Bellator 298 ‘Storley vs. Ward’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Jordan Oliver (145.6) vs. Andrew Triolo (143.4)

Round 1

Bobby Wombacher draws the officiating assignment for this match at 145 pounds. Oliver (0-0, 0-0 Bellator) was a four-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, where he won two national championships. Triolo (0-1, 0-0 Bellator) made an unsuccessful pro debut in the Legacy Fighting Alliance in April 2022. Oliver walks through a few leg kicks, connects with a thudding right hand and completes a takedown. Soon after, he frames an arm-triangle choke and prompts the tapout.

The Official Result

Jordan Oliver def. Andrew Triolo—Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) 1:05 R1

Marcirley Alves da Silva (135.2) vs. Jerrell Hodge (135.6)

Round 1

Wombacher remains in the cage as the referee for this bantamweight tilt. Alves da Silva (11-3, 0-0 Bellator) makes his promotional debut on the strength of a two-fight winning streak. Hodge (10-3, 0-0 Bellator) captured the interim LFA bantamweight championship in March before signing with Bellator. Alves da Silva introduces himself with a kick to the lower lead leg, only to run into some heavy return fire from his counterpart. The Brazilian answers with a few clean hands, as they settle into a more manageable pace. Alves da Silva works front kicks to the body, then takes a shot south of the border, resulting in a brief pause to the action. Hodge continues to throw first, as his opponent targets the inside and outside of his leg. Alves da Silva holds his ground in the center of the cage, unleashes powerful left hands and pressures the American backward. He stings Hodge with an overhand left, enough so that the impact was acknowledged. Alves da Silva remains the more active participant and airs out another volley of power punches. A sweeping right hook sends Hodge crashing to the canvas. Alves da Silva follows up with hammerfists until the job is done.

The Official Result

Marcirley Alves da Silva def. Jerrell Hodge—KO (Punches) 3:53 R1

Sullivan Cauley (205.6) vs. Hamza Salim (204.8)

Round 1

This light heavyweight battle sees Jason Herzog as the third man in the cage. Cauley (5-1, 5-1 Bellator) suffered his first pro defeat to Luke Trainer on March 31. Salim (7-6, 0-2 Bellator) has lost four of his past six fights. Cauley backs up his opponent with a double jab, then bullies his way into the clinch along the fence. They separate and move into open space, at which point Salim eats a thudding right hand. Cauley snatches the collar tie and unloads with knees to the body, then moves back into the clinch. Cauley completes a takedown without much resistance, sets up shop in half guard and cuts loose with punches. It might be a short night for Salim. Cauley mixes in elbows and forearm strikes, all while maintaining his position of choice. He threatens with a guillotine choke, then resumes his efforts in top position. Credit to Salim for staying alive. Cauley appears to be taking a breather, nearly gets caught in an armbar and then lets the punches fly. Cauley bites down on an arm-triangle, tightens his squeeze and puts the American Top Team rep to sleep.

The Official Result

Sullivan Cauley def. Hamza Salim—Technical Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) 4:24 R1

Dayana Silva (144.6) vs. Katerina Shakalova (144.8)

Round 1

Kevin MacDonald steps in to referee this women’s featherweight tilt. Silva (10-8, 1-3 Bellator) has gone 2-4 since she captured the vacant Shooto Brazil women’s bantamweight championship in 2019. Shakalova (7-1, 0-0 Bellator) enters her promotional debut on the strength of a six-fight winning streak. Shakalova, fighting southpaw, gets the blood pumping with lateral movement and a few crisp jabs. Perhaps focused on defending takedowns, Silva sits back and waits, allowing the Ukrainian to get in some punches. Shakalova moves in on a single-leg but fails to secured the takedown and steps back into open space. Silva starts to measure her target but seems content to counter for now. The two women trade punches in the center of the cage, though neither of them gains a discernible advantage. Silva clips the nose with a counter left hook, though her inability to cut off the cage appears to be costing her in terms of effectiveness. Shakalova steps into a left hook, darts out of danger and completes a double-leg takedown. Silva tries to wall walk with 20 seconds to go and eats punches as she gets back to her feet. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Shakalova

Round 2

They shake hands to start the middle stanza. Silva takes the center of the cage and eats a pair of hooks. Shakalova steps into her punches, bails on a single-leg and narrowly misses a spinning back elbow. Silva is falling into a pattern of throwing one shot at a time. The powerfully built Shakalov circles on the outside, fires a one-two and exits without getting hit. Excellent head movement from the Ukrainian newcomer, who changes levels and smartly abandons the takedown attempt when nothing materializes. Output continues to be Silva’s enemy. For every punch she lands, Shakalavo answers with one, two and sometimes three of her own. Silva sends out a snappy one-two and lands an inside low kick. Shakalova calls upon an effective jab and keeps the lanky Brazilian at bay. She ducks in on a single-leg, scores with a mat return and sets off a hellacious flurry at the end of the round. Shakalova emerges with a significant mouse under her right eye. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Shakalova

