'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
What a historic night it was for Bellator as Ryan Bader became the first double champion in the promotion's history by knocking out Fedor Emelianenko within 35 seconds of the very first round.
In case you didn't know...
The Bellator 214 card was the first Bellator PPV of the year that was headlined by the Heavyweight Grand Prix final between the legendary Russian fighter and the former UFC Light Heavyweight contender.
The card also featured the MMA debut of former WWE Superstar Jack Swagger, who notched up an impressive submission victory via arm-triangle choke against 41-year-old J.W.Kiser.
The co-main event of the evening saw Henry Corrales pull off a major upset against top Featherweight contender Aaron Pico. However, the biggest shock of the night was reserved for the main event.
The heart of the matter
The extensive pre-fight routine only increased the anticipation for the potentially explosive main event. And explosive it was! Fedor began the fight rather cautiously as he refrained from engaging in an all-out brawl.
Bader checked his range with two hooks and before anyone could see it coming, stunned Fedor with a perfectly placed lead left hook to the chin. The former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion's knees gave up and he dropped to the mat as Bader landed two finishing shots before referee Mike Beltran stopped the fight.
Bader celebrated a monumental win as Fedor was attended to by the cage-side medics. The former UFC fighter became the first man in Bellator history to win titles in two different weight classes simultaneously.
A Conor McGregor-esque moment for Bader who has positioned himself as one of the best fighters on the planet after his emphatic win over the once-unconquerable Last Emperor.
What's next?
At 42 years old, we may have possibly witnessed the last of Emelianenko and it certainly should be as he has nothing left to prove. The loss doesn't change the fact that he is one of the greatest heavyweights in MMA history.
It would be a busy 2019 for Bader who would have two titles to defends in two thoroughly stacked divisions.
