Bellator 300 will go down later TONIGHT (Sat., Oct. 7, 2023) inside Pechanga Arena in San Diego, Calif., airing exclusively on Showtime. Headlining the three-championship fight card will be Usman Nurmagomedov putting his Lightweight belt on the line in a five-round Grand Prix fight against Brent Primus. In the co-main event, Cris Cyborg makes her long-awaited return to face Cat Zingano in a women’s Featherweight title fight, while women’s Flyweight champion, Liz Carmouche, faces Ilima-Lei Macfarlane in a title fight in which only she can walk away as champion (see why here).
Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, which will begin at 7 p.m. ET with YouTube “Prelims” (watch them here) and then transition to Showtime at 10 p.m. ET for main card action. Feel free to leave a comment (or 300) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!
BELLATOR 300 QUICK RESULTS:
155 lbs.: Champion Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Brent Primus – Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision (HIGHLIGHTS)
145 lbs.: Champion Cris Cyborg vs. Cat Zingano – Cyborg via first-round knockout (HIGHLIGHTS)
125 lbs.: Champion Liz Carmouche vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane – Carmouche via fifth-round technical knockout (HIGHLIGHTS)
135 lbs: Bobby Seronio III vs. Alberto Garcia – Seronio III via unanimous decision
160 lbs.: Dmytrii HryTsenko vs. Justin Montalvo
135 lbs.: Bryce Meredith vs. Miguel Peimbert
145 lbs.: Lorrany Santos vs. Jacki Cataline
145 lbs.: Sara McMann vs. Leah McCourt – McCourt via first-round technical knockout (TKO)
155 lbs.: Sergio Cossio Dominguez vs. Jesse Roberts – Cossio via third-round submission (arm triangle)
145 lbs.: Henry Corrales vs. Kai Kamaka III – Kai Kamaka III via split-decision
265 lbs.: Davion Franklin vs. Slim Trabelsi – Trabelsi via first-round technical submission
205 lbs.: Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov vs. Maciej Rozanksi – Yagshimuradov via unanimous decision
185 lbs.: Romero Cotton vs. Grant Neal – Neal via unanimous decision
125 lbs.: Ilara Joanne vs. Jena Bishop – Bishop via first-round submission (armbar)
265 lbs.: Josh Hokit vs. Spencer Smith – Hokit via third-round submission
170 lbs.: Mukhamed Berkhamov vs. Herman Terrado – Berkhamov via unanimous decision
BELLATOR 300 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Champion Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Brent Primus
Round 1: Push kick to start from the champion. Two low kicks land for Nurmagomedov, who has a huge reach advantage. Calf kick from the defending champion. Primus trying to close the distance. Push kick from Nurmagomedov, who sneaks in and lands a right hand. They clinch and Nurmagomedov utilizes his knees. Spinning back kick from the champion, fancy. Primus now attempts a spinning back fist, catches nothing but air. They clinch briefly and Nurmagomedov starts to let his hands fly off the break. Question mark kick lands for the champion. Primus gets taken down and the champion is now in half guard. Shots to the rib cage from the champion and easily takes the first round. 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 2: They clinch in the center of the cage. Kick to the midsection from the challenger. Low kick lands for the champion. Wheel-kick barely lands for the champion. Primus having a hard time trying to close the distance. Action has slowed a bit in the second round. Simple jabs landing for the champion at will. Primus with a jab to the body. Nurmagomedov pushes Primus to the cage and connects on a two-punch combo. Massive calf kick lands for the champion. Flying knee attempt from the champion, pretty weak. Nurmagomedov shoots for the takedown but it’s defended well by Primus. The challenger tries to bull rush his way to the champion but is stopped in his tracks by a jab. 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 3: Primus lands an overhand right, his best shot of the night. Nurmagomedov continues to stalk and misses everything on a left hook. Solid right hand cracks Primus’ chin. Kick to the body connects for Primus, who is taking more chances in the third round. Nurmagomedov picking his shots carefully. Jab to the body, then another spinning kick misses. Low kick working well for the champion. Primus is starting to press the action a bit more. Nurmagomedov with a push kick sends the challenger flying back. Weak takedown try from the champion, but lands a solid left hand. They clinch and Nurmagomedov throws the challenger against the cage at will. They separate. 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 4: Kick to the body to start things off for Primus. Question mark kick from Nurmagomedov lands. Primus using his jab to close the distance Nice kick to the body from the challenger, follows it up with a left hand. Primus shoots for the takedown but it is stuffed. Nurmagomedov attempts a trip but Primus defends it well. Nurmagomedov clinches and scored the takedown this time around. Shots to the body land for the champion, trying to soften up the challenger. Full guard now for the champion. Nurmagomedov isn’t in much of a rush to get back to his feet. He is controlling the fight perfectly in a dominant position. 