Bellator 273 ‘Bader vs. Moldavsky’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sullivan Cauley (205.8) vs. Ben Parrish (205.2)

Round 1

With no UFC this weekend, someone’s got to fill the Saturday void, and that someone is Bellator. Bringing in its first card of the year, the California-based league sets the stage at the Footprint Center in Phoenix with 10 fights and an underlying theme of the U.S. vs. the World, with five bouts tonight featuring that dynamic. This first fight on the prelims, however, is an all-American tilt at light heavyweight, when vaunted Arizona State wrestler Cauley (2-0, 2-0 BMMA) tries to blunt the momentum of “Big Tuna” Parrish (5-1, 1-0 BMMA). The dulcet and in no way harsh tones of referee Mike Beltran clock in the action for the evening, and with a touch of gloves, it’s on with the show! Cauley stalks his man down, but he is forced to have to block a high kick that comes his way. As a madly mulleted Parrish lets loose with a body kick, Cauley grabs it and takes his man down to the mat. From off his back, Parrish quickly sets up a leglock, forcing Cauley to slide down into his guard and over to side control. Parrish hacks away with short elbows, and his ground strikes in defense are more effective than what Cauley can get off at the moment. A few punches from Cauley get through, and now “Sully” has Parrish forced to defend his face instead of keeping an offensive guard. While Parrish is able to get his foe back to half guard, Cauley starts pounding down on “Big Tuna.” The strikes of the wrestler have busted Parrish up, and blood starts to flow from Parrish’ face. Parrish turns to a side to try to prevent the damage from mounting, but the local Arizonan keeps on doing work from this controlling top position. As he keeps clubbing “Big Tuna,” Cauley hops over to full mount. Not allowing this to continue for long, Parrish twists and turns, nearly gives up his back but scrambles well enough to eventually drag Cauley back to his full guard. Cauley sits back to lord over Parrish with relentless ground-and-pound, and he lowers himself back down when Parrish turns to his knees. Left hands continue to rain down for the wrestler, and Beltran is starting to take a close look at the action as the strikes pile up and are getting through while one of Parrish’s hands is trapped. “Sully” does not let up, slugging away at Parrish until Beltran has seen enough and shoves Cauley off of the defeated fighter. With the win, Cauley gets his home crowd fired up early, as he advances his young unbeaten record to 3-0 with three first-round knockouts.

The Official Result

Sullivan Cauley def. Ben Parrish R1 4:35 via TKO (Punches)

Lucas Brennan (145.4) vs. Ben Lugo (146)

Round 1

Up next at featherweight, Brennan (5-0, 5-0 BMMA) will put his Jedi skills to the test against a tough out in Colorado’s Lugo (5-4, 0-0 BMMA). The force is strong with young “Skywalker,” undefeated in five trips to the Bellator cage, while Lugo will be making his debut in the promotion. Referee Jason Herzog, who is strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark, will be ready at a moment’s notice to force push a fighter off of the other should something go awry. One of biggest underdogs on the card at a whopping +700, Lugo says “never tell me the odds” and elects to touch gloves with his opponent to start the battle. Brennan is amped up, bouncing up and down like a youngling, full of nervous energy and jittery with low kicks as he steps in and out to strike. Lugo is much more composed, and he sets up a big right hand. When he goes for another, Brennan grabs hold of him in search of a body lock takedown against the fence. Lugo keeps himself upright after the first attempt, despite Brennan clasping his arms around Lugo’s waist. The second try allows Brennan to ground Lugo, but Lugo pops right back up. As they stand side-to-side, Lugo falls into a possible bulldog choke, but he yanks his neck out and finds himself shoved down to the mat. Lugo turns to prevent Brennan from stepping on top of him, but “Skywalker” is strong and quick. Brennan slips over to the side, pushing Lugo flat on his back. As he does this, he sets up a modified arm-triangle choke that looks in part like a guillotine choke, and he hops over to the other side to set it up in shades of a scarf hold or can opener using his shoulder to lock it down. Lugo considers tapping out, but he instead clasps his hands together outstretched to gain a little leverage and some space on his neck. There is nothing there, and he surrenders shortly thereafter to the unorthodox choke, one Brennan later calls an “assassin choke.” “Skywalker” is now a flawless 6-0 with six wins under the Bellator banner. Most impressive.

The Official Result

Lucas Brennan def. Ben Lugo R1 2:27 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Nikita Mikhailov (135.6) vs. Blaine Shutt (134)

