Bellator

N/A

Tag Type
Division
Slug
bellator
Short Name
Bellator
Abbreviation
Bel
Visible in Content Tool
Off
Visible in Programming Tool
Off
Root
MMA
Featured
Off
Auto create Channel for this Tag
On
Parents
MMA
Primary Parent
MMA

Cris Cyborg Defeats Larissa Pacheco By Decision to Win PFL Featherweight Title Fight

Alex Ballentine
Oct 19, 2024
Cris Cyborg
Cris Cyborg

Cris Cyborg's legend grew even larger on Saturday with the legendary fighter adding the PFL Women's Featherweight Superfight Championship to her trophy case with a unanimous decision win over Larissa Pacheco in the co-main event on a PFL pay-per-view card from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cyborg claimed the early lead in a first round that had good moments for both fighters. However, Cyborg landed a strong takedown early and landed a head kick that rocked her opponent and had Pacheco in trouble.

Plenty of opponents have folded when Cyborg starts landing cleanly but that wasn't Pacheco's MO. She continued to fire and opened up two nasty cuts over each one of the Bellator champion's eyes.

Pacheco turned the tide in the third round. She threw her strikes with more confidence, opened the cuts on Cyborg's eyes and took her opponent down to log some control time.

She took that momentum into the fourth round and seemingly won it with more volume than Cyborg had to offer. The close round set up a critical fifth-round with the feel that it could have been two apiece.

Ultimately it was Cyborg who was able to dig deep and score enough points in the fifth and final round to pick up the decision win.

The victory gives Cyborg world titles in five different organizations. From Strikeforce to Invicta to the UFC and PFL, she has proven herself against the best competition in the world and will go down as one of the greatest fighters ever.

The Brazilian was last seen in a cage defending her Bellator championship against Cat Zingano, but the PFL's acquisition of the rival promotion opened the door for Cyborg to capture another championship in another promotion.

After nearly 20 years of being dominant in MMA, Cyborg took a brief detour into boxing, earning two knockout wins in the ring in 2024. Her career record in the sweet science now stands at 4-0.

It gave the 39-year-old some new things to work for as she looks to stay sharp.

"It was something different that I would usually do in MMA. In boxing there is a lot to learn and helped me improve on my footwork, striking, avoiding a strike, and a lot of other things. I'm ready and feel great going into this fight," she told reporters.

PFL primarily runs a seasonal tournament format that Pacheco has dominated in recent years. The 30-year-old was the 2022 lightweight champion and the 2023 featherweight champion, setting up this showdown for the organization's featherweight "superfight championship".

Given Cyborg's age, it's hard to imagine that she'll ever compete in the tournament format, but the possibility of taking on the tournament champion could be an intriguing next step for her.

Bellator Champions Series to Stream Exclusively on Max; Debut Set for March 22

Mar 19, 2024
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 14: The official Bellator belt on display at the Bellator 297 pre-fight press conference on June 14, 2023, at the Willis Tower Sky Deck in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 14: The official Bellator belt on display at the Bellator 297 pre-fight press conference on June 14, 2023, at the Willis Tower Sky Deck in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

MMA fans will now be able to watch some of their favorite fighters on the streaming service Max.

The PFL and Warner Bros. Discovery announced Tuesday that the new Bellator Champions Series will stream exclusively on Max. It includes eight events with two title fights on each card.

PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a statement:

Following our historic acquisition of Bellator, Professional Fighters League is proud to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery for the highly anticipated Bellator Champions Series to stream exclusively on Max for fans across the United States, at no extra cost to subscribers, when the global franchise launches on March 22. We're excited for audiences to tune into Bellator's new home on Max for eight Bellator Champions Series events in 2024 taking place in iconic cities around the globe, featuring world title fights and the biggest stars in combat sports. There's an incredible demand for premium, year-round MMA content from major media platforms and this is the latest milestone in PFL's ambition to bring the sport's best to audiences around the world.

The Bellator Champions Series kicks off on Friday at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It includes a fight card that features Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore in the main event and Patricio Pitbull vs. Jeremy Kennedy in the co-main event.

The opening event will be followed by the Bellator Champions Series Paris on May 17 at Accor Arena.

Here's a look at the full schedule for the 2024 Bellator Champions Series:

  • Friday March 22, 1 p.m. ET: Bellator Champions Series Belfast—SSE Arena
  • Friday, May 17, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series Paris—Accor Arena
  • Saturday June 22, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series Dublin—3Arena
  • Saturday Sept. 7, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series San Diego—Pechanga Arena
  • Saturday Sept. 14, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series London—OVO Wembley
  • Saturday, Oct. 12, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series Chicago—Wintrust Arena
  • Saturday, Nov. 16, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series Paris—ADIDAS Arena
  • Tuesday, Dec. 31, time TBD: Bellator Champions Series—TBD

In addition to the eight events, Max subscribers will receive access to two new docuseries that debut on Thursday. They provide a behind-the-scenes look at the fighters' lives "as they push beyond their limits to mentally prepare and train for their matchups."

