Pat Downey’s mixed martial arts (MMA) journey took a major hit earlier tonight (Fri., Dec. 9, 2022) after he suffered a first-round knockout defeat at the hands of Christian Echols on the undercard of Bellator 289, going down in Uncasville, Conn.
From the jump, Echols utilized his striking, trying to prevent Downey from using his outstanding wrestling skills to take the fight to the ground. That lasted about 10 seconds because the former NCAA Division 1 All-American got a grab of “The Vanilla Gorilla” and took him for a ride, slamming him flat on his back. “Lizard King” then locked in an air-tight front choke that looked to spell the beginning of the end for Echols.
After escaping and getting back to his feet, Echols eventually tagged Downey with a left hook that dropped him. After getting back to his feet, Downy ate a solid right uppercut that knocked him out cold, giving Echols a monstrous come-from-behind knockout win in his Bellator debut. Downey drops to 1-1 in his pro MMA career after making a successful debut a few months ago.
Bellator 289 features an interim Bantamweight title fight as Rauefon Stots puts his belt on the line against Danny Sabatello in a Grand Prix semifinals fight, while Liz Carmouche battles Juliana Velasquez in a women’s Flyweight championship rematch.
For more Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.