageside Press about the possibility of a return, Coker explained that “Canada is a little bit tricky, because the venue there in Toronto where we would go is very busy. So that’s a big problem.”

“With Rory [MacDonald] fighting Jon [Fitch], if Rory wins, his continuation in the tournament will probably be in June, so that’s a possibility, but most likely it will end up maybe in New York or L.A.” Well, that doesn’t bode well for a trip to the Great White North.

For more from Scott Coker, check the full Bellator 216 scrum with the promotion’s CEO above.

The post Following Bellator 216, Scott Coker Keen on Cro-Cop vs. Fedor, Possibly in Russia appeared first on Cageside Press.

Uncasville, CT — Michael Page vs. Paul Daley, the main event of Bellator 216 on Saturday night, was one of the biggest grudge matches in Bellator MMA history. That’s not hyperbole. In a build that lasted years, with both men trashing the other in interviews and on social media, the groundwork was set for an absolute firefight.

Both fighters, after all, were dangerous strikers. Deadly. Capable of feats in the cage few others could manage. Both had a signature flying knee victory in Bellator. So imagine the surprise when Paul Daley decided to come out and wrestle. ‘Venom’ Page certainly wasn’t expecting it, he admitted to reporters including Cageside Press backstage following Bellator 216.

That said, he’ll take the win. But the feud may not be over. “In honesty, it’s not done,” MVP said. While admitting that he is “somewhat happy, obviously, getting a win,” he quickly added “but no, it’s not done. And it might mean actually bringing this fight to the UK in future.”

Many feel the U.K. is where the fight should have happened originally. Putting the two biggest stars of British MMA in Connecticut did feel like strange booking, to be sure. Then again, fans aren’t exactly chomping at the bit for a rematch after what happened at Bellator 216. Through the first round, Daley refused to engage, clearly wary of being drawn into a counter. Nary a strike was thrown. Then, a man known for his knockout skills opted to wrestle.

Paul Daley? Wrestling?

‘Semtex,’ however, wasn’t the only one worthy of criticism. At times, Page was simply unable to get out from under Daley, who isn’t exactly known for his wrestling prowess. However, any ire directed at Michael Page might be tempered by the knowledge that he headed into the fight coping with the death of his father.

And he knows Saturday wasn’t a shining moment. “I’m not happy with my performance,” he acknowledged. “I’m proud of myself because it wasn’t just a physical battle in there, it was a mental battle. It’s been very difficult since Christmas. To be able to even train for this fight, just being here and getting in the cage, it’s been extremely difficult.”

“So I’m proud of myself for doing it, still not happy for the performance,” MVP continued. “I made a lot of mistakes, myself. At the same time, I told you guys he was a bitch, man. He didn’t really want it.”

It’s hard to argue that point.  Daley simply did not look himself on Saturday. “He was talking all this stuff about being able to knock me out,” pointed out ‘Venom,’ “and he ran the whole the first round. Then all he wanted to do was play ground work. Play wrestling.”

“This guy’s a veteran in terms of the amount of times he’s been in that cage. This is my first five-rounder, and I was physically better than him, physically stronger than him, still going in even the fifth round.” Page frankly sounded incredulous on that point. “And he was dying. He made some terrible mistakes in the fifth round that definitely allowed me to kind of regain and capitalize and then take over.”

Page’s unanimous decision victory is not just a win over ‘Semtex.’ It was a win that knocked Daley out of the welterweight grand prix. Stole from him what might have been his last chance at a major title. Asked whether that fact made the win any more satisfying, MVP suggested it did. Then added, “where does he go after I beat him? Seriously, where does he go?”

“I believe he should retire, and just be done with it, because he’s not good enough,” Page said of his opponent. “His gym is a sham. Anyone in Nottingham, or Newcastle, where ever the hell he lives, don’t ever go there. He overcharges and under-delivers, the same way he did here. Undelivered.”

“I don’t see him going anywhere. The reason why he’s been at the level that he is, is because he can’t get past the top echelon of the sport. He reminds me of Arsenal.”

Watch the full Bellator 216 post-fight press scrum with Michael Page above!

