There, he’ll be met by Jaylon Bates (6-0), an undefeated bantamweight prospect looking to make a name for himself with a statement victory in what will likely be his toughest test to date in his professional MMA career. Lugo (8-1), however, is coming off of his first ever defeat at the hands of Danny Sabatello, and is eager to start 2023 off on the right foot by getting back into the win column. 

“It was important that I lost the way I did,” Lugo told Cageside Press recently. “Had I lost a close fight, I might not have made all of the adjustments that I needed to make. I’ve changed a lot and improved a lot, you’ll see Saturday night.”

Lugo seems to improve after each time he sets foot in the cage, and enters this match-up with Bates exuding confidence and positive energy. Despite being a heavy betting favorite, he knows better than to overlook the young and hungry Bates.

“Bates has heart, he’s explosive, funky – doing things in there that might not always look technical or sharp on the feet. He has the will to win, he’s a good fighter, so this is going to be a good match-up.”

It’s been nine months since Lugo last stepped into the cage, though he expects to be much more active in 2023. 

“I want three fights this year. The third one will get me back into the rankings,” Lugo said.

Journel Lugo faces Jaylon Bates at Bellator 290 on February 4, 2023 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California.

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“Very f*cking fired up, but you know what this is a sport where even if you’re so much better than the guy anything can happen. I can slip on a banana peel, you know miracles happen. He could have caught me with a head kick or something, but I put that bed to rest,” Sabatello told reporters at his post-fight media scrum.

Up next for Sabatello is Leandro Higo in the Bellator bantamweight grand prix.

“There’s no way there’s a guy out there that can beat me right now. If I can do that to a guy that’s a stud like Jornel Lugo undefeated really f*cking talented and skillful fighter, then I could beat anybody. And now Leandro Higo is f*cking next. If you think that I dominated Lugo wait till you see what I do to Higo,” Sabatello said.

Sabatello dominated the fight with his powerful wrestling and ground game. Jornel couldn’t find a way to get up off the canvas and mount an offense.

“Just relentless. Relentlessly heavy, heavy f*cking hips. Elbows up top, then punches to the body, pressure with my shoulder, pressure with my hips. It’s just something that you can’t really feel out in practice. You can’t have guys come in and simulate that type of pressure. You need to get out there in the octagon and feel it. That’s a situation where you can’t really mimic it. Nobody out there has my type of pressure,” Sabatello said.

“I guess you could put a 7-thousand ton boulder on you and say that’s Sabatello, but I don’t even think that would do justice.”

After being out for so long Sabatello came into Bellator 278 looking to make a statement.

“You know I had an 11-month layoff. It sucked. All I give a sh*t about is fighting. All I do is I sacrificed and I sacrificed. I haven’t seen my parents, my family and friends in so long. Can’t wait to get back and have my parents cooking. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. Might put some garlic and olive oil on this microphone and start eating it.”

Go to any live MMA event and many fans will boo a fight the second it goes to the ground, but Sabatello finds a way to make it interesting to watch.

“You know this isn’t pure wrestling it’s so much different than MMA wrestling. The grappling and putting everything into perspective. I might not be the best wrestler, I might not be the best jiu jitsu guy, I’m the best f*cking MMA fighter,” Sabatello said.

With a matchup with Higo up next, Sabatello sent a message to his future opponent.

“Leandro you’re a f*cking great matchup for me because you suck, and I’m good. This is going to be a poetic performance for me in nine months, Connecticut, June 24th,” Sabatello said.

Higo responded to Sabatello on social media telling him he was watching and that when they fight he’ll be grabbing Danny’s neck.

“Yeah he’s a f*cking idiot if he thinks he can grab my neck. Who says we’re even going to the ground I might keep this a stand up fight. I might take it to the ground once he’s dog tired,” Sabatello responded.

“First off Higo, make f*cking weight. You don’t ever make weight because you’re an undisciplined little b*tch. F*cking make weight and then we’ll see what happens.”

Watch the full Bellator 279 post-fight press conference with Danny Sabatello above. More coverage from the event can be found below.

