Ryan Bader is no longer a two-division champion after a dubbing by Vadim Nemkov on Bellator 244.
The 28-year-old Russian hit Bader with a head kick before a swarm that produced two more knockdowns, the last of which came when the champion ran. After Bader’s legs went limp and he hit the canvas, the bolt was mercifully called up at the 3:02 mark of the second round.
“I was actually more surprised that the referee didn’t stop the fight,” said Nemkov, who grabbed his fifth straight win under the Bellator and his first title in a major MMA promotion. “I sent him to the canvas three times, but I did what I had to do to stop the fighter.”
From the start, it was clear that Nemkov had an advantage in speed and technique. He kept advising Bader with deviant attacks that were timed to maximum effect, going down to the body before sniping upwards with right and left hands. A few steps led in the first almost complete connection, and provided an example of upcoming attractions.
“When we were studying film, we saw that he does not do very well when he is backing up, being bullied,” said Nemkov, who was flanked in the Bellator cage by his mentor, Fedor Emelianenko, who ‘ t was stopped by Bader in the finals of the heavyweight grand prix of the promotion. “Of course it paid dividends.”
Bader appeared outside stopping and too confident on his right hand of trademarks, which he wrapped and threw as he searched for the knockout. He managed to connect once, and his other best weapon, a takedown with double legs, appeared to pave the way to victory. But it was a short life success.
Shortly after the start of the second frame, Nemkov Bader cracked with a straight right that had an immediate effect. The head kick that produced the first knockdown led to more punches, and referee Kerry Hatley did not step in, despite a flurry of follow-ups, when Nemkov hit on Bader. Somehow Bader managed to get up, only to fall over and mount again. The latest escape attempt wrestles the UFC veteran’s belt and wraps it around his Russian opponent.
After a no-match against Cheik Kongo in a heavyweight title defense, Bader suffers his first loss since a knockout to Anthony Johnson who robbed his UFC hopes of lightweight title. For now, he keeps the belt in the big-man division.
Julia Budd back to winning ways against Jessy Miele
Former fieldweight champion Julia Budd shook the doldrums of a running side loss to current champion Cris Cyborg with a decision over the tough Jessy Miele.
Budd appeared early before finding his confidence in deep waters, and almost in the third reached a finish via arm-triangle. Judges gave them the unanimous decision with three scores of 30-27.
Miele came to the fight and soon made it clear that she would not be a walkover, paired with a pair of stiff left hands that caught Budd’s attention. A straight down paid dividend for Budd, and a late takedown at first would set a pattern that the ex-champion would repeat each frame.
Every time Budd first, Miele made ground with her punches. But early in the third, Budd found her hit and made several advances with expert rules setting up the takedown. From there, they control the fight to the top, go to mountain and try for submission. An escape from Miele came too late for the final bell.
Valentin MoldavskyThe speed is too much for Roy Nelsonhis power
Combat Sambo standout from edge of Valentin Moldavsky in youth and technique translated into a shutout win over veteran Roy Nelson, with all three judges giving him 30-27 scores.
There was no big right hand of Nelson to lead the dance of heavyweights, because “Big Country” instead tried to muscle Moldavsky in the clinic, perhaps in an attempt to muscle his opponent. Unfortunately, Moldavsky had more than enough energy to stay the course and come back with Piper Nelson with stiff punches.
Next round out, Moldavsky was the only pest Nelson around the cage, changing control remotely and in the clinch. For the final half of the round, Moldavsky had smothered Nelson against the cow, and sometimes broke off to release short punches. Nelson slid at the end of the middle frame, clearly windy.
Nelson tried to line up for his big overhand right. Before he could do that, Moldavsky’s servants and combinations fought the steam out of his approach. With one last escape from another suffocating clinch, Nelson had his chance to make the score himself. But a superman punch and right hand missed, and Moldavsky made him pay with another sharp counter to seal the victory.
John Salter dominates Andrew Kapel for the finish of the third round
John Salter ran roughly over Andrew Kapel on the mat before a sustained arm triangle produced a finish at the 3:11 mark of the third round.
True to form, Salter wanted to have a fight on the mat, and after taking Andrew Kapel twice in the first round, he had his winning formula. Chapel made things interesting by exploding from the bottom, in the process escaping a triangular choke. But in the second round, things got worse as Salter advanced to mount and held position for the majority of the round. Threatened with an arm-triangle choke, he made the life of Chapel misery on the ground.
After two laps, Kapel came out aggressively in the final frame, only taking off within one minute. It did not take long for Salter to mount again, and this time the arm triangle produced the crane.
Complete Bellator 244 results:
Vadim Nemkov def. Ryan Bader via TKO (fence) – Round 2, 3:02
Julia Budd def. Jessy Miele by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Valentin Moldavsky def. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
John Salter def. Andrew Kapel via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 3:11
Yaroslav Amosov def. Mark Lemminger via TKO (stop of doctor) – Round 1, 5:00
Sidney Outlaw def. Adam Piccolotti via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Joshua Hill def. Erik Perez by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Weber Almeida def. Salim Mukhidinov via KO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:57
John de Jesus def. Vladyslav Parubchenko by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
Chris Gonzalez def. Vladimir Tokov via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Lucas Brennan def. Will Smith via TKO (fence) – Round 2, 4:14
