Bellator 161 Results: Play-by-Play & Round-by-Round Scoring

Daniel Pineda vs. Mark Dickman

Round 1

After some decent striking between the two, Dickman scores a powerful takedown and lands in side control. Pineda is trying to fight his way back to his feet and eventually rolls over. From there, he’s briefly mounted but quickly recovers to half guard. Dickman is applying all sorts of pressure, looking to set something up. Pineda scrambles to his knees, but Dickman is on him like glue and seizes his back. Pineda again rolls out, but Dickman presses him down in side control before Pineda finally gets back to his feet with about two minutes left. They don’t stay on their feet long, though, as Dickman drags him back down into the undercurrent. Pineda is calm, though, and with about a minute or so left, he’s able to stand up against the cage, but, per the norm, Dickman is on him. Dickman think kimura but Pineda is wise to it and fends it off. After one, it’s all Dickman 10-9.

Round 2

Pineda fires off a decent jab early in the frame but he has to absorb a spinning back kick to his ribs. Pineda retaliates with a slapping kick to the leg but his follow-up wheel kick upstairs misses by a foot. Dickman is staying back, looking for a chance to shoot in and when he changes levels, Pineda is the one who scores the takedown. Dickman quickly rolls over and moves to his knees but Pineda is threatening with a guillotine. Pineda abandons the choke and when he does, Dickman explodes back to his feet and creates some separation. Pineda engages a clinch and unfurls a few knees to his foe’s body and thighs. Dickman has enough of that and tries a rolling kimura, but he misses badly. Because of that, Pineda snatches his back, gets both hooks in and peppers him with punches form behind. Dickman looks to scramble, but when he rolls over, Pineda stays tight and winds up on top, in half guard. Pineda threatens with another choke from side control but Dickman fends him off. It’s a reversal of fortunes. 10-9 Pineda.

Round 3

The fight hangs in the balance going into the third. Pineda shoots in right away and presses Dickman into the cage. Dickman attempts another rolling kimura but, like in the second, he misses it. From there, Pineda takes top position against the cage and lands a few meager punches to the head. Dickman turtles up and from there, Pineda quickly locks in both hooks after taking his back. They scramble to their feet, but Pineda is all over him, locks in a body triangle and latches on the rear-naked choke. Dickman can’t escape and has no choice but to tap out.

The Result

Daniel Pineda def. Mark Dickman via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R3, 2:07

Kenya Miranda da Silva vs. Emily Ducote

Round 1

Da Silva lands a decent straight left to begin the fight, but Ducote takes it well. Ducote misses a few overhand rights all the while taking a few low kicks and jabs. Ducote closes the gap and forces a clinch, pressing the Brazilian into the cage. They trade knees to the body while Ducote tries to drag her foe to the canvas. Ducote blasts da Silva with a pair of knees to the intestines, but Kenya doesn’t seem bothered by them. The flyweights disengage and rest in the center of the cage. Once again, Ducote ties her up, presses her into the cage and tries a couple of throws, but da Silva is wise to the tactic. Ducote is like a wolverine out there as she mauls da Silva with knees to the body and punches to the head. Da Silva is uncomfortable and trying to escape, but the Oklahoman is relentless. It’s all Ducote after one. 10-9 Ducote

Round 2

Picking up right where left off, Ducote forces her way inside and presses da Silva into the cage. She slams a few knees into her foe’s belly but the Brazilian is able to reverse position. Her fortune doesn’t last long, though, as Ducote switches her back into cage. After a lack of action, they disengage and trade some decent leather in the center of the cage. Da Silva paws with a meager series of front kicks, but they don’t keep Ducote away long enough to prevent a clinch and then a takedown. Ducote wastes no time in achieving full mount at the midway point. Da Silva is starting to panic a little on her back, but Ducote gives up mount and opts to work from side control. Emily pops her with a few short elbows to the melon and then traps da Silva’s left arm under her leg. A few more elbows come crashing down before Ducote reverts back to full mount. She slams down some punches but da Silva explodes with a perfect sweep, only to get reversed and mounted again. Ducote explodes with a textbook armbar from mount, locks in her foe’s arm under her armpit and forces the tap.

The Result

Emily Ducote def. Kenya Miranda da Silva via Submission (Armbar) R2, 4:37

Garrett Scott vs. Waylon Bronstrup

Round 1

Brunstrup opens the fight with a few hard low kicks but Scott shoots in and nearly gets a bulldog choke. Brunstrup fights his way out but gives up his back and from there, Scott wastes no time in sinking the rear-naked choke.

