Bellator Champions Series Belfast Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Jordan Elliott (129.5) vs. Nate Kelly (129.1)

Round 1

Guess who’s back, back again? Bellator’s back, tell a friend. Guess who’s back? Guess who’s back? Guess who’s back? Guess who’s back? Guess who’s back? Guess who’s back? Guess who’s back? PFL’s created a monster, ‘cause nobody wants to see Winstar no more, they want Paris, Uncasville is chopped liver. It felt a little empty without Bellator, and now under new management, they will run a series of eight shows around the world, with this first starting in scenic Northern Ireland. The streamlined 10-fight show plus an amateur contest plays out early on the east coast, and said amateurs will take center stage first. Not to be confused by a professional later on the billing, Ireland’s Kelly (2-2, 0-0 BMMA) will come in as a sizeable favorite against the skidding Northern Irishman Elliott (2-3, 0-0 BMMA). This will be a three-minute, three-round affair at a pre-planned 130 pounds, and referee Kevin MacDonald will clock the fighters in. They touch gloves as the crowd is already a bit rowdy this early on the card for the local fighters, and Elliott immediately advances and whips a leg kick at his opponent before chasing after him with a looping right hand. Kelly strafes to the side and pushes out a side kick to the chest, and he surges ahead to tackle Elliott down to the canvas. Elliott scrambles and finds himself immediately in the grip of his adversary, with Kelly quick to pursue an anaconda choke. Elliott calmly fights through the position and reverses his man, only to lower himself into a triangle choke trap. Elliott lowers himself down to keep pressure and stack Kelly up, and Kelly shifts his leg grip to a better angle to lock his leg. Elliott pounds his way out of the choke, and “The Great” shows great chain submissions as he transitions straight into an armbar. The lock is tight as he flips Elliott over, and it does not take more than a second for Elliott to surrender. The crowd cheers, but as a whole it is conflicted because the Northern Ireland fighter suffered a loss while the Irishman pulled off the win. It is a solid performance to start off the night, and it’s all professional MMA from here on out.

The Official Result

Nate Kelly def. Jordan Elliott R1 1:48 via Submission (Armbar)

Abraham Bably (257.4) vs. Isaiah Pinson (242)

Round 1

There is one heavyweight fight on the lineup, and it comes between a pair of big men that cut their teeth on PFL’s Challenger Series before getting bumped over to the Bellator professional curtain jerker. Around five inches shorter but 15-ish pounds heavier, Bably (3-0, 0-0 BMMA) will try to get one on the board for Europe against an American adversary in Pinson (3-0, 0-0 BMMA). Referee Kevin MacDonald takes charge of the cage, and the fighters show some respect as they bump fists before engaging. Bably feints and fakes until shooting in, and when he is met by a stonewall, he knees Pinson in the sternum. Pinson looks for jabs, and Bably crowds him with a strike before springing away. Bably crashes the pocket and tackles Pinson down to the mat from one side of the cage to the other, and Pinson is quick to try to fight his way back to his feet by pushing off the back of Bably’s head. Pinson successfully wall-walks, and Bably utilizes a single-leg takedown approach to secure a mat return. Bably keeps Pinson down on one knee as Pinson attempts to work his way up once more, and the Brit stays tightly pressed until Pinson explodes out. Both men trade big punches when separated, and Bably connects with a pair of left hands to get Pinson’s attention and draw a smile. Bably scores another overhand left, and he shoots with a power double-leg takedown to scoop up and toss Pinson down to the mat with emphasis. Pinson can do little but look to get back up, other than land a couple short shots on the inside when the two are in a stalemate on their knees. Pinson sneaks in a few short elbows and punches in before the slow round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bably
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Bably
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bably

Round 2

The heavyweights both consider tapping gloves to start the next round, but they miss and opt to start trading. Pinson lands a leg kick as he takes a shot up high, and he resets. Bably rings a left hand on the chin and shoots for a single, where he lifts the American up and dumps him to the canvas with relative ease. Bably lands in half guard, which allows him to keep Pinson flat on his back and not able to wall-walk like the previous round. Bably prefers position over any noteworthy offense, with nothing more than a couple left hands that are largely blocked as he presses his weight down. Bably keeps Pinson in an awkward position with Pinson on his shoulder, so Pinson is pinned as he takes occasional punches. Bably slowly works with his free left hand, and Pinson attempts to stop them from landing by hand-fighting. Bably grinds an elbow down and puts his hand on Pinson’s mouth to disrupt the breathing, when not punching Pinson. Pinson shows no plan to get out of this position, until Bably looks to pass to mount. Pinson times this perfectly to push off the cage wall and ultimately slide out the back door, where he works back to his feet. Bably circles on the outside when upright again, peppering with a leg kick and motioning for Pinson to do something. After waving his arms, he wings two left hands that connect flush on the side of Pinson’s dome. Bably lands a third and shoots, and Pinson stops it but is driven against the cage wall. Pinson looks for a slashing elbow up close, and the round ends with them tied up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bably
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Bably
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bably

Round 3

The big men clap hands to initiate the final frame, and it only takes a few seconds for Bably to loose a left hand and shoot for a takedown. Bably takes Pinson off his feet with the double, and he tries to lord over him with strikes. Pinson is a bit more frantic in trying to escape the position, and he winds up on his knees with Bably behind him, bopping him in the side of the head with feeble but annoying lefts. Bably finds the right leverage to bust Pinson in the chops with an undercut beneath his foe’s armpit, and he gets surprised when Pinson turns and drills him with an elbow. Bably does not relent of his back control, and he opens up with punches from both hands. Pinson’s scramble fails, as Bably clings to him with his arms wrapped around his opponent’s waist. Pinson looks for another no look elbow, and this allows Bably to position and knee him in the side. A subsequent Pinson scramble finds him flat on his back, having given up side control as Bably lumps him up with punches and short elbows. Bably imposes every bit of his weight advantage to keep Pinson stuck, and the crowd groans. Bably continues to grind away, allowing Pinson to turn over so he can take the back again with no hooks. Bably uses his body lock to keep Pinson in a disadvantageous position, even when Pinson tries one last time to explode to his feet. Pinson somersaults in a desperate effort to return to his feet, and he manages to get up and put his back to the wall. As he sits down on a final few swings with big hooks, time expires to conclude this long heavyweight encounter.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bably (30-27 Bably)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Bably (30-27 Bably)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bably (30-27 Bably)

