Bellator 294: Liz Carmouche vs. DeAnna Bennett results, highlights [UPDATED LIVE]

Everything you need to know about the Bellator 294 fight card including results and highlights.

Bellator MMA is back in Hawaii for its annual back-to-back days of fight cards at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. This year's festivities begin tonight with Bellator 294, which will serve as the 2023 edition of Bellator's Salute the Troops card.

The event, however, has been given a blow in the last 24 hours. The headline attraction will see Bellator women's flyweight champion Liz Carmouche against DeAnna Bennett, but the circumstances of the contest have changed.

Bennett was originally supposed to challenge for Carmouche's title. However, Bennett came in over the flyweight limit, making her ineligible to claim the championship.

In a unique circumstance unlike anything we've seen, however, Bellator MMA announced that Carmouche will still put the title on the line. If Bennett defeats Carmouche, the title will be vacant. This is something normally seen only when a champion is the one stripped on the scales; the fight simply becomes a non-title match or the title only remains vacant if the newly former champion defeats the challenger.

This will be a rematch of Carmouche's Bellator debut. She submitted Bennett in the third round of their fight at Bellator 246 in September 2020 with a rear-naked choke.

Carmouche won the flyweight championship at last year's Bellator Salute the Troops event, almost exactly one year ago, scoring a fourth-round finish of Juliana Velasquez at Bellator 278. Carmouche retained the title in a rematch in December at Bellator 289.

Bennett comes into this fight riding a three-fight win streak, scoring unanimous decisions over Alejandra Lara and Justine Kish (defeating the latter two consecutive times).

This story will be updated live throughout the night.

Bellator 294 live results [UPDATED]

Bellator 294: Liz Carmouche vs. DeAnna Bennett Main Card (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

(c.) Liz Carmourche vs. DeAnna Bennett -- for the Bellator women's flyweight championship (Bennett ineligible to win title; title vacant with a Bennett win)

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Liz Carmourche defeated DeAnna Bennett via submission (arm triangle choke), Round 4 - 4:29 for the Bellator women's flyweight title

HIGHLIGHTS:

Timothy Johnson vs. Said Sowma

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Tim Johnson defeated Said Sowma via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Arlene Blencowe vs. Sara McMann

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Sara McMann defeated Arlene Blencowe via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-26)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Danny Sabatello vs. Marcos Breno

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Danny Sabatello defeated Marcos Breno via submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 4:10

HIGHLIGHTS:

Levan Chokheli vs. Michael Lombardo

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Levan Chokheli defeated Michael Lombardo via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) READ THE RECAP

HIGHLIGHTS:

Bellator 294: Liz Carmouche vs. DeAnna Bennett Preliminary Card (YouTube/Pluto TV, 8:25 p.m. ET/5:25 p.m. PT)

Kenneth Cross vs. Killys Mota

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Killys Mota defeated Kenneth Cross via submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 2:14

HIGHLIGHTS:

Tyrell Fortune vs. Sergey Bilostenniy

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Tyrell Fortune defeated Sergey Bilostenniy via DQ (blows to the back of the head), Round 1 - 3:26

HIGHLIGHTS:

Cris Lencioni vs. Blake Smith

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Cris Lencioni defeated Blake Smith via submission (inverted triangle) – Round 2, 3:39

HIGHLIGHTS:

Anthony Adams vs. Sharaf Davlatmurodov

OFFICIAL RESULTS: Sharaf Davlatmurodov def. Anthony Adams via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Bellator 294: Liz Carmouche vs. DeAnna Bennett takes place on Friday, April 21, 2023, live from Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your news and highlights.