| Bellator 280: Bader vs. Kongo 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for Bellator 280: Bader vs. Kongo 2 | ||||
| Promotion | Bellator MMA | |||
| Date | May 6, 2022 (2022-05-06) | |||
| Venue | AccorHotels Arena | |||
| City | Paris, France | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Bellator 280: Bader vs. Kongo 2 was amixed martial arts event produced byBellator MMA that took place on May 6, 2022, atAccorHotels Arena inParis, France.[1][2][3]
The event marked the promotion's second visit to Paris and first sinceBellator 248 in October 2020.[1]
ABellator Heavyweight World Championship rematch between current champion (also formerBellator Light Heavyweight World Champion andThe Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir light heavyweight winner)Ryan Bader andCheick Kongo headlined the event.[4] The pairing previously met atBellator 226 in 2019, which the bout ended due to an accidental poke to Kongo's left eye in the opening round, resulting in a no contest.[5]
A featherweight bout betweenPedro Carvalho and Khasan Askhabov was scheduled for this event.[6] However, due to undisclosed reasons, Askhabov was forced to pull out and was replaced by promotional newcomer Piotr Niedzielski.[7]
A bout betweenMelvin Manhoef andYoel Romero was scheduled to be the co-main event.[8] However, Manhoef withdrew from the bout due to a hand injury while stopping burglars and was replaced by Alex Polizzi.[9]
A middleweight bout betweenLorenz Larkin and Khalid Murtazaliev was scheduled for this event.[10] However at the end of March, Murtazaliev pulled out of the bout and was replaced by Anthony Adams.[11] Adams in turn pulled out as well and was replaced by UFC vet Kyle Stewart.[12]
A heavyweight bout between Davion Franklin andDaniel James was planned for the event.[13] However, James failed an out of competition drug test and was pulled from the bout.[14]
A lightweight bout between Søren Bak and Saul Rogers was scheduled for this event.[15] Due to Rogers pulling out of the bout on two weeks notice, Bak was rescheduled against Charlie Leary in a 160 pound catchweight bout.[12]
A welterweight bout between Nicolò Solli and Joël Kouadja was scheduled for the event. However, theFrench Athletics Federation scrapped the initial bout and Kouadja's replacement, Levy Carriel, tested positive forCOVID-19 five days before the event.[16]
| Main Card (Showtime) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Heavyweight | Ryan Bader (c) | def. | Cheick Kongo | Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) | 5 | 5:00 | [a] |
| Light Heavyweight | Yoel Romero | def. | Alex Polizzi | TKO (punches) | 3 | 4:59 | |
| Lightweight | Davy Gallon | def. | Benjamin Brander | TKO (punches and elbows) | 2 | 3:18 | |
| Middleweight | Lorenz Larkin | def. | Kyle Stewart | TKO (knees and punches) | 1 | 4:44 | |
| Middleweight | Gregory Babene | def. | Mike Shipman | KO (punches) | 1 | 2:11 | |
| Preliminary card (Youtube/Pluto TV) | |||||||
| Featherweight | Piotr Niedzielski | def. | Pedro Carvalho | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Welterweight | Thibault Gouti | def. | Lewis Long | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Featherweight | Jordan Barton | def. | Fabacary Diatta | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (160 lb) | Søren Bak | def. | Charlie Leary | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Yves Landu | def. | Gavin Hughes | TKO (knees and body kick) | 1 | 3:01 | |
| Women's Flyweight | Lucie Bertaud | def. | Katarzyna Sadura | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Youcef Ouabbas | def. | Matthieu Duclos | TKO (punches) | 1 | 4:17 | |
| Welterweight | Bourama Camara | def. | Victor Verchere | KO (punches) | 1 | 3:06 | |