TNT Sports will also televise Bellator content on its "TNT Sports on truTV" programming block.

PFL vs. Bellator Champs Results: Winners, Highlights from Ferreira vs. Bader Card

Feb 24, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 24: Renan Ferreira of Brazil prepares to fight Denis Goltsov of Russia during the 2023 PFL Championships at The Anthem on November 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 24: Renan Ferreira of Brazil prepares to fight Denis Goltsov of Russia during the 2023 PFL Championships at The Anthem on November 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Renan Ferreira knocked out Ryan Bader in just 21 seconds to headline the PFL vs. Bellator card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Bellator fighters won all five bouts on the main card before the battle between PFL and Bellator heavyweight champions closed the evening. Ferreira easily prevented the clean sweep, however, as the PFL champion wasted no time en route to victory.

That win could very well set up a match with former UFC heavyweight champion Frances Ngannou, who has expressed a desire to return to MMA and had his eyes on Saturday's winner.

For now, though, here's a look at how the evening's matches went down, alongside some highlights.

Main Card Results

Renan Ferreira def. Ryan Bader via Round 1 TKO (0:21)

Johnny Eblen def. Impa Kasanganay via split decision: 29-28, 28-29, 29-28

Jason Jackson def. Ray Cooper III via Round 2 TKO (0:23)

Vadim Nemkov def. Bruno Cappelozza via Round 2 technical submission (2:23)

Yoel Romero def. Thiago Santos via unanimous decision: 30-27, 30-27, 29-28

AJ McKee def. Clay Collard via Round 1 submission (1:10)

Prelims Results

Aaron Pico def. Henry Corrales via Round 1 TKO (4:53)

Biaggio Ali Walsh def. Emmanuel Palacio via split decision: 30-27, 30-27, 30-27

Claressa Shields def. Kelsey DeSantis via split decision: 29-28, 28-29, 29-28

Abdullah Al-Qahtani def. Edukondala Rao via Round 3 TKO (0:23)

Malek Basahel def. Vinicius Pereira via unanimous decision: 30-27, 29-28, 30-27

Main Card Recaps and Highlights

Renan Ferreira vs. Ryan Bader

Ferreira clocked Bader with a left hand before hitting him with a right that sent him to the canvas. Some ground-and-pound closed the deal, sending Ferreira to 13-3 (three no-contests). Bader is now 31-8 (one no-contest).

Impa Kasanganay vs. Johnny Eblen

Johnny Eblen moved to 15-0 lifetime after this win, but it wasn't easy as Impa Kasanganay took him the distance in this battle of middleweight champions.

Eblen got dropped hard in the second round with a big right hand and took some other shots as well.

Kasanganay (15-4) clearly won the second round, but Eblen had the edge in Rounds 1 and 3 thanks in part to takedowns in each. He notably clearly controlled the end of Round 3 after a takedown with a minute-and-a-half left.

In the end, he was the victor in the closest main card bout.

Ray Cooper III vs. Jason Jackson

Jackson landed a low kick to Cooper's left knee that took his foe's legs out from under him, and then some ground-and-pound led to a Round 2 TKO in this 182-pound catchweight fight.

Jackson has won eight straight to move to 18-4. Cooper is 25-10-1.

Bruno Cappelozza vs. Vadim Nemkov

Vadim Nemkov choked out Bruno Cappelozza with an arm triangle in Round 2 for the convincing heavyweight win:

Nemkov, who was making a return to heavyweight from light heavyweight, is now 17-2 (one no-contest). Cappelozza fell to 15-7.

Thiago Santos vs. Yoel Romero

The 46-year-old Yoel Romero proved he's still got it with a great victory over Thiago Santos in this light heavyweight matchup.

Low kicks proved beneficial to Romero's victorious effort:

He also got in some great punches and a Round 3 flying knee en route to improving to 16-7. Santos is now 22-12 (one no-contest).

Clay Collard vs. AJ McKee

AJ McKee got an early takedown and began looking for an early submission afterward in this lightweight fight. He got it done just 1:10 into the match with a smooth armbar attempt:

McKee improved to 22-1 lifetime. Collard fell to 24-12 (one no-contest).

