Bellator 257: “Nemkov vs. Davis 2” is set to air TONIGHT (Fri., Apr. 16, 2021) from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., broadcasting via Showtime. Current Light Heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (13-2) will rematch Phil Davis (22-5 1 NC) in an opening round bout of the promotion’s Light Heavyweight Grand Prix. In the co-headlining act, Corey Anderson will face off against Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in another quarterfinal tournament match up.
Bellator 257’s main card will air on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET. MMAmania.com will deliver results for the full card and comprehensive play-by-play for the televised portion of Bellator 257 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 257) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
BELLATOR 257 QUICK RESULTS:
Vadim Nemkov def. Phil Davis via unanimous decision
Corey Anderson def. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov via third round TKO
Veta Arteaga def. Desiree Yanez via majority decision
Paul Daley def. Sabah Homasi via second round technical knockout (HIGHLIGHTS!)
Julia Budd def. Dayana Silva via split decision
Julius Anglickas def. Gregory Milliard via unanimous decision
Steve Mowry def. Shaun Asher via first round technical knockout
Grachik Bozinyan def. Demarques Jackson via unanimous decision
Raymond Daniels def. Peter Stanonik via unanimous decision
Lance Gibson Jr. def. Marcus Surin via unanimous decision
Karl Albrektsson def. Viktor Nemkov via unanimous decision
Mads Burnell def. Saul Rogers via second round submission (rear-naked coke)
Jay Jay Wilson def. Pedro Carvalho via second round TKO
Vadim Nemkov vs. Phil Davis
Round one: High kick from Nemkov. Calk kick from Nemkov and another to the lead leg. Jab from Nemkov lands flush. Davis a bit tentative to start. Jab and then a right hand from Nemkov. Another calf kick from Nemkov and he catches Davis with a right hand. Davis returns fire. Triple jab from Nemkov and then misses and overhand right. Davis counters with a jab of his won but yet to land anything big. Kick to the midsection from Davis and Nemkov counters with a shot to the body. Nice calf kick from Davis and Vadim fired back with a kick to the body. Nemkov connects with a right hand. Nemkov slips and falls to end the round 10-9 Nemkov
Round two: Davis lands a huge right hand but Nemkov eats it well. Counter overhand right from Nemkov. Low kick from Nemkov. Right hand from Davis lands. Both men are using a lot of feints. Nemkov is bleeding from his left eye. Stiff jab from Nemkov inside leg kick from Davis. Nemkov drops Davis with a nice combination and he pounces on his wounded foe. Davis recovers, gets back up and shoots in for the takedown. Davis pushing Nemkov up against the cage and now Nemkov attempts a guillotine. Another right hand from Nemkov. High kick from Davis lands. Nemkov whiffs on a huge right hand and Davis shoots in for the takedown. Nemkov attempts a knee up the middle and then shoots in for the takedown. 10-9 Nemkov
Round three: Nemkov once again working the jab, lands a left hand. Davis up the middle with a jab and Nemkov with a high kick, follows it up with a one-two. Davis with a push kick. Double jab again from Nemkov and a calk kick lands for Davis. Nemkov tags Davis with a clean right hand, follows it up with a huge overhand right but he overextends. Double jab, then a right from Nemkov. Davis needs to start throwing a bit more. Nemkov with another one-two, Davis eats a calf kick, Kick to the body from Nemkov and Davis lands a nice right hand. Another great jab from Nemkov. Overhand right from Nemkov. Davis lands a nice counter right hand. Shot to the body from Nemkov and then Davis lands a knee to the body. Overhand right again from Nemkov and quickly shoots in and lands a takedown to close out the round. 10-9 Nemkov.
Round four: Nice kick to the body from Davis. A three-punch combo for Nemkov makes Davis back up. Nice right hand from Davis sneaks in over the top. He is starting to pick up the pace a bit. Stiff jab from Davis. Nemkov keeping the center of the cage. Low inside kick from Nemkov and then lands a right hand. Davis tries to fire off some offense but all he gets is air. Kick to the body from Nemkov. Overhand right from Davis, then a kick to the body. Nemkov changes levels and tries to get the takedown but Davis evades. Calk kick from Nemkov. Nemkov shoots in for another takedown but Davis defends well and he pushes him up against the cage. Davis lands a clean left hand that stuns Nemkov. He shakes it off and fires off the jab again. Right hand lands for Davis. 10-9 Davis
Round five: Spinning kick from Nemkov. Davis can’t waste any time here and needs the finish. Davis with a clean right and then Nemkov lands a shot to the body and then a low kick. Spinning kick to the body misses for Nemkov. Nemkov pushes Davis back with a jab. Davis lands another low kick and Nemkov rushes in with another jab. Nemkov lands the right hand and misses on a left hook. There’s a pause in the action after a low blow from Davis. And we’re back. Kick to the body from Davis and Nemkov once again throws a spinning kick. Nemkov’s eye is really start to spill some blood. Davis is going in with a bit more aggression. Nemkov shoots in for the takedown and he takes Davis’ back but “Mr. Wonderful” gets back to his feet. Davis with the body lock and goes for the takedown, but the Sambo specialist — Nemkov — isn’t having it. Nemkov closes out the round with a right hand before Nemkov throws yet another spinning kick. 10-9 Nemkov
Final result: Vadim Nemkov defeats Phil Davis via unanimous decision
Corey Anderson vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov
Round one: Touch of gloves and the white Grand Prix gloves are back! Double jab from Anderson and Yagshimuradov lands a nice uppercut. Double jab again from Anderson and lands a right hand. Calf kick from Anderson. Yagshimuradov with a nice right hand and Anderson gets the clinch and pushes his foe up against the fence. Anderson with some knees to the thighs. Anderson winds up on a huge right hand that whiffs. Yagshimuradov misses on a left hand and Anderson counters with a nice jab. Nice calf kick from Anderson. Kick to the midsection for Anderson and they start exchanging blows to close out the round. 10-9 Anderson .
