Bellator 239 | Bellator MMA
Bellator 239: “Ruth vs. Amosov” airs TONIGHT (Fri., Feb. 21, 2020) from WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla., airing on Paramount Network and streaming live on DAZN. A pair of Welterweight contenders in search of title opportunities meet in the main event as “EZ” Ed Ruth (8-1) faces the undefeated Yaroslav Amosov (22-0).
Bellator 239’s main card will start at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount Network (and DAZN) with “Prelims” undercard bouts at 7 p.m. ET. MMAmania.com will deliver quick results for the full card and comprehensive play-by-play for the televised portion of Bellator 239’s 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 239) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
BELLATOR 239 QUICK RESULTS:
Ed Ruth vs. Yaroslav Amosov — Amosov UD 29-28 X3.
Brandon Girtz vs. Myles Jury — Jury UD 29-28 X3.
Tyrell Fortune vs. Timothy Johnson — Johnson KO 2:35 R1.
Javy Ayala vs. Valentin Moldavsky — Moldavsky UD 30-25, 30-24 X2.
Christian Edwards vs. Marco Hutch — Edwards UD 30-26 X2, 30-27.
Shawn Bunch vs. Keith Lee — Lee UD 30-26, 29-28, 29-27.
Gabriel Varga vs. TeeJay Britton — Britton SD 29-28 X2, 28-29.
Denise Kielholtz vs. Kristina Williams — Kielholtz sub (RNC) 2:15 R1.
Gaston Bolanos vs. Solo Hatley Jr. — Hatley SD 29-28 X2, 28-29.
Josh Hill vs. Vinicius Zani — Hill UD 30-27, 29-28 X2.
Grant Neal vs. Claude Wilcox — Neal TKO 3:37 R3.
Kyle Crutchmer vs. Scott Futrell — unaired before Paramount Network.
Cris Lencioni vs. Salim Mukhidinov — unaired before Paramount Network.
Adil Benjilany vs. Kevin Croom — unaired before Paramount Network.
Lucas Brennan vs. Jamese Taylor — unaired before Paramount Network.
Chris Gonzalez vs. Aaron McKenzie — unaired before Paramount Network.
J.W. Kiser vs. Davion Franklin — unaired before Paramount Network.
BELLATOR 239 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Ed Ruth vs. Yaroslav Amosov
Ed Ruth is 8-1 for tonight’s main event while Yaroslav Amosov is a perfect 22-0. Amosov has the green trunks and blue gloves tonight. Ruth has the white trunks and red gloves. Amosov fights out of Kiev, Ukraine. Ruth fights out of San Jose, California. The ref is Jason Herzog.
Round 1: Both men touch gloves at the bell. Amosov grabs a single leg but lets it go. Ruth returns the favor and he too lets it go. Ruth drops levels on a single and Amosov fends it off then hits a throw and lands on top. He goes for the back but Ruth gets up and gets away. Ruth goes for a single and has Amosov off his feet but only for a split second. Ruth throws the left jab. Amosov with a straight right. Ruth teases a knee. Leg kicks from Ruth. Amosov circles and then comes forward with lefts. Leg kick for Amosov. Ruth goes for the takedown at 3:08 and again Amosov is up immediately. They tie up on the fence and not much happens. Amosov lands some strikes with 20 seconds left. 10-9 Amosov in a close round.
Round 2: Both men test each other’s chins in the first 30 seconds and Amosov seems to get the better of the exchanges. Both men step to the center with bad intentions. Ruth misses with a couple of lefts and the fighters tie up to trade knees. Amosov escapes a takedown attempt at 1:50. Front kick and left hand by Amosov. Amosov shoots and briefly has a takedown but Ruth transitions through it and takes the back. Amosov gets into a three point stance as Ruth rides on him from behind and spins out at 3:47. Amosov fires strikes and drops for a double. Ruth tries to counter that into a back take. It’s in a 50/50 position with 30 seconds left as both men are trying to put their opponent on the ground and neither dominates it. 10-9 Amosov on the striking.
Round 3: Ruth fires kicks and Amosov fires hands. Ruth closes the distance and Amosov wings out a right. Both men seem a little tired from the pace they’ve set in the last ten minutes. Amosov charges forward but Ruth nails him with a really hard right hand. Ruth presses forward and lands another but Amosov gets a takedown and goes for the back, dragging Ruth down again. Ruth counters and spins to take Amosov’s back. Amosov gets the back door escape and the two lean into each other to throw knees, breaking at 2:46 with Amosov landing a clean right. Ruth bounces and circles. Amosov lands a left and a right seconds apart. Amosov knocks Ruth off his feet with a kick. Amosov is providing the forward pressure and Ruth is responding instead of instigating. Left hand by Ruth. Right hand by Amosov. Push kick by Amosov. 30 seconds. Counter right by Amosov. Body kick. They size each other up for the final ten seconds and both flop to the ground after the bell in exhaustion. 10-9 Amosov.
Final result: Yaroslav Amosov wins by 29-28 X3 unanimous decision.
Brandon Girtz vs. Myles Jury
Bellator veteran Girtz comes in 16-8 in the black trunks with red gloves. He fights out of Denver, Colorado. His opponent Jury is 17-5 and sports the black/white trunks with blue gloves. He fights out of San Diego, California. Our referee in charge is Kerry Hatley.