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The bout paired up Danny Sabatello and Jornel Lugo, and “The Italian Dream” Sabatello had done a whole lot of trash talking ahead of the bout. He certainly seemed to have Lugo’s attention, through whether it would throw him off his game remained to be seen.

It was Sabatello scoring an early takedown in Friday’s wild card fight, but Lugo was quickly back to his feet. Sabatello would quickly continue to apply pressure, however, latching on with a body lock and landing a wild takedown a moment later. Sabtello would get on top and stay there after a scramble, moving into half guard and looking to pass. He landed an elbow to the side of Lugo’s head, then added another one. Lugo scrambled up and out, only to be pulled back down.

From there, Sabatello would spend the rest of the round on top. There was little question as to who took the first frame, as Sabatello added more elbows, and briefly looked for a choke towards the end of the round. The pair had words for one another after the bell; perhaps that Sabatello trash talk was doing its job.

Jornel Lugo and Danny Sabatello exchange some words after round 1️⃣ 🗣️

Tune into the opening bout of #BWGP NOW on SHOWTIME#Bellator278 @BellatorMMA https://t.co/DYSSKFWjtb

— All the Smoke Fight (@ats_fight) April 23, 2022

Round two saw Lugo looking to land a knee early, but Sabatello once again had a takedown secured in the opening minute. Lugo made it back to the fence and briefly sat up, but before long, Sabatello had him flat again. This time, he sank in an arm-triangle choke, which Lugo just gutted out. He’d rolls and get free of the choke, but was soon eating ground n’ pound. Lugo ended the round bloodied and badly outclassed, but he did finish the round, earning five more minutes to flip the script.

Unfortunately for Lugo, it was rinse and repeat in the third. He was planted on his back early, and ate another serving of Sabatello elbows. Sabatello got creative, picking Lugo up and smashing him on his back, but Lugo reversed and escaped up. A small victory, however, and Lugo was soon put back down.

From there, it was all Sabatello. His wrestling was took much, the elbows were too damaging, and the best that could be said for Jornel Lugo was that he showed ample heart surviving to the end of the fight. Just a one-sided beatdown by Sabatello however.

Official Results: Danny Sabatello def. Jornel Lugo by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

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When Bellator originally announced their 2022 Bantamweight Grand Prix, Lugo was not part of it. However, with some injuries and constant grinding, Lugo got his spot. More accurately, he has to fight his way into the tournament as he is currently in a wild card fight.

He faces Sabatello, who has been talking a lot of trash about Lugo. Recently, he told us that Lugo “sucks” and that he wants to see him bleed.

In a recent interview with Cageside Press, Lugo responded to Sabaello and said he is rotten to the core.

“Danny Sabatello is a different type of breed. He’s rotten to the core. Before me, before I’ve ever even heard of him, he’s been rotten. The first time I ever saw him, he was already carrying himself that way. Never wanted to touch anybody’s gloves, not saying you have to touch gloves, but like just really mean really nasty towards all of his opponents, always running his mouth,” Lugo said. “So, he’s somebody that I didn’t like since way back, you know, so I’m glad that I get to go in there and humble this guy.”

“We don’t need somebody like that influencing the younger culture. We don’t need somebody like that to get a platform where everybody thinks; this is how you have to be. Because we don’t want to live in a world where people like that, you know what I’m saying?”

Sabatello’s trash talk isn’t getting under Lugo’s skin because he believes his opponent is just talking to talk.

“That is the kind of guy he is, and ultimately, at the end of the day, everybody’s entitled to their own opinions. I think he would say that no matter who he was fighting. He could be fighting Peter Yan or Aljamain Sterling, anybody, the best of the best, and he would say that they suck. He’d be fighting Jon Jones, and he’ll say he sucks at everything he does,” Lugo said. “This guy is gonna say whatever comes to his mind, you know, he says, ‘oh, I suck at stand up, I suck at grappling.’ Like, if you’ve seen me fight, are you serious? Or are you just making stuff up? He says, ‘I’m going to maul you, I’m gonna beat the crap out of you.’ Who have you mauled or beat the crap out of? If you are mauling people and beating the crap out of people, the crowd wouldn’t be booing you every time you fight.”