Round 3

Silva needs a finish but looks unwilling to make necessary adjustments. Shakalova circles on the outside and either steps in with punches or ducks in on attempted takedowns. It has been enough to keep the Brazilian off-balance. Silva has a decided reach advantage, but her Ukrainian adversary is the competitor controlling the distance. Silva loads up on a body kick but misfires. This looks a lot like the first two rounds. Shakalova mixes in a leg kicks, moves laterally and steps in with a one-two. Silva counters off the back foot, but her punches lack zip. Shakalova stays at a safe range when she is not throwing punches. She pushes the Brazilian backward with another three-punch burst. Silva connects with an inside low kick, but she is not generating the kind of offense she needs to alter the direction of this fight. Silva shoots on a single-leg, connects with a left hook on the exit and then delivers a stout right. Shakalova secures a takedown inside the final 10 seconds to punctuate her performance. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Shakalova (30-27 Shakalova)

The Official Result

Katerina Shakalova def. Dayana Silva—Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Alfie Davis (155) vs. Aalon Cruz (155.6)

Round 1

Jason Herzog gets the nod to officiate this lightweight affair. Davis (15-4-1, 6-1-1 Bellator) has gone the distance in eight consecutive bouts. The 33-year-old Cruz (11-4, 1-0 Bellator) has enjoyed a resurgence since being released by the UFC in 2021 following a failed two-fight run in the organization. Cruz explodes out of the gate and gets his opponent’s attention with a flying front kick to the chest. Davis lures Cruz into the clinch and slows the pace along the fence. He works to a rear waistlock and looks for an opportunity to trip. Cruz turns back into the London Shootfighters rep but cannot break the underhooks. They trade short-range knees, then separate. Davis fires a left hand behind a leg kick, then unleashes a spinning wheel kick that misses. He connects with a spinning back kick to the body and sends a powerful right hand plunging into Cruz’s face. Cruz shoots on a double-leg and completes the takedown with roughly 90 seconds to go. Davis gets back to his feet without much trouble, though Cruz is sticking close to him. Davis breaks free into open space, where he lets fly with another errant spinning attack. The Englishman buries a kick into Cruz’s lead leg and forces him backward as the bell sounds. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Davis

Round 2

Cruz moves forward, ducks a left hook and changes levels. Davis denies the takedown and feeds him a few knees to the face at close range. They float back into open space, with Davis firing off the back foot. Cruz continues to apply pressure. Davis lands a jumping knee and a series of rapid-fire shots to the side of the head, as his Brazilian counterpart shoots on a takedown. Cruz goes nowhere. Davis lands a knee off the break, slams home a right hand and narrowly misses a spinning wheel kick. Cruz moves forward and absorbs a left hand over the top. Davis keeps his opponent guessing with feints and various attacks. Cruz stays light on his feet and tries another takedown. Davis stuffs it and pushes him into the fence before exiting with less than a minute to go. Not much happens over the final 20 seconds of the round, though Davis misfires on a spinning kick with his foot clanging off the cage. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Davis

Round 3

Cruz needs to change the direction of the fight if he wants to leave with his winning streak intact. Davis steps into the center, lands a side kick to the body and then throws a hook kick upstairs. He delivers another spinning back kick to the body. Cruz appears to have run out of answers. He lands a Superman punch, only to be countered with a left hook. Davis sprawls on a takedown, snatches a front headlock and backs out. A left hook drops Cruz briefly but he does not seem to be significantly hurt. Davis connects with hooks from both hands, the skill disparity between these two men becoming more and more apparent as fatigue sets in. With 90 seconds left, Cruz continues to press the issue. His efforts are admirable but ineffective. Davis backs up to the fence, lands another jumping knee and shuts down an attempted takedown from the Brazilian. The two reset with 30 seconds left. Davis lands a right hook and moves out of danger. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Davis (30-27 Davis)

The Official Result

Allfie Davis def. Aalon Cruz—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Leandro Higo (135.4) vs. Nikita Mikhailov (135.4)

