Bellator 260: Yaroslav Amosov dethrones Douglas Lima to capture welterweight title
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Bellator 260: Amosov beats Lima to clinch welterweight title
The report below contains details of what happened at Bellator 260. You can watch the entire event again on BBC iPlayer (UK only) here.
Undefeated Yaroslav Amosov became the first Ukrainian to capture a major MMA world title as he dethroned three-time Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima in the main event of Bellator 260.
On Friday night in Uncasville, Connecticut, Amosov, 27, used his superior wrestling to nullify Lima's knockout power as he took down the champion in each of the five rounds and dominated the Brazilian en route to a landslide win on the scorecards at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Lima, 33, came into the fight with a well-earned reputation as a dangerous knockout artist, but he barely connected with a clean shot throughout the five-round championship bout as Amosov waited patiently out of range, then closed the distance, forced the action up against the fence, and wrestled the champion to the mat.
It was a tactic that worked time after time, as Amosov managed to take the champion to the mat in each of the five rounds to secure scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 from the three cage-side judges as he captured the 170-pound title.
Amosov's victory extended his perfect professional record to 26-0 to leave him just three wins behind the mark set by Russia's former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated at 29-0 last year.
After the final bell sounded, an emotional Amosov wept with joy in the middle of the cage before the official verdict was announced.
"I'm happy, because it's my life. I've been training a long time, and this is the result. I'm happy," he said, before sharing the news that he is set to become a father to a son next month.
Amosov's first title defence is likely to be against England's Michael Page, who is currently the next highest contender in the Bellator welterweight rankings.
The Londoner, who was working on the broadcast desk for the event, said he wasn't surprised by what he saw from the Ukrainian, but admitted he was taken aback by Lima's performance.
"I didn't really learn anything that I didn't expect in terms of his takedown ability," Page explained.
"But I was just very shocked at Douglas Lima in terms of the lack of urgency to stand back up, the lack of urgency to land your formidable kicks, to putting combinations together.
"I didn't understand how, even going into the later rounds, how there was no kinda like, 'Lets throw in a Hail Mary and try to win this fight and get it back.' I didn't see it."
Daley smothered by Jackson's wrestling
England's Paul Daley (right) has now had 63 professional fights
It was a disappointing night for England's Paul 'Semtex' Daley, who fell to his first defeat since February 2019.
Competing in his 63rd professional fight, Daley, 38, was outwrestled and outpointed by Florida-based Jamaican welterweight contender Jason Jackson, who smothered the Briton to claim a unanimous decision on the scorecards in their 175-pound contract weight fight.
Jackson's choice of approach didn't endear him to the crowd at the Mohegan Sun Arena, who booed and jeered during the fight, and did so again when he was declared the winner.
But, after the bout, the 30-year-old Jamaican explained why he opted to avoid a crowd-pleasing slugfest with the noted British knockout artist.
"I needed to prove to myself that I could go in there and fight the champ," he said.
"This guy went five rounds with Douglas Lima, so I knew if I get this opportunity to fight him, I can go and fight the way I train and win. I know I can beat Douglas Lima, or whoever the champ is."
Daley then took the mic and called out fellow Brit Michael Page in an expletive-laden challenge that received a short response from the number two-ranked welterweight contender.
"The king of 175? I think not," replied Page.
Pico calls for redemption rematch after submission win
Aaron Pico (right) wants a rematch with Adam Borics after seeing off England's Aiden Lee
Earlier on the main card, rising featherweight contender Aaron Pico showcased his continued evolution as a fighter with a third-round submission finish of England's Aiden Lee, then called for a rematch with the last man to defeat him.
Pico, 24, produced a wrestling clinic as he took Lee to the canvas on multiple occasions before eventually finishing his man via anaconda choke.
Lee, 26, proved a tough nut to crack, as his dogged determination and ability to survive a plethora of submission attempts ensured that he dragged Pico into the third round for the first time in the American's MMA career.
But Pico would not be denied and the relentless featherweight finally scored the submission finish he had been chasing all fight when he forced the tap at the 1:33 mark following an anaconda choke.
Pico then called for a fight against top 10 opposition and said that he was ready for a rematch against the last man to defeat him.
Hungarian contender Adam Borics defeated Pico via flying-knee and ground-and-pound TKO at Bellator 222 back in 2019.
Since that loss, Pico has won four in a row, and the American now believes his skills are at a level where he can avenge his high-profile stoppage defeat.
"I'll fight anybody in the top 10, honestly," he said. "I'll fight Adam Borics, I'll fight anybody. I feel I'm ready - I'm ready mentally and physically."