llima-Lei Macfarlane

Macfarlane won the Bellator women’s flyweight title in November of 2017. She has defended that title four times and is running out of options in that division. She has respectfully cleared out her division which in return is making Bellator sign new talent to fill the weight class.

Bellator have recently signed Liz Carmouche, a training partner of Macfarlane at Team Hurricane Awesome (San Diego Combat Academy). Although they do train together it is not unheard of for teammates to fight one another. Especially when it’s for a title or for a shot to get closer to a title. With only super fights on the horizon for Macfarlane, it would seem that if she wants to stay at flyweight, this would be one of her only options. Carmouche has said she has no problem fighting her teammate for the title.

Next Fight: Teammate, Liz Carmouche 

Raufeon Stots

Raufeon Stots defeated Cheyden Leialoha via decision in his Bellator debut this past weekend. He is 12-1 in his career and has wins over Rob Emerson and Ralph Acosta. His one sole career loss is to Merab Dvalishvii before Dvalishvii got into the UFC. Being an already big name outside of Bellator, it is likely that the promotion looks to push him a little quicker than they normally push their prospects. With that being said a good next opponent for him would be Ricky Bandejas.

Bandejas is currently 2-2 inside the Bellator cage and 12-3 in his professional career. He burst on the scene when he scored a TKO win over James Gallagher, but they subsequently fell off the map with back-to-back losses to Juan Archuleta and Patrick Mix. Thankfully he bounced back with a win earlier this year. Scott Coker and Rich Chou would be smart to match up these two up-and-coming prospects to find out which of them is the next big thing for Bellator.

Next Fight: Ricky Bandejas

Jason Jackson

Jason Jackson scored himself an impressive decision win over Kiichi Kunimoto this past weekend. Making his record inside the Bellator cage 1-1 with his only loss a split decision loss to Ed Ruth. Jackson has had two opportunities to make it to the UFC that just never came to fruition. He lost on the Ultimate fighter to Michael Graves and he lost his Contender Series bout with Kyle Stewart due to an ankle injury. Although he does hold career wins over Dhiego Lima and Hermerson Souza. To put his skills to the test, Coker should look to book him against Sabah Homasi next.

Homasi is 1-0 in Bellator winning his debut via Ko against Micah Terrill in August. Homasi had a short stint in the UFC going 0-3 before being cut. He was set to fight Paul Daley in October but that fight was canceled. Now, seeing Jackson’s stock rise would be a great time to get back in the cage and try to use him as a stepping stone.

Next Fight: Sabah Homasi 

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For the second year in a row, Bellator MMA made Hawaii one of its December destinations. The penultimate event of the promotion’s calendar year, Bellator 236 was another homecoming for flyweight Queen Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. And once again, she made the most of her time in the spotlight. A dominant showing against Kate Jackson means Macfarlane will move on to face either Juliana Velasquez (who also won on the night), or perhaps take part in a flyweight grand prix, if Bellator CEO Scott Coker’s hints earlier in the week come to pass.

The other key moment on the Bellator 236 card, the continued dominance of A.J. McKee, who submitted Derek Campos to move on in the promotion’s featherweight grand prix. McKee is now a perfect 16-0, and it’s probably time to stop calling him a prospect. He has the longest win streak in Bellator history, the most submission wins in Bellator featherweight history, the most stoppages in the division’s history, and he’s tied with champ Patricio Pitbull for the most knockouts in the division. With wins over ex-champ Pat Curran, former WSOF champ Georgi Karakhanyan, and now Campos, McKee is a problem for anyone in the weight class.

He’s also a heavy favorite to go the distance in the tournament.

Check below for a gallery of highlights from Bellator 236!

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Ilima-Lei Macfarlane has been nothing short of excellent since her Bellator debut in 2015. The Hawaiian is 10-0 in her career with everything but her MMA debut taking place in the Bellator cage. She has six wins by submission and most recently won by doctor’s stoppage against Veta Arteaga in what was her third title defense.

