February 5, 2023 12: 30 pm ET
The veryfirst Bellator occasion of 2023, Bellator 290, went down Saturday at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and it significant a significant event for both the promo and the sport.
In addition to being the company’s launching display on CBS, the card significant the retirement battle of famous previous PRIDE champ Fedor Emelianenko (40-7 MMA, 4-3 BMMA), who suffered a first-round TKO loss to heavyweight titleholder Ryan Bader (31-7 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) in their primary occasion rematch.
The co-headliner saw middleweight champ Johnny Eblen(13-0 MMA, 9-0 BMMA) stay unbeaten with a consentaneous choice win over Anatoly Tokov (31-3 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) for his veryfirst title defense.
For more on the numbers behind the title bouts, as well as the rest of the card, check listedbelow for MMA Junkie’s post-event realities from Bellator 290.
Event statistics
Betting favorites went 7-7 on the card.
Betting favorites enhanced to 1-0 in Bellator primary occasions this year.
Total battle time for the 14-bout card was 2: 57: 07.
Ryan Bader def. Fedor Emelianenko
Bader’s 4 successive title defenses are connected with Cris Cyborg for most amongst present Bellator champs.
Bader enhanced to 6-0 (with one no contest) giventhat he moved up to the heavyweight department in May 2018.
Bader enhanced to 5-0 in profession rematches.
Bader’s seven-fight Bellator unbeaten streak in heavyweight competitors is the second-longest active streak in the department behind Steve Mowry (eight).
Bader hasactually made all 4 of his Bellator blockage triumphes by knockout.
Emelianenko retired from MMA competitors after his loss.
Emelianenko fell to 6-3 consideringthat he returned from his veryfirst retirement in December 2015.
Emelianenko has suffered all 7 of his profession losses by interruption.
Emelianenko has suffered all 3 of his Bellator losses by knockout.
Johnny Eblen def. Anatoly Tokov
Eblen’s nine-fight Bellator winning streak at middleweight is the longest active streak in the department.
Eblen hasactually made 7 of his 9 Bellator success by choice.
Tokov has suffered 2 of his 3 profession losses by choice.
Brennan Ward def. Sabah Homasi
Brennan Ward (17-6 MMA, 12-6 BMMA) enhanced to 3-0 because he returned from a almost five-year layoff from competitors.
Ward hasactually made 16 of his 17 profession success by blockage.
Ward hasactually made all 12 of his Bellator success by blockage.
Ward’s 12 blockage triumphes in Bellator competitors are connected for fourth-most in divisional history behind A.J. McKee (13), Patricio Freire (13) and Michael Chandler (13).
Ward’s 9 knockout triumphes in Bellator competitors are connected for third-most in divisional history behind Michael Page (10) and Patricky Freire (10).
Sabah Homasi (17-11 MMA, 5-5 BMMA) has suffered 9 of his 11 profession losses by blockage.
Jaylon Bates def. Jornel Lugo
Jaylon Bat