Round 1

Wombacher draws the officiating assignment in this intriguing clash at 135 pounds. Higo (21-6, 4-4 Bellator), a former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion, has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to Danny Sabatello in the Bellator bantamweight grand prix quarterfinals in June 2022. The 24-year-old Mikhailov (9-2, 3-1 Bellator) has rattled off six victories in seven appearances. They touch gloves and get down to business. Mikhailov starts with a leg kick and eventually positions himself for a takedown. Higo elevates him from butterfly guard, then wall walks to his feet. Mikhailov calmly returns him to the mat. Higo gets back to his feet, but the Russian jumps to the backpack position and threatens with a rear-naked choke as they fall to the canvas. Mikhailov peppers away with punches, captures one of Higo’s arms with one of his hooks and makes another pass at a rear-naked choke. Higo scrambles free to the clinch and lands an elbow off the break. The Brazilian presses forward, switches stances and catches a guillotine on an ensuing scramble. Time runs out. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Mikhailov

Round 2

Mikhailov takes the center of the cage at the start of Round 2 and initiates a clinch but winds up with his back to the fence. Higo pesters him with foot stomps and knees to the thigh. Mikhailov clings to a whizzer and looks to move the Brazilian off-balance. Wombacher beckons the two men to up their output, as a stalemate unfolds in the clinch. The referee steps in to reset them in the middle of the cage. Higo decks the Russian with a leg kick, snaps down on a guillotine and wraps Mikhailov in full guard. Moments later, he taps.

The Official Result

Leandro Higo def. Nikita Mikhailov—Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2:50 R2

Vladimir Tokov (155.2) vs. Jairo Pacheco (155.4)

Round 1

MacDonald gets the nod to referee this lightweight scrap. Tokov (8-2, 4-2 Bellator), a Fedor Emelianenko protégé, has alternated wins and losses in each of his past four outings. Pacheco (7-1, 0-1 Bellator) finds himself on the rebound following a decision defeat to Killys Mota in his Bellator debut on Nov. 18. Tokov lands an inside leg kick to get in gear. Pacheco answers in kind. Pacheco flashes fasts hands and connects with a one-two, but he fails to manage distance properly. Tokov moves and secures a takedown, setting up in half guard. Some ground-and-pound follows, but Pacheco manages to reclaim full guard. Tokov postures with punches, avoids an armbar and passes guard. Pacheco manages to scramble to a kneeling position, absorbs a series of knees to the right glute and gets dragged back to the mat. Tokov moves to the back and scores with punches, all while monitoring his opponents’ neck. Tokov secures position with a body triangle with a minute to go in the round, a rear-naked choke undoubtedly on his mind. They trade short punches, though Pacheco does so blindly. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Tokov

Round 2

Pacheco fires an overhand right and a front kick to the body. Tokov times a low single-leg and chain wrestles into a takedown. Pacheco gets back to his feet and connects with a knee at close range, though he cannot break free from the clinch. Tokov gets in on the hips and drives into another takedown. The Russian avoids a triangle and moves to the back in a seated position. Tokov slowly imposes his will and secures himself once again with a body triangle. Pacheco is again reduced to throwing blind backward punches that offer little benefit. The Brazilian breaks the triangle and works back to his feet, only to be dragged back down to a seated position. Pacheco shows no outward signs of frustration, though it has to be building. Tokov draws him back into the body triangle with 30 seconds to go in the round. He throws elbows to the shoulder, as the fans grow restless. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Tokov

Round 3

Pacheco lands a clean body kick to start Round 3. Tokov darts in on a single-leg, as Pacheco answers with punches and elbows and climbs to the back with a beautiful transition. The Brazilian makes a pass at a belly-down armbar but surrenders position in the process. Tokov gets to his back and locks in the body triangle once more. Pacheco frees himself and returns to the center of the cage. He connects with a one-two, as Tokov suddenly looks winded. Pacheco avoids a single-leg and pounds away with punches on the crouched Russian. The Brazilian has two minutes with which to work. Tokov fights through fatigue, gets in on the hips and secures a double-leg takedown. Pacheco opens his guard and hunts opportunities for triangles and armbars. He sweeps into full mount with 45 seconds left and cuts loose with punches. Tokov keeps moving and gets himself out of harm’s way for the time being, then ultimately gets back into top position. He unloads with punches of his own until the bell sounds. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Pacheco (29-28 Tokov)

The Official Result

Vladimir Tokov def. Jairo Pacheco—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Josh Hill (136) vs. Kasum Kasumov (135.8)