Kate Jackson was a part of the flyweight season of The Ultimate Fighter, where she went 2-1, losing to eventual show winner Tatiana Suarez. She signed with Bellator after a win that followed her TUF appearance. Jackson is 3-1 since then with wins over Anastasia Yankova and Lena Ovchynnikova.

Macfarlane started with several jabs then initiated a clinch. Jackson tried to counter with a trip, but Macfarlane stayed upright and kept her grip on Jackson. Macfarlane kept pushing and eventually got her down. Jackson had butterfly guard, but Macfarlane got around it into half guard. Jackson used the wall to stand up, but Macfarlane countered with a standing anaconda choke and landed several knees. Jackson broke out of the choke and had a back clinch briefly, but Macfarlane re-established her clinch position. The fighters broke free at the very end of the round and connected with hard shots.

Macfarlane landed a right hand out of the gate in the second round. Jackson started landing leg kicks forcing Macfarlane to blitz in with punches and clinch. Jackson spun her around and dirty boxing ensued from both sides. Jackson separated and landed a left hand right into another clinch. This time, Macfarlane spun her around and dropped for a double-leg takedown. She got it and moved into half guard. At the end of the round, Macfarlane established mount off a Jackson sweep and went for an armlock but couldn’t get it.

Jackson went for a clinch early in the round and avoided a trip. They separated and got back to striking range. Macfarlane landed a few shots to the body and Jackson countered with a clinch. Nothing came of it and they separated. Macfarlane wobbled Jackson with a left hand, but she recovered quickly. The Hawaiian landed a huge combination then took Jackson down again into half guard, ending the round on top.

Championship rounds began and Macfarlane nailed Jackson with an uppercut right into a takedown. Jackson tried to counter with a sweep, but Macfarlane won the scramble and stayed on top. She began working from half guard. Macfarlane threw the legs of Jackson across and took her back. She was off the side of Jackson’s back and went for an armbar, rolling Jackson over. Jackson defended well and made it to the final round.

Macfarlane darted forward with an combination, keeping Jackson at bay. A body kick landed for Jackson, but she ate another combo from Macfarlane. Jackson clinched up with the champion against the cage. On the exit, Macfarlane landed an uppercut, forcing another clinch from Jackson. Macfarlane spun around and got yet another takedown with less than a minute to go. She went into mount, postured up and threw heavy blows in the waning seconds, but Jackson survived to the final bell.

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane def. Kate Jackson by Unanimous Decision (50-44 x2, 50-45)

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AJ McKee has been with Bellator for the entirety of his 15-fight undefeated career and is finally on the path to a title shot. After an eight-second knockout in the first round of the featherweight grand prix over Georgi Karakhanyan, McKee is two wins away from his first title fight.

Derek Campos first fought in Bellator in 2012 and has been consistently with them since 2013. Campos is 9-6 since 2013 and has yet to fight for the title. The Texas native snapped a three-fight losing streak in the first round of the featherweight grand prix with a win over Daniel Straus.

AJ McKee came out sprinting, throwing a flying knee and a combination. A spinning kick whiffed and McKee ended up on his back as Campos jumped on top. McKee threw some elbows from his back, then squirmed out and shot for a takedown of his own. McKee got Campos down and took his back. McKee couldn’t quite sink in the choke, but rode out the round on Campos’ back.

McKee knocked Campos down right away in the second round. He jumped on top and unloaded strikes, but Campos survived. He tried to spin out from the bottom and nearly ended up in a d’arce choke. Campos popped out and slugged it out with McKee, who fell off balance and stayed on his back. Campos took top position and began elbowing away with ground-and-pound. McKee attempted an armbar from his back, but still couldn’t get free of Campos, who ended the round on top.

McKee came out quickly in the third round again, but didn’t land cleanly. He then shot for a takedown and got Campos down. McKee was pushed off, but locked up an armbar, securing the head of Campos with his leg. Campos was forced to tap and we have our first finish of the main card.