Mike Tyson to Present Custom Championship Belts to PFL vs. Bellator Fight Winners

Feb 21, 2024
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - OCTOBER 28: Mike Tyson looks on prior to the Heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou at Boulevard Hall on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - OCTOBER 28: Mike Tyson looks on prior to the Heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou at Boulevard Hall on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Legendary boxer Mike Tyson will be on hand for Saturday's PFL vs. Bellator: Champs to present a customized belt to the winners of the three championship fights.

"I called Mike two weeks ago, because I thought there was nobody more fitting to award the first ever in combat sports belt that goes to a champion beating a champion than the greatest champion of all time in Mike Tyson," PFL chairman Donn Davis said to ESPN's Marc Raimondi.

The PFL announced in November it acquired Bellator MMA and envisioned staging events pitting the starts from both promotions against one another. Saturday's super-show will be the first joint venture since the deal.

Renan Ferreira will carry the PFL banner when he faces off with Bellator's Ryan Bader in the main event. PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay will take on Johnny Eblen. Patricio Freire (Bellator) and Gabriel Braga (PFL) cross paths in the third bout with gold on the line.

In the case of Ferreira and Bader, the stakes will be raised. Davis told Raimondi the winner will jump to the top of the list for a headliner against Francis Ngannou down the line.

Having Tyson present will help add to the grandeur of the spectacle. Even though he has been retired since 2005, the 57-year-old remains one of the most recognizable names in boxing.

"I'm really looking forward to this because this is the unification of the two champions of different divisions and different organizations," he said to Raimondi.

PFL Acquires Bellator MMA After Rumors, Reveals Champs vs. Champs Fight Card For 2024

Nov 20, 2023
NEW YORK CITY, NY - AUGUST 23: Clay Collard throws a punch against Shane Burgos during PFL 2023 week 9 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on August 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
NEW YORK CITY, NY - AUGUST 23: Clay Collard throws a punch against Shane Burgos during PFL 2023 week 9 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on August 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The Professional Fighters League acquired Bellator MMA to "create a stronger competitor to UFC," according to Samer Al-Atrush of the Financial Times.

PFL founder Donn Davis told Al-Atrush the deal "totally changes the MMA landscape overnight."

"You essentially put two number two companies to create a co-leader," he said. "The combined PFL Bellator roster now has 30 percent of its fighters who are ranked top 25 in the world by Fight Matrix. That's the same as UFC has in their roster."

Everyone on the Bellator roster is now a part of PFL, Davis said Monday:

Davis also teased a "mega-event" in 2024 that will pit champions from the two promotions against on another.

Rather than ditching the Bellator branding, the PFL said in Monday's press release it's creating the Bellator International Champions Series, which will feature eight standalone events each year. Fighters signed to Bellator will have the opportunity to compete in the PFL as well.

This deal symbolizes the PFL's rapid ascent in the MMA world.

Signing unbeaten boxing star Claressa Shields in 2020 was a bit of a coup. Striking a deal with Jake Paul in January brought plenty of mainstream attention. Then came the biggest move of all, bringing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou aboard.

Perhaps the most transformative development for the PFL, however, came when it sold a minority stake to a company owned by the Public Investment Fund for more $100 million in August.

The PIF is Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and the mechanism through which the country has built a bigger and bigger footprint in sports. Some have described the strategy as "sportswashing," a way for Saudi Arabia to improve its image abroad and deflect attention away from ongoing human rights abuses within the country.

It's not as though the UFC's status as the premiere power in MMA is under immediate threat. But a merger between the PFL and Bellator fueled in part by Saudi riches could create a serious challenger to the throne over the years to come.

Usman Nurmagomedov Tests Positive for Banned Substance, Suspended 6 Months by CSAC

Nov 11, 2023
SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 7: Usman Nurmagomedov speaks with the media at the Bellator 300 post-fight press conference on October 7, 2023, at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 7: Usman Nurmagomedov speaks with the media at the Bellator 300 post-fight press conference on October 7, 2023, at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov has been suspended six months after testing positive for a banned substance, according to California State Athletic Commission executive officer Andy Foster.

The 25-year-old Nurmagomedov was tested after defeating Brent Primus via unanimous decision in San Diego on Oct. 6 to defend his belt and also win his semifinal bout in the Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix.

Nurmagomedov was scheduled to defend the lightweight title against the winner of the Grand Prix semifinal between ex-champion Patricky Pitbull and Alexandr Shabliy. That semis bout will take place next Friday in Chicago.

However, MMA journalist Cole Shelton reported that Nurmagomedov has been removed from the Grand Prix. That opens the door for Primus, who issued a statement after the CSAC's announcement.

