Bellator MMA
Bellator 225: “Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2” airs TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 24, 2019) from Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn., airing on Paramount Network and streaming on DAZN. After their first fight ended in “No Contest” in just 15 seconds, Bellator MMA has brought Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) and Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC) back to try for a more crowd-pleasing result!
Bellator 225’s main card will start at 9 p.m. ET with “Prelims” undercard bouts starting at 7 p.m. ET on DAZN (watch it). MMAmania.com will deliver results and play-by-play for the entirety of the Bellator MMA card.
Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action. Feel free to leave a comment (or 225) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
BELLATOR 225 QUICK RESULTS:
Matt Mitrione vs. Sergei Kharitonov — Kharitonov TKO 1:24 R2.
Vitaly Minakov vs. Timothy Johnson — Minakov KO 1:45 R1.
David Rickels vs. Yaroslav Amosov — Amosov sub (d’arce) 4:05 R2.
Tyrell Fortune vs. Rudy Schaffroth — Fortune sub (RNC) 2:08 R2.
Alejandra Lara vs. Taylor Turner — Lara TKO 3:44 R1.
Kastroit Xhema vs. Connor Dixon — Dixon sub (armbar) 2:08 R3.
Corey Browning vs. Nick Newell — Newell sub (arm triangle) 3:15 R1.
Austin Vanderford vs. Joseph Creer — Vanderford TKO (doctor) 5:00 R2.
Sabah Homasi vs. Micah Terrill — Homasi KO 0:17 R1.
Ricky Bandejas vs. Ahmet Kayretli — Bandejas KO 1:21 R1.
Khonry Gracie vs. Oscar Vera — Gracie sub (armbar) 2:50 R1.
Mike Kimbel vs. Chris Disonell — Disonell TKO 4:54 R1.
Aviv Gozali vs. Eduard Muravitsky — Gozali sub (heel hook) 0:11 R1.
Jon Manley vs. Thiago Rela — Manley sub (RNC) 4:47 R3.
BELLATOR 225 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Matt Mitrione vs. Sergei Kharitonov
Mitrione comes in 13-6, 1 NC for this fight. Kharitonov comes in 29-7, 2 NC. Kharitonov sports the blue gloves and black trunks tonight. Mitrione also has black trunks and sports the red gloves. Kharitonov hails from Moscow, Russia and Mitrione from Springfield, Illinois. Our referee in charge is Dan Miragliotta.
Round 1: Fist bump and we’re underway! Mitrione throws the first kick (but not to the nuts). He throws a head kick that’s checked. Mitrione keeps working leg kicks as Kharitonov keeps his hands up on the outside looking for an opening. Kharitonov finally circles away from the cage at 1:10. The leg kicks keep coming. Mitrione almost trips Kharitonov to the ground when he throws his own. He pushes Kharitonov into the fence for a couple of uppercuts. Kharitonov breaks off at 1:48. Left hook from Kharitonov. Mitrione shaves his head with the right foot. Leg kick Mitrione. Right jab. Left jab from Kharitonov. Mitrione backs him toward the cage again. Left hook by Kharitonov as he circles off, followed by a body shot. Three minutes gone. Right to the body from Kharitonov. Left to the face from Mitrione. They clinch up again. Mitrione loses his mouthpiece and Miragliotta calls time for him to put it back in. Mitrione loses it when Kharitonov lands a right hook and Miragliotta warns him to keep it in. Another right lands and a right ot the body. Left hook by Mitrione and he loses it again. Miragliotta says the next time it comes out you lose a point. Close R1. 10-9 Mitrione.
Round 2: Kharitonov’s face looks bruised and bloodied but Mitrione needs to stay focused and not lose his mouthpiece again. Kharitonov clocks him with the left and throws the right to the body. Kharitonov knocks him down after the mouthpiece comes out again on another left hand shot, the right uppercut next hurts him, and a couple of hand hammerfists on the ground force Miragliotta to wave it off.
Final result: Sergei Kharitonov wins by technical knockout at 1:24 in the second round.
Vitaly Minakov vs. Timothy Johnson
Late replacement Johnson (originally scheduled for a preliminary bout) steps in for Javy Ayala with a record of 12-5. Former champion Minakov brings a record of 21-1. Johnson sports the black trunks and blue gloves. Minakov has red trunks and gloves. Both men are 34 and stand 6’3”, with Minakov having 76” and Johnson a 78” reach. Johnson fights out of Las Vegas, NV and Minakov fights out of Omsk, Russia. Our referee is Keith Peterson.
Round 1: A respectful glove tap starts round one. Minakov circles Johnson, lands a right hook, looks for a takedown and then suplexes Johnson twice. Johnson breaks free of a clinch on the fence at 1:13. Minakov hurts Johnson with a right and lands another right and a left as Johnson sits down against the fence at 1:45. That’s that!