Round 1

The first encounter between Americans and worldwide opponents takes place at the bantamweight division, when FedorTeam upstart Mikhailov (7-1, 1-0 BMMA) will try to shut down “The Shuttdown” Shutt (8-5, 0-1 BMMA). The betting line is just as lopsided as the previous match, with Mikhailov a tremendous -1100 favorite and is expected to perform as such. Referee Mike Beltran will command the action in the cage, and he oversees the two as they touch gloves before coming out fighting. Mikhailov steps back and fires off a right hand down the pipe, and it immediately sends Shutt crashing to the canvas in seconds. Shutt tries to gather himself, crawling towards Mikhailov to pursue a desperation takedown, but he gets shoved away by the Russian. Mikhailov stays firm as Shutt continues to try to drag the fight down, and he manages to turn the tables on his foe and put Shutt on his back. In Shutt’s guard, Mikhailov opens up with ground-and-pound to the body and head, alternating strikes and not giving Shutt a moment to think. Shutt closes his guard and tightens his legs, perhaps in hopes of a referee standup, but Mikhailov pays it no mind and continues to drop down punches on his foe. Shutt opens up in search of a submission setup, but when nothing is there, he goes back to the body triangle from his back. Mikhailov lifts Shutt up a few inches to slam him down and break the leg grip, all while his slow but methodical ground attack carries on steadily. Shutt grabs hold of the wrists, looking for a sweep in the process, and Mikhailov sees it coming and shuts “The Shuttdown” all the way down with his grinding grappling. As Mikhailov keeps working, Shutt escapes to fight his way to his knees and back up, and the Russian almost instantly hits a mat return. When Shutt powers back up a second time, the two scoot their way to the center of the fence as Mikhailov grabs his hands around Shutt’s waist from behind. Before pushing Shutt down to the mat, Mikhailov delivers a pair of heavy knees to the posterior, ones that make Shutt look at him strangely. Shutt defends with a guillotine choke off his back, and seconds before the round ends, Mikhailov pulls out of it and drops down a couple more hammers as time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov

Round 2

We have reached the second round for the first time tonight, and again the bantamweights greet with a glove touch. Mikhailov is unable to score a lightning-quick knockdown this round, but he settles for a high kick that is blocked in time. Shutt goes low with a kick, coming up short, and he fakes a takedown that Mikhailov practically ignores. Beltran warns the two to close their fingers, and they do so as Shutt lets loose with a body kick. Shutt throws another to the same spot, but this time, Mikhailov blocks it and makes Shutt take a funny step back. Shutt gathers himself and charges ahead with a standing elbow and a few punches, but his momentum gets used against him as Mikhailov takes him down in a hurry. Shutt defends with a guillotine, and he slithers his arm around Mikhailov’s neck. To counter this, Mikhailov lifts Shutt up and slams him down hard, and the grip is broken. Shutt shuts his guard and sets up a guillotine on the other side, grimacing as he squeezes his arms as tight as he can. Mikhailov does not appear remotely concerned about this submission attempt, and he slowly works his neck out so that he can repeat the performance of the last round. With Shutt keeping his guard tightly closed, Mikhailov goes back to punches to the side and face, and Beltran is much more interested in seeing action as he calls for them to work. Mikhailov obliges immediately, letting loose with several punches before chaining a few thudding elbows behind them. The elbows make Shutt move, as he sits up so he can attempt to stand. Mikhailov allows him to do so while he turns the corner to take Shutt’s back, and elevates Shutt and throws him down to the floor. Shutt tries to roll, but there is not enough space for him to get free, allowing Mikhailov to climb back on top. Shutt’s guard is tightly clutching Mikhailov’s body, and Mikhailov keeps working strikes until the round ends. Although Shutt tries to scramble with a second or two remaining, he runs out of time.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mikhailov

Round 3

Gloves get touched one last time as Mikhailov bows at his opponent, and when the action begins, Shutt comes out with a short salvo of punches. Less than 12 seconds elapse in the round before Mikhailov is across the cage with a blast double-leg takedown, and he puts Shutt flat on his back in a hurry. Shutt wraps his arm around Mikhailov’s neck, but there is no guillotine to be found, so his ribs get roasted with punches. Mikhailov is comfortable in this position, stalling out any offense Shutt can have while doing enough to stay on top. Beltran implores them to do more than what they are doing now, and Shutt starts flailing off of his back while Mikhailov remains composed working the body to the head. Mikhailov postures up to knee Shutt in the backside again a few times before putting his shoulder down to keep Shutt stuck. All the while, Mikhailov is landing short but aggravating strikes, and Beltran is ready for them to do more. Mikhailov continues what he is doing, and Beltran stands them up. The American is now energized, and he tries to draw Mikhailov into a brawl by pointing at the ground in a Max Holloway type of strategy. Mikhailov lets him come at him, sits back with a left hand and clubs Shutt in the face. Shutt’s senses nearly shut off, as his legs betray him from the strike, and he turns away and falls to the mat. Mikhailov jumps on to finish the job, battering Shutt with a ruthless elbow and several punches as Shutt turns to his knees and nearly physically surrenders by getting flattened out. Mikhailov keeps it up, pounding on Shutt until Beltran calls a halt to the fight. In celebration, Mikhailov runs over to teammate Fedor Emelianenko and gives him a big hug. FedorTeam is now 1-0 tonight, and the headliner Moldavsky remains to represent their camp.