Lugo says he is going to stop Sabatello in Hawaii and advance into the Grand Prix.

“I think I’m gonna stop them,” Lugo said. “He thinks I’m gonna go in there and point fight. So, we shall see if I’m going to point fight. I think I’m going to stop him. I think he’s gonna try his best to hug me and hold me. Hold me tight like it’s Valentine’s Day, the way he always does. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna stop him, man.”

Watch the rest of our interview with Jornel Lugo above. Lugo vs. Sabatello goes down at Bellator 278 on April 22, 2022 live on Showtime.

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Sabatello (11-1) finally returns to action after his very impressive Bellator debut. The “Italian Gangster” dominated UFC veteran Brett Johns to win a unanimous decision on five days’ notice.

Many people thought that he would land inside of the top 10 bantamweight rankings the next week with such a dominant performance. It never happened, and Sabatello was pissed. While he soon got over it, another slight followed. When Bellator announced the pending Bantamweight World Grand Prix and he didn’t get a spot, Sabatello was very upset.

“Yeah, I was f*cking pissed. I was really upset about it,” Sabatello told Cageside Press. “Just mainly because you got guys in the tournament named James Gallagher, who absolutely f*cking sucks. You know, I understand the draw with him; he has a lot of followers because he’s a wannabe McGregor, and he has those Ireland pushes behind him. But you know what, that’s not what this sport is about. This sport is about who’s the best fighter, and I am the best fighter.”

If you know one thing about Sabatello, he never minces his words about anything or anybody. It is just who he is. That includes his upcoming opponent.

When injuries forced Sergio Pettis and Gallager out of the upcoming tournament, Sabatello got the call. Sabatello faces undefeated prospect Jornel Lugo (8-0) in the first round of the Grand Prix at Bellator 278 in Hawaii.

Sabatello is not impressed with Lugo. He wants to see him bleed when they fight later this month.

“I think he sucks,” Sabatello told us. “I watched his last fight against Brian Moore in Ireland, and I saw nothing really. He’s a stand-up guy mainly; he likes to point fight and doesn’t have too much power behind his hands. [He’s got] a stiff jab, quick jab, and is southpaw, so a little bit tricky, but nothing that I can’t handle.”

“I see myself absolutely dominating him from the start of the fight till the end of the fight. I don’t necessarily want to get in there and finish him in the first round. I kind of want to torture him just because he’s been talking a little bit of trash as well. And yeah, I kind of just want to make him suffer. I will get the finish in maybe either the second or third round. But I just want to pummel him a little bit. First, I want to see him bleed; I want to see his blood on the canvas. And then we’re just gonna go from there. I don’t think on the feet or on the ground, he poses too much of a threat to me.”

Watch the rest of our interview with Danny Sabatello above. Sabatello vs. Lugo goes down at Bellator 278 on April 22 in Hawaii.

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“Honestly it felt like a draw to me. He didn’t beat me up, I didn’t beat him up,” Lugo stated following the fight. “I landed more of the shots in the third round, he caught me with a couple of good ones— I don’t know where in the fight exactly, so I don’t how that plays in, but I just thought I didn’t beat him up, he didn’t beat me up. I got the third round though, I’ve got to watch back the first two.”

Asked if the encounter was the toughest fight of his career, Lugo replied “What do you think? Yeah it was!”

While Moore’s record coming in wasn’t dazzling, especially compared to the undefeated Lugo’s own, which improved to 8-0 with the win, records don’t always tell the story.

“14-9, he’s no 14-9,” noted Lugo. “That record, I don’t believe in records. I could be 8-0 right now, but I’m not superman. Every single fight, I’ve got to come in here and respect my opponent, because look, that was 14-8. He’s tough, man.”

Lugo was also asked about having the “great’ Conor McGregor in the building for the event, at the 3Arena in Dublin. Lugo, for one, was anything but starstruck at “The Notorious” being in the house.

“I didn’t see him, but I don’t have respect of persons, I don’t put anybody on a pedestal,” Lugo stated. “I judge people by their actions, not by their status.”