Final result: Vitaly Minakov wins via knockout at 1:45 of the first round.
David Rickels vs. Yaroslav Amosov
Rickels comes in 21-5-2 and Amosov comes in 21-0. This fight is at a catchweight of 175 lbs. Amosov sports the black trunks and blue gloves. Rickels has black trunks and red gloves. Amosov fights out of Kiev, Ukraine and Rickels out of Wichita, Kansas. Our referee in charge of this fight is Keith Peterson.
Round 1: A friendly glove tap starts things off. Rickels is coming forward with a stutter step and Amosov ignores the unorthodox movement and blasts him in the face. Rickels is still smiling so far. Amosov takes him down at 1:10. Amosov is comfortable to work from full guard, trying to posture up to land shots. Rickels is fighting for arm and wrist control and slapboxing Amosov on the ears. Amosov metriculates Rickels toward the fence and continues to punish with lefts and rights. Elbows are landing as well. Rickels gets up as we pass the 4 minute mark but is immediately taken back down. A little blood is trickling from his right nostril. Rickels gets up again at 4:47. 10-9 Amosov.
Round 2: Rickels is coming forward and attacking in the first 20 seconds but that only puts him off balance for Amosov to take him down again. Rickels is trying to land a few elbows to the head from the bottom and having some success. Amosov passes to half guard just before the halfway point of the round. Rickels gets full guard back at 2:47. Amosov is going for a d’arce choke with a minute left in the round and Rickels taps for the first time ever.
Final result: Yaroslav Amosov via submission (d’arce choke) at 4:05 in round two.
Tyrell Fortune vs. Rudy Schaffroth
Fortune is 6-0 in the red gloves. Schaffroth is 6-0 (1 NC) in the blue gloves. Schaffroth fights out of Clackamas, Oregon in the gray trunks. Fortune fights out of Tempe, Arizona in the black trunks. Our referee in charge is Dan Miragliotta.
Round 1: Both men circle and size each other up. Schaffroth starts to cautiously step forward and Fortune dances to his right on the outside. Schaffroth unloads a leg kick and throws a jab toward the body. Fortune starts to circle the opposite direction and tests Schaffroth’s chin. One minute gone. Schaffroth works the right but Fortune lands a big right hook and then shoots. Schaffroth stuffs it and throws knees to the body. Fortune resets. Schaffroth continues to push Fortune backward with his hands and feet. Fortune connects with a leg kick. Fortune tries a head kick and falls down. Schaffroth lets him back up. Fortune knocks him off his feet with a low kick. He does it again at 3:10. They tie up and quickly break apart. Fortune tags the leg again at 3:32. Fortune continues to go back to that well in the last minute of the round. 10-9 Fortune.
Round 2: Schaffroth is again the fighter moving forward although clearly Fortune is not troubled by it or Schaffroth’s left hook. Fortune tests the forehead with a right hand and leaves a big bruise where fist met bone. Fortune knocks him down with a kick and lands a big right hand punch in the process then goes to the ground to pound it out and take the back. Fortune has the tap to a rear naked choke at 2:08.
Final result: Tyrell Fortune via submission (rear naked choke) at 2:08 of round two.
Alejandra Lara vs. Taylor Turner
Turner comes in 4-5 out of Knoxville, TN and Lara comes in 7-3 out of Medellin, Colombia. Turner has the blue gloves, black trunks and top for this fight. Lara has the red gloves, black trunks and top and a Colombian flag to dance her way to the cage. Lara is 25 and Turner is 36. Lara is 5’7” and Turner is 5’10”. Lara has a 69” reach and Turner 71”. Our referee is John English.
Round 1: It’s a back and forth battle for the first 90 seconds. The two wind up clinched up battling for position against the fence until Lara trips her to the ground for the second time in the round, this time moving to half guard. Lara goes for a mounted crucifix to land right hands and elbows. Turner gets full guard back briefly. Lara backs away at 2:46 then comes back over the top with a hard left hand. Turner tries to secure a leg as Lara throws bombs but Lara spins her way out. Full mount for Lara with 90 seconds left and Turner gives up her back eating unanswered lefts. The ref stops it at 3:44.
Final result: Alejandra Lara wins via technical knockout at 3:44 of the first round.
Kastroit Xhema vs. Connor Dixon
165 lbs. catchweight fight. Dixon is 0-0 in the black trunks and blue gloves, fighting out of Millville, New Jersey. Xhema is 3-3 in the red trunks and gloves, fighting out of Greenwich, Connecticut. The referee in charge is Bryan Miner.
