Like everyone else, it was no doubt a year that in many ways the organization would like to forget. At the same time, Bellator managed to put on some big, entertaining events in the face of an ongoing, deadly pandemic. And did so while keeping athlete and employee safety a priority.

Coming out of Bellator 254, the talk was about the crowning of a new flyweight champion. Juliana Velasquez is now the second women’s flyweight champ in Bellator history, having dethroned the long-serving Ilima-Lei Macfarlane.

Following the bout, both fighters expressed interest in taking part in a potential flyweight grand prix. But Bellator CEO Scott Coker isn’t ready to show his hand just yet, after teasing the possibility of a 125lb tournament earlier this year.

“I’ll tell you, I think we have some choices here,” he said when asked what weight class might get the nod for the next tournament. “I think that everybody’s in contention as far as weight class. I think we have two or three different divisions, we just haven’t decided yet.”

When the decision is made, “we’ll probably announce something in January or February,” continued Coker. “But we have a little bit of time, because we have the Sanchez-Pitbull fight sometime in the first quarter of next year, then we’ll have the finals of the tournament, AJ [McKee] versus the winner of those two. And then we have three, four, or five months. So we have time to figure it all out. And we’ll do the right thing.”

Aside from tournament talk, the big question up in the air at the moment is Bellator’s 2021 schedule. They have a new home on CBS Sports Network, but have yet to announce any shows for next year. “We’re scheduled to do our normal amount of events, and it’s just how we’re gonna schedule, what night we’re gonna go,” revealed Coker.

Beyond that, Coker added that the promotion has “a lot of exciting things to announce early next year.”

Watch the full Bellator 254 post-fight press conference with Scott Coker above.

The post Following Bellator 254, Scott Coker Mum on Next Grand Prix Weight Class appeared first on Cageside Press.

Originally slated for March, only to be delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, “it was a crazy road” getting to the fight, Cotton (5-0) said following a first-round rear-naked choke submission.

Speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press, Cotton noted that the after the March fight was postponed, they’d been expecting a quick turnaround. “We thought that we’d be back here in like two weeks, three weeks,” he revealed. “Then it was, it’s gonna be in July. And then we were slated for October, then we got a little nicked up. And then now we’re back here finally, in December, just before Christmas.”

Improving to 5-0 with another finish has to be a nice little Christmas present. And it brings up the question of when the match-ups for Cotton will begin to get tougher. Something he sees as happening in the not-too-distant future.

“The tougher match-up is gonna come,” suggested Cotton. “The company’s changing. There’s much turnover, new TV deals, new names, so I mean the competition is going to come, it’s going to come in, it’s gonna be a new step up every time. And that’s up to me to meet that step.”

That said, Romero Cotton doesn’t have any specific name in mind for his next outing. Instead, his gaze is turned inward. “As far as who I’m looking at, I’m looking at myself. I’m just trying to build myself and get better. And I mean, people are going to start looking [at] and calling for me,” he stated.

Watch the full Bellator 254 post-fight press conference with Romero Cotton above.

The post Bellator 254’s Romero Cotton Expecting Tougher Match-Ups Moving Forward appeared first on Cageside Press.

In fact, after a stumble against Valentin Moldavsky in his heavyweight debut for Bellator, the former two-time light heavyweight title challenger has now made a case for a third crack at gold — albeit in a new weight class.

Although, as Vassell (20-8, 1NC) noted after the fight, he’d like another shot at Moldavsky.

Noting that he came in too heavy in the pair’s first meeting, Vassell told media outlets including Cageside Press that “I want that rematch. And I feel like I’ll finish it.  I feel like I’ll finish him in the second round like my last two opponents.”

Should he be successful in that proposed rematch, “The Swarm” doesn’t see any further obstacles to a shot at Bellator heavyweight champ Ryan Bader. The pair, of course, first met a few years back for the light heavyweight belt. Bader came out on top that night.

