Uncasville, CT — If there was a common theme on Friday night at Bellator 207 in Uncasville, Connecticut, it’s that the night belonged to the unknowns. It was a night of upsets, a night of names you’d never heard of defeating names you most likely had, at least early on in the card. Kristi Lopez, Carrington Banks, Baby Slice. All three fell to their respective opponents, all three defeated in fights that most expected to be showcases for them.

Lopez went first, on the preliminary card, her first time setting foot in the Bellator cage in over a year. Against Sarah Click, a 1-2 fighter, it was expected Lopez would shine. Yet Click’s record was deceiving; she’d put her time in as an amateur, and from the get-go, she was more than happy to stand with Lopez, and deliver. While Lopez shone early, a late exchange saw Click take the upper hand, punctuated by a head kick. They’d go the full distance, but Sarah Click cruised to victory from there.

The main card opened with an upset few expected. Carrington ‘The Jetsetter’ Banks was a unanimous pick by many (including our own staff members) to score the win over Mandel Nallo. Nallo, hailing from Toronto, Canada and training with TriStar, was a virtual unknown. Yet in the first round, he nearly wrapped Banks up in a D’Arce choke. In the second, the floored him with a knee. Goodnight, Irene (more accurately, goodnight, Carrington). If fans didn’t know who Nallo was before, well, they did now.

Nallo clearly elated with that win #Bellator207 pic.twitter.com/dUHqRWnhAC

— Cageside Press (@mmatodaynews) October 13, 2018

Everything would settle in after that. Or so it seemed. Kevin Ferguson Jr., better known as Baby Slice, would storm out of the gates against Corey Browning, in the second fight in on the Bellator 207 main card. Slice seemed to have the advantage in size, speed, agility, and quickly had Browning down. Near-finishes followed. But Browning hung in there. Battled back. Put Slice in a crucifix at one point. Wore him down, and finally earned the TKO victory just over two minutes into the second round.

Click. Nallo. Browning. Not names anyone expected to be talking about following Bellator 207, but here we are nonetheless. Mandel Nallo will probably earn the biggest push from his performance Friday night, with ESPN’s Sport Center almost immediately pushing his finish of Banks as a knockout of the year contender.

This might be a candidate for knockout of the year. pic.twitter.com/VDB0UZo0qt

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 13, 2018

As the main card progressed, of course, the story got back on track. Lorenz Larkin won a decision. Sergei Kharitonov did the improbable and knocked out Roy Nelson, but Kharitonov is far from an unknown. Same with Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader in the main event.

Yet for a while, Bellator 207 was all about the unknowns, and that “anything can happen” feel is what makes MMA so much fun.

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Uncasville, CT — Kristi Lopez was back in the Bellator cage for the first time in over a year at Bellator 207 on Friday night in Unvasville, CT. The flyweight prospect, 2-0-1 in her pro career to date, had been expected to fight over the Summer, at Bellator 201. However, a badly blown weight cut by opponent Paola Ramirez put the kibosh on that fight, one Lopez had absolutely been looking forward to. That left her out another handful of months, a lifetime in MMA terms, where ring rust can creep in ever so quickly (unless, of course, you’re Dominick Cruz).

Opposite Lopez at Bellator 207 on Friday night was Sarah Click, a 1-2 fighter who had previously competed in Invicta. Click held a deceiving record, given her wealth of amateur experience. And she proved more than happy to stand toe-to-toe with Lopez. At the end of the first, as Lopez began lighting Click up, showing impressive accuracy with her hands, Click returned fire, tagging one of Bellator’s favorite daughters and finishing off the sequence with a high kick.

That shock at the end of the first round seemed to carry throughout the remainder of the fight. Lopez, who had arguably been in control until that point, was pushed back.