The Official Result

Abraham Bably def. Isaiah Pinson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Nathan Kelly (146) vs. Vikas Singh Ruhil (147: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Of the 11 bouts on the billing, this one is the only one that features a competitor that missed weight. That distinction goes to Ruhil (11-7, 1 NC; 0-0 BMMA), who eclipsed the 146-pound cap by 16 ounces. An undisclosed percentage of his purse will go to SBG Ireland’s Kelly (9-2, 1-0 BMMA), again, no relation to the amateur from before. Kelly comes in as an astronomical betting favorite ranging from -2000 to -5000 depending on the book, and he will have three rounds or less to make good on that. Referee Blake Grice will oversee what bettors are considering a serious mismatch, and he sits back as the two fighters touch ‘em up. Kelly starts aggressively, reaching out with punches and a low kick, pressing forward and ignoring counters until Ruhil ties him up. Kelly turns his foe against the cage, and he plants a knee to the chest and unleashes a ferocious elbow from up close. Ruhil’s lights completely switch off, as the strike puts him out in an instant. Ruhil collapses to the mat, and Kelly drives down two hammerfists before running off, kissing his gloves. The crowd goes wild.

The Official Result

Nathan Kelly def. Vikas Singh Ruhil R1 0:40 via KO (Elbow)

Grant Neal (205.4) vs. Luke Trainer (203.8)

Round 1

There will be a bit of a height disparity in this light heavyweight contest, as 6-foot-6 Trainer (7-1, 4-1 BMMA) measures up Colorado’s Neal (9-1, 8-1 BMMA) that is definitely not six feet tall. Both once-beaten Bellator vets come in with drastically different stoppage rates, as all seven wins for Trainer have ended inside the distance while Neal has not finished a fight since 2021. Taking charge of the cage will be referee Blake Grice, and he observes a handshake between the competitors. Neal charges out of his corner and stops abruptly, trying to immediately find his range. Neal lumbers forward swinging a right hook, and he is well short of the mark. Trainer intercepts his blitzing foe with a step-in knee, but it does not slow Neal’s pursuit of a single. Neal lifts up the leg as the taller man hops around, keeping his balance and nearly lowering himself to the mat. As they stall out against the cage wall, Trainer tries to push off and delivers a few knees to the chest of his foe before getting shoved back against the fence. Neal uses chest pressure to impose his weight on the longer fighter, and Trainer attempts every so often for a short stinging strike like an elbow. Neal times an exit to connect with a couple hooks, and Trainer springs back and catches Neal with a solid left. Neal chops at the lead leg, and he shoots for a single and lifts Trainer in the air. Trainer’s long legs allow him to land first and keep himself afloat, where he shuts down the attempt but is once more stuck in the clinch. Grice asks the fighters to work as they get stuck in a stalemate, and Trainer answers him by hitting an outside trip to put Neal on his back. Trainer backs off, not wanting to grapple, and he allows Neal to get back up. Trainer fires off a front kick and a calf kick, with the latter having an appreciable effect, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Trainer
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Neal
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Trainer

Round 2

The two light heavyweights bump fists to start it off, and “The Gent” reintroduces himself with a jab and a front kick. Trainer has his front kick buzz the cheek of his opponent, and he leans back when Neal swarms him with power punches. Trainer walks Neal down, following him but not cutting him off, and he aims a low kick and then one up high with the same leg. Neal slides past them and eats a left hand when racing in, and he frowns. Grice asks Trainer to not point his fingers directly at his opponent, and he lands a low kick that makes Neal recoil. Trainer dodges a counter right hand after kick Neal on the upper arm, and he chambers and fires a kick to the ribs to follow. Neal ducks under a one-two to change levels, and Trainer sees it coming and shuts it down as his back is pushed against the fencing. Neal sneaks a left hand on the break, and Trainer points at him as if to signal that it was a good strike. The Brit chews up the lead leg with another kick, and he smoothly dodges an overhand right that whizzes past him. Both men continue to take single potshots at one another until Neal shoots, and this time he throws Trainer to his knees but cannot keep him there to register a completed takedown. Neal stays doggedly pursuing the single, and Trainer bucks his hips to shake it off and escape. After some inaction, Trainer lands a low kick, and he motions Neal on to come get him. Neal does not oblige, so Trainer splits the uprights with a front kick and a jab before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Trainer
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Trainer
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Trainer

Round 3

Trainer offers a tap of hands to start off the last round, and Neal reluctantly accepts and then throws two big hands that are nowhere near his intended target. Trainer slides to the side, absorbs a low kick and shakes his head. Neal sprints forward to grip a single, and Trainer stuffs it and looks to his corner as he leans his back against the wall. Neal stays pressed against his man, and Trainer knees him once as Grice asks for more activity. Neal abandons the leg and opts for a body lock instead, and Trainer starts talking to him. “The Gent” smacks Neal around and to the other side of the head and knees him in the chest to free himself. Neal comes up short in his attack, and Trainer’s front kick goes wide as well. Trainer times an advance from Neal to slice his forehead open with a crisp elbow, and Neal blinks as blood pours down into his eyes. Trainer aims a few punches on the cut, and Neal surges into action, swarming the Brit with punches that knock Trainer back against the cage. Trainer ricochets and connects with a stern knee, and Neal pulls back. Neal works his way forward, getting countered with a left hand and a knee, and he leaps with a failed flying knee before the final bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Trainer (30-27 Trainer)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Trainer (29-28 Trainer)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Trainer (30-27 Trainer)

