Bellator 300 results: Usman Nurmagomedov dominates Brent Primus, Cris Cyborg destroys Cat Zingano to retain

10/07/2023 11:23 PM

All three Bellator 300 fighters who were champions left the same way, including Usman Nurmagomedov, who barely broke a sweat in the main event.

Nurmagomedov closed the show, adding to his intrigue as one of the sport's top prospects with a sweep of the scorecards against Brent Primus to retain the Bellator lightweight title.

Primus came out of the gate very aggressive, but Nurmagomedov was dynamic early on, mixing up his strikes with kicks, knees, clinch work, short elbows and punches. He landed an effortless takedown with around 90 seconds left in the first round.

The slickness of Nurmagomedov continued, and Primus just couldn't get much going offensively, getting picked apart at will by the champion with precision body kicks and punches. The fight remained as one-sided as can be with Nurmagomedov busting up Primus more and more into the championship rounds.

Nurmagomedov landed a takedown in Round 5, and Primus was content just making it to the final bell.

Now, the 25-year-old phenom faces the winner of the Bellator 301 matchup between Alexander Shabily and Patricky Pitbull in the lightweight grand prix finale for the $1 million prize.

Cris Cyborg obliterates Cat Zingano for quick finish

A grudge match several years in the making didn't make it out of the first round.

After over a year away from MMA competition, Cris Cyborg returned in the co-main event and destroyed Cat Zingano in just over four minutes to retain her featherweight title.

Cyborg didn't lose a step after a brief detour into the boxing world, and she decimated Zingano from the moment the opening bell rang to the time referee Frank Trigg pulled her off following a barrage of hammer fists from the longtime champion.

Following the win, Cyborg called for a fight with Leah McCourt, who stopped Sara McMann earlier in the night.

Liz Carmouche gets injury stoppage win against close friend Ilima-Lei Macfarlane

The battle between champ Liz Carmouche and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, originally slated for the flyweight title, certainly looked like a fight between two very close friends – and it ended in a painful way with an injury to the ex-champ.

Carmouche opened the main card against Macfarlane — with Macfarlane missing weight on Friday — and the two engaged in a timid battle that saw very few strikes thrown and far less landed in a glorified sparring session. Referee Blake Grice warned both women about timidity before the second and third rounds began.

Macfarlane's knee was compromised in the third round by a perfectly timed leg kick from Carmouche. The champ likely could have finished the fight at any moment with a couple of hard leg kicks, but she chose to mostly stay outside with a jab, although when she did throw leg kicks, they made immediate impacts.

The action did not enhance as things got exceedingly slower into the championship rounds, with Grice again warning the fighters on multiple occasions. In the fifth round, Macfarlane's knee finally had enough after a leg kick from Carmouche landed and the Hawaiian fighter collapsed to the mat, bringing the stoppage at 0:17 of the final frame.

Carmouche defended her title for the second straight time against an opponent that missed weight.

Main Card

Usman Nurmagomedov def. Brent Primus via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)

Cris Cyborg def. Cat Zingano via TKO (ground and pound) - Round 1, 4:01

Liz Carmouche def. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane via TKO (injury) - Round 5, 0:17

Prelims

Bobby Seronio III def. Alberto Garcia via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Leah McCourt def. Sara McMann via TKO (ground and pound) - Round 1, 4:30

Sergio Cossio def. Jesse Roberts via submission (triangle choke) - Round 3, 4:05

Kai Kamaka III def. Henry Corrales via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Slim Trabelsi def. Davion Franklin via submission (verbal) - Round 1, 3:09

Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov def. Maciej Rozanski via UD (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Mukhamed Berkhamov def. Herman Terrado via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Grant Neal def. Romero Cotton via UD (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Jena Bishop def. Ilara Joanne via submission (armbar) - Round 1, 2:45

Josh Hokit def. Spencer Smith via submission (arm-triangle choke) - Round 3, 3:48