Amosov, Jackson among winners at Bellator 260.

by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/12/21

(June 11 – Uncasville, CT)

Yaroslav Amosov (26-0) and Jason Jackson (15-4) were among the winners at Bellator MMA 260, which Mohegan Sun Arena hosted on Friday evening.

Amosov, who won the welterweight world championship title, used his wrestling skills to smother Douglas Lima (32-9) for five rounds during the main event. Two judges scored the bout 49-46 and one scored it 50-45.

Jackson used takedowns to trump fellow welterweight Paul Daley (43-18-2) for three rounds during the co-main event. Daley’s striking skills only figured occasionally as Jackson pounced on Daley and lay on him for much of the fight, which was contracted at 170 pounds. The bout yielded a hostile reaction from the frustrated audience. Judges awarded Jackson a unanimous decision and scored it 30-27.

“It’s not easy to come out here and do what me and Paul Daley just did,” said Jackson amidst the boos. “We came out here, we fought our asses off.”

Aaron Pico (8-3) submitted Aiden Lee (9-5) with an anaconda choke at 1:33 in the third round of a featherweight bout. “I’ll fight anybody in the top 10 honestly,” said Pico afterwards. He scored eight takedowns during the fight before securing the win.

The main card opened with a welterweight fight between Mark Lemminger (12-3) and Demarques Jackson (11-6). Lemminger, who dominated the majority of the fight, punched his way to a TKO victory at 3:30 in the second round.

Jackson did reverse his position on the ground during the second round and take Lemminger’s back. But Lemminger assumed a dominant position again and dropped elbows, attempted a rear naked choke and grounded-and-pounded before the referee waved the fight off.

The preliminary card opened with a light heavyweight fight between Alex Polozzi (8-1) and Gustavo Trujillo (3-2). Polizzi submitted Trujillo with a straight arm bar in the first round.

Poliizzi shot for a single leg takedown early in the first round but wound up on his back with Trujillo in the top position. Trujillo later lifted and dropped Polizzi, who reversed his position on the ground and attempted a rear naked choke. He eventually secured the win at 4:22.

Marina Mokhnatkina (5-2) defeated Amanda Bell (7-8) by unanimous decision during a generally one-sided featherweight bout. Bell attempted a submission from the bottom near the end of the last round and stalked Mokhnatkina during much of the stand-up phase. All three judges scored it 30-27.

Lucas Brennan (4-0) submitted Matthew Skibicki (4-4) by anaconda choke at 1:54 in the first round. The bout was contracted at 150 pounds.

Bobby King (10-3) defeated local favorite Nick Newell (16-4) by split decision. Two judges scored the lightweight bout 30-27 for King and the other scored it 29-28 for Newell.

Newell pinned King against the fence early in the first round. King responded with hammer fists and the two ended the round by exchanging frantic striking combinations.

During the second round, King threw kicks at Newell’s chest and stepped up his striking while Newell used clinching, knees and wrestling. Newell attempted two guillotines during the frame. The referee briefly stopped the round after Newell received a kick to the crotch.

Newell continued to wrestle and cinch during the third round, at one point catching one of King’s kicks and throwing him. King kept throwing punches during the round while Newell ended it by attempting a flying knee.

Justin Gonzales (12-0) defeated Tywan Claxton (6-3) by split decision. Two judges scored the featherweight bout 29-28 in favor of Gonzales and one scored it 29-28 in favor of Claxton.

The two exchanged strikes during the first round but Gonzales appeared more aggressive. Gonzales had a bloody nose during the middle of the frame.

Claxton took down Gonzales during the second round after a striking exchange. The fighters returned to their feet and clinched with Claxton throwing knees.

Claxton threw a high kick and slipped early in the third round. The fighters continued to clinch and exchange strikes as the bout ended.

Kyle Crutchmer (7-1) defeated Levan Cokheli (9-1, with one no contest) by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the welterweight bout 30-27.  Crutchmer shot in on Cokheli during the first round, later lifting and dropping him. Crutchmer continued to dominate the bout in similar fashion.

A women’s fight between Vanessa Porto (22-9) and Ilara Joanne (9-5) was scratched.