“I fight Moldavsky or whoever they put me in front front of me. I beat that person, then there should be no reason — that’d be three [wins] in a row — why I shouldn’t fight Ryan Bader,” Vassell suggested.

Getting back to the fight with Markes at Bellator 254, one of the most impressive aspects of his performance was that Vassell beat the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt at his own game.

Vassell called the feeling of trumping Ronny Markes on the ground “amazing,” especially since it had been a topic of conversation heading into the fight. More than once, Vassell was asked how he would fare against Markes’ grappling. “I haven’t even got a belt in grappling, I just picked it up pretty much the first day I sort of came into MMA,” he said. “I was just a big strong guy and pretty athletic. So I was able to reverse. Obviously, I learned some moves. And I felt like I’ve just kept leveling up on my ground game. So to beat him at his own game was definitely a big feather in my cap.”

Watch the full Bellator 254 post-fight press conference with Linton Vassell above.

The post Bellator 254: Linton Vassell Wants Moldavsky, Then Bader Rematches appeared first on Cageside Press.

It’s not often you see a debuting fighter (let alone two) in the co-main event of a major card, but that was the case with Magomedov vs. Matheus Mattos, a fellow ACB alumni. It was Magomedov (17-1), however, the only man with a victory over UFC champ Petr Yan, who picked up the unanimous decision win.

According to the Russian newcomer, he wasn’t even at full power in the fight.

“I felt great but I feel like I was probably about 60%,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight. “I basically just showed that I could wrestle well, but what I didn’t show is how I mix it up with the stand up, and some of my stand up. But that will come.”

Ring rust and injuries in training camp played a factor in that, Magomedov stated. Plus, in a new promotion, there were “a little bit of nerves, a little bit of everything.” As to where the win leaves him in Bellator’s increasingly interesting 135lb weight class, “I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea because I don’t know where I’m at,” he said.

Of course, the higher the promotion places him after the win, the better, Magomedov added. “My ultimate goal is to fight for the title. But I think I probably earned some credit. [Mattos] was a tough opponent, and I showed a dominant performance.”

“At the end of the day, wherever I am, I’m going to work to get to the title,” Magomedov continued. Although when that day comes remains to be seen. Juan Archuleta sits in place as champ, and fighters like Sergio Pettis and Brett Johns are also in play.

Plus, while it may come as something of a surprise given the competitive nature of MMA, Magomedov would actually like at least one more fight before a title shot comes his way. “I’m kind of glad the fight went to three rounds because I got some ring time in,” he stated. “I wouldn’t mind having one more fight just to kind of open up more and really get going — and then I’m definitely ready for a title.”

Watch the full Bellator 254 post-fight press conference with Magomed Magomedov above.

The post Bellator 254: Magomed Magomedov Wants One More Fight Before Title Shot appeared first on Cageside Press.

Macfarlane, interestingly enough, almost immediately found a positive in the loss. After noting that the damage she had taken in the fight was a new experience.

“I don’t think I’ve ever bled like this before or broken my nose, or been cut open,” she observed. “So yeah, this is cool. I mean, honestly, this is in a weird, really weird way, this is kind of always what I felt like I needed in my career.”

Speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press, the Hawaiian now-former champ explained what she took away from the loss. “You can’t just always keep winning and excelling. You have to hit some type of plateau or something, so I’m actually really happy that this happened,” she stated. “I’m like, relieved that, okay, this is what it feels like to lose.”

The feeling of losing her title to Velasquez in a five-round unanimous decision can’t have been great. But if Macfarlane sounds a little relieved, there’s a reason. While tearful, “These are tears of relief,” she admitted. “It’s hard, being the champion is hard. It’s hard being it for so long. So I’m really grateful for this experience to this moment.”

That said, Macfarlane is far from giving up on fighting. While she’s looking forward to having more flexibility, and three-round fights, and to taking a break, she also noted that she was game for the idea of a flyweight grand prix.

