| Bellator 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for Bellator 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 | ||||
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | Bellator MMA | |||
| Date | April 15, 2022 | |||
| Venue | SAP Center | |||
| City | San Jose, California, United States | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Bellator 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on April 15, 2022, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, United States. [1] [2]
The event was headlined by a rematch between Bellator Featherweight Champion A. J. McKee and Patrício Pitbull. The duo previously fought in the Bellator 263 main event, where McKee took Pitbull's title in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix final via a first-round guillotine choke submission. [3] [4] [5]
The co-main event featured the final of the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament as Bellator Light Heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn light heavyweight winner Corey Anderson for the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship as well as the $1 million prize. Nemkov, on the way to the final, defeated Phil Davis via a unanimous decision and secured a fourth-round kimura stoppage against Julius Anglickas. On the other side of the bracket, Anderson defeated both Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov and Ryan Bader by TKO. [6]
A heavyweight bout between former interim Bellator Heavyweight World Championship challenger Timothy Johnson and Tyrell Fortune was scheduled for the event. [7] However, on March 1, 2022, it was announced by Bellator that Johnson was expected to face Linton Vassell and Fortune was set to meet Steve Mowry in the event. [8] In turn, Mowry pulled out of the bout in late March and was replaced by Rakim Cleveland. [9]
A middleweight bout between Pat Downey and Daniel Compton was scheduled for this event. [10] However, after developing Red skin syndrome, Downey was forced to pull out of the bout. [11]
A light heavyweight bout between Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov and Tony Johnson was scheduled for the event. [12] However, due to an injury, Johnson was forced to pull out and was replaced by former Bellator Middleweight Champion Rafael Carvalho. [13]
A featherweight bout between Aaron Pico and Jeremy Kennedy was expected to take place at the event. [14] However, Kennedy withdrew 8 days before the event and Adli Edwards replaced him. [15] [16]
| Main Card (Showtime) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Featherweight | Patrício Pitbull | def. | A. J. McKee (c) | Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 48–47, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | [lower-alpha 1] |
| Light Heavyweight | Vadim Nemkov (c) | vs. | Corey Anderson | No Contest (accidental clash of heads) | 3 | 4:55 | [lower-alpha 2] |
| Catchweight (150 lb) | Aaron Pico | def. | Adli Edwards | TKO (punches) | 3 | 0:55 | |
| Heavyweight | Linton Vassell | def. | Timothy Johnson | TKO (punches) | 1 | 4:21 | |
| Preliminary card (Youtube/Pluto TV) | |||||||
| Welterweight | Tyson Miller | def. | Rhalan Gracie | TKO (doctor stoppage) | 1 | 5:00 | |
| Heavyweight | Tyrell Fortune | def. | Rakim Cleveland | TKO (punches and knee) | 1 | 1:38 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | def. | Rafael Carvalho | TKO (elbows and punches) | 2 | 4:04 | |
| Bantamweight | Bobby Seronio III | def. | Calob Ramirez | KO (punch) | 2 | 2:14 | |
| Featherweight | Gaston Bolanos | def. | Daniel Carey | TKO (punches) | 1 | 4:59 | |
| Welterweight | Kyle Crutchmer | def. | Michael Lombardo | Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Flyweight | Edwin De Los Santos | def. | Alberto Mendez | Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Featherweight | Rogelio Luna | def. | Socrates Hernandez | TKO (punches) | 3 | 4:48 | |
| Featherweight | Laird Anderson | def. | JT Donaldson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 1 | 2:44 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Theo Haig | def. | Alan Benson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 1 | 2:08 | |
After the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Final ended in a no contest and no winner was declared, Bellator frontman Scott Coker announced that the final between Nemkov and Anderson will be rebooked later in 2022. [18]
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the California State Athletic Commission. It is important to note the amounts do not include sponsor money, discretionary bonuses, viewership points or additional earnings. [19]
Patrício Freire, known professionally as Patrício Pitbull, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in Bellator MMA where he is the current three-time Bellator Featherweight Champion and former Bellator Lightweight Champion. He is the younger brother of lightweight fighter Patricky Pitbull. He is the second-ever simultaneous two-weight champion in Bellator MMA history, and is widely considered to be the best Bellator fighter of all-time. He is also considered one of the best ever, pound-for-pound, to have never fought in the UFC.
Corey Anderson is an American mixed martial artist currently competing for Bellator MMA in the light heavyweight division, where he is the current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion. Prior to signing with Bellator, Anderson competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the light heavyweight winner on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn and achieved success as a top 5 UFC light heavyweight contender.
A. J. McKee is an American professional mixed martial artist. He is currently competing in Bellator's Featherweight and Lightweight division, where he is the former Bellator Featherweight Champion.
Vadim Aleksandrovich Nemkov is a Russian professional mixed martial artist and a four-time Combat Sambo World Champion. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division of Bellator, where he is the former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion. Nemkov is the younger brother of Viktor Nemkov and is a protégé of the MMA Heavyweight and Sambo master Fedor Emelianenko. He is ranked #1 in the 205 division by sherdog.
Döwletjan Ýagşymyradow is a Turkmen mixed martial artist who competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Professional Fighters League. He has also competed in Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA), where he was the ACA Light Heavyweight Championship.
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