INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Johnny Eblen has picked up the first defense of his Bellator middleweight title.
Eblen (13-0 MMA, 9-0 BMMA) outworked Anatoly Tokov over the course of 25 minutes to earn a one-sided unanimous decision from the official judges, who issued scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46. The middleweight title bout was the Bellator 290 co-main event at Kia Forum.
The fight began with a feel-out process as both fighters tried to find the range. Action began to ramp up midway through the frame with sharp exchanges. Eblen worked an outside leg kick while Tokov (31-4 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) popped out a nice jab between a few moments in the clinch. Takedown defense was solid from both in the first round, but that would prove to change as the fight wore on.
The action started hot and heavy in the second. Punching exchanges were frequent as Eblen pressed forward. Tokov cleanly stuffed a takedown attempt and stunned Eblen with a big punch on the exit. Just when it seemed like Tokov was going to mount serious momentum, Eblen answered back with a huge elbow to drop Tokov, and then completed a takedown to control the remainder of the round.
Tokov catches @JohnnyEblen.
📺 #Bellator290 | 𝑪𝑩𝑺 & 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕+ | LIVE NOW pic.twitter.com/JRZnlP8AG2
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) February 5, 2023
After trading strikes to begin the third, Eblen shot in hard for a takedown. Tokov worked back to his feet, but Elben stuck with the body lock and began to wear down his opponent. Eventually Tokov broke free, stuffed a takedown and began moving forward. However, it would be Eblen who landed a few more big punches in the closing moments before the championship rounds.
How does Tokov keep eating these shots from @JohnnyEblen? 👀
📺 #Bellator290 | 𝑪𝑩𝑺 & 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕+ | LIVE NOW pic.twitter.com/ZqilV8iEjp
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) February 5, 2023
In the fourth round, Eblen went back to his wrestling game, keeping Tokov pressed against the cage. The champ lifted and dumped his opponent to the mat, controlling from top position. Fatigue became a major factor at this point in the fight, as it was apparent that Tokov was fading in a dominant round for Eblen.
With just five minutes left to work, Tokov needed to change the course of the fight. He was able to land a few nice strikes, but Eblen halted that momentum in the clinch. For the cherry on top, Eblen hit a beautiful German suplex just seconds before the fight reached the final horn.
JOHNNY EBLEN WITH THE GERMAN SUPLEX😱 @BellatorMMA pic.twitter.com/K1L2YbGbcC
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) February 5, 2023
Eblen, 31, walks away with the first defense of his Bellator middleweight title while remaining undefeated through 13 professional fights. He became champion at Bellator 282, where he defeated Gegard Mousasi by unanimous decision.
Tokov, 32, won seven straight bouts to reach a title shot, but was ultimately shut out by Eblen in his fourth pro loss.
Up-to-the-minute Bellator 290 results include:
- Johnny Eblen def. Anatoly Tokov via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
- 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.
