Bellator Champions Series Delivers Action-Packed Night as Nurmagomedov Defends Title

LockerRoom Team

12 Sep 2024

The Bellator Champions Series continued with a thrilling event at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. The night’s main attraction saw Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0, 1 NC) successfully defend his Bellator Lightweight World Championship against Alexander Shabliy (24-4). Nurmagomedov secured the victory via unanimous decision, showcasing his dominance throughout the bout.

Co-Main Event Highlights

In the co-main event, Lorenz Larkin (27-8, 2 NC) faced Levan Chokheli (13-3, 1 NC). Larkin overwhelmed Chokheli early, earning a TKO win in the first round.

Middleweight Bout Results

Douglas Lima (33-12) competed against Aaron Jeffery (15-5) in a Middleweight bout. Jeffery claimed victory by unanimous decision, marking his return to the win column.

Women’s Flyweight Action

Sumiko Inaba (8-1) delivered an impressive performance against Mackenzie Stiller in the Women’s Flyweight division. Inaba, fighting out of Maui, HI, used aggressive striking to achieve a TKO victory in the second round.

Lightweight and Middleweight Contests

The main card opened with a Lightweight matchup between Yancy Medeiros (12-9, 2 NC) and Zhora Ayvazyan (15-1). Ayvazyan utilized his wrestling skills to secure a unanimous decision win. In another Middleweight contest, Jordan Newman (7-0) maintained his undefeated record with a unanimous decision victory over Imamshafi Aliev (9-1).

Welterweight and Bantamweight Highlights

In Welterweight action, Japan’s Masayuki Kikuiri (10-2-1) defeated Herman Terrado (15-7-1) with a third-round TKO. Bryce Meredith (7-0), a three-time NCAA D1 All-American wrestler, won a Bantamweight bout against Jon Macalolooy (4-2) via first-round technical submission.

Heavyweight and Women’s Strawweight Results

Josh Hokit (2-0) faced Sean Rose (2-3, 1 NC) in a Heavyweight bout, where Hokit, a former NFL player, secured a first-round submission. In the Women’s Strawweight division, Ashley Thiner (1-0) earned a second-round TKO victory over Aysia Cortez (0-1) in her professional debut.

Broadcast Information

All Bellator Champions Series events are available live in the U.S. on Max and in the U.K. on DAZN.

Complete Results

Main Card Results:

• Bellator Lightweight World Championship: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Alexander Shabliy via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46x2)
• Welterweight No. 1 Contender Co-Main: Lorenz Larkin def. Levan Chokheli by 1st round TKO (1:53)
• Middleweight Main Card: Aaron Jeffery def. Douglas Lima via unanimous decision (29-28x3)
• Women’s Flyweight Main Card: Sumiko Inaba def. Mackenzie Stiller via 2nd round TKO (4:25)
• Lightweight Main Card: Yancy Medeiros def. Zhora Ayvazyan via unanimous decision (30-27x3)

Early Card Results:

• Middleweight: Jordan Newman def. Imamshafi Aliev via unanimous decision (30-27x3)
• Welterweight: Masayuki Kikuiri def. Herman Terrado via 3rd round TKO (2:54)
• Bantamweight: Bryce Meredith def. Jon Macalolooy via 1st round technical submission (3:15)
• Heavyweight: Josh Hokit def. Sean Rose via 1st round submission (4:58)
• Women’s Strawweight: Ashley Thiner def. Aysia Cortez via 2nd round TKO (3:11)

What are your thoughts on the event? Let us know in the comments below.