Round 1: Dixon scores two takedowns in the first minute of the fight and then goes for a guillotine choke. He doesn’t have it but he winds up on top in half guard. Xhema shakes him off and Dixon pushes him to the fence standing. They break at 1:56. Dixon shoots for a single leg and gets it at 2:09. Xhema gets up quickly and they separate at 2:22. Dixon goes for the leg again. Xhema stuffs it and just barely misses with a knee. Xhema sprawls to block the next takedown. Dixon tries to bait Xhema into jumping on top and Xhema forces the stand up by backing away. Xhema misses with a head kick. Dixon falls down and Xhema makes him stand up again. Knee to the body from Xhema. Dixon goes for yet another single leg but it’s a 50/50 stalemate on the ground as Xhema pushes down on his head. Dixon finally takes the back and gets him down with short time. Very slim 10-9 to Dixon.
Round 2: Dixon is still relentlessly going for takedowns. He’s got it at 51 seconds. Dixon passes to half guard and searches for either full mount or side control. He takes the third option and goes for the back with both hooks in. Dixon tries and fails to get an arm triangle choke. He rolls for an armbar at 3:15 and Xhema counters and goes for an inverted triangle choke but Dixon counters THAT and is back on top with a minute left. Xhema sweeps on top with 37 seconds left. 10-9 Dixon.
Round 3: Xhema tells his corner that he broke the thumb in his right hand and Ray Longo says “there’s nothing you can do about it, you still got another hand.” Dixon gets a takedown 17 seconds in. Dixon has full mount at 0:45. It isn’t until 1:33 that Dixon finally starts to jack him up with shots. The right elbows are slicing Xhema up. Dixon rolls for an armbar and gets the tap.
Final result: Connor Dixon via submission (armbar) at 2:08 of the third round.
Corey Browning vs. Nick Newell
Newell is 15-2 in the red glove, fighting out of Milford, Connecticut in the gray and blue trunks. Browning is 5-2 in the blue gloves, fighting out of Knoxville, Tennessee in the white trunks. Our referee in charge is Keith Peterson.
Round 1: Newell lands the first right hand of the fight. A second third and fourth follow quickly. They clinch up and Newell drags him to the ground at 47 seconds. He’s close to passing if he can pull his legs through to side control. He does at 1:41. Newell gets the mounted crucifix and Browning has nowhere to go. Full mount at 2:56 with a triangle choke in tight. Newell passes to the other side and Browning taps.
Final result: Nick Newell via submission (triangle choke) at 3:15 of round one.
Austin Vanderford vs. Joseph Creer
White trunks and blue gloves for Creer, fighting out of Columbus, Georgia. Gray trunks and red gloves for Vanderford out of Portland, Oregon. The 7-0 Vanderford fights at 185 lbs. for the first time tonight. Creer is 6-0-1. Our referee in charge is Bryan Miner.
Round 1: Both men immediately move toward the outer circle after the bell. Vanderford misses wildly with a couple of power shots then connects with a leg kick. Creer responds with a couple of body kicks. Creer’s size advantage at middleweight is fairly obvious thus far. Hard left hook by Creer. Vanderford shoots for a double and gets side control immediately but voluntarily moves to half guard to tie up one of Creer’s legs. Vanderford with lefts to the body and head. Vanderford loses his mouthpiece and puts it back in. Slashing right elbows to the head. Creer gets Vanderford back to full guard but Vanderford lays in hammerfists in response. 10-9 Vanderford.
Round 2: Creer immediately comes forward with kicks and Vanderford allows his own forward momentum to take Creer to the ground. Vanderford quickly moves from full to half guard. More elbows from Vanderford. A pool of blood is forming under Creer’s head right on the Paramount Network logo. With the amount of blood getting into Creer’s eyes I wouldn’t be surprised if the ref calls time for the doctor to take a look at him. Creer’s own body has become a paintbrush on the canvas. Creer gets him back to full guard but can’t stop those left elbows and right hammers from landing. Vanderford passes to half guard again with a minute left. Creer recovers to full. The cuts around Creer’s right eye look pretty gnarly. Dominant 10-8 round for Vanderford. The referee has waved off the fight.
Final result: Austin Vanderford wins via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 5:00 of round two.
Sabah Homasi vs. Micah Terrill
Homasi is 12-8 in the red gloves and red trunks, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida. Terrill is 14-7 in the blue gloves and black trunks, fighting out of Millersville, Maryland. Our referee for this contest is Keith Peterson.
Round 1: Terrill gets dropped by a right hook 17 seconds in and IT IS ALL OVER.
Final result: Sabah Homasi wins via knockout at 0:17 of the first round.
Ricky Bandejas vs. Ahmet Kayretli
Blue gloves and dark navy trunks for Kayretli in his Bellator debut, hailing from Turkey and fighting out of Fairfax, VA, pro record of 8-3. Red gloves and black trunks for Bandejas, 11-3, owner of the first victory over James Gallagher, fighting out of Coconut Creek, FL. Our referee in charge is Dan Miragliotta.
