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ARCHIVED STORY   WINTER 2019
Kimbel suffers first round loss at Bellator 215
Rogers and Goff win on preliminary card

Sergei Kharitonov, left, versus Matt Mitrione during a heavy weight bout on Feb. 15.
Sergei Kharitonov, left, versus Matt Mitrione during a heavy weight bout on Feb. 15. The fight headlined Bellator 215 -- the first of two nights of MMA hosted at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Photo by John Fulcher

By Brian Woodman Jr.
(Jan. 15 -- Uncasville, CT)
(Editorial note: we will publish the results for 216 on our blog.)

   A no-contest courtesy of a kick to the crotch provided an anti-climatic end to Bellator 215 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
   The aforementioned kick occurred during the main event -- a heavyweight fight between Matt Mitrione (13-6 with one no-contest) and Sergei Kharitonov (29-7 with two no-contests). Officials ended the fight in the first round as Kharitonov, who was visibly in pain and could not get up, was carried off on a stretcher.
   Waterbury’s Mike Kimbel (2-1) was considered a hot prospect going into his bantamweight fight with John Douma (4-1) -- the second bout on the main card. Although Kimbel threw Douma and attempted some ground-and-pound, he wound up submitting in the first round courtesy of a triangle choke at 2:51. 
   The main card opened with a catch weight fight at 175 pounds between Austin Vanderford (7-0) and Cody Jones (6-3). Vanderford submitted Jones with an arm triangle choke at 4:49 in the first round.
Eduardo Dantas (21-6) earned an unanimous decision win over fellow bantamweight Toby Misech (11-7) during the third fight on the main card. Dantas attempted a kimura during the first round and took Misech’s back during the second. Two judges scored the fight 30-27 and one scored it 29-28.
   Logan Storley (9-0) dominated Ion Pascu (18-9) during the co-main event -- a welterweight fight for a slot in the Grand Prix bracket. Storley lifted and dropped Pascu during the fight, periodically dropping punches on him during scrambling on the ground. Two judges scored it 30-26 and one scored it 30-27.
   Two Connecticut fighters won bouts on the preliminary card. 
   Billy Goff (2-0) won an unanimous decision over Ryan Hardy (0-1) during a welterweight bout the opened the evening. All three judges scored it 29-28.
   Pete Rogers (4-4) won the fourth fight of the evening -- a featherweight bout with Jason Rine (1-4). Rogers won by TKO due to strikes at :50 in the second round.

The other preliminary results, provided by Bellator spokespersons, are;
  • Flyweight: Zarrukh Adashev (2-1) defeated Ronie Arana (0-3) by unanimous decision. (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
  • Featherweight: Matt Probin (4-0) defeated Ali Zebian (1-1) by split decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
  • Atomweight: Lindsey VanZandt (5-1) defeated Tabatha Watkins (3-1) by TKO through punches at 3:25 in the second round.
  • Middleweight: Pat McCrohan (4-2) defeated Jason Markland by TKO through punches at 1:11 in the first round.
  • Featherweight: Amanda Bell (6-5) knocked out Amber Leibrock (3-3) with punches at 3:52 in the first round.
  • Heavyweight: Steve Monwry (6-0) submitted Darion Abbey (0-1) with a kimura at 1:27 in the first round.
Cody Jones throws a kick at Austin Vanderford during a catchweight battle on Feb. 15 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Cody Jones throws a kick at Austin Vanderford during a catchweight battle on Feb. 15 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Photo by John Fulcher