“For sure,” she replied when asked whether the tournament, if it happens, could be her next move. “I think it should happen regardless of who the champion is.” The flyweight division, Macfarlane added, is “really sick and people would love to see a tournament.”

The Hawaiian also has other things to look forward to. As she noted, she’ll likely still be a big part of whenever the promotion heads back to Hawaii. Plus, there are other sorts of opportunities out there. “Now that I’m not the champ again, I would love to be one of those fighters that takes fights on on a couple weeks’ notice.”

Watch the full Bellator 254 post-fight press conference with Ilima-Lei Macfarlane above.

The post Bellator 254: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane Finds Relief, Fresh Motivation in Title Loss appeared first on Cageside Press.

In the main event of Bellator 254, Brazilian challenger Juliana Velasquez became the first woman to defeat reigning champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. Winning the title and improving her own record to an unbeaten 11-0, Velasquez proved to be every bit the challenge many expected she represented for the Hawaiian. Fighting an at times conservative bout, she relied on her power and height advantage, and captured a unanimous decision win in the end.

Velasquez’s title win opens up a world of possibilities for Bellator’s 125lb division. Former title challengers like Alejandra Lara are suddenly back in the mix. Liz Carmouche is waiting in the wings for a title shot of her own. And the possibility of a flyweight grand prix involving all the aforementioned fighters is tantalizing.

Check below for full results from Bellator 254, and a gallery of highlights from all the evening’s bouts.

Bellator 254: Macfarlane vs. Velasquez Results

Main Card:

Juliana Velasquez def. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47) – for the Bellator MMA women’s flyweight championship
Magomed Magomedov def. Matheus Mattos by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Linton Vassell def. Ronny Markes by TKO (strikes), Round 2, 3:37
Romero Cotton def. Justin Sumter by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:36

Preliminary Card:

Billy Goff def. Robson Gracie Jr. by TKO (strikes), Round 2, 1:46
Cody Law def. Kenny Champion by TKO (strikes), Round 3, 4:44
Grant Neal def. Maurice Jackson by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 3:59
Shamil Nikaev def. Kemran Lachinov by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The post Bellator 254: Macfarlane vs. Velasquez Photo Highlights appeared first on Cageside Press.

At the end of five rounds, the scorecards were clear. Velasquez (11-0) had won the title. And handed the previously undefeated Macfarlane the first loss of her career.

“I always knee that I had the potential to be champ,” Velasquez told media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout. That potential has now been fulfilled.

The Brazilian noted that she used her reach to keep the Hawaiian on the outside early. “I knew that she could be dangerous if she got in close, which in the fourth round, she showed that. Once she got me to the ground, she kind of controlled me a little bit there. But at the end of the day, I believed in myself, and here I am.”

Ahead of Bellator 254, there had been plenty of talk about the women’s flyweight division being the next to take part in a Grand Prix tournament. The welterweights and featherweights have had their turn — but Bellator CEO Scott Coker has refrained from confirming which weight class will come next, saying he wanted to see the outcome of Thursday’s main event.

Count new champ Velasquez as a fighter interested in taking part.

“I would love to have a tournament. I feel it would be great to do that tournament format, changing things up,” she said following the biggest win of her career. “We would get to take a look at a lot of different fighters depending on how the fights went in the tournament. I would definitely be interested and excited if Bellator chose to do a flyweight female tournament.”

With Velasquez, Macfarlane (who also expressed interest post fight), Liz Carmouche, Alejandra Lara, and others, the promotion certainly has the talent at 125lbs, should they want to go that route.

“I think there’s a lot of talented 125lbs females,” Velasquez added later.

Watch the full Bellator 254 post-fight press conference with new women’s flyweight champion Juliana Velasquez above.

The post Bellator 254: New Champ Juliana Velasquez Game for Grand Prix appeared first on Cageside Press.