McGregor was in the house in support of teammates, including Sinead Kavanagh, who picked up a win in the co-main event. Lugo’s own victory, meanwhile, still leaves him on the outside, looking in at the bantamweight grand prix, which is expected to launch later this year.

Scott Coker noted Friday, however, that “We’re going to need probably four to six athletes in that bantamweight division to follow along with the tournament in case somebody gets hurt, somebody drops out,” which could give Lugo a window of opportunity.

Watch the full Bellator 275 post-fight press scrum with Jornel Lugo above.

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RCC | Russia | Wednesday

Bantamweight, Bekhzod Usmonov (9-3)

Usmonov has a Sambo and Muay Thai background. He’s a three-time Muay Thai champion and has a 37-5-1 record. Usmonov is a submission threat, a good striker, a knockout threat, and can go the distance no problem. The overall skill level is a question but he is very fun to watch. He fights Maksim Usoyan (6-3).

ONE Championship | Singapore | Friday

Heavyweight, Reinier de Ridder (14-0)

Don’t let Reinier de Ridder’s stand-up game fool you: ten of his thirteen finishes have come by submission. He’s great in the clinch, and de Ridder fights well at a distance as he has an excellent jab. When he lets his hands go, he is really accurate. de Ridder throws good long strikes and puts together strikes and kicks well. The mat is where de Ridder wants to be, however, as he is an expert jiu-jitsu practitioner — the sort who can time perfect double-leg takedowns. If de Ridder is in the clinch, expect him to get the takedown as his hips are excellent and judo tosses are his best weapon. On top, or even on the mat in general, de Ridder is the one in control. He is always moving and searching for submissions and that’s why he has eight submission wins. He fights Kiamrian Abbasov (23-4).

Featherweight, Fabricio de Andrade (6-2)

Andrade made a huge statement his last fight beating well-known Kai Wen Li. Andrade is a Muay Thai fighter who has two submissions. The Brazilian can grapple but on the feet he is in his wheelhouse. Andrade loves to use step in knees and elbows in the clinch. He’s even more effective in range with snipping long punches and kicks. Being extremely accurate in everything he throws, Andrade is a serious threat. He fights Jeremy Pacatiw (11-4).

Light heavyweight, Daniyal Zainalov (7-0)

Zainalov hasn’t fought in two years but he’s an undefeated bigger guy that has potential. The Russian is light on his feet and will throw both his hands and kicks. He’s pretty athletic and quick for a 205’er. Although footage him is scarce, he seems to be a strong wrestler too and could be a nightmare on top. Zainalov does need to prove more being off so long and has a chance in this fight to do so. He fights Yuri Simoes (0-1).

UAE Warriors 25 | Abu Dhabi | Friday

Welterweight, Wisem Hammami (6-0)

Hammami has good hands from the looks of things, and seems to have some knockout power. He has a good one-two and can sit on the outside with a jab and leg kicks. Hammami is even more of a wrestler and on top is where he’s comfortable. In the fights I’ve watched he’s been able to quickly get into the mount. From there he’s got good finishing ability with his ground and pound. Hammami fights Shido Boris Soto Esperanca (5-0).

Welterweight, Shido Soto (5-0)

Soto is quite unknown in the MMA world with five quiet fights under his belt. Soto has competed in kickboxing, Muay Thai, and in many grappling tournaments such as the IBJJF. With little tape available, what can be seen is strong slams, thunderous ground and pound, superb athleticism, and aggression. Can’t get a good read on him but he is worth keeping an eye on. He fights Wisem Hammami (6-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cak71FWfE74&ab_channel=TheAfricanFighters

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Bantamweight, Gamzat Magomedov (6-1)

This was a huge win for Russia’s Magomedov, handing Mochamed Machaev his first career loss. In an exchange, Magomedov caught Machaev with a right hand flooring him. Machaev rolled and as he got back to the feet he was still throwing, which is when Magomedov caught him with a left hand. That dropped him and the follow-up shots put him out cold. All that happened in under a minute and moved the win streak to four for Magomedov.
Grade: A-

