Bellator 273 post-event facts: A rare night when betting underdogs thrived

By Mike Bohn |

January 30, 2022 1:00 pm ET

Bellator made its 2022 debut Saturday with Bellator 273, which took place at Footprint Center in Phoenix and featured a 10-fight lineup.

Ryan Bader (29-7 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) successfully unified the heavyweight title in the main event when he defended his championship against interim titleholder Valentin Moldavsky (11-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) by unanimous decision after five grueling rounds.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 32 post-event facts about Bellator 273.

Event stats

Betting favorites went 6-4 on the card.

Betting favorites fell to 0-1 in Bellator main events this year.

Total fight time for the 10-bout card was 1:41:25.

Ryan Bader def. Valentin Moldavsky

Bader’s two consecutive title defenses are tied with Vadim Nemkov for second-most among current Bellator champions behind Cris Cyborg (three).

Bader improved to 4-0 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the heavyweight division in May 2018.

Bader’s five-fight Bellator unbeaten streak in heavyweight competition is the second longest active streak in the division behind Steve Mowry (six).

Bader has earned four of his seven Bellator victories by decision.

Moldavsky has suffered both of his career losses by decision.

Benson Henderson def. Islam Mamedov

Benson Henderson (29-11 MMA, 6-6 BMMA) snapped his three-fight losing skid for his first victory since September 2019.

Islam Mamedov (20-2-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) had his 20-fight unbeaten streak snapped for his first defeat since July 2009.

Mamedov suffered the first decision loss of his career.

Henry Corrales def. Aiden Lee

Henry Corrales (20-6 MMA, 8-6 BMMA) was successful in his return to the featherweight division.

Aiden Lee (10-6 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) has suffered two of his three Bellator losses by decision.

Sabah Homasi def. Jaleel Willis

Sabah Homasi (16-10 MMA, 4-4 BMMA) has earned 13 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. That includes all four of his Bellator wins.

Jaleel Willis (15-4 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) has suffered three of his four career losses by stoppage.

Enrique Barzola def. Darrion Caldwell

Enrique Barzola (17-5-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) improved to 1-0-1 since he dropped to the bantamweight division in March 2019.

Darrion Caldwell’s (15-6 MMA, 12-5 BMMA) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since January 2020.

Caldwell fell to 2-5 in his past seven fights dating back to December 2018.

Caldwell suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

Chris Gonzalez def. Saad Awad

Chris Gonzalez’s (7-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) six-fight Bellator winning streak at lightweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Gonzalez earned the first knockout victory of his career.

Saad Awad (24-14 MMA, 12-11 BMMA) fell to 5-9 (with no contest) in his past 15 Bellator appearances dating back to August 2015.

Awad’s 11 losses in Bellator competition are most in company history.

Dalton Rosta def. Duane Johnson

Dalton Rosta’s (6-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) four-fight Bellator winning streak at middleweight is tied for the third-longest active steak in the division behind Anatoly Tokov (six) and Johnny Eblen (six).

Duane Johnson (6-3 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) suffered all three of his career losses by decision.

Nikita Mikhailov def. Blaine Shutt

Nikita Mikhailov (8-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) has earned all three of her career stoppage victories by knockout.

Blaine Shutt (8-6 MMA, 0-2 BMMA) suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

Lucas Brennan def. Benjamin Lugo

Lucas Brennan’s (6-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) five-fight Bellator winning streak at featherweight is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind A.J. McKee (18).

Brennan has earned five of his six career victories by stoppage.

Benjamin Lugo (5-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) has suffered four of his five career victories by stoppage.