The Official Result

Nikita Mikhailov def. Blaine Shutt R3 3:23 via TKO (Punches)

Duane Johnson (185.6) vs. Dalton Rosta (184.6)

Round 1

A pair of middleweight looking like they were sculpted out of stone come to blows in this next contest, when the appropriately nicknamed “Hercules” Rosta (5-0, 5-0 BMMA) tries to keep his unbeaten streak alive against “The Rock” Johnson (6-2, 1-0 BMMA) – the latter with no relation to the movie star and possible 2022 Royal Rumble participant Dwayne Johnson. They do not touch gloves, and referee Ryan Brueggeman is ready for what comes next. Johnson leads the dance with a high kick that gets blocked, and he reaches out with a front kick that just comes up short. Rosta steps through to get off a front kick, and they start talking to each other. Johnson lands a kick to the midsection, jawing at Rosta the whole way, and they begin to slug it out in the center of the cage. Johnson backs off to get back to kicks, so Rosta obliges and returns fire with kicks of his own. The two middleweights trade kicks to the lead legs and body, and Rosta breaks up the chain with a punch to the chest. Rosta gives chase with a body kick, and he rocks Johnson with a right hook over the top. Johnson comes back firing, and Rosta is confident in his groove, using head movement to shuck and dodge oncoming fire. Johnson gathers himself and backs off just out of the way of a heavy right hand zooming at his face. Rosta stalks his man down, not overcommitting to strikes but backing Johnson away to the fence as he works the body intermittently. Rosta goes up high and then digs a left hand to the liver. As Rosta opens up with a left hand on the jaw, Johnson goes spinning and shakes it off. Rosta crashes forward to pursue a takedown, and he abandons it after a few seconds in the clinch. They return to the center of the cage and Johnson is now the one working the body, and when he absorbs a kick, he smiles and nods. Rosta rips a left to the body and a right to the head, narrowly missing a dangerous uppercut. Johnson sticks out jabs, but Rosta walks through them and smashes Johnson in the face with a short combination. Johnson wears it well and starts smiling again, and he replies with a couple body kicks. Johnson keeps chattering as Rosta engages with him, trying to goad Rosta into making a mistake. Rosta backs off and lets go with a spinning wheel kick, but it collides with the shoulder. Johnson pushes him off and throws a few punches, but Rosta evades most of them as the round comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosta
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Rosta
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosta

Round 2

Johnson does not appear compromised from taking damage in the last round, taking right to the center of the cage and going up high with a kick. Rosta blocks and counters, surprising Johnson with a right hand. Johnson retaliates and gets Rosta’s attention in a combination, and the two go back and forth until Rosta changes levels on a whim to hit a double-leg takedown. The undefeated fighter easily plants Johnson on his back, and he drags Johnson away from the fence to prohibit his foe from wall-walking. “The Rock” closes his guard and clings to Rosta to prevent strikes from landing, but Rosta gets enough space to introduce his elbow to Johnson’s jaw. Rosta breaks the body triangle so he can pass guard, and he hops over to half guard so that Johnson is firmly pinned with his back to the floor. Johnson holds on tight, hoping Brueggeman will intervene and stand them up, while Rosta works a little and starts mounting ground-and-pound with punches and elbows. Rosta puts his weight down on Johnson to set up an arm-triangle choke, but on the wrong side, he has nothing there, and gets pulled back to Johnson’s full, closed guard. Johnson walks his feet off the fence, and Rosta circles around to try to take Johnson’s back before Johnson lays himself back down. “Hercules” imposes his strength and pressure by keeping Johnson stuck in position, passing from half guard to full mount. Johnson kicks off the wall to break up the dominant posture, and he closes his guard around Rosta’s ribs to stall him out. Johnson looks to push off the fence again, and he gets warned for hooking his toes in the chain links. The round ends with Johnson pushing off from the bottom.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosta
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Rosta
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosta

Round 3

The fighters meet in the middle for the last round, and Rosta is the first to strike with a front kick up high. Johnson tosses out a low kick, and he backs up as Rosta begins to pressure him. Johnson sets up counters, hoping to intercept Rosta on the way in, but Rosta does not bite. Rosta leaps forward with a right hand, and Johnson chomps down on his gumshield to throw hooks back at him. Rosta walks through them to land another right hook, and the two are throwing hard at one another. Rosta follows Johnson and throws a high kick, but Johnson is able to defend it before it collides with his head. Rosta’s feints draw reactions out of his opponent, and he chains a pair of jabs into a big right hand that knocks Johnson back. Rosta starts to showboat, not afraid of what will come at him, and he points to his corner and looks away. Dropping his hands, he walks towards Johnson, only to raise his guard in time to block a strike. Rosta pushes Johnson back with a push kick to the breadbasket, and he just misses with a looping right hand to follow. Rosta looses an overhand right, and when he does, Johnson greets him in the middle with a trio of punches to try to do some damage. Rosta shakes them off and his right hands have opened a cut on the corner of Johnson’s left eye. Johnson leads the dance momentarily, but he slides out of the way when a telegraphed spinning kick whizzes towards him. Rosta boots Johnson in the head with a kick, then goes to the body with one right after. He starts to put a few punches together to knock Johnson back, but Johnson does not want to give in. “The Rock” charges ahead for a takedown try, and Rosta stops it and knees Johnson up the middle. Rosta tags Johnson with a superman punch, and when he goes flashy with a spinning kick, he falls over. Johnson jumps over to try to capitalize on this slip, the bout comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosta (30-27 Rosta)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Rosta (30-27 Rosta)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosta (30-27 Rosta)

The Official Result

Dalton Rosta def. Duane Johnson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Saad Awad (156) vs. Christopher Gonzalez (155.6)

Round 1

Moving right along to the lightweights, longtime Bellator fighter Awad (24-13, 1 NC; 12-10, 1 NC BMMA) hunts for his first win streak since 2018 when he takes on Team Alpha Male product Gonzalez (6-1, 5-1 BMMA). Referee Jason Herzog takes charge of the cage for this one, and the fighters elect to touch gloves before they go about handling their business. Awad stays mobile, circling back and forth while avoiding a kick that is nowhere near the mark. Awad throws a high kick that glances off his foe’s guard, and he takes a step back while Gonzalez decides that two can play that game. “The Lion” launches his left leg up at Awad’s unguarded dome, where his shin slams into Awad’s head and sends him crashing down to his knees. Gonzalez jumps on top, knowing Awad is hurt badly, and he lays into his doomed opponent with seven increasingly damaging right hands. Herzog steps in, knowing Awad is done, and Awad appears to grab hold of Herzog’s leg possibly for an instinctive takedown try as he might not be fully conscious. Herzog deftly stuffs it and stands back, and Gonzalez celebrates after earning the biggest win of his career in dynamite fashion.