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Michael Page and Paul Daley were supposed to give us fireworks at Bellator 216. Instead, the pair of Brits left us wanting more. Nonetheless, there was a winner – Michael “Venom” Page. He will now fight former two-time Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima on May 11.

As usual, Twitter reacted and here they are!

STILL PERFECT 😤#Bellator216 #BelieveTheHype pic.twitter.com/I75WiZbfq1

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) February 17, 2019

May 11 – Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page!

With the win, @MichaelPage247 will now face @PhenomLima on May 11 in the next round of the Grand Prix.#Bellator216

— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) February 17, 2019

It’s bad when the ring card boy is clowning.

No matter who you thought won that, can we agree Lima will most likely smash them? 🤔 #Bellator216

— The Mane Event™ (@EliasTheodorou) February 17, 2019

The MMA world had MVP winning.

The data from the Global Scorecard for MVP vs. Paul Daley.#Bellator216 pic.twitter.com/w79EDK4IBg

— Verdict (@VerdictMMA) February 17, 2019

Ben knows grappling.

OMG as bad as Page is at grappling, Daley might be worse! 🤯

— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) February 17, 2019

The fight had a few moments, but it definitely wasn’t fire.

In my humble opinion I don’t feel like bellator has very many good match ups, but this main event is going to be fire 🔥.

— Ray Borg (@tazmexufc) February 17, 2019

Boom goes the dynamite! #Bellator216 pic.twitter.com/oJLLS88CH4

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) February 17, 2019

While the main event didn’t go according to plan, the card was still a better offering overall than Bellator 215 a night earlier. Though the lack of finishes on the main card was something as a surprise, after all but one preliminary bout avoided the judges.

The main card fighters might have been wise to learn a lesson from the prelims. Judging was its usual self, with Kongo vs. Minakov and Nelson vs. Cro-Cop raising a few eyebrows.

Well, there’s always UFC Phoenix tomorrow to look forward to, see y’all then!

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Uncasville, CT — Cheick Kongo is not a man who spends a lot of time talking on the mic. On Saturday, after yet another victory, this time over former Bellator MMA heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov, he had few words. But Kongo certainly made them count.

Perhaps the most animated Cheick Kongo ever seen announced post-fight to the assembled press that he had something to say. “I’m pretty satisfied with the decision tonight,” he started. “It was great, I did a great performance, and I just beat the champion, Vitaly Minakov.”

Despite his satisfaction with the win, however, that wasn’t what Cheick Kongo wanted to address. Instead, he said, “the question is, where’s my belt? Somebody used to hold my belt. The belt wasn’t made with heavyweights, but just light heavyweights.”

“I just want to say something clear: Ryan, where ever you are, just come to bring me the belt, so I can make it easy for you. If not, I will f*ck you!”

Well, that was certainly clear. “At this time, I’m just a little bit tired and frustrated,” Kongo added, thanking the media members present for their concern. When it was pointed out that Scott Coker had announced him as the number one contender, saying earlier in the evening that Kongo will fight Bader for the title, ‘The Darkness’ replied “Today, it is [so]. But four years ago, when I used to perform, at the same time, I didn’t get the time so the title used to be vacant.”

“Bader just come, please, or I will f*ck you up for real!” he finished, before exiting the arena.

The post After Bellator 216, Cheick Kongo Wants His Belt, Threatens to F*ck Up Bader appeared first on Cageside Press.

Uncasville, CT — There was only one finish on the Bellator 216 main card Sautrday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena. That came care of Valerie Loureda, the 20-year old Taekwondo sensation who made her pro MMA debut. Taking on Colby Fletcher, it took Loureda less than a round to get the job done. After a 2-1 amateur career, she’s now 1-0 as a pro.

There’s no question that Loureda has a look, and personality, that is extremely marketable. But she also knows that she needs to perform. So far so good.

“I felt a vibe, and I delivered,” she said of the win Saturday, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press. On her tears following her win, Loureda said that “I think it’s less about emotion to me, and more about the passion I have for this.”