While in a perfect world that would always be the case in title fights, due to politics, timing and injuries, it’s not always a possibility. But sometimes the stars align, and the two best fighters in the world, or at least the organization, throw down. That was the case Thursday night.

Aside from the undefeated records colliding, there was another storyline to the Bellator 254 title fight. No Bellator champ had ever defended a title five times. Hawaii’s Macfarlane had a chance to do just that against Velasquez.

The opening round between champ Macfarlane and challenger Velasquez saw a good half round of feeling out. Macfarlane stayed on the outside, choosing her moments, while Velasquez cautiously pressed forward. The size advantage of the Brazilian was blantant, but when she threw out a leg, Macfarlane immediately dove for a takeown. She came nowhere near landing it, however. Both fighters would land a few kicks, the odd punch, but really little of note in the opening five minutes.

Arguably the opening minute alone of round two featured better action than the entirety of the first round. Velasquez led the attack, but Macfarlane answered back before circling out. Again, as she had in the first she was picking her spots. And Velasquez was very careful not to throw anything that would put her in danger of a takedown. Two minutes in, the pair finally came together in a clinch, but it was the champion with her back to the fence. Macfarlane clasped her hands to secure a body lock, while Velasquez broke out a foot stomp. The champ would eventually reverse the position but when she dragged Velasquez down, the challenger landed on top. Off her back, Macfarlane couldn’t get much done other than a couple of punches, which was all Velasquez could do from the top.

Macfarlane punched her way in early in the third, going to the body. But Velasquez would move in, threatening with more power and landing with a straight left. Ilima-Lei shot for a takedown but was well short. She did that a second time, briefly dropping Velasquez on her backside, but the finish was sloppy, and at some point the champ had been bloodied. Throughout the third, Macfarlane’s attempts to close the distance were easily turned away by Velasquez. Then, just before round three came to a close, Macfarlane ate a nasty jump knee from the challenger.

Macfarlane survived the knee, but may very well have been down on the scorecards heading into the championship rounds. Velasquez held center in the fourth, with Macfarlane closing the distance firing her jab, and circling away. Macfarlane would claim a body lock scoring a takedown with a trip, with roughly two minutes remaining in the round. Badly in need of a finish or at the very least a clear round, Macfarlane managed to trap the challenger against the cage, peppering her body with punches. The blood, sourced from Macfarlane herself, wouldn’t help submission attempts however. With Velasquez’s leg trapped, the champ landed more output than she had in perhaps the entire fight, though none was enough to come close to a stoppage.

💪 @Ilimanator gets the takedown late in round 4️⃣.

The 5️⃣th and final round of this title fight is up next LIVE on @CBSSportsNet in the 🇺🇸 and with @SkySports Mix in the 🇬🇧.#MMA #Bellator254 #Bellator #USOHolidays pic.twitter.com/S7isWHlm68

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 11, 2020

Depending on how the opening round was scored — given how little action there was and the low number of strikes — Macfarlane entered the final frame either in need of a finish, or in a potential tie, two rounds a piece. Macfarlane immediately closed the distance in the final frame, looking for the takedown. She worked for a trip, Velasquez fought it off. The Brazilian defended with a whizzer, but Macfarlane worked for a single leg. However when they went down, it was Juliana Velasquez landing on top at a critical time in the fight. A big elbow from Velasquez followed. The champ backed up to the fence, and eventually moved back up as Velasquez backed away. That led to another takedown attempt from Macfarlane. When she couldn’t land it, she worked in a few knees to Velasquez’s leg. But it was Velasquez finishing the round with a successful trip.

The scorecards all had it for the challenger. Juliana Velasquez now becomes the second Bellator flyweight champion, improving her record to 11-0 in the process. While an immediate rematch with Ilima-Lei could be possible, coming out of the fight, it also feels unnecessary. Better to have Macfarlane put together a win or two, while Alejandra Lara and newcomer Kana Watanabe, plus Liz Carmouche, remain options for Velasquez’s first title defense sometime in 2021.

