Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Simon Samano

Bellator Champions Series results: Cedric Doumbe makes quick work of Jaleel Willis to set up Anthony Pettis showdown

Cedric Doumbe walked out to the cage with a vacuum and cleaned the floor to remind everyone that his first MMA defeat was a fluke. Then he went out and proved just that.

Doumbe made quick work of Jaleel Willis on Friday at Bellator Champions Series: Paris, winning by TKO with a flurry of punches at the 3:33 mark of Round 1. The finish sequence came when Doumbe instigated a furious exchange between the two men and landed a right hook that dropped Willis, causing him to cover up on the canvas. From there, Doumbe swarmed him with a flurry of punches that forced referee Mike Beltran to stop the fight, sending the French fans at Accor Arena into a frenzy.

Afterward, Doumbe (6-1) and Willis (16-6), who had a heated and physical faceoff at the ceremonial weigh-ins, embraced each other with a hug. Doumble said Willis had a good game plan, but he figured it out as the fight wore on.

Doumbe’s victory surely erased memories of a controversial defeat in his previous bout, which was caused by a splinter in the cage. The win also sets up a showdown with former UFC and WEC champion Anthony Pettis, who was sitting cageside and entered the cage for a faceoff.

“I loved it, bro,” Pettis said of Doumbe’s performance. “I wanna fight him here in Paris. Pete (Murray), let’s set it up here.”

Doumbe’s reaction? “This guy must be crazy,” he said.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator Champions Series: Paris results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: Paris.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.