This article is the play-by-play to accompany the live coverage of Bellator 251 happening on the website. Live coverage of the show can be viewed here.
Quick Results:
Preliminary Card (4:45PM EST) (Youtube)
Bout 1: Sumiko Inaba def. Jessica Ruiz via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 4:59)
Bout 2: Jaylon Bates def. Joe Supino via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 3: Ali Zebian def. Piankhi Zimmerman via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 4: Janay Harding def. Jessy Miele via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 5: Julius Anglickas def. Alex Polizzi via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 6: Georgi Karakhanyan def. Bryce Logan via Decision, Split
Main Card (7:00PM EDT) (CBS Sports Network)
Bout 7: Derek Anderson def. Killys Mota via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 4:27)
Bout 8: Austin Vanderford def. Vinicius de Jesus via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 9: Tyrell Fortune def. Said Sowma via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 10: Corey Anderson def. Melvin Manhoef via TKO, Strikes (RD 2, 2:34)
Play-by-Play:
Bout 1: Sumiko Inaba (0-0) vs. Jessica Ruiz (0-1) (Flyweight)
Ruiz clinched with Inaba after a combination of punches were thrown at her in the second minute of action. Inaba put Ruiz against the cage in the clinch, landing punches and knees from the position. Inaba scored a takedown in the final minute of the round, taking full mount. Inaba threw a series of elbows from the position that caused the referee to step in with only moments to go.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Inaba | ||||
| Ruiz |
Bout 2: Jaylon Bates (0-0) vs. Joe Supino (0-0) (Bantamweight)
Bates scored a takedown in the first minute of the fight. He took half guard shortly after going to the ground. Bates looked for a d’arce choke while Supino tried to get back to his feet. Bates moved into full mount, letting the choke go from the position. Bates threw Supino down from his back as he worked back to the feet in the third minute of the fight. Bates moved into side control on the ground after Supino tried and failed to return to the feet again. Bates landed elbows to the side of Supino while on his back in the final minute. Supino was able to slip Bates out of the position, giving himself top position for a moment. The round ran out of time while the fighters were clinched up.
Supino looked for a takedown, putting Bates against the cage in a clinch early in the second round. Bates tried for his own takedown from the position that Supino was able to counter. Bates scored a double leg takedown in the second minute of the round. Bates moved into side control in the third minute of the round. Supino was able to get up and take the fight down with a minute left. Bates looked for a guillotine choke while on his way down. Bates let the choke go after taking top position on the ground. Bates got up, scoring a takedown on Supino before the round ended.
Bates landed another takedown moments into the third round. Bates controlled Supino on the ground for the majority of the round. He took the back of Supino in the fourth minute shortly after being in a sprawl position for a moment. Bates kept with elbows and punches before looking for a choke in the conclusion of the round. Bates won on the scorecards after three rounds (30-25, 30-27 & 30-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Bates | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| Supino | 9 | 9 | 8 | 26 |
Bout 3: Piankhi Zimmerman (5-4-1) vs. Ali Zebian (4-2) (Lightweight)
Zimmerman used his reach advantage to dictate the striking early in the first round. Zebian scored a takedown in the third minute of the fight. Zebian landed punches from the position. Zimmerman was able to push Zebian off and take the fight to the feet with a minute to go. Zebian scored another takedown with less than a minute to work. He held top position until the round ran out of time.
Zebian scored his third takedown of the fight a minute into the second round. He took side control for a moment in the second minute of the round, although Zimmerman put him back into full guard. The fight returned to the feet halfway through the round. Zebian took Zimmerman down as Zimmerman had his back against the cage. Zebian was bleeding on his face while in half guard. Zebian attempted another takedown as the round expired.