“People truly don’t understand that this is what I breathed since I was a girl. This is in my blood,” she continued. “I was just so passionate about this moment, and I’ve been thinking about this exact moment for the past four months, since I found out I was going to fight for Bellator. I’ve been scripting it in my head, how it’s going to go, how it needs to go.”

It’s all about hard work paying off for the young flyweight. “I put in the work for the fight to turn out the way it did. So I’m very honored, and I’m very blessed. I deserved what happened tonight. I gave it all I’ve got, I know nobody works as hard as I do, and I’m just really looking forward to what’s coming after this.”

On making the jump from amateur fights to the pros, Loureda told Cageside Press that “I just knew that I’m the type of person that the more pressure, the more lights, the more cameras, the better for me.”

“I’m a true performer, I’m a true martial artist,” she stated. That much was clear from her entrance alone at Bellator 216. And the fact that she went right to business in the fight. “I just knew that if I was given this opportunity, I was going to take advantage of it, and I was going to show the world who I really am.”

She did, however, admit to some butterflies. “I had butterflies all week, but I was very calm because I knew the camp that I had. And I kept saying in my head, ‘there’s no way you come out of this fight losing, it’s not possible.'”

Yet when fight day arrived, things changed. “In the morning when I woke up, I was just crying all day,” she recalled, adding that a headache set in. The tears weren’t from nerves, at least at first. Rather “because I was so excited that the moment was finally here,” Loureda explained. “But then I got very nervous.  Started doubting myself. But then I was like ‘no Valerie, this is your time, no one is going to take this away from you, you’ve been working your whole life for this.’ And I was able to rise above the rest, like I always say, and I did it.”

Watch the full Bellator 216 post-fight press scrum with Valerie Loureda above.

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Uncasville, CT — You could pen a novel on the build-up to Michael ‘Venom’ Page vs. Paul Daley at Bellator 216. An interesting one, at that. The two British strikers had been circling for years. Trash talk spewed forth, heavy in volume, light on consequences. Until Saturday night in Connecticut, where the U.K.’s biggest MMA fight went down. On the wrong side of the pond, but after the on-again, off-again nature of the bout, few were complaining.

Daley was the old dog, Page the young lion, though in reality, that spoke only to their MMA experience. Only four years separated them in age, despite Michael Page consistently being labeled a “prospect.” Those, with his dismantling of David ‘Caveman’ Rickels last year, it should have been clear that the prospect had arrived.

The crowd was on its feet as the pair made their walks to the cage, a show of exactly how revered the two British strikers were stateside. A sold out arena was looking for a flash knockout, a flying knee, pretty much any violent finish imaginable.

MVP chants broke out early as Page held center, allowing Daley to circle outside. Daley seemed to simply bounce as he moved side ot side; Page, as always, had his hands low. MVP flashed a kick, but it was more of a warning, looking to judge distance perhaps. Nowhere near the target. A hint of a jab from Page. Virtually nothing from Daley through half a round. Then a kick to the body landed on Daley. Page had connected with the first significant strike.

When the pair went back to just facing off, the crowd let them have it. Nary a strike thrown since that kick. At least not that landed. Daley fanned on a low kick. Venom gestured, “bring it on,” trying to goad Daley into moving forward. Page then connected with a jab. A kick to the thigh. And that was the round. A jab, a handful of kicks. Did we miss anything?

Not what anyone expected, to be sure. Round two saw Page return to the theatrics, with Daley no more inclined to engage. Someone was going to have to commit, and Page did with a front kick. Daley, again, fanned on a kick of his own. Then, the unthinkable, Paul Daley shot in for a takedown, and it was nowhere to be found. He’d chase Page down, tying him up against the cage next. Page would eventually fight ‘Semtex’ off. Another takedown attempt followed, this time, Daley landed it. He’d tie up Page’s legs with his own, and trap Page with his back against the fence. Forcing Page to stay sitting kept Daley in dominant position, but he wasn’t able to do much with it. Page would make it to his feet just prior to the bell — only to be sent reeling when Daley finally connected! It might have coincided with a bit of a stumble, and Page was saved by the bell either way.