The Result

Garrett Scott def. Waylon Brunstrup via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1, 0:50

Derek Campos vs. Djamil Chan

Round 1

Chan comes out hard with a small flurry to the head but he misses. Campos stays back and when he comes in, he’s clipped by a right-left to the head, though he brushes it off. Campos misses a left hook and he eats one in return. Again, he shakes it off. Chan is swinging for the fences with every punch but Campos is standing right there, willing to trade with him. A huge left hook flattens Campos and Chan pounces. Chan lands hard punches from on top but he somehow can’t put him away. Campos amazingly is able to get back to his feet and swings freely with Chan. Chan backs off and resets, likely wondering why Campos isn’t asleep. Chan backs off for the remainder of the round while Campos stalks him. 10-8 Chan

Round 2

Campos appears to be totally clear-headed to start the second as he chases after Chan. Campos backs the Dutch striker in to the cage and cracks him with a left and right, but Chan is able to escape to his left. Chan lights Campos with a flurry to the head, but nothing is quite as clean as he’d like. Campos continues to abandon the takedown and simply walks right into Chan’s attacks. Campos is super aggressive as he chases Chan around the cage. Chan, for whatever reason, isn’t letting his hands go in combo and instead is tossing one punch at a time. Campos tags Chan with a left to the dome and then a right. Djamil retreats and has to absorb a five-punch flurry upstairs. Campos shoots in with 20 seconds left and easily gets the takedown. 10-9 Campos.

Round 3

Campos comes right of his corner and engages quickly, landing a plethora of punches. Chan is not comfortable at all as he’s forced to brawl with the Texan, though nothing hard is landing. Campos shoots in for a single and slams the Dutch striker down hard and into side control. Campos steps over and misses mount; he slips into half guard. Campos lands a few elbows and shoulders to his foe’s head while Chan is stalling, looking for a restart. Chan explodes up and tries to scramble, but he can’t get the sweep and has to fall back into half guard. Campos rubs his right elbow into Chan’s face before digging a few lefts into the body. With a minute left, Campos passes back to side control. Campos looks to move to mount, which allows Chan to explode to his feet. He goes for the knockout with a wild exchange but can’t get it. 10-9 Campos (28-28)

The Result

Derek Campos def. Djamil Chan via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3, 5:00

Anastasia Yankova vs. Veta Arteaga

Round 1

Yankovais blasted by a right hand to the face immediately and she staggers back into the cage. Arteaga can’t land anything else, which allows the highly-touted Russian to clear her head. Another big right to the jaw rocks Yankova, who stumbles into the cage again. Arteaga closes the gap and unloads a barrage, twice buckling her knees with rights to the mouth. Yankova is able to sprung back to her feet and create space, but Arteaga is calm and compact. About two minutes in, the action slows a bit as the two women collective themselves and reset. Arteaga gets inside and clinches, pressing Anastasia into the cage. They separate again but Yankova eats another right and left to the head. The much bigger Yankova tosses out a few rangy kicks before tying the underdog up, but Arteaga breaks away and regroups on her feet. It’s terrific back-and-forth action late, but Arteaga wades through them all. Great round. 10-8 Arteaga.

Round 2

Arteaga lands a few more punches early, but Yankova is able to tie the smaller fighter up and press her into the cage. The Russian lands a few elbows and knees on the inside but Arteaga is able to free herself and circle away. Yankova pops her foe with a few kicks to the stomach and a right to the head, but in transition, she swallows another powerful right hand. Yankova storms in with a flurry of punches but she has to withstand a spinning backfist and a few more right hands to the face for her effort. The Idahoan ties her opponent up briefly before disengaging and resetting. Yankova opens up with a combo of kicks to the leg and body and punches to the head before being tied up. It’s toe-to-toe for the final 10 seconds but Arteaga gets the better of the two. Close round. 10-9 Arteaga

Round 3

Yankova needs some sort of a stoppage in the final round in order to win this. She comes out early and connects with a high front kick to the face, but Arteaga walks through it en route to a clinch. Arteaga is on her bike early, possibly sensing the fight is in the bag as long as she isn’t stopped. Yankova is stalking her fiercely and clinches. After another separation, the Russian pops her foe with another high front kick to the head. Arteaga continues to retreat before she’s tied up. Yankova is desperate, throwing knees on the inside. A few leg kicks from Anastasia before they trade leather against the cage. Yankova drills the American with a nice straight left and then a right elbow to the head. Arteaga is on her bike with 30 seconds left as she checks a few low kicks. It’s a clear Yankova round 10-9

The Result

Anastasia Yankova def. Veta Arteaga via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) R3, 5:00