By the third round Kristi Lopez was on the outside, looking to counter as Click led with her jab. Click walked her opponent down as ‘Loba’ made sure to never stop moving side-to-side. When Click swung for the fences with an overhand, Lopez simply wasn’t there. With two minutes to go, Lopez found herself fighting to get her back off the fence, finally getting her underhooks in and turning Sarah Click. Click showed her appreciation with about a half-dozen knees in the clinch. One final break from the ref, a final thirty seconds out in the open (at least to start), and they’d gone the distance.

On the judges scorecards, the only surprise was that Lopez didn’t manage to steal at least one round. Click took all three 30-27.  If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s that ring rust is real, and no matter how marketable or favored a fighter, there is no sure thing in MMA.

Sarah Click def. Kristi Lopez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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Bellator 207 was the first of back-to-back cards from Scott Coker’s MMA outfit over the weekend, each of which featured one half of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-finals. On Friday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena, it was Ryan Bader taking on Matt Mitrione. The winner would face whoever moved forward at Bellator 208 on Satuday, where Fedor Emelianenko took on Chael Sonnen.

Before that bout, and the co-main event between Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson and Sergei Kharitonov, the preliminary card went down, featuring flyweight prospect Kristiz Lopez. Lopez (2-0-1), who fought to a draw against Jessica Sotack last time out, was getting back in the cage for the first time in over a year. She was facing Sarah Click, a 1-2 Invicta vet with a lengthy amateur record that included a win over Invicta’s Jillian DeCoursey.

Also part of the Bellator 207 preliminary card, a promising welterweight scrap between TUF 13 competitor Javier Torres, Portugal’s Andre Fialho, 3-1 in his last four outings under the Bellator MMA banner.

Check out the Bellator 207 live stream below for all the preliminary card action, and check back for results throughout the evening in case you missed anything! The preliminary card kicks off at 6:30 PM ET

Bellator 207: Bader vs. Mitrione – Live Tonight on Paramount Network

Bellator 207 Preliminary Card Results:

Pat Casey def. Kastriot Xhema by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Alexandra Bellou def. Lisa Blaine by TKO, Round 3, 3:28
Mike Kimbell def. Alex Potts by knockout, Round 1, 0:06
Sarah Click def. Kristi Lopez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Andre Fialho def. Javier Torres by majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Janay Harding def. Sinead Kavanagh by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 1, 5:00
Tim Caron def. Vinicius de Jesus by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Post-liminary Card

Sean Lally vs. Kemran Lachinov

The post Bellator 207 Preliminary Card Results and Live Stream appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator 201 goes down Friday, June 29 live from the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. In advance of the promotion’s return to action, the ceremonial weigh-ins took place Thursday from the very same venue. You can check out all fighters from the card appearing in the live stream above.

In the main event, women’s flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (7-0) will make her first title defense against Alejandra Lara (7-1). ‘The Illiminator’ will be looking to keep her perfect record as a pro intact, and add to the momentum she build up in 2017, which culminated in her title victory against Emily Ducote.

A little further down the card will be another women’s flyweight battle, one that is likely to decide the next 125lb title challenger. Rookie Kristina Williams, just 2-0, has impressed thus far in her short MMA career. ‘Warhorse’ is getting a big test as a result, as she’ll be taking on former UFC strawweight title challenger Valerie Letourneau. ‘Trouble’ was expected by many to be fighting Macfarlane for the title, and the snub seems to have lit a fire under the Canadian. Will the lesser-known but extremely talented Williams be able to pull off the upset?

In the co-main event, meanwhile, Ryan Couture returns to action against Saad Awad, and while being contested at a catchweight, a win for either will be key to their success in the lightweight division.

