Los Angeles — Bellator 290 is set to pop off later TONIGHT (Sat., Feb. 4, 2023) live from inside KIA Forum in Los Angeles, Calif., featuring a Heavyweight title fight between champion, Ryan Bader, and Fedor Emelinaneko, who is set to retire after competing from more than two decades in the sport. In the co-main event, Johnny Eblen will put his Middleweight title on the line against Anatoly Tokov, and Brennan Ward and Sabah Homasi will kick things off on the CBS main card in a Welterweight affair.
Many readers check in before, during, and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, which will begin at 6 p.m. ET with YouTube “Prelims” (watch them here) and then transition to CBS at 9 p.m. ET for main card action. Feel free to leave a comment (or 290) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
BELLATOR 290 QUICK RESULTS:
265 lbs.: Champion Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko – Bader via first-round TKO — HIGHLIGHTS
185 lbs.: Champion Johnny Eblen vs Anatoly Tokov – Eblen via unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Sabah Homasi vs. Brennan Ward – Ward via second round TKO (head kick, ground-and-pound) — HIGHLIGHTS
170 lbs.: Neiman Gracie vs. Dante Schiro — Gracie via unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Ethan Hughes vs. Yusuf Karakaya – Karakaya via unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Jornel Lugo vs. Jaylon Bates – Bates via split-decision
170 lbs.: Lorenz Larkin vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov – Larkin via first-round knockout — HIGHLIGHTS
145 lbs.: Henry Corrales vs. Akhmedov Magomedov – Corrales via unanimous decision
145 lbs.: Isaiah Hokit vs. Peter Ishiguro – Hokit via unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Steve Mowry vs. Ali Isaev – Fight ruled a draw
155 lbs.: Chris Gonzalez vs. Max Rohskopf – Gonzalez via second-round technical knockout (TKO)
205 lbs.: Grant Neal vs. Karl Albrektsson — Neal via split decision
125 lbs.: Alejandra Lara vs. Diana Avsaragova -Avsaragova via split decision
135 lbs.: Darrion Caldwell vs. Nikita Mikhailov – Mikhailov via unanimous decision
BELLATOR 290 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Champion Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko
Round 1: They come out swinging. Bader tags Fedor with a right hand. Fedor returns fire and Bader drops Fedor early again. In his guard now. Fedor is busted open. Hammer fists from Bader. Fedor taking punishment here. Too much for Herb Deans liking and he puts an end to the fight.
Final result: Bader via first-round TKO
Champion Johnny Eblen vs Anatoly Tokov
Round 1: Both men tentative to start. Left hand misses to Tokov. Eblen with a stiff jab. Leg kick from the champ. Both men swinging for the fences and each land a good shot in the exchange. Jab to the stomach from Tokov. Tokov goes in for the takedown and it is stuffed. Head kick for Eblen. Stiff jab from Tokov. They clinch in the center, knee to the body from Tokov. Eblen looking for a takedown. They clinch again and Eblen pushes Tokov up against the cage. It’s a stalemate with the wrestling so far. Eben with an overhand right and then a knee up the middle from Tokov. 10-9 Tokov
Round 2: Eblen tags Tokov and he gets one back. Calf kick from Tokov. Nice exchange in the center of the cage and Eblen is busted up from his right eye. Tokov throwing heat and Eblen is willing to engage. Nice one-two from Tokov. Kick to the body from Tokov. Eblen is started to bleed from his right eye. Eblen cracks Tokov with aright down the middle. Tokov with a another solid shot down the middle. Tokov starting to pick up the pace and stuns Eblen with a huge left hand. Eblen drops Tokov and he swarms. Tokov back up to the feet and Eblen lands a takedown and is now swarming on Tokov. Tokov warned fro grabbing the fence. What a round. 10-9 Eblen
Round 3: They meet in the center of the cage. Eblen grabs a hold of Tokov and slams him down. Tokov manages to get back up and Eblen takes him for another ride. Back up is Tokov but is eating some knees to the body. One-two lands for Eblen. Tokov returns fire and then eats a calf kick. Eblen shoots, stuffed. Eblen with a heavy right hand. Tokov eats it and returns fire. They are once again exchanging haymakers. Nice pace to the third round. 10-9 Eblen
Round 4: Eblen goes for the takedown and misses. Tokov gets on top momentarily but Eblen manages to escape and tags Tokov with a uppercut on his way out. Eblen now takes Tokov down and pushed him up against the cage. Now looking for the rear-naked choke. Tokov working hard but Eblen is letting go. Eblen picks up Tokov and slams him to the mat once more. He’s dominating the grappling exchanges. Tokov lands a right hand on the break but Eblen manages to take him down again. Now that Eblen’s figured out he can take him down whenever, Tokov is going to have a rough rest of the night. Tokov looks exhausted and Eblen is looking pretty good after 20 mins of action. 10-9 Eblen
Round 5: Strong right from Tokov and Eblen returns fire. A big left hand lands for Tokov and Eblen sticks his tongue out. That means it hurt. Tokov with a calf kick and he’s looking a bit fresher in the final round. Eblen manages to get a hold of him and slams him down once again. Eblen is dominating this fight in the grappling. Tokov isn’t doing much now. Eblen softening up with some knees to the body. Eblen goes full Brock Lesnar and suplexes Tokov over his head. That was wild. Tokov gets up and Eblen gets up and slams him again to close out the round. 10-9 Eblen
Final result: Eblen via unanimous decision
Sabah Homasi vs Brennan Ward
Round 1: Ward shoots for the takedown and he gets it early. Back to the feet. Low kick from Homasi and they are cracking hard. Ward cut under his cheek. They are swinging haymakers and Ward picks him up and slams Homasi. Looking for a rear-naked choke. Homasi playing good defense at the moment. Stalemate on the ground. Homasi is now busted open and another WILD exchange in the enter of the cage. Knee up the middle from Ward. Ward drops Homasi and he is now looking for the rear-naked choke. Both men are exhausted. Thirty seconds remain. High kick lands for Homasi. Ward is unloading on Homasi up against the cage and the round comes to an end. What a way to kick off the main card. 10-9 Ward.
Round 2: Low kick from Homasi but Ward fires back with a flying knee. Another calf kick lands for Homasi and Wards is working his jab. Homasi stumbles to the ground and Ward is swarming on him. One shot after another Homasi is busted open. And Ward is on the prowl, He unloads a vicious combo and drops him with a head kick and is swarming. Relentless on the ground. And it is all over! WHAT A FIGHT!
Final result: Ward def. Homasi via second-round TKO
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