When does one shift from prospect to contender? That may very well have been the question heading into Bellator 215 when it comes to Logan Storley. ‘Storm,’ who has trained with some of the best MMA has to offer, was a decorated wrestler with a chance to go 10-0 as a pro on Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. Opposite him, Ion Pascu, a man with twice the experience yet very much the underdog.

Were the welterweight division not so deep, Storley would likely have been a lock for the grand prix currently unfolding in the weight class (depth, and the fact his contract would have run out halfway through, played a part in keeping him out). Yet Friday he had a chance to truly arrive in Bellator, as the double-digit mark is always something special.

Pascu fired off a heavy leg kick early in the welterweight co-main event. And not surprisingly, Storley shot in for his first takedown attempt within a minute. Pascu would attempt to fend it off, but Storley was on him like glue, grinding away, and adding some knees for good measure. As they got back up, Storley would simply slam them back down, landing in half guard. And for the rest of the round, the story was simple: Storley on top, dropping ground n’ pound when he could find an opening. Pascu unable to escape.

In the second, Storley had the fight to the ground in the first thirty seconds, right in the center of the cage. Bad news for Pascu, who was unable to scoot back to the fence, or scramble to escape. Instead he’d try to tie up Storley, with little success. Storley, for his part, worked to pass guard, and stayed just active enough to prevent a stand-up, peppering Pascu with a handful of short punches.

Round three was more of the same. Storley with the takedown early. This time, it was along the fence and Ion Pascu made it back up — only to be dragged down again. Any inch of space Pascu created was immediately taken away. The term “wrestling clinic” would be the simplest way to describe the fight, and there was no question that Storley would have his hand raised in the end.

Moving to 10-0, he’s going to need to face a serious step up in competition, if one could be found outside the welterweight grand prix.

Logan Storley def. Ion Pasu by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

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It’s a fight that has been brewing for years. The biggest fight that could possibly be put on between rival U.K. based fighters. And it’s going down, of all places, at Bellator 216 in Connecticut next week. While the locale might be a little bizarre, fans are finally getting Michael Page vs. Paul Daley. That’s all that matters.

The grudge match between the two started years ago, blooming from trash talk to fights being proposed, only to fall through. The pair were even linked to Bellator’s London show in 2017, only for, according to Page, Daley to pull out.

Page was not shy about sharing that news. In a video sent to Ariel Helwani (then with MMA Fighting), MVP said “Paul Daley, for the third time this year, has said he’s not going to fight me. I know, I know, I know. You’re thinking the same thing: that doesn’t make sense! He called me out! But yes. Paul Daley, you’re a disappointment to every UK fighter. You’re a disappointment to every fan in MMA that wanted to see this fight and there’s a lot of people that wanted to see this fight. You’re a straight disappointment. You are forever going to be known as Paula ‘Tampax’ Daley.”

The fight was next planned for 2018, but never materialized then, either. That year, Daley suggested that Page hadn’t earned his place in the welterweight division. On The MMA Hour (via MMA Fighting), Daley said that “[Page] doesn’t know how to conduct himself in business. He doesn’t even realize that he’s been given his career. He’s been given his career, he’s been given fights, and he hasn’t fought anybody. So obviously his self-belief is going to be at an all-time high, but he cannot walk in my shoes on any given day. He’s not made of the same sh*t that I’m made of, so when we get in the cage, his whole world is going to unravel. He’s probably going to be crying at the end of the fight, I’ll say that.”

Now, after years of the grudge match growing and growing, it’s here. On Saturday at Bellator 216, all the trash talk and social media antics will be over. Two of the best British mixed martial artists on the planet will collide. A pair of flashy strikers more than capable of knocking one another out.

It’s not just fans who are eagerly anticipating the match-up. Fighters, too. Here’s how some of the other athletes competing during Bellator’s back-to-back events this weekend see the fight going.

Amber Bell: I do like Daley, I will say I’ve been a fan of Daley for a long time. But MVP, he’s awesome. I envy that guy because of how relaxed and how poised he is when he’s in the cage. He just seems to have so much fun with it. It’s just inspiring, really. A lot of fighters tend to get wrapped up or flustered when it comes to people who can clown around, I guess you could say more or less, when they’re in the cage. But I know MVP is going to bring a fantastic fight. I’m excited to see him come back. Regardless, I do like both fighters, but I do think MVP might take this one.

