Bellator 226 had an anticlimactic conclusion over the weekend when the main event featuring Ryan Bader and Cheick Kongo ended in a no-contest.
Midway through the opening round of what was scheduled to be a five-round heavyweight title bout, Bader accidentally poked Kongo in the left eye and rendered the Frenchman unable to continue after he was examined by the cageside physician.
Bader (27-5, one no-contest) is Bellator’s first simultaneous two-weight champion. He beat his old UFC rival Phil Davis to win the light-heavyweight belt in 2017 and the vacant heavyweight strap earlier this year when he knocked out Fedor Emelianenko in January. Prior to Bellator 226, Bader had won seven in a row and 12 of his past 13 fights dating back to 2013.
Meanwhile, Kongo (30-10-2, one no-contest) had emerged victorious in his previous eight outings.
The first four fights of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix tournament were also featured on the main card with Derek Campos, Adam Borics, Pedro Carvalho and Emmanuel Sanchez picking up wins.
Here are the complete results from Bellator 226:
MAIN CARD
— Ryan Bader vs. Cheick Kongo ruled a no-contest (accidental eye poke)
— Derek Campos def. Daniel Straus by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)
— Adam Borics def. Pat Curran by technical knockout
— Pedro Carvalho def. Sam Sicilia by submission (face-crank)
— Emmanuel Sanchez def. Tywan Claxton by submission (triangle choke)
— Daniel Carey def. Gaston Bolanos by technical submission (guillotine)
PRELIMINARY CARD
— Ivan Batinich def. Daniel Compton by submission (rear-naked choke)
— Tyson Miller def. Albert Gonzales by technical knockout
— Alan Benson def. Favian Gutierrez by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
— Peter Ishiguro def. Elias Anderson by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
— Daniel Gonzalez def. Jon Adams by technical knockout
— Cornelius Savage def. Evan Gubera by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
— John Macapa def. Ashleigh Grimshaw by TKO (corner stoppage)
— Adam Piccolotti def. Jake Smith by submission (rear-naked choke)
— Jessica Borga def. Amber Leibrock by submission (armbar)
— Cass Bell def. Isaiah Rocha by submission (guillotine choke)
— Batsumberel Dagvadorj def. James Terry by submission (bulldog choke)
— Renato Valente Alves def. Abraham Vaesau by submission (rear-naked choke)
— Hyder Amil def. Ignacio Ortiz by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
— Chris Gonzalez def. Luis Vargas by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
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