Bellator 285 ‘Henderson vs. Queally’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Luca Poclit (169.7) vs. Dante Schiro (169.9)

Round 1

Bellator hops across the pond once again to the Emerald Isle, with a fairly small crop of Irish or Northern Ireland-based competitors to psych up the home crowd. No Irishman will be found on this first fight of the prelims, which comes at welterweight between surging Moldovan newcomer Poclit (7-1, 0-0 BMMA) and Team USA’s Schiro (9-3, 1-1 BMMA). Both men have earned four finishes across their last four respective victories, so referee Bryan Miner may be needed before too long in this card opener. Poclit offers a glove touch but Schiro has no interest, and we are underway. Schiro stays on the outside, jabbing and firing off a heavy leg kick. Poclit evades a high kick as he slowly tries to work his way in, and he comes up short with a looping left hook. The two welterweights are cautious and not wild, tentatively tossing strikes at one another. Poclit gets on his heels as Schiro advances, and he takes an uppercut on the chin before absorbing a hard low kick that makes him recoil his leg. He responds with a kick to the ribcage, only to take a straight right hand to the midsection. Poclit reaches out with a head kick that misses the mark, and Schiro times a leg kick as soon as he plants to damage Poclit’s wheel. Schiro goes after another, and they are drawing wide physical reactions out of his opponent. The calf kicks keep mounting from the American, forcing Poclit to shoot in for takedown to stop the painful strikes from landing. The Moldovan scoops Schiro up with a double-leg takedown, and he puts him on his back in the center of the cage on his second effort. Poclit passes to half guard when they hit the mat, and he threatens with a guillotine choke when Schiro scrambles. Schiro keeps his neck safe enough, and he sweeps his foe over while Poclit hangs on to the unsuccessful choke. Schiro lands straight in mount when he gains top position, and he threatens with an arm-triangle choke in a hurry. Poclit bucks and protects by keeping his right arm pressed against his own head, and he powers out in an effort to get up. This is the worst thing for him, as Schiro follows him along the way and takes his back. There is not enough time left in the round to do anything with it, so Schiro elects to ride it out in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Schiro
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Schiro
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Schiro

Round 2

Once more, Poclit offers a tough of gloves, and Schiro ignores him and lets fly a low kick. Poclit gets on his bike on the outer edge of the cage trying to respond with kicks, but they are largely blocked while Schiro tracks him down and connects with a few more of his damaging calf kicks. Poclit wades forward, possibly in pursuit of a takedown, only to get intercepted with a chopping kick. The Moldovan powers through it to grab hold of a double, and he sets Schiro on his seat early in the round. Schiro is quick to pursue a sweep, and he succeeds in flipping Poclit around to set him on his back. Poclit defends with an unorthodox guillotine choke to keep Schiro honest, but the American pays it no mind and secures top position. When Schiro pursues an arm-triangle choke and looks to use it to take the back, Poclit scrambles effectively to turn Schiro to his back again. Poclit sits up and jumps guard for a guillotine choke, and Schiro is struggling as it is tight but not of the fight-ending variety. Schiro grits it out and pushes out of the maneuver, and he cuts right into full mount like a hot knife through butter. Schiro postures up in an attempt to rain down strikes, but Poclit has his wrists locked down to prevent much of the strikes. Schiro frees his right arm long enough to smash down with one resounding elbow, and Poclit blinks repeatedly and turns to his side to escape. A furious grappling exchange ensues, with Poclit hanging with his arm locked around the neck. They find themselves in an awkward position, with Schiro on his knees but trapped in this bizarre quasi-choke that is a cross between a guillotine and an arm-triangle, and the action appears to stall out here. Miner is taking a close look at the action, and Schiro’s arms appear to go limp. Miner expertly recognizes that Schiro is out, and he intervenes to break up this quite unique submission. Unreal! The official determination by Bellator is that it is a modified arm-triangle choke, and Poclit calls it the “Lucanator.” Whatever it is officially, it is immediately on the shortlist for “Submission of the Year.”

The Official Result

Luca Poclit def. Dante Schiro R2 4:31 via Technical Submission (Reverse Arm-Triangle Choke)

Asael Adjoudj (146) vs. Jordan Barton (146)

Round 1

Nobility is the word for this next prelim in the featherweight division. Both men are 1-1 as Bellator fighters and looking to get over the hump, as “The Sultan” Adjoudj (3-1, 1-1 BMMA) comes back to the promotion after a pair of fights with UAE Warriors. He faces “The Lord” Barton (7-2-1, 1-1 BMMA), who wants to keep things rolling after a May victory over then-undefeated Fabacary Diatta. Drawing the charge for this one is referee Kevin MacDonald, and a glove touch seals the cage around them. They are right in one another’s face, pawing at one another in close proximity. Barton gives chase, walking his foe down and chopping at him with the occasional kick. Adjoudj responds with a heavier one, and Barton does not let him off the hook and fires back with the same move. They trade these strikes, and Barton whips a kick to the body. Barton bullies his opponent back to the fence, and he gets Adjoudj to a knee as he attempts to land a takedown. Adjoudj escapes from the position and gains some space, and Barton gives chase and cracks him with a pair of swift punches. The kicks come from both men one after the other, and they are largely landing single blows in succession. Barton steps in with a jab that turns into an elbow, and he marches straight into a sniper-like right hand counter before he can reach his target. Barton slams into the wall, and his wits are not entirely about him. “The Sultan” strides forward, knowing that Barton is in trouble, and he introduces his shin into Barton’s temple. Barton collapses to the mat, and the Frenchman seals the seal with several jackhammering left hands until MacDonald pulls him off of the doomed Barton. This is a big win for Adjoudj, who makes a statement by wrecking Barton in just over half a round.

The Official Result

Asael Adjoudj def. Jordan Barton R1 2:39 via TKO (Head Kick and Punches)

Kenny Mokhonoana (146) vs. Alex Bodnar (145.6)

Round 1

Two featherweights new to the Bellator cage step into it for the first time in front of a partisan Irish crowd. Receiving the cheers from his countrymen and women in the audience is Mokhonoana (3-0, 0-0 BMMA), who is spotless as a pro with three submissions to his credit. The Ireland native will square off against Britain’s Bodnar (4-1, 0-0 BMMA), whose only pro loss came by tapout almost exactly one year ago. This next chapter in this long-storied rivalry will take place under the watchful eye of referee Bryan Miner, and there is a touch of gloves to get things started. Bodnar opens up with a body kick, and he ducks back as a swatting hook comes at him. Mokhonoana sits down on a left hook, and Bodnar is more interested in kicking. They throw hands at the same time, and Mokhonoana ducks into a takedown. “Black Diamond” sets his man on his back so that he can start dropping down elbows, and Bodnar drags him into his active full guard. Bodnar shrugs off ground strikes and attempts to sweep or push off with butterfly hooks, and he scoots his way to the wall in the process. Bodnar works his way back to his knee and upright with the fencing behind him, and Mokhonoana stays tightly pressed against him. Bodnar gains a little space and rips a few punches to the body, and he turns the tables and bowls Bodnar over. This is not the best place for him to be, as Mokhonoana quickly snatches on to his neck from his back and uses the move to flip Bodnar over. The submission is frightfully tight, and while mounted, Mokhonoana presses his full body weight to put Bodnar completely out. Miner confirms that Bodnar is sleeping with the ancients due to this guillotine, and he breaks up the fighters. It takes a moment, but Bodnar eventually comes to, much to the relief of the crowd and those in the cage. Mokhonoana is now 4-0 with four subs on his ledger, and Irish fans are thrilled with his performance.

