Bellator 222 post-event facts: Kyoji Horiguchi makes history
Check out all the facts, figures and footnotes from Bellator 222, which took place Friday in New York.
One of the most significant fight cards in Bellator history took place Friday with Bellator 222, which went down at Madison Square Garden in New York with a main card that streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
In the main event, Rory MacDonald (21-5-1 MMA, 3-1-1 BMMA) successfully defended his welterweight championship against Neiman Gracie (9-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) by unanimous decision to advance to the finals of the organization’s 170-pound grand prix, where he will rematch Douglas Lima.
The card was overall among the deepest in company history, and with that came some notable results. For more behind the numbers, check below for
* * * *
General
Betting favorites went 4-2 on the main card.
Betting favorites improved to 4-3 (with one no-contest and one draw) in Bellator main events this year.
Total fight time for the six-bout main card was 1:10:55.
Main card
MacDonald has earned two of his three Bellator victories by decision.
Gracie had his nine-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
Gracie fell to 6-1 since he dropped to the welterweight division in February 2015.
Lyoto Machida (26-8 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) was successful in his return to the light heavyweight division. He earned his first victory in the weight class since February 2013.
Machida’s four-fight winning streak is his longest since he started his career 16-0.
Chael Sonnen (30-17-1 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) retired from MMA competition following his loss.
Sonnen fell to 2-3 since he returned to competition from a more than three-year layoff in January 2017.
Sonnen has suffered 16 of his 17 career losses by stoppage. That includes all three of his Bellator defeats.
Dillon Danis (2-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) has earned both of his career victories by submission.
Max Humphrey (3-3 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.
Juan Archuleta (23-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) extended his winning streak to 18 fights. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since March 2015 in what was his only career blemish.
Ricky Bandejas (11-3 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by submission.
Eduardo Dantas (21-7 MMA, 11-4 BMMA) has suffered all three of his career stoppage losses by knockout.
Kyoji Horiguchi (28-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) became the first fighter in history to earn titles in Bellator and Rizin FF.
Horiguchi extended his winning streak to 13 fights. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since April 2015.
Darrion Caldwell (13-3 MMA, 10-2 BMMA) suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since August.
Caldwell fell to 6-2 since he dropped to the Bellator bantamweight division in May 2015.
Caldwell fell to 4-1 in Bellator featherweight competition. He’s 6-1 in the weight class during his career.
Caldwell suffered the first decision loss of his career.
Preliminary card
Adam Borics (13-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) has earned 10 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. That includes all four of his Bellator wins.
Aaron Pico (4-3 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career.
Pico fell to 4-2 since he dropped to the featherweight division in September 2017.
Pico has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.
Pico has suffered both of his featherweight losses by knockout.
Heather Hardy (2-2 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) has suffered both of her career losses by knockout.
Mike Kimbel (3-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) earned the first decision victory of his career.
Haim Gozali (9-5 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all three of his Bellator wins by first-round submission.
Gozali, 46, became the oldest fighter in Bellator history to earn a submission victory.
For complete coverage of Bellator 222, check out the MMA Events section of the site.