Bellator 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson
Bellator 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson was an exciting event that took place on December 16, 2022, at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. The event featured a highly anticipated main event between undefeated Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov and former UFC and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson.
Bellator 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson
The main event between Nurmagomedov and Henderson was a highly anticipated matchup between two legends of the sport. Nurmagomedov, who retired from the UFC in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record, was making his Bellator debut after signing with the organization earlier in the year. Henderson, on the other hand, was coming out of retirement for the third time and was looking to add another accolade to his already impressive resume.
The fight started with both fighters feeling each other out, with Nurmagomedov showing his usual dominant wrestling skills and Henderson looking for opportunities to land his heavy hands. Nurmagomedov was able to take Henderson down early in the first round and was able to control him on the ground for the majority of the round. Henderson was able to get back to his feet towards the end of the round but was unable to do much damage to Nurmagomedov.
In the second round, Nurmagomedov continued to control the fight with his grappling, taking Henderson down multiple times and landing ground and pound. Henderson was able to defend himself well on the ground and was able to get back to his feet a few times, but Nurmagomedov was relentless in his pursuit of a finish.
The third round started with Henderson coming out more aggressive, looking to land his trademark H-bomb. However, Nurmagomedov was able to avoid Henderson's power punches and take him down once again. From there, Nurmagomedov was able to transition to mount and land heavy strikes, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight.
The victory for Nurmagomedov was his 30th consecutive win and solidified his status as one of the greatest fighters of all time. After the fight, Nurmagomedov showed his respect for Henderson, saying, "Dan Henderson is a legend of the sport, and it was an honor to share the cage with him tonight."
In the co-main event, former UFC and Bellator champion Michael Chandler took on rising star Usman Nurmagomedov, the younger cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov. The fight started with Chandler looking to use his superior striking to keep Nurmagomedov at bay, but Nurmagomedov was able to take him down and control him on the ground for the majority of the round.
In the second round, Chandler came out more aggressive, landing heavy punches and kicks on Nurmagomedov. However, Nurmagomedov was able to weather the storm and took Chandler down once again, landing ground and pound and looking for a finish.
The third round saw Nurmagomedov continue to control Chandler on the ground, landing heavy strikes and looking for submissions. Chandler was able to defend himself well but was unable to mount any offense of his own.
The judges awarded Nurmagomedov a unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27 in his favor. The victory was a huge statement for Nurmagomedov, who is now one of the top contenders in the lightweight division.
In other main card action, former UFC and Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold made his Bellator debut against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Ronaldo Souza. The fight was a back-and-forth battle, with Rockhold using his superior striking and Souza looking to take the fight to the ground.
In the end, it was Rockhold who came out on top, landing heavy strikes in the third round.