The Official Result

Kenny Mokhonoana def. Alex Bodnar R1 2:42 via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Georgi Karakhanyan (156) vs. Kane Mousah (155.7)

Round 1

The previous fight involved two fighters making their Bellator debuts, while this next contest features a veteran where only five other Bellator fighters have competed in its cage more than he has. This tough but skidding Bellator OG Karakhanyan (31-13-1, 1 NC; 9-11 BMMA) – who joined the league back in 2010 at Bellator 13 – will get a .500 fighter in the form of Manchester, England’s own Mousah (13-4, 2-2 BMMA). There is a lot of intensity between these lightweights, but they still touch gloves in front of referee Kerry Hatley. Karakhanyan sticks out several jabs to introduce himself to his British counterpart, and he hops back when a leg kick comes his way. They decide it is better to throw haymakers, and Karakhanyan lands the heavier of the two but Mousah does not miss with his own. Karakhanyan walks him down but walks into a huge left hand, and he does not bat an eye as strikes come to his body and legs to follow. Karakhanyan winds up on a looping punch that careens off the guard, and a high kick from his opposite leg is similarly blocked. Mousah picks and pokes at him with strikes, and Karakhanyan bites down on his mouthpiece and wings an uppercut that hits nothing but air. Karakhanyan overrelies on his power, and Mousah stays calm and jabs at him and peppers the leg kick. “Insane Georgi” wraps a right hand around the guard, but it is one-and-done while Mousah is putting multiple strikes together to respond. Mousah fires off a right, and a left to chain into it slams square into the chin. Karakhanyan ignores it and keeps plodding forward, so Mousah targets the body to mix things up. They briefly trade hands on the inside, and Mousah loops two rights to the head and body. Karakhanyan catches him on the way out with a short hook, and Mousah opens up with his own punches and wants to make a statement. Mousah rings his foe’s bell, but the California native just gets angry and throws hammers right back at him. They get up close, allowing Karakhanyan to drill a few knees to the chin, and he shoots in for a single-leg takedown. Mousah defends and spins out, and he lines up an elbow on the jaw. Karakhanyan does not even budge, and even when he eats a right hand to the midsection, he is right there ready to throw bombs. Mousah strings kicks together on the lead leg, and Karakhanyan goes wide with swinging haymakers. Mousah tightly works the body while Karakhanyan is wild, but he cannot get out of the way from a spinning hook kick that pops him in the face. The round ends after this strike.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mousah
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Mousah
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mousah

Round 2

The lightweights bump their fists to start off the second round, and they pick up where they left off in a methodical slugfest. Karakhanyan swings with all his might, and Mousah sees the majority of them coming, pushes out a jab and follows it with a hefty hook. Karakhanyan starts answering with jabs, and he gets tagged with a left hook. Mousah gets clipped marching forward, and both men appear to have stung one another with their wide-arced punches. Mousah recovers faster as he pushes the pace, and Karakhanyan’s punches lose a little speed thanks in part to Mousah’s body work. Karakhanyan plods forward to take the fight down, but the Brit wants nothing to do with it and grabs the shorts to escape. A confused situation arises when Hatley tells Mousah to stop grabbing his opponent’s shorts, and Hatley tells them to get after it. Mousah answers first, with a heavy knee and a few punches before tripping the American down to the ground. The strikes have slashed open a cut around the left eye of Karakhanyan, and as Karakhanyan stands up, Mousah smashes an elbow into it. Karakhanyan recovers, but Mousah is on to him, and three punches land before a left hook knocks “Insane Georgi” clean off his feet. Mousah tackles him all the way to the ground, and he delivers several punches upside the head while Karakhanyan tries to get his bearings. Karakhanyan musters his way out of danger and gets up, and he spins around to dive forward for a takedown. He cannot get Mousah down before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mousah
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Mousah
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Mousah

Round 3

The round begins with the strikers doing exactly that, and Mousah appears the fresher and more accurate fighter to start. Mousah rips a left to the body, goes to the head, and a quick combo forces Karakhanyan to shoot in on a single. Mousah defends from the initial attempt, and Karakhanyan redoubles his effort to scoop up the leg but he cannot pull the Brit down. Mousah yanks his leg out of the grip and turns his man about so that he can slug away at him. Mousah’s few strikes lead to a clinching, and he leans heavily on the fatiguing Karakhanyan. Karakhanyan pushes off and gets nailed by three punches, but he steels himself and fires back with a vengeance. Mousah gloms on to him up against the wire, and Karakhanyan eventually kicks off and crashes forward to secure a single. Mousah hops back to get his back against the wall, and he sprawls out to shut Karakhanyan down. Hatley warns Karakhanyan for grabbing the fence, and Karakhanyan lets it go and changes levels for a double. The American works the thigh with several knees while he stays pushed up against his opponent, and he is grabbing the fence to keep Mousah there. "The Danger" breaks off with 15 seconds left, and they grab single collar ties and slug away. They let their hands go with everything they have, right to the bitter end and the final bell. It is likely that when the scores are read, Karakhanyan will claim the top spot for the most defeats in company history with 12.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mousah (30-27 Mousah)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Karakhanyan (29-28 Mousah
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mousah (30-26 Mousah)

The Official Result

Kane Mousah def. Georgi Karakhanyan via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Darragh Kelly (155.2) vs. Kye Stevens (155.2)

Round 1

From massive amounts of Bellator experience to minimal we go, when one-fight prospect Kelly (1-0, 1-0 BMMA) tries to go two for two in the Bellator cage at the expense of Stevens (3-1, 0-0 BMMA). The lightweights will move fast and frantically while referee Kerry Hatley serves as the steward of this contest. The gloves are not at all touched, as Kelly races forward to throw bombs and charge his way into a takedown. Stevens gets dragged to the mat, and Kelly is quick to smack him upside the head with his fists. “Kid Yeti” works his way back up, only to get yanked down against by the Irishman. Kelly continues slugging away while Stevens fights to get up, and Stevens succeeds in standing once more. A subsequent mat return frustrates Stevens, who briefly threatens with a guillotine but lets it go when he gets punched in the face. Kelly nearly takes the back but the Brit works his way back up. Kelly does not let Stevens stay upright for more than a few seconds before wrenching him to the canvas once more, and he triangles Stevens’ legs beneath his own. Kelly scores a few left hands before Stevens sneaks a leg out, and Stevens gets to a knee while leaned up against the fencing. Stevens stands and gets thrown one more time, and this time, he is away from the cage. Kelly follows a scramble to threaten with a north-south choke, and he transitions it into a guillotine when Stevens powers his way out and upright. The takedown defense for Stevens drops them both down to their knees when Kelly tries again for one, and Kelly nevertheless manages to render Stevens grounded. Kelly drills undercuts beneath both armpits much to Stevens’ chagrin, and Stevens explodes and is back upright. Stevens spins with a missed kick, but a right hand finds its home as Kelly appears to be recovering. Stevens gets off a knee and scores a right hand, and Kelly pursues a takedown. “Kid Yeti” rings Kelly’s bell with a huge right hand, and Kelly is wobbled but makes it to the bell, still hurt.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kelly