The Official Result

Luke Trainer def. Grant Neal via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Alfie Davis (155.6) vs. Oscar Ownsworth (155)

Round 1

It’s an all-Britain lightweight battle when Bellator staple Davis (16-4-1, 7-1-1 BMMA) welcomes one-time PFL competitor Ownsworth (8-2-1, 0-0 BMMA) to the organization. While Davis has won two in a row, Ownsworth maintains a five-fight win streak and is unbeaten dating back to 2020. The third man in the cage will be referee Blake Grice, who checks the fighters in as they decide not to touch gloves. Ownsworth bounces his way in, and he kicks and takes a sharp counter on the way in. Davis sits down on a right hand, knocking his fellow countryman down to his seat. Ownsworth lands on his back and tries to upkick the chest to not let Davis claim top position, and he turns to his knees. Davis follows him with a guillotine choke, and as Ownsworth works his way back to his feet, Davis bangs him on the head with knees. Davis forces Ownsworth to drop to a knee when he tags Ownsworth with a knee to the forehead, and Davis smiles and jumps guard with a guillotine choke. Ownsworth quickly signals to Grice that the submission is not tight enough to put him in danger with a thumbs-up, and he presses down on Davis to break out of the choke. Ownsworth smothers in half guard with Davis stuck between the cage floor and the wall, landing a few punches and snatching up a neck when Davis tries to explode to his feet. Ownsworth hunts for the back in a scramble, and Davis winds up back in his original position only down on his knees. Ownsworth leans over and fishes for an arm-in guillotine choke, but there is no choke to be had before Davis wall-walks. Ownsworth looks for a standing neck crank or power guillotine, and Davis shrugs it off and elbows him in the face to break. Davis tries to catch a kick that comes his way, and he sets it down and lands two kicks of his own. Ownsworth reaches out with a high kick, and Davis retaliates with a spin kick. Ownsworth charges in with looping left hands, and Davis parries and counters effectively. Davis drops his hands and races ahead with a huge right hand, and Ownsworth evades it and walks into an elbow. Davis chains two punches into a head kick, and the kick is blocked as he keeps moving. Davis plays the matador and spins with an elbow when Ownsworth goes wide, drawing a grin from “Ginger Fury” from the concussive blow. The round ends with an exchange of fists.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Davis
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Davis
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Davis

Round 2

The second round picks up right where they left off, as both lightweights crash together throwing strikes. Ownsworth gets off a high kick, and Davis is quick to spin with a back kick and then fly in the air with a switch kick. Ownsworth does not fall victim to the flashy strikes, chasing Davis down with power punches, and he ducks a spinning elbow by a matter of millimeters. Davis sits down on left hook counters, and Ownsworth spins with his own elbow as the two trade. Ownsworth jumps with a switch kick of his own to the ribs, and he knocks Davis back with a right and then a left. Ownsworth sticks his man with a straight right hand as Davis misses on a counter, and he continues to pressure forward. They clinch up only to trade elbows, with Ownsworth getting the better of it before shoving off. Davis spins with a back kick flush on the torso, and he winds up with a right hook and finds Davis right in front of him throwing hands with reckless abandon. Ownsworth’s momentum results in a tie-up, and Davis fights him off to try to get back to his preferred range. Davis cannot successfully spin with an elbow, as Ownsworth smothers him against the fencing, landing short shots of his own. As the action slow down, Grice asks for action, and Davis answers the call by spinning Ownsworth around and tripping him out to body lock him down to the floor. Davis shifts immediately to half guard, and he lowers himself down to pursue an arm-triangle choke from an odd angle. Ownsworth responds with short body shots, and Davis slithers and slides himself to the other side while the fence is up against them. Davis presses his shoulder down but finds no space on the side to finish the move, so he shifts back to full mount and releases it. Ownsworth kicks off the fence to roll himself over, and he manages to work back to his feet and even goes after a double with seconds left in the round. Davis gets just enough space to wing a spinning wheel kick, and the round ends as it clatters off the guard.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Davis
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Davis
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Davis

Round 3

The lightweights bump fists before they lead off the third round, and Ownsworth runs straight into a right hand. Ownsworth stumbles to the side and back, and he takes a moment to count his teeth. Ownsworth then bites down on his mouthpiece and chases Davis around the cage, swinging with bad intentions and landing with the occasional heavy blow. Ownsworth dings his man with an overhand right, closing the distance enough to stop a spinning strike and pressing Davis against the wall. Ownsworth gets off a few knees to the body and thigh, and Davis responds with one before ducking to the side as Ownsworth rips an elbow over the top. Ownsworth crashes the pocket, throwing hands, and Davis counters with punches and dodges a spin kick. Davis answers that spin with an axe kick, a spinning back kick and a spinning wheel kick in rapid succession. Ownsworth smiles and waves him on, and he gets kneed in the face before getting tackled to the canvas. The knee busts open Ownsworth’s nose, and it leaks as Davis is on top of him in half guard. Davis opens up with hammerfists and punches, blood spraying on the floor and his foe’s chest, and he mixes in elbows as he traps Ownsworth in the tough position between the floor and the wall. Ownsworth scrambles and turns over to a knee, and Davis thanks him because he finds an opening for power punches. Davis blasts the body with a stern knee, and he snatches up a guillotine choke and rolls over. Ownsworth rolls him back, but he is still stuck in the guillotine as Davis has his legs wrapped together. Ownsworth grits out the choke and hand-fights to keep himself conscious, and blood pours from his nose all over the floor. Ownsworth survives to the bell, and crimson fluid leaks everywhere until the medical personnel attend to him. Ownsworth runs to Davis and hugs him from behind and lifts him up in the air, and they share a laugh after completing their scheduled 15-minute melee.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Davis (30-27 Davis)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Davis (30-27 Davis)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Davis (30-27 Davis)