Round 1

This bantamweight confrontation sees Herzog as the third man in the cage. The well-traveled Hill (22-5, 4-2 Bellator) has won six of his past eight bouts. Kasumov (13-1, 0-0 Bellator) makes his organizational debut with the wind of a four-fight winning streak in his sails. Hill engages his counterpart in the clinch, where they trade knees and punches. Back in open space, Hill lands a kick to the lower leg but eats a brutal knee to the body. The Canadian clinches, avoids a head-and-arm throw and works for a guillotine, but the tireless Kasumov secures a takedown at the base of the fence. Hill gets back to his feet, his experience paying dividends in a difficult situation. He lands an elbow off the break and connects with a right uppercut. Kasumov maintains his forward pressure and delivers another takedown with 45 seconds to go. Hill gets back to his feet, as Kasumov feeds him a shoulder strike in the clinch. Hill lands some nice knees in the closing seconds. Competitive round. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kasumov

Round 2

Kasumov goes about establishing the jab and pairs it with a low kick. Hill answers with some shots to the leg of his own. Hill switches stances and connects with a right hand, though his opponent controls the center of the cage. Kasumov pumps out his jab, avoids return fire and steps in with a short elbow. The American Kickboxing Academy rep pursues the clinch but fails to gain an advantage against Hill and separates. Hill throws a half-hearted head kick, backs out of a clinch and puts together a few combinations. Kasumov closes the distance, moves back into the clinch and feeds the Canadian a few shoulder strikes. Hill fires off a multi-punch volley but continues to give ground. Kasumov shoots on a takedown and takes top position, but Hill keeps him at pay with the threat of a guillotine choke. Another close round. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Hill

Round 3

They trade jabs and leg kicks, as Kasumov moves forward with pressure, pushing his adversary toward the fence. Hill catches a kick and feeds Kasumov punches from both hands before they break free from one another. Kasumov hunts another single-leg, gets shrugged off and gets back to throwing hands. Hill sits down on a left hand and connects on a knee up the middle but leaves himself open for a takedown. Kasumov drives forward but cannot get Hill to the mat. Nevertheless, he continues to assert himself in the clinch. Kasumov delivers a knee to the body, grabs the single collar tie and slams home another knee. Kasumov jabs into clinch range, scores with another shoulder strike and unleashes a knee to the midsection. They trade knees, as Kasumov shoots on a takedown and forces Hill to a seated position. Hill tries to bite down on a guillotine but cannot create enough leverage to produce the right amount of squeeze. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kasumov (29-28 Kasumov)

The Official Result

Kasum Kasumov def. Josh Hill—Split Decision (29-28, 29-29, 30-27)

Lucas Brennan (145.4) vs. Weber Almeida (145)

Round 1

Wombacher is in the cage to administer the law and order for this anticipated featherweight scuffle. Brennan (8-0, 8-0 Bellator) has finished seven of his first eight opponents, six of them via submission, and emerged as one of the sport’s top prospects at 145 pounds at just 23 years of age. Almeida (7-1, 5-1 Bellator) has rattled off back-to-back wins since his May 2021 defeat to Johnny Soto. After a glove tap, Brennan fires off a body kick. Almeida cracks the undefeated prospect with a stiff left hand and staggers him where he stands. Brennan shoots in on the hips in a bid to recover from the impact and stays on a single-leg for a time. Almeida breaks free and connects with an overhand left. He certainly has Brennan’s attention by now. The Lyoto Machida protégé looks like he is ready to play spoiler here. Brennan circles on the outside and lands a side kick to the body. Almeida drops him with a counter left over the top, though Brennan gets right back to his feet. Brennan shoots on a single-leg and settles for a body lock but gets nowhere. Almeida stays calm on the outside and probes for potential openings. Brennan ducks a spinning attack and gets a late takedown, but the Brazilian scrambles back to his feet. They trade leather at the bell. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Almeida

Round 2

The two men paw with their lead hands, the calm before the inevitable storm. Almeida operates from a wide karate base, steps into another powerful left hand and sprawls on a takedown. This is not going according to plan for Brennan. Almeida pops him with low kicks and counters whenever Brennan throws. The Brazilian switches from southpaw to orthodox and back again before firing another leg kick. A body kick follows. Brennan shoots for another takedown, only to be cut off yet again. Brennan secures double underhooks in the clinch, but Almeida keeps his balance and separates. Brennan feints but finds nothing to his liking and eats another leg kick for his troubles. Almeida is in control heading to the third. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Almeida

Round 3

Brennan makes no headway to start the third. Almeida continues to counter effectively and keeps his adversary at a safe distance. Brennan cuts loose with a multi-strike volley, though his efforts are shrugged off. Almeida counters in the center of the cage and keeps his head above water in what has turned into a tepid standup battle. Almeida lands a sharp low kick that appears to hobble Brennan briefly. He follows it with a push kick to the knee. They come together in the center of the cage, as Brennan grabs the collar tie and connects with a devastating knee up the middle that turns out Almeida’s lights in an instant. A hammerfist follows before Wombacher can arrive on the scene. What a turn of events.