Official Result: Juliana Velasquez def. Ilima-Macfarlane by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47)

The post Bellator 254 Results: Juliana Velasquez Dethrones Ilima-Lei Macfarlane appeared first on Cageside Press.

Magomedov was actually the only man to hold a win over the UFC champ; the Russian pair had split their career series at one win a piece.

While Mattos came out with a kick or two, Magomedov almost instantly got the fight down and almost secured the back. Mattos slipped out, and worked his way back to his feet with a little help from the cage. Magomedov, however, stayed on a leg, working to drag Matheus Mattos back down. In the end, Magomedov wound up executing a highlight-reel suplex, and still managed to stay on Mattos. Magomedov was relentless with his grappling and refused to let go of a body lock. Mattos would break free in the final seconds of the round, but it was way too late for him to salvage the first five minutes.

💪 The takedown game of @MagomedovTiger1 is strong!

The #Bellator254 co-main event is LIVE NOW on @CBSSportsNet in the U.S. and with @SkySports in the U.K.#USOHolidays #MMA #Bellator pic.twitter.com/6Cjd6Ea1gX

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 11, 2020

Magomedov opened with a kick in round two, with Mattos at center. Whether he was looking to counter or score the knockout blow, Mattos wound up a bit like a deer in the headlights as Magomedov was active on the feet, even trying a jumping attack — before again closing the distance and pursuing a takedown. From there, the Russian’s Khabib-like wrestling followed, with some extra tricks on display. With a body triangle in place, Magomedov managed to slide onto the back, then nearly to mount; when Mattos stood up, Magomedov stayed on him, triangle still glued in place. Again, near the end of the round, Mattos would free himself, only to eat a Magomedov elbow just as the bell sounded.

Mattos was almost certainly in need of a finish in round three. Early on, however, he was under siege from the relentless takedowns of Magomedov. That pressure simply would not let up. Magomedov controlled from the back for the bulk of the round. He finished the frame with a body triangle working on a rear-naked choke, and was never in any danger.

Magomedov also very much announced his arrival in Bellator’s bantamweight division with the one-sided victory.

Official Result: Magomed Magomedov def. Matheus Mattos by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

The post Bellator 254 Results: Magomed Magomedov Dominant Against Matheus Mattos appeared first on Cageside Press.

Fights with Josh Barnett and Matt Mitrione having fallen through, Markes was no doubt happy just to have a live body across from him Thursday. However, off his first real takedown attempt, Markes saw the tables turned, with Vassell landing on top. And despite the Brazilian’s black belt status, he was unable to make much of anything happen from the bottom — or get out from under Vassell, who stayed heavy on top while in half guard.

Vassell was able to finish out the round on top, clearly winning the frame. The second round opened with Markes pressing forward, going to the body with a kick and looking for another takedown. And once again, Vassell was able to reverse and get on top. Once again, “The Swarm” wound up in half guard. Elbows followed, while Markes tried to fight the hands to tie Vassell up. Threatening with an arm-triangle choke was only mildly surprising given the success Vassell was having against his jiu-jitsu black belt opponent. And while the choke failed, the British heavyweight was able to move to mount, and drop some heavy punches until Markes could do nothing but cover up. Leaving the ref with nothing to do but wave off the fight.

🐝 Linton Vassell picks up the W in round 2️⃣ at #Bellator254.

The main card rolls on LIVE on @CBSSportsNet in the U.S. and with @Sky Sports Mix in the U.K. now!#Bellator #MMA #USOHolidays pic.twitter.com/JiIfWDaZ9T

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 11, 2020

In essence, Linton Vassell beat Markes at his own game at Bellator 254, in his second straight victory at heavyweight.

Official Result: Linton Vassell def. Ronny Markes by TKO, Round 2, 3:37

The post Bellator 254 Results: Linton Vassell Beats Ronny Markes At His Own Game appeared first on Cageside Press.