The Official Result

Alfie Davis def. Oscar Ownsworth via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Ciaran Clarke (135.5) vs. Darius Mafi (135.3)

Round 1

Were it not for Nathan Kelly earlier, the undefeated Clarke (8-0, 8-0 BMMA) would serve as the largest betting favorite of the day, with odds from -1700 to -2000 at the moment. Standing in his way will be Manchester, England’s own Mafi (5-1, 0-0 BMMA), who sports a 100% finish rate early into his career. Rounding out the prelims with his fourth assignment in a row will be referee Blake Grice, and the fight begins with a tap of gloves from the bantamweights. Mafi immediately switches stances several times to give Clarke some different looks, and he slaps at Clarke’s outstretched hands. Mafi crashes forward to throw hands, and Mafi clips him and gets tagged back. Clarke slows Mafi down with a right hand, and he reaches a right to the body and left to the head. The punches from the unbeaten fighter have drawn some redness on the bridge of the nose, and he decides it is time to change levels. Clarke takes his man down and gets a hook in from the side when Mafi hits the ground and turns to put his back to the wall. Mafi turns, and Clark lowers himself down and moves to try to take top position from the other side all while squeezing himself between the fence and his opponent. Clarke thwarts scramble and escape attempts from Mafi, keeping tight with half guard while landing the occasional short strike. Clarke opens up with a handful of right hands to stay busy, otherwise shutting Mafi down from doing anything else on his own right. Clarke clings to top position until the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clarke
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Clarke
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Clarke

Round 2

The fists are bumped, and Mafi immediately starts threatening with level changes. When Clarke answers him with a counter right, Mafi surges ahead swinging fists before Clarke swirls around to take his back standing. Clarke looks to ground Mafi with trips and sweeps from behind, and Mafi uses a standing kimura to break away. Mafi gives chase with a head kick and a right to the body, and Clarke ducks a big right hand and prods Mafi with several jabs before grabbing hold of a single and taking Mafi down. Clarke locks Mafi’s legs beneath his own, and he lays into Mafi with short but effective right hands. Clarke hops over from half guard to half guard on the other side, lowering his shoulder down for a possible arm-triangle setup all while Mafi bucks and flails. Mafi stops Clarke from taking full mount, while hand-fighting and defending from any ground-and-pound. Mafi turns over, and he manages to not get hit by a big swinging fist that brushes past his hair. Clarke moves to the other side and starts laying left hands on the jaw again and again, and Mafi desperately turns in hopes of slowing the methodical onslaught of punches and elbows. Clarke continues this bombardment of blows until the round’s conclusion.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clarke
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Clarke
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Clarke

Round 3

Both men begin the final frame by feinting and faking, and Clarke jabs him first. Mafi looks to counter, only to put himself off-balance in a position that allows him to easily get taken down. Clarke plops down directly in half guard, and he sees an opening for an arm-triangle choke and takes it. Clarke climbs over to the other side to lock the choke down, and Mafi knows his goose is cooked and he surrenders. This was largely one-way traffic for the unbeaten fighter and huge betting favorite, who cruised until snagging a submission that he locked down in a hurry. Now at 9-0, the SBG Ireland product may be a top contender sooner than later.

The Official Result

Ciaran Clarke def. Darius Mafi R3 0:41 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Manoel Sousa (155.6) vs. Tim Wilde (155)

Round 1

Three of the five main card fights are hovering around pick-‘em status, meaning that the betting lines are dead even. This is the case for Wilde (17-4-1, 5-1-1 BMMA), who wants to hold the line in the organization against aggressive undefeated newcomer Sousa (10-0, 0-0 BMMA). The lightweights will be joined in the cage by referee Kevin MacDonald, who will oversee this closely matched matchup. They touch gloves, and they are hesitant to engage in the early going. Sousa crowds forward after a 30-second lull with his right hand swinging, and Wilde dances back and counters with a sharp left hand. Wilde circles away from the power, watching right hands soar past him until he tries his luck with a front kick. This draws Sousa closer, as the Brazilian ties him up and pushes him against the wire. Wilde turns him about, and Sousa knees him twice to split up. Sousa swings a big right hand that comes up short, and he changes things up with a power left that is similarly inaccurate. The looping hooks from Sousa are telegraphed and Wilde cuts him off with effective jabs. Sousa reaches at the end of a right hand, and Wilde drives him back with a straight jab. The jab allows him to beat Sousa to the punch, and Sousa throws so hard that he falls into the cage. Sousa gathers himself and walks into a spinning back kick to his ribs, and he ignores it and powers forward throwing hands. Wilde continues to stay on his back foot and dodge the power strikes, sticking and moving to frustrate the unbeaten man. Wilde flicks out his jab several times in a row before following one with an overhand right, and he lands flush and skirts away to avoid the heavy counters. Sousa does not change his approach, lumbering forward while loading up, and it’s not very effective. On the other hand, Wilde’s jab is super effective. Wilde slides away from two big shots, and Sousa draws him into an exchange. Sousa glances Wilde with a right hand, and puts everything he has into a bomb of a left hook that completely short circuits “The Experiment.” Wilde falls right on his face, out cold, and Sousa races off to jump on the cage and shout messages to the camera as his mouth bleeds. Wow! What a shot! Wilde had been managing his opponent perfectly until one particularly destructive fist found its home and blew him away. Wilde eventually comes to after he is tended to by MacDonald, his team and the doctors, and he sits on his stool, not quite sure what happened. What a way to make a Bellator debut.

