Matches to Make After Bellator 285

Bellator 285 on Saturday at 3Arena in Dublin was headlined by local hero Peter Queally’s lightweight showdown with former Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder Benson Henderson. “Smooth” showed why he has been so successful over the years, as he defended well in striking exchanges, scored with kicks and took every opportunity to attack Queally’s hips, beating up the Irishman with dirty boxing even when he failed to take him to the canvas. When combined with Henderson’s intelligence, legendary cardio and ability to implement a gameplan across 25 minutes, it was more than enough to win every round on all three judges’ scorecards.

The co-main event paired aging warriors with one another, as 45-year-old Yoel Romero faced 46-year-old Melvin Manhoef at 205 pounds. Romero afforded the Dutchman few opportunities when standing, landed an occasional powerful shot of his own and used his world-class wrestling to take down Manhoef in the third round before separating him from consciousness with a series of sadistic elbows. It was the eight third-round stoppage among Romero’s 15 career victories.

Meanwhile, Pedro Carvalho upset Mads Burnell in a pivotal, back-and-forth battle between Bellator MMA featherweight contenders. Carvalho was awarded a unanimous decision after three rounds, posting just his second win since 2019. He entered the cage as a +500 underdog.

In the aftermath of Bellator 285 “Henderson vs. Queally,” a look at a few of the matches that ought to be made:

Benson Henderson vs. Tofiq Musayev: This is a no-brainer contender’s match, with Musayev ranked second at 155 pounds and Henderson positioned right behind him. Reigning champion Patricky Freire will defend his title against undefeated No. 1 contender Usman Nurmagomedov in November. Musayev already holds a victory over Freire in the Rizin Fighting Federation and made a huge splash in his Bellator debut with a thunderous 27-second knockout of Sidney Outlaw. A confrontation with Henderson would pit Musayev, a contender in his prime, against a crafty veteran. Can Henderson make one last run at a championship? Can Musayev prove himself as one of the world’s premier lightweights and deserving of a title shot? It would be a match full of intriguing storylines.

Yoel Romero vs. Ryan Bader: While he still looks shockingly fast and athletic despite being in his mid-40s, Romero likely does not have many fights remaining. Why not make each one worthy of main-event consideration? A clash with the reigning Bellator heavyweight champion certainly fits the bill, so long as it takes place at 205 pounds. Both Bader and Romer started out as elite wrestlers who developed outstanding striking skills before recording a slew of highlight-reel knockouts. With Romero’s superhuman fast-twitch power and Bader’s shaky chin, the Cuban would never be out of the fight. A potential defeat would not do much damage to Bader’s stock, either, as he has lost two of his past three bouts as a light heavyweight, bowing to Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson—two of the top 205-pound competitors in the sport.

Pedro Carvalho vs. Aaron Pico-Jeremy Kennedy winner: With A.J. McKee moving to 155 pounds for his next assignment and perhaps staying there permanently, the identity of the next top contender for the featherweight throne remains unclear. That will be especially true if Patricio Freire retains his 145-pound championship against Adam Borics at Bellator 286. However, the question could conceivably be answered by Carvalho, Pico or Kennedy. If Carvalho faced Kennedy, it would pit two outstanding grapplers with endless cardio against one another; if Carvalho met Pico, he would be tested by one of MMA’s most well-rounded young talents. Either hypothetical bout would excite fans and deserve top billing at virtually any event. Plus, it would produce the next No. 1 contender in the featherweight division.