The Official Result

Lucas Brennan def. Weber Almeida—KO (Knee) 3:32 R3

Enrique Barzola (135.8) vs. Jaylon Bates (136)

Round 1

MacDonald draws the officiating assignment for this bantamweight pairing. Barzola (19-7-2, 3-2 Bellator) won Season 2 of “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” in 2015 and compiled a 6-3-1 record across 10 appearances in the UFC before parting ways with the organization. The undefeated Bates (7-0, 7-0 Bellator) looks like a potential homegrown building block for Bellator. Bates rattles Barzola with a left hook, then applies heavy pressure. He bullies his way to a takedown, perhaps catching Barzola off-guard with his aggression. Barzola gets back to his feet, as they jockey for position in the clinch. Bates lands a knee to the body, separates briefly and gets back to applying pressure. Barzola struggling to navigate the range. He wisely closes the distance and secures a takedown with a little more than two minutes left in the round. Barzola operates from half guard initially, then postures with punches in full guard. Standing-to-ground punches score for the Peruvian. Barzola clears the legs and passes to side control and drops some elbows. He moves back to half guard, feeds Bates a forearm strike and cuts loose with a quick burst of punches. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Barzola

Round 2

Bates takes the center of the cage and gets off kicks to various levels from his southpaw stance. Barzola pushes him towards the fence with punches but fails to corral him along the fence. Bates escapes to the relative safety of the center of the cage. Barzola closes in and secures a key takedown with three minutes left in the period. He scores with ground-and-pound from half guard, then passes to side control. Barzola goes back to work from half guard, feeds the Californian some palm strikes and keeps his position with crushing shoulder pressure. Bates has no answers for Barzola on the ground. Barzola alternates between maintaining control and posturing up with punches. He slides back to side control and moves towards a crucifix. Bates successfully defends but eats more punches as the round ends. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Barzola

Round 3

Bates uncorks a labored spinning kick. Barzola gets in on his hips and drags him to the mat from behind. Bates sweeps into mount briefly, but Barzola escapes, gets back in on the hips again and secures another takedown. A demoralizing development for Bates. Barzola progresses to side control and unloads with punches and hammerfists. Bates tries to build his base, but fatigue has taken hold. Barzola continues to make him carry weight. Bates out of nowhere wheels to the back and pulls a flying armbar out of his hat. Barzola frees himself after a few tense moments, moves back to side control and scores with elbows. He moves to the back and starts to threaten Bates’ neck. Barzola flattens out the Antonio McKee protégé, then floats to full mount. Punches flow, followed by hammerfists. Barzola flattens him out again and continues to punish the prospect with elbows, punches and hammerfists. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Barzola (30-27 Barzola)

The Official Result

Enrique Barzola def. Jaylon Bates—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Diana Avsaragova (127.2: Missed Weight) vs. Justine Kish (125.6)

Round 1

Herzog steps up to officiate this women’s bantamweight contest. The unbeaten Avsaragova (6-0, 4-0 Bellator), a decorated amateur wrestler, operates out of the Akhmat Fight Club. The 35-year-old Kish (8-6, 1-2) has lost six of her last eight fights since starting her career 6-0—a run that included two wins in the UFC. Avsaragova circles on the outside. Kish throws a kick to the lead leg, then fires a front kick to the body. More leg kicks follow from the UFC vet, who steps into an overhand right. Avsaragova has offered nothing of substance two minutes into the match. Kish appears to have zeroed in on the leg as her target of choice, though the South Dakota natives in the crowd are growing increasingly restless with the lack of activity. Kish lands a nice right hook to the body, but her inability to cut off the cage is limiting her effectiveness. Avsaragova continues to circle and do almost nothing. Kish clinches with a body lock, but Avsaragova powers into top position as the bell sounds. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kish

Round 2

Kish tags the lead leg with more kicks and avoids the return fire without issue. Avsaragova circles on the perimeter, bounces on the balls of her feet and connects with a leg kick. A barnburner this is not. Kish lands Superman punch but fails to follow it with anything, and the two women resume their uneventful dance in the center of the cage. Kish moves forward behind a right hand and backs it up with a leg kick before eating a counter right hand from Avsaragova. Neither woman throws more than one or two strikes at a time. Avsaragova starting to pick up her activity a bit. She follows a two-punch volley to the head with a solid inside leg kick. Kish responds by throwing a right hook to the leg. Damage is starting to mount on Avsaragova’s upper lead leg. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kish