Bellator 201: Macfarlane vs. Lara Weigh-In Results:

Main Card:

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (c) (125.0) vs. Alejandra Lara (124.6)
Saad Awad (159.8) vs. Ryan Couture (159.9)
Valérie Létourneau (126) vs. Kristina Williams (125.4)
Juan Archuleta (146) vs. Robbie Peralta (145.3)

Bellator 201 Preliminary Card:

Ed Ruth (170.7) vs. Andy Murad (170.8)
Keri Anne Melendez (116) vs. Tiani Valle (114.5)
Tyrell Fortune (244.8) vs. Giovanni Sarran (251.8)
Joey Davis (170.6) vs. Craig Plaskett (168.2)
Jordan Young (204.8) vs. Jamal Pogues (203.7)
Ricky Furar (134.5) vs. Victor Rosas (135.3)
Kristi Lopez (125.5) vs. Paola Ramirez (134.7)*
Joshua Jones (155.5) vs. Jacob Rosales (155.7)
Jay Jay Wilson (146) vs. David Conte (145.6)

* Due to Paola Ramirez missing weight, her bout against Kristi Lopez was cancelled

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In 2017, Bellator had the jump on the UFC in terms of the women’s flyweight division.  They had signed several marquee flyweights, including this Friday’s title challenger Alejandra Lara and UFC veteran Valerie Letourneau.  Among them was undefeated prospect Kristi Lopez, who was expected to develop under the Bellator banner.  Lopez would earn a draw in her promotional debut and she will now be returning to the cage for the first time in ten months due to a broken hand suffered in the fight.

Layoffs are nothing new to Lopez.  She went two years without a bout in 2014 before coming up short in a bid to enter The Ultimate Fighter house.  It would be another year and a half before she made her debut with Bellator against Jessica Sotack.  While the time away and rehabilitation on her hand was discouraging, it gave Lopez the opportunity to practice the philosophy she shares so often with others.  “The most important thing is to never give up.  Never give up on your dreams.  No matter how many times you get knocked down or how many broken bones you get you just keep getting back up.  Everyone has a light inside them.  That light might dim but don’t ever let it go out.  Don’t ever let anyone else put it out.”

While her training was limited for the latter part of the year, it did not stop her from continuing to work on her career.  She recently signed with a new clothing sponsor, Savage Barbell, and rather than take a simple picture, Lopez celebrated the partnership with a one of a kind announcement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkLdUnVnJLv/?taken-by=kristilopezmma

Asked to explain what inspired her to do a miniature production, Lopez said “I feel like everybody does very basic posts for when they sign (with a sponsor.)  So I figured why not have a little bit of fun with it and Danny (Moncada) of course was my camera operator and director of photography.”

One would imagine that being signed to the second largest MMA promotion in America would help bring stardom, but Lopez does not put importance on fame.  Even in her personal life, Daniel Moncada, her long-time boyfriend of Breaking Bad fame, is admittedly the more noticeable of the two.  But while she’s not overly concerned with becoming a huge star immediately, she is looking to use the platform that professional MMA success would bring.  “The bigger the platform, the more positivity you can spread.  For me, that’s the way that I think about it.  If you have a message and you want to get that message out there and be positive and inspire other people, you need to do amazing things.”

Part of overcoming any ordeal, like injuries and layoffs, is having a positive outlook.  But in times where she needs support, Lopez is quick to turn to her family.  So much are they in her corner, that Lopez compares them to her coaches and training partners as people who prepare her for a fight.

“My older brother is always there for me when I need to chat about something or I’m having a bad day.  My mom’s always there to girl talk about stuff that I can’t talk to anybody else about.  My little brother helped me for a lot of years.  My Dad’s really proud of me.  They’ve been there for every break, every bone, and every fight.”

At the end of the day, she will still have to overcome an opponent on fight night.  Paola Ramirez carries a modest record of 1-2, but her striking background has pegged her as a stern test for the returning Lopez.  “I think she’s a great opponent.  Very tough.  I’m looking forward to the challenge.  I know she’s gonna be good.  I don’t think you would want a fight to be any other way.”

Kristi Lopez will face Paola Ramirez on the undercard of Bellator 201 on Friday June 29.

