Ryan Bader is the first fighter to advance in the Bellator MMA light heavyweight grand prix.
Related » Bellator 256 Round-by-Round Scoring
The co-main event saw Liz Carmouche face fellow flyweight veteran Vanessa Porto. The clinch-heavy style of the "Girl-rilla" was fully on display as Carmouche (15-7) displayed her physical advantages against Porto (22-9) by repeatedly securing takedowns. Porto never backed down, but Carmouche was clearly the better fighter through three rounds. The judges ultimately awarded a unanimous decision verdict to the former UFC title challenger with scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.
Bellator featherweight contender Adam Borics kept his recent win streak intact against Jeremy Kennedy. Borics (17-1) outpointed Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC) throughout all three rounds and landed damaging leg kicks. The judges all preferred Borics' work and he took home scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 as a result. After the win, the Hungarian fighter expressed his desire for a title shot against the featherweight tournament winner.
Cat Zingano continued her winning ways in Bellator. After taking the fight to the ground, Zingano (12-4) managed to lock in an armbar on Olivia Parker. The pressure wound up being too much for Parker (4-2), who tapped out at 2:56 of Round 1. Zingano is now 2-0 inside her new promotional home.
The main card opened with a lightweight bout between Goiti Yamauchi and Dan Moret. Yamauchi (25-5) took the back of Moret (15-6) several times, but "The Hitman" proved difficult to submit. Despite the Japanese fighter clearly controlling most of the fight, and Sherdog scoring it 30-27 Yamauchi, the bout wound up being an inexplicable split decision that went to Moret (via scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28). Moret is now 1-0 inside the promotion.
In preliminary action, undefeated middleweight prospect Dalton Rosta (5-0) picked apart Tony Johnson (8-4) on the feet to get 30-27 scorecards from all three judges; Talita Nogueira (8-2) scored an easy decision win over Jessica Borga (3-3) despite a point deduction for blows to the back of Borga's head with all three judges scoring the fight 29-27; Jornel Lugo (6-0) dominated Cass Bell (5-2) en route to a unanimous decision win with scores of 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27; Cody Law (3-0) outwrestled Nathan Ghareeb (2-1) over three rounds to pick up a dominant decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27); Jaylon Bates (2-0) submitted Jeffrey Glossner (2-2) with a Japanese necktie at 1:27 of Round 2; Nainoa Dung (4-2) outpointed Isaiah William (4-4) to a unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28); Diana Avsaragova (3-0) scored a knockout win over Tara Graff (1-3) in just 29 seconds; and the superior grappling of John Douma (5-2) led to him earning a split decision over Will Smith (3-3) with scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28.