Bellator 204: Caldwell and Bandejas Score Wins

Bellator 204 took place on August 17, 2018, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The main event was a non-title featherweight bout between reigning bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell and Noad Lahat, part of Caldwell’s move up to 145 pounds.

Darrion Caldwell’s Featherweight Return

Caldwell controlled much of the contest with his wrestling before finishing Lahat with strikes in the second round. The stoppage came at 2:46, according to the event results. After the win, Caldwell called for a featherweight title opportunity against Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. It was a successful return to 145 pounds for the first time since 2014 for the then-bantamweight champion, who fights out of Alliance MMA in San Diego, California.

Ricky Bandejas’ Upset Victory

Ricky Bandejas stopped James Gallagher by knockout at 2:49 of the first round. A right hand and a stepping kick to the head opened the sequence, and follow-up punches ended the fight. The result was a major upset that put Bandejas in the spotlight and halted Gallagher’s unbeaten run.

Other Notable Fights

Logan Storley defeated A.J. Matthews by TKO with elbows at 3:56 of Round 2. Tywan Claxton earned a unanimous decision over Cris Lencioni, with all three judges scoring the bout 30–27.

Conclusion

Bellator 204’s defining moments were Caldwell’s second-round finish in his featherweight return and Bandejas’ first-round knockout of Gallagher. The event also featured stoppage wins for Storley and a decision victory for Claxton. See MMA Fighting’s full Bellator 204 results and its report on Caldwell and Bandejas. For the next event in this archive, read our Bellator 203 recap. Bellator coverage and fighter profiles are also available in the archive.

Selected Bout Results

• Darrion Caldwell defeated Noad Lahat by KO (Punches); round 2, 2:46.
• Logan Storley defeated A.J. Matthews by TKO (Elbows and Punches); round 2, 3:56.
• Ricky Bandejas defeated James Gallagher by KO (Head Kick and Punches); round 1, 2:49.
• Tywan Claxton defeated Cris Lencioni by Decision (Unanimous); round 3, 5:00.
• Omar Morales defeated Troy Nawrocki by KO (Punches); round 1, 0:58.
• Demarques Jackson defeated Bryce Logan by Decision (Split); round 3, 5:00.

Sources

MMA Fighting’s full Bellator 204 results; report on Caldwell and Bandejas; Event results record.

Article Tags

Bellator, Bellator 204, Mixed Martial Arts