Round 2

The second round opens with Kelly slightly less aggressive than the previous frame, but he works his way forward with a looping right into a single. Stevens does not get taken down as easily as before, but a relentless Kelly eventually pulls him to his seat. Stevens works his way up and scores a few elbows on the ear, and Kelly yanks him to the mat. Kelly takes the back during a scramble, and he steps over to three-quarter mount but gets pulled into half guard. “Moville Mauler” hunts for an arm-triangle choke after securing mount, and he bails on it to deliver several elbows to the dome. Stevens bucks Kelly off of him and bursts upright, and he tries to give Kelly a taste of his own medicine as he goes after a takedown. Stevens goes low for a double, and Kelly barely keeps his balance. As Stevens is about to complete it, Kelly signals to Hatley that his glove has nearly come off. The equipment malfunction leads to a moment for both men to get their wind back, and Hatley asks for tape but is given the wrong kind. Stevens starts talking trash to his opponent, and Kelly is pulled back and re-wrapped. Hatley resets them in the same position where they broke, with Stevens pursuing the takedown but not able to get it, and Kelly locks on to a brabo choke in the blink of an eye. “Kid Yeti” kicks his way off the wall to escape from the submission, but he finds himself on his back again with Kelly raining down shots in half guard. Stevens hangs on to slow the offense down, but Kelly still manages to get in elbows. Stevens works with all his might to sweep the unbeaten fighter, but his efforts fall short as Kelly repositions himself on top and rails him with several unanswered left hands. Stevens turns to his stomach and gets punched several times, and Stevens goes after a round-sealing takedown but does not secure it before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kelly
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kelly

Round 3

The final stanza opens with Stevens as the fighter to push the pace, coming forward with a few punches and a low kick. Kelly is coasting and blocks the majority of the strikes, and he shakes his head and points to the air when the blows are guarded. Kelly surges forward with a punch before he moves into a body lock takedown attempt, and he changes levels for a double. A deflated Stevens gets dragged back down to the mat, and Kelly again wraps up the legs and stops an escape. Stevens slithers them out to return to a knee, and Kelly knees the thigh a few times before returning Stevens to the ground. “Kid Yeti” threatens with a kimura, perhaps in an effort to sweep him, but Kelly turns into it and wrenches Stevens’ own arm until Stevens abandons it. Kelly, in mount, starts fishing for an arm-triangle choke, but he wants to make a statement with ground-and-pound, and he slugs Stevens in the face with several hammering punches. Kelly lowers himself for a submission, and he suddenly sits up while mounted to drive his fists into and nearly through Stevens’ face. Stevens gives up his back to escape the danger, but this only leads to punches on his ear and a possible rear-naked choke setup. Stevens turns all the way around, and Kelly rides him like a carousel and keeps the top position the whole time. Kelly moves over to side control, but he quickly hops back over into mount with ease. Kelly lords over his opponent with relentless punches, and they force “Kid Yeti” to spin around once more. Kelly locks up a rear-naked choke, but Stevens is tough, and the submission does not elicit a tap. Kelly concludes this one-sided fight with a few more punches for good measure, and they reach the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kelly (30-27 Kelly)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Kelly (30-27 Kelly)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kelly (30-27 Kelly)

The Official Result

Darragh Kelly def. Kye Stevens via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Brett Johns (135.7) vs. Jordan Winski (135)

Round 1

The preliminary card carries on between two men who are both 1-1 as Bellator competitors, but came into this pairing from drastically different trajectories. Ex-UFC competitor Johns (18-3, 1-1 BMMA) left its ranks in 2020 to join up with Bellator, while Winski (12-3, 1-1 BMMA) has been on the outside looking in as he competed in a slew of organizations from Gladiator Challenge and California Cage Wars to LFA and Cage Fury. Johns will serve as the biggest betting favorite of the night at around -800, but referee Kevin MacDonald is ready for wherever the fight goes, as anything can and often does happen in this sport. The 135ers do not bother touching gloves before engaging, as Johns wants to push the pace and swings an early left hand. He swings another, and Winski absorbs this one flush and throws back. Winski meets him in the middle and connects with a strike of his own, but Johns responds with a heavier one. Winski slows down the brawl by clinching the Welshman up and pushing him to the wire, and he gets off one elbow before Johns turns him about. Johns looks for a trip and transitions towards a double-leg takedown, and Winski remains balanced up against the wall until Johns clasps his hands and sets him down. Johns stays tightly pressed to his opponent, getting little offense off other than a few short ground strikes, but he shuts down anything that comes his way from Winski. Johns sits up in the guard to drop down elbows, and Winski pulls off the fence with his feet but cannot get out of this posture. Johns drills him with a single left hand before Winski clings to him with all his might, and Johns manages to keep working on him with compact strikes. The grind continues for “The Pikey,” who holds top position and starts to lump up Winski’s face with his strikes. Johns connects with a few more elbows, and Winski powers his way to his feet one second before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns

Round 2

The bantamweights jab at one another to start off the second round, and Winski appears to catch Johns standing still with a right hand down the pipe. Johns gathers himself and starts lining up several low kicks, and Winski marches him down and drills him with two more right hands. Johns works his way off the fence and comes forward, but the Winski uppercut splits his guard. Johns scores a right hook before ducking in for a double, and he lifts Winski up enough to set him down on his back. The Welshman lands in half guard, and his grind is immediately embraced once more. Winski scoots his way to the fence, and Johns steps over to mount. Winski pushes off the cage at that moment to prevent Johns from securing it, and he drags “The Pikey” back to his guard. Johns does not mind this, as he does good work with elbows and punches to the body. The action might not be thrilling, but it is effective at staving off MacDonald from any possible standup. Johns moves to half guard, and he does not let up with short right hands to any target he can find. Johns starts pummeling his opponent, letting out kiais when letting loose with heavier strikes, and Winski protects himself from the worst of it but is still absorbing punishment. Johns passes to the other side of the half, and he continues in this position with a few more punches until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns

Round 3

Johns offers a glove touch to start off the final round, and Winski accepts and throws several leg kicks to follow. Johns feints with a left before crashing forward with a double, and Winski keeps his balance temporarily. When Johns adjusts himself, the body lock allows him to topple over on top of Winski, and the crowd grows restless even with the local fighter dominating his American opponent. Johns hops over to half guard and aims to pass to the side, but Winski is effective at shutting down any further guard passes. Johns grinds his elbow on the face when he is not punching Winski, and he uses the blows to climb to the side. Knowing he is down on the scorecards and in a rough spot, “I’m Gonna Winski” does everything he can to get to his knees against the wall. He succeeds to stand up, but only for about one second, before “The Pikey” lifts him up and slams him down in morale-crushing fashion. Winski defends with butterfly hooks before posting off his arm to work back up, and he only reaches his knees until Johns yanks him down by his ankle. The Welshman smothers Winski and pops him with short punches, and his grinder mode has fully activated as he moves to the side. Winski turns around to surrender his back so that he can stand, and Johns cannot take advantage of the posture before Winski gets off his seat. Johns does not let him off the hook that easily, as his takedowns are constant and effective at planting the late replacement on his back. In half guard, Johns sits up and elbows and punches Winski, alternating with the strikes as he runs game on Winski. If beloved commentator Mike Goldberg were calling the action, the words “Embrace the Grind” would have been uttered at least once during this 15-minute slogging match. Winski gets to a knee, and Johns keeps on punching him until the bell calls an end to this encounter.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-8 Johns (30-26 Johns)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)

