Mark Myword
May 13, 20232 min
In a highly anticipated main event at Bellator 296, Fabian Edwards secured his place as the new number one contender for the Bellator middleweight title with a unanimous decision victory over the legendary Gegard Mousasi.
Edwards, the younger brother of UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, outclassed Mousasi from start to finish with a steady barrage of strikes on the feet. Mousasi, a former middleweight champion himself, struggled to keep up with Edwards' pace and found himself a step behind for the majority of the fight.
Despite finding some success in the fourth round with a takedown and brief mount position, Mousasi was unable to mount a comeback and ultimately lost a clear decision to Edwards. With this victory, Edwards secures a title shot against undefeated Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen on September 23rd in Dublin, Ireland.
Immediately following the judge's decision, Edwards and Eblen squared off in the cage and almost started a brawl inside the Accor Arena in Paris.
“That was a pretty good performance, but I’m a much, much tougher opponent than Gegard — and you’re going to f****** see that when we fight,” Eblen said.
“We know when the show is — that belt’s mine,” Edwards shot back.
In the co-main event, former lightweight champion Brent Primus earned his place in the semi-finals of the Bellator lightweight grand prix with a hard-fought victory over Mansour Barnaoui.
Primus utilized his wrestling and submission skills to control much of the fight, while Barnaoui showcased his striking prowess with devastating knees and elbows from the clinch. Despite the back-and-forth action, Primus was able to grind out a 48-47 unanimous decision victory and earn a shot at current Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.
“I think he has gills in his neck or something like that,” Primus said of his French opponent. “I don’t know what it is, but man, he is one tough son of a gun. Hats off to you, Mansour — you are so tough, bro.”
Both Edwards and Primus demonstrated their skills and toughness in impressive victories, and their upcoming title shots add to the excitement surrounding Bellator's growing roster of talent.
As for Mousasi, the loss marks his second consecutive defeat and raises questions about his future in the sport. However, with a storied career spanning over two decades, the 37-year-old legend's legacy is secure regardless of what lies ahead.