Round 3

Kish steps forward with her jab, and the two women trade inside leg kicks. Avsaragova circles incessantly. Kish connects with hooks from both hands, switches stances and drives another kick into the thigh, where discoloration has taken hold. Avsaragova stops Kish in her tracks momentarily with a jab but once again fails to back it up with anything of substance. The combinations are just not there for Russian. Nevertheless, Kish has developed a mouse under her right eye. The flyweights draw a Bronx cheer from the crowd as they engage one another with punches. Kish follows a right hook to the body with a left hook upstairs, the bout drifting into its final minute. She follows with a front kick to the chest and a clean one-two. Avsaragova fails to answer. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Kish (30-27 Kish)

The Official Result

Justine Kish def. Diana Avsaragova—Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Sidney Outlaw (158.8) vs. Islam Mamedov (159)

Round 1

MacDonald suits up to officiate the main card opener at a 160-pound catchweight. Outlaw (16-5, 4-2 Bellator), a former two-division Ring of Combat champion, has won 11 of his past 13 bouts, losing only to Michael Chandler and Tofiq Musayev. Mamedov (22-2-1, 2-1 Bellator) has secured 10 of his 22 career victories by submission. Outlaw drops Mamedov with a jab inside the first 30 seconds but allows the Russian to get back to his feet. Mamedov, bleeding from the nose, steps into a right hand and gets himself into the fight. Outlaw ducks into a double-leg takedown, denies Mamedov’s bid to build his base and moves to the back. Outlaw dumps him back to the mat, scrambles out of a potentially disadvantageous position and gets back on the hips. Mamedov gets back to his feet, only to be dragged back to a seated position. The Russian escapes, moves to the back and threatens briefly with a rear-naked choke. Outlaw turns him away and scrambles back into top position. He closes out the round throwing knees to the hamstring. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Outlaw

Round 2

Mamedov takes the center of the cage, as the two men trade jabs. Outlaw cracks the Russian in the nose with another jab, forcing him to wipe away the blood. Mamedov looks a little gun-shy on the feet. Outlaw continues to score with his jab, denies an attempted takedown and dodges a flying knee. Mamedov steps into a leg kick but eats a one-two in return. Outlaw ducks into a single-leg takedown and drops the Russian to a seated position. Mamedov struggles back to his feet, but Outlaw stays on the hips and nearly gets a takedown. A blatant fence grab from Mamedov goes unnoticed. Outlaw drags him back to the mat, but Mamedov reverses into top position. He tries to work from half guard, only to get swept. Outlaw lands some body-head punches as the bell sounds. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Outlaw

Round 3

Mamedov might need a finish as Round 3 starts. Outlaw circles on the outside and counters and overhand right with a left hook. Mamedov is throwing only single shots at this point. Outlaw doubles up on his jab and follows it with a leg kick and a chopping overhand right. Mamedov closes the distance with one-two, shrugs off a body lock and connects with an uppercut. An ill-advised spinning attack opens the door to another Outlaw takedowns. Valuable time continues to melt away from the clock. Mamedov gets back to his feet but cannot keep the American off his hips. Outlaw drags him back to the canvas, withstands a wild scramble and gets back to a dominant position. Mamedov gets back to his feet, only to get returned to the mat seconds later. Outlaw grapevines both legs, preventing Mamedov from escaping again. The Russian appears to be resigned to his fate with 30 seconds to go. Mamedov gets back to an upright position, but Outlaw maintains a body lock and fires knees into the back of his thigh as the bout concludes. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Outlaw (30-27 Outlaw)

The Official Result

Sidney Outlaw def. Islam Mamedov—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

James Gallagher (144.8) vs. James Gonzalez (146)

Round 1

Herzog gets the nod to referee for this featherweight showcase. SBG Ireland’s Gallagher (11-2, 8-2 Bellator) has rattled off four victories in five appearances, falling only to Bellator bantamweight grand prix winner Patrick Mix. Gonzalez (10-6, 1-1 Bellator) has held titles in the Ring of Combat and Cage Fury Fighting Championships promotions. Gonzalez connects with a spinning backfist during their initial exchange. Gallagher wisely closes the distance and secures a takedown. He takes a kneeling position above Gonzalez, rides out a scramble and settles in full guard. Gallagher fires a series a short elbows, stacks the Matt Serra protégé and fends off a heel hook and kneebar. Gallagher eats a few upkicks but maintains top position. He drops punches, though Gonzalez’s guard is causing him considerable difficulty. Gallagher stacks Gonzalez again and makes a brief pass at a standing heel hook. Gallagher bails on the submission attempt and chooses instead to unload with hammerfists, short elbows and punches. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Gallagher