The Official Result

Brett Johns def. Jordan Winski via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Brian Moore (135.7) vs. Arivaldo Lima da Silva (135.9)

Round 1

Two well-traveled bantamweights will take center stage and look to make a statement as the crowd gradually gets more excited as the event progresses. Moore (14-9, 5-5 BMMA), out of SBG Ireland, wants to give them something to cheer about, while 40-year-old Brazilian debutant Lima da Silva (19-9-2, 2 NC; 0-0 BMMA) wants to play spoiler. The third man in the cage will be referee Kevin MacDonald, who observes a cordial touch of gloves to get things going. Moore pushes the pace early with a straight jab, and Lima da Silva absorbs a leg kick and comes out firing. A low kick from the Brazilian goes up to the cup, and we have our first foul of the evening. MacDonald pauses it and allows Moore to recover, and cheers for the Irishman prompt him to return to action after less than 30 seconds. Lima da Silva welcomes the restart by charging with a brawl, and Moore meets him with a few punches and shoves Lima da Silva away when the latter starts to tie him up. Lima da Silva walks forward to release a left hand, and he dives down low for a single. Moore backs himself against the wire to keep himself afloat, and he turns his back as the Brazilian keeps trying to take him down. Moore spins him around and hacks with strikes to the thigh, and Moore complains a knee in response landed to the groin. It is uncalled, and Moore backs off and gets chased away. Lima da Silva charges recklessly with swinging punches, and Moore escapes but absorbs one flush on the chin while backpedaling. Moore slips in a left hand over the guard, and he slams a low kick home. Lima da Silva blitzes him and cannot land with much of note, nor can he trap Moore before the Irishman is out of the way. Moore sticks out a few jabs to find his range, and he connects with a right hand to follow. Moore lands a left to the head and a right to the body, backing Lima da Silva up and flustering him with his offense. “The Pikeman” spears Lima da Silva with a left hand, and Lima da Silva suddenly strikes back by leaping at him with kicks. Moore is the more composed of the two, and he pierces the guard with a straight right hand. Lima da Silva swings and misses wildly, and Moore stalks him down and wraps a right hand around the gloves. They trade low kicks, and Moore utilizes his jab to work his way in to uppercut the body and fire off a

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moore
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Moore
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moore

Round 2

Moore advances and touches gloves to start the round off, and he hops back when Lima da Silva swarms at him with four looping hooks. Moore chips at the lead leg with a kick, and he overextends with a right hand to allow a level change from Lima da Silva. The takedown is not secured, as Moore stuffs it and turns the Brazilian around against the fencing. Moore stomps the feet a couple times, and he pushes off before Lima da Silva can elbow him. Lima da Silva clubs with strikes, but Moore is the elusive fighter of the two and sees the majority of the arcing punches coming at him. Moore kicks the body and lines a left hand that stings Lima da Silva. Moore follows it with a solid right, prompting a desperation takedown from “Carnica Pitbull.” Moore bowls him over to move into top position, and in half guard, he drops down a few elbows. Lima da Silva moves and twists to get Moore off of him, and Moore backs off to motion that his opponent get back to his feet. Moore looses a head kick and an uppercut, and Lima da Silva is wearing it and starting to slow. Moore is light on his feet, strafing back and forth, and he drills Lima da Silva with a right hand. Moore walks through to put together a combination, and he ends it with a body kick that connects to the elbow. Lima da Silva fakes with a stomp to draw a reaction, and Moore escapes. Lima da Silva races forward, and Moore slips to the side and blasts him in the face, and the Brazilian is stunned. Moore pours it on with a few more right hands as Lima da Silva retreats and changes stances, and he splits the guard down the middle with a clean uppercut. Lima da Silva appears to get his wits about him and starts throwing heat again, and Moore ties him up and gets shoved into the wall. Lima da Silva hangs on to a body lock until the bell ends the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moore
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Moore
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moore

Round 3

The fists are bumped to lead off the final round, and Moore starts off with his jab. Lima da Silva plays the bull in this bantamweight production, while Moore is proud to be the matador, as he clips Lima da Silva with a punch while Lima da Silva is crashing forward. Moore scores a few jabs until the Brazilian reaches out low for a takedown, and it is not there for him. Moore marks the body wit ha right hand, and he gets off an inside low kick before Lima da Silva walks him down. Lima da Silva leaps in the air with an inaccurate knee, and Moore misses a “Mortal Kombat”-esque uppercut by a whisker when Lima da Silva closes the distance. Lima da Silva attempts to get hold of Moore’s left leg to dump him to the mat, but Moore is not having it, as he turns his foe around on the cage. Moore staves off a trip takedown and returns to mashing Moore through the chain-link fence as if he were a Play-do shape. Lima da Silva explodes off the fence but his strikes miss the mark, and Moore stays in front of him, largely unafraid of anything that comes his way. Lima da Silva pursues a takedown, and Moore pushes him on his knees and knees Lima da Silva in the side. Moore stands up, and he tells MacDonald to stand up his opponent. Lima da Silva gets up and plays chase, with a single body kick partly blocked and a massive right hand that knocks out the air near Moore’s head. Both men score strikes that have opened cuts, with one on the bridge of Lima da Silva’s nose and another around the eye of “The Pikeman.” Moore beats him to the punch with a clean right hand, and Lima da Silva tries to slug it out but is not able to find his target. Moore rocks his man with an uppercut, and Lima da Silva chomps down on his gumshield and slings a bomb of a right hand that goes wide. At the sound of the clapper, Lima da Silva releases his final salvo of strikes, and the Irishman evades most of them and slams his shin on the side of his opponent to punctuate his one-sided performance.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moore (30-27 Moore)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Moore (30-27 Moore)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moore (30-27 Moore)

The Official Result

Brian Moore def. Arivaldo Lima da Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Karl Albrektsson (205.2) vs. Karl Moore (205.8)

Round 1

Originally on the prelims and now kicking off the main card due to time constraints, a pair of promising light heavyweights will tangle to determine who moves up the ladder of contention. Whether it is Rizin vet Albrektsson (13-3, 2-1 BMMA) or Belfast native Moore (9-2, 1-0 BMMA), that remains to be seen. Referee Kerry Hatley will have the best seat in the house, and he steps back as the two men touch ‘em up. Moore leads off first with an inside low kick, and Albrektsson responds with two of the same blow. Albrektsson shoots in for a takedown, and he gets stuffed with ease. Moore backs off from additional low kicks coming at him, and when they close the distance, they clash heads. Albrektsson recovers first and bullies his man to the fence to slow him down, but Moore bursts out of the clinch. Albrektsson ducks a punch in pursuit of another level change, and this results in a clinch where he lands a few short strikes before Moore pushes him away. Moore digs to the body, and Albrektsson gives chase and dips his head right into an uppercut. They both swing big hooks but neither lands with much of note, and Albrektsson chops at the lead leg again. They try to time one another with power punches, but neither man lands flush. Albrektsson considers a takedown in the open cage, and he gets shoved back by his opponent. Moore clips Albrektsson coming in with a right hand, but the curly-haired gentleman wears it well and keeps coming forward. Albrektsson aims a right hand to the solar plexus, and he kicks high before gripping a body lock. Moore escapes without spending too much time chained up, and he winds up and misses with a left hook. He scores a straight left down the pipe when Albrektsson bears down on him, and he times an advancing Albrektsson with a few short strikes up close. Moore boots his foe upside the head, and Albrektsson shrugs it off and gets in a left hand. They get up close, and Albrektsson blasts the SBG Ireland rep with a brutal short elbow that sets him down. Moore goes down in a heap, and Albrektsson leaps on top of him with heavy punches, and Hatley appears to wave the fight off after the bell sounds. Moore does survive to the bell, as the motion was to signal the round was over, and not that the fight was concluded.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Albrektsson