Round 1: Tap of gloves gets us underway. Kayretli is working low leg kicks immediately. Kayretli gets dropped by a right hook as he’s coming forward, faceplants in front of his opponent, and IT IS ALL OVER.
Final result: Ricky Bandejas via knockout at 1:21 in the first round.
Khonry Gracie vs. Oscar Vera
Vera is 0-1 in the blue gloves and black trunks. He fights out of Bronx, New York. Gracie is 1-1 in the red gloves and white trunks. He fights out of Palos Verdes Estates, California. Our referee in charge is John English.
Round 1: Gracie lands the first leg kick as Vera controls the center and provides the forward pressure. Vera comes with a left hook and Gracie takes him down to full mount in response. Vera is sitting up against the fence. The fighters are warned not to grab the cage. Gracie lands a right hook before Vera bucks and sweeps to end up on top in guard. From his back Gracie goes for the armbar and gets the tap.
Final result: Khonry Gracie wins via submission (armbar) at 2:50 of round one.
Mike Kimbel vs. Chris Disonell
Blue gloves and dark gray trunks for the 3-3 Disonell in his Bellator MMA debut out of Albany, New York. Red gloves and black trunks for Kimbel out of Waterbury, Conn. with a 3-1 record. Our referee in charge of this contest is Dan Miragliotta.
Round 1: Tap of gloves to start. Kimbel lands a pair of leg kicks. Disonell charges forward with a left hand and Kimbel responds with a southpaw combo and another kick. Kimbel lands a right hook and Disonell comes forward to clinch and throw a knee with Kimbel against the fence. Kimbel hits a knee to the body as they grapple for position. They are warned not to grab the cage. Dirty boxing from Disonell and some body shots. Kimbel finally breaks free at 3:02 and hurts Disonell with some wild shots and a knee. Disonell tries to clinch to recover but he eats another knee and then gets taken down. Kimbel is unloading with his hands as Disonell gets back up, under a minute left in the round. Disonell ties Kimbel up and takes him down into full mount with short time left. Kimbel is warned to fight back and Miragliotta stops the bout.
Final result: Chris Disonell via technical knockout at 4:54 of round one.
Aviv Gozali vs. Eduard Muravitsky
Gozali is 2-0 in the red gloves, fighting out of Bat Yam, Israel. Muravitskiy is 9-8 in the blue gloves and blue trunks, fighting out of Borisov, Belarus. Our referee in charge of this fight is Bryan Miner.
Round 1: Gozali hits the Imanari roll immediate, goes for a heel hook immediately and has it in 11 seconds.
Final result: Aviv Gozali via submission (heel hook) at 0:11 of round one.
Jon Manley vs. Thiago Rela
Rela wears the blue gloves and black trunks for this fight, hailing from New York, NY. Manley has the red gloves and gray trunks, fighting out of Easthampton, Mass. Rela is 13-7 and Manley is 11-6. This fight is a catchweight of 175 lbs. Our referee in charge of this contest is John English.
Round 1: Tap of gloves. Manley throws a kick early. Rela catches the next kick and ties up with his opponent to go to the fence. Rela tries to go behind and jump on Manley’s back. He drags Manley down to his knees still looking to get his hooks in, drawing a warning not to grab the fence. Manley tries to counter into a kimura, Rela blocks it but Manley winds up on top in half guard. Both fighters stand up at 2:47. Rela looks to take the back again and does, once again dragging Manley to the ground, this time cinching up a body lock. 10-9 Rela.
Round 2: Time is called 45 seconds into the round as Rela is kicked with a right foot straight to the cup. Manley is told that even though it was unintentional he needs to control his actions at all times. The fight resumes with an apology from Manley to his opponent. Rela clinches to throw knees, pushes the fight to the fence, and once again jumps on Manley’s back. Manley stands back up quickly but Rela piggybacks on him until Manley can push him off. Rela keeps jumping back on as Manley keeps trying to peel him off. Rela finally drags him down and takes the back at 2:59. With a minute left the fighters are warned not to curl their toes and link them in the fence. Manley uses a kimura attempt to sweep to side control. Manley probably landed more strikes in blocking Rela’s attempts to get it to the ground so he earns a 10-9 — just barely.
Round 3: Rela goes for the takedown again but it’s Manley who winds up on top 44 seconds in, spins to side control, takes the back and starts unloading hard right hands to the head. By 2:18 Rela is being warned that he needs to move as Manley continues to unload. He gets a second warning that he needs to get out moments later. English gives him an emphatic “Move Thiago!” This is very close to being stopped. Amazingly 4:00 into the round this fight is still going. Manley is going for the back to get a rear naked choke with short time left. The ref finally stops this fight.
Final result: Jon Manley wins via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:47 of round three.