Bellator MMA
Bellator 242: “Bandejas vs. Pettis” is set to air tonight (Fri., July 24, 2020) from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. In only his second fight since joining the promotion, Bantamweight brawler Sergio Pettis (19-5) will look for his third straight win in the featured fight against Ricky Bandejas (13-3), who is also looking to make it three in a row.
Bellator 242’s main card will start at 10 p.m. ET on Paramount and DAZN (watch it here) with “Prelims” undercard bouts via YouTube at 8:45 p.m. ET. MMAmania.com will deliver results for the full card and comprehensive play-by-play for the televised portion of Bellator 242’s card below.
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 242) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
BELLATOR 242 QUICK RESULTS:
Ricky Bandejas vs. Sergio Pettis — Pettis UD 30-27 X3.
Jason Jackson vs. Jordan Mein — Jackson UD 30-27 X3.
Tywan Claxton vs. Jay Jay Wilson — Wilson SD 27-30, 29-28, 30-27.
Aaron Pico vs. Chris Hatley, Jr. — Pico sub (RNC) 2:10 R1.
Jake Smith vs. Mark Lemminger — Lemminger TKO 4:46 R2.
Raufeon Stots vs. Cass Bell — Stots sub (RNC) 1:24 R3.
Rudy Schaffroth vs. Ras Hylton — Hylton UD 29-28 X3.
BELLATOR 242 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Ricky Bandejas vs. Sergio Pettis
Black trunks and blue gloves for Pettis. Red trunks and gloves for Bandejas. 70” reach for Bandejas, 69” for Pettis. Bandejas stands 5’17” and Pettis 5’6”. The referee is Bryan Miner.
Round 1: Both men tap gloves during final instructions and to open the bout. Pettis moves forward with his hands held high. Bandejas answers with a kick. Pettis continues to push Bandejas backward to the outer circle. Pettis plants a right on his chin. Body kick from Bandejas. Hard kicks both ways. Leg kicks from Pettis. Jumping body kick for Pettis lands. Calf kick from Bandejas. 2:30 gone. Push kick for Pettis. Front kick for Bandejas. Bandejas spins his way into range with a back kick. Leg kick from Pettis. Spinning head kick for Pettis. Bandejas shoots and puts Pettis on the cage. He gets the takedown at 4:12 and he’s right into side control. Bandejas backs up with 15 seconds left looking to land over the top but lets Pettis back up as a result. 10-9 Pettis.
Round 2: Pettis continues to push Bandejas around with right hands and right leg kicks. Bandejas tries to fire back with counter rights. Bandejas seems to be having trouble with his lead left leg — his ankle seems to be wobbling around on him. He tries to shoot and Pettis reverses it and winds up on top in full guard. Bandejas scrambles with 90 seconds left. Bandejas keeps reaching down and trying to feel it out even as the fight is in progress. Hard counter right snaps Bandejas’ head back late in R2. 10-9 Pettis.
Round 3: “Ricky needs to step up and be busier.” – John McCarthy. “Stepping” is entirely the problem right now for Bandejas. Pettis is relentlessly with the leg kicks and making it harder for Bandejas to dance on his feet is making it easier to land the heavy hands. I would hate to see photos of Ricky’s leg on Instagram after this fight ends. 2:30 gone. “At what moment does Ricky throw caution to the wind?” – Josh Thomson. With only 90 seconds left it’s already too late for that. Spinning heel kick by Bandejas with a half minute remaining. Pettis outworked him this entire round and finishes with a spin kick and high kick of his own. 10-9 Pettis for what should be a unanimous decision.
Final result: Anthony Pettis wins 30-27 X3 in the Bellator 242 main event.
Jason Jackson vs. Jordan Mein
Mein makes his Bellator MMA debut after two years (and two surgeries) wearing the black trunks and blue gloves, sporting a professional record of 31-12. Jackson brings a record of 11-4 along with red trunks and gloves. Jackson stands 6’1” with a 77.5” reach, Mein 6’0” with a 74.5” reach. Our referee in charge of this contest is Kevin MacDonald.
Round 1: No glove tap. Mein is coming right at Jackson. Jackson throws leg kicks and avoids the heavy hands. Mein responds with a kick to the left leg. Jackson jabs with the left and Mein lands the kick again. Jackson puts a stinging left hook on Mein’s chin. Body kick by Jackson. Spin kick misses for Mein. Jackson checks a head kick. Left jab by Jackson. Mein lands a couple of lefts. Jackson with a right leg kick. Half of R1 is gone. Mein teases a single leg but Jackson eludes it. Mein ducks under Jackson’s head kick attempt. Right hook by Mein. Push kick from Mein. Leg kick for Jackson. Jackson hits air with a right but his next overhand right forces Mein backward into the fence. Jackson tries to clean his clock with a right elbow but misses. Leg kick for Jackson. 10-9 Jackson.