"Today I was informed by Andy Foster that my opponent from Bellator 300 Usman Nurmagomedov tested positive for a banned substance and the fight is now ruled a No Contest. I'd like to thank CSAC and Bellator for working together to promote a clean sport. I'm in the gym training hard and will be ready to get back into the Grand Prix."

Prior to the Primus bout, Nurmagomedov had gone 17-0 lifetime (6-0 in Bellator) with eight knockouts and six submissions. He defeated Pitbull to win the Bellator lightweight title in Nov. 2022 via unanimous decision and defended his crown once against Benson Henderson in the Grand Prix quarterfinals via first-round submission last March.

Usman Nurmagomedov Defeats Brent Primus by Unanimous Decision at Bellator 300

Oct 8, 2023
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 09: (L-R) Usman Nurmagomedov and Johnny Eblen pose with the belt during the Bellator 296 press conference event inside Gustave Eiffel Lounge on May 9, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by José Prestes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 09: (L-R) Usman Nurmagomedov and Johnny Eblen pose with the belt during the Bellator 296 press conference event inside Gustave Eiffel Lounge on May 9, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by José Prestes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Usman Nurmagomedov entered Saturday as a heavy favorite to retain his Bellator lightweight championship belt, and that's exactly what happened as he won via unanimous decision over Brent Primus in San Diego's Pechanga Arena.

All three judges scored the match 50-45 in Nurmagomedov's favor, and it's clear why given the champion's dominance throughout.

Nurmagomedov, 25, is a cousin of ex-UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. He's making a great name for himself with a professional record of 18-0 (eight knockouts, six submissions, four unanimous decisions).

He's 7-0 in Bellator with his most recent win occurring in March when he defeated Benson Henderson by first-round submission in the Grand Prix quarterfinals.

Primus, 38, is 12-4 lifetime (10-4 Bellator). He earned his semifinal spot after defeating Mansour Barnaoui via unanimous decision at Bellator 296 in Paris last May.

The match also served as the first of two semifinal bouts in the ongoing Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix Tournament. Patricky Pitbull will face Alexandr Shabliy on Nov. 17 at Bellator 301 for the other semifinal.

The winner will then face Nurmagomedov in another title bout.

Cris Cyborg Defeats Cat Zingano in 1st-Round TKO at Bellator 300

Oct 8, 2023
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Cris Cyborg, Bellator Featherweight World Champion, stands outside after a workout at the Cyborg Private Facility on September 6, 2022 in Huntington Beach, California. Cyborg will make her pro boxing debut against Simone Silva on Sept. 25, 2022 in Curitiba, Brazil. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Cris Cyborg, Bellator Featherweight World Champion, stands outside after a workout at the Cyborg Private Facility on September 6, 2022 in Huntington Beach, California. Cyborg will make her pro boxing debut against Simone Silva on Sept. 25, 2022 in Curitiba, Brazil. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Cris Cyborg completed a fifth successful defense of her featherweight championship belt on Saturday by defeating Cat Zingano via first-round TKO at Bellator 300 in San Diego's Pechanga Arena.

Cyborg earned her 12th-ever first-round knockout finish via ground-and-pound at 4:01 of Round 1.

Cyborg dominated the round and got Zingano to the ground a couple minutes earlier as well:

Cyborg entered this match as a heavy pre-fight favorite and rightfully so. She's 27-2 (one no-contest) lifetime, including a perfect 6-0 in Bellator. The 38-year-old has also registered 21 lifetime knockouts.

She is also the only male or female fighter to become a Grand Slam champion with title belts in four MMA promotions. Cyborg previously won championships in Strikeforce, UFC and Invicta FC.

The Brazilian is Bellator's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter for a reason: She's been nothing short of sensational for the promotion upon her arrival in July 2019, registering three knockouts, one submission win and two unanimous decision victories. Her last title defense occurred in April 2022, when she beat Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279 via unanimous decision.

Zingano, 41, has gone 14-5 lifetime and 4-1 in Bellator after making the move from UFC. The latest women's pound-for-pound rankings have Zingano ranked fourth overall.

Zingano has earned three unanimous decision wins and one submission victory during her Bellator tenure, which began in Sept. 2020. Her last fight occurred in March with a UD victory over Leah McCourt at Bellator 293.

This match marked the first time Zingano fought for a title belt since UFC 184 in Feb. 2015, when she fell to then-bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Zingano previously won the inaugural Ring Of Fire women's bantamweight championship and Fight To Win women's bantamweight and flyweight belts.

Ultimately, Cyborg was the big winner on this night, and a title defense against Leah McCourt is up next.

Subscribe to Bellator