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 5: Thumping low kick lands for Nurmagomedov, who is one round away from the finale. Primus is bleeding now and Nurmagomedov smells the blood and starts to ramp up the output. Nice right hand connects right on the temple of Primus. They clinch and Nurmagomedov gets control up against the fence. He unleashes a nice three-punch combo off the break as Primus makes his way to the center of the cage. Low kick from the champion, then a high kick. Nurmagomedov gets the takedown and is in guard. He slowly drags the challenger closer to the cage and Primus is fighting hard to break free. Nurmagomedov peppering the rib cage with one shot after another. Primus will feel those tomorrow. Primus trying to explode to get free, but Nurmagomedov’s base is too strong. two minutes left and Nurmagomedov looks content with letting the fight end in this position. 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Final result: Nurmagomedov def. Primus via unanimous decision
Champion Cris Cyborg vs. Cat Zingano
Round 1: Counter-right hand lands for Cyborg and Zingano goes for the takedown. She gets it but both get up quickly. Nice kick to the body lands for Cyborg, who clips the challenger with a right hand on the way out. Zingano whiffs on a spinning back kick. Zingano shoots but it’s stuffed again. Cyborg stalking, lands a massive right hand. Zingano shoots and she gets stuffed again and eats a kick to the behind for her troubles. High kick lands for Zingano, does not bother the champion one bit. Zingano grabs a hold of Cyborg and is working hard for the takedown. Nice defense so far from the champion. Low kick lands for Zingano. Cyborg throws a massive right that bother the challenger. Cyborg is looking sharp and Zingano seems to be wavering. Another right hand. Zingano shoots, Cyborg reverses it and she lands on top of the challenger and starts raining down massive ground and pound to earn the stoppage. What a performance from the champion.
Final result: cyborg def. Zingano via first-round knockout
Champion Liz Carmouche vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane
Round 1: Tentative start from both. Low kick from Carmouche, double jabs from Macfarlane. Carmouche lands a nice left while Macfarlane lunges in. Low kick game from Carmouche. Nice jab lands for the champion, then a shot to the body. Nice right hand for the challenger, then a left, both land flush. Left hook to the body from Macfarlane. A lot of feinting from both ladies, and pretty cautious start from both, so there’s not a ton of action to start. 10-9 Carmouche.
Round 2: Macfarlane comes out aggressive and lands two straight jabs, then an overhand right. Sends the champion flying back. Carmouche lands a low kick. No takedown attempts from either one yet. One-two lands for Macfarlane, who has really opened up her striking. Carmouche trying to get her jab going, but nothing much else. Macfarlane clinches, lands a couple of uppercuts on her way out. Nice low kick lands for the champion, and another. Macfarlane returns fire with a low kick of her own. Carmouche lunges in and connects with a one-two combo. Much better overall round for both. 10-9 Macfarlane
Round 3: Macfarlane once again comes out aggressive. Kick to the body lands for Carmouche that drops the challenger, but the champion lets her back up. She wants all the smoke on the feet. One-two lands for Carmouche and the challenger slips again. Both are light on their feet as Macfarlane tries to go in for the takedown, stuffed. Looping overhand right from Macfarlane misses everything. Carmouche lands a nice straight right, catches the challenger trying to bull rush in. Left hand lands for Macfarlane, but the champion eats it right up. Macfarlane is walking with a bit of a limp, it seems. Carmouche has been softening up the lead leg all night. Macfarlane wisely goes in for the takedown but the champion stuffs it as the round ends. 10-9 Carmouche
Round 4: Carmouche once again going to town on that lead leg, and she drops the challenger with a massive one. Once again she lets her back up, would have been wise to pounce but maybe some of that friendship factor showing. Macfarlance is barely standing on that leg. Carmouche still pressing, but the challenger isn’t backing down one bit. Nice jab finds its way through Macfarlane. Macfarlane is still pressing but can’t do much with that bum lead leg. Carmouche has yet to go for a takedown. Action slowed a bit from both, especially Macfarlane. 10-9 Carmouche
?Round 5: Start of round five and Carmouche lands another huge leg kick to the lead leg of her former training partner as she drops to the canvas in pain. The referee has no choice but to step in and put an and to the fight.
Final result: Carmouche def. Macfarlane via fifth-round TKO
IT’S ALL OVER!
After a relentless barrage of kicks throughout the fight, @iamgirlrilla stops @ilimanator to successfully defend her flyweight world title. #Bellator300 | LIVE NOW | @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/naVi7GFqnT
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 8, 2023
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