Bellator 222 Results: MacDonald vs. Gracie

Bellator 222 took place at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 14, 2019. In the main event, welterweight champion Rory MacDonald defeated Neiman Gracie by unanimous decision, with scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47. MMA Fighting’s full event results list the card. Related reports: Bellator 221 and Bellator 223.

Main Event: MacDonald vs. Gracie

In the main event, Rory MacDonald defended his welterweight title against Neiman Gracie. MacDonald retained his welterweight title by unanimous decision. Despite questions about his commitment to the sport, MacDonald proved his critics wrong with a solid performance.

Co-Main Event: Machida vs. Sonnen

The co-main event saw Lyoto Machida face off against Chael Sonnen. Machida, known as “The Dragon,” lived up to his nickname, retiring Sonnen with a second-round technical knockout. This victory extended Machida’s winning streak to four in a row, positioning him for a potential Bellator middleweight title shot.

Highlight Performances

Dillon Danis, a rising star in the MMA world, made his mark at Bellator 222. He submitted Max Humphrey in the first round. Patchy Mix also had an impressive Bellator debut, defeating Ricky Bandejas with a first-round submission.

Juan Archuleta delivered one of the most explosive performances of the night, knocking out Eduardo Dantas in the second round. Kyoji Horiguchi also made headlines by defeating Darrion Caldwell via unanimous decision to win the bantamweight title.

A Night to Remember

Bellator 222 was a night of high stakes and high rewards. From MacDonald’s title defense to Machida’s knockout victory, the event was filled with memorable moments that will go down in MMA history.

MacDonald’s title defense was only one of several consequential bouts. Machida’s stoppage of Sonnen ended Sonnen’s MMA career, while Horiguchi’s win over Caldwell earned him the bantamweight title. Danis and Patchy Mix also won by first-round submission, so the card’s featured results included a championship change, a successful defense and multiple quick finishes.

Sources

MMA Fighting’s full event results; Event results record.

Article Tags

Bellator, Bellator 222, Mixed Martial Arts