Round 2

They trade body kicks on the feet. Gonzalez targets the inside of the lead leg, then goes high with a partially blocked head kick. Gallagher changes levels, drives his opponent to the fence and completes a takedown. Gonzalez immediately pops back to his feet, only to be dragged back to the mat. Gallagher fires an elbow from the top, smothers an attempted armbar and maintains control on top. Gonzalez stays active with punches and heel strikes from the bottom, though gravity is obviously working against him. Gallagher moves to north-south position, rethinks his ambition and settles back into half guard. Gonzalez continues to lose valuable time. Gallagher lands two standing-to-ground punches as the round ends. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Gallagher

Round 3

Gallagher opens the round with a body kick. Gonzalez answers with a wild flurry of punches. Some land. Most miss. He backs Gallagher to the fence and uncorks a front kick to the body followed by more punches. Gallagher ducks into another takedown, and the ground battle resumes. Gonzalez denies a mat return and rolls into top position. He shifts to side control and moves to the knee-on-belly position. Elbows land. Gonzalez progresses to north-south position, then moves back to side control and connects with a knee to the body. Two minutes to go. Gonzalez now works his ground-and-pound from half guard. The tide has turned but Gonzalez needs a finish. It fails to materialize. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Gonzalez (29-28 Gallagher)

The Official Result

James Gallagher def. James Gonzalez—Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Dalton Rosta (185.6) vs. Aaron Jeffery (185.4)

Round 1

Wombacher is the third man in the cage in this middleweight feature. The undefeated Rosta (8-0, 8-0 Bellator), another promising American Top Team prospect, has won all eight of his fights in convincing fashion. Jeffery (13-4, 2-1 Bellator) failed to gain entry to the UFC in two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series. Rosta feints at the start, then throws a mean leg kick. Jeffery answers with one of his own. Rosta unleashes a heavy punching combination to the head, resets and connects with another leg kick. Jeffery presses forward and clinches. Rosta turns him into the fence, separates and lets his hands go. Jeffery eats a one-two but answers with a sneaky left hook at close range. They engage one another in the clinch again. Jeffery responds to the American Top Team rep’s pressure with knees to the body. Rosta breaks away and lands with punches from both hands. Jeffery moves back into the clinch and knees the inner thigh. Rosta trades places with him along the fence, as they exchange knees to the midsection. Rosta gets in on the hips late but gets cut off. Wombacher calls for a pause to the action in the closing seconds due to an incidental illegal knee from Jeffery. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Rosta

Round 2

Rosta slams his shin into Jeffery’s thigh, as they get reacquainted with one another. Jeffery continues to march forward under fire. Rosta gets in on the hips, sheds a front choke and dives in on a single-leg. Jeffery sprawls and pancakes downward, forcing Rosta to a kneeling position. Rosta gets back to his feet, eats a standing elbow for his troubles and continues to push for a takedown. Jeffery again sprawls effectively, mixing in hammerfists to the side of the head. The tide seems to be turning ever so slightly in the Canadian’s favor. With a minute to go, Jeffery keeps Rosta pinned in a kneeling position, all while feeding him hammerfists. Jeffery flirts with a choke, then drives a series of elbows into the back. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Jeffery

Round 3

It looks like anybody’s fight at the start of Round 3. Jeffery opens with a pair of leg kicks and presses forward. Rosta scores with a left hook, then compliments it with a three-punch flurry. Jeffery stays in his face. Rosta drives the Canadian to the fence but runs into the sprawl and absorbs a knee to the head. Jeffery connects with a short standing elbow. Rosta turns him into the fence but looks to be fighting a losing battle in the clinch. Jeffery sprawls again, meets him with punches and hunts for chokes from the front headlock position. Rosta clings to a single-leg for reasons known only to him. Jeffery stays on top, forces Rosta to carry his weight and applies his ground-and-pound. Rosta exits, changes levels and goes nowhere. Jeffery sprawls again, slams elbows into the back and drives hammerfists into the ribs. Rosta is out of answers, as he clings to an ankle. Jeffery cracks the downed Rosta with two brutal kicks to the body, gets away with an illegal stomp and bleeds out the remaining time. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Jeffery (29-28 Jeffery)