Welterweight, Benoit Saint-Denis (8-0)

Saint-Denis blazed through his opponent with an easy first-round stoppage. He got a quick double leg takedown to start the fight. It was not long before Saint-Denis got into the mount to land some good ground and pound. The second time he got into mount he locked in an arm-triangle and his opponent tapped. One-way traffic.
Grade: A

Featherweight, Inglesson de Lara (4-0)

This was a frantic fight between Lara and his opponent Alex Sombra. Lara asserted himself right away landing a good combination. He was taken down but it wasn’t long before he got back up. Lara dropped Sombra briefly with a left hand as he got back up. When they separated Lara started to let loose. He landed a nice left hook to the body, a good right hand-knee combination, and a right-left that dropped Sombra. The follow-up shots put Sombra out.
Grade: C

Middleweight, Brunno Ferreira (4-0)

Ferreira took his opponent down with an outside trip. When he got the takedown, Ferreira landed right into side control. He transitioned into the mount, took the back, and sunk in the RNC for the submission win. Ferreira remains undefeated and still holds his 100% finish rate.
Grade: B-

Featherweight, Damon Wilson (2-0)

In round one Wilson showed a diverse attack landing a lot of combinations from a lot of angels. He took a lot of good shots but landed a lot of volume. In round two in only 18 seconds Wilson blitzed forward and a power right landed. It dropped his opponent and the follow-up punches sent the ref in. I was impressed with the striking and output of Wilson.
Grade: C+

Lightweight, Zac Pauga (4-0)

Despite being dropped and mounted in round one Pauga looked good. He got the takedown in each round but it was his striking that set him apart. Pauga landed a lot with his lead left hook and right hand. He landed that right hand many times with the hook, overhand, and the uppercut. He was landing everything from his right hand to a knee and in the clinch landed a few good elbows. Pauga looked good.
Grade: B+

Featherweight, Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (14-3-1)

Uulu fought a tough opponent in Ruslan Yamanbaev, who fought behind in this fight for the most part. Yamanbaev was cruising on the outside throwing a lot of kicks going to the body and legs. He started to take over in round one before Uulu slipped a punch and countered with a right-left. That put Yamanbaev on skates and Uulu landed a lot of shots to the jaw. In round two it was still a competitive fight as both were throwing heat. A right hand from Uulu and a flurry sat Yamanbaev down. It was a weird ending but Uulu showed good composure and picked his shots.
Grade: C+

Flyweight, Mansur Malachiev (10-0)

Russia’s Malachiev fought another good prospect in Rashid Vagabov who won his last five fights prior to this one. Malachiev threw an overhand to grab a leg to chain to a double leg to get a takedown. He had his arm trapped in a modified omoplata but was able to spin out. In a scramble, he locked in a ninja choke for the dub.
Grade: A-

Featherweight, Abdurakhman Gitinovasov (8-1)

Opponent Viktor Mitkov fought pretty carelessly in this fight, shooting in blindly against a much better wrestler in Gitinovasov. Round one and two were easy for Gitinovasov as he just defended a takedown and dominated with top control. In round three Mitkov threw a sloppy spinning back fist and Gitinovasov took the fight down. Mitkov was able to get back to his feet but Gitinovasov used a trip to a double leg for a beautiful takedown. A dominant showing from Gitinovasov.
Grade: B-

Welterweight, Imam-Shapi Mukhtarov (10-0)

Mukhtarov let his hands go in this fight throwing with volume while going to the body and head. He kept up the forward pressure lunging forward with two punches at a time. He landed at the same rate with both his hands while mixing in some kicks as well. His opponent changed levels for a takedown in round three. He left his neck exposed and Mukhtarov sunk in a ninja choke. It was in there good and it put the guy out cold face first. Just a nasty finish to the fight.
Grade: B

Welterweight, Shakhban Alkhasov (5-0)

This fight was nothing but domination for Alkhasov. With his long reach, he pawed with straight punches, head kicks, and even a wheel kick before he closed the distance. He used a strong body lock to get the takedown. When he landed in half-guard that’s where he finished it posturing up and putting his opponent out cold with the von flue choke.
Grade: A-

