At Bellator 275, seven alumni made the walk to the Bellator MMA cage in front of an Irish crowd. The former IMMAF competitors put on some impressive displays overall with the Co-Main Event bout between World Gold Medalists Sinead Kavanagh and Leah McCourt standing out.
After early success for McCourt, Kavanagh turned the tables and showcased her grappling ability before the round came to an end. Despite facing adversity through an injury, Kavanagh bit down and continued to bring the fight. She grinded through it all, hunting the finish to the bell. Her efforts were rewarded with a Unanimous Decision victory and a rematch with Cris Cyborg for the Featherweight Championship.
Ciaran Clarke was a late addition to the Main Card after originally being billed for the prelims. Clarke showed his skill and toughness despite finding himself in some tough spots early in the fight. It was a bittersweet ending for the Irishman as the round came to a close. His opponent, Abou Tonkara, sustained a shoulder injury and was unable to continue, declaring Clarke the winner.
Danni McCormack suffered her first defeat as a pro, her last loss was in the final of the 2017 IMMAF World Championships. This time she was outdone in the striking department and unable to implement her game plan. Her opponent, Stephanie Page is renowned for her striking and showed that ability off early in the first, forcing the
Nathan Kelly extended his current win streak to four. Defeating fellow IMMAF graduate Scott Pedersen in the second bout of the night. The 2016 World Silver Medalist made his Bellator debut in front of a packed home crowd. His dominant grappling gave him the edge in a decision victory.
Lee Hammond opened the card in style. The 2019 IMMAF World Champion showed his improvements in striking by outclassing Jamie Hay. Renowned for his grappling ability, Hammond wasn’t the one to initiate the grappling. He defended the takedown well before landing a knee that dropped Hay. He finished the fight moments later by raining down ground and pound.
Results were mixed for the alumni but there were some big results and once again highlighted the talent that the IMMAF competitions produce.
Image credit: Bellator MMA