MVP opened the third with a leg kick, then went high with another. Later showing signs of a flying knee, it appeared he was looking to open up his bag of tricks. Another jump knee was flashed, but he pulled back. Instea, he connected with a jab. Then a right hand that landed. Daley stepped back, then re-engaged. Daley then led in with an overhand, dropping to a takedown. That Page fought off, but Daley would later land a trip and move into guard. This time, Daley was able to land some big shots while in control, and Page found himself under fire. He’d make it back up, but the round was Daley’s.

With the welterweight grand prix fights all being five rounds, there was two or less still to go. Anyone’s ball game. Page went after Daley with a front kick, and had the clear advantage on the feet. He simply needed to keep it there, on the feet. Every time Daley sensed danger, however, he shot in for the takedown. He landed as many as Page fought off through the fight, securing another with four minutes left in the fourth. Daley would keep the fight down nearly two minutes; as Page got back up, he fired a head kick that nearly connected just as Daley was turning. A couple of jump knees then had Daley covering up, as Page went on the attack. Then Page had Daley down! With thirty seconds to go, Page had ‘Semtex’ pinned along the fence. He’d manage to sneak in a few shots, but the round would end before too much damage could be done.

Paul Daley took the fight to the ground early in the fifth round of Bellator 216’s main event. With MVP threatening upkick, he nearly backed off, but waded back into guard while Page briefly looked for an arm-bar that was never really in play. It was the midway point of the round before Page made it back up, and when he did, he took Daley’s back, threatening with a rear-naked choke. MVP then dropped a number of elbows as an exhausted Daley worked to scramble free. He’d make it up in the final minute, only to wind up on his back with Page dropping punches.

Few saw Daley choosing to use his grappling. And the crowd certainly wasn’t happy when Michael Page’s name was read, after what was a fairly back-an-forth fight. Page now moves on to face Douglas Lima in the welterweight grand prix semi-finals.

Michael Page def. Paul Daley by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

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There were two ways of looking at Roy Nelson vs. Mirko Cro-Cop at Bellator 216 on Saturday night. A rematch of their UFC showdown in 2011 (Nelson stopped the Croatian legend in the third round), it was either two old dogs past their prime — or two legends capable of putting on a show for the fans if either were to connect clean.

A lot was riding on that last clause. Could either man connect clean? Big Country, as Nelson is more commonly known, has slowed in his forties. His power was still there. Yet while never a quick fighter by any stretch, the rotund heavyweight was prone to lose any hope of a knockout after the first frame of late. And though capable of grappling to the bell, was that what any fan wanted to see? As for Cro-Cop, his impressive late-career win streak had come against lesser, or at least smaller (i.e. King Mo) competition.

The popular Nelson had lost two straight, the last a rare knockout at the hands of Sergei Kharitonov. Cro-Cop had won nine in a row, dating back to 2014. In fact, he had lost just once since facing Big Country for the first time.

The bout started with Big Country pressing the action, and the pair circling. Roy backed Cro-Cop up, then launched the right hand, which Mirko evaded. Another right hand came a minute later; Roy shot in low, but Cro-Cop fought off the takedown. Then the Croatian took control, attacking and pressing Big Country into the fence. Nelson reversed. Cro-Cop pushed Nelson back, reversed position, and looked to create space, but it was Nelson landing an elbow.

Then Cro-Cop fired off an uppercut. Nelson launched a knee then another, holding a Thai clinch. Nelson was having surprising success in the clinch. After breaking, Cro-Cop pushed Nelson into the cage and launched an elbow, then a big uppercut that had Nelson cover up for a moment. A kick to the body followed, connecting with a crack and leaving a red mark plain as day. That forced Nelson to work for a takedown, but he’d simply eat another elbow, answering it with a knee before the round ended.