AJ McKee def. Derek Campos by Submission (Armbar) in Round 3 (1:08)

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Jason Jackson is looking to make his mark on the next level after success in top regional promotions LFA and Titan FC, holding titles in both. Jackson had a three-fight win streak snapped most recently in his return to Bellator against standout prospect Ed Ruth.

Kiichi Kunimoto is a Japanese welterweight who was 3-2 in the UFC from 2014-2017. Losses to Neil Magny and Zak Ottow gave him the boot from the promotion. He won a pair of fights in RIZIN before heading to Bellator, where he lost to Ed Ruth as well.

Jason Jackson threw a head kick right away and took the center of the cage. Kunimoto whipped a leg kick around, then was dropped clean by a right straight. Jackson couldn’t pursue the finish, and Kunimoto stood back up. A big elbow connected for Jackson then a jab for Kunimoto. The Japanese fighter shot in for a takedown, got it, then quickly took the back of his opponent. Kunimoto was going for the choke, but Jackson spun out and took top position. Kunimoto grabbed an arm for a kimura that was deep, and Jackson was forced to roll three times to escape the armlock. He ended up in top position and stood up. The fighters clinched up after some jabs from Jackson, then Jackson lifted up his opponent and slammed him to the canvas to put an exclamation point on the end of the round.

Woah! @JacksonJason150 was looking for a big slam and he found it.

Watch #Bellator236 LIVE on @DAZN_USA and @SkySports.#BellatorHawaii pic.twitter.com/qd1Ufex6E5

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 22, 2019

Jackson had the center of the cage early on and Kunimoto was waving him forward. A right hand landed for Jackson then he stuffed a takedown. A leg kick swept Jackson off his feet, but he returned to upright position quickly. The jab for Jackson was landing with ease. He nailed Kunimoto with an uppercut then avoided a takedown. The right hands started flying through for Jackson as well and Kunimoto had no answer.

Kunimoto shot for a takedown right away but ended up on his back. They returned to the feet soon after, and the Jason Jackson Show continued as programmed. Straight punches were on the money highlighted by a head kick and a pair of hooks. A big right hand landed for Kunimoto, but it was far too little too late for him. Kunimoto initiated a clinch with 90 seconds left and Jackson turned it into a takedown. Jackson rode out the round on top, standing up with seven seconds left, landing a flying knee and hitting a lateral drop takedown.

Jason Jackson def. Kiichi Kunimoto by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)

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Juliana Velasquez looks to be the next in line for a title shot in the flyweight division. But to get there, she’ll have to defeat Bruna Ellen. Velasquez is 9-0 with five stoppages in her career. The Brazilian signed with Bellator in 2017 and is 4-0 since then, with finishes in three of those contests.

Bruna Ellen has been with the promotion longer, signing in 2016 at just 2-0. The Brazil native is 3-2 since then with a notable victory over Veta Arteaga.

Juliana Velasquez took the center of the cage early on, throwing range-finding kicks towards Bruna Ellen. Velasquez landed a left straight after forcing Ellen towards the cage, then reset to the center. Velasquez then clocked Ellen with another left straight, dropping Ellen to her back. Velasquez jumped on top and began throwing ground-and-pound. Ellen defended and popped back up to her feet. Ellen landed a leg kick then dodged a straight punch from Velasquez. Velasquez continued to stalk forward, but wasn’t throwing much in terms of offense. Ellen landed a leg kick to slow her opponent’s pursuit. At the end of the round, Velasquez connected with a flying knee and a left straight.

Velasquez took the center of the cage quickly, but Ellen was throwing more kicks. Velasquez threw a left hand that Ellen ducked away from. A jab landed for Velasquez and more of the same was going on. Ellen was struggling to establish offense, while Velasquez was patiently waiting for an opening. There was a left hand followed by a one-two combo for Velasquez and she was in complete control. With about 20 seconds left, Velasquez opened up with a flying knee and a combination to put a stamp on the round.

