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What's the story?
Mandel Nello knocked out Carrington Banks in the second round of their fight at Bellator 207 with a skull-shattering knee. Nello's one shot KO of Banks is bound to be a knockout of the year candidate this year and skyrocket the undefeated lightweight finisher's stock.
In case you didn't know..
Mandel Nallo has been a rising star in the Bellator's lightweight division. Nallo headed into his Bellator 207 fight against Carrington Banks with an undefeated pro record of 6-0 which improved to 7-0 after this marquee performance.
A ruthless finisher, Nallo has finished all his pro fights with 3 knockouts and 4 submissions. Nallo last fought Alec Williams at Bellator 189 in December 2017, when he delivered another highlight reel head kick knockout to finish Williams in the first round.
The heart of the matter
Mandel Nallo and Carrington Banks faced each other under the bright lights of Bellator 207 as the two lightweight prospects looked to seize the moment and establish themselves as top contenders. Nallo went into the fight with an undefeated professional record of 6-0 with all his wins coming from 1st or 2nd round stoppages. Banks having lost his last fight at UFC 199, was hoping to redeem his last loss and improve on his 7-1 record.
The two lightweights battled a close fought 1st round. With just a minute left in the second round, Banks threw a jab to press the action and was countered beautifully by a picture perfect knee of Nallo, knocking him out cold instantly.
Mandel Nallo's devastating knockout is being considered a potential knockout of the year candidate this year by the media and fans alike.
What's next?
Nallo might not be getting a performance bonus for his stunning knockout due to Bellator's lack of 'fight night' bonuses, but the lightweight finisher is definitely heading to bigger and better things after this performance. Mandel Nallo caught the MMA world's eye today with his performance and his finishing instinct. With an undefeated record of 7-0 with 7 finishes, Nallo can look forward to facing the division's top talent in the near future.