Bantamweight, Jean Matsumoto (9-0)

Matsumoto who is the SFT flyweight champion, moved up to bantamweight and won that title as well in August. His opponent Wanderley Junior was the champ and this fight was a back and forth scrap. Both men had a knockdown in round one. Matsumoto was dropped with a punch and he dropped Junior with a head kick. Both landed tons of volume with leg kicks, bodywork, and head strikes. Both scored takedowns and had submission attempts. Matsumoto just had more moments.
Grade: B+

Bantamweight, Francesco Patron Manzo (8-0)

Manzo looked outstanding here to keep his undefeated record. He marched his opponent down chopping the legs and throwing punches in bunches. He let go with his offense and was landing a lot of volume. At one point Manzo almost secured a kneebar finish. Manzo landed a left hook to the body to a right leg kick putting his opponent down. He jumped on the back and from there locked in an armbar for the tap. Excellent and beautiful transition to a submission.
Grade: A

Strawweight, Tania Torres (5-0)

LUX held an eight-women strawweight tournament and in the end, it was down to Torres and Saray Orozco. This fight was a war that came down to determination and heart. Torres was dropped with a head kick in round two but survived and bit down on her mouth guard and fought back. Torres, when she let her hands go, was ripping combinations to the body and head. She found the target frequently with her hands and threw a lot of knees as well. On the other side she took a lot of damage but just had more bright moments herself.
Grade: C+

Bantamweight, Ryan Kuse (4-0)

Kuse showed a good skillset overall in a second-round stoppage. On the feet he maintained distance very well landing at will with kicks and long punches. He got a takedown in round one and dominated in top position. He got a takedown in round two and that’s where he found the finish. Kuse went between the mount and the back multiple times before the ground and pound sent the ref in.
Grade: B

Featherweight, Tom Pagliarulo (2-0)

The 6’0″ Pagliarulo is a real problem and he showed that in this fight. He had good movement and was snipping on the outside with his punches and landed two glancing head kicks. Pagliarulo was landing at will and picking his shots. His opponent threw a blind leg kick and Pagliarulo caught it and countered with a straight right. The initial shot put the guy out cold and the ref stepped in. Brutal finish and perfectly set up.
Grade: A

Lightweight, Eddy George (4-0)

His opponent came out with some type of jumping wheel kick which missed by a mile. George responded with a combination to an easy takedown. He quickly got into mount and unloaded with ground and pound. George unloaded with elbows and even though his opponent was covering up he wasn’t moving. The ref eventually stepped in.
Grade: C+

Welterweight, Andreeas Binder (3-0)

Binder breezed past his opponent with a first-round stoppage. He opened up with a few hard outside leg kicks and looping hooks. He used a body lock to get the takedown into side control. Binder got into mount and went off with smashing ground and pound. Some punishing short elbows sent the ref in. Dominant showing and showed a bit of everything.
Grade: C

Flyweight, Andres Luna Martinetti (11-0)

In under 30-seconds Martinetti took the fight down. From there he put his opponent through a lot. While staying busy with ground and pound at a point he was in the mount. When he got on the back he even attempted a suloev stretch. When that didn’t work in a scramble he landed a ground shot that had his opponent cover up. Martinetti went after the finish and landed big punches until the ref came in.
Grade: B

Lightweight, Elvin Espinoza (6-0)

Espinoza made his PFL debut and fought his toughest test to date in Hopeton Stewart. Espinoza didn’t treat it as his toughest test as he had a spotless performance. He quickly took Stewart down. He got right into mount and had the back but Stewart escaped. Espinoza used a throw to get the fight down again and an adjustment got him in top position. Right back into mount and on the back, he sunk in an RNC and put Stewart to sleep.
Grade: A

Welterweight, Michael Lombardo (12-2)

Lombardo is someone that’s pretty conservative in his fights but he went after it in this one. He fought another Contender Series veteran in Kyron Bowen. It was a competitive fight but Lombardo was landing more impactful shots. He was doubling up on the jab and coming through with the right hand. Lombardo was landing a few leg kicks that were visibly bothering Bowen. He sat Bowen down with a hard leg kick and again a second time. As Bowen threw another kick to the leg as Bowen was down he grabbed his leg in agony and the ref stepped in.
Grade: B+

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The talented 25-year old choked out Lee in the dying seconds of the opening round of their main card opener, earning his first stoppage in the promotion. Improving to 7-0 with the win, Lugo looks like a lock for a proposed bantamweight grand prix — though he’s hoping to get one more fight in this year.

