UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator’s welterweight title has been on ice for a long time. And now it’s Andrey Koreshkov who is holding it.
The 24-year old Russian challenger was able to control Douglas Lima on Friday night at the Mohegan Sun, using an effective mix of clinch-work, body kicks and takedowns. Lima, who won the vacant 170-title in April 2014 against Rick Hawn, was unable to get much going in the fight, getting frustrated with single-leg takedowns at intervals throughout. Though he tried, even in scrambles and in attempts to sweep Koreshkov, Lima couldn’t swing the momentum in his favor.
In the end, the judges scored the fight 48-47, 50-45, 50-45 for Bellator’s new welterweight champ, Koreshkov (18-1).
The loss was Lima’s first since a spring 2012 defeat at the hands of then-champion Ben Askren. Though he had been off for more than a year, Lima had won five fights in a row heading in.
In the co-main event, Paul Daley got taken down in the first round of his fight with Dennis Olson as his newly signed nemesis Josh Koscheck watched on, but he was landing the bigger shots throughout. Daley was able to score a TKO victory over the outmatched Olson with a barrage in the second round.
The end came at 1:12 of the second round.
“We had our beef,” Daley (37-13-2) said of Koscheck afterwards. “I still hate that hair, and I still hate him.”
Meanwhile, Connecticut’s own Brennan Ward scored a violent knockout of Roger Carroll earlier in the card. Ward scored a couple of easy takedowns before lowering the boom on Carroll with a big right hand at 2:06 of the first round.
Ward, who is now 2-0 as a welterweight since debuting at Bellator 134 against Curtis Millender, is now 11-3.
The rising star Michael Page kicked off the main event in typical “MVP” fashion, knocking out Rudy Bears in the first round. After a series of undulating moves and with his hands dangling down at his thighs, Page ended the fight with a strong right hand at the 1:05 mark of the round.
“The one and only MVP is back,” Page said in his post-fight interview. “I think everyone knows exactly what kind of statement I made tonight.”
With the victory, Page moves to 8-0, while Bears drops to 16-14.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator’s welterweight title has been on ice for a long time. And now it’s Andrey Koreshkov who is holding it.
The 24-year old Russian challenger was able to control Douglas Lima on Friday night at the Mohegan Sun, using an effective mix of clinch-work, body kicks and takedowns. Lima, who won the vacant 170-title in April 2014 against Rick Hawn, was unable to get much going in the fight, getting frustrated with single-leg takedowns at intervals throughout. Though he tried, even in scrambles and in attempts to sweep Koreshkov, Lima couldn’t swing the momentum in his favor.
In the end, the judges scored the fight 48-47, 50-45, 50-45 for Bellator’s new welterweight champ, Koreshkov (18-1).
The loss was Lima’s first since a spring 2012 defeat at the hands of then-champion Ben Askren. Though he had been off for more than a year, Lima had won five fights in a row heading in.
In the co-main event, Paul Daley got taken down in the first round of his fight with Dennis Olson as his newly signed nemesis Josh Koscheck watched on, but he was landing the bigger shots throughout. Daley was able to score a TKO victory over the outmatched Olson with a barrage in the second round.
The end came at 1:12 of the second round.
“We had our beef,” Daley (37-13-2) said of Koscheck afterwards. “I still hate that hair, and I still hate him.”
Meanwhile, Connecticut’s own Brennan Ward scored a violent knockout of Roger Carroll earlier in the card. Ward scored a couple of easy takedowns before lowering the boom on Carroll with a big right hand at 2:06 of the first round.
Ward, who is now 2-0 as a welterweight since debuting at Bellator 134 against Curtis Millender, is now 11-3.
The rising star Michael Page kicked off the main event in typical “MVP” fashion, knocking out Rudy Bears in the first round. After a series of undulating moves and with his hands dangling down at his thighs, Page ended the fight with a strong right hand at the 1:05 mark of the round.
“The one and only MVP is back,” Page said in his post-fight interview. “I think everyone knows exactly what kind of statement I made tonight.”
With the victory, Page moves to 8-0, while Bears drops to 16-14.