Round 2: Jackson crushes Mein’s left leg with a hard kick and he’s having trouble with his stance. He tries to follow up with a flying knee but misses the mark. Another leg kick connects. Right hook to the chin. Mein goes hard for a takedown but Jackson uses strength and balance to fight it off. Jackson paws at the range with the left hand and Mein stumbles on his left leg. Jackson lets him back up and comes at him hard with the right leg. 1-2 combo by Mein. Knee to the body and several combos from Jackson. Under two minutes left in round two. Leg kick and right hook by Mein. Mein goes for a takedown again at 4:08 but Jackson easily stuffs it. Mein pushes him into the fence and turns him around for a takedown of his own to half guard on top. 10-9 Jackson.
Round 3: Jackson continues to attack the left leg with kicks. Jackson avoids a lead elbow from Mein. Clubbing right from Mein. Another leg kick for Ass-Kicking Jackson. Jackson effortlessly stuffs a takedown and slips away from a single leg follow-up. Leg kick at 1:55. Jackson drops him with a counter right at 2:06. He steps back to let Mein stand up. Mein is just walking forward with his hand down now, wing and a prayer, hoping he can connect with something good. Mein tries to grab the back and throw Jackson, but it doesn’t work, and the second attempt at a takedown puts Jackson on top in full guard. Jackson can just ride this out with a minute left. 10-9 Jackson.
Final result: Jason Jackson scores a unanimous decision win of 30-27 X3.
Tywan Claxton vs. Jay Jay Wilson
Claxton comes in 6-1 after picking up his last win in Hawaii late in 2019. A month later in January 2020, Wilson picked up his fifth win (and fifth finish) of his unblemished career via submission. Wilson has the yellow trunks and blue gloves. “Air” Claxton has the silver trunks and red gloves. Claxton is 5’8” with 74.5” reach. Wilson is 5’11” with 74” reach and came in heavy for this fight at 147.9 pounds. Our referee in charge is Todd Anderson.
Round 1: No glove tap. Wilson comes forward aggressively throwing strikes and Claxton ties him up. Wilson looks to push him into the cage but Claxton turns him around and drives his head into Wilson’s shoulder. Wilson pushes away at 55 seconds and Claxton puts him right back on the fence. They trade knees then at 1:44 they trade hands. Claxton closes the distance again and puts a sneaky left hand on Wilson’s chin. Claxton drops levels but Wilson fends it off, taking a knee to the body for his efforts. 2:30 gone. Another knee from Claxton. Anderson calls time to put Wilson’s mouthpiece back in after Claxton knocked it loose. At the restart Wilson shoots for a takedown and gets it at 3:20. Wilson passes to full mount at 3:54 and transitions to the back. Wilson goes for a guillotine but Claxton pops out late and lands some damage. 10-9 Claxton.
Round 2: Wilson gets hit with a clean hard left at 48 seconds but stays standing. Claxton continues to close the distance looking for the left. Wilson tries to drop levels and eats a hard knee. Wilson misses with a front kick and a flying knee. Two minutes gone. Wilson lands a leg kick. Claxton puts him on the fence and momentarily drops levels. He’s sneaking that left hand up to find the chin again. Knees to the body. Uppercut, left hook. Claxton is smothering him at short range. Wilson tries to jump guard and fails. He tries again at 3:53 and fails. Shoulder strikes from Claxton. Elbow and right hand and Claxton drops levels with 15 seconds to go, getting the takedown and finishing on top. 10-9 Claxton.
Round 3: Claxton with a left hand at 10 seconds. Wilson tries and fails to keep him at range with kicks as another lands home. He charges forward winging a right but doesn’t hit the mark. Claxton closes the distance at 1:03 and that’s bad news for Wilson. Periodically Claxton steps back to land hard strikes and then gets right back on Wilson. Claxton uses his head like a third arm to push Wilson where he wants him to be. Step back, left hook, step back, big right hand. Two minutes left. Claxton drops levels and Wilson widens his stance. Big exchange in Claxton’s favor at 3:50 before he goes for a takedown. Wilson tries to turn this into a triangle but he’s unable to cinch it up. Time runs out on the attempt but that may be enough to earn a 10-9 for Wilson.
Final result: Jay-Jay Wilson wins 27-30, 29-28, 30-27 by split decision.
Aaron Pico vs. Chris Hatley Jr.
Pico comes into this fight 5-3 with a knockout win in his last fight back in January. Hatley comes in 8-2 and he too got a win in his last fight with a split decision over Gaston Bolanos. Hatley sports the pink trunks and blue gloves tonight. Pico sports the black trunks and red gloves. Pico is 5’8” with a 70.5” reach. Hatley is 5’6” with a 68” reach. Our referee in charge of this contest is Kevin MacDonald.
Round 1: A quick glove tap gets us underway. Pico presses forward as Hatley bobs up and down. Pico shoots in and takes him down 28 seconds into the round. Pico unloads a couple of hard lefts, adjusts his posture, throws a couple of elbows, and Hatley gets his knees up looking to push Pico away. Pico comes over the top with more elbows. Hatley finally gets him to full guard at 1:44 but Pico fires away and Hatley gives up his back. Pico sinks in the rear naked choke and it’s OVER.
Final result: Aaron Pico wins via submission (rear naked choke) at 2:10 of round one.