Zebian landed a few punches early in the final round that allowed him to get a takedown. The fight went back to the feet in the third minute of the round, where Zebian kept Zimmerman against the cage. The fight returned to striking distance with half of the third round left. Zebian added another takedown to his tally in the fourth minute of the fight. Zebian finished the round in control again after landing yet another takedown. All judges gave the fight to Zebian after three rounds (29-28, 30-27 & 30-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Zimmerman | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| Zebian | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
Bout 4: Janay Harding (5-4) vs. Jessy Miele (9-4) (Featherweight)
Both fighters were connecting with punches early in the first round. Harding put Miele against the cage in a clinch in the second minute of action. Miele was able to land a takedown for a moment in the fourth round, although Harding was quick to return to a clinch on the feet. Harding landed her own takedown from the clinch with a minute to go in the round. She threw punches from full guard until the round ran out of time.
Miele caught a leg kick early in the second round, clinching with Harding after. Miele scored a takedown in the second minute of the round, trying for a guillotine choke on the ground. Miele went on her back while trying for the choke. Harding started to bleed during the round due to strikes. Harding took full guard on top after leaving the choke. Harding landed with a series of punches and elbows from the position. The fight went back to the feet with a minute to go in the round. Miele caught a leg kick, although Harding was able to resist a takedown, going into a clinch instead. Harding finished the round with a takedown.
Harding came forward at Miele with punches early in the final round. Miele was able to score a takedown from the clinch. Harding was able to get a sweep and take top position. Miele looked for a triangle choke in the third minute of the round. Miele looked for an armbar in the fourth minute, allowing Harding to take her back in the fourth minute. Harding looked for a rear naked choke in the final minute. Harding locked up the choke in the final seconds of the round, holding it until the round ran out of time. Harding was given the win after three rounds (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Harding | 10 | 9 | 10 | 29 |
| Miele | 9 | 10 | 9 | 28 |
Bout 5: Julius Anglickas (8-1) vs. Alex Polizzi (7-0) (Light Heavyweight)
Anglickas was able to resist takedown attempts in the first round. He was connecting with singular shots to Polizzi early in the fight. Polizzi was able to take his first takedown of the fight in the fifth minute of action. Anglickas was able to return to his feet less than a minute after.
Anglickas was able to resist another takedown a minute into the second round. Polizzi landed his second takedown of the fight in the second minute of the round. Like the takedown before, Anglickas was quick to get back to the feet. Polizzi started to bleed from his nose halfway through the round. On the feet, Anglickas continued to connect with his punches to the head.
Polizzi’s corner told him they thinks he will need a finish to win the fight in the third round. Anglickas put Polizzi against the cage in a clinch after stopping a takedown attempt. He scored a takedown later in the minute. Polizzi looked for a guillotine choke from the bottom, although Anglickas popped out eventually. The fight went back to the feet, although it went back down with two minutes to go. Anglickas held side control, leaving a guillotine choke from the position. He got on the back of Polizzi, staying in the position until the round ran out of time. All three judges scored it for Anglickas after three rounds (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Anglickas | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| Polizzi | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
Bout 6: Bryce Logan (12-4) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (29-11-1) (Lightweight)
Karakhanyan was able to land a takedown halfway through the round. He mounted the back of Logan as he got to the feet. Logan got back to the feet in the fourth minute of the round. Karakhanyan landed another takedown in the final minute of the round.
Logan put Karakhanyan against the cage in a clinch early in the second round. Logan put together a few hard punches in the second minute of the round. Logan was putting together hard singular shots as Karakhanyan came forward at him. Karakhanyan put Logan against the cage with a minute to go, scoring a takedown shortly after. Logan worked up to his feet just before the round concluded.
