Bellator returns to Florida for the first time since March 2013 on Friday with Bellator 271, which takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. The main card streams on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Dominant women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg (24-2 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) is set to return in the main event. She’ll seek her third consecutive defense of the title when she welcomes challenger Sinead Kavanagh (7-4 MMA, 4-4 BMMA), who is a gigantic betting underdog and will be looking to create an all-time upset.
For more on the numbers behind the card, which features a number of other notables, check below for 30 pre-event facts going into Bellator 271.
Cris Cyborg vs. Sinead Kavanagh
Cris Cyborg
Cyborg is the only fighter in history to win titles in Bellator, UFC, Invicta FC and Strikeforce.
Cyborg is the only fighter in history to successfully defend titles in Bellator, UFC, Invicta FC, and Strikeforce.
Cyborg is one of two fighters in history to win titles in Bellator and UFC. Eddie Alvarez also accomplished the feat.
Cyborg is the only fighter in history to successfully defend titles in Bellator and UFC.
Cyborg has earned 20 of her 24 career victories by knockout. She’s finished 10 of those wins in Round 1.
Cyborg’s victory at the 4:51 mark of Round 5 at Bellator 259 is the latest stoppage in Bellator title-fight history.
Sinead Kavanagh
Kavanagh can become the first Irish-born champion in Bellator history.
Kavanagh returns to competition for the first time since Oct. 3, 2020. The 405-day layoff is the longest of her more than six-year career.
Kavanagh competes in her seventh Bellator women’s featherweight bout, tied for the third-most appearances in divisional history behind Arlene Blencowe (11) and Julia Budd (10).
Tyrell Fortune vs. Linton Vassell
Tyrell Fortune
Tyrell Fortune (11-1 MMA, 11-1 BMMA) competes in his 14th Bellator heavyweight bout, the second-most appearances in divisional history behind Cheick Kongo (17).
Fortune’s 11 victories in Bellator heavyweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Kongo (13).
Fortune’s eight stoppage victories in Bellator heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Fortune’s seven knockout victories in Bellator heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Linton Vassell (20-8 MMA, 9-5 BMMA) is 2-1 since he moved up to heavyweight in March 2019.
Vassell has earned 16 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes six of his nine Bellator wins.
Aaron Pico vs. Justin Gonzales
Aaron Pico
Aaron Pico (8-3 MMA, 8-3 BMMA) is 8-2 since he dropped to the featherweight division in September 2017.
Pico has earned all eight of his career victories by stoppage.
Pico’s eight stoppage victories in Bellator featherweight competition are third-most in divisional history behind A.J. McKee (13) and Patricio Freire (12).
Pico’s six knockout victories in Bellator featherweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Freire (seven).
Arlene Blencowe vs. Pam Sorenson
Arlene Blencowe
Arlene Blencowe (14-8 MMA, 7-4 BMMA) competes in her 12th Bellator women’s featherweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Blencowe’s seven victories in Bellator women’s featherweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Budd (nine).
Blencowe’s four stoppage victories in Bellator women’s featherweight competition are most in divisional history.
Blencowe’s four knockout victories in Bellator women’s featherweight competition are most in divisional history.
Blencowe’s 22-second knockout of Amanda Bell at Bellator 224 is the fastest finish in Bellator women’s featherweight history.
Steve Mowry vs. Rakim Cleveland
Steve Mowry
Steve Mowry’s (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) five-fight Bellator winning streak at heavyweight is the second-longest longest active streak in the division behind Valentin Moldavsky (six).
Mowry has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage.
Mowry’s three victories in Bellator heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.