Round two: Nice calk kick from Anderson and Yagshimuradov lands a left hand. Anderson shoots in for the takedown up against the fence but his foe defends very well. Anderson still not letting go of the clinch, still trying for a takedown. They separate and are back in the center of the cage. Left hook from Anderson, Yagshimuradov fires back with a one-two. Right hand from Anderson. Kick to the midsection lands for Anderson. Huge right hand from Yagshimuradov and Anderson goes in for the takedown. He defends well. Anderson looking for the single leg and he takes him down. In half guard, now in full mount. Anderson trying to unleash some ground and pound but his foe is defending well, Anderson now dropping HUGE elbows and Yagshimuradov is in trouble. He’s hanging on, hoping to make it to the end of the round and he does before eating another huge elbow. 10-9 Anderson
Round three: Nice jab from Anderson who then fakes the takedown. He then shoots but Yagshimuradov evades. Anderson circles and shoots again, gets the takedown. Pushes Yagshimuradov up against the cage, traps the arm and starts unleashing some strikes. Yagshimuradov working hard to get up but Anderson has great control. Anderson is in mount again and starts unloading some ground-and-pound. One elbow after another and he is going wild with his attack. Mike Beltran has no choice but to step in and put an end to the fight.
Final result: Anderson defeats Yagshimuradov via third round technical knockout
Paul Daley vs. Sabah Homasi
Round one: Homasi starts off with two high kicks and then a low. Homasi tags Daley with a right hand and drops him. Daley is hurt. Homasi picks up the pace and unloads strike after strike and drops Daley again. Homasi dives in pounds on Daley, who is still fighting to hold on. Homasi is relentless, dropping hammer fists and elbows. It looks like Daley has recovered. Homasi still has top control and is now taking a breather after expanding lots of energy looking for the finish. Daley looking for wrist control as Homasi drags him across the cage. They are back on the feet and Daley lands a left hand and whiffs on a high kick And overzealous Homasi stumbles and falls trying to bull rush “Semtex.” 1-2 misses for Daley. Homasi lands a good left hook. Daley lands a right hand and pushes Homasi up against the cage. Daley looking for a takedown and lands three good knees and lands with a vicious left hook. Homasi eats it and firs back his own offense and gets a takedown to close the round. What pace! 10-9 Homasi
Round two: Lead right from Homasi lands. Both men circling and Daley tags Homasi and drops him with a huge right hand. Daley going for the finish dropping one hammer fist after another but Homasi survives. Homasi looks exhausted but Daley is firing off the offense. Daley circling and tags Homasi with a left hook. Daley dives in and drops some nasty ground-and-pound to put an end to the fight. Wow! What a fight and great comeback from “Semtex.”
Final result: Paul Daley defeats Sabah Homasi via second round technical knockout
Veta Arteaga vs. Desiree Yanez
Round one: Both ladies come out swinging from the jump. Arteaga tags Yanez with a left hook but she shakes it off. Low cook from Arteaga. Yanez fires off a hook and eats a right hand for her efforts. One-two from Arteaga. Yanez looks calm in there for being her promotional debut. Arteaga goes to the body and then to the head. Yanez with a nice, clean jab. Calf kick from Arteaga. Right hand from Yanez and they clinch and exchange shots. These ladies are getting after it. One-two lands for Yanez, calf kick as a follow up. Nice jab again from Yanez. Kick to the body from Arteaga. Nice shot to the body from Arteaga. Overhand right from Arteaga. Yanez goes in for the takedown and momentarily takes her back. Super close round. 10-9 Yanez.
Round two: They get after it right away again and Arteaga drops Yanez with a right hand. She moves in and gets in half guard. After a small scramble Yanez gets to her feet but Arteaga pushes her up against the fence. Arteaga takes Yanez down and takes her back. She is looking for a rear-naked choke but Yanez fights it off well. Arteaga still keeping good position in search of a submission. One hook in for Arteaga and she goes for the rear-naked choke again. She softens her up with some shots to the head and is now in half guard. Arteaga now looking for a north-south choke and she tags Yanez with an illegal strike, knee to a downed opponent. There is a pause in action. The referee takes one point from Arteaga. Action resumes. Nice stiff right hand down the pipe for Arteaga. Yanez shoots in for a takedown and pushes Arteaga up against the cage. Arteaga breaks free. Right hand for Arteaga, it’s there anytime she wants it. Arteaga dives in and tags Yanez with several shots. Yanez takes them well and throws a couple of knees in the clinch as time comes to an end. Arteaga wins the round but will lose a point due to the illegal strike. 9-9
Round three: Arteaga comes in hot and lands a couple of right hands. Yanez quickly shoots in and scores an important takedown. Yanez in half guard but Arteaga is staying busy, striking from the bottom and she pushes Yanez off her. Arteaga picks up the intensity a bit more and lands some clean shots. Arteaga pushes Yanez up against the cage and Yanez reverses. They separate and Arteaga is once again the aggressor. They meet in the center of the cage and exchange hard punches. Arteaga once again connects with a huge right hand. And another. Yanez gets the clinch and pushes Arteaga up against the cage. She is looking for the takedown but Arteaga defends well. Arteaga reverses position and she tries to get the takedown. Jab to the body for Arteaga. They are still going with a great pace after 15 minutes of action. Great fight that could end in a draw. 10-9 Arteaga
Final result: Vita Arteaga defeats Desiree Yanez via majority decision
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