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In the co-main event, a catchweight bout between Brennan Ward and Fernando Gonzalez promised fireworks. It also marked Ward’s first fight back after that crushing flying knee loss to Paul Daley earlier this year.

In preliminary (and post-lim) card action, a number of key match-ups were featured, including significant bouts featuring Georgi Karakhanyan, and Chris Honeycutt vs. Kevin Casey. A total of ten female fighters were featured on the card as well, which boasted five WMMA bouts in the flyweight and featherweight divisions. Four of those fights went down outside of the main card.

Chris Honeycutt vs. Kevin Casey

After an early bout between Joey Davis and Justin Roswell ended in a first round TKO for Davis, Kevin Casey and Chris Honeycutt took the cage. The story early and often was Honeycutt’s ability to get the fight to the mat, which he did in both the first and second rounds. Casey, stacked up against the fence, had little answer. In round two, a little more a minute in, Honeycutt again had Casey down, and moving into mount was able to land a number of bombs from above, finishing with some vicious ground and pound before the ref moved in to wave off the fight!

Kate Jackson vs. Colleen Schneider

Flyweights Colleen Schneider and Kate Jackson were up next, exchanging early and often in the first. Jackson worked her kicks, with Schneider holding a clear strength advantage at least early on. Looking comfortable and at times smiling Schneider dropped her hands and seemed to egg Jackson into attacking; Jackson maintained her composure and with just over a minute in the opening frame remaining, managed to drop her opponent and follow her to the ground. The first wound end with Jackson in top control.

Between rounds, Schneider practically hopped back to her corner, with assistance. That, unfortunately, put an end to her night, as the fight was called on the advice of the ringside physician.

Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Daniel Pineda

Against Daniel Pineda, former WSOF champ Georgi Karakhanyan wasted no time getting going, pushing the pace early and landing some solid strikes before tying Pineda up against the fence. Pineda would reverse, and Karakhanyan would work to break free. Back in the center he worked in some leg kicks, but found himself on the wrong end of a Pineda takedown shortly after. Despite working back up it wasn’t long before he was put on his back a second time, with a little over two minutes to go in the opening round. ‘Insane’ would threaten with an arm-bar briefly but Pineda postured up and was able to maintain position. Georgi would make it back to the feet towards the end of the round only to be taken down a third time in a bit of a scramble.

In round two it was Pineda trying to execute on the feet, while Karakhanyan initiated a takedown. Pineda, however, reversed and was soon on top in his guard. Karakhanyan got his underhooks in and tried to hold on from the bottom; Pineda would manage to get an arm free and drop an elbow, but it wasn’t long before the ref stood them up. A low blow by Pineda, however, followed on the restart. Once action was back underway, Karakhanyan loaded up on a punch that you could hear miss. Pineda, however, was more successful, securing a double leg to take things back to the ground. An upkick from Karakhanyan connected and bloodied Pineda, and a few moments later the fight was paused for the doctor to take a look. That was all she wrote, as the doctor decided the cut was too severe. Two straight fights waved off on the ringside doctor’s advice, but that was a nasty upkick and cut.

Noad Lahat vs. Henry Corrales

Noad Lahat vs. Henry Corrales was up next, with Corrales the aggressor early and working to take things to the ground. He would apply pressure throughout, and at one point back on the feet, Lahat appeared to signal an eye poke and briefly stopped protecting himself. The ref warned him to continue, however, and Corrales continued on in the attack throughout the round.

Round two saw Corrales look for a takedown early, but Lahat was able to stay on his feet. This allowed him to work a number of kicks into his attack, however Corrales remained the more aggressive fighter, pushing the pace and moving forward a good chunk of the time. Lahat attempted to catch a kick but missed about halfway into the second; he would attempt to invite Corrales into his guard, but Corrales wasn’t interested. The second wound up being a much more closely contested round on the feet, and Lahat would manage to stun and drop Corrales ever so briefly at the end of the frame.

