Fedor Emelianenko Breaks Down Preparation For Ryan Bader

Fedor Emelianenko breaks down the key aspects he’ll focus on when preparing for Ryan Bader. Last night (Oct. 13), Emelianenko clashed with Chael Sonnen in a semifinal bout in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix. “The Last Emperor&#822…

Fedor Emelianenko breaks down the key aspects he’ll focus on when preparing for Ryan Bader. Last night (Oct. 13), Emelianenko clashed with Chael Sonnen in a semifinal bout in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix. “The Last Emperor” earned a first-round TKO victory to advance to the finals. He will meet Ryan Bader on Jan. […]

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Fedor Emelianenko vs. Ryan Bader Set For Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Final

The finals for this tournament has been booked.

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Fedor Emelianenko vs. Ryan Bader is set to serve as the final bout of the Bellator heavyweight tournament.

Tournament Final

Bellator President Scott Coker has already confirmed that the tournament final will take place at The Forum in Los Angeles, California on January 26, 2019.

The Process

Bellator MMA is finally going to crown its new heavyweight champion, which has been expected for some time. Thus, the Viacom-owned promotion brought back a tournament to find their heavyweight champion.

The company has been without a heavyweight champion since the title was vacated by then-champ Vitaly Minakov after Bellator decided to strip him of it in May of 2016 for failing to defend the title.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Ryan Bader

The main event of Bellator 207 on Friday night (October 12, 2018) at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut saw Ryan Bader score a decision win over Matt Mitrione. This served as a heavyweight grand prix semifinal bout. Before this fight, Bader picked up a first-round knockout victory over Muhammed Lawal in the quarterfinals of this tournament at the Bellator 199 event on the Paramount Network at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.

On the flip side, Fedor beat Chael Sonnen on Saturday night at Bellator 208 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York by first round TKO. Before this, in the main event of the Bellator 198 event at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, on the Paramount Network, the MMA legend finished former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir with strikes in the first round. This bout served as the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal bout. Emelianenko is a historic figure in the history of the MMA game and no doubt an MMA Legend.

Why LA?

“L.A. has a great MMA market, we have a great relationship with the Forum, and when you look at the fighter bases, there’s so many great gyms there,” Coker told the LA Times as to why they picked this location for the final of the tournament. “When I think about MMA in the United States, I think first of L.A., the Bay Area, Las Vegas and New York … L.A. is such a big hub. The guys know that when they fight in L.A., they better bring it.”

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Ryan Bader Downplays Critics Of Bellator 207 Win

Ryan Bader has dismissed those who were critical of his win over Matt Mitrione.

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Ryan Bader downplays the critics who have given some negative feedback regarding his latest fight inside of the Bellator cage.

The Fight

As seen in the main event of Bellator 207 on Friday night (October 12, 2018) at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, Bader scored a decision win over Matt Mitrione. This served as a heavyweight grand prix semifinal bout.

Before this fight, Bader picked up a first-round knockout victory over Muhammed Lawal in the quarterfinals of this tournament at the Bellator 199 event on the Paramount Network at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.

Ryan Bader Downplays

Following the fight, Bader spoke with the media and addressed his haters when it comes to the lackluster action-packed fight that the fans didn’t like.

“I don’t think I’ve got hit this whole tournament,” Bader told MMAjunkie post-fight at Bellator 207. “It’s a way to go in there, go into the finals without getting hit. A guy like Matt Mitrione, I’m not going to stand and trade with him. He’s a big heavyweight; that’s what he’s good at. I used my gameplan, what I’m good at: shut him completely down.”

To Keep In Mind

One thing to keep in mind when watching this fight is the fact of what did they expect was going to happen? This was a typical wrestler vs. striker fight. The former UFC heavyweight star has real KO power while Bader does have some power, his background is wrestling.

Gameplan

The point of an MMA fight is to win and Bader went with the perfect gameplan that got his hand raised.

“I don’t care about those,” Bader said. “That was a dominant performance against the No. 1 heavyweight in Bellator. Going in there, it wasn’t a rock ’em, sock ’em fight. It was a ground mauler. I don’t really take too much to the boos.”

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Bellator 207 Results: Ryan Bader Dominates Matt Mitrione

Join us for live play-by-play coverage.

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Bellator 207 results are in the book from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Friday, October 12, 2018) will come in the form of Bellator 207. Headlining the card are Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the rest of the main card.

Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader met in a heavyweight tournament semifinal bout in the main event. In round 1, Bader got a takedown right out of the gate. Mitrione is able to get back to his feet, but Bader sweeps out the leg and takes him right back down. Bader is landing decent punches from behind as Mitrione tries to fight his way back to his feet. Mitrione is able to survive the round but it’s all Bader.

