25 of the best Bellator fights of all-time
By Chad Porto
10. Douglas Lima vs. Andrey Koreshkov - Bellator 164
Coming into the second fight against Andrey Koreshkov, Douglas Lima knew he had to change up his game. He got pretty soundly in their first encounter and came into the second ready to go. The second round was so much more intense, as Koreshkov dominated the ground, and inflicted a lot of strikes on Lima. It was a clear 2-0 lead for Koreshkov, but Lima was about to pop off. An out-of-nowhere uppercut from Lima put Koreshkov flat on his back, ending the fight and giving Lima the 1-1 edge in their rivalry.
9. Ricky Bandejas vs. James Gallagher – Bellator 204
Ricky Bandejas did what Shawn Michaels never could, he actually landed Sweet Chin Music on an opponent for real. James Gallagher and Banedjas are two fast-paced fighters who bring a new level of energy whenever they get a chance. They could probably power small cities with how much movement they make in a fight, but at Bellator 204, despite the rapid pace of the fight, it was a single moment that defined everything. Gallagher, rocked by a cross, ends up standing up and backing up, only to eat a standing sidekick from Banedjas that would've made Michaels shed of tear for how beautiful it looked. Bandejas would then apply some round and pound and walk away with his arm raised.
8. Sergio Pettis vs. Kyoji Horiguchi - Bellator 272
Sergio Pettis has become one of the best bantamweights in the game today and part of that had to do with the Kyoji Horiguchi fight. Kyoji is arguably the best bantamweight of his generation and proved it against Pettis. Pettis only landed nine strikes in the first two rounds, and one of those kicks busted Kyoji up. Aside from that, the Japanese icon dominated the fight through nearly four rounds. With Pettis no longer able to win the fight through the judges, he had to hope for a stop and got just that. As the minutes wained in the fourth quarter, Pettis connected with a spinning back fist from out of nowhere to get the comeback win over Kyoji.
7. Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page – Bellator 221
Michael Page had every reason to be confident against Douglas Lima at Bellator 221. He was a striking machine, with a unique stance that made it hard to defend him. Page was running through everyone he fought and was looking to make a name on the back of Lima's legacy. The fight was a solid back-and-forth affair, but what made this fight so impressive was the finish. Page through a rising right hand at Lima, who threw a low right kick at Page's left leg. It swept Page off his feet and as he rose up, Lima responded with the most impressive uppercut you may have ever seen, breaking Page's undefeated streak in the process.
6. Michael Chandler vs. Benson Henderson – Bellator 165
Ever see two cars slam into one another at full speed, reverse, and do it again and again and again and again; well, that's Michael Chandler vs. Benson Henderson I. The two men swung at one another with everything they had. Chandler, at the peak of his game (he still knew how to block shots to face), was pushed by Henderson, who was just 3-3 in his last six, to the very max. Chandler was relentless but Henderson was too tough to put away. The brutality the two men took in this was evident by their faces at the end of the fight. A five-round affair that was equal parts Bloodsport and an Iron Man Marathon. This was the fight that established the lore of Chandler's gas tank.