INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Advertised as one of the most violent fights in Bellator history, Brennan Ward vs. Sabah Homasi delivered.
In the first Bellator fight to air on CBS in promotion history, Ward (17-6 MMA, 12-6 BMMA) defeated Homasi (17-11 MMA, 6-5 BMMA) with a head kick and punches at 1:34 of Round 2. The welterweight bout opened up the Bellator 290 main card at Kia Forum.
Homasi and Ward both came out aggressive, as expected. Ward shot for a takedown initially. Homasi stuffed. Moments later, Ward shot a takedown as Homasi leaped for a flying knee. Ward caught Homasi and took him to the ground. Once there, Ward worked from the back for a rear-naked choke, which he couldn’t get. Homasi worked up but Ward found success once back on the feet. The two fighters were bloodied, but not broken at the end-of-round bell.
In Round 2, Ward continued his momentum swing, as he rocked Homasi on various occasions. Ward was patient in the attack, as he beat down a durable Homasi. Referee Blake Grice appeared close to a stoppage on multiple occasions, but a head kick and punches were what eventually persuaded him to intervene.
🔥 The 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗘 career resurgence of @SwaggleBerryFin continues! What a stoppage LIVE on @CBS 👏
📺 #Bellator290 | 𝑪𝑩𝑺 & 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕+ | LIVE NOW pic.twitter.com/qWo4HAbqic
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) February 5, 2023
After the fight, Ward was joined in the cage by legendary actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, who attended the event with a mutual friend of theirs.
Ward returned in February 2022 after nearly five years away from MMA competition due to an ongoing battle with drug addiction. At Bellator 274, Ward was successful in his comeback bout when he defeated Brandon Bell by second-round TKO. In June, he defeated Kassius Kayne by second-round TKO at Bellator 282.
Reinvented under the Bellator banner, Homasi, a close friend and training partner of UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier, won six of his past eight bouts before Saturday. A two fight skid was snapped with the loss.
Up-to-the-minute Bellator 290 results include:
- Brennan Ward def. Sabah Homasi via TKO (head kick and punches) – Round 2, 1:34
- Lorenz Larkin def. Mukhamed Berkhamov via knockout (elbow) – Round 1, 1:41
- Henry Corrales def. Akhmed Magomedov via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ali Isaev vs. Steve Mowry ends in a unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
- Chris Gonzalez def. Max Rohskopf via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:22
- Grant Neal def. Karl Albrektsson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Diana Avsaragova def. Alejandra Lara via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Nikita Mikhailov def. Darrion Caldwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 290.