Ellen caught a high kick in the early going but couldn’t do anything with it. A one-two landed for Velasquez as she continued to pressure Ellen. A combination for Velasquez was answered by a solid right hand from Ellen. Then, several big shots landed for Velasquez, forcing Ellen to desperately shoot for a takedown. Velasquez avoided it and continued to land heavy punches. Left straights consistently found a target for Velasquez. With 30 seconds left, Velasquez initiated a clinch and threw a flurry of short punches to close out the fight.

Juliana Velasquez def. Bruna Ellen by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)

The post Bellator 236 Results: Pressure of Juliana Velasquez Too Much for Bruna Ellen appeared first on Cageside Press.

Raufeon Stots is a very promising prospect who elected to sign with Bellator rather than shoot for the UFC. Stots trains under Duke Roufus and is 12-1 with wins over longtime veterans Jeff Curran and Rob Emerson. He is on a four-fight win streak with three of those in LFA since losing to current UFC fighter Merab Dvalishvili.

Cheyden Leialoha started his career with six straight wins and four finishes to earn a spot on the Contender Series in 2017. He suffered his first career loss in front of Dana White, but bounced back in April 2018 with a rear-naked choke, having not fought since.

Cheyden Leialoha landed a body kick right away, but Stots caught it and pushed him to the fence. They spun back and forth for position until Stots fought for a double leg and got it. Leialoha stood up quickly and returned to the center of the cage. Leialoha began whipping kicks at Stots, then went for a takedown. Stots reversed the takedown attempt and ended up in half guard on top. With little time left, Stots transitioned to side control.

Both fighters threw high kicks to start the second round, then another came from Leialoha. Stots returned with one of his own, but nothing of significance was landing yet. Leialoha dove for a takedown and got Stots down. He transitioned for a kimura, but ended up on his back. Stots was working from full guard and Leialoha was neutralizing any advances. Eventually, Stots stood up to create a different angle, but couldn’t generate offense.

Leialoha initiated a clinch, then landed an elbow on the break to start the final round. Stots threw a knee then shot for a takedown and got it. Stots got in top position and was able to get side control then the back with little time left. Leialoha bucked him off and both men threw flying knees followed by a flurry to close out the contest.

Raufeon Stots def. Cheyden Leialoha by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

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Nainoa Dung has had a strong start to his MMA career. The Hawaiian is 3-0 with finishes in his first two fights, signing with Bellator after his MMA debut. Most recently, the lightweight defeated Brad Robison on the prelims of Bellator 224 in July.

Zach Zane is a journeyman who has competed in several Hawaiian promotions, Alaska FC, Brave CF, and Dana White’s Contender Series. Zane has fought five times in 2019, going 3-2. “God’s Warrior” has lost in two of his last three and will be making his Bellator debut.

Zach Zane started quickly with a leg kick then a flurry of punches that didn’t connect, but backed Nainoa Dung up. Zane then shot for a takedown and got it. He had a good two minutes of top control from guard, then Dung broke free. Dung exploded with a flurry, but Zane just turned it into another takedown. Zane rode out the round on top.

Zane threw a head kick early on, then had a takedown attempt stuffed. He stayed on him though and eventually dragged Dung down. Zane took his back, then Dung reversed positions as Zane went for mount to take guard. Dung tried to hang on as Zane spun out, looking for his back, but Zane ended up in top position. Dung tried to sweep, but stayed on his back. At the very end of the round, Zane went for a guillotine, but couldn’t quite establish body control.

Hooks were flying from both sides to start the third round. Dung changed the tide of the fight with a body kick that crushed Zane. Zane shot for a desperation takedown, but ended up in a guillotine attempt. Zane escaped and Dung got back to his feet soon affter. Two more crushing body kicks landed for Dung, leading to another takedown attempt and guillotine effort. A back-and-forth scramble ensued, with Zane ending up on top at the final bell.

