Bellator 288 Results: Nemkov vs. Anderson 2

Bellator 288 took place on November 18, 2022, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Vadim Nemkov retained the light heavyweight championship and won the division’s grand prix by defeating Corey Anderson. Usman Nurmagomedov claimed the lightweight title from Patricky Freire, making the event a championship doubleheader with two different outcomes.

Main Event: Nemkov vs. Anderson 2

Nemkov defeated Anderson by unanimous decision, with scores of 48–47, 49–46 and 49–46. The result settled their rematch and awarded Nemkov the grand prix’s $1 million prize alongside his successful title defense.

Their earlier final at Bellator 277 had ended in a no contest after an accidental head clash. This second meeting supplied the competitive conclusion the tournament had lacked. Nemkov’s improved defense and distance management helped him reach the end of five rounds with a decisive result.

Lightweight Title: Freire vs. Nurmagomedov

Nurmagomedov defeated Patricky “Pitbull” Freire by unanimous decision. The scores were 50–45, 50–44 and 50–44, reflecting a commanding performance across the full championship distance.

The lightweight belt changed hands, in contrast to the successful defense in the main event. Nurmagomedov’s victory was a title-winning performance at this event; subsequent records and streaks belong to later stages of his career.

Other Main-Card Results

Timur Khizriev beat Daniel Weichel by unanimous decision. Daniel James initially stopped Tyrell Fortune with elbows at 0:27 of round two, but the result was later overturned to a no contest after James tested positive for an anabolic substance. Levan Chokheli earned a unanimous decision against Roman Faraldo.

Event Significance

Two champions emerged from Chicago by different routes: Nemkov completed unfinished tournament business, while Nurmagomedov dethroned an incumbent. The rest of the main card included decision wins and a stoppage that was later overturned to a no contest.

Nemkov and Nurmagomedov both left Chicago with major honors, but the event produced one retained title and one title change. The grand prix prize was attached to Nemkov’s win over Anderson, while Nurmagomedov’s decision victory made him lightweight champion. The later overturned result in James–Fortune is noted separately because it changed the official record after the event.

Sources

MMA Fighting: Bellator 288 results; Cageside Press; Event results record.

Article Tags

Bellator, Bellator 288, Mixed Martial Arts