Round 1: Glove tap to start. Both men dance in and out of the center before Girtz comes forward with an overhand right. Hatley believes there’s a low blow at 32 seconds but both fighters are ready to continue. Girtz charges forward throwing wild hard shots and eating a knee that leaves him unconcerned. Another strike seems to err low for Girtz but Jury waves it off. Girtz continues to throw heavy and Jury answers with his left and a counter right. Another big knee for Jury at 2:19. Jury lands it again but Girtz responds with a string of uppercuts that pushes Jury backward to the fence. Jury lands a knee on the break at 3:18. Jury with the knee, Girtz with the overhand right. 10-9 Jury.
Round 2: Girtz puts Jury on the fence in search of a takedown 20 seconds in. He gets it 20 seconds later. Jury ties him up on top in full guard, keeping everything chest to chest and chin to chin to avoid damage. Jury tried to sneak in an armbar but Girtz saw it coming and slipped the attempt. Hatley warns Girtz about fingers to the eye. Jury opens up his guard a little to search for something more but an impatient Hatley stands them up at 3:20. Girtz takes a finger to the eye from the outstretched left hand of Jury almost immediately and Hatley calls time. The doctor wipes his eye and Girtz says he can see so the action resumes. Jury catches a body kick and takes the back standing with one hook in. Second hook in with short time left and he rides like a backpack to the bell. 10-9 Girtz.
Round 3: Jury is controlling the center this round until Girtz presses forward at 1:15 to back Jury up to the cage. Girtz fishes for a single leg but lets go of the takedown at 2:10. Girtz eats two knees as he pushes Jury into the chain link again. Nothing happens there and they reset to the center. Jury lands the knee and Girtz misses wildly with an uppercut. Jury teases a takedown and Girtz is forced to back up. Left hand from Girtz. Jumping knee from Jury to set up a takedown, which he gets at 4:04. Girtz gets up at 4:23. Jury laces the right leg from behind as Girtz throws hammerfists at the knee. Jury takes the back with short time left and has it at the bell. 10-9 Jury.
Final result: The judges score it unanimously 29-28 X3 for Myles Jury.
Tyrell Fortune vs. Timothy Johnson
Johnson comes in 12-6 in search of his first Bellator win. Fortune is an unblemished 8-0. Johnson sports the blue gloves and black trunks. Fortune sports a tribute Kobe Bryant jersey on his way to the cage and takes it off to reveal purple trunks and red gloves. Johnson fights out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Fortune fights out of Tempe, Arizona. The ref is Mike Bell.
Round 1: A respectful tap gets things started. Johnson takes the center and fires off the jab as Fortune circles. Johnson comes forward with a combo and Fortune backs up. Johnson tries again and a third time. A fourth furious flurry finds nothing. Fortune finally tags Johnson with a straight right. Johnson and Fortune clinch up and Fortune lands a couple of knees. Johnson may have caught a glancing groin shot but he waves it off when Bell asks. Johnson drops Fortune with a huge right on the chin and THIS ONE IS OVER.
Final result: Timothy Johnson wins via first round knockout at 2:35.
Javy Ayala vs. Valentin Moldavsky
Ayala comes in 11-7 while Moldavsky is 8-1 and undefeated in Bellator thus far. Moldavsky fights out of Stary Oskol, Russia in the blue gloves. Ayala fights out of Porterville, California in the red gloves. The referee in charge is Black Grice.
Round 1: A tap of gloves gets us underway. Moldavsky circles on the outside, clinches and pushes Ayala into the fence for a takedown to side control at 24 seconds. Moldavsky briefly considers going North-South then changes his mind and turns back to move into half guard. Ayala sits up against the fence and gets to his feet at 1:18. Moldavsky drops levels and takes him down at 1:31. Moldavsky jumps to the other side putting on the squeeze with the arm triangle but Moldavsky lets it go and they stand up at 2:07. Moldavsky takes the back, Ayala briefly gets up, and Moldavsky brings him down and looks to get the hooks in. He lands the right hands from behind, Ayala gets up, and Moldavsky takes him for a ride. Moldavsky draws a warning for shots to the back of the head. Every time Ayala gets up he goes back down, being tripped there again at 4:10 putting Moldavsky in side control. Easily a 10-9 first frame for Moldavsky.
Round 2: 32 seconds into R2 Ayala is taken down, gets up, and is quickly taken back down putting Moldavsky back in side control. Ayala absorbs damage and gets to one knee at 1:55. He’s back up five seconds later but back down in five more. He gets up and is tripped down at 2:44. Shots to the body by Moldavsky on top. Ayala back up briefly with a warning to not grab the cage and he goes right back to the mat again with a minute left. The fans in Thackerville are entertaining themselves by turning the building into Ric Flair country. Another solid 10-9 for Moldavsky.
Round 3: Ayala lands a knee as Moldavsky clinches with him but that doesn’t stop Moldavsky drop dropping levels to complete the takedown at 0:52. He sits on top in half guard making Ayala miserable. He postures up to land a few shots, Ayala tries to give up his back to get to his feet, and Moldavsky brings him down and laces the legs. Ayala gets up again at 2:59. Takedown at 3:12. Half guard. Body shots. Ayala ties up the arms trying to not take more damage but that won’t help him win. Moldavsky lets Ayala up with 20 seconds left and they grind to the bell on the fence. Ayala has a cut opened up late but it’s entirely academic as this is another 10-9 either way.
Final result: Valentin Moldavsky by unanimous decision 30-25, 30-24 X2.
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