Ion Pascu: Venom Page. He looks like he has a good record, and he doesn’t have any losses, but Paul Daley has more experience, maybe he can defeat Venom.

Toby Misech: I’m going to go with MVP. He’s more elusive, he barely gets hit. Paul Daley likes to hit, but he also takes hits, so I’ve got to go with MVP.

Logan Storley: I think it’s a very intriguing fight. It’ll be interesting to see if Daley can get inside, and hit him with those big hooks and body shots, and really just control the pace, you know? MVP’s been hard to hit for a lot of people, and Daley’s not really much of a wrestler.

It’ll be interesting to see. I think that MVP probably controls it, sticks his jab out there, the 1-2, 1-2, kind of dictates the pace of the fight. But if Daley gets inside and controls that, man, there [could be] some big shots landed. I think that MVP wins the fight, but if Daley hits him early, it’s a much different story.

Amber Leibrock: Man, that’s hard. I’m excited to watch this fight. I’ll have to go with MVP. I will. I like him, he’s tall, he’s lanky, he’s exciting, he’s unorthodox, I like his confidence. I’m going to go with MVP on this one.

Erick Silva said simply, and with confidence: Michael Page.

If you’re keeping score, that’s a landslide for MVP as far as the pros are concerned.

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Ion Pascu has been a fighter called upon to face some of Bellator’s best up-and-comers in the welterweight division. Ed Ruth and Lorenz Larkin have been the names so far, and Logan Storley is next. That goes down at Friday’s Bellator 215. While Pascu came up short in his previous Bellator outings, ‘Bombardierul’ isn’t shying away from tough fights. And the Romanian did sandwich a win over Alex Lohore between his two Bellator losses, fighting in BAMMA.

“That’s the kind of fight I look for, because I know I have a good level, and I can fight with these guys,” Pascu told Cageside Press ahead of his Bellator 215 showdown against Storley. “I like fighting with these guys. I want to show the people where my position is [in the division].”

Pascu (18-9) feels he didn’t necessarily have the proper time, or camp, in his past Bellator outings. The Larkin fight, in particular, he took short notice. “With Logan, I think it’ll be different,” he said. Still, he has no regrets taking that fight.

“I learned not to take any short notice fights,” he joked when asked what he took away from it, before adding “maybe if I was more aggressive with him, maybe it would be a different decision.”

Pascu is now under an exclusive contract with Bellator, so every fight moving forward is crucial. Starting with Storley, one of Bellator’s hot prospects. ‘Storm’ is undefeated at 9-0, but Pascu has a clear advantage in experience and level of competition.

Pascu’s take on his opponent is that “basically he’s good in wrestling.” Then again, he feels he is as well. “Maybe I don’t show it in my fights, but if you saw my fight with Lohore, or with someone else, maybe you see I also have good wrestling. Maybe I try to defend his wrestling, and I try to keep the fight in the stand-up.”

A classic striker vs. grappler match, then. “I know I will beat this guy, I will make a good show because I have a mind to knock him out in the first round,” Pascu predicted.

Pascu is watching the welterweight grand prix unfold, and as part of the division, we asked who he felt would win the tournament: “Rory MacDonald, because he’s the champion,” the Romanian picked.

SBG Ireland is home to Conor McGregor, Gunnar Nelson, and more — and that’s where Pascu is training as well. “It’s good to train with these guys, because they fight on a high level,” he said of his more famous teammates. “Conor McGregor was a champion, Gunnar Nelson was a champion in wrestling. They help me to reach, to be better.”

Bellator 215 takes place Friday, February 15 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The main card airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN.

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Bellator’s back-to-back extravaganza at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut continues to grow. On Monday, Cageside Press confirmed with Bellator MMA officials an initial report by MMA Junkie that Logan Storley had been added to Bellator 216. There, he’ll face Ion Pascu on the preliminary card. Bellator 216 is the second consecutive shows at the venue for the Viacom-backed promotion, and is topped by a hotly anticipated welterweight grand prix grudge match between Paul Daley and Michael Page.

An undefeated welterweight, Storley (9-0) will be looking to make it ten straight, and five straight in Bellator when he hits the cage in Uncasville. The standout wrestler and top prospect holds wins over A.J. Matthews and Matt Secor among others under the Bellator banner, after competing mainly for RFA and LFA earlier in his career.