The Official Result

Manoel Sousa def. Tim Wilde R1 4:48 via KO (Punch)

James Gallagher (145.4) vs. Leandro Higo (145.1)

Round 1

This featherweight grudge match between grapplers is also even on the sportsbooks, with Gallagher (12-2, 9-2 BMMA) trying to climb the ladder in his new division at the expense of Higo (22-6, 5-4 BMMA). Both men celebrate a majority of their wins via submission, and they have each been tapped one time as pros. Referee Kevin MacDonald will keep things on the up-and-up, as there is a lot of animosity between them and no chance of them bumping fists first. Higo moves to the middle of the cage and keeps a hand up to swat away a head kick early on. Gallagher changes back and forth from orthodox to southpaw and back, but the two men are otherwise not as keen to engage in the opening minute. Gallagher breaks a long period of inaction with a missed front kick and a right hand that goes wide, and Higo responds with a high kick that bounces off the shoulder. Gallagher crashes the pocket and snaps the head back with a straight right hand, and he springs back and lands a low kick. Higo gives him a calf kick back, and Gallagher retracts his leg to partially check it. The two stop throwing for another stretch, until Higo scores a single low kick. Higo leans back as a high kick slaps a toe off his face, and he comes up short with his own head kick. Gallagher chains three punches together that almost get through, and chants of “Ole ole ole” rain down in support of the Irish fighter. Higo spins with an elbow that staggers Gallagher, and he points at him to say he got him. Higo, seeing Gallagher is still hurt, shoots for a single and puts “The Strabanimal” on the canvas. Higo resides in side control, where he thinks about isolating an arm but postures up to throw punches. Gallagher gets in an upkick before Higo lowers himself down, and Higo tries to respond but absorbs multiple punches and elbows from a flailing Gallagher. Gallagher snags hold of a heel hook, and Higo elbows the thigh several times to break up the maneuver. Gallagher transitions into a leglock from the other side, and Higo grabs the fence to turn him around and take himself out of the worst danger. Gallagher tugs on the leglock but gets belted in the face with a number of hammerfists until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Higo
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Higo
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Higo

Round 2

The round begins with plenty of feints and fakes from both featherweights. The first actual strike is thrown about 40 seconds in, in the form of a calf kick from Higo. Another 40 seconds elapse before another strike comes, when Gallagher decides to toss out a low kick. Higo misses with a front kick but thumps an inside leg kick as Gallagher is changing stances. Higo sits down on three leg kicks, and Gallagher rushes at him to throw hands but he cracks Gallagher with a left hook to back him off. Gallagher thinks about sliding forward, and he pulls back before engaging. Gallagher reaches his man with a lunging right hand and a push kick, and Higo fires off an inside low kick that slides up and bangs into the cup. Higo immediately apologizes as MacDonald calls time, and MacDonald informs Gallagher he has five minutes to recover. Gallagher takes less than 20 seconds to get back to it, and Higo again apologizes as they clap hands. Gallagher steps forward to land a one-two on the chin, and Higo retaliates with a chipping low kick. Gallagher misses a spinning wheel kick by several feet, and he wades into action only to get tagged with a hard right hook from the Brazilian. Higo has two head kicks blocked, and he catches a body kick and drills Gallagher in the chin with a spinning back fist. The round ends, possibly lasting longer than five minutes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Higo
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Higo
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Higo

Round 3

The last round begins with a shot from the Irishman, and Higo stuffs it and turns him to the wall. Higo lands a knee on the inside, and Gallagher gets off a knee to the chest and a right hand on the break. Gallagher comes out swinging, backing Higo off with a short combination. Gallagher overswings with a right hand, and Higo takes advantage of this by lifting the Irishman off his feet and throwing him to the mat. Higo slides to get a partial back take, sliding one hook in as Gallagher stands up and leans against the cage. Higo looks for trips while he laces his legs between Gallagher’s, and Gallagher defends until he gets dragged to a knee. Higo uses this to push Gallagher’s face to the fence as he knees the thigh repeatedly, and he fishes for additional trips as he muscles Gallagher around. Higo elevates his opponent and slams him down hard, and as soon as Gallagher’s back hits the mat, Gallagher starts hunting for a kimura sweep. Higo remains tightly pressed on his man to stop the wrist control, and he shakes his head to signal that there is nothing to it. Gallagher kicks off the wall and turns himself upside down, allowing Higo to smack him in the ear several times. Gallagher looks to isolate an arm, but Higo immediately wrenches his arm out before it is even close. Higo lowers down ground-and-pound, and Gallagher stands him up with an upkick. Higo shrugs off a triangle setup and a few more upkicks to unload a vicious standing-to-ground right hand. Gallagher ties up the legs for a possible leglock, and Higo splits the legs to blast Gallagher in the face with a number of hearty punches. Higo uses the damage to take Gallagher’s back, and he hammers the Irishman with punches and is turned to his side as the fight concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Higo (30-27 Higo)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Higo (30-27 Higo)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Higo (30-27 Higo)

The Official Result

Leandro Higo def. James Gallagher via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Fabian Edwards (185.6) vs. Aaron Jeffery (185.2)

Round 1

A title shot looms for the victor of this middleweight pairing, with the winner expected to face Johnny Eblen in a few months. Edwards (12-3, 8-3 BMMA) lost his last fight, getting knocked out by Eblen when vying for the belt. Jeffery (14-4, 3-1 BMMA) would be a fresh contender, but he is currently riding a one-fight win streak on his own ledger. Serving as the referee for this no. 1 contender battle will be Blake Grice, who is glad to see the fighters showing respect for one another when they touch ‘em up. Jeffery hand-fights and lands a leg kick early as his mullet waves majestically behind him, and he pressures the Brit up against the cage early. Edwards responds with short knees before turning the Canadian around. The two jockey for position up against the fence as Jeffery goes after a takedown, and Edwards reverses him and lands in half guard. Jeffery wall-walks back upright as he absorbs a few knees to the gut, and he turns the former title challenger about to squeeze him on the fence. Edwards spins him and lifts Jeffery up with a trio of knees to the solar plexus, prompting Jeffery to explode out of his position and jam his man back to the wire, where he smacks him with shoulder strikes and knees. Jeffery issues a concern about a knee catching his cup, but he states he is good to go as Grice tells them they can keep fighting. Jeffery lowers himself down in pursuit of a single, but Edwards easily stands him up and knees him in the sternum. Edwards escapes, and Jeffery gives chase with inside low kicks and a pair of hooks. The momentum from the Canadian pushes him into a clinch, and he tries for a trip but is unable to ground “The Assassin.” Jeffery scores an elbow on the inside and a knee, and Edwards responds in kind with short elbows. Jeffery drives knees into the chest and thigh again and again, spamming these knees and not letting Edwards land many of his own. At the sound of the clapper, Edwards breaks away, and he keeps his guard high to block a head kick as the grueling round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jeffery
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Jeffery
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Jeffery