The Official Result

Aaron Jeffery def. Dalton Rosta—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Valentin Moldavsky (233.8) vs. Steve Mowry (254.2)

Round 1

MacDonald takes his final officiating assignment of the night as this heavyweight rematch serves as the co-headliner. Moldavsky (11-3, 6-2 Bellator) was a semifinalist in the 2016 Rizin Fighting Federation openweight grand prix. Mowry, a Kill Cliff Fight Club export, has yet to taste defeat as a pro. The two men fought to a no contest due to an accidental eye poke a year ago. The 6-foot-8 Mowry opens with a leg kick. Moldavsky clips him with a one-two, then goes to the body. Mowry delivers a pair of knees to the midsection in the clinch, then goes high with one. Mowry pushes the Fedor Emelianenko disciple into the fence, but Moldavsky turns the tables with a takedown. The Russian settles in side control but cannot control Mowry for long. Back on the feet, they trade jabs and stiff right hands. Moldavsky ducks into another takedown and applies his ground-and-pound, then drags him back to the mat after Mowry briefly gets back to his feet. The Russian neutralizes Mowry with top control and ground-and-pound, mixing punches with hammerfists and forearm strikes. With a minute to go, Moldavsky has begun to establish his superiority. Mowry manages to get his legs involved and kicks off his opponent. Moldavsky is relentless, though, and secures another takedown with 15 seconds to go. Big punches follow. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Moldavsky

Round 2

Mowry shakes off an attempted clinch and resets in the middle of the cage. However, Moldavsky ducks into a takedown, lands punches, scores with mat return and forces the Kill Cliff Fight Club rep to accept bottom position. The Russian chips away with punches. Mowry kicks him away for a time, but Moldavsky drives him right back to the canvas. He works the body with punches, as a smattering of boos from the crowd shower the combatants in the cage. This is not going well for Mowry, to say the least. Moldavsky continues to pile up points with his ground-and-pound, the gulf between them growing by the second. With a minute to go, MacDonald asks for more action. He restarts them soon after, giving Mowry 30 seconds with which to work. Mowry shoots on a single-leg, bails on it and scores with a few knees before bell sounds. The boos get louder. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Moldavsky

Round 3

Moldavsky greets his fading counterpart with winging power punches, then executes another takedown. Elbows to the head and punches to the body follow. Moldavsky frees himself from an attempted omoplata and settles back and full guard. Rinse and repeat. With each passing second, Mowry gets closer and closer to his first professional defeat. Moldavsky continues with his merciless grind. MacDonald intervenes with a restart, as the crowd cheers its approval. Mowry sprawls on a takedown attempt but can only keep the Russian at bay for so long. Moldavsky drops him to a seated position, and the grind resumes again. MacDonald calls for action with 40 seconds to go in the bout. Moldavsky throws a few punches, then smothers Mowry with top control until the end. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Moldavsky (30-27 Moldavsky)

The Official Result

Valentin Moldavsky def. Steve Mowry—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Logan Storley (170.6) vs. Brennan Ward (171)

Round 1

Herzog answer the call to officiate this welterweight main event. A four-time NCAA All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota, Storley (14-2, 9-2 Bellator) has lost twice to current Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov. Ward (17-6, 12-6 Bellator) won the Bellator Season 9 middleweight tournament in 2013. The welterweights measure one another at the start. Storley gets in gear with a leg kick. Ward answers with multiple jabs, but leaves his legs open. Storley secures a takedown, but Ward forces him to scramble out of a choke. Back on the feet, Ward stalks with his hands low and clips his counterpart with a left hook. Storley secures a takedown with three minutes to go and gets busy in half guard. Punches flow first, then elbows. Ward doing well to neutralize the wrestler. Storley stays busy enough to avoid a restart, but he is not doing much damage. SHERDOG VIRTUAL SCORE: 10-9 Storley

Round 2

Ward touches the All-American wrestler with his jab and connects with a sneaky right hand. Storley answers with a leg kick but absorbs several more jabs. Can Ward stay upright long enough? He jabs effectively to the head and body, throws an overhand right behind it and eats a leg kick. Storley swoops in for a perfectly timed takedown, and with roughly three minutes to go in the round, Ward again finds himself pinned to the canvas. Storley mixed punches with short elbows, then hammers Ward’s exposed ribs with a series of right hands. Ward, clearly frustrated, resorts to trash talking. Storley briefly climbs to full mount and unleashes punches and elbows, the intensity of his shots increasing with each passing second. Ward finally turtles, resulting in the stoppage.

The Official Result

Logan Storley def. Brennan Ward—TKO (Punches) 4:05 R2