Brick-Fisted Daniel James Rallies to Stop Marcelo Golm in Bellator 293 Main Event

Kill-switch power can erase any deficit, and Daniel James has it.

The Midwest Training Center export moved one step closer to title contention in the Bellator MMA heavyweight division, as he wrecked Marcelo Golm with punches in the third round of their Bellator 293 headliner on Friday at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. James (15-6-1, 3-0 Bellator) tagged the Brazilian’s figurative toe 26 seconds into Round 3.

Golm (10-4, 2-1 Bellator) took charge through two rounds with thudding leg kicks, grinding clinches and a takedown that he managed to pair with positional advances and ground-and-pound. It was not enough to keep his heavy-handed adversary at bay. James rang the American Top Team rep’s bell with a right uppercut early in the third round, then followed it with a left hook and another uppercut. Golm hit the canvas in a dazed state and in no condition to shield himself from further punishment.

Meanwhile, former Ring of Fire champion Cat Zingano cemented herself as Bellator’s No. 1 contender at 145 pounds with a unanimous decision over Leah McCourt in the three-round women’s featherweight co-main event. All three cageside judges scored it for Zingano (14-4, 4-0 Bellator): 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28.

The 30-year-old McCourt (7-3, 6-2 Bellator) was her own worst enemy. She moved to advantageous positions in all three rounds—she had the UFC veteran in real danger in the middle stanza, where she climbed to full mount and unsheathed her ground-and-pound—but too often squandered it through undisciplined scrambles and untimely reversals. The relentless Zingano connected with the most impactful strike of the match in Round 3, where she opened a diagonal gash between the Next Generation MMA standout’s eyes with a beautifully timed knee at close range.

McCourt has lost two of her last three fights.

Elsewhere, Gym-O rep John Salter closed out his career with a unanimous decision over former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Aaron Jeffery in a three-round middleweight showcase. Salter (19-6, 9-3 Bellator) swept the scorecards with 30-27 marks across the board, then announced his retirement from mixed martial arts.

Jeffery (13-4, 2-1 Bellator) was stymied at every turn. Salter struck for takedowns in the first and second rounds, piled up control time and applied some modest ground-and-pound. With 10 minutes in the bank, the Alabama native attached himself to Jeffery in the backpack position early in Round 3, secured himself with a body triangle and played it safe while bleeding the remaining time off the clock.

The setback snapped Jeffery’s three-fight winning streak.

Further down the card, Elevation Fight Team’s Archie Colgan kept his perfect professional record intact and did so in spectacular fashion, as he brought down Justin Montalvo with punches in the first round of their lightweight feature. Montalvo (5-1, 2-1 Bellator) succumbed to blows 3:33 into Round 1.

Colgan (7-0, 4-0 Bellator) set the pieces in motion for the stoppage when he followed an overhand right with a forearm shiver and gave chase across the cage with punches. Close-range uppercuts made matters worse for the reeling Montalvo, though he managed to survive his initial brush with adversity. Later, Colgan floored the Serra-Longo Fight Team export with a counter right hook, blasted him back to the mat with uppercuts and mopped up what was left with follow-up punches.

The 27-year-old Colgan has stopped six of his first seven opponents.

Finally, Great Britain Top Team prospect Luke Trainer continued to distance himself from a May 13 decision defeat to Simon Biyong, as he submitted the previously unbeaten Sullivan Cauley with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their light heavyweight attraction. Cauley (5-1, 5-1 Bellator) bowed out 2:58 into Round 1.

Trainer (7-1, 4-1 Bellator) conceded a takedown but soon moved back to his feet and engaged his counterpart in the clinch. From there, he surprised Cauley with a takedown of his own, progressed to the back and used his long arms to cinch the choke. Trainer then tightened his squeeze and elicited the tapout.

It was the fifth first-round finish of Trainer’s career.

In other action, Rakim Cleveland (23-15-1, 1-2 Bellator) disposed of Christian Edwards (5-3, 5-3 Bellator) with a guillotine choke 3:55 into the third round of their heavyweight contest; Mike Hamel (10-5, 3-2 Bellator) cut down Nick Browne (13-3, 2-2 Bellator) with a head kick and follow-up punches 42 seconds into the first round of their lightweight duel; Adam Piccolotti (14-5, 10-5 Bellator) vanquished Mandel Nallo (9-3, 4-3 Bellator) with a rear-naked choke 4:26 into the third round of their lightweight tussle; Sara Collins (4-0, 1-0 Bellator) subdued Pam Sorenson (9-6, 1-3 Bellator) with a scarf hold armlock 2:43 into the first round of their women’s featherweight battle; Jefferson Creighton (7-3-1, 1-0 Bellator) upset Joey Davis (8-1, 8-1 Bellator) by split decision—29-28, 28-29, 29-28—in their three-round welterweight confrontation; Lucas Brennan (8-0, 8-0 Bellator) discarded Josh San Diego (9-5, 4-2 Bellator) with a rear-naked choke 2:14 into the first round of their featherweight scrap; Vladimir Tokov (8-2, 4-2 Bellator) wiped out Lance Gibson Jr. (7-1, 5-1 Bellator) with punches 1:02 into the first round of their lightweight encounter; Randi Field (4-1, 2-1 Bellator) was awarded a unanimous decision over Ashley Cummins (7-7, 1-1 Bellator) in a three-round women’s catchweight clash at 120 pounds, drawing 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 marks from the cageside judges; Bryce Meredith (4-0, 1-0 Bellator) took care of Brandon Carrillo (2-1, 0-1 Bellator) with a rear-naked choke 3:11 into the second round of their bantamweight affair; and Mackenzie Stiller (1-0, 1-0 Bellator) dispatched Maria Henderson (1-1, 0-1 Bellator) with an armbar 3:17 into the first round of their women’s strawweight pairing.