Round 2

The middleweights meet in the middle, but Jeffery is the aggressor as he slips a punch, absorbs an uppercut while landing a right, and he pushes the former title challenger to the cage. Edwards does not stay with his back to the cage for long, and they pummel for underhooks while alternating short strikes including some solid knees. Jeffery lands more knees than his opponent as they are tied up, and he works the thigh when not aiming strikes to the midsection. Edwards frees himself, and Jeffery immediately gloms onto him to push him back to the wall. Jeffery reaches for an elbow over the top, and Edwards times this to break away. Edwards kicks high, and Jeffery intercepts him with a low kick that bothers him. The Brit gathers himself and races ahead for a low double, and Jeffery stands him up, smiles and turns him around to get back to his preferred clinch position. Grice asks for more activity, and Jeffery drives a number of knees to the chest and goes for a takedown as well. Edwards stops the level change and manages to get a bit of space, and he scores a straight left hand on the break. Jeffery crowds him, taking a left hand on the chin on the way in, and he drops to his knees for a takedown effort. Edwards stops it and manages to break away, but again Jeffery is on him, practically running at him to tie him up and wear him down. Both men deliver knees to the body while up close, and Edwards just misses with a short elbow when the Canadian dips down. Grice suggests the fighters do more to stay in this stalemate position, and Jeffery tosses out several knees and short strikes before Edwards springs into action. Edwards slings his man to the mat, and he circles around to take Jeffery’s back as Jeffery stands up. Edwards cannot get a choke, so he lets go of the body triangle. Jeffery plods forward after him, absorbing several flush punches and a stern elbow that cuts him under his eye. The equally grueling round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Edwards
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Edwards
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Edwards

Round 3

Jeffery is just as aggressive as ever to start the round, but Edwards finds his home with several strikes including a pair of solid left hands. Jeffery shoots for a takedown, and Edwards nullifies it and gains some separation. Knowing that Jeffery is coming his way, Edwards slashes with a vertical elbow that lands cleanly. Edwards turns Jeffery’s pressure against him by throwing him down to his knees, but Jeffery is able to climb back up. Edwards fights his way out and lines up two punches before Jeffery crowds him. Edwards paws out a right hand as he strafes to the side, and he intercepts the Canadian once again with a mean elbow. Jeffery takes it on the chin and powers through to tie the former title challenger up, insisting on making this match as grinding and unappealing as possible. Edwards manages to escape, catching a kick on the outside and aiming some uppercuts and stern knees to the body. No matter how hard he connects, Edwards is unable to keep the mulleted man off him for long. Jeffery trips Edwards up for a moment, but Edwards explodes back up without issue. From up close, they slash at one another with elbows, and Edwards follows it with a knee to the breadbasket. Jeffery tries hard to take the fight down, and Edwards stumbles but does not falter. Edwards peels away, and Jeffery is right on him pumping knees to the body. Edwards looses any kind of short strike he can, and Jeffery ends the exhausting grinder of a match with one final failed takedown attempt.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Edwards (29-28 Edwards)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Edwards (29-28 Edwards)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Edwards (29-28 Edwards)

The Official Result

Fabian Edwards def. Aaron Jeffery via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Bellator Champions Series 145-Pound Title Fight:
Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (145) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (145)

Round 1

The first of two title fights comes for the raging fans in the SSE Arena in Belfast, with featherweight kingpin Freire (35-7, 22-6 BMMA) entering his title defense on the first losing streak of his career. Freire attempted to become the first three-division champ, dropping down to bantamweight only to get kicked back up by Sergio Pettis with his tail between his legs. “Pitbull” then tossed his hat in the ring for a short-notice lightweight fight against Chihiro Suzuki in Rizin, and he got sparked by one punch. This will serve his first 145-pound pairing in Bellator since October 2022, and he draws lively Canadian challenger Kennedy (19-3, 1 NC; 4-1 BMMA). “JBC” has won four of five since leaving PFL, and three in a row in the weight class earned him a crack at gold. Referee Kevin MacDonald will be the one to officiate the proceedings, and it commences with a respectful fist bump. Freire immediately claims the center of the cage, but he does not throw anything at the taller man. The first strike lands at the 45-second mark with a very low kick from Freire, and he doubles up on it. Freire jumps forward, leaning back from the counter and draws back to fire off another calf kick. Kennedy reaches out with a left hand, and he gets countered with a right hand on the way out. The Canadian scores a low kick, and Freire aims one back his foe’s direction. Freire chops at the lead leg of his opponent, and Kennedy’s leg is already reddened and beginning to swell before the midpoint of the first round. Both men jab at one another from afar, and Kennedy winds up with a kick to the ribs. Freire does not deviate from chipping away with calf kicks, and Kennedy gives him one back to think about. Kennedy prods out a front kick to back Freire off, and “Pitbull” wings a head kick that bounces off the guard. Kennedy races ahead, banging the top of his head into Freire’s mouth, and MacDonald sees this and splits them up while calling time. Freire is no worse for wear after a quick health check, and they resume. Freire kicks low and swarms high with two punches, and he ends the combo with a low kick that makes “JBC” limp slightly. Kennedy throws another back, and Freire partially checks it. Kennedy jabs with the ball of his foot to the chest, and Freire slams his shin on the lead leg as Kennedy changes stances briefly. Freire hops back from a leaping body kick aimed at him, and the tentative round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Freire
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Freire
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Freire