Round 2

The second round opens as Moore is still compromised from the bombardment at the end of the last frame, and Albrektsson bears down on the struggling fighter and drags him to the ground. Moore powers his way back up, and he absorbs a flush elbow again but this one does not wobble his legs. Moore gains some space, and he cracks Albrektsson with a right hand to force Albrektsson into a takedown entry. The action stalls out as they jockey for position against the fencing, and Moore looks for his own takedown while still shaking out the cobwebs. Moore wrenches the Swede to the mat, and he ties up the legs with his own to keep Albrektsson trapped. Albrektsson tries to sit up and escape, but Moore follows him to take his back and starts fishing for a choke. Moore bails on a submission try to start pounding on his opponent, and when Albrektsson turns, Moore snatches up the neck with a rear-naked choke. It does not appear to be under the chin, and rather a face crank that is crushing the jaw of his adversary. Moore’s grip is vice-tight as he squeezes with all his might, and the sheer pain of the maneuver is enough to get Albrektsson to surrender. After nearly three years away from the sport, Moore returns to land a nasty submission over an opponent that had never before tapped out.

The Official Result

Karl Moore def. Karl Albrektsson R2 3:36 via Submission (Face Crank)

Ciaran Clarke (149.2) vs. Rafael Hudson (149.8)

Round 1

The main card moves right along with a catchweight affair between a homegrown Irish Bellator upstart in Clarke (5-0, 5-0 BMMA) and dangerous late replacement Hudson (5-3, 0-0 BMMA) at 150 pounds. All five of Clarke’s pro appearances have come in the Bellator cage, while all five of Hudson’s career wins have ended inside the distance. Referee Bryan Miner draws the charge and steels himself for whatever is about to happen next. The two competitors opt to touch gloves, and Clarke advances slowly and calmly without throwing anything. Hudson backs him off with a right hand that pounds into his high guard, and another makes him reset and take another way in. Hudson wings a clubbing right hand, and he rocks the Irishman with it and fires off another that knocks Clarke off-balance. Hudson chases his hurt opponent to the mat and Clarke ties him up with a high guard, and this allows the unbeaten fighter to get his bearings. Clarke hangs on tightly, but he cannot stop a hacking elbow from careening towards his face. Hudson moves into half guard, and Clarke is warned for landing strikes to the back of the head. The Irishman recovers his guard and closes it, and he opens it up when he gets drilled with a solid right hand. Clarke rolls to his side in pursuit of an armbar, and Hudson smartly follows the maneuver and twists through it to break it up, while still maintaining top position. Clarke is once more warned for strikes to the back of the head as he loops his hands around the back of the Brazilian’s head. Hudson keeps his man pinned down to the mat, and his occasional punches and elbows keep busy. One more time, Clarke receives a warning for strikes to the back of the head, and Miner’s warning is sterner this time. Clarke kicks off, but Hudson leaps back down to get into the guard before the undefeated fighter can stand back up. Hudson drops down a few elbows, and Clarke looks for a few from his back as the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hudson
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Hudson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hudson

Round 2

The fists are touched to start off the second stanza, and Hudson charges forward with a right hand and a flying knee. The looping strikes from the Brazilian get Clarke’s attention again, and force a shot out of the unbeaten youngster. Hudson bowls Clarke over to get in top position, where he picks up where he left the last round. Clarke continues to punch behind Hudson’s ears and land to the back of the head, and he is warned another time for his fouls. Hudson pays them no mind as he stays on top, and Clarke turns to his knees works to stand back up. Hudson is tightly pressed to him and drags Clarke back down before he can get upright. Clarke turns to counter with his own takedown, and Hudson circles around to take his back while Clarke is on his knees. Clarke moves to stand up, and Hudson is on him like a dog with a bone as he has his hands wrapped around his adversary. Hudson suddenly lets go, and he gets back to striking range and lobs two huge right hand that stagger Clarke. The right hooks from the Brazilian almost cannot miss, and he gets overconfident and jumps in the air with a flying knee that misses the mark. Hudson falls over from the strike, and Clarke darts on top of him and starts hunting for a choke. The submission is not there, so Clarke sits up and rains down punches. Clarke gets to full mount, but he is dragged back into the full guard as he continues to try to pay Hudson back for the damage he inflicted in the last round and a half. Clarke hammers down with elbows as he simultaneously attempts to pass guard, and the bell sounds before he advances any further.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hudson
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Clarke
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hudson

Round 3

The last round commences with a glove touch, and Clarke pushes on the accelerator immediately and comes out swinging. Hudson counters him and fights off a trip takedown, but Clarke manages to gather himself and trip the Brazilian out and set him down. Clarke moves into a three-quarter mount with Hudson on his side, and Hudson pulls him back into the half guard before the Irishman can damage him with the position. Hudson nearly gives up his back as he tries to turn out of the position, and Clarke keeps a hook in and lands a few punches. Clarke gets a hook in around the other side and sets up a body triangle, and his back control leads to a rear-naked choke attempt from the Irishman. Hudson turns to the side to break up the body lock and stop the choke, and he succeeds in both temporarily. Clarke re-fastens his legs around the waist once more and adjusts the rear-naked choke with the other arm, and this time, the arm is under the chin. At this point, it is only a matter of time, as the submission is locked down and there is nothing Hudson can do to fight the grip. “Apocalipse” taps out from the choke, and Clarke has done it again! He has landed not one, not two, but three rear-naked chokes in the third round of a Bellator fight, and he once again wrests victory from the jaws of defeat. SBG Ireland fighters still remain undefeated today.

The Official Result

Ciaran Clarke def. Rafael Hudson R3 2:50 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Mads Burnell (145.8) vs. Pedro Carvalho (146)

Round 1

A historic battle between Denmark and Portugal moves the card along, when Copenhagen representative Burnell (16-4, 3-1 BMMA) faces off against ex-title challenger Carvalho (12-6, 5-3 BMMA). The featherweights will be joined in the cage by referee Bryan Miner, and they share a sporting touch of gloves before getting after it. Carvalho sweeps out with a low kick, and Burnell steps back and retaliates with one of his own. They trade front kicks, and Carvalho sits down on a low kick. Burnell punches his way into a low double, and he manages to take Carvalho from behind and drag him down to his knees. Carvalho grabs the fence and keeps himself upright partially because of it, and Burnell stays on to him pursuing the takedown. Carvalho works his way back to his feet with the wall behind him, but Burnell goes down to the ankles to rip Carvalho down to the mat. Burnell abandons the takedown and gets kicked to the body, and Carvalho mixes things up on the feet with kicks high and low and occasional punches. Burnell charges through the salvo of strikes to hit a takedown in the open cage, and “The Game” crawls to escape but cannot get Burnell off of him. The Dane hangs on from the back, remaining there when Carvalho stands up again, and he lifts Carvalho in the air and slams him down. Carvalho climbs back up and succumbs to a mat return, and he is forced to fight off the attempts without being able to get any offense going. The pressure of Burnell makes Carvalho struggle, but Carvalho pushes off and strings together a few punches and a liver kick to back Burnell off. Just as Carvalho starts to gain momentum, Burnell hits a clean takedown and smoothly moves to take the back. The former title challenger twists around to get on top, but Burnell is able to turn him all the way through to regain top position. Carvalho threatens with a guillotine choke off his back, but he lets it go when Burnell threatens with a counter shoulder choke. Burnell takes the back partially as they continue to scramble, and Burnell looks for a choke but there is nothing there before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burnell
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Carvalho
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Carvalho

