And now, new! 👑
Ramazan Kuramagomedov continued his undefeated streak, winning the Bellator welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Jason Jackson!#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/APSUTfEcSm
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
The Ramazan Kuramagomedov era has begun.
The unbeaten Russian defeated reigning Bellator MMA welterweight champion Jason Jackson by dogged unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) in the main event of the Bellator Champions Series Dublin on Saturday at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, to claim the title. Kramagomedov (13-0) took an early lead with dominant wrestling and slick southpaw counterpunching. Jackson (18-5) seemed hesitant to come forward, frequently running into left hands, calf kicks and takedown attempts. It wasn’t until the fourth round that Jackson started to gain momentum. The Kill Cliff FC regular dropped Kramagomedov to the mat and twice threatened a guillotine. Jackson tried to make a comeback on the ground, winning the fifth round, but it was too late. Kuramagomedov’s fast start won him the bout and the belt.
Intense ground and pound!
Paul Hughes stops Bobby King wins Bellator debut by 2nd round TKO! 🇮🇪#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/B2BbCtlGPZ
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Former Cage Warriors featherweight champion Paul Hughes is on his way to becoming Ireland’s next superstar. In his Bellator debut, Hughes thrilled the 3Arena with a two-round knockout victory over Bobby King. King was fired up and landed some hard punches on Hughes in the first round. Despite a bloody nose, Hughes took King to the mat and relentlessly drove elbows into the side of his head before the fight was thankfully stopped (4:50).
Blencoe silences 3ARENA! 😳
Arlene Blencowe took down Sinead Kavanagh and then ended the bout in the second round with a deep guillotine!#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/ivoWpHleRt
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Arlene Blencowe is set to return to the featherweight title after submitting Dublin’s Sinead Kavanagh in the second round (3:02). Blencowe beat Kavanagh by split decision seven years ago and performed even better in the sequel. Kavanagh was quick early on, but Blencowe quickly turned the tide with a powerful right punch that cut Kavanagh down just before the bell rang. Blencowe again managed to calm Kavana down and took her down again in the second round. Kavanagh got to her feet but was quickly caught in a guillotine. With the win, Blencowe (16-10) earned the second submission victory of her career and set up a potential showdown with Bellator featherweight champion Christiane Giustino.
After holding a two-round lead, Dalton Rosta was on the brink of a second straight loss to the hard-hitting Norbert Noveni Jr. Rosta spent the first 10 minutes pinning Noveni on the mat, but the American Top Team prospect slowed down significantly in the third round. Noveni took advantage and badly hurt Rosta with an elbow. Reeling, Rosta endured the blows and fought back. Rosta (9-1) survived until the final bell and managed to win by majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28).
First round guillotine! 🔥
Darragh Kelly puts Matthias Poiron to sleep with a tight guillotine in the first round!#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/mFQFwRKzFq
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Darragh Kelly (6-0) made a spectacular return from a nine-month hiatus, defeating France’s Mathias Poiron (7-2) by first-round submission (1:29). After withdrawing from a Bellator bout in Belfast due to injury, Kelly returned to the lightweight division in rare form. Kelly caught Poiron in a guillotine choke and held on despite a desperate slam attempt before Poiron finally struggled to sleep. After the bout, the SBG Ireland native pleaded for an early return to Bellator action in Paris in November.
Kasum Kasumov (15-1) defeated Matheus Matos (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) by unanimous decision to claim the number one bantamweight contender spot. Matos (13-3-1) started fast, catching Kasumov with hard punches in the clinch. Kasumov finished the first round with a takedown and carried that confidence throughout the bout. Using his wrestling to stifle Matos’ offense, Kasumov frustrated and unsettled the Brazilian en route to the decision. The win puts Kasumov in line for a showdown with Patrick Mix for the bantamweight belt.
Ninja Choke! 🥷
Submitted by Nathan Kelly Jose Sanchez wins the first round in front of the Irish fans, making it 11 straight wins!
#BellatorDublin | LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/s65djywzwN
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Nathan Kelly may have lost his first two bouts, but it seems like he knows how to win. The SBG Ireland featherweight boxer recorded his 11th straight win, defeating Jose Sanchez with a first-round ninja choke (1:16). Sanchez (13-3-1) was a stocky, fast-moving boxer early on, nearly taking Kelly to the mat with a single-leg takedown. But as Sanchez tried to gain the upper hand, Kelly slipped his arm under his chin and applied a modified guillotine, handing Sanchez his first loss in two years.
Khasan Magomedsharipov defeated Tyler Matheson by unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, to record his 10th straight win. Matheson (6-4), who could do little against the Dagestan native, spent much of the bout trying to break Magomedsharipov’s grip. Once free, Magomedsharipov controlled the bout with strikes from long range.
Unbeaten bantamweight Salvadorjon Hamidov (16-0) moved one step closer to claiming the mixed belt with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Marcilei Alves da Silva (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). While Hamidov’s performance didn’t win him any new fans, the Tajik native terrorized Alves for 15 minutes on the mat. Alves (12-4) scored 10 knockouts but was never allowed to use his power. Hamidov neutralized Alves in the clinch and forced him to scramble throughout the bout. The win marks Hamidov’s third straight victory.
North-south choke! 😳
Shinobu Ota stops Roger Blanke by submission in the first round!#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/WEQdyTYQHS
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Shinobu Ota (7-3) dominated Roger Blanke to record his third straight win. The RIZIN Fighting Federation alum had Blanke down near the cage early on but had to fend off a triangle choke attempt. Once he escaped, Ota attacked Blanke’s neck with a rare North-South choke. Blanke (5-6) tried to move out of danger, but the hold was too tight, forcing him to tap at 2 minutes, 18 seconds into the first round.
Another Round 1 submission! 👀
Michelle Montague defeats Karolina Sobek in the first round at the Republican National Convention!#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX
🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh
pic.twitter.com/JBIkZzKBD2
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Karolina Sobek became the fifth fighter to fall victim to Michelle Montague’s rear-naked choke. Montague (5-0) overpowered the Bellator debutant, pinning her against the fence before flipping her over to her feet. Montague quickly applied a body lock and landed a flurry of punches until Sobek’s (4-3) neck was exposed. Montague cut off Sobek’s blood supply and quickly tapped out at the 2:41 mark of the opening period.
Great armbar! 🔥
Nate Kelly stops Paul Nolan with a powerful armbar in the first round!#BellatorDublin
| LIVE NOW ON MAX pic.twitter.com/DGaXa2SMxL
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA)
June 22, 2024
Nate Kelly is still an amateur but has already fought Max twice. The SBG Ireland flyweight has shown great potential at just 19 years old and impressed again on Saturday. Kelly submitted 35-year-old Paul Nolan midway through the first round (1 minute, 11 seconds) with a slick armbar. Kelly had no trouble taking Nolan down, smoothly transitioning from full mount to backside, eventually rolling Nolan into the submission.
