Bellator 226 Live Results
Champ-champ Ryan Bader’s first heavyweight title defense and the start of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix surround Bellator 226, which takes place at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
In the main event, Bader will defend his championship against Cheick Kongo. The rest of the main card features featherweight bouts, with four of the five serving as opening round fights for the 16-man featherweight tournament.
Bader claimed the heavyweight championship at Bellator 214 in January, knocking out Fedor Emelianenko with one punch to win the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix. He became the first fighter in promotion history to hold two of its championships simultaneously, and the second overall to win Bellator titles in two different weight classes.
Kongo is currently on an eight-fight win streak that extends back to 2015. Kongo gained No. 1 contender status by defeating Vitaly Minakov at Bellator 216, handing the former Bellator champion his first loss and avenging his own loss to Minakov from Bellator 115 in April 2014.
The first-round Featherweight Grand Prix matchups at Bellator 226 include Sam Sicilia vs. Roberto de Carvalho, Daniel Straus vs. Derek Campos, Pat Curran vs. Adam Borics and Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Tywan Claxton. The rest of the first round will take place at Bellator 228 in three weeks.
FIGHT SPORTS brings you live coverage of Bellator 226!
Bellator 226 Main Card (DAZN, 10 p.m. ET):
Bellator Heavyweight Championship: (c.) Ryan Bader vs. Cheick Kongo goes to a No Contest (accidental foul – eye poke) (Rd. 1, 3:52)
Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix First-Round Bout: Derek Campos def. Daniel Straus via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)
Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix First-Round Bout: Adam Borics def. Pat Curran via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:59)
Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix First-Round Bout: Pedro Carvalho def. Sam Sicilia via submission (face crank) (Rd. 2, 1:56)
Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix First-Round Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez def. Tywan Claxton via submission (triangle choke) (Rd. 2, 4:11)
Daniel Carey def. Gaston Bolanos via technical submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 1, 4:19)