Matches to Make After Bellator 301
One of the craziest moments in Bellator history! 😱@TAKM_MMA ends the incredible streak of @YaroslavAmosov. #Bellator301 | LIVE NOW | @SHOsports 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/t8gIbv0pHv
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 18, 2023
Bellator MMA's final card on Showtime, and possibly their last event ever was one of the best in its 14 year history. The MMA gods were smiling down on the promotion, as it went out with a huge bang, featuring two highlight-reel stoppages in as many title fights, with each winner staking a claim as the best fighter in the world at his weight in any promotion.
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In the co-main event, the bantamweight crown was unified when champion Sergio Pettis met interim king Patrick Mix. A top contender in the UFC flyweight division, Pettis had been unstoppable when at the age of 25 and still improving, he went to Bellator and moved up to bantamweight. Winning the 135-pound crown from Juan Archuleta in 2021, he had then defended with Sherdog's 2021 Knockout of the Year against Kyoji Horiguchi with a crazy spinning back-fist in a fight he was losing. Pettis then defended a second time by defeating Patricio Freire, who was looking to become an unprecedented triple champion, adding a bantamweight crown to his featherweight and lightweight titles. Instead, it was Pettis winning a clear decision. Yet, Mix was still the favorite, having established himself as possibly the best submission grappler in all of MMA, even dominating other exceptional grapplers with submissions of Magomed Magomedov and James Gallagher, a five-round domination of Horiguchi, and a sensational knee knockout of Raufeon Stots. Indeed, in a battle of the best striking versus the best grappling, it was the latter that won out. Mix took Pettis down easily enough and in the second, used his unbelievable mix of strength and agility to take the back and lock in a lightning-quick, tight rear-naked choke, forcing the champion to tap. Mix is now the new champion and there might not be a bantamweight on the planet a sportsbook would favor against him.
In other top fights, the aforementioned Stots fought a rematch
against bitter rival Danny
Sabatello. The bout being shortened from five rounds to three
was to its benefit, as it was non-stop action for all 15 minutes,
with amazing grappling sequences and explosive strikes. Sabatello
was too big and strong in Round 1, but Stots used his superior
skills and intelligence to come back and win Rounds 2 and 3, taking
the decision 29-28 on all three cards. A.J. McKee was
repeatedly taken down by excellent grappler Sidney
Outlaw, but was the only one delivering damage, even when on
the bottom. That also included opening up a hideous cut that
drenched the canvas with blood and almost caused the fight to be
stopped. McKee took the unanimous verdict 30-27 across the board,
which I consider a victory for proper judging. In a lightweight
grand prix bout, Alexandr
Shabliy put on a masterful performance against recent champion
Patricky
Freire, beating him to the punch and controlling the distance,
winning all five rounds on every judges' scorecard, advancing to
the final.
With one of Bellator's best events over, here are four intriguing matches that can be booked if the promotion lives on:
Jason Jackson vs. Andrey Koreshkov
Jackson has proven his superiority over world-class grapplers and strikers alike, but how will he do against one of Bellator's most decorated former champions and like himself, a tremendously well-rounded talent? Koreshkov is an outstanding kickboxer and wrestler, and is actually the same age as Jackson, 33. Certainly Jackson would be favored, but this could be an amazing contest, possibly even a fight of the year contender, with both men going at one another with dynamic strikes, whether it's Jackson's thunderous fists or Koreshkov's lethal spinning back kick, as well as in the grappling. This would be an awesome Bellator main event.Patrick Mix vs. Juan Archuleta
Not only has Mix just destroyed the now former champion Pettis, but he holds dominant wins over No. 2 ranked Stots, No. 4 Magomedov, and No. 5 Horiguchi. However, an intriguing battle lurks against No. 3 Archuleta, the only man to ever defeat Mix for the then vacant Bellator bantamweight crown back in 2020. Mix has improved a lot in those three-plus years, with even better grappling, much better cardio, and vastly superior striking. Nevertheless, it's the one interesting fight available for him now, as well as a great chance for vengeance. Can Archuleta survive Mix's grappling and beat him on the feet for a narrow decision like he did the first time? Will Mix submit him early? Or will Mix also prove how much better his stand-up is, matching or exceeding “The Spaniard” in that regard? I for one would love to see this, and it would be a worthy Bellator main event.Alexandr Shabliy vs. Winner of Usman Nurmagomedov-Brent Primus
Shabliy advanced to the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix finals with his win, but it's unclear who he will face. That was originally supposed to be undefeated Bellator lightweight kingpin Nurmagomedov, but that's now unclear after he tested positive for a banned substance. Early indications are that Nurmagomedov will have to rematch ex-champion Primus. If that's the case, Shabliy should face the winner. If that's Nurmagomedov, it will be a sensational all-Russian duel, with Shabliy's outstanding takedown defense and top-notch striking pitted against Nurmagomedov's phenomenal grappling and increasingly potent stand-up.A.J. McKee vs. Patricky Freire
At 37 years old, ex-champion Freire is past his prime. Yet, there is still one huge fight left, a confrontation with the young phenom McKee, especially in light of McKee's rivalry with his younger brother Patricio. Certainly, Freire has dangerous power at lightweight and also could, if he implemented a brilliant gameplan, outpoint McKee like his brother did in their rematch. This would also be a very important test for McKee, who has looked very good but not spectacular since moving up to lightweight, going 3-0 with decisions over Spike Carlyle, Roberto de Souza and now Sidney Outlaw. However, the difference with Freire is that the Brazilian won't solely be looking to wrestle like those other three. It's a big-name, intriguing fight with a high chance of a tremendous knockout finish one way or the other.
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