Round 2

The featherweights bump fists to engage, and Carvalho strikes high and low with a head kick and a low kick in rapid succession. Carvalho absorbs a flush right hand from his opponent in an exchange, and Burnell darts forward to pursue a double. Carvalho stands him up as they remain clinched up, but Burnell pulls him to the mat and gets a hook around the back. Burnell does not use a second hook, instead clinging to his foe so that he can possibly move to a better position in a scramble. Carvalho turns to the side without a hook in and returns to a knee, and Burnell trips him out despite a fence grab from the Portugal native. Carvalho grips on to a short front choke while on his seat, but the leverage is wrong so he abandons it. “The Game” fights to his feet, and he pushes off to land a few punches. Burnell telegraphs a takedown, and Carvalho jumps guard with a guillotine choke. Carvalho does not stave off the grappling from his opponent, and Burnell takes his back with a single hook in once more. Carvalho turns through to plant Burnell on his back, and he bumps him with his shoulder several times. Carvalho sits up to drop down a few strikes, and he sets up an unorthodox submission that is nowhere near tight. Burnell uses this opportunity to flip Carvalho around and take his back, and Carvalho turns through on the open side to stand up. Burnell doggedly pursues a single and pulls the SBG Ireland product to the ground, and the fans in the building are not enamored with his performance. Carvalho gets up and walks his man down, throwing punches. Burnell absorbs a few punches to the body, and he gets taken down by Carvalho. Carvalho starts delivering elbows and punches on the dome, marking an exclamation point on the close round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burnell
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Burnell
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Burnell

Round 3

They meet in the middle and touch ‘em up to start off the last round, and Carvalho wants to get things going on the feet. Carvalho sneaks up a head kick, and he chains several punches together. Burnell counters with a few heavy right hands, and they start brawling until Burnell shoots in for a takedown. Carvalho stuffs it and starts blasting the body with hooks, and Burnell appears to be fading fast. Carvalho bullies the Danish fighter back to the fence and rips several knees to the body, and Miner is taking a close eye on the proceedings. The crowd, amped up by the possible comeback from Carvalho, is disappointed when Carvalho changes things up to hit a takedown instead of working Burnell over on the feet. Carvalho, in a partial half guard, sits up to punch Burnell, but his blows are far less damaging than they were when he had Burnell backed against the fence. Carvalho sits on top, landing the occasional punch, and Burnell is stuck on his back as precious seconds tick off the clock. Burnell looks for a sweep, and he sits up and turns to his side in an attempt to escape. “The Game” reminds him that this is not a game as he shoves him back over, and he belts Burnell with several elbows. Burnell turns over but is once more pushed back as Carvalho climbs into half guard, and his smothering top control is shutting down anything more that Burnell can do. The punches from Carvalho have little-to-no impact, and a half-hearted guillotine setup is even less effective as Burnell practically laughs it off. The fight ends with Carvalho on top, and he helps Burnell to his feet after it wraps. Judges might be split on the outcome of this match.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Carvalho (29-28 Burnell)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Carvalho (29-28 Carvalho)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Carvalho (29-28 Carvalho)

The Official Result

Pedro Carvalho def. Mads Burnell via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Leah McCourt (146) vs. Dayana Silva (146)

Round 1

One lone women’s bout bolstered the card this evening, and it comes at 145 pounds. With hopes of getting things back on track, Northern Ireland native McCourt (6-2, 5-1 BMMA) will try to get one over on Brazilian opponent Silva (10-7, 1-2 BMMA). While McCourt has gone the distance in exactly half of her pro fights, Silva has seen 13 of 17 reach the final bell, so referee Kevin MacDonald could be in it for the long haul. There is no plan to touch gloves, as McCourt wants to use the energy she gained from the crowd during her introduction against her opponent. She flicks out several front kicks to the face, and Silva avoids all of them but gets nailed with a roundhouse kick to the side of her face. Silva shakes it off and sticks out a few jabs, and McCourt does the same. Another head kick from McCourt smacks into the Brazilian’s cheek, and Silva keeps plodding forward throwing inaccurate punches. McCourt jabs her way forward and nails her opponent with a clean knee, and Silva tries to take the fight down after getting cracked with a right hook. McCourt pushes her away and wants to continue her successes on the feet, and Silva is the aggressor but throws little more than a low kick. McCourt blitzes forward to tie her foe up, and she starts ripping the liver with knees. McCourt trips out the leg and nearly puts Silva down, but she scoots around instead to partially take Silva’s back standing. McCourt uses her body weight to try to drag her adversary down to the ground, but when this does not work, she settles for a knee on the chin. Silva turns her around and presses on her against the wire, but the stronger McCourt spins her about and gets free. Silva thinks about going for a level change, but before she can motion all the way for it, McCourt knees her cleanly on the jaw. Silva walks straight into a punch so that she can hit a takedown, and she swirls around to get McCourt’s back but cannot keep her on the mat. “The Curse” springs right back up, even with Silva hanging on to her, and she absorbs a few knees to the belly when stuck against the fencing. McCourt steps forward and pushes out a front kick, and this interrupts a striking combination from her opponent. Silva cannot find her reach, and she relies on McCourt closing the distance to hope to land strikes. A high kick from the Brazilian makes her lose her balance, and McCourt tackles her over and remains on top until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 McCourt
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 McCourt
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 McCourt

Round 2

The ladies meet in the middle to engage, and McCourt is the one to start things off with a few jabs. Silva bites down on her mouthpiece to throw heavy leather, but they are reckless and continue to miss the mark. McCourt jabs and moves, sticking her foe and getting out of the way of the wide counters. McCourt steps forward with a straight right hand, and she gets bopped with a counter over the top when she remains in range too long. Silva pushes the action, but she gets clipped with a right hand around her guard. Silva darts in with leaping punches, and McCourt settles for a clean head kick. Silva pushes forward to go after a takedown, and McCourt sees it coming and moves out of the way in time. They both swing and miss on their punches, and McCourt sits down on front kick to the body. Both ladies throw looping right hands and just end up hitting the guard, and they trade kicks to the knee. Silva changes levels in the middle of the cage, but the strength of McCourt disallows her from getting it. Silva surges forward with two swinging left hands, and the second catches her cleanly on the chin. Silva tries for a clinch into a body lock, but McCourt greets her with a knee on the nose. Their jabs find their home on one another’s faces, and Silva walks after her but is still short of her intended target. McCourt crashes forward, and the two turn one another around up against the fence when they bang into it. “The Curse” pushes off with her hand on the face, and Silva catches a kick and slugs her in the mouth for her effort. Silva ducks a punch to loop a left hand around the guard, and McCourt’s right eye has begun to swell. The bell sounds to put this close round in the books.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva

