At Bellator 274, former welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov didn’t just beat Chance Rencountre with a vicious body kick. He also broke five of the American’s ribs and punctured his lung.
UFC veteran Rencountre (16-5) did not have the Bellator debut he was hoping for on Saturday night, inside the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Not only did his matchup with dangerous striker Koreshkov (25-4) last just 38 seconds, but the body kick that ended his night early also did serious damage.
On Sunday, Rencountre’s Suckerpunch Entertainment manager Brian Butler-Au posted an x-ray image of his client’s rib cage. Showing the evidence of how destructive the Russian’s kicks can be, and adding that “Black Eagle” will need surgery for a punctured lung following the loss.
Andrey Koreshkov broke five of Chance Rencountre’s ribs at Bellator 274
“UPDATE: @blackeagle_170 suffered 5 broken ribs, a punctured lung from the heel kick landed by @koreshmmarus last night. Not the outcome we wanted but the kick was well placed and would have stopped anyone. Next time we will get a full camp and come back stronger 👊🏼 Chance is in good spirits and prepping for surgery. Thank you to the @bellatormma team who has been tremendous with all their assistance. Congratulations to @koreshmmarus and his team on the victory,” Butler-Au wrote.
In a separate Instagram post from his hospital bed, the 35-year-old let fans know he was in good spirits despite all of his injuries, which also included a bruised kidney as well.
Following the thirteenth knockout win of his career, Koreshkov called for a fight with fellow 170-pound striking ace Paul Daley. The matchup request was granted by Bellator and the bout is set to take place on their Bellator London card in May.
The defeat over the weekend ended a two-fight win streak for Rencountre, following his release from the UFC in 2020 after a 2-2 run in the promotion.
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