Mark Coates entered his bantamweight matchup at Bellator 283 hoping to score an upset over Jaylon Bates, but he ended up producing a very different sort of highlight that will live on in MMA history.
With time winding down in the first round, Coates felt confident enough to attempt a rolling thunder kick. While the intention was presumably to hit Bates in the head, “Marky Mark” instead managed to catch the 25-year-old below the belt.
Bates reacted to the strike immediately and turned away, although Coates seemed a bit skeptical about the impact. The video replay showed that the connection was quite obvious, but Coates continued walking slowly towards “New Breed” until referee Frank Trigg stepped in.
Bates managed to recover from the debilitating strike and went on to win a split-decision that improved his undefeated record to 6-0.
Competing in his debut bout for Bellator, Mark Coates fell to 10-8 but certainly produced a highlight that will be remembered by MMA fans.
Where do you think this groin strike from Bellator 283 ranks among some of the most famous such strikes in MMA history?