Round 2

MacDonald ushers Freire’s corner out of the cage as they forget his mouthpiece in a veteran move that allows him a few more seconds to recover. The fighters touch gloves when they resume, and Freire does not forget that he has done good work on the lead leg and goes after it again. Kennedy whips a kick up high, and Freire’s high guard is there in time. There is a lull in action, and then they trade kicks. The crowd begins to grow restless at the lack of activity in this championship bout. Both men sling single hooks, and Freire chops at the lead leg and gets kicked back hard. The Brazilian shakes it off and looks for a jab, and Kennedy surprises him with a one-two. Kennedy prods out several jabs and a front kick, and he dodges a left hook and a right hand that fly at him. Freire just misses on an overhand right, and Kennedy picks at him with jabs and a few low kicks to fluster him. Kennedy checks a kick and connects with a right hand on the jaw, stunning Kennedy momentarily. Kennedy blinks it out and triples up on a jab, and he catches a body kick that trips Freire up. Freire regains his balance and slides out of the way of a three-punch salvo. Freire chops at the lead leg once more, and Kennedy walks through it with a stern one-two down the pipe. “JBC” shoots for a takedown, and he shrugs off the guillotine defense from the Brazilian and sets him on his seat. Freire works his way up to one left, and his other is in the air while Kennedy hunts for a mat return. Kennedy stays pinned to the champ, and he hammers Freire in the groin with a knee. Freire groans as MacDonald calls time to separate them, and he is in pain from the foul as he winces and tries to get his wind back. Freire leans and adjusts himself any way he can to alleviate the discomfort, and he is still compromised from the blow as he takes ample time to recover. Freire signals after a couple minutes that he is ready to go, and the two clap hands with seconds left in the round. Kennedy zooms a head kick past him, aims one to the thigh and concludes the round with a body kick.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Freire
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Freire
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Freire

Round 3

The featherweights touch ‘em up to begin the third round, and Freire sticks out a few jabs to get his range only to take a low calf kick. Kennedy whiffs on a left hook, and he walks through a calf kick to reach out and pop the champ with a left. Freire lands a left and a right, and he pulls his leg back when absorbing a flush leg kick. Kennedy flicks out a jab, and he chains several together including a solid right hand that staggers the champ and cuts him on the top of the forehead in his hair. Kennedy charges ahead, pushing Freire up against the cage as the head wound bleeds fast into his eye. Kennedy clinches tightly and pounds his elbow on Freire’s cheek twice. Going old school, Kennedy stomps Freire’s toes, and Freire knees him on the stomach before trying to escape. Kennedy rings him up with a few elbows before Freire does get away, and he has a leg kick checked. Kennedy follows the champion and lands two jabs and a jump knee, but “Pitbull” steels himself and drills Kennedy in the face with a right hand. Kennedy retreats, and Freire swarms him with heavy right hands until Kennedy’s balance starts to betray him. Freire sees that he has his man hurt, and he unloads with a bombardment of body shots, knees, elbows, fists and the kitchen sink. Kennedy shells up with his back to the wall, his legs barely beneath him, and the champion is not about to slow down as Kennedy hangs on. Freire gains one final head of steam, kneeing Kennedy twice in the head as Kennedy collapses to the floor. Freire chases him down and batters him with hammerfists until MacDonald steps in to wave the fight off. Freire has done it, overcoming adversity to put the challenger away and remind the promotion that he is still the king at 145 pounds. At 36 years of age, he is not done yet, and he calls for a fight against the PFL featherweight champ (Jesus Pinedo), the UFC's champion (Ilia Topuria) or Aaron Pico if he does not get those other wishes.

The Official Result

Patricio Freire def. Jeremy Kennedy R3 4:07 via TKO (Knees and Punches)

Bellator Champions Series 205-Pound Title Fight:
Corey Anderson (204.6) vs. Karl Moore (204.6)

Round 1

This main event is for all the marbles at 205 pounds, as the title formerly held by Vadim Nemkov now lays vacant. In the next 25 minutes or less, either Anderson (17-6, 1 NC; 4-1, 1 NC BMMA) will seize it in his third attempt, or SBG Ireland will hold another major belt when Moore (12-2, 4-0 BMMA) claims it. The final assignment of the evening goes to referee Blake Grice, who brings the fighters to the center of the cage to issue instructions as they decide not to tap gloves together. Moore locates himself in the middle of the circular cage, and he starts jabbing. Anderson comes at him, and he shifts to dodge a left hand. Anderson works his way forward, backing Moore up and stinging him with a right hand. Moore keeps his back to the wall, and they start trading hands. Moore lands flush on the chin and gets Anderson to retreat, and he misses with a big left hand in an exchange. Anderson thinks about tying him up, but really is more interested in tagging Moore with a left hook on the break. Moore ducks down at the same time at his opponent to stop Anderson from a potential takedown, and he intercepts the former UFC fighter with a sharp left hook. Anderson absorbs a one-two that wobbles his legs, and Moore stands him up with a head kick. Moore fires off another head kick, and Anderson catches this one and pushes Moore back to shoot in for a single. Moore stuffs the attempt and skirts away from the cage, and he lines up another one-two. Anderson powers through and takes Moore off his feet, and the crowd showers him with boos. Anderson pushes Moore against the tough place between the mat and the wall, and he presses down in half guard while landing left hands. Anderson drags Moore away from the fence and pushes his knee down to trap Moore’s arm, and he looks for elbows and settles to grind one on the Irish fighter’s face—Moore fights out of Belfast but has the Irish flag on his trunks and asked Sherdog to list him repping Ireland. Anderson presses heavily to disallow Moore from sitting up and wall-walking, landing the occasional punch from top position. Anderson opens up with a few punches as Moore sits up, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moore
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Anderson
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Anderson

