Bellator 77 Recap: Clementi Ruins Sarnavskiy’s Bellator Debut, Advances to Lightweight Semifinals

Highlights from Clementi vs. Sarnavskiy

With no competition from the UFC last night (well, no real competition, at least), Bellator took to the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania to make a statement with Bellator 77. The main card played host to the quarterfinals of this season’s lightweight tournament.

In the evening’s main event, 20-0 Russian lightweight Alexander Sarnavskiy made his Bellator debut against UFC veteran Rich Clementi. Despite his creative, diverse offense, Sarnavskiy struggled early against Clementi, almost succumbing to a rear-naked choke at the end of the first round. Although he would adjust to end up making the fight very close, in the end Clementi won by split-decision. With the victory, Rich Clementi improves to 45-21-1.

In the co-main event, WEC veteran Dave Jansen finished a very game Magomed Saadulaev with a standing arm-in guillotine forty-one seconds into the third round. After a close first round, Jansen spent the second round breaking down Saadulaev with his ground and pound. Video of the entire fight is available after the jump.


Highlights from Clementi vs. Sarnavskiy

With no competition from the UFC last night (well, no real competition, at least), Bellator took to the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania to make a statement with Bellator 77. The main card played host to the quarterfinals of this season’s lightweight tournament.

In the evening’s main event, 20-0 Russian lightweight Alexander Sarnavskiy made his Bellator debut against UFC veteran Rich Clementi. Despite his creative, diverse offense, Sarnavskiy struggled early against Clementi, almost succumbing to a rear-naked choke at the end of the first round. Although he would adjust to end up making the fight very close, in the end Clementi won by split-decision. With the victory, Rich Clementi improves to 45-21-1.

In the co-main event, WEC veteran Dave Jansen finished a very game Magomed Saadulaev with a standing arm-in guillotine forty-one seconds into the third round. After a close first round, Jansen spent the second round breaking down Saadulaev with his ground and pound. Video of the entire fight is available after the jump.


Dave Jansen vs. Magomed Saadulaev

In other tournament action, Marcin Held took home a unanimous decision victory over Murad Machaev, marking his fourth-straight victory. Also of note, Ricardo Tirloni finished off Rene Nazare with a D’Arce choke in the second round. The entire fight was a back-and-forth slugfest, with each fighter rocking his opponent. With the crowd expecting a huge knockout, Tirloni landed a hard right hand early in the second round leading to the fight-ending D’Arce choke one minute and fourteen seconds into the second round.


Ricardo Tirloni vs. Rene Nazare

Full results:

Main Card:

Rich Clementi def. Alexander Sarnavskiy by Split Decision
Dave Jansen def. Magomeda Saadulaev by Submission (guillotine choke), 0:41 of Round Three
Marcin Held def. Murad Machaev by Unanimous Decision
Ricardo Tirloni def. Rene Nazare by Submission (D’Arce choke), 1:14 of Round Two

Preliminary Card:

Matthew Lozano def. Dave Morgan by Submission (Inverted Triangle Choke), 2:28 of Round Two
Lew Polley def. Carmelo Marrero by Unanimous Decision
Darrell Horcher def. E.J. Brooks by KO, 0:21 of Round One
Cosmo Alexander def. Mike Bannon by TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage), 5:00 of Round Two
Duane Bastress def. Ariel Sepulveda by Split Decision
Brett Martinez def. Eric Albright by Submission (Guillotine Choke), 3:28 of Round Two