Karakhanyan shot for a takedown after they both missed on strikes in the first minute of the final round. They fought against the cage in a clinic for a large part of the round. Karakhanyan landed a double leg takedown with a minute to go in the fight. Karakhanyan landed a few punches and scored another takedown in the final seconds of the fight. Needing judges to find a winner, Karakhanyan took a split decision victory (29-28 Logan, 29-28 Karakhanyan & 29-28 Karakhanyan).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Logan | 9 | 10 | 9 | 28 |
| Karakhanyan | 10 | 9 | 10 | 29 |
Bout 7: Derek Anderson (16-3) vs. Killys Mota (12-1) (Welterweight)
Mota secured a takedown from a clinch halfway through the round. Mota got on the back of Anderson in the third minute of the fight. The fight went to the feet, going back down with Mota in full mount with a d’arce choke. The fight went back to striking with over a minute to go in the round. Mota was able to get another takedown late in the round, getting on his back before the clock ran out of time.
Mota scored a takedown a minute into the second round. Mota got on the back of Anderson. Anderson was able to get back to the feet, putting Mota against the cage. He scored his own takedown halfway through the round after carrying him across the cage. Anderson landed a head kick in the final minute, although it connected while Mota was grounded still. Anderson recognized this, allowing the referee to call a timeout. The fight was called off after Mota was on the ground for a few minutes. Upon instant replay, the kick was ruled replay and Anderson was given the win.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Anderson | 9 | |||
| Mota | 10 |
Bout 8: Austin Vanderford (9-0) vs. Vinicius de Jesus (9-3) (Middleweight)
Vandeford had a takedown attempt stopped by de Jesus in the first minute of action. De Jesus chased Vandeford with strikes after. Vanderford scored a takedown later in the minute. De Jesus was able to look for a kneebar on the ground. Vanderford escaped the hold and returned to the feet. De jesus was active with a jab on the fight. Vanderford landed a takedown in the fourth minute after landing an overhand right. He kept control on the ground until the round ran out of time.
Vanderford was able to charge forward and connect with a takedown early in the round. Vanderford connected with a high pace of punches from the top. Vanderford looked for an arm triangle choke while in half guard. Vanderford moved into side control in the final moments of the round while keeping the choke in. de Jesus was able to endure the choke until the round concluded.
Like he did in the round before, Vanderford landed a takedown only moments into the final round. Vanderford kept with striking in half guard that caused de Jesus to bleed a large amount. Vanderford kept with his striking until the round concluded. Vanderford won on scorecards after three rounds (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Vanderford | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
| De Jesus | 9 | 9 | 8 | 26 |
Bout 9: Tyrell Fortune (8-1) vs. Said Sowma (6-1) (Heavyweight)
The first round was a slow pace of striking, although Fortune was the more active fighter throughout. Fortune scored a takedown with a minute left in the round. Sowma worked up to his feet in a clinch with less than 30 seconds left in the round.
Fortune was the more aggressive striker in the second round as well. He put Sowma against the cage in the third minute of action. A pause came from the position after Fortune was accidentally kneed in the groin. The fight resumed from the clinch shortly after. The fight left the clinch for a moment, although it re-entered after a leg kick from Sowma slipped Fortune. Sowma landed a two-hook combination late in the round.
The fight went to the ground for a moment in the third round after Fortune slipped. Sowma landed a series of knees to the head as they got back to the feet. Sowma put Fortune against the cage in a clinch after. Fortune was able to take top position on the ground after Sowma looked for a takedown late in the fight. Fortune won the fight after three rounds (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Fortune | 10 | 9 | 10 | 29 |
| Sowma | 9 | 10 | 9 | 28 |
Bout 10: Melvin Manhoef (32-14-1) vs. Corey Anderson (13-5) (Light Heavyweight)
Anderson slammed Manhoef down for a takedown a minute into the fight. Anderson threw punches while on top in half guard. Manhoef worked out of the position and got to his feet in the fourth minute of the round. Anderson scored his second takedown of the fight in the fourth minute. Anderson was active with punches as Manhoef worked back up to his feet. The round finished on the feet.
Anderson was able to land another takedown a minute into the second round. Anderson landed elbows from half guard that hurt Manhoef. Anderson kept busy with strikes until Manhoef covered up and the referee stopped the fight.
My Scorecard:
| Fighter | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Total |
| Manhoef | 9 | |||
| Anderson | 10 |
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