Round 3

Silva starts off the round successfully by connecting with a solid right hand, and she walks straight into a knee up the middle. Silva swings with all her might in the form of looping punches, and McCourt ducks most of them. A right hand from the Brazilian finds its home and busts up the left eye of her opponent, and McCourt is showing some serious damage from these strikes. Silva ignores a few jabs to wing windmilling punches, and McCourt shoots for a takedown only to get stopped in her tracks. Silva continues the pressure, and she ducks a punch and goes after a double. McCourt stops this too, and the ladies trade punches. A single jab comes from McCourt, but Silva crashes the pocket and connects with two hooks. McCourt sticks out a front kick, and Silva catches it and goes to take the fight down. Neither woman can ground the other as they continue to try. Silva pushes McCourt up against the wall and grinds on her with knees, and McCourt answers with a few high knees of her own. They separate, and McCourt gets off a low kick and rushes forward to strike. Silva pushes past a knee to sprint forward for a body lock takedown, and this leads to a stalemate against the fence. McCourt tries to turn the tables with her own shot, and Silva stands her up and backs her away. A right hand from both women land flush, and McCourt fires a right hand over the top. A jab from McCourt forces a shot from the Brazilian, and in the clinch is where this quite close bout comes to a conclusion.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva (29-28 Silva)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 McCourt (29-28 McCourt)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 McCourt (29-28 McCourt)

The Official Result

Leah McCourt def. Dayana Silva via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Yoel Romero (205.9) vs. Melvin Manhoef (205.7)

Round 1

Hold on to your hats, because this light heavyweight slugfest is almost guaranteed to end inside violently. Multiple-time UFC title challenger Romero (14-6, 1-1 BMMA) snapped a long winless streak by brutalizing Alex Polizzi in May, while Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC; 4-4, 1 NC BMMA) had the misfortune of encountering Corey Anderson on his way through the weight class. Amazingly, these two sluggers combined for 41 finishes, and all of them are by knockout. It is often said that power is the last thing to go, and at 91 years of age put together, they will certainly try to put one final show for the fans. Referee Kerry Hatley has donned his hardhat to protect himself from errant home run shots, and he sharply inhales as the heavy-handed gentlemen grin and touch their gloves. Romero takes the center of the cage, and he stands without budging. Manhoef moves on the outside, and he swipes with a fast low kick that misses the mark. Neither man engages early, and they kick at the same time. Romero backs him away with a right hand, and Manhoef kicks and falls over. Romero kicks his foe so hard that Manhoef’s legs go out to the side, and “No Mercy” hits the ground with a thud. Like a bolt of lightning, Romero jumps on top and starts beating on Manhoef, and Manhoef hangs on in half guard. Manhoef locks Romero down enough to slow any offense, and Romero elects to smother on top without landing much for an extended stretch. Romero measures and slices down with one elbow, and he covers Manhoef’s mouth before belting him with a few more elbows. Romero takes the left arm of his opponent and starts twisting it vertically to lock in a keylock. Manhoef defends with all his might, and Hatley is right there in case Manhoef surrenders. The submission does not materialize as Manhoef bends his elbow to free his arm from the grip, and Romero still stays tightly pressed to him chest-to-chest. Romero does not move from this spot, and Manhoef is not trying to escape or expend any more energy. Romero slowly wriggles his foot out to move into mount, and he succeeds with exactly one second on the clock, and time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Romero
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Romero
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Romero

Round 2

The light heavyweights have reached the second round, and Manhoef moves to take the center of the cage and gets off a solid leg kick. Manhoef darts forward with a few jabs, and he gets Romero to retreat. Romero fakes a level change to back Manhoef off, and Manhoef elects to slap a low kick on the inside of Romero’s tree trunks that are legs. Romero’s response of a leg kick is much heavier, and he steps forward with a left hand that knocks Manhoef off-balance. Manhoef gathers himself as Romero motions to the crowd that it was not that serious of a blow, and he sets up a high kick. Manhoef swings for the fences and misses with a right hand, and he jumps forward with a left hook that gets Romero’s attention. Romero scores a single leg kick and a straight right hand, and he points somewhere after succeeding. Manhoef misses a kick, and he slides back as Romero wings a power punch at him. They stand in front of each other without throwing a strike, and Romero rumbles forward for a takedown that Manhoef stuffs. As Romero lumbers at him, he sneaks in a knee and a right hand, but Manhoef is no worse for wear. Manhoef backs him away with a quick left hook, and he plants a one-two on the chin. Romero has a left hand go down the middle, and he gets stuffed in a subsequent takedown try. Romero fakes a level change to draw a reaction, and he kicks the body. As he recoils his leg, he appears to have taken a finger swipe to the eye, but he signals to Hatley that he does not need to slow down. Romero slowly moves forward and unleashes a right hand, and Manhoef spins out of the way and tries and fails to respond. Romero does not get a takedown in a subsequent effort, but his flying knee that follows rings Manhoef’s bell. The round ends after this strike.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Romero
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Romero
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Romero

Round 3

These two lumbering strikers have perhaps surprisingly reached the third round, and Romero begins aggressively. He runs towards Manhoef, swinging wildly, and Manhoef reacts and stumbles out of the way. Manhoef unleashes a left to the body, and Romero’s eyes go wide as he was surprised by the power of the blow. Huge strikes miss from both men, and Manhoef stuffs a takedown effort that does not come his way due to the feint. Romero capitalizes on this reaction by charging forward to actually pursue a takedown, and he slams the kickboxer to the mat. Romero lands in half guard and largely stalls out on top, with the occasional punch or elbow to keep him honest. Romero postures up to drop down one single elbow, and the fans begin to voice their disapproval for the lack of action. Manhoef punches off his back to stay busy and show signs of life, and Romero frees his left arm and drives down several punches and elbows. When he starts attacking, Manhoef’s defense crumbles, and the power of Romero’s strikes are totally overwhelming. Two more elbows are all he needs to wipe Manhoef out and put him completely unconscious. Romero gets up and starts snarling and barking at the camera like a dog for 10 seconds or so, and he salutes it and walks away. Sometimes these things happen in MMA. After the result is announced and Romero gets his time on the microphone, Manhoef officially says goodbye to the fans and tearfully places his gloves in the center of the cage. His family swarms around him to console him and celebrate the hard work he has put in across a glorious career that began all the way back in 1995. If this is truly his last fight, it's been a great run for "No Mercy."