Round 2

The light heavyweights meander into action, and it does not take long before Anderson wants to change levels and take the fight to the canvas. He succeeds in his very first attempt, but Moore explodes with all his might to get back to his feet. Anderson goes after a single, and he lifts the leg up but is unable to plant Moore down. Moore defends with a guillotine choke with his back to the wall, but Anderson is able to fight out of it and push Moore against the wall. Anderson knees the belly a few times and jacks Moore in the jaw with a shoulder strike. Grice asks Anderson to work, and Anderson pursues a single but is shut down again. Anderson looks to throw Moore to the mat, but he keeps his balance as Anderson tells Grice that his glove is being grabbed from the inside. Moore adjusts his grip and wraps his arms around the waist, prompting Grice to split them up with 65 seconds to go. Moore opens up with a left hook, and Anderson counters with a right hand. Anderson gets the better of a second exchange before shooting in for a single, and Moore keeps his balance and plants his leg down. Anderson keeps a tight squeeze in the clinch until the less-than-thrilling round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Anderson
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Anderson
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moore

Round 3

Grice informs the fighters to stay busy when in stalemate positions, and they both nod in agreement. Anderson reintroduces himself to his opponent with a single-leg takedown, and he scoops Moore off the ground and deposits him gingerly to the mat. Landing in half guard, Anderson is quickly dragged back to the guard and finds himself in sudden armbar danger. Anderson fights out of it with a heavy left hand, and Moore scoots his way to the wall to put his neck against it. Anderson works the body with heavy punches until Moore suddenly snatches up an armbar in the blink of an eye. “Overtime” does not panic, instead hopping from one side to the next to prevent the submission from being locked up, as the leverage from Moore was not ideal given his proximity to the fence. Moore tries to scramble after it, and Anderson pushes him down and bumps his head against Moore’s. Grice pauses the fighters and tells Anderson that he is getting dangerously close to headbutt territory, and Anderson tries to deny it but ultimately accepts the warning. Moore explodes back to his knees and upright after the moment of confusion, and Anderson stays tightly pressed against him wanting to re-ground him. Anderson searches for a single, and Grice asks them to work when Moore stuffs it. Anderson lands a few short punches and knees to the thigh, grinding Moore out as Grice warns them again. Grice separates them with 25 seconds left in the round, and Moore thanks him by winging a right hand and a left. Moore gets Anderson’s attention with a left hand, and he tags Anderson with another heavy strike. Anderson fires back, and Moore shoots for a takedown. Anderson turns it around on him with a takedown shot before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Anderson
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Moore
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moore

Round 4

The fighters reach the championship rounds, and Anderson strikes first with a right hand, Moore counters with a check left hook, and he leans back to dodge as Anderson reaches at him with another solid right. After some lapse of activity, Anderson shoots for a single and dumps Moore on his back. Moore leans up against the cage, only for Anderson to drag him down and land a few punches. Anderson resides in half guard, dropping down elbows when not exerting chest pressure. Moore scoots to put his back to the wall, and he reverses Anderson to put them both on their knees. The two stand back up, clinched together, and Anderson wants to take the fight down immediately. Moore splits off and gathers his thoughts, before sprinting ahead and kicking the body. Anderson aims for a single, bails to land a punch, and shoots for a subsequent takedown that succeeds. “Overtime” hits the mat in side control, and he hangs on tight rather than landing much of note. Moore explodes to turn to his knees and get up, and Anderson greets him on the way up with a powerful knee. Anderson drops down for a single, and Moore shuts him down but is stuck against the wall as if it were covered in fly paper. The two trade knees, and Moore splits the uprights with a knee to the groin. Anderson tells Grice he can continue without a pause, and he rides out the grueling round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Anderson
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Anderson
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Anderson

Round 5

Moore signals to the crowd to get them pumped up before the last round, and they answer his call and start chanting. This does not empower him immediately, although he does reach out with two punches that miss and a third left hook that catches Anderson on the temple. Anderson nails Moore with a right hand, and he hits a single with relative ease. Moore clings with his closed guard and tries to offer some offense from his back, and Anderson softens the body with ineffective but scoring strikes. Moore summons every bit of moxie and stands up with the wall behind him, and Anderson is on him like a cheap suit. Moore bursts out of the tie-up and tries to land punches, only to get countered with a right hand down the middle. Moore wraps up a head kick, and Anderson blocks it and shoots for a double that plants the local fighter on his backside. Anderson gets off some short strikes and considers an arm-triangle choke, but instead works on the right side of Moore’s head that has been split open on the eyebrow. Anderson bangs his head into Moore’s with a seemingly unintentional headbutt, and Grice stands them up and issues Anderson a stern warning while taking the position away. Upright again, Moore tries to let his hands go, but it does not take long for Anderson to shoot in on his hips in search of a single. Moore thwarts it and separates with 30 seconds to go, and he wants to give it all he has. When he jumps at his opponent with a knee, Anderson catches him and drives him down to his knees. Moore stands back up, only for “Overtime” to hold him ever so tightly until time expires. It may not have been thrilling, and scores might be all over the map, but the third time should be the charm for Anderson to claim the throne he has sought for years. With that, the first Bellator event under PFL ownership is in the books, and it sure was an event. The promotion takes to Paris in May for its second card this year, while PFL will be rocking its tournament in two weeks and the UFC has an event in the Apex tomorrow night. We will be here for all of them, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Anderson (49-46 Anderson)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Anderson (49-46 Anderson)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Anderson (48-47 Anderson)

The Official Result

Corey Anderson def. Karl Moore via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)