Bellator Champions Series 1: Anderson vs. Moore (also known as Bellator Champions Series Belfast) was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA, that took place on March 22, 2024, at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[1][2][3] It marked the first show to air on Max as part of a new U.S. television deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.[4]
| Bellator Champions Series 1: Anderson vs. Moore | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for Bellator Champions Series 1: Anderson vs. Moore | ||||
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | Bellator MMA | |||
| Date | March 22, 2024 | |||
| Venue | SSE Arena | |||
| City | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background edit
The event marked the promotion's second visit to Belfast and first since Bellator 173 in February 2017. This event also marked Bellator's first since being acquired by the Professional Fighters League (PFL) late last year.[5]
A Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship bout for the vacant title between The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn light heavyweight winner Corey Anderson and Karl Moore headlined the event.[6] The previous titleholder Vadim Nemkov vacated the title and returned in the heavyweight division against 2021 PFL heavyweight winner Bruno Cappelozza at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions on February 24.[7][8]
A featherweight bout between Sinead Kavanagh and Leah McCourt was scheduled for this event.[9] On February 20, McCourt announced that she was out of the bout after suffering broken ribs and a torn oblique.[10]
A featherweight bout between Jeremy Kennedy and James Gallagher was scheduled for this event.[11] However, at the beginning of the month, Kennedy was rescheduled for a Bellator Featherweight Championship bout against reigning champion Patrício Pitbull, while Gallagher was rescheduled against Leandro Higo.[12]
On March 15, it was announced that the lightweight bout between 2019 Rizin Lightweight Grand Prix winner Tofiq Musayev and Alfie Davis and the middleweight bout between Steven Hill and Jordan Newman were scrapped. Instead, Davis will take on Oscar Ownsworth (8-2-1) and both middleweight will no longer appear on the card.[13]
At the weigh-ins, Vikas Singh Ruhil weighed in at 147 pounds, one pound over the featherweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined a percent of his purse which went to his opponent Nathan Kelly.[14]
Results edit
| Main card (DAZN / MAX) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Light Heavyweight | Corey Anderson | def. | Karl Moore | Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 50–45) | 3 | 5:00 | [a] |
| Featherweight | Patrício Pitbull (c) | def. | Jeremy Kennedy | TKO (knees and punches) | 3 | 4:07 | [b] |
| Middleweight | Fabian Edwards | def. | Aaron Jeffery | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | [c] |
| Featherweight | Leandro Higo | def. | James Gallagher | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Manouel Sousa | def. | Tim Wilde | KO (punch) | 1 | 4:48 | |
| Preliminary card (MAX) | |||||||
| Bantamweight | Ciarán Clarke | def. | Darius Mafi | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 3 | 0:41 | |
| Lightweight | Alfie Davis | def. | Oscar Ownsworth | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Luke Trainer | def. | Grant Neal | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Featherweight | Nathan Kelly | def. | Vikas Singh Ruhil | KO (elbow) | 1 | 0:40 | [d] |
| Heavyweight | Abraham Bably | def. | Isaiah Pinson | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Amateur bout | |||||||
| Catchweight (130 lb) | Nate Kelly | def. | Jordan Elliot | Submission (armbar) | 1 | 1:48 | |
- ^ For the vacant Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship.
- ^ For the Bellator Featherweight World Championship.
- ^ Bellator Middleweight title eliminator.
- ^ Singh Ruhil missed weight (147 lb).
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore vacant title fight headlines Bellator's 2024 debut in Belfast". MMA Junkie. 2024-01-30. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
- ^ Baldwin, Nick (2024-01-30). "Report: Corey Anderson, Karl Moore to headline 1st Bellator card of new era". theScore.com. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
- ^ Anderson, Jay (2024-01-30). "Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore Booked, Vacant 205lb Title Fight Headlines Bellator Belfast". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
- ^ Martin, Damon (2024-03-19). "Bellator strikes deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to air events on Max starting with Belfast card". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ Heck, Mike (2024-01-30). "Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore headlines Bellator's return for vacant light heavyweight title in Belfast". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ Guillen, Adam (2024-01-30). "Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore vacant light heavyweight title fight headlines Bellator Belfast on March 22". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "Vadim Nemkov officially vacates Bellator light heavyweight title". MMA Junkie. 2024-01-17. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ Meshew, Jed (2024-01-16). "PFL vs. Bellator fight card set for Feb. 24 in Saudi Arabia, four champ vs. champ fights scheduled". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
- ^ Anderson, Jay (2024-02-05). "Bellator 302 in Belfast Adds Leah McCourt vs. Sinead Kavanagh 2". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
- ^ Guillen, Adam (2024-02-20). "McCourt Out Of Bellator 302 With Multiple 'Painful' Injuries". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
- ^ Stevenson, Andy (2024-02-08). "Breaking: James Gallagher vs Jeremy Kennedy Added to Bellator 302 in Belfast". SevereMMA.com - UFC, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Irish MMA. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "Bellator Belfast: Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire to defend featherweight title against Jeremy Kennedy". BBC Sport. 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ Stevenson, Andy (2024-03-15). "Updated Bellator Champion Series Belfast Card". SevereMMA.com - UFC, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Irish MMA. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ "Bellator Champions Series: Belfast weigh-in results: Title fights official, one fighter heavy". MMA Junkie. 2024-03-21. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ "Bellator MMA | Anderson vs. Moore". www.bellator.com. Retrieved 2024-02-06.