In the second, Mitrione whiffed on a wild hook and is taken down. Bader is on top half guard and fishing for a cross-body kimura. Mitrione is able to pull to full guard, but Bader is still doing damage. In round 3, Bader took him right down as soon as it started. Bader was in complete control although the live crowd is not enjoying what they were watching – a mauling in the main event. Bader isn’t doing a ton of damage from on top just controlling. Bader earned the decision win to advance. He even picked up a couple 30-24 scores. Ouch.

Sergei Kharitonov and Roy Nelson meet in a heavyweight bout in the co-main event. In round 1, they are throwing hard punches, each landing some. Nelson shoots in but he’s stuffed. Nelson goes down to his knees and Kharitonov knees him right in the head. It doesn’t look hard but it was definitely illegal. Sergei is peppering Nelson with his jab. Nelson is landing a few of his right hands, but the Russian is popping his head with jabs and then slams a hook to the body. A huge flurry of punches to the head rocks Nelson badly.  A knee and follow-up punches drop Nelson face first and this one is over

Lorenz Larkin vs. Ion Pascu is next in a welterweight tournament alternate bout. In round 1, Larkin lands a pair of push kicks to the belly before being shot in on again. Pascu can’t get the takedown and presses him into the fence. Larkin touches him up a bit with some outside striking. In round 2, Larkin is effective early with jabs upstairs and scattered low kicks. Pascu still having a hard time getting into a rhythm. Pascu is starting to get flustered with being stuffed by Larkin’s takedown defense. Pascu grabs Larkin’s leg in an attempt to score a takedown, but Larkin drops him with a right uppercut to the jaw. In round 3, Larkin is sticking his jab in Pascu’s face, keeping him away and frustrated. Pascu finally gets Larkin to the canvas and lands several strikes. The judges gave the win to Larkin.

Corey Browning vs. Kevin Ferguson Jr. is next in a lightweight bout. In round 1, Slice lands a right hook and then shoots in for a successful takedown. Browning scrambles. Browning gets back to his feet, but Slice takes him right back down. Browning is cut on the right side of his head; he sweeps Slice and lands on top, looking to take his back. Browning smoothly puts Slice into a crucifix from behind and lands elbows to the head. In round 2, Slice lands a clean right-left to the head, but Browning fires off a hard right to the jaw, dropping Slice. He recovers quickly and scrambles into Browning’s guard. Slice slithers to his right and locks in an arm-triangle. It’s tight but Browning is fighting through it. Slice got tired and Browning unloads a barrage of punches until the fight is stopped.

Opening the main card on the Paramount Network is Carrington Banks vs. Mandel Nallo in a lightweight bout. In round 1, they trade some decent punches. Banks shoots in and ties Nallo up before being taken down. Nallo locks in a D’Arce choke but Banks is fending it off nicely. The choke is deep but he eventually pops out of it. Banks pops up to his feet and powers Nallo back down to the canvas and lands in his guard. Nallo doesn’t do anything else in the round. In round 2, Nallo with a step-in knee that lands right to the jaw! Banks is out cold.

Here are the results for this event:

MAIN CARD (Paramount Network, 9 p.m. ET)

Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal Bout: Ryan Bader def. Matt Mitrione via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 30-25)

Heavyweight Bout: Sergei Kharitonov def. Roy Nelson via KO (punches and knees) at 4:59 of Round 1.

Welterweight Tournament Alternate Bout: Lorenz Larkin defeated Ion Pascu via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Lightweight Bout: Corey Browning def. Kevin Ferguson Jr. via TKO (punches) at 2:08 of Round 2.

Lightweight Bout: Mandel Nallo def. Carrington Banks via KO (knee) at :57 of Round 2.

PRELIMINARY CARD (Online, 7 p.m. ET)

Vinicius de Jesus def. Tim Caron via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Janay Harding def. Sinead Kavanagh via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00

Andre Fialho def. Javier Torres via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Sarah Click def. Kristi Lopez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Mike Kimbel def. Alex Potts via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:06

Alexandra Ballou def. Lisa Blaine via TKO (elbows) – Round 3, 3:28

Pat Casey def. Kastriot Xhema unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

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Bellator 207: Mitrione vs. Bader Fight Card, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Picks

Friday’s loaded Bellator 207 card from the Mohegan Sun Arena is being headlined by a heavyweight grand prix clash between Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader . Mitrione is riding one of the hottest streaks of his mixed martial arts career…

Friday’s loaded Bellator 207 card from the Mohegan Sun Arena is being headlined by a heavyweight grand prix clash between Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader . Mitrione is riding one of the hottest streaks of his mixed martial arts career…

Bellator 207 Live Stream & Results Tonight (Oct. 12)

Tonight (Fri. October 12, 2018) Bellator MMA hosts Bellator 207 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has compiled a great card for fight fans to enjoy. In the main event of the evening, the semi-…

Tonight (Fri. October 12, 2018) Bellator MMA hosts Bellator 207 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has compiled a great card for fight fans to enjoy. In the main event of the evening, the semi-finals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix will get underway. Bellator light heavyweight […]

The post Bellator 207 Live Stream & Results Tonight (Oct. 12) appeared first on MMA News.