Lugo is eyeing the promotion’s November 5 card in Ireland next, an event which features a high-profile bantamweight match-up between James Gallagher and Patchy Mix. “There’s another guy from that gym other there [SBG Ireland], I’m not going to give him any hype, but he said he’s looking for a fight on that same exact card,” Lugo told media outlets including Cageside Press following the event. “He’s a bantamweight. So let’s see. If the taxes are not too high over there, maybe I can go over there. I gotta go get my passport, and we can make that fight happen.”

While Lugo’s not going to give him any hype, it’s no secret that Ireland’s Brian Moore is looking to get on the card. “The Pikeman” recently dropped to bantamweight, defeating Jordan Winski late last month.

With the prospect of the 135lb tournament looming, it felt like a finish was more important than ever on Friday. Lugo agreed with that notion.

“Definitely. To me it’s important. I’ve been wanting to go for finishes, but it’s just trying to find that balance between being composed, and also looking for stoppages. So tonight, I said ‘You know what, I’m going to look for the stoppage at the same time while I’m composed and being smart,'” Lugo explained. “It’s very important for me to find that stoppage. If I could get the stoppage every time I would, but the first thing that’s most important is coming home with that W.”

When the featherweight bout between Jay Jay Wilson and Adam Borics fell through a day prior to Bellator 265, it felt like Lugo and Lee might get a chance to move up. Instead, the honor went to hometown fave Logan Storley — an understandable choice, but a far less exciting scrap.

“That would have been cool if I’d got that spot. but you know how it goes: You become a pro, start off on the prelims, then you go to the main card, then you go to the big show, start off on the prelims again, then you go to the main card,” Lugo said when asked about the slight. “You start from the bottom, and you work your way up.”

“I’m not somebody who cares to skip my way all the to the top,” he continued. “I like to take my time, I’ll get to the main event, and when that tournament starts, I’ll be the main event and the co-main event the whole time.”

Watch the full Bellator 265 post-fight press scrum with Jornel Lugo above.

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Consider it a dry run for the potential (but not yet official) bantamweight grand prix, widely expected to be the promotion’s next tournament, sometime in 2022. Albeit it Friday’s bout came at a contracted 140lb catchweight.

Lugo was the undefeated, up-and-coming talent. Lee, coming off a valiant loss to Raufeon Stots, was a prospect in his own right, looking to step out from under the shadow of brother Kevin Lee, of UFC fame.

The winner had a good shot at turning up in the grand prix, assuming it went forward.

Out of the gate on Friday, Lee looked to be the quicker fighter. Quick hand speed, and solid footwork saw him double-pump his jab, then escape out of harm’s way. Lugo, however, would come over the top with a right hand off a caught kick, landing the most significant strike through the opening ninety seconds.

As the round progressed, Lugo found his range, capitalizing on his reach advantage, and mixing in a few calf kicks. With a minute and a half remaining, Lugo dropped Lee, and immediately pounced on a choke — but quickly allowed Lee back to his feet when it was apparent the submission wasn’t there.

A later submission attempt would pay off, however. In the dying seconds of the round, Lugo jumped on his opponent’s back, locking in a rear-naked choke before he’d even secured the position. Lee rolled, Lugo rolled with him, and just before the buzzer, Lee went out! He was out at the buzzer, but leapt right to his feet, and it looked like the fight might continue, before the ref clarified things by waving it off.

That performance was exactly what Jornel Lugo needed, as he becomes the first to stop Lee, and has made a statement to the 135lb weight class. With the victory, Lugo improves to 7-0.

Official Result: Jornel Lugo def. Keith Lee by technical submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 5:00

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