.@NainoaDung leads with a powerful leg kick!#BellatorHawaii #Bellator236 pic.twitter.com/v5asTKtLmo

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 22, 2019

Zach Zane def. Nainoa Dung by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

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The second night of a two-night stand in Honolulu, Hawaii went down Saturday for Bellator MMA. After Bellator 235 was hit by the last-minute cancellation of its main event thanks to a Josh Barnett illness, the promotion was hoping it would be smoother sailing for Bellator 236.

Topped by a women’s flyweight title fight featuring reigning champ and local hero Ilima-Lei Macfarlane taking on Britain’s Kate Jackson, the event was very much about the ladies. While there was also the featherweight grand prix quarterfinal bout between A.J. McKee and Derek Campos, it was hard to overlook the fact that Juliana Velasquez was taking on Bruna Ellen in a fight where a win could easily secure the former a title shot.

Ahead of the main card, however, was prelim action featuring a number of local talents. The action got underway at 8:30 PM ET, with all the early bouts streaming live online.

Check back below come fight time for the Bellator 236 preliminary card live stream!

Bellator 236: Macfarlane vs. Jackson Preliminary Card Results:

Catchweight (142.8lbs): Swayne Lunasco def. Kaylan Gorospe by TKO, Round 3, 3:39
Lightweight: Keoni Diggs def. Scotty Hao by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 2:23
Flyweight: Chas Dunhour def. Nate Yoshimura by knockout (elbow and punches), Round 2, 2:46
Featherweight: Kai Kamaka III def. Spencer Higa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Welterweight: Benjamin Wilhelm def. Kealii Kanekoa by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 2:24
Lightweight: Dustin Barca def. Brandon Pieper by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 0:58

The post Bellator 236: Macfarlane vs. Jackson Preliminary Card Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Staff Writers	Stots vs. Leialoha	Velasquez vs. Ellen	Jackson vs. Kunimoto	McKee vs. Campos	Macfarlane vs. Jackson
Jason Payne (180-101)
Joe McDonagh (173-100)
Ryan Fortune (137-80)
Keith Shillan (135-83)
Gabriel Gonzalez (167-114)
Josh Evanoff (164-112)
Dan Doherty (165-116)
Jay Anderson (164-117)
Mike McClory (116-88)
Paarth Pande (116-89)

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane looks to defend her title once again against Kate Jackson. Macfarlane has been a dominant champion for Bellator since winning the vacant belt in 2016. The Hawaiian has stopped her opponents in all four of her title fights, and is 9-0 with the promotion. Jackson was a member of the 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter, going 2-1 with a win over current UFC fighter Ashley Yoder, but falling to eventual winner Tatiana Suarez. She is currently 3-1 with Bellator. Macfarlane was unanimously picked.

The co-main event is part of the featherweight grand prix with AJ McKee taking on Derek Campos. McKee is undefeated and knocked out Georgi Karakhanyan in eight seconds in the first round of the bracket. Campos snapped a three-fight losing streak in the first round of the tournament, defeating Daniel Straus by unanimous decision. McKee was unanimously picked.

Jason Jackson squares off against Kiichi Kunimoto. Jackson won titles in both Titan FC and LFA but is coming off a loss to Ed Ruth in his return to Bellator. Kunimoto was 3-2 in the UFC before going 2-0 in RIZIN. He is also coming off a loss to Ruth. Cageside Press is split at five picks apiece.

Juliana Velasquez looks to earn a title shot against Bruna Ellen. Velasquez is 4-0 in Bellator’s flyweight division, stopping three of those opponents. Ellen is 3-2 in the promotion with a win over Veta Arteaga. Velasquez was unanimously picked.

Raufeon Stots makes his long-awaited jump to a big promotion against Cheyden Leialoha. Stots is 12-1 with his only loss coming to UFC fighter Merab Dvalishvili. Leialoha is 7-1 in his career with five stoppages and is making his promotional debut. Stots was unanimously picked.

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