The Official Result

Yoel Romero def. Melvin Manhoef R3 3:34 via KO (Elbows)

Benson Henderson (155.4) vs. Peter Queally (154.2)

Round 1

These two lightweights in the main event may hold .500 Bellator records, lost title fights with the organization and have penchants for going to decision, but they aim to still put on quite the show in this five-round affair. Henderson (29-11, 6-6 BMMA) wants to prove he has one last run in him, while Queally (13-6-1, 2-2 BMMA) would like nothing less than to continue hearing the crowd belt out the chorus of “Zombie” by The Cranberries to drown out the commentary booth. The excitement lowers to a dull roar to let the 155-pounders get introduced, but it ramps up again when the underdog Queally is announced. The fever pitch that would love to see their hometown fighter get a win in Dublin swells, and the fighters touch gloves as referee Kevin MacDonald can barely hear himself think. Queally, totally powered up from the 3Arena, charges out to attack. He backs Henderson up and lands several powerful blows, but Henderson responds with multiple heavy leg kicks. Queally stalks his man around the cage as Henderson circles to his left, and he has to block a quick head kick that soars at him. Queally races out with a looping right hand, and Henderson shoulder rolls and shoots for a single. Henderson makes the two hit the mat, but the Irishman defends well enough to get to his knees and force a wild exchange. Queally pushes him away and laughs at him, and the crowd begins to chant the chorus of “Zombie” again loudly. Henderson lays into the lead leg with a kick and comes out with a few punches, and a takedown try from Henderson quiets the crowd in a hurry. Henderson gets off several knees to the thigh while Queally is pinned up against the cage, and they are all to the same spot one after the other. The spamming of short knees continues until Queally explodes his way up, and Henderson greets him with a sharp elbow as Queally stands. Henderson gets pushed back but bullies his way forward with a takedown effort. The position where Henderson gets to knee the thigh several times returns, and Queally stands up and eats another elbow on the break. Queally throws haymakers, and one catches Henderson flush and riles up the crowd. Henderson responds with a few punches, and he opens a cut on the bridge of the nose. Henderson winds up with a nasty leg kick, and it bows the knee and draws a reaction out of his opponent. Henderson steps in with a vertical elbow, and it opens a cut on the top of Queally’s head. As Henderson plows forward, Queally defends with a possible standing guillotine, but there is nothing there before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Henderson

Round 2

Queally offers a glove touch to start off the round, and he backs off. Queally punches forward, and Henderson kicks on the inside of the thigh and his shin bumps into the cup. Queally falls to the mat in pain, and Henderson immediately offers an apology as MacDonald has Henderson go back to a neutral corner. Queally takes ample time to get his wind back, as the strike landed cleanly and compromised him. MacDonald informs Queally of the time he has remaining, and Queally makes sure not to come back too early. As the crowd chants “Zombie” again, Queally claps and is ready to continue. MacDonald informs Henderson that Queally is not the same fighter he was due to the foul, and he deducts one point. They get back to it, and Queally sprints ahead but pulls back before engaging. Henderson ducks a punch and shoots in for a double, and he drags the Irishman down to the ground. When Queally works his way up, Henderson immediately smacks him with his elbow. Henderson changes levels again and pursues a single, and he lifts Queally’s left leg up. Queally defends with his back against the wall with a knee, and Henderson grinds him against the wire. After a lull in the activity, Queally explodes to escape the grip, and he gets clipped with a right hand on the way out. Queally returns fire with heavy hands, causing Henderson to tie him up and clasp his hands around the left leg of his opponent. Henderson uses short punches to the body and head to frustrate his opponent, and he pins his man there without allowing Queally to hit him back. Henderson lifts a leg up and kicks the plant leg with his heel, until Queally has had enough of this and swings with bad intentions to get out. A solid right hand from the Irishman gets the respect of his foe, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 9-9
John Brannigan scores the round: 9-9
Tyler Treese scores the round: 9-9

Round 3

Queally strides out to offer a glove touch and swings and misses with a left hand, and Henderson backs off and chops at the lead leg. Queally again is inaccurate with a counter, and Henderson kicks the calf. Queally swarms him and eats an intercepting knee to the chest, and this stuns him for a second. Henderson works on the leg and kicks the body, and Queally whiffs on a mighty uppercut and gets dumped to the ground for his effort. With Queally working his way back to a knee, Henderson is there, glommed on to him, and he connects several elbows and knees to the thigh. As soon as Queally gets to his feet, Henderson unloads a barrage of elbows on the dome, and Queally does not like these blows and is on the ropes. The Irishman subsequently gets taken down, and he fights back to a knee only to absorb a plethora of knees to the thigh. “The Showstopper” stands up, and he resists a sweeping trip as Henderson is tightly pressed on to him. This time very delicately, Henderson lifts Queally up and sets him down on the mat. Queally gets up once more, and Henderson relentlessly goes after a single to put him down again. Henderson holds up Queally’s leg while punching him with his left hand, and Queally attempts a guillotine choke that is abandoned almost immediately, so that Queally can try to throw hands. The round comes to an end, and there are two more to go.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Henderson

Round 4

The gloves are touched before the fighters officially enter the championship rounds, and Queally is a man possessed, likely knowing he is down on the scorecards, He throws caution to the wind with some heavy strikes, and Henderson rolls with a majority of them and returns fire with a vicious right elbow. Queally, with his back to the cage, suddenly finds that his balance is gone and he collapses to the floor. Henderson drills his thigh with knees and scores several left hands as Queally hangs on to survive, and the control and pressure of the former UFC champ is sucking the life out of his opponent. Queally manages to get upright, and Henderson flurries with punches and elbows. Queally gets a single right hand to surprise Henderson momentarily, but Henderson marches forward and rips a right hand to the body that gets a reaction out of the local man. Henderson jams him up against the fence, looking for a possible takedown, and MacDonald asks them to start working. Henderson answers this by hunting for a single, and he thwacks the body with a long series of punches. Henderson continues to pound on the same spot on the ribcage with his right hand, and he changes levels while lifting Queally’s left leg up. MacDonald asks them to work again, and they start trading short but effective strikes. A new cut below Queally’s left eye has started to leak on Henderson’s hair, and Henderson celebrates this wound by attempting to make another on the side of his opponent. Henderson hangs on and completely shuts Queally down, and seconds before the round ends, Queally gets out. Queally charges in hopes of landing one big blow at the end of the round, and Henderson meets him with a nasty elbow that staggers him. The fourth round wraps after this massive strike.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Henderson

Round 5

Henderson roars to the crowd to get going, and they respond to some degree. The lightweights touch gloves and pat one another on the side and get after it. Henderson wraps his shin on the side of his foe, and Queally grimaces but is tough and hanging in there after four rough rounds. Henderson fires off a low kick, and Queally answers with one of his own. Henderson, feeling himself, attacks with a jumping switch kick that gets blocked. Henderson pushes the pace, and he backs Queally up to the wall with elbows and punches, and a knee finds the midsection to make Queally grunt. Henderson shoots in for a single from afar, and Queally latches on to a guillotine choke and squeezes with all his energy. Henderson practically ignores the sub so that he can punch Queally in welted side, and he keeps his grip on the leg as well. Queally frames off with an elbow and separates, and he evades a step-in elbow that was to come from Henderson. Queally slaps a kick to the body, and he paws out with a left hand. Henderson steps in with a head kick that gets swatted away, but a right to the body that follows gives Queally some pause. “Smooth” shoots for a single, and Queally guards it by throwing up a standing guillotine. Henderson clubs the side with his right hand as Queally tries and fails to put the squeeze on him, and MacDonald tells them to keep moving. Henderson sucks the legs out as Queally falls to the mat, and he rolls for a leglock with 15 seconds to spare. As Queally pulls out of it and stands above his man, Henderson slaps him in the face with his foot for one last statement strike. The fight comes to its conclusion after time elapses, and barring a shocking set of scorecards, SBG Ireland is about to suffer its first and only loss tonight, doing so in the marquee attraction. In his victorious post-fight interview, Henderson calls for a title shot against the winner of Patricky Freire and Usman Nurmagomedov, in a soccer stadium in either Brazil or Russia, respectively. Should that come together, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Henderson (49-45 Henderson)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Henderson (49-45 Henderson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Henderson (49-45 Henderson)

The Official Result

Benson Henderson def. Peter Queally via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)