That impressive streak now brings him up against Ion Pascu (18-8), who is coming off a loss to Lorenz Larkin last year at Bellator 207. Pascu has been trading wins and losses of late, splitting his time between BAMMA and Bellator. Prior to the Larkin loss, he earned a unanimous decision win over Alex Lohore at BAMMA 35.

Bellator 216 takes place February 16, 2019 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

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Lorenz Larkin left the UFC in the midst of a huge run, winning four of five, culminating with a huge first round knockout over Neil Magny. His momentum did not carry over into Bellator, losing his first two bouts to Paul Daley and Douglas Lima. Larkin was able to bounce back with a decision victory over Fernando Gonzalez.

Ion Pascu was 17-7 on the European circuit before joining Bellator this April. In that bout, he fell to the talented wrestler Ed Ruth by unanimous decision. Pascu then returned to Europe, winning a fight in BAMMA prior to tonight’s bout.

After a short feeling out process, Larkin landed a combination, capped off by a blocked head kick. Ion Pascu shot for a takedown, but the cage helped Larkin defend. Larkin seperated and landed a right straight.

Pascu shot for another takedown that was blocked by Larkin. Larkin pushed away and landed a knee to the body on the exit. Pascu ate a hard body kick as Larkin commanded the stand-up. Pascu landed a leg kick, but Larkin answered with a front kick to the body. Larkin stuffed another takedown to cap off a fairly one-sided first round.

Pascu started the second round with a takedown attempt that was stuffed yet again. Larkin landed another knee to the body then took a shot to the groin (the second time in the fight). Once the fighters gained distance, Larkin began peppering Pascu with unanswered leg kicks.

Larkin threw a flying knee that did not land flush, then stuffed another takedown, reversing position on the fence. The fighters seperated, and Pascu threw a combination that Larkin defended. Pascu caught a body kick then attempted a takedown, but Larkin stayed balanced as Pascu tried to drive him to the ground with a single leg. As he stayed on his feet (foot), Larkin landed a heavy uppercut that seated Pascu near the end of the second round.

Pascu started the third round as aggressive as the others, but again to no avail. Larkin commanded the distance with his jab as he avoided another combination from the Romanian. Larkin began opening up on the feet, landing uppercuts and body kicks seemingly at will.

With two minutes left in the final round, Pascu finally landed the elusive takedown and moved to half guard. Larkin worked his way to full guard and attempted an armbar that Pascu avoided. Pascu moved to half guard again, and continued to land ground and pound. As time came to a close, Pascu attempted an ankle lock that Larkins was able to withstand to the final bell.

Lorenz Larkin def. Ion Pascu by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

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Undefeated wrestling standout Ed Ruth headed over to Hungary, taking on Romania’s Ion Pascu in welterweight action (actually a contracted catchweight at 175lbs). The bout went down at Bellator 196, airing Friday night on the Paramount Network.

Ruth took to the outside once the bell sounded, while Pascu worked his jab. Pascu worked in some kicks, while Ruth stayed patient. Ruth then launched a few kicks to the body, only for Pascu to answer back with a crisper one. Ruth definitely felt that left kick. The wrestler then picked up the pace, pressing the action, as the pair exchanged fire. As the round progressed, Ruth flashed a head kick, then finally managed to land a takedown with just over a minute left in the frame. Pascu refused to stay down long, however, and landed an inside knee once the duo were back up. Ruth then peppered Pascu with a pair of uppercuts as the clock wound down. Yet it was Pascu who finished the round with an explosive takedown, only to be unable to keep Ruth grounded.

Round two saw Pascu launch a heavy leg kick early, but he was still being backed up off the end of Ruth’s combinations. Before long, Pascu was covering up when Ruth came in, and that’s when he remembered to keep his hands up. Pascu was still in it, but he was definitely trailing. Another Pascu leg kick actually tripped Ruth up, and a head kick followed which Ruth blocked. The leg attacks continued to work for Pascu, but Ruth answered back with his own head kick, and tried to follow with another. A straight right from Pascu caught Ruth’s attention, though he tried to mask the effect. Ruth would finish the round on top of Pascu, however, finally getting some ground n’ pound in.

It was Ion Pascu opening the third with a takedown; from there, they worked their way up and as Ruth looked to shoot, Pascu was able to catch him in a guillotine attempt. Ruth defended well, however, and was eventually able to free himself. From there, he was able to control his opponent from the top, and it felt like the affair was going to the scorecards. Which it did, with Ruth earning a clear decision.

Ed Ruth def. Ion Pascu by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

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