5 takeaways from Bellator 281

#4. Kana Watanabe could be the next Bellator flyweight title challenger

Kana Watanabe picked up a significant win at Bellator 281 by defeating former title challenger and No.2-ranked flyweight Denise Kielholtz. The women’s flyweight delivered an action-packed bout that could have gone either way at times.

Kielholtz didn’t waste any time as she landed a powerful combination that clearly stunned Watanabe. But Watanabe immediately took the fight to the ground and utilized her grappling. The majority of the fight was contested on the ground, where ‘Miss Dynamite’ was outmatched. She was even deducted a point in the second round for an illegal knee. Watanabe recovered and was able to secure a triangle choke that forced the kickboxing champion to submit.

Watanabe is now in a great position in the women’s flyweight division. She has set herself up for a potential title shot and rematch with women’s flyweight champion Liz Carmouche. If the promotion don’t book an immediate rematch between Carmouche and Juliana Velasquez, she should be next in line.

---

#3. Fabian Edwards' stock rises in Bellator middlweight division

Fabian Edwards earned the biggest win of his career when he knocked out Lyoto Machida at Bellator 281. It was a devastating knockout win over an MMA legend and former UFC light heavyweight champion.

Edwards and Machida both came into the fight looking to snap a losing skid. ‘The Assassin’ had lost back-to-back fights to Costello van Steenis and Austin Vanderford. Meanwhile, Machida had lost to middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi and former light heavyweight champions Phil Davis and Ryan Bader.

Edwards stunned ‘The Dragon’ with an elbow and then knocked him out with strikes at 3:18 of the first round. He was thrilled to have done something that none of the Bellator's champions have been able to do since Machida joined.

“He fought Bader and Mousasi and he fought Davis, and none of them guys could finish him. I done that in one round, so what does that say about my skills.” – Fabian Edwards during his post-fight press conference.