The New Jersey native moved himself up the Bellator bantamweight ladder in 2018 when he amazingly knocked out Conor McGregor protégé James Gallagher.
Pettis threw spinning kicks, and Bandejas came back with some of his own, consisting of a wheel kick to the head that was just hardly blocked by Pettis. Pettis threw another spinning kick with seconds remaining that directly missed out on.
Pettis (20-5) has won 3 straight, including his very first two in Bellator. Pettis, still just 26 years old, owns a victory over Joseph Benavidez, who simply combated for the UFC flyweight title last weekend in Abu Dhabi.
The younger bro of a former UFC champion has actually started sculpting out his own name in Bellator MMA.
In Bellators return for the very first time in five months, Sergio Pettis defeated Ricky Bandejas via consentaneous choice (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in the bantamweight primary event of Bellator 242 on Friday night.
Bellator, the second-most popular MMA promo in the U.S. after the UFC, had not held an event because Feb. 22 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pettis older brother Anthony was the UFC lightweight champion in 2013 and 2014.
This card happened at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, supervised by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation. COVID-19 protocols were carried out, including multiple coronavirus tests and the keeping of fighters, corners and personnel within a sort of bubble at the Mohegan Sun resort and casino.
The original Bellator 242 centerpiece was expected to be a bout for the bantamweight title in between Juan Archuleta and Patrick Mix, however Archuleta withdrew. The expectation is that bout will be rebooked for the belt.
On Friday, Pettis definitely put himself in that No. 1 competitor conversation. He had a cost-effective efficiency against Bandejas, outstriking the taller male and overdoing the calf kicks through the very first 2 rounds. At one point, Bandejas seemed to lose his footing due to the damage triggered by those duplicated kicks to the lower part of his left leg.
In the 3rd round, both males opened. Pettis was not content to cruise to a decision and presented several flashy techniques, plainly trying to find a knockout. Pettis tossed spinning kicks, and Bandejas came back with a few of his own, including a wheel kick to the head that was just hardly obstructed by Pettis. Pettis tossed another spinning kick with seconds remaining that narrowly missed too.
Pettis (20-5) has actually won three directly, including his very first two in Bellator. The Milwaukee native left the UFC as a totally free representative last year with a 9-5 record in the organization, going back and forth in between flyweight and bantamweight. Pettis, still just 26 years of ages, owns a triumph over Joseph Benavidez, who simply defended the UFC flyweight title last weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Bandejas (13-4) had a two-fight winning streak snapped. When he amazingly knocked out Conor McGregor protégé James Gallagher, the New Jersey native moved himself up the Bellator bantamweight ladder in 2018. Bandejas, 28, trains out of the vaunted American Top Team in Florida.
Also on the Bellator 242 card, blue-chipper Aaron Pico won his 2nd straight bout via finish. Pico (6-3) sent Solo Hatley Jr. with a rear-naked choke at 2:09 of the preliminary in the main card opener.
Pico, 23, debuted as a pro with Bellator in 2017 as the most decorated possibility in MMA history following Golden Gloves titles in boxing and a near berth in the Olympics for battling. Prior to this existing streak, though, he had actually lost 2 straight by means of knockout.
Pico, a California local, has started finding success since altering training camps to Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the home of UFC stars such as Jon Jones and Holly Holm. Instead of looking and brawling for quick knockouts like he did in previous battles, Pico went to his wrestling early, took Hatley down, landed damaging ground-and-pound and finished with a choke. Pico has actually completed all 6 of his professional triumphes, but this was the very first one by submission.