The Official Result

Christopher Gonzalez def. Saad Awad R1 0:36 via KO (Head Kick and Punches)

Enrique Barzola (136) vs. Darrion Caldwell (135.8)

Round 1

Capping off the preliminary card is a bantamweight matchup pitting former champ Caldwell (15-5, 12-4 BMMA) against newcomer and ex-UFC name Barzola (16-5-2, 0-0 BMMA). “El Fuerte” left the UFC with an unusual distinction in that all 10 of his fights with the promotion went the distance, and he will look to break that streak against Sanford MMA’s Caldwell. The third man in the cage is referee Mike Beltran, who has no qualms about taking charge should he need to do so. The gloves get touched, and Caldwell looses a left hand and shoots in for a takedown. Barzola fights it off and tries to take Caldwell down, managing to lift the former champ in the air and slamming him to the mat. Caldwell appears surprised, and Barzola takes his side and starts laying into him with punches. Caldwell stands up using the fence to get upright, and Barzola uses his leverage to put Caldwell back down. “El Fuerte” drags Caldwell away from the wall as he climbs into half guard, and he starts elbowing Caldwell in the thigh. Caldwell latches on to an arm to try to keep Barzola from landing offense, and as he does, he turns to his knees. Caldwell successfully turns the tables, hitting a switch and grounding Barzola. The Peruvian turns to his side while Caldwell intends on keeping him on the mat, and the former champ succeeds to put him back down. Caldwell holds on while Barzola scoots his way over to the wire, and Caldwell finally gets off a few short punches. “The Wolf” passes to side control as Barzola gets his head back to the fencing, and he jumps over to claim mount but gets pulled back into the guard. Caldwell is relentless, staying active looking for guard passes. Barzola works his way to a knee, and he leans himself against the wall. As he does, Caldwell knees him in the thigh a few times. Caldwell decides to pursue a suplex to get Barzola down, but it is not quite successful. Barzola manages to work his way back to the fence after landing on his arms, and he stands back up at the 10-second clapper. The bell sounds almost immediately after the 10-second warning, and the round ends in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Caldwell

Round 2

The gloves get touched, and Caldwell is quick to engage with a couple high kicks. The former champ wastes no time going for a takedown, and he succeeds in grounding the debuting fighter. Barzola gets his way back to a knee as he leans on the fence, and he locks an arm under Caldwell’s knee to possibly turn the tide. Caldwell sees it coming and pressure Barzola face-first into the fence. Caldwell knees Barzola in the thigh a few times before Barzola spins around, and the two split up and get back to stand-up. Barzola stalks Caldwell down, and he gets cracked with an uppercut. The former champion moves through the strike in pursuit of a takedown, but he gets stood up and backs off. Barzola is in hot pursuit, kicking at him and landing a punch. In the midst of a combination, Barzola’s mouthpiece soars out of his mouth, and Beltran recognizes it and replaces it before any damage can come from it. Barzola starts throwing hands, and as he does, Caldwell dives down low for a single-leg takedown. Barzola reverses him, only to get dragged back down by Caldwell. Barzola defends well by working his way to the fence and elbowing Caldwell in the side of the head, and Caldwell appears to go limp for a second before gathering himself as the elbows nail him in the side of the head. Barzola bursts back upright and claps his hands together, and he starts to pressure Caldwell and lay into him with a salvo of strikes. Caldwell replies with a body kick but backs off as Barzola rushes towards him. The looping punches largely miss from Barzola, but they keep Caldwell honest. Caldwell shoots for a takedown that comes up short, and Barzola decides to go for one of his own and hits it. Caldwell turns to his knees and gets up, so Barzola wraps his arms around Caldwell’s waist. In an instant, Caldwell flips Barzola around and slams him down to the mat, but Barzola springs right back up. Caldwell backs off as Barzola stalks him down, throwing punches and kicks right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barzola
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Barzola
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Barzola

Round 3

They touch gloves to start off the last round, and Barzola appears the fresher man as he advances and tries to engage. The expected takedown attempt from Caldwell comes early, and this time, Barzola stuffs it. Barzola plods forward, and he eats an uppercut and a high kick that get his attention. Caldwell catches him coming in with a spinning back elbow, and Barzola eats it like ceviche and shakes his head. The forward momentum of Barzola frustrates Caldwell, and he bullies Caldwell down to his knees when Caldwell shoots for a takedown. Barzola turns the corner to take Caldwell’s back, and as he lands some ground-and-pound, he complains that Caldwell is grabbing his gloves. Beltran tells them to keep fighting, and then he pulls Caldwell’s hands out as this was indeed the case. When Beltran breaks the illegal grip, Barzola is fired up and starts dropping hammers in the form of punches and elbows. Caldwell remains on his knees with his face to the mat, shelled up as Barzola is blasting him with strikes. Caldwell survives as the elbows continue to bust him up and do serious damage. “El Fuerte” does not let Caldwell off the hook, battering him until Beltran finally decides that Caldwell has had enough and is no longer intelligently defending himself. Barzola has done it, snapping a lengthy decision streak to earn his first stoppage since 2014, and doing so against a former divisional kingpin. All the while, he became the first fighter to ever finish Caldwell with strikes.

