The fourth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!
After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, and Dublin thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought the brand back to United States soil for the first time in 2024.
And headlining inside the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California on September 7 was Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov, who was tasked with defending his belt opposite an Alexandr Shabliy who rode a nine-fight win streak into his first title challenge.
The reigning kingpin was ultimately successful, comfortably outpointing his fellow countryman in a largely low-volume affair across five rounds.
Elsewhere on the lineup, Lorenz Larkin and Levan Chokheli duked it out to secure number one contender status at middleweight, with the 38-year-old UFC and Strikeforce veteran getting it done in under two minutes, and former Bellator champ Douglas Lima fell to Aaron Jeffrey in his comeback after 15 months away.
With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!
Bellator Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy Results & Highlights
Main Card:
- Lightweight Championship: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Alexandr Shabliy via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
- Welterweight: Lorenz Larkin def. Levan Chokheli via TKO (punches): R1, 1:53
- Middleweight: Aaron Jeffrey def. Douglas Lima via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Women’s Flyweight: Sumiko Inaba def. Mackenzie Stiller via TKO (ground strikes): R2, 4:25
- Lightweight: Zhora Ayvazyan def. Yancy Medeiros via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Card:
- Middleweight: Jordan Newman def. Imamshafi Aliev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Welterweight: Masayuki Kikuiri def. Herman Terrado via TKO (body kick): R3, 2:54
- Bantamweight: Bryce Meredith def. Jon Macalolooy via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:18
- Heavyweight: Josh Hokit def. Sean Rose via submission (armbar): R1, 4:48
- Women’s Strawweight: Ashley Thiner def. Aysia Cortez via TKO (punches): R2, 3:11