Round three started with a spirited exchange that resulted in Corrales latching on for a single leg and taking Lahat down, landing a couple of hammer fists in quick succession before Lahat tied him up from the bottom. Back on the feet, the exchanges continued before a huge head kick landed by Lahat, making an impressive crack as it did. Corrales shook it off, however, while Lahat, already opened up and bloodied at that point, would later again try to invite Corrales into his guard. No taker the second time, either.

Ultimately it would go to the scorecards, with Corrales taking the unanimous decision victory.

Philipe Lins vs. Vadim Nemkov

Light heavyweight action was next on the docket in Lins vs. Nemkov. Nemkov was the aggressor early, with Lins looking to counter. A number of heavy shots from both men found only air until Lins went to the body, and Nemkov answered with a kick. A Nemkov right hand would land about three minutes in however, sending Lins crashing backwards to the mat. Any follow-up punches were simply window dressing, as Lins’ night was done.

Talita Nogueira vs. Amanda Bell

Talita Nogueira at long last was able to make her Bellator MMA debut Friday. Having not fought in MMA since 2015, she met Amanda Bell on the preliminary card of Bellator 182. After a brief bit of jockeying on the feet, this went to the ground quick. Bell proved to be game, but the ground was BJJ ace Nogueira’s world, and just under four minutes into the first round, she had Bell’s back, and the rear-naked choke was locked in for the finish.

Ricky Rainey vs. Marc Stevens

In welterweight action, Rainey and Stevens circled early with Rainey holding the center of the cage while the pair went through a feeling out period. That feeling out resulted in just a few strikes thrown within the first half of round one, but Rainey managed to connect with a glancing head kick around the midway point, following it up with strikes. Stevens had a small cut opened on the back of the head possibly as a result of the kick wrapping around. Stevens would catch a Rainey high kick with under a minute to go, scoring a big takedown which may have swayed things in his favor with the judges given the relative lack of action in the round.

Round two saw an early exchange, then Stevens shoot for the takedown only to have Rainey force his way up. Rainey continued to press and force Stevens to retreat until he again caught a kick. Stevens was unable to make another takedown happen, however, while Rainey unloaded with some shots along the fence before they tied up. Stevens would attempt to counter with leg kicks and right hooks as Rainey stalked him around the cage; late in the round with Stevens working for a takedown, Rainey landed a number of hammer fists before the two dropped down. There, Rainey took the back and looked for a choke, but Stevens would survive and it would go to a third.

The third saw Rainey open with a flurry of punches along the fence accented by a kick to the body. Stevens was under heavy fire, and while he would survive, he’d eat a knee moments later. Stevens was forced into retreat and later in the round found himself on the mat, with Ricky Rainey landing heavy shots from above. That send Stevens into defensive mode where he gave up his back and risked being finished, only to survive and force Rainey to reposition. Rainey, however, worked to flatten his opponent out from the back with both hooks in, and either way this was looking like a 10-8 round. Ultimately it would go the distance, with Rainey taking the unanimous decision, 29-27 on all three scorecards.

Check back during the Bellator 182 event for a quick recap and results! You can catch the preliminary card below!

Bellator 182 Preliminary Card Results:

Ricky Rainey def. Marc Stevens by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Talita Nogueira def. Amanda Bell by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:44
Vadim Nemkov def. Philipe Lins by KO, Round 1, 3:03
Henry Corrales def. Noad Lahat by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Georgi Karakhanyan def. Daniel Pineda by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 4:05
Kate Jackson def. Colleen Schneider by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 1, 5:00
Chris Honeycutt def. Kevin Casey by TKO, Round 2, 2:06
Joey Davis def. Justin Roswell by TKO (punches), Round 1, 1:35
Arlene Blencowe def. Sinead Kavanagh by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

Bellator 182 Postliminary Card Results:

Matt Secor def. T.J. Sumler by Submission (keylock), Round 1, 4:00
Tom Regal def. Kastriot Xhema by KO (punches), Round 1, 3:21
Alex Potts def. Brandon Polcare by Submission (kimura), Round 1, 3:10
Josh Ricci def. Brandon Ware by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Kristi Lopez vs. Jessica Sotack ended in a draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)

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For Kristi Lopez, her Bellator debut on August 25 is about more than joining one of the largest promotions in the world. It’s validation for what has been a trying several years as she’s fought to get back into the cage as a professional. The She-Wolf, or as she calls herself “Loba,” has encountered the familiar hurdles fighters face as they try to break into the upper echelon of the professional circuit. However, she is now arriving at the right time as Bellator’s flyweight division is easily the most stacked in the world.

The first thing that stands out when looking at Lopez’s record is that both of her fights took place in 2014. That has not been from lack of trying. Not documented on her record was her exhibition bout for The Ultimate Fighter 23 where she lost to eventual cast member JJ Aldrich. Unfortunately, her time before and after TUF had more than its fair share of obstacles. “There’s a lot that goes on between your personal life, injuries, and opponents backing out so it was a combination of all those things that lead to my long time off before and after (TUF).”

Normally, that would be more than enough to discourage a less-motivated fighter. For Lopez, the adversity had the opposite effect. In regards to continuing her career after her struggles, Lopez said, “…that just made me want it that much more. Sometimes when things are taken from you, you appreciate them that much more.”

If it sounds like Lopez has been working for this her whole life, it’s because she has.

“I grew up with all brothers and a cousin, so I was the only girl in my family. Basically, since birth, I’ve been prepped and conditioned to be a fighter. Having that many boys in my house definitely made me tough. My dad and my brothers were boxers so I always was around that fighting atmosphere and fighting spirit. I saw Gina Carano and Julie Kedzie fight MMA and I was just hooked. I had no idea that girls fought in a cage and it’s such a freestyle form of fighting. I went to the gym specifically with the intention of becoming an MMA fighter and training and I just knew that it’s what I wanted to do. I knew that’s what I wanted to do and what I’m supposed to do. For the past seven or eight years, I’ve just kept the ball rolling like that.”

In the Bellator flyweight division, that’s exactly the motivation needed to break through the rankings. At a time when the UFC is about to open their own division, Spike TV’s MMA juggernaut has already been showcasing their talented flyweights. With women like Anastasia Yankova, Emily Ducote, and Valerie Letourneau, Lopez will be diving into one of the deepest shark tanks in MMA.

Even though she will be a new arrival to the party, Lopez is well aware of who currently stands at the top of the division and who is likely to fight for the inaugural championship, “I definitely think Ilima Macfarlane and Valerie Letourneau. I think that would be an explosive fight. They’re very amazing fighters. Right now I see those two girls as the first for the belt.”

While fans may be more familiar with the established names in Bellator, “Loba” isn’t afraid to let fans know what they can expect when she steps into the cage. “I think I’m a really well-rounded fighter.  You can expect me to be comfortable wherever the fight goes. I like to hit hard, so you can expect an explosive fight. Fans can expect a hard hitting bout.”

Lopez is entering a competitive weight class, but she’ll be taking on another relative newcomer in Jessica Sotack who is 1-1 in her career. The two women will be the opening bout on a card that is set to have a total of 18 fights.  Her night of work will end early compared to her co-workers, and she plans to take full advantage of it before taking in the rest of the night’s action. “I definitely would like to support everyone on the card.  Maybe I’ll sneak back to my room for some dessert then come back. I’m looking forward to some chocolate cake, some ice cream maybe after the fight, and then maybe I’ll come back down.”

Lopez has made it clear that there will be plenty of chocolate ice cream with a victory, and she’s ready for everyone to see what she can do.

Kristi “Loba” Lopez will be taking on Jessica Sotack at Bellator 182 on August 25, live on Spike TV.

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