The Official Result

Enrique Barzola def. Darrion Caldwell R3 3:01 via TKO (Punches and Elbows)

Sabah Homasi (170.8) vs. Jaleel Willis (170.2)

Round 1

Two significantly different styles meet in this main card opener at welterweight as heavy-handed slugger Homasi (15-10, 4-4 BMMA) throws down with well-rounded fighter Willis (15-3, 3-1 BMMA). Drawing the assignment of the first fight on Showtime on Bellator 273 is referee Ryan Brueggeman, and the fighters have no interest touching gloves as they’d rather get their hands going instead. Willis lets go with a big right hand that is wide, and Homasi replies with a pair of low kicks. Homasi sticks out a jab and chops down Willis’ calf with another kick. This chain of strikes comes again until Willis wings right hand counter. As Willis attacks with a body kick, Homasi swings a right hand and uses his momentum to grab hold of Willis and throw him down to the mat. Homasi takes his foe’s back to threaten with a rear-naked choke, but he bails on it when Willis starts turning. “The Sleek Sheik” jumps on to half guard as Willis lies down to his back, and he latches on to an arm-triangle choke. Sensing that it is very tight and the two are dry, Homasi crushes down with his shoulder with all his might. Willis is suddenly in serious danger, and he does not seem to know where to go or what to do. After a few seconds in this position, Willis taps out before he goes to sleep, and Homasi enters the win column for the first time since 2020.

The Official Result

Sabah Homasi def. Jaleel Willis R1 1:42 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Henry Corrales (145.8) vs. Aiden Lee (145.8)

Round 1

It’s featherweights on deck now as we move things along, with Corrales (19-6, 7-6 BMMA) looking to keep his Bellator record above .500, but so is his opponent Lee (10-5, 3-2 BMMA). This revolutionary battle between a U.S.-based competitor and one from Britain draws officiating from referee Mike Beltran, who will make certain that no international incidents arise from this fight. Gloves do get touched in a show of sportsmanship, and Corrales starts early with a low leg kick that makes Lee stumble. Corrales marches forward, trying to get through the reach disadvantage as Lee tosses a few punches and a high kick at him. Lee stays at a safe range, but Corrales is still able to reach him with inside kicks. Corrales crashes the pocket and drills him in the face with a left hand, dropping Lee right down to his seat. Lee appears to recover shortly after, and he goads Corrales to come after him on the mat, but Corrales forces him to stand back up. When Lee gets up, Corrales chops down on his long leg to make Lee trip again. Lee gathers himself and answers a leg kick with one of his own. Corrales comes up short with a high kick, and he paws out a few jabs while trying to find his distance. Corrales charges ahead with a left to the body and right to the head, and Lee shakes it off and pops Corrales in the chops with a right hand. Lee stays elusive when Corrales bears down on him, swatting away Corrales’ punches but absorbing his low kicks. Lee misses with a few punches from a lengthier boxing range, only to get his leg kicked once more. Lee meets a rushing Corrales with a jab, stifling him for a moment, and Lee circles away before Corrales can throw bombs. Corrales chips away at the low calf, and Lee gives him one back. They continue to trade these kicks until Corrales gets tired of it and blitzes with a few swiping left hooks. Lee blocks them and jumps to fire off a switch kick, but that too cannot get through. Corrales stalks Lee down, scoring a left hand and kick to the torso from the same side. Corrales’ leg kicks appear to be hampering the movement of Lee, or at the very least, drawing reactions out of him every time they land. Lee fakes with a “Showtime” jump off the fence, but he does not throw a punch or a kick as the round comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Corrales

Round 2

Lee comes out with long jabs and kicks to try to keep Corrales at bay to start the round, but Corrales is not having any of it. Instead, “OK” Corrales marches forward and boots Lee in both calves to make Lee limp. The Brit wings a high kick that does not get through, and he holds his arm out as a keep away measure when Corrales comes at him. Corrales manages to close the distance and clubs him with a right hand, but Lee wears it well. The leg kicks continue to add up for Corrales, and Lee gets tired of eating them as he slings an uppercut that dings off Corrales’ chin. Lee follows it with a few punches, only to get backed up with a right hand over his guard. Corrales powers forward with big punches, and Lee reacts and escapes, but he cannot avoid the jackhammering leg kicks that continue to land. Lee lets go with several long kicks, ripping the body a few times and trying to mix it up with one to the head, but the one up high does not pass by the guard. When Corrales overcommits on a right hand, Lee ducks down for a single to try to put Corrales on the mat, but the American stays upright and turns Lee around to the wall. Lee turns back around to pursue a double, and when he does, Corrales latches on to a guillotine choke. The choke lifts Lee off the ground in shades of Scott Jorgensen vs. Chad George, but Lee manages to hit the floor and break the grip to push Corrales to the mat. The two men scramble relentlessly without any ground strikes getting off, and Lee kicks off. When they stand, Corrales gives chase and scores with a heavy body kick, and the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Corrales
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Corrales