Joe Warren vs. Sirwan Kakai

Round 1

Warren is very aggressive to begin the contest and quickly ties Kakai up and presses him into the cage. Warren is reversed but he eventually tosses the Swede to the ground. Warren is all over him and hovers over Kakai’s back and is mauling on the ground. Kakai is able to fight his way back to his feet but Warren is relentless. Warren is sticking to the single, but Sirwan is fending him and peppering the former champ with elbows. Warren continues to force his foe into the fence, not allowing Kakai any room to work. After some time, Kakai reverses position and slowly drags Warren to the canvas. Kakai is looking to pass to his left but Warren’s defense is excellent. With 45 seconds left, Warren explodes to his feet and immediately shoots in. Kakai stuffs him and delivers a series of elbows to the back and body. Warren looks gassed at the bell after a grueling, extremely close opening round. 10-9 Warren

Round 2

Kakai opens the frame with a pair of leg kicks but he’s tagged by a loopy overhand right. Warren shoots in and takes him down and during the ensuing scramble, Kakai gives up his back. Warren fishes for the rear-naked choke but misses it, allowing the Swede to escape to the center of the cage. Warren misses with a wild spinning high kick and then is countered by a glancing right hand to the head. Warren is slowing down quite a bit two minutes in but he shoots in for a single. Kakai stuffs him but Warren plows his foe into the cage. Warren connects with an errant knee in the clinch and it’s clean on Kakai’s chin. The Swede drops to his back and Warren pounces, however he finds himself stuck in a tight armbar. Kakai torques his hips but he can’t land it. Warren wriggles free and then slams down some punches from on top. Kakai scrambles again but Warren snatches his back and sinks in a rear-naked choke. It’s deep but Kakai is able to free himself from the choke. Warren moves to mount and then to Kakai’s back as he turtles at the bell. 10-9 Warren

Round 3

Kakai walks into a pair of knees as soon as the third begins. He grabs his nose and backs away, allowing Warren to dive in after him. He can’t get him down but Kakai, who is bleeding from the nose, shoots in. Warren sprawls and locks on a standing guillotine. It’s deep but Kakai is fighting through it. Warren moves to re-position his arms for the choke but as he does, Kakai taps out.

The Result

Joe Warren def. Sirwan Kakai via Submission (Neck Crank) R3, 1:04

Cheick Kongo vs. Tony Johnson

Round 1

After pawing with a few jabs, Kongo gets inside and ties Johnson up. He presses him into the fence with double underhooks. Johnson reverses position is looking for a takedown. Kongo is able to keep his balance but inadvertently drills Johnson in the groin with a left knee. John McCarthy steps in and warns the Frenchman and after a few moments, the fight continues. The heavyweights paw with jabs before Johnson swings and misses with a wild, loopy overhand right. From there, Kongo is tied up against the cage. The clinching continues for about two minutes as McCarthy barks at the men to work. Finally, “Big John splits them up and resets them. Johnson clips Kongo with an overhand right and then shoots in, but he can’t take the taller man off his feet. Again, they clinch against the cage. With about 30 seconds left, Kongo scores a takedown and winds up in mount. He dishes out a series of punches, but Johnson covers up and rides out the clock. 10-9 Kongo

Round 2

Johnson quickly scores a takedown and pounds on Kongo. Johnson is using all of his weight from on top and is wearing Kongo down. Kongo tries to escape but Johnson is all over and eventually takes his back. Johnson gets both of his hooks in and fishes for the rear-naked choke. He doesn’t have it as he sits against the cage. From there, Tony softens the Frenchman with meager punches from behind while he continues to search for the choke. Kongo is fending his attacks off rather easily but he’s not improving his position. The crowd has been booing the lack of action for a while, but Johnson is working from behind. Johnson finally has enough and turns Kongo over and lands in full mount. Kongo is holding him as tightly as he can to ride out the clock and he does. It’s all Johnson. 10-9 Johnson

Round 3

Almost as soon as the round begins, they tie each other up. Kongo presses his foe into the cage and then looks for a double, but Johnson stuffs him. Finally, Kongo lands the takedown and winds up in half guard. Kongo doles out a few elbows from on top but Johnson is covering up nicely. McCarthy yells at the heavyweights to work behind a curtain of boos from the crowd. Johnson is trying to wall walk his way back to his feet, but Kongo’s pressure is superb. With under two minutes left, McCarthy continues to yell at them to work, to improve position. Johnson is nearly back on his feet but Kongo won’t allow him to escape and brings him back down. Kongo hovers over his opponent until the bell, all the while landing a few elbows to the body and head. 10-9 Kongo

The Result

Cheick Kongo def. Tony Johnson via Majority Decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3, 5:00