Nelson swung hard to open the second, but was unable to hit the mark. He pressed forward, but Cro-Cop reversed and fired a knee, with Roy backed into the cage. An elbow followed. Another knee. Then a hard uppercut, that seemed to wake Nelson, as he pushed Cro-Cop off. Nelson landed a leg kick. Cro-Cop then answered with two of his own. Anything you can do, I can do better. Cro-Cop went upstairs with a kick only partially blocked. A jab connected for Cro-Cop; Nelson would then search for a takedown to no avail. Despite the years that had passed, it was the older man looking fresher, but Nelson was still dangerous. He connected. Cro-Cop retreated. Fired knees from a clinch. Nelson landed a body kick, but while pressing his opponent into the fence, Cro-Cop attempted a half-hearted guillotine. Nelson went to the body late in the round, with Cro-Cop landing another big body kick of his own. The round ended with Nelson lunging in swinging.

In the third, Nelson connected a couple of times early, but neither punch landed clean. Cro-Cop’s leg kicks were becoming a factor. Nelson lunged for a single leg only for Cro-Cop to pull free. Nelson swung wide on an uppercut that would have turned out the legend’s lights, then drove Cro-Cop into the fence. Then, late in the round, a big slam takedown from Big Country. That very well could have earned him the round, as Cro-Cop latched on with a closed guard and tried to tie things up. Nelson looked to create space for some elbows, and finished the round on top.

That, however, was too little, too late for Big Country. Mirko Cro-Cop took home the decision, evening their career series at 1-1.

Mirko Cro-Cop def. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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The Bellator 216 heavyweight showdown between Minakov and Kongo was a key clash for the promotion’s heavyweight division. In an interesting coincidence, the ex-champ returning from exile, Vitaly Minakov, was set to face the last man he defeated in Bellator, Cheick Kongo. That was 2014, with Minakov defending the Bellator heavyweight championship. He’d then find himself in a contract dispute, fighting in Russia, eventually stripped of the belt.

Yet after Fight Nights Global fell apart, Minakov would come to terms with Bellator. Now, he was once again facing Kongo, in what was very much a title eliminator. The former UFC star known as ‘The Darkness’ had amassed an impressive run of his own. Kongo had won seven straight. His last two, against Javy Ayala and former UFC fighter Tim Johnson, came via knockout. Minakov, meanwhile, was an undefeated 21-0.

Someone’s streak was set to end on Saturday. The questions, who and how.

Minakov threw first, landed first, with Kongo on the outside. On his next attack the Russian slipped, giving up position. Freeing himself, however, Minakov once again pressed the action. Threw the right hand. Swung with it again, hard. Kongo answered back with a left then drove the ex-champ into the fence. And then the low blow, answered with a chorus of boos by the crowd at Mohegan Sun, no doubt reminded of the previous night’s sad end to Mitrione vs. Kharitonov.

Unlike his compatriot, however, Minakov was able to continue. He once again went on the attack, firing a combo then tying ‘The Darkness’ up against the fence. Kongo continued to attack with kicks, only for Minakov to catch one and dump him.

While neither man was able to sustain their attack in the first, there were plenty of openings. That stop-and-start approach continued early in the second, Minakov again the aggressor Kongo more often than not countering. The former champ had his mouth open, and having been away over a year, may have been experiencing some cardio issues.

Kongo, however, continued to circle away, allowing Minakov to dictate the pace regardless. Minakov went to the body with a right. He was charging in, leaning in, a little more recklessly. Finally, tying up along the fence, the pair exchanged some short punches; following some knees, off the break, Kongo landed, but could not follow it up. The round ended with a Kongo knee, and the hope that one or the other would turn it up in the third.

Were the fight to continue as it had through most of the first two rounds, Vitaly Minakov was likely going to maintain his perfect record. The round certainly opened in familiar fashion, Minakov on the hunt, Kongo looking to evade. This time, however, the Russian was able to take Kongo to the ground early. In half-guard, he worked the body and head with punches. Kongo looked to hold on, tie things up, but the pair were too slick. Nowhere near the fence, Minakov was able to control from the clock, eating precious seconds off the clock.

It wasn’t until the final thirty seconds that Kongo regained his feet. When he did, however, he began teeing off on Minakov. The Russian was under heavy fire, with an uppercut slipping through his guard, and a knee landing. He retreated, but the fight was over. It was enough, though, to win Kongo the round. And with all judges giving him at least one of the other two, he’d done enough to earn the decision (let’s just not get into the 30-27).

Cheick Kongo def. Vitaly Minakov by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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