Round 3

The gloves get touched to start off the last round, and “OK” Corrales is in gunslinging mode to start off. He throws a few winging punches, only to walk face-first into a spinning back elbow. Corrales shakes it off, and now Lee is the one advancing and striking. The Brit throws several big punches, and when they clash together, a finger from Corrales jabs Lee in the eye about 40 seconds into the round. Lee calls for a time out, and Beltran acknowledges this and lets Lee recover. The crowd boos Lee heavily, even when they see the foul cleanly landing, and Lee is in a bad way as he tries to rub his eye out. Beltran calls in a doctor, and Lee stumbles back to the wall and appears to be struggling to see. Lee keeps bending over in a display of serious pain, and the doctor allows him to try to clear it out by giving him a little more time. Based on Lee’s condition, the fight should get called off, and it would go to a technical decision if that were the case. The doctor wrangles Lee, stopping him from writhing around, and Lee motions a few fingers to Corrales. The doctor brings in a cloth to wipe the eye out, and Beltran checks on the clock to see how much of the five-minute recovery window remains. Once more Lee is evaluated, and the five-minute window elapses. Beltran finally waves off the fight after five excruciating minutes, and due to the foul being ruled as accidental, we go to the scorecards for the technical decision.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-10 (30-28 Corrales)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Lee (29-28 Corrales)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lee (29-28 Corrales)

The Official Result

Henry Corrales def. Aiden Lee via Unanimous Technical Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Benson Henderson (155.8) vs. Islam Mamedov (155.6)

Round 1

At long last, our co-main event arrives in the form of a lightweight clash between former UFC champ Henderson (28-11, 5-6 BMMA) and once-beaten Dagestani grappler Mamedov (20-1-1, 1-0 BMMA). Referee Jason Herzog is prepared wherever the fight may take him, and the fighters are happy to touch gloves before getting after it. Henderson tries to strike first with a sweeping low kick, and Mamedov pulls back just in time. Henderson again swings for the strike on the outside, and when it misses, he goes for a spin but does not throw anything, and just turns around. Mamedov unleashes a heavy body kick that gets through, and he does not capitalize on this and instead lets Henderson try to feel out his range. Mamedov reaches out with a right hand, and the accuracy between the two is low after 90 seconds. Henderson steps in with a slapping inside leg kick, and Mamedov ignores it and tries to time a knee up the middle. The former UFC champ replies with a left hand to the body and another leg kick. Mamedov sits down on another body kick, but he sticks around too long and Henderson gets off a leg kick. Mamedov crashes the pocket, in pursuit of a body lock takedown, but Henderson staves it off with the wall at his back. The Dagestan native sneaks up a few high knees while they jockey for position against the fence, and Henderson stops a trip to turn his man around and jam him to the fence. Mamedov hits a throw, but the former UFC champ catches him midair and flips him down to the ground on top. Mamedov stands up, and his neck falls into submission danger as Henderson clamps on his patented guillotine choke. Mamedov scoops Henderson down to the mat, but Henderson holds on to it while they hit the ground. Mamedov flails and bucks, and his face turns pink but he does not give in. Mamedov slides his head out of the choke, allowing him to take top position, and he rains down a few punches to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Henderson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Henderson

Round 2

Between rounds, Mamedov appears to receive a tongue lashing from his teammates, led by UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov. The second frame opens with a calm pace like the first, and Henderson starts off with chipping away at Mamedov’s lead leg. Oblique kicks and stomps to the knee land as Henderson keeps working on it, and he blocks a head kick from the Russian without much effort. Mamedov swings wildly with a right hand, coming up short as he tries to respond to a sweeping kick from Henderson. Mamedov advances with a right hand, and he powers through to grab hold of Henderson and aim for a takedown. Henderson catches him again and rolls with it, where he winds up on top in search of a guillotine choke. Henderson does not have the choke set up, as the arms are not locked, and he loses the grip while Mamedov comfortable settles for top position. As Henderson sits up, Mamedov surges to attack the neck with a rear-naked choke with no hooks in. Henderson appears troubled momentarily, but he grits out of it and twists to get to his knees. Henderson stands, Mamedov grips his arms around Henderson’s waist, and Mamedov drags him down to the mat. Henderson instantly defends with a leglock, turning it from a kneebar to a heel hook, and Mamedov defends it at least in part by grabbing the fence. Herzog slaps his hand away, but Mamedov’s leg is out of danger thanks to this. Henderson turns to stand, and as he does, Mamedov clings on to him like a backpack as he locks his legs around Henderson’s midsection. Henderson holds the fence to stand up, and Mamedov hunts for a standing rear-naked choke while Henderson was leaning on the wall. Henderson slams Mamedov down to the ground head-first to break the posture, but he cannot strip away the body triangle when they hit the mat. The fun round comes to a close with Mamedov in back control.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mamedov
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Mamedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mamedov

Round 3

Henderson starts off the final frame with a head kick and a low kick, and only the latter connects. The former UFC champ again attacks the high kick, and he sticks out a right hand when he lands. The crowd is electric for their home state fighter of Henderson, looking to fuel him to finish the fight strong. Henderson bull-rushes Mamedov with a forearm, but all he succeeds is to push Mamedov back. Henderson connects with a leg kick, and he is forced to shrug off a left hand right on the chin. Henderson returns fire with a straight left hand down the pipe that backs Mamedov off, and he goes to the body and head as Mamedov escapes. Henderson nails Mamedov’s lead leg again with a kick, and his hair tie has disappeared as his locks flow unhampered. “Smooth” looses a smooth head kick that brushes past the head of his foe, and he evades a looping right hand coming his way. One more kick from Henderson gets through low before Mamedov shoots in for a takedown. Henderson defends with a choke, but there is nothing there at all this time, as Mamedov easily lowers Henderson to the mat. Henderson keeps a tight grip to disallow Mamedov from getting off any offense, and he scoots his back to the fence in hopes of standing up. Mamedov grips him tightly until Henderson rolls through to attack a kneebar, and Mamedov twists but falls into a heel hook setup. Henderson, off his back, block most of the punches from Mamedov while getting off a few of his own. Mamedov throws a few right hands that get past Henderson’s defense, and precious seconds tick off the clock as Henderson remains on his back. Henderson sits up to try to sweep Mamedov, but Mamedov bowls him back over. Henderson keeps tight wrist control so Mamedov cannot throw anything, meanwhile he elbows Mamedov in the face a few times from his back. This co-main event one goes the distance, and it is a close one that could go either way.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Henderson (29-28 Henderson)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Mamedov (29-28 Mamedov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mamedov (29-28 Mamedov)

The Official Result

Benson Henderson def. Islam Mamedov via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Bellator Heavyweight Title Fight:
Ryan Bader (232.2) vs. Valentin Moldavsky (234.4)

Round 1

A week late and a dollar short, Bellator 273’s headliner is a heavyweight championship unification match, coming seven days after the UFC did the same. Champ Bader (28-7, 1 NC; 6-2, 1 NC BMMA) will be making his return to the division for the first time since 2019, and since then, his foe Moldavsky (11-1, 5-0 BMMA) has won three times and claimed the interim strap. In this intriguing exchange between wrestling and sambo, referee Mike Beltran draws the honor of officiating this marquee matchup. “Darth” Bader offers a touch of gloves, and the FedorTeam standout gladly accepts. Moldavsky darts forward with a jab, and he sticks his hand out to back Bader off. Bader retreats and circles away, only to wing a right hand and clock Moldavsky in the face. The Russian is hurt badly, and he leans back to the fence in big trouble. Bader doubles up on the right hand to blast Moldavsky in the face, stinging him again, but Moldavsky survives by clinching up and tying up the fast-starting Bader. Moldavsky turns Bader around, ducks down for a takedown and hits a body lock to put Bader flat on his back. Moldavsky climbs into half guard as he keeps his shoulder pushed down to flatten the Arizonan out, but Bader turns to his knees and stands. Moldavsky instantly hits a mat return, planting Bader down on his face. Bader gets up after absorbing a punch to the side of the head, but Moldavsky trips his legs out beneath him and sets him down again. Bader wall-walks his way up, and Moldavsky has his arms wrapped round his waist to not let him get any space. Bader pushes off the spacer on the cage wall to stay upright, and stands straight up with the fence at his back. Moldavsky sneaks in a punch or two on the inside, much more comfortable to embrace the grind as his bearings appear to be all back again. Bader gets a little space in the clinch to pound knees to the body, and Moldavsky tries to time a big elbow on the break. Bader avoids it and comes out charging, and when he misses his strikes, Moldavsky grabs him to clinch up. Bader shoots for a double, and he switches to a single to put the Russian down to the canvas. Moldavsky holds on to a two-on-one wrist lock to keep Bader from doing anything in this top position, and Bader rides out the rest of the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bader
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bader
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bader

Round 2

Moldavsky claims the center of the cage to begin the second round, while Bader circles around on the outskirts, away from a swiping left hand from the Russian. Moldavsky again wings a left hand, and Bader elects to throw a bomb back so hard that he falls over. Moldavsky lets him back up so that they can continue to trade at range, although the power strikes are largely inaccurate. Moldavsky flicks out a jab, eats a right hand, and finds himself grabbed from behind when Bader circles around to wrestle him. Moldavsky fights off a takedown try to turn Bader around, and Bader lifts up a knee to crack Moldavsky square in the cup. Beltran sees it and pulls them apart, giving Moldavsky plenty of space to catch his breath. The Russian takes less than 30 seconds to get his wind, and they touch gloves to get back to business. The heavyweights swing for the fences when they engage again, and Bader rushes forward after slinging a wild hook to tie Moldavsky up and go for a takedown. Moldavsky stops this in his tracks and turns him around, but Bader is ready to greet him with more knees that land flush to the body and not the cup this time. Bader goes for a trip to surprise Moldavsky, but Moldavsky is able to drop to his knees and push Bader down to his back. Moldavsky scoops the legs out beneath his foe, and he starts raining down right hands while Bader is stuck in the corner between the mat and the wall. Bader walks up to his feet, and as soon as he does, Moldavsky hits a double to lift Bader up and drop him on his face. Bader scrambles to his knees, and after a few Moldavsky knees to the thigh, Moldavsky wrenches him down again. Moldavsky uses his full body weight to keep Bader grounded, with Bader on his seat unable to stand. Moldavsky keeps kneeing the same spot on the thigh as he controls Bader from above, until Bader stands up and gets warned for grabbing the fence. Moldavsky stays tightly pressed to Bader until the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky

Round 3

The third frame kicks off with Moldavsky ready to push the action, pressing out a jab and meeting Bader with a pre-emptive counter strike to keep him guessing. Bader loads up on a telegraphed right hand, allowing Moldavsky to duck it and crash in to tie him up and pursue a takedown. They both jockey for position until Moldavsky gets his hands clasped around Bader’s body, and he circles around behind Bader in an effort to drag him down. Moldavsky successfully grounds Bader for a moment, but only for a moment until Bader springs back up. Moldavsky doggedly pursues a mat return as members of team Bader shrilly cry his name from the crowd. As Moldavsky embraces the grind, pressuring Bader against the fence, he tries to suck Bader’s hips out or pull him away to put him down. Bader shrugs and motions to Beltran, and as he does, Moldavsky ducks down in an effort to hit a takedown. Bader stops this from succeeding, but he cannot get off the fence as they continue to squeeze and press tightly to one another. Moldavsky hunts for a double, and he turns it into a single that lifts Bader off the ground and gingerly to the mat. Bader turns around to his knee in an effort to stand, and Moldavsky knees his thigh again and again. Bader appears irritated that Moldavsky is tossing him around, and when he makes a face, Moldavsky trips him and drops him back down to the ground. Beltran is not signaling for them to improve their position, as Moldavsky pushes Bader to his knees. Try as he might, Bader cannot stand up, and the round ends in this grueling posture.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky

Round 4

The championship rounds begin, with the heavyweights eager to strike again. They both land jabs at the same time, and when they reset, Bader shoots low for a single. Moldavsky shucks it off and breaks away, only to walk into a jab. Moldavsky follows Bader around and blocks a front kick, and they both swing with big punches at the same time that bounce off the side of the other’s head. Moldavsky wings with a right hand, and Bader ducks down for a takedown. Moldavsky stops it, and he goes after one of his own. This time, Bader has the upper hand when he stuffs it, but that does not last long as he cannot keep Moldavsky to his knees. The Russian powers to his feet, and he bulldozes Bader into the fence in pursuit of a takedown. While he cannot ground Bader in this effort, he does successfully turn the chain-link fence into a cheese grater. In a sudden surge of adrenaline, Bader spins around, grabs hold of a double and lifts Moldavsky up. Slamming Moldavsky down, Bader climbs to half guard and begins to drop down right hands from on top. Moldavsky appears flustered while Bader works his body, and he tries to turn to his side and goes to his knees. Bader gladly takes his back while Moldavsky works his way to the fencing, crawling his way there. Moldavsky grabs the fence several times to try to turn around, leading Beltran to slap his hand more than once. Moldavsky turns around, pushing off the wire instead of grabbing it, and he gets back upright again. Bader attacks a double-leg takedown, and he turns it to a single and runs the pipe to drop Moldavsky flat to the ground. Bader looks to have more gas in the tank at the moment, but Moldavsky holds on tight and protects himself from damage until the bell sounds to end the fourth round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bader
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Bader
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bader

Round 5

The heavyweights reach the final round, huffing and puffing all the way there, but they are amped up to come together as Beltran has to back them off. There is one final touch of gloves to start Round 5, and they begin to line up right hands at one another. Neither connect with anything of note, but Moldavsky steps in with a left hand and a jab that force Bader to shoot for a takedown entry. Moldavsky stuffs it in the center of the cage, and he pushes Bader away to let Bader fall into the cage. A jab from the Russian gets through, and he changes levels for his own takedown attempt. “Darth” Bader stops it from succeeding, but he gets clipped by a right hand as he stands up. Moldavsky crashes the pocket for a takedown, and it too fails. They both land left hands at range, and Moldavsky gets off a one-two and ducks into a right hand that comes back at him. Moldavsky fights off an attempt from Bader to get the fight to the ground, and they both connect with heavy punches up close. Bader goes for a double, and Moldavsky bounces off the fence to push Bader over. Bader trips to his knees as they both scramble, and Moldavsky has him right where he wants him, on his knees with Moldavsky’s full weigh crushing down. Bader tries to crawl out of this posture, and he works his way up his knees and to his feet before Moldavsky drags him right back down away from the cage wall. Bader explodes to get up, and Moldavsky uses all of his might to pull on his opponent and try to get him down once more. Bader defends a single with elbows and punches to the side of Moldavsky’s head, but the Russian does not register the strikes as he stays glommed on to Bader. Moldavsky continues to pursue the takedown as Bader elbows him in the temple, until Bader rolls for a kimura sweep that is not there. Bader walks his back up the fence until Moldavsky picks him up in the air like a sack of beets and slams him down hard. Moldavsky pounds on Bader right to the final bell, and this last round might be the deciding factor in this matchup. The judges’ scorecards may vary, but this exhausting grind of a fight has now come to a merciful end. Next week, the UFC is back with a mishmash fight card that happens to be the 200th Fight Night card billed in company history. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky (48-47 Moldavsky)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky (48-47 Moldavsky)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Moldavsky (48-47 